Page 32 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 102

BV102 pg30-33 The Wildhearts_BV102 pg32 19/09/2019 21:26 Page 3

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proper deterrents in the form of punish- quest this illness.” the time to answer our questions and have
ment. Bullying starts from insecurity, which the utmost respect for him.
usually stems from the parents’ neglect, so, ctober 4th was chosen as the re- He has previously said that eating
personally, I think the parents of bullies Olease date for ‘Diagnosis’, the six- healthily, doing exercise, stopping drinking
should be punished along with the bully. track mini-EP featuring five brand new and taking drugs can help, but tells us,
Conscience is not going to fix this. Fines, Wildhearts songs, the only one already re- “When I’m feeling like shit I can’t exercise.
imprisonment and social humiliation and leased being the title track. Prior to the EP I eat badly and I drink too much. All of that
shame will be a better deterrent than hop- release, the band announced that they is happening lately. I don’t know whether
ing the current bully in the family chain will would be supporting the Samaritans with it’s a time-of-the-year thing, or a time of my
learn kindness. And I believe that preven- all physical copies of the EP, including con- life thing, but when my brain wants to fuck
tion works better than looking for a cure.” tact info cards as inserts. with me it will. And there is nothing more
With ‘Diagnosis’ being about mental terrifying in the world as far as I’m con-
adly, for Jesy of Little Mix, she hit health institutions and the medical health cerned.”
Ssuch a low point due to bullying profession in the UK letting people down,
that she stopped turning up for work – so much so that Ginger has said he’s had nother song on ‘Renaissance Men’,
something that was originally her passion. to develop some survival techniques of his A‘Emergency (Fentanyl Babylon)’
For others though, music is still the one own to survive, we ask what survival tech- was written in relation to Prince’s death and
thing that keeps them feeling alive. While niques he would suggest to others. Tom Petty’s death and about the drugs that
doing an online search, we discovered “I don’t think I’m equipped to offer ad- doctors prescribe. Ginger has said ‘What
links for certain music that contained bin- vice,” he answers. “I’m just trying to get happened to therapy? What happened to
aural beats to boost serotonin, dopamine through the days too. Sometimes I feel counseling?’ So many people are quickly
and endorphin. Some claim they can cure strong, and consider my survival skills to prescribed medication – unhealthy medica-
insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress and be spot on, other days I feel like I’m back to tion – when therapy would be much more
even migraines. Ginger says, “As far as I’m square one and would feel like a fraud if I beneficial.
concerned, music is the reason why I’m tried to offer advice.” Ginger says, “In York, the mental health
here. Creating my own music gives me the He does add, “Be kind to yourself, give services are the worst I’ve ever experi-
sense of worth that I need to carry on, but yourself a break and stop thinking that enced. I’ve been refused therapy or any on-
listening to the music of others keeps me you’re a bad person… I guess that still going treatment by the NHS and the private
believing in the medicinal properties of stands as a good rule of thumb. You have sector. I’ve been told by my previous doctor
music. It soothes and heals. Whatever vi- an illness but you are not your illness. that my case wasn’t urgent enough. This
brational level is responsible for the rela- You’re a decent person looking for drift- was about three weeks after I was officially
tionship is interesting, but largely irrelevant wood to cling onto. Everyone is carrying dead for eight minutes after a suicide at-
on anything but an academic level. Music round a weight, sufferers of mental health tempt. Well, it was more successful than an
simply works, so believe in it.” just happen to be carrying round a cruelly attempt. I was on life support for 36 hours
Luckily for Ginger, his bandmates are heavy one.” after, and that wasn’t an urgent enough
understanding of his moodswings. He tells Ginger’s own mental health swings like case to be considered deserving of therapy.
us, “I’m supposed to be in rehearsal with a pendulum. He posted back in May that I can only assume that death would have
them today. My anxiety has fucked with my ‘My mental health recovery is strong and been more authentic.”
head and my plans, but the band are like determined’. Sadly, on the day of our inter- All of this makes you wonder why
‘Don’t worry, we’ve got this’. Everyone with view he says, “Today, it’s shit. Utterly fuck- celebrities and people in the public eye –
depression needs people like this around ing shit. My mental health problems have with the exception of the likes of Jesy Nel-
them. Get rid of anyone who makes you feel totally fucked me up.” Despite that though, son – don’t speak up about mental health
worse about yourself. You didn’t fucking re- we’re honoured and grateful that he took and anything that harms mental health

THE WILDHEARTS