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How do you pick a theme song for a show named "If You Really Knew Me"? Truth is, it's not easy. First you have to consider everything "IYRKM" stands for, namely opening up, having a heart and realizing it's never too late to see yourself (and those around you) through fresh eyes. It's a show about shrugging off misconceptions and embracing the power of positive change, a show about reinvention and reserving judgment. More important, it's a show about waking up one day and realizing that everyone has a story to tell, so it deserves a monster lead-in like Theft's "Never Be The Same."

So who's behind it? That'd be songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Matt McCartie, who bounced around in several bands (most notably, Driver Eight) before finding his stride with Theft. No stranger to MTV, Theft recorded "Fireworks Explode" (about a friend's tragic brain injury) for an episode of "True Life" and had "Breathing Underwater" picked up as the theme song for DJ AM's "Gone Too Far." Although his style (Beatles-inspired, with a punch) draws comparisons to U.K. imports Coldplay and Oasis, McCartie's latest tracks show off his sharp, playful range and his ability to channel anyone (from Green Day to Kings of Leon), depending on his whim.

Back now with "Never Be The Same," McCartie once again proves himself to be a skillful storyteller, with loud, lilting vocals and a knack for narrative edge. Watch this extra-special video vershe of the "If You Really Knew Me" theme song (paired with memorable moments from the show), and let Theft take you to a world where emotions run high -- and every day's a new beginning.

+ Wanna hear more? Scope out Theft's full MTV artist bio, plus find The Band McCartie Built on Facebook and MySpace (or check 'em out on the red carpet)!

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Tags Coldplay, DJ AM, Green Day, Kings of Leon, Matt McCartie, Oasis, Soundtrack Spotlight, Theft, Video

On tonight's episode of Gone Too Far, you met Breezy, an alcoholic with a tendency to get violent when she drinks. With the help of DJ AM, Breezy got help at a treatment center in California. Check out how she's doing two months later...

On what's happening in her life now: I drank a couple weeks after leaving treatment. An old drinking buddy came to visit, and we ended up having a couple of beers. I didn't even get drunk -- I felt too guilty. I've slipped four times since I've been back. That's pretty bad, but I don't actively plan to go out and drink. Not at all.

On her temper: I didn't get violent when I drank those times, but one of the nights I had way too much. I ended up going outside [to the parking lot] and getting into my friend's car to go to sleep.

On needing a support group: I have my girlfriend and my best friend, but they're not alcoholics. They expect me not to [drink], but I wouldn't call that support. They don't want me to drink, but they don't really sit down and talk to me reasonably about it. My girlfriend will just freak out.

I want to go to [meetings]. I plan on going, but right now I don't have my own transportation. That makes it hard. I live with my grandparents. My grandma's pretty busy and my grandpa's like 70-something. My girlfriend doesn't have a car either, and my best friend does college and all this other stuff. It sucks that I don't get to go.
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When a serious subject like drug addiction is tackled by a TV production crew, it's not just the people on camera who become affected by what unfolds. Below, check out Gone Too Far Producer Amy Bonezzi's notes on what it was like to film Breezy's story...

I was greatly affected by Breezy's story. Unlike some of the heroin and pill addicts we’ve worked with for Gone Too Far, she didn't drink constantly throughout the day. There were many times when she was sober. The problem was that when she did drink, which was often, she had no limits and would drink until she was completely out of control -- fighting or blacking out.

Seeing Breezy drink, although it was upsetting, wasn’t nearly as bad as seeing her become violent. When she was drinking, I not only worried about her safety, but the safety of everyone around her.

The night we shot the scene where Breezy got into a fight was particularly scary. We were in the middle of the woods in Texas with only the light from our cameras. The fight got so violent that our crew had to stop shooting because we needed to get out of the situation.
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Tags DJ AM, Gone Too Far's Breezy, Producers Blog

On tonight's episode of Gone Too Far, you met Gary, a heroin addict struggling to get clean with the help of DJ AM. It's now been months since filming, and despite Adam's sudden death having shaken him to the core, Gary's still determined to get his life back on track. We caught up with him last week for an update on his whereabouts and to find out what's up next. Check out the video interview, as well as the personal information he shared with us over the phone...

On seeing himself shoot up: I'll be watching the show with everyone else on Monday night. I'm definitely nervous to see it ... It's easy to watch somebody else who you don't know putting needles in their body, but when it's you on camera, it's a little different.

On how things have been since the show stopped taping: I'm doing good. I'm pretty close to two months sober. I had three-and-a-half months before, but I relapsed when me and my girlfriend broke up. After two weeks [of using], I came back out to California [to get clean again], and I've been here since September.

On deciding to go back to treatment: The minute I got back into using, I was like, "What the hell am I doing this for?" It wasn't so much guilt this time around -- in my head, I was thinking, "I didn't get clean for my girlfriend, so why am I using because I'm upset as a result of me and her breaking up?" And the whole point of Adam being in my life was for me to get clean, so with him passing, it didn't make sense for me to use. He died of a drug overdose -- he wouldn't want me to do the same thing. I was like, "I'm pretty much doing the exact opposite of what he wanted and of what I wanted to do for myself."

