13/11/2019
I'm not surprised to read that the main source of depression among musicians isn't the music, but the music industry. The old label model certainly has a divide and conquer approach where the band ends up very alone and powerless and clearly undervalued. But beyond that observation, I'm really drawn to this quote:
"...it’s the idea of creating a dialogue and having frank conversations that needs hammering home. Artists aren’t superhuman – they’re real people with real emotions, and aren’t always treated as such."
Depression and anxiety are serious and wide-spread problems, and one of the most sure-fire ways to make them worse is to not talk about it (and god help you if you catch s**t for bringing it up). One aspect of being in a band that we don't see people talk enough about is creating an atmosphere where you can trust each other enough to talk about anything that's going on with you - building enough trust to be able to share. Touring is lonely, and it's a lot worse to be alone in a group. If you are having problems with depression, or you suspect someone you know is having issues, please find someone paid or otherwise to help have the discussions that are needed to get you getting better.
Behind the delirious shows and acclaimed records, many of our heroes are struggling to keep going. We investigate why depression is increasingly common in metal musicians.
