We speak to artists and innovators from around the globe about their success.
When we think of therapy you might imagine sitting awkwardly on a sofa while a stern middle-aged man wearing glasses scribbles away on his notepad. You might imagine a woman showing you pictures of ink blotches. You might even imagine journaling your darkest thoughts away in a notebook every night. What probably doesn’t come to mind is listening to loud and aggressive music to cheer yourself up.
But one clinical psychologist begs to differ. We got to chat with full-time NHS worker and founder of Heavy Metal Therapy, Dr Kate Quinn. Heavy Metal Therapy (HMT) is a community project which is about the link between heavy metal and mental health, which argues that for many heavy metal enthusiasts, the extreme music they listen to is actually good for their emotional wellbeing.
Dr Kate is an avid fan of metal and heavy rock (particularly Nine Inch Nails), and has found solace in the thrashing drums, shredding guitar, and growling vocals of the genre. Having worked with teenagers and young adults, Kate stumbled across a trend of heavy metal fans finding the music to be a good stress and anxiety relief. Though typically, the music is assumed to be listened when said listener is angry or sad, however HMT encourages us all to see the healthy and useful side to engaging with the anger in heavy metal.
The community psychology project started off as a little Facebook page and has grown exponentially from there through the power of social media. Currently, their Facebook page has over 6000 followers despite their initial aim being only 100. The group works to delve into the psychological side to heavy metal, particularly what happens when people listen to metal. Since experiencing such unprecedented growth, HMT are now able to offer workshops and are even selling merch.
Though the project initially started as a hobby, Dr Quinn recognises the higher levels of engagement requires a much heavier workload and far more responsibility. Her voice is tinged with gratitude when she explains the amount of time the metal community has invested in making sure the community project stayed afloat – “if people didn’t do stuff for us for free, we couldn’t exist.”
Since taking off, HMT has become a great resource for the people. The project builds on the connection between heavy metal and depression and has since evolved into a brand of sorts, but one with ‘values and principles’ Kate quickly stresses.
When discussing the germination of Heavy Metal Therapy, Dr Quinn admits that for a long time she thought her love for the genre wasn’t helpful – apart from conversing with angsty teenage boys she jokes.
“I did a piece of work with a particular client; we spent a long time building up his back story using heavy-metal lyrics. For example, thinking about like the way it helped him. We used to always joke that it was like doing heavy metal therapy, and from that we sort of started thinking that they must be other people like this. There’s something about the sharing of [recovery] stories that we think is really powerful and really helpful.”
Though HMT is not particularly about that initial teenage client’s story, the idea of metal music as a tool that can be used to quantify experiences and that many can relate to the anguish and anger often fuelling the genre, helped spark the idea of Heavy Metal Therapy.
“My background is in the Hearing Voices Movement where they do a lot of sharing of stories and I believe that’s really powerful part of recovery,” Kate explains. For context, the Hearing Voices Movement (HVM) is a ground-breaking movement that builds upon the book Living with Voices: 50 Stories of Recovery, to amplify the experiences of people who hear voices as a lived experience. HVM produced various hearing voices groups up and down the UK and worked well to create a sort of “community healing,” through the cathartic exchange of lived experiences.
“I guess we sort of attempted to create [Heavy Metal Therapy] out of some of the ethos of that, but on social media and or on the Internet.”
Though HMT has its own mission statement and ten principles, Dr Quinn narrows it down to one defining trait: “It’s very much by the metal community for the metal community – that’s the idea.”
“We have these resources; we have these stories…I often think of us being a bit like a library rather than a support group.”
Despite heavy metal music’s ostracization by society and labelling as a ‘destructive’ or even ‘demonic’ subculture, Dr Quinn is confident in its ability to benefit many fans’ mental health.
“We have a little bit of a responsibility to do a bit of myth busting about the negative stereotypes about heavy metal music,” she states. “And [a responsibility to] try and understand a little bit more about what’s happening in terms of all these people that are saying that this is a really important part of their lives. And music is isn’t it? A massive part of loads of people’s lives. And I really think it’s sort of underused in therapy.”
