Interviews

Black Daffodils interview October 2016

Posted on: October 25th, 2016 by Greg Jordan No Comments

METALHEALTH Interview 16th October 2016.

Greetings reader. Here’s an interview i did recently with ace German band Black Daffodils. Take it easy.

 

– Hello Black Daffodils. Welcome to Metalhealth and thanks for being here.

Andrea: Hi Greg, thanks for having us here!

– What does good mental health mean to you?

Michael: That’s a very good question, since there is no easy answer. Good mental health means, at least to me, staying well-adjusted. No one can avoid stress, frustration or grief in his or her live completely, which I think are great risks in triggering mental problems. But as long as you are able to compensate by relaxation, achievements and happiness, that’s OK. Of course I am aware, that this is a very, very simplified opinion which only applies to mentally healthy people, and even there everyone has his or her own level of resilience.

–  I agree with you. Well said. How is life for you off the road or when you’re not gigging? Especially after a tour or big event, is it difficult to adjust back into life at home after time on the road? If so, how do you adjust/cope?

Andrea: Since we all have a job it sometimes can be really stressful if a gig is on the same day you had to work before. Sometimes we have to drive a long way back home after a show and we are awake almost 24 hours. This can sometimes be exhausting. But most of our gigs are on Saturdays and this is much better because you are much more relaxed.

– What motivates you? What keeps you going?

Michael: Since I never was the “settle-down-guy”: Learning and experiencing new things is the greatest motivation for me.

– Are you a positive thinker? How do you stay positive?

Michael: Definitely yes. If something does not work out, I just repeat my mantra: “Could have come worse!”

– Have you experienced any tough times personally that you’d be okay talking about? If so, how are you/did you get through this.

Michael: Luckily, not really. On a small trip down memory lane, I think my biggest setback was quitting my university studies after only one year. Of course, that was not received very well by my family back then. Not at all, to be honest. What did I do? I decided, that a Masters degree is definitely not my way to go and went for a Bachelors degree (Back then, that were two entirely different degree programs here in Germany.). Although my family did not like that at all (NO REAL UNIVERSITY!), I really loved that school and got my B.sc. quite fast. One funny thing I’d like to mention here: I did get a M.sc. a couple of years later, after I quit my job (Why? Honestly: I was getting bored.) to enroll at a Masters program. I really loved going to university then. Maybe we sometimes just need some time.

– What does making music mean for you? Why do you do it?

Andrea: It is our passion and we don’t want to miss it in our lives. It feels great when a new song comes to life and it feels even greater to play live. It is something where we can be very creative.

– Enjoyed listening to and watching the video of Into the sun, from the album of the same name. I love the cover artwork for Into the sun and also the Broken flower album. They look really cool. How was the recording process for these records? Did you bang it down live, or record an instrument at a time etc?

Andrea: Thank you, glad that you like it. The recording process of these two cds was similar. When we recorded Broken Flower we did the drums and vocal in a studio and recorded the other instruments ourselves and on Into the sun we recorded everything ourselves – everyone of us recorded his instrument. The covers of these two records were made by me.

 – Congratulations all round Andrea. So what are your plans with Into the sun?  Some more touring or any dates you can mention? I see you have the female metal night gig coming up October 29th. Huge!  Any other projects musical or otherwise happening?

Andrea: Yes we already did a lot of gigs this year after the album was released. A few days ago we had our first unplugged gig, which we enjoyed very much. We plan to do some more smaller acoustic shows in near future. We will also have some more dates with our Into the sun Tour this year. One of them is the date you mentioned. And in December we will also play our first show abroad in the Czech Republic.

Next year our band will have its 10th anniversary and we also intent to have a cool anniversary show, but there are not yet any concrete plans for it.

– Looking forward to your 10th anniversary! I think the Czech Republic will be amazing.

Ok, last question. What would you say to fans who are struggling with their mental health, or doing it tough at the moment?

Michael: Since I have some friends who were struggling with their mental health, I can only suggest to accept that you have a problem and try to get (professional) help as soon as possible. Delaying this two steps will most likely enlarge a problem/illness which could be cured.

– Thank you Black Daffodils for taking the time to talk with us. We wish you safe travels, and all the best with the album and gigs.

Check out links to the bands excellent music pages below. Take it easy out there. Greg \Mh/.

www.black-daffodils.com

www.facebook.com/blackdaffodils

Interview with Twisted state of Mind

Posted on: September 21st, 2016 by Greg Jordan No Comments

Greetings everyone.

Here’s an interview i did with U.K. band Twisted state of Mind around 20th September 2016. Thank you lads!

– Hello Twisted state of Mind. Welcome to Metalhealth and thanks for being here. I love your name.

Thanks Greg, happy to be here! Love your name too.

What does good mental health mean for you?

To us, good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. It’s the presence of positive characteristics, such as being able to cope with life’s challenges, handle stress, build strong relationships, recover from setbacks – and most of all, retaining a positive, resilient mind-set. – Joe

– How is life for you off the road or when you’re not gigging? Especially after a tour or big event, is it difficult to adjust back into life at home after time on the road? If so, how do you adjust/cope?

