What Marcus Mumford swears by every morning will surprise you

Marcus Mumford, 38, the frontman of Mumford & Sons, has opened up about how he leans on coffee and nicotine to navigate daily life since giving up alcohol nearly seven years ago.

The musician, who stopped drinking in his early 30s, revealed in a candid interview on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast that nicotine chewing gum and a strong cup of coffee are now his main vices.

“Yeah, it’s my last remaining vice other than pride and general c***yness,” Mumford joked. “Nicorette [gum] is my last one … There’s nothing wrong with it. My doctor was like: ‘Have at it, bud.’”

He added that coffee has taken on new significance in his sober life. “I get a buzz from my first coffee, and I’ve taken coffee much more seriously since I stopped drinking … 2018-19, seven years … [I was] about 31, I don’t actually know. I think it was 2019 … where are we now, 2026? So that’s six and a half years.”

Mumford also reflected on approaching his 40th birthday, saying he feels he’s entering a balanced stage of life. “Coming into our prime … I feel fantastic. 

Occupying that space between our kids and our parents is kind of a nice place to be figuring stuff out,” he said. “I feel like there’s been a slight shift in authority. I feel like it’s time to know what I think, whereas before you could rely on the opinions of your elders a little bit … I had lots of questions.”

In a lighter moment, Mumford revealed that his actress wife, Carey Mulligan, had forgotten his correct age on his last birthday card. 

“She wrote, ‘Happy 39th birthday,’ and it took me a full three hours to grab my calculator and prove I was 38,” he laughed. “So actually, for my birthday, she got me an extra year.”