The psychology project involves a combination of work within the community and outreach, as well as the sharing of good news within the group. Though the organisation hasn’t received much support from the music industries or famous bands or musicians, they have thrived through support that is community generated. “It’s got a grassroots feel to it which I really like,” confesses Kate.
Despite the home-grown support and initial small volunteer base, HMT has made huge strides in psychiatry.
“A few weeks ago we managed to get a bit of Heavy Metal Therapy into The Lancet Psychiatry which is like a major journal in mental health which is really cool.”
“But really the best thing about it is the sort of the feedback you get from the community members. We get really really great feedback from people and the stuff they’re willing to share and contribute – that’s always going to be the best thing about it.”
As the project relies heavily on community support, Dr Quinn encourages those interested to get involved. So we ask, how can we get involved?
“There’s loads of stuff,” Kate says. “If people have personal stories that they want to share that’s great, it can be anonymous – just drop us a DM on socials or email us.”
Contributors have the opportunity to write blogs for the project or if they have a certain topic that they want to discuss, they are given a platform to do so.
“People can follow us on social media and can contribute to things like building playlists or sometimes people participate in little bits of research that we’re doing ourselves or can it put people to contribute to.”
“If you have a skill in something like marketing or you’re brave and want to tell the people about it, that’s also great. Spreading the word is the main thing. We don’t care if you’re in a band with a million followers or you’ve got three friends on Facebook or never leave your bedroom, we’re interested in what you’ve got to say.”
Dr Kate Quinn’s own background in clinical psychology has been quite a journey. The professional field is particularly competitive and requires years and years of dedication but she admits she had a stroke of luck.
“So, you know I did a lot of research…and it just so happened to be that there were some psychology related projects that I could get involved with at an assistant level. I totally came to clinical psychology through geekiness. That was it. At the time I was a professional questionnaire scorer and really only got into the more sort of lived experience side of things, and peer support co-production stuff, when I was pretty much nearly qualified actually. That’s when I got involved with the Hearing Voices movement and started working in early intervention which became a really big passion of mine, going on over ten years now.”
Heavy Metal Therapy is more focused on the wider picture as opposed to offering individual support/group therapy.The group works to challenge conventions of therapy and traditions of self-care that often leaves people discouraged.
“First of all, I think that not everybody finds the traditional self-care stuff to be that helpful, a lot of people get disheartened, let’s say they do some meditation and it doesn’t seem to quite work for them. I’ve never been able to do meditation… for me lifting weights is a more mindful practice.”
“We do a lot of stuff about wellness and the idea of wellness and that there’s lots of different things that support people’s wellbeing and that might include stuff that you might not think are your classic wellness activities. It could be about angry music, for example we do metal mindfulness when we do the workshops.”
Dr Quinn defines metal mindfulness as using music that starts off in a traditional mindfulness way (she describes it as ‘a bit tinkly’), and then lets the music build into something really heavy. As the crescendo builds, listeners are advised to tune into it and think about what resonates with them specifically.
“We’re trying to make the point that when we talk about things like selfcare, compassion, wellness, it’s not necessarily what you think it is, that can include engaging with some stuff that’s difficult. For example, that can include alternative wellbeing activities that don’t fit with the mould of what you might be expected to do.”
Essentially, the premise is that it’s mindfulness but according to the person and their individual tastes.
Kate goes onto add, “When I do bits of work with people, I really adapt it to what they are interested in and what they find helpful, and for some people, that’s stuff like metal and that’s fine and valid and legitimate.”
“I think a lot of people who like metal have been dismissed about their interests, and that there has been quite a lot of stigma around liking certain kinds of music.”
HMT works by bringing the metal community together to inspire self-care. Inclusivity is integral to the community project and HMT aspires to have a wide variety on their playlists so everyone has something that they can relate to or enjoy. The group don’t gatekeep the playlists either.
