There's really only one direction to go when you're in the world's most famous boy band — and that's forward, with no breaks in sight.
For Liam Payne, One Direction's crazy touring schedule came with plenty of chaos. It also came with bad habits. In an interview with The Telegraph, the "Strip That Down" singer revealed he wasn't at his healthiest when he was on the road with the band, mostly because their schedule felt unending. That led to excess drinking, Payne told the outlet.
"I went through a real drinking stage, and sometimes you take things too far," the new dad, who welcomed son Bear with girlfriend Cheryl Cole in March, admitted to The Telegraph. "Everyone’s been that guy at the party where you’re the only one having fun, and there were points when that was me."
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Staying in five-star hotels may seem like a luxurious way to live, but Payne told The Telegraph it meant he could never relax.
"It was just gig to hotel, gig to hotel. And you couldn't sleep, because [fans would] still be outside. People were speaking to me about mental health in music the other day, and that's a big issue. Sometimes you just need some sun, or a walk."
Payne is clearly enjoying a slower existence these days, with a new solo career and life as a dad. However, that doesn't mean he wouldn't get onboard to unite the band at some point in the future. In December of 2016, he responded to a fan who asked about 1D getting back together with a comment that should make Directioners very hopeful.
"I'm [100 percent] certain we will," the musician wrote.
I'm ?certain that we will
— Liam (@LiamPayne) December 17, 2016
For now, though, it's important that Payne gets back into that healthy grind...and maybe gets some sleep, while he's at it.