Tim Burgess quit drugs because he couldn't sing anymore.

The Charlatans frontman realised he needed to get sober during recording for the group's 2006 album 'Simpatico' because he was completely ''incapacitated'' by his habit.

He said: ''I couldn't sing anymore. I stopped being able to sing.

''I really wanted [producer] Adrian Sherwood to do the album and there were other forces that got us to try and turn a dub-inspired album into a rock album and I couldn't fight the battle because I was incapacitated.

''So I couldn't sing and I couldn't fight any battles and the music wasn't as good, so that was when I made a conscious decision to change everything.

''How bad had it got? Slurring on records.''

His bandmate Mark Collins added: ''There were moments we just went, 'Tim, come back in the morning.' ''

Tim booked into a hotel for a self-imposed detox but then need to go to the ''soul gym'' to build himself back up.

He said: ''I felt a bit like an empty shell for a while and I had to start building the stuff that makes the soul again.

''Coke's a rubbish drug and it does take the soul out of you. So I started going to the soul gym.''

Though Tim - who now practices transcendental meditation - doesn't miss drugs, he doesn't regret his wild ways.

He added to NME magazine: ''I enjoyed the experimentation. I don't miss it and I don't recognise that person really, but I know that that person enjoyed it.

''I can't imagine ever going back there at all, but I enjoyed the ritual of going to try and find some drugs just to go out and DJ.

''I'd wake up in the morning and think about it, 'I'd better call early.' ''