Kate stresses “[we] don’t like metal elitists…if someone says they like something and they relate to that and that means something to them, I think that we all should respect that because that’s them showing vulnerability.
They even have playlists on Spotify that allow members of the community to contribute to and create themselves. Some of the top artists featuring include Kill Switch, Bury Tomorrow, Slipknot, Megadeath and the Architects. There are lots of things in the pipeline for this innovative group; a blog about their Wellness Movement has been published in a psychiatry magazine and now unsigned bands who follow HMT, are being given the opportunity to create a playlist of their own work that relates to mental health.
Words: Jay Mitra
You can find out more about Heavy Metal Therapy below:
https://heavymetaltherapy.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/heavymetaltherapy/
https://twitter.com/heavytherapy?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/heavymetaltherapy/?hl=en
Writer.
Soundsphere Magazine are pleased to present KEEP TALKING—a brand new podcast centered around the music industry in lockdown presented by Stewart Baxter, drummer in Hull based band LIFE.
Supported by funding from the Disabled Entrepreneurs Network, Soundsphere commissioned a locked-down Baxter to record a series of podcasts with the simple goal to re-connect, catch up, and check in with musicians and friends he has met along the way.
Launching on Friday 18th September 2020, for the first episode Baxter speaks to Primal Scream bassist Simone Marie Butler, who has also performed and recorded with artists including James Williamson (The Stooges), Faris Badwan (The Horrors), Ed Harcourt, Zak Starkey, and more.
The pair first met when Baxter performed live on her Soho Radio show a couple of years ago. Over the course of their candid chat we hear about Simone’s early musical memories, her journey as a bass player, and she talks openly about mental health and the experiences of being a touring artist. The pair also discuss Simone’s recent work as a spokesperson for the #letthemusicplay campaign, lobbying for government support to keep the live music industry afloat during this unprecedented year.
Commenting on the project, Baxter says: “When I’m touring with LIFE I meet so many wonderful and interesting people, but we rarely get a chance to have a proper chat between the constant movement. Allowing time to talk and listen is an important thing, right now more than ever. These podcasts are an open and honest discussion about life, art, and everything in-between, and a chance for myself and my guests to take time out to just hang out and catch up.”
The remainder of the first series will also include interviews with Lee Kiernan (IDLES), Jehnny Beth, Chris Slorach (METZ) and more TBA.
An alternative music and culture media brand for the North of England and Worldwide, Soundsphere was created by editor Dom Smith, who was winner of the National Diversity Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence (Disability) in 2012. He has been voted “one of the happiest people in the country” according to The Independent on Sunday, and has also carried the Paralympic Flame for the city of York.
He also works as part of Wobbling About and Rocking Out promoting disability and mental health awareness, and has written for The Metro, Rock Sound magazine, WhatCulture, The Quietus, T3 magazine, NME, Stuff magazine, Metal Hammer magazine and more.
Commenting on the new project, Smith says: “Stew is the beating heart of Hull’s music scene. His love and dedication to maintaining the area’s creative soul for young people, and the wider arts community, is something I’ve admired for more than a decade. I have wanted to work with him for a long time, and I’m proud that we could launch this podcast through Soundsphere, and pick the brains of some of the best and most dedicated musicians and artists in the world.”
Writer.
In our latest audio chat, we have a conversation with Frank Turner about his motivations, as well as his own definition of success alongside the importance of cats and self-care….
Have a listen to the interview below!
In our next in this series of Creative Spotlights, we chat to Hull-based photographer Joshua Elliot about his work and inspirations.
Can you introduce yourself, and tell us about what you do, please?
My name is Joshua Elliott. I’m a 19-year-old photographer and videographer that specialises in many fields. I’m both a hobbyist and professional, meaning that I do it for fun, and I do it as a job as well.
What are the biggest challenges that you face?
