Fed: Only thing worse than divorce is death, says Lachey

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2006
Fed: Only thing worse than divorce is death, says Lachey

By Erin McWhirter

MELBOURNE, Aug 6 AAP - American-based singer and television star Nick Lachey says the
only thing worse than his public split and divorce from Hollywood star Jessica Simpson
is death.

"That was a hard time and one of the hardest (in my life) for sure," said the 32-year-old.

Lachey is currently in Australia to promote his latest album, What's Left Of Me.

"The only thing I can think of that can be harder would be losing someone. This has
been such a drawn out, long thing, that it really is a difficult thing to go through,
not just for me, but for anyone that has ever gone through it."

Simpson and Lachey married in October 2002 and, for the first 18 months of their marriage,
they filmed a fly-on-the-wall reality program, Newlyweds.

But the pair split last November. Their divorce was finalised last month.

Lachey, formerly of US boy band 98 Degrees, says his latest album reflects the heartache
and pain he felt while going through a highly public separation.

"It (the album) was inspired by personal experience and a snapshot of that period of
time in my life and my relationship," he said.

"So it's very, very personal and very honest."

While most people might turn to therapy to deal with their marriage breakdown, Lachey
said music helped him heal.

"In a lot of ways when you go through something like that it's important to get that
stuff out and express those emotions," he said.

"Music was my therapy and being able to channel that through my lyrics was a very healthy
thing for me.

"The timing couldn't have been better. It was a real blessing to focus on that and
use that as a way to express myself."

Raw emotion runs rampant through the album as Lachey dissects the turbulent ups and
downs of his marriage to Simpson.

He says how his ex-wife or others feel about the songs and their meanings isn't his concern.

"I really didn't care (what others thought)," he said.

"I felt that in order for me to make a great album I had to be honest with myself and
my feelings.

"It wasn't like I was revealing some great secret.

"Everyone knew what was going on with me and with us.

"For me to come out and do a song about how great love is, that would have been something
people could have criticised because that's not where my head was at."

Rumoured to be dating MTV host Vanessa Minnillo, Lachey says he is enjoying single life.

Dating an Australian girl isn't out of the question.

"I'm into girls in general," he laughed.

"Doesn't matter where they are from. Obviously, I am single again and the whole dating
thing is very interesting and a reinvented frontier."

Emotionally drained after recording the album, Lachey says, "There is a whole lot left of me.

"I feel like I have a whole new lease on life. I have an album I am really proud of
and my personal life is in a great place. For me it's all about looking forward and working
hard at what I am doing.

"It's time to move on. That's my resolution."

AAP em/pc/pe/de

KEYWORD: LACHEY (PIX AVAILABLE)

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