BILLY SHEEHAN Says Scientology Has Been 'Incredibly Helpful' To Him: 'I've Been There For Over 50 Years'

Legendary bassist Billy Sheehan, who is an avowed member of the Church Of Scientology, was asked in a new interview with The SDR Show to name the "biggest misconception" with the general public about the religion which was founded by L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's a lot of them… Well, we go to doctors. We believe in science and believe in education. Education is a big thing. I'm a language buff and a word definition buff. And that's the foundation to understanding everything, is understanding the language and definition of words."

He continued: "I've been a science buff my whole life. I was a little junior paleontologist, astronomer, biologist. I had my microscope lab when I was a little kid. So I'm grounded in science. My mother worked for Roswell Park institute, a famous cancer institute in Buffalo, New York. We had a medical scientific background in our house and family, so truth and fact and 'two plus two equal four' is a very important thing to me, and that's what I believe it's all about.

"I don't talk much about this subject only because I know there's a lot of detractors that get upset when anybody speaks about it, and I understand that," Sheehan added. "But I do stick to my guns, and I know it's a good thing with good people. There's some amazing rumors floating around and a lot of bad stories. I would never be involved in something that was not on the up and up, and I've been there for over 50 years. And it's been an incredible adventure, been incredibly helpful to me in my life. I did a little bit of drugs in high school. They had a wonderful program to clean the drugs out of your body and start over again, and it was a wonderful thing for me. They do an IQ test before and after, and it's amazing how many points you'll gain [after you've given up drugs]. Very interesting.

"But I respect all religions and I respect people that disagree too."

According to Distractify, Scientology has been a controversial figment in news and pop culture for decades, with documentaries like 2015's "Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief" and Leah Remini's "Scientology And The Aftermath" showing the ugly side of the religion, involving alleged manipulation and abuse, rapid draining of one's funds, and refusal of mental health treatment. But the church has repeatedly denied any allegations from former followers about the religion, including alleged instances of psychological and physical abuse within the organization. Several famous actors, including Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss, still practice Scientology to this day.

Earlier this month, Sheehan confirmed that he was unable to join his SONS OF APOLLO bandmates on their South American tour in August due to the fact that he is unvaccinated against COVID-19. His replacement on the trek was ANGRA's Felipe Andreoli. Sheehan told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was "advised to avoid" getting the COVID-19 vaccine due to "a particular affliction" in his family.

According to Medical News Today, "there are very few medical reasons not to get a COVID-19 vaccine. They include a history of severe allergic reactions, pericarditis, or endocarditis following a prior COVID-19 vaccine.

"People considering a COVID-19 vaccine may worry about complications and side effects. Yet for almost all individuals, the known risks of getting COVID-19 far outweigh any potential risks of the COVID-19 vaccine."

The Church Of Scientology does not have an official position on vaccines, according to Time magazine. However, the church emphasizes the "harmful effects of drugs, toxins and other chemicals that lodge in the body and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being," according to its web site.

In addition to Sheehan, SONS OF APOLLO features former DREAM THEATER members Mike Portnoy (drums) and Derek Sherinian (keyboards),Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (guitar; ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and Jeff Scott Soto (vocals; ex-JOURNEY, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S RISING FORCE).

SONS OF APOLLO' second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20),was released in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.