Getting started professionally was a task that was hard at first, and still has its struggles. When you first start out in the creative industry, you have nothing to work with, no reputation, no portfolio, nothing. It can be tough to get those first few initial shoots to jump start your career. That’s why I love keeping it as a hobby too, I don’t have to worry about expectations from clients. My mental health also has a massive impact on what I shoot, and has at times made me consider giving it up.
When you live in a world where everyone knows everything about you, and can see your work 24/7, it can sometimes be overwhelming for me knowing that I have expectations to provide a high quality service to both my clients and followers. It makes me doubt my skill a lot of the time. Luckily, I have people around me that support my journey, and leave positive feedback, and even constructive criticism so I can constantly strive to improve.
What kinds of things motivate you – people, places or games and music?
Getting out and doing photography for fun is one of the many ways I motivate myself. Getting out and doing it is the best way in my eyes. I also love taking a scroll down the feeds of other photographers on Instagram and down pages on Facebook to see what other Togs have done/are doing.
Even though it may seem that I only do photography, I’m also a gamer, I love taking days off just to play on my Switch, PC or Xbox One. Having a wide variety of genres helps to keep me occupied and prevents me getting bored. It’s similar to photography actually, as I don’t just stick to one thing, I play anything from shooters and racers, to RPGs, platformers and adventure games. I have a small passion for music as well. I don’t listen to mainstream music, even though I don’t have an issue with it. A lot of the music I listen too actually comes from YouTubers. One of the albums I’m in love with at the moment is called Flashdrive, made by Will Ryan.
What have been a few career highlights?
There has been quite a few so it’s kinda hard to narrow them down haha. But if I had to pick one, it would have to be my first exhibition. Taking place in 2017, I submitted a photo that I took during NCS in the summer of 2017. It was of a house across the lake from where we was staying during the first week at the Lake District. It was easily one of the best photos I had taken at the time. Seeing the photo on the wall in an actual exhibit was weird and surreal considering that I had only being doing photography under a year at that point. It made me realise that I had a talent for photography and that I wanted to keep going with it. And here I am in 2020, three years later and I’m still doing it. Another highlight I must mention would be starting up my photography Instagram account. While it doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment to most, to me it signified the start of my portfolio and journey. If you scroll down my feed and go to the first photo, it’ll be from April 2017, only improving from there.
What does success mean to you?
Success can be interpreted in many ways. for me, success is can be successfully working with a client and having them be satisfied. Success can be going out on a shoot with other photographers. Success can be just editing a good photo and being proud of it. It could even be just having one comment from someone saying the photo is good. It can come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re all as equally important.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start a career in photography with a disability or mental health issue?
The best piece of advice I can give to anyone who wants to start a photography career, if they have mental health issues or any disabilities, would be to work for free at the very start. I get that this seems backwards, I mean you’re working and putting time in, and your time is worth money, so what gives? Well, at the start you have no experience or portfolio to show a client your skills. And if they’re not impressed or have nothing to look at, they’re not going to want to put money into you. I suggest finding what genre of photography you want to work in, contact people who would need that service and offer it for free. After you’ve done it for a while and have a few good shoots under your belt, then you should start charging. I know some people will disagree with this, and thats fine, but this approach has worked, and still does work for me and many others.
For more information visit Temponics.
Blaine Harrison talks to WARO’s Dom Smith about his attitude to success, staying creative and his work as an activist with Attitude Is Everything.
Listen to the chat below…
http://www.attitudeiseverything.org.uk/
WARO speaks to local tattoo artist Troy Eyaad who is helping people in his local community get the food and supplies they need in this current crisis. In this interview, we talk about how he started paying for it out of his pocket and the volunteers who stepped up to help, alongside a lovely story about 50ps.
In times of uncertainty, people have to stick together and show community spirit to get through great ordeals such as the current coronavirus crisis. One such man is doing his part for his local community; 36-year-old tattoo artist Troy Eyaad owner of the House Of Ink tattoo studio, and Prospect 82 mini-market in Hull has stepped up to help his community in this crisis.