As we are all still in full time education together, we spend a lot of time studying. This can be difficult at times, because we all want to be out playing music; last year for example the flight from our North-East American tour landed at midnight, but we still had to go into school the same day! Times like these, where there’s such a sudden change between our lifestyle and school, is hard to cope with – but just reinforces our passion for music. – Luke

– What motivates you? What keeps you going?

Often, it is the excitement of playing our music on stage, and actually creating the songs in the first place that motivates us through the week. Also, it is good to know that there are people that we can talk to if we are ever struggling with things in life, and so it keeps us going as we know there is this support. – Joe

– Are you  positive thinkers? How do you stay positive?

We would say we all are. No matter how negative the circumstances are, there is always a positive to every situation – which we just like to focus on. Going out of the house and socialising is a great way to retain happiness, but also learning, writing and performing music provides an endless amount of benefits; it’s what works for us – Luke

– Have you experienced any tough times personally that you’d be okay talking about? If so, how are you/did you get through this.

We all have tough times individually – it’s relative to your own personal circumstances, but there’s always a way out of it. We find just talking to each other collectively as a band (and group of friends) really releases emotional tension, and helps us get through our struggles. – Joe

– What does making music mean for you? Why do you do it?

Music is such a huge passion for us as individuals. We all play our instruments and create music in our spare time, but being in a band means that we can create music as a group and put all of our emotion into songs. It is a great way to release any stress, negative feelings and also positive feelings that we may have, and most of all, we love writing and performing music which is why we do it. – Luke

– Enjoyed listening to highlights of your new single on your facebook page. Sounds Killer. Congratulations! How was the recording process? Did you bang it down live, or record an instrument at a time etc?

Sound Greg! For those who don’t know, our new single Set In Stone is out now  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mbJGUVaf6Q
It was a unique experience to say the least… we spent 2 weeks living in a caravan, next to the beach, with cold showers and having to clean the toilet everyday… but we got to record with a grammy nominated producer (Chris Tsangerides) and it was the coolest experience ever. We recorded instrument by instrument, and in the end we came out with a defined raw sound we loved. – Luke

– Yeah, that must’ve been a brilliant experience. So what are your plans with the new album? Some touring or any dates you can mention? Any other projects musical or otherwise on the go?

We’re in the process of booking a tour at the moment and our dual-e.p is due out 22nd October. To celebrate it we’re playing an exclusive intimate hometown show at The Rock Barn in Witney on the day of release. We’re so excited for everyone to hear it – 5 long years of hard work since we were 11 has been put into it! As for current side-projects, me, Luke and Damo have our first gig booked as a jazz experimental project for the 30th September at The Como Lounge. We’re looking forward to it as it’s a different style that we’re really interested in, and we can just rock up to the venue and jam! – Joe

– Wow, you are kicking some arse! Looking forward to the dual E.P. the tour, and the side project. Ok, last question. What would you say to fans who are struggling with their mental health, or doing it tough at the moment?

Speak out to somebody and try not to bottle it up – there’s a silver lining for everybody x

-Thank you Twisted state of mind for taking the time to talk with us. We wish you safe travels, and all the best with the new single, the E.P. and upcoming gigs.

Greg \Mh/

Artist links:

https://www.facebook.com/Twisted-State-Of-Mind-129971743777498/?fref=nf

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsDjrkDCwmSuI4XpoYI5Ttg

Interview with Martin Wake of Coffee Jingle Records.

Posted on: September 14th, 2016 by Greg Jordan No Comments

 Greetings reader. Here is an interview i did with UK based record company owner Martin Wake via email on 5th September 2016. As always, the topic is…..What does good mental health mean for you? Thanks Martin!

 

  • Hello Martin from Coffee Jingle Records in the UK. Welcome to Metalhealth and thanks for being here. 

 

No worries, pleasure to be speaking to you.

 

  • Your Facebook page says you launched your record label on October 1st 2012, so 4th anniversary coming up eh? Happy birthday in advance and congratulations! What led you to create a record label? 

 

Its something I have wanted to do for years and once I went into College I started planning it. Then when I went to University they gave me the confidence to start it up and I did that at my last year at University and am still doing it to this day, along side producing which was my qualifcation at University.

 

  • What does good mental health mean for you? 

 

Its very important and I believe its more important then physical health as I believe your mental state influences your physical state. But sadly mental health is much harder for other people to understand then physical health, as mental health for the most part it is unseen to everyone. When I have a good mental state I work harder and my productivity goes up.

 

  • This question is probably more directed at artists who tour, but you look like a man who might’ve travelled a bit. If so, how is life for you after a business trip or big event, is it difficult to adjust back into life at home after time on the road, or an exciting gig? If so, how do you adjust/cope? 

 

Its mainly a struggle to get rid of the adrenaline which is stored in the body and when it gets late you worry if your going to get a good nights sleep. One of the best ways to get rid of extra adrenaline at night is Yoga, and it really relaxes your mind and body and that in turn will make you feel more comfortable about getting a good nights sleep.

 

  • What motivates you? What keeps you going? 

