Harris gave up drink 'for fans'

By Mark Savage
BBC News entertainment reporter

Harris scored his first number one with I'm Not Alone in April

Dance star Calvin Harris says he gave up drinking last year because fans were getting a poor deal when he turned up drunk for concerts.

"The fact that people would pay to see a show and I'd be rubbish - it wasn't fair," he told the BBC news website.

The 25-year-old, whose new single Ready For The Weekend entered the charts at number three on Sunday, said abstinence had also helped his work rate.

"Ever since I quit, I've worked every single day and loved it," he said.

As well as working on his new album, the Scottish musician has recently produced tracks for Dizzee Rascal and Kylie Minogue, as well as supplying remixes for Katy Perry, Primal Scream and Passion Pit.

Although he stressed he had never had a problem with alcohol, Harris said he had decided to have his last drink at the V Festival last year.

"I wasn't an alcoholic or anything like that," he said "but it was clearly affecting what I do."

"That started to annoy me - because I've been trying to get where I am for 11 years.

"I realised: 'Why would I want to waste time drinking and going out to parties when I can sit in a studio and make music and have it come out and be released?'"

"Ever since then, I've been working every single day. I haven't needed a recovery day from getting a hangover, or anything like that."

The star's second album, also called Ready For The Weekend, is expected to hit the top 10 this weekend.