It is amazing what Troy has achieved and is a far cry from years earlier when he was working as a bouncer in McDonald’s breaking up fights. He shares one particularly harrowing story of being attacked with a bottle: “I nearly got killed once I was helping out a guy and five people jumped on him that were bullying him, and I got hurt by a bottle and then literally next thing I knew I had sixteen stitches in my head.”
Before the lockdown, Mr Eyaad was already donating paracetamol to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and the elderly. But he wanted to do more, and he started “making little boxes at first by myself making between five and 20 boxes a day, and then I start advertising on social media asking for help and I got a great team – I call them the A-Team because they’re like local heroes,” he says. “We’ve started putting money together and just buying more boxes, and putting more stuff inside it, and now we send them over 200 boxes a day.” He labels the boxes with the phrase, ‘You are not alone’ in order to raise people’s spirits. Troy has even had donations from Makro (a whole food retailer in the UK) and other members of the public to support his cause.
Troy and his volunteers have managed to reach so many more elderly and vulnerable people than when he started – the group went from providing 20 boxes a day to 200.
Troy also comments on the process that is involved in running the operation, which involves being contacted, usually through Facebook, but with the elderly community, it’s often done by word of mouth: “I’ve got elderly people down the road from where I live asking me if I can send them a parcel to help, and of course I need to do that – a lot of elderly people don’t have social media they don’t know about Facebook or the internet.”
It also involves a lot of early starts for the Hull native, “These are the kind of people I’m trying to reach by 12 pm or 1 pm. I start waking up like six in the morning and going stand in the queue, and that’s how I get the stuff at seven o’clock, and then I start setting up. From 10 am to 12 pm, by that time I have usually done 100-150 boxes.”
With this new venture, there are surely some different clientele than his usual customers at the studio. Troy tells the incredible story of an elderly lady who wanted to thank him for his amazing work, he says: “I dropped the box to her, and she said ‘hold on I want to give you something’ – she literally donated 50ps it was like 1ps and 50ps in the bag and I said, ‘We’re not taking money, we get help from other people, we’re not taking money from elderly people, and yeah she cried and she said ‘don’t make me feel useless’ and that really hit me.”
Troy’s work has not gone unnoticed either, along with news articles on the work he does, there is a Facebook group titled ‘The Troy Eyaad Appreciation Group’ which is for people in the local community to say thanks to him for all his hard work.
Rarely, local heroes come along too often, but Troy and his volunteers certainly fit the bill. Let’s hope they keep doing this for a long time to come.
Words: Brett Herlingshaw | Interview: Dom Smith
WARO sits down with NEWMEDS vocalist Nick Cobley about finding catharsis in music, and the importance of sharing thoughts and feelings when out on the road, in the bar or at home.
The music scene in Yorkshire is a deluge of talent at the moment. Bands like Bonnie and the Bailers and CARO are killing it at the moment, and the Hull- based NEWMEDS are another rock outfit to really keep your eyes on.
Consisting of vocalist Nick Cobley, drummer Joe Brodie, bassist Sam Rudderforth and Mark Wood on guitar, the band have been exciting crowds with their angsty and in your face anthems since late 2017.
Their material has never shied away from speaking about mental health, most notably in their 2018 hit, Cognitive Behaviour, and Nick spoke of how the subject matter makes its way into their music: ‘’It can kind of happen by accident. Dealing with past issues is how the songs come about really, things that are stuck in your mind. It’s always been my way to get it out and rationalise how I’m feeling. It’s been a progression of doing CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and learning to deal with irrational thoughts. That’s really helped us to write the songs and pick apart what I was saying and thinking.’’
Nick also explained how having such a deep library of material on mental health can also be rather cathartic, as well as the impact it has on their fans: ‘’It was never an aim for us to write about mental health, but it just started flowing. I guess it was stuff I had trapped in there that I didn’t know I needed to say. And when I started saying it, people appreciated how open we were being, since the stuff they’re going through is quite similar. I don’t know if it helps put any issues to bed, I mean we’re still writing about the same stuff! But it definitely helps me realise what’s wrong or what’s going on in my head.
