From my many years of being on the receiving end of tabloid sensationalism I’m rarely surprised by the British press, but a recent piece of writing caught my attention.
The piece was based around a study claiming that the music industry is profoundly dangerous due to its high suicide rates. I always question these academic perspectives as academic research rarely provides the bigger picture. Despite the ‘mega-hype-vibe’ of the piece it did shine a light on some of the struggles that musicians face, which is helpful to a certain extent.
It can be a brutal world of objectification, grandiosity and distress but it can also be a haven for achievement, community and wellbeing. From my own personal experience, music industry experience, research, and clinical practice, I found the writing to be over simplistic and reductionistic, but I guess this is the modern media world! The YouTube effect… (those shocked faces and big headlines).
The other factor that seemed a bit stretched was the focus towards blaming the music industry. Yes, it’s tough, but people do come in with their own wounds, sometimes the industry helps, sometimes it hinders. From my many years working with musicians it is rare to find a psychological struggle that is purely rooted in the environment. Emotional distress is generally pre-existing mental health difficulties that become exasperated by working conditions, relationships or life events but, of course, this complexity doesn’t shift units or make for a juicy shock headline.
The industry is tough, it is not for the faint-hearted, but it can also be glorious. My own experience in the music industry is that it provided me with a lifeline. I had no other options; I grew up on a working-class council estate where academia or the concept of a career was lost on most of my generation. Music, or bands in particular gave us hope, a dream, something to aspire to, probably similar to the footballing dream. The dream to ‘make it’. I did, it was an amazing achievement against a backdrop of zero prospects. It really was a leveller (back then). What I’m trying to say is that yes, the industry is tough, but the industry is also what facilitates artists to make art, travel the world and build community through its colourful bridge as an emotional conduit. It can really give the underprivileged a leg up!
Look at the diversity in the industry (yes it still needs a lot of work), but what other industry provides these opportunities? A place where the fundamental judgement is on the fluctuation of air pressure, we call music?
It is this perspective that motivated me to write this short piece to challenge the one sided ‘eye catcher’. Yes, we need to do better for musicians, especially the two big CORPORATES who are squeezing out the life blood of opportunity, but we need to also be mindful of not being blinded by bias. Additionally, there is now more support than ever in the music industry, labels are taking it more seriously, artists are more psychologically aware and there are a host of amazing charities doing awe-inspiring work out there. Tonic Music, Music Support and BAPAM have been delivering psychological interventions for many years now, but these strangely seemed to go unnoticed in the piece.
The growing number of organisations that Tonic have partnered with is surely a testament that mental health is being taken more seriously? I don’t just mean musicians, everyone in the industry also gets hit. Managers, agents, promoters, crew... it can be hard!
NTIA, MVT, Youth Music, PPL, Richer Sounds, RSM, Independent Venue Community, Musician's Union, YCAT, PRS, PCAM, Music Venue Trust, Music Producers Guild,
PIPA, Association of Independent Venues, Attitude is Everything, Ivors Academy,
Music Managers Forum, DICE, Boiler Room, ATC, Runway Artists, Early Years Music (Scotland), and Tune Up are just some of the industry folk that are pushing forward with making it a better world. It feels a bit sensationalist to call it profoundly dangerous.
Being a psychotherapist (8 years of interpersonal training on the factory floor), mid-point psychologist and an active musician (top ten hits, worldwide tours, etc) within the music industry… what do I know?
Actually I’ve worked with thousands of musicians in a psychological capacity whilst being an active musician…
If you want to read a good book on the macro then take a look at Musicians and Addiction: Research and Recovery Stories by Paul Saintilan or here Sound Advice: The Ultimate Guide to a Healthy and Successful Career in Music by Rhian Jones and Lucy Heyman.
If you want to find mental health support as a musician or industry person then reach out to Tonic Music, BAPAM or Music Support.
Adam Ficek hosts a monthly show 'Tonic Music' on Totally Wired Radio, where he talks to various guests about music and mental health. You can listen again to any of the previous show on the Tonic Music Mixcloud page.
