Bert McCracken of the Used is at home in Los Angeles recovering from broken ribs he suffered in an attack on New Year's Eve.

The singer was at a party on the roof of the Hyatt West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip when several of his friends got in a fight with some "Swedish, blond, 6-foot-2-looking jocks," who were then kicked out, he said. McCracken and his friends stayed at the party a while longer, but as they left, he and his friend Bubba accidentally passed the jocks, who took their revenge on the two, even though they hadn't been involved in the earlier fight.

"It all happened in the blink of an eye," McCracken said. "They broke my friend's nose and hit me on the head, and I went unconscious. I remember getting back up later and there was blood all over me. But I didn't even feel my ribs until the next day. They must have kicked my ribs in so hard. It was pretty heinous."

Since McCracken was drunk when he woke from his beating, he decided not to go to the hospital and no police report was filed, he said. Although he's still in considerable pain, he hasn't seen a doctor. "I'm still waiting," he said. "But there's no way these ribs aren't broken. I can't even move."

David Bowie has been lifting McCracken's spirits during his recovery. No, not that David Bowie -- a 5-month-old teacup Chihuahua McCracken got for companionship last year when he was writing songs for the band's next record. "He's definitely a super chill dog and he calms me down," McCracken said. "I have a lot of respect for little, little things. It's kind of like me, really little."

The Used will hit the studio next month to start work on their second LP.