FEATURE:
Gentle on My Mind
IN THIS PHOTO: Fontaines D.C. in 2019/PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Topete
The Importance of Providing Mental-Health Assistance to Musicians
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NOW it more than ever…
PHOTO CREDIT: @ericjamesward/Unsplash
the mental-health of musicians and those in the industry is paramount! Ordinarily, artists would be on the road and playing gigs and, whilst that sounds like an ideal set-up, the toil and toll of playing so many gigs and traveling so far can really do some damage! I know many are aching to get back into the swing of touring because, for the past few months, there has been that lack of connection between audience and artists. This can be applied to crew and those are venues, too, who are used to the rush and hustle of gigs where there is this bustle of activity and the anticipation of a show. Now, even though artists can live-stream gigs, there is this vacuum and lack of earning. Going from a situation where you are used to be being active and being among people to the relative isolation of lockdown, it will be a long time before artists can return to the road and resume their normal routine. I have been looking at social media, and so many artists are expressing their anxieties and struggle right now. Not only are they missing the embrace of live performance; the fact their income stream has been diminished is also a huge contributory factor when it comes to their well-being. There is uncertainty when they can return to gigs, and how many venues will be open when things get better. This is all combining to create a tundra and storm of uncertainty and unhappiness.
One of the shittier parts of mental illness is witnessing how tiresome your illness becomes for other people. "You better yet, Bri?".
— BC CAMPLIGHT (@bccamplight) August 27, 2020
This is one reason why long time sufferers find it easier to cut ties with everyone.
I think it is vital that there is more relief provided to those in the industry that are finding things especially tough. I saw a tweet from musician BC Camplight (Brian Christinzio), who has been expressing how difficult things are for him right now. It is a struggle for everyone at the moment, but musicians are in a particularly precarious position. Venues are going to be among the last places to open when things do start to get better, so there is this long and stressful wait until they can get back out there. I was reading an article from Music Week, where Fontaine D.C.’s Grian Chatten suggested there should be more help in place to help those in the industry who are struggling – especially younger acts:
“Chatten said the music industry should help young acts with their mental health, especially when success happens quickly.
“Absolutely,” said Chatten. “It’s dangerous, you know, even without the drugs. The big killer for us was a lack of sleep. We’d have a flight in between gigs as our allocated sleep time. So that was rough and made us very bitter about the whole thing, and we started to see each other and everyone we worked with as the devil.
“Then we started to realise that we were bringing it all upon ourselves, and we started asking ourselves again, ‘What exactly do we want out of it?’”
Chatten and the band realised they didn’t have to say yes to every gig and promo opportunity. They’re set to resume touring in Australia in December, followed by European dates in 2021. They play their biggest UK headline show to date at Alexandra Palace on May 27.
“A huge thing for us was just being clever about routing on tours and ensuring that you can get some time off, or that you’re not doing too many drives after gigs,” he added. “These things add up and they can destroy [a band]”.
I don’t think assistance should just be reserved to younger acts. Right now, all artists are going to be feeling the strain but, in terms of the rigours and punishment that comes from extensive touring, I do feel that younger acts especially need some protection. We will have to see how things pan out next year, but I am concerned about the next few months and how artists are going to cope and adapt. Many are losing their income, and others are struggling to maintain their audience and output. The Musicians’ Union is a great resource for those in need, but I think there should be a wider campaign that not only encourages the Government to invest more in the mental-health sector, but to raise awareness about the effect COVID-19 is having on those in the industry.
IMAGE CREDIT: Music Minds Matter
I do think it can be hard for artists speak up, and many might not feel comfortable being that open on social media. Of course, there are other resources like Music Minds Matter that are also there to help those in need:
“Whatever you’re going through right now, you can contact Music Minds Matter on 0808 802 8008 or email us at MMM@helpmusicians.org.uk.
If you work in music and are struggling to cope, or know someone who is, talk to us. It doesn’t have to be a crisis, or about music. We have trained advisors that are here to listen, support and help at any time.
With 97 years supporting musicians, Help Musicians UK understands the complexity of working in music and created Music Minds Matter as a dedicated service for anyone in the industry”.
It is encouraging to see so many organisations and bodies fighting against the rise in mental-health and addiction issues, and I think right now is a time of crisis. I know labels are doing the best they can to support their artists at this difficult time, but I think we should all be more mindful. One does not find as much social media toxicity aimed at musicians compared with other people, but I am still seeing a lot, and many do not realise what that does to their mindset and health. From young acts finding quick success and having that pressure on them, to those who are unable to perform and feel stifled, so many in the music industry need care and support – and that extends to crews and everybody in the music sector. A big salute to those organisations out there to help, but I think funding to keep them going is as essential now as it has ever been! Many assume that by subsidising venues, that will help ease the malaise and anxieties swirling around, but what are artists to do until venues reopen?! It is troubling to hear of so many in music having a hard time off but, with increased funding, awareness, and discussion, let’s hope that this accumulation helps to…
PHOTO CREDIT: @all_who_wander/Unsplash
TAKE a weight off.