‘’The live performances can be a really big help though. Obviously we don’t write with that in mind, but to see people screaming the lyrics back at you means a lot.’’
When it comes to speaking about mental health, a lot of people can struggle to take that first step. Whether it’s talking to a professional or just a close friend, it’s often difficult to accurately portray just how you’re feeling. Nick is no stranger to that and stressed the importance of it: ‘’I was never comfortable talking about anything, and I think that’s why I got into such a pit. About seven years ago I hit rock bottom, but I dragged myself out of it, did CBT and eventually full-blown counselling. In the band we try and talk as much as we possibly can about thoughts and feelings. If someone isn’t feeling practice one day, we always give them the time they need, that’s most important.’’
NEWMEDS’ transparency around mental health issues has heralded acclaim across the country, such as being spotlighted by the BBC. The group have essentially been given an ambassadorial role for their work, and Nick appreciates that attention: ‘’I’m more than open to being that person people look to when it comes to mental health. I’ve not been a counsellor for people or anything, but I think it’s easier for them now that they know we’re willing to be open. I’ll always give my time to somebody that needs it.’’
For people out there who struggle with mental health, it can be a task to find coping mechanisms that keep you happy and in control of your own emotions. Nick has his own suggestions on the matter: ‘’I just try and remember that the feelings are temporary, it won’t be forever. I used to do unhealthy stuff like going out and getting smashed, but I’d realise the next day it wasn’t particularly the best way to deal with it. My main one now is just talking about it. If I’m down, I’ll tell whoever I’m with about it, although these days they can usually pick up on it. Even if you don’t know what the problem is, at least you’re openly saying that something isn’t right.’’
Obviously NEWMEDS is Nick’s most common way of finding inspiration and improving his mood, whether it’s writing or performing, but what about during his everyday life? ‘’I’ll watch a lot of films, and that’s been the inspiration behind some of our music videos. I’ve also gotten massively into street fashion lately. If I’m feeling a bit s**t, I’ll go and buy a new t-shirt to help perk me up. Pets can also be a massive help. I never used to be a cat person and now I’ve got three of them! They can tell when you’re down and just sit with you. It’s almost like therapy.’’
NEWMEDS’ willingness to speak up on a subject that is sadly still seen as a taboo in our society is nothing short of inspirational. They’re putting themselves out there in an often cruel world, showing that it’s ok to be open about your struggles and that there are people out there going through it themselves, willing to listen and help.
The group’s electric latest single Psycho is out now. Be sure to give it a listen if you need a boost, or you just wanna hear some sick riffs.
Words: Jordan Roy Morris // Interview: Dom Smith
WARO sits down at The Brain Jar in Hull, with comedian Jed Salisbury to discuss work and making his living in comedy, being on television (‘Who Are You Calling Fat?’) and coping mechanisms for mental health.
He’s had a very successful few years, with gigs up and down the country and several TV appearances, but Jed Salisbury is still extremely up front about his continued struggles with mental health.
The issue of mental health has thankfully become a much more widely discussed topic in recent years. Celebrities have spoken up about their own personal experiences, and people have used social media to come together and show support for one another through tough times. The government has also promised increased spending on mental health (although we’ll have to wait and see if that comes to fruition).
Jed is one of those aforementioned people who has been vocal about his mental health struggles in order to increase awareness. The Hull-based comic spoke about his coping mechanisms should a bad day come around, in the hopes of potentially helping others: ‘’I try and get myself out. I realise if I stay in things will downward spiral fast, because I’m my own worst enemy. If I’m having a bad day, I’ll go to places in town that I frequent and talk to the staff. I know that sounds cliché, but it gets me out of a toxic environment and keeps me out of my own head.’’
