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Bill Haley's Son Opens up about His Late Father's Alleged Dark Side in 'Crazy Man, Crazy' Memoir

Kareena Koirala
Dec 23, 2019
08:00 A.M.

Rock and roll legend Bill Haley's son, Bill Haley Jr., revealed his father's alleged dark side and personality quirks while reciting his father's journey in the "Crazy Man, Crazy" memoir.

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Haley was a sensational artist who dominated the charts overnight with his 1954 recording “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock,” but led a short and turbulent life to die at the age of 55.

Haley Jr., who is breathing new life to his father's creations, recently co-wrote a memoir, "Crazy Man, Crazy" in the late rockstar's memory, sharing his candid stories.

Bill Haley and the Comets August 4, 1956 | Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bill Haley and the Comets August 4, 1956 | Source: Wikimedia Commons

HALEY JR. SHARES A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER

Haley led a superb life of fame during his early years only to later develop a dark side. The "Rock Around the Clock" singer had severe alcoholism and even personality defects.

Growing up without his father, Haley Jr. has mixed feelings about him. On the one hand, he respects his father's contribution to modern Rock and Roll, and on the other hand, their relationship was complicated.

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However, the music mammoth's son conjured the will to explore the darker side of his father's personality and candidly expressed them in the memoir, despite it being a difficult and painful process.

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THE REASON HALEY JR. WROTE THE MEMOIR

In a recent interview with "Fox News," the "Don't Knock the Rock" star's son talked about how the motivation for him to publish the memoir came from his need to deal with the truth.

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As a means of coming to terms with the complicated feelings towards his father, Haley Jr. became very open and honest while telling his take on the story of the rockstar.

The "Live it Up" singer's son wanted a relationship with his father for most of his life since Haley had walked out early on, and they only communicated for about one and a half years before the legend finally died.

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BILL HALEY'S RISE TO STARDOM

Starting as a country singer, Haley was intrigued by the possibility of tapping into the teenage segment of the market after he covered Jackie Brenston’s rhythm-and-blues hit “Rocket 88.”

Haley then dropped the name of his country band "Saddlemen" to "Bill Haley and His Comets" and became synonymous with Rock and Roll after their hit "Crazy Man, Crazy," which released in 1953.

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The song became the first in its genre to be amongst the Billboard pop charts hits. "Bill Haley and His Comets" were arguably the first self-contained rock-and-roll band.

THE STARDOM WAS SHORT-LIVED

Roughly five years into his prime and the rockstar was already facing a decline. The receding hairline and the kiss curl were not as appealing to the teenage rebellion spirit as Elvis Presley, Little Richard, or other artists of the time.

Hitting the bottle hard in his decline, alcohol was taking a toll on the artist who was not long before celebrated as the "Father of Rock and Roll."

The "Why do I cry over you" singer was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the year 1979, and two years later, in 1981 lost his life to the same disease at the untimely age of 55.

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