Deryck’s goal was to make music again when he was in hospital

DERYCK Whibley made performing live again his “goal” when he was in hospital being treated for alcohol addiction.

The Sum 41 frontman — who has suffered with on-going alcohol abuse in the past — had to relearn the guitar and find his voice again after a stint in hospital in May 2014, which saw his body “shut down” after he spent a week in intensive care for severe liver and kidney problems, and the only thing that was keeping him alive was his desire to get on stage and sing and play again.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, he said: “When I was lying in the hospital the only goal was to get back to making music. I was sober for the first time in years just laying there and I realised the only thing I wanted to do was to just get back out on stage.

“Making an album is one thing, but it is not really why I do this.

“Performing is the thing I love the most. The album is just what gets us there.”

The 36-year-old rocker previously opened up about how “frightening” it was when he lost his voice and forgot how to play the guitar.

He said: “At first, when I picked up a guitar I thought it would just be like picking up a guitar.

“But it was like learning the guitar for the first time. The same with singing. I couldn’t sing at all. I couldn’t hold a note, it was really frightening.”