As you can probably imagine, constantly touring across the country can sometimes be a downer when it comes to mental health, as you rarely have any free time to yourself to sit and think, but more importantly to enjoy other things. In those rare moments of solace, Jed has a selection of hobbies that help keep him in a positive mood: ‘’For the longest time comedy was my hobby, but now it’s my job so it kind of became everything about me. I’ve had to find passion elsewhere, so I act, I do announcing for a wrestling company, I write things other than comedy, I try to take an interest in other people’s creative outlets.’’
Jed also spoke about how essentially being self-employed can play on that free time: ‘’When you’re self employed you almost feel bad for having free time. There’s always that thought process of ‘I should be chasing this or doing this’, but you have to just let that go. That’s why I enjoy going to the cinema so much, phone off, it’s like a little escape.’’
Many people in and around Hull and Yorkshire see Jed as somewhat of an inspiration. He’s a local lad who’s been able to use his talents to grow into a recognisable figure in UK comedy, despite having mental health issues. For those in similar situations, Jed provided some useful self-care tips: ‘’If you ever feel out of place somewhere, just think about all the steps you took to get there, because its so easy to doubt yourself if you just focus on the current situation. I doubted myself with the TEDtalk thinking ‘I shouldn’t be doing this, I’m not that smart’, but then I took a step back and realised I’ve essentially been a professional talker for 10 years. I’ve got things to say.
‘’Keeping on top of things is also important. I’m a serial procrastinator, so I’ll get into these cycles of not wanting to do something, and then being depressed about that, and then becoming more depressed that I never ended up doing it. I’d say just get it done and you’ll be much happier later.’’
There’s a common misconception out there that if you’re from up north, specifically a city like Hull which isn’t known for its stars, you can’t be a success. But through his comedic success as well as his TEDtalk, Jed has proved that judgement to be a falsehood. How you may ask? He claims the answer is simple: ‘’I worked hard, but there’s also an element of right place, right time. The main reason I got the TEDtalk is because I was in a nightclub and got talking to the right person. Obviously not all things can work like that, but you shouldn’t be afraid to take a risk. When I was an amateur comic I’d go out there and flop, but I’d use the opportunity of working with pros to pick their brains and up my own game.
‘’There’s gonna sadly be a point where I have to move out of Hull, because I can’t achieve anything more. Hull is great, but it’s an hour away from anything major so if I want to take that next step to TV, I’d have to unfortunately leave.’’
As someone who suffers with mental health issues myself, Jed’s story is inspirational. He’s overcome a lot of obstacles to get to where he is now, and his current success shows no signs of stopping. There’s arguably no one in comedy more deserving of a big break than Jed right now, and long may the success he’s found continue.
Words: Jordan Roy Morris // Interview: Dom Smith
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Wobbling About and Rocking Out strives to inspire and motivate the disabled and mental health community to feel more confident in their everyday lives and beyond. Our vision is to curate a resource that brings together people with disabilities - hidden and visible - that empowers them to create, design, write and accomplish.
“Find and help young people adopt a mental health day to day language as we emerge from this pandemic” - @MrVikas t.co/rN1MNjcfFq
That’s according to serial entrepreneur, investor and now author Vikas Shah who has spent 13 years talking to the world’s most influential people including global leaders who continue to tackle ‘the world’s most profound health challenge’- Paul Farmer CBE, Dr. Thomas Insel, Dr. Shekhar Saxena as well as Professor Green, former England cricketer Marcus Trescothick, […]
WARO’s Dom Smith was recently a guest on the Prelude Podcast to talk about the development of WARO, plans for the future, Soundsphere magazine, mental health and more. You can listen to the episode below!
Today Sounds of Saving (SoS) release a new installment of their “Song that Found Me At The Right Time” series. In partnership with the American Association of Suicidology, they share a Q&A with Alicia Bognanno (who records under the name Bully) as well as her take on PJ Harvey’s “Dry.” Bully shares: “A lot of musicians, like myself, are sober and dealing with […]
Now More Vital Than Ever A music project set to begin this month for young deaf adults will go ahead with the team at Fisher Gate Point in Nottingham saying it is now more vital than ever. With a number of young people already signed up, the Be Scene and Heard project will kick off […]