Josh Eppard: Finding His Way Back to Music and Hope

No one could have predicted the path Josh Eppard’s life would take, least of all him. Growing up in the small town of Kingston, NY, his high school days were nothing out of the ordinary.

However, when the band he played drums in—Coheed and Cambria—took off and gained international acclaim, people back home took notice and it felt good to hear them recognize him and his talents. 

So, when Josh left the band at the height of success, it puzzled people. Was it because of creative differences? Did the bandmates just feel the need to take their in music different directions?

Not the case, Josh readily admits. In his own words, he went from having it all and then blowing it. Put another way, he “got a shot and then spit right in its face.”

Why Did Josh Eppard Leave Coheed and Cambria?

What could have possibly prompted him to trash his career and reputation, and wind up homeless? Simply put, an addiction to heroin.

After the band offered him hundreds of chances and countless opportunities to get help for his substance use, Josh got so high he decided to message the band and let them know he quit. He knew he was going to be fired otherwise.

While in the band, he could afford to buy hundreds of dollars of heroin but without that income, Josh resorted to selling everything he owned and living on his parents’ living room floor.

He could feel everyone’s disappointment. And even though every time he shot heroin, he told himself it would be the last time, years passed in this manner.

Accepting Help and Letting Light and Music Back Into His Life

After multiple unsuccessful tries that Josh admits were half-hearted and mainly attempts to get people off his back, he finally accepted help in the form of rehab. In the past, he had been too selfish and lost to let a treatment program help him.

But when he came clean to his girlfriend at the time (now his wife) that he was addicted to heroin, she took him to Albany and got him into a treatment program. And this time, even though Josh still felt lost and in utter darkness, he decided to listen to all the people who told him he needed help.

Josh credits a chorus of things for being what finally got him to recover from a heroin addiction. Having his wife take him away from his hometown and to a treatment program in Albany, having a doctor who prescribed him Suboxone, and getting invited to join the band Terrible Things all played a role.

When he started playing music again, he finally saw a speck of light in the darkness and started to feel a sense of hope. Almost 5 years to the day, Josh returned to the band Coheed and Cambria as their drummer.

Years later, he still expresses sincere and immense gratitude to his bandmates that gave him yet another chance, after having already given him so many.

Feeling Lucky To Be Alive and in Recovery

Looking back now, Josh is finally in a place where he can digest all that happened to him, including nearly losing his arm because of an abscess from shooting up. In fact, with almost 15 years in recovery, he feels a sense of “honor in owning the bed that [he’s] made and making that bed better, making your life better.”

Not only is Josh playing drums professionally and touring with the band, but he also hosts a community on his website Drum Set Confessional where he and others who are affected by addiction can share stories and support.

And for anyone wondering, Josh still takes Suboxone—an FDA-approved medication for the treatment of opioid addiction. For him, it took several failed attempts but once he let Suboxone work for him, he’s never looked back.

He acknowledges Suboxone may not be for everyone but to those who might shame others for taking treatment medications for opioid use disorder, he reasons, “Isn’t the goal to keep people alive?” Josh Eppard is living proof that for some, these medications can do just that.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with substance use, help is available. Even if you feel hopeless and like you may never see the light, recovery is possible. Greenhouse Treatment Center—a drug and alcohol rehab near Dallas—provides evidence-based treatment in a relaxing, spa-like environment.

Call a caring admissions navigator at if you’d like to hear more or are ready to start the admissions process.