On what's next: I'm leaving treatment in a few days and I'll be staying with a sober friend out here. I just don't trust myself in going back to Connecticut. There's nobody I know out here who uses, and I made friends with people at the treatment center who I can go to for support. I'm also pretty familiar with the [AA] meetings [here].

On what he'll need to focus on the most in order to stay clean: It's definitely about keeping busy. I'm also the type of person who needs a lot of people in my life, so it's gonna be dependent on the relationships I have with others. I'm not good by myself -- I need to keep plenty of friends around me and talk to my family. They're happy that I chose to stay out here. It's just not plausible that I'd be able to go home right now and not use. There's too much boredom and not enough clean people.

On DJ AM making the difference in his life: He got me into the right [recovery] place. Anyone who knew Adam knows that he wasn't a bulls**tter, so when he told me he found me a good place, I trusted him. He said it was gonna be good for me, and it was.

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Tags DJ AM, Gone Too Far's Gary, Video

When a serious subject like drug addiction is tackled by a TV production crew, it's not just the people on camera who become affected by what unfolds. Below, check out Gone Too Far Producer Sarah Sisson's notes on what it was like to film Gary's story...

I became personally invested in Gary’s story right from the beginning. Our cameras were covering him at his worst, and that called for a lot of trust on both sides. We formed a tight bond pretty quickly, and I became close with his mother as well. When we weren’t shooting, I was on the phone with them. I'm still in very close contact with him and his mom and will be sure to continue our relationship.

It was very difficult to shoot Gary while he was using. He’s such a great kid, with so much potential -- it broke my heart to see him hurting himself in such a devastating way. The thought of him overdosing was always at the front of my mind, but I had to trust him. He was very honest with me about his limits and how much he could handle, and it was my job to document it, so I had to step back and watch. I am very thankful for the level of trust that formed between us.

Gary was pretty comfortable on camera right from the start. He allowed us into his inner world -- one that he kept from most people in his life. He also took to Adam right away. Adam understood what Gary was going through better than any of us, and I think that really put Gary at ease.
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On Episode 2 of Gone Too Far, you met Gina, a heroin and PCP addict struggling to get clean with the help of DJ AM. We followed up with Gina on the phone a few days ago to find out where she's at with her struggle to get and stay clean. With 32 (now 35) days under her belt, she admitted to being scared to watch herself on tonight's show, as well as being equally nervous about the potential of relapsing again after treatment. Below, check out what else Gina told us about her roller-coaster road to recovery, plus watch this on-camera interview with her to hear how DJ AM's death changed her outlook on life.

On watching herself on the Gone Too Far trailer and sneak peek: It was crazy seeing myself. It showed me how messed up I was. I'm very nervous for the episode to air, for the fact that everyone's gonna see me ... And a lot of people didn't know then about my habit, or at least as deep as it was.

On seeing Amy's story: I thought they made it look really good. They didn't have too much of her getting high, which is a good thing. It was more about her recovery. That was really important. Most of what I remember of the filming is of me getting high, so I hope [they don't show all of it]. I really don't remember too much though. A lot of things I've just forgotten, or I was too high to remember. I'm sure seeing some of the stuff will be surprising.

On DJ AM making a difference in her life: He said so many things that were real and down-to-earth. He talked to me on my level. One of the things he said that stuck out was that "home's always gonna be there," because I always have a problem going into treatments. I get homesick and I want to leave real quick, so him saying that [helped me stay].

He really came through for me. Just the fact that I was chosen for this show and the fact that he cared so much to fly to Connecticut to see me, even though I was disrespectful and stuff.

This is now my second time in treatment since the show. I relapsed right after I left the first rehab, but the reason I came back [to another one] was because he died. I wouldn't have tried again if it weren't for that situation. So he helped me even when he wasn't around.

On her trip to the first treatment center: The plane ride was horrible because we did the intervention, and then I left right away. I didn't have the bags that I hadn't done with me, so I got on the plane really sick. It was really hard. Really hard. I was so nervous when I got there. Right away I wanted them to give me meds to feel better, but it took a long time to get. And I remember the minute I walked in, they were like, "Are you gonna throw up?" because I was drinking on the plane, and I was like, "No no no, I'm fine." And then two minutes later I threw up all over my bed. I was a mess during detox -- I wore two different shoes on my feet.
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When a serious subject like drug addiction is tackled by a TV production crew, it's not just the people on camera who become affected by what unfolds. Below, check out Gone Too Far Producer Amy Bonezzi's notes on what it was like to film Gina's story...

I became fully invested in Gina and her family before I even arrived for the first shoot because I was constantly on the phone with them. As soon as I met Gina, we became very close. I’m actually still in constant contact with her and her family, even though we stopped filming many months ago.