 

The passion for it really and the fact I worked so hard for it (and continue to do so), that alone makes it easy to stay motivated and seeing the progress along the way also helps a lot.

 

  • Are you a positive thinker? How do you stay positive? 

 

Not really if I’m honest as I feel that I prepare myself for worst case scenarios when I have no reason to do so. However I try to keep positive for other people like friends and family and people who I work with on various projects, as I feel that its hard enough for Artists to remain positive these days so anyone who keeps positive with them is a help.

 

  • Have you experienced any tough times personally that you’d be okay talking about? If so, how are you/did you get through this. 

 

Through 2011-2013 I fell really ill with health and social anxiety problems which got really bad and to the point that I refused to leave the house, and that was worse as I was in the middle of a three year University degree at the time. As far as getting through it, just a lot of patience from family members and a very good friend of mine and a very good doctor that helped me through it. Mental illness is something you can never really keep under control on your own, its so important you have a supportive community of people around you to help you through it.

 

  • What does running a record label mean for you? Why do you do it? 

 

Its something I have wanted to do for a very long time, along with mixing and producing bands, and being able to do both is really cool. Also its really good to help people get in that first step in their careers and to be involved with creative people.

 

  • Any other projects musical or otherwise on the go? What plans for the future do you have for Coffee Jingle records? I know you have a new release on the label just a few days old. 

 

Yeah I have recently released The Devils Music debut album, which is a metal project founded by Daniel Finch, who also founded Devilment. As regards to the future? I would love to team up with another label, possibly in America as there is strength in numbers and it would make sense to team up with someone who is already doing what I am doing. Also looking into the world of subscriptions and being more active on my YouTube channel.

 

  • Sounds like the wheels are turning. Ok, last question. What would you say to anyone reading who is struggling with their mental health, or finding life tough at the moment? 

 

Talk to someone about it, in my own experience this is best done by telling a trusted family doctor or family members. I know its easier said then done but bottling it up is only going to make it worse and if It goes untreated or undiagnosed, then it can get much worse and you will be left frustrated that it wasn’t spoken about earlier and treated earlier.

 

  • Thank you Martin for taking the time to talk with us. I look forward to listening to the new release from ‘The devils music’ and will keep an ear out for upcoming music from your label.

 

Pleasure 🙂

________________

 

Coffee Jingle records can be found here –

Sign Up To CJR Newsletter = http://eepurl.com/b1ancj

Website = http://www.coffeejinglerecords.com

Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeJingleRecords

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Twitter = https://twitter.com/RecordsCJ

Scarlet Anger

Posted on: September 10th, 2013 by Greg Jordan 1 Comment

Metalhealth (MH): Firstly Vince, i’d like to warmly welcome you to Metal health, and I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us.

Vince: Of course we take the time to talk with you and our fans.

MH: What is special about your playing, and your instrument?

Vince: As a bass player you have the choice to play either with your fingers or with a pick. I would say that most bass players,
especially in trash-metal bands, are using a pick. In contrast, I’m playing with my fingers. I prefer the direct contact with my fingers to the strings.

MH: What motivates you? What keeps you going?

Vince: I started to play the bass relatively late at the age of 16. I was hell of motivated to play in a band, so I practised nearly every day in that time.
You know, if you want to achieve something you’ve got to keep on, even if you have sometimes a down or you don’t feel good at all.

MH: How is life for you off the road or when you’re not gigging? Especially after a tour.
Is it difficult to re-adjust back into life at home after time on the road?

Vince: We don’t really have problems to re-adjust, because all of us still have day jobs. So, even if we wont, we have to re-adjust.
But first of all, after time on the road we have to catch up some sleep.

MH: What does good mental health mean for you?

Vince: You have to realize that after bad times are always good times. That the main issue to point out. Don’t remain on downs. Look forward.

MH: Do you experience, or have you ever experienced a mental health issue you’d like to talk about?

Vince: I think, i’ve gone through «?normal?» problems such as the dead of beloved persons, break up a relationship, etc.
Some years ago, there died 3 beloved persons in a period of 3 months. That wasn’t cool at all.

MH: I am sorry to hear that. How important are friends and relationships to you?

Vince: Friends are very important. We’re human beings and we need relationships.
Even if your friends don’t live in the same area as you, you know that they are still somethere and will stand by your side.

MH: What would you say to fans who are struggling with mental health issues at the moment?

Vince: As I said before, you have to look forward. Try to realize that better times are already waiting for you?!
I know, that’s easier said than done, but you’ve to keep that in mind.

MH: What projects are you working on now, music or otherwise?

Vince: At the moment we are writing new stuff for our upcoming album which will be released in early 2014. You know, music is our life.
There’s not much time left to have other projects.

MH: When’s your next gig?

Vince: We played some summer festivals over here in europe. Now it’s holiday and everyone of us is taking some time off.
First show after summer is at the end of august where we play a festival show (Metal Attack) in the heart of germany.

MH: Anything else you would like to say?

Vince: I would like to thank you people for reading this, listening to our music and hopefully we will come sometime to Australia.
See you, take care.

MH: Thank you so much Vince for sharing your thoughts with us. Best wishes with the band. I hope we can talk again soon. Break a string!’