September 21, 2006 11:45

Cat Power: 'I wanted to die'

Singer explains reasons behind tour cancellation

Cat Power has revealed that she had suicidal thoughts stemming from her alcoholism.

The singer cancelled her US and UK shows to support her album ’The Greatest’ in July at the last minute.

The official statement said the cancellations were for “health reasons”. However Cat Power - real name Chan Marshall - has now admitted that she was suffering from suicidal thoughts at the time.

She said: “I was looking at death. I wanted to die...I asked God, I said, 'I’m tired, I can’t do this'. I was asking him to just take me.”

The singer told The New York Times that she received psychiatric treatment for her condition.

Marshall, who is known for her erratic live shows, said it was her non-stop touring in 1998 that led her into the chronic substance abuse that continued for years.

She said: “Even playing all my shows I was always intoxicated, always kind of not there, which led to the depression..It was more about the uncomfortableness with just being in my own skin, and that’s why the alcohol was always with me.”

The newly sober singer has already completed her next album, tentatively called ’Sun’, and is planning a follow-up to 2000’s The Covers Record’, with versions of songs by James Brown and Billie Holiday set for inclusion.

Cat Power returns to the UK in November to play the Roundhouse in London on November 1.

For ticket availability go to NME.COM/gigs.