Gina handled meeting the crew pretty well. It can be intimidating to have cameras on you when you're sharing the most difficult part of your life, and I’m proud of her for having the courage to do that. Gina was extremely excited to meet Adam and she bonded with him right away. He knew what it was like to be an addict and he didn't judge her for it. He was someone who really understood the struggle she was facing because he'd been through it himself.

I think the best moment between Adam and Gina happened during his surprise visit to her in rehab. She was so happy to see him there and felt so thankful that he really cared enough to come out there and check on her. It was great to see his reaction, too, because it made him genuinely happy to see her on the road to recovery.

When we shot the last day in Hartford, CT, Gina was back home and she'd already relapsed. It was tough on all of us. After watching her go through detox and stay sober for a month, it was devastating to find out that she'd chosen to use PCP. Adam expressed on camera what the whole team was feeling ... sad, angry, defeated. It was hard to leave knowing that she was probably going to return to exactly the kind of hardcore drug abuse she'd been engaged in when we first began. Now, eight months later, we're all so happy that Gina's back in treatment and we're hopeful that she'll stay clean for the long term.

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Tags DJ AM, Gone Too Far's Gina, Producers Blog

On the premiere of Gone Too Far, you met Amy, a heroin addict struggling to get clean with the help of DJ AM. Many of you wrote inspiring comments on the blog supporting Amy's continuing fight, and we wanted to make sure she had access to all your messages from her sober living home in California. Yesterday, we called Amy to relay your thoughts and prayers, plus ask her some more questions about where she's at now with her recovery. Below, check out what Amy had to say about treatment, DJ AM and how her life has changed since filming...

On what it was like walking into treatment: I felt a little bit of everything -- nauseous, overwhelmed ... I was in California, away from my family, away from the only thing I knew, which was my addiction. And then having the camera there while I was in detox was really hard. I wanted to leave at times, but I usually take the easy way out, and leaving would have been doing that.

On where she's at now: I have 78 [as of today, 79] days clean and am living in a sober community in California. I also just got a job running a transitional house for recovering addicts. I start that next week, so I plan on staying out here for a while.

Overall, I have good days and I have bad days. But to tell you the truth, I've actually been having more good days than bad recently. I'm just trying to keep focused on what's at hand. I can't get sidetracked and think, 'Oh, I'm homesick. I want to go home.' And I'm trying to get rid of that old stuff, the negative stuff. There's nothing good in Philadelphia for me, and there's so many good things here. I've made so many friends. To tell you the truth, there are people out here that I've only known for weeks that I consider more of a friend than others who I've known for 10 years. I couldn't ask for a better support group ... my friends, the counselors here, even the show producers. I know that I can call them whenever and they'll be there for me. They're not just saying it. My old friends said I could call them, but they'd never answer the phone. These people will.

I also talk to my mom and sister daily, sometimes two or three times a day. I talk to my brother about once a week, as well as my nephew. My family is actually thinking of moving out here. They hope I stay out here because they want to be in California.

I don't talk to any of my old friends in Philadelphia. Not one of them.
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Amy completed treatment on Oct. 2, 2009, and has been sober ever since. She was recently chosen to be the manager of a sober living home in California. She also plans to start taking college classes to become a peer counselor and work in the drug and alcohol treatment field.

While she has no plans to return to Philadelphia in the near future, Amy continues to work on her relationship with her family -- they speak on the phone almost every day.

Amy says that she is happy and wants to continue living a sober life. She feels that DJ AM made all the difference in helping her get treatment. In the video below, hear Amy share her gratitude:

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Tags DJ AM, Gone Too Far's Amy, Video

I find myself pressed for words, for once, on the MTV show blog that I run and contribute to on a daily basis. Remote Control rarely puts forth a serious tone -- it's mainly our aim to provide lighthearted commentary on cat-fights, love triangles or some other bit of silliness taking place on entertaining shows like The Hills and Real World. But now I'm faced with writing about DJ AM's Gone Too Far, a piece of programming that's extremely important for mass viewing and education, plus also very personal to me.

I never knew or even met DJ AM -- he died a few days before our interview about the show was scheduled to happen -- but I am all too familiar with his struggle to get and stay sober. You know me as Control Freak on the blog, but my real name is Lisa, and I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict.

My fight to stop drinking and using was long, hard and incredibly painful, both physically and mentally. The kind of heartache I caused myself, friends and family is not quantifiable. I now have years of sobriety under my belt but am completely aware that the slightest bit of slacking off on my part can lead to dire consequences. I also know full well how strong and brave the people featured in Gone Too Far will need to be in order to begin and maintain their battle against substance abuse.

When you watch the show tonight, and for the next eight weeks, please understand that although many alcoholics and drug addicts are able to get and remain sober for long periods of time, the threat of relapse -- sometimes followed by tragedy -- is very real. However, that doesn't mean the extraordinary effort it takes to get clean and sober is not worth every second. If you can beat this disease for any period of time, you are a true fighter, and in my humble assessment, also a hero.

Rest in peace, DJ AM.

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