JANUARY | FEATURE
Above : Andy Franks Bottom : Liam Hennessy
Pressure drop
Right : Steve Powell Opposite : Silvana Kill
While working under intense pressure , Franks developed a drinking problem that led to him being sacked from a tour . With help difficult to find , he met up with artist manager Matt Thomas to discuss his experience and the duo decided to launch Music Support .
Since it began operating in April 2016 , the organisation has won the backing of many in the live music industry , including its patron Robbie Williams and partners such as Festival Republic , Coldplay and Tess .
Music Support ’ s services include a 24-hour helpline and an online support group providing a 12-step recovery plan . In the summer Music Support began offering the NHS-approved app Thrive . Developed to help prevent , detect and manage mental health problems , such as anxiety and depression , the app includes a secure private chat system that enables users to get immediate guidance from a councillor .
“ It is probably one of our most successful tools we have ,” says Franks . “ The response has been phenomenal . We have had 1,800 people download it since launch . It provides people with help , wherever they are . It ’ s highly portable and private , and I think that is
a major aspect of its appeal .”
Since Covid-19 hit , Franks says he has been surprised that there hasn ’ t been a significant rise in the number of people using the helpline : “ We are not sure why that is but perhaps it is because people are now at home a lot more with their families and perhaps don ’ t feel that they have the privacy or opportunity to be able to call the helpline .”
Franks says the industry has come a long way in its acceptance of mental health problems and has made huge progress in its effort to help workers : “ Mental health used to be a very , very , taboo subject in the industry and that is not the case anymore . People are much more open to talking about it , not just artists but backroom people . Organisations are providing a lot more support , and promoters , agents and managers are much more in tune with the situation now . It certainly doesn ’ t have the stigma it used to .”
Clearly , it is not just event industry workers that have to tackle mental health issues . With venues closed and tours and festivals cancelled , many musicians have had a torrid time this year .
In tune with others
Another organisation providing a round-the-clock helpline for people suffering with mental health issues is Help Musicians . Its Music Minds Matter helpline not only provides a listening ear but callers can also access counselling .
Help Musicians head of health and welfare Liam Hennessy says calls to the helpline were up 25 %, year-on-year , from March to June .
As well as offering home welfare visits , the charity is providing direct financial assistance .
“ The vast majority of musicians that we support are freelancers and much of their income stopped overnight ,” says Hennessy . “ We ’ ve never been faced with a situation like this before , we had to react really quickly . One of the biggest schemes we ’ ve run this year has been our Hardship Fund , through that we have supported around 20,000 musicians at an overall cost of so far of £ 14 million .”
In an effort to encourage people to open up and discuss their issues , some believe it is advantageous to be able to offer sufferers access to counsellors from similar ethnic backgrounds .
British Association for Performing Arts Medicine ( BAPAM ) counsellor and psychotherapist Beverley Hills says , “ There are hurdles that exist with often forgotten individuals and performers who need the safety of a seen cultural reference to be in place before they can begin to address their mental health issues with their therapist .”
BAPAM recently partnered with Help Musicians and PPL to launch a bursary scheme designed to improve counselling support for individuals from Black , Asian and minority ethnic communities working in the UK music industry .
The initiative follows calls from the Black Music Coalition for “ tangible changes ” within the industry . It said poor mental health in the music industry was well documented and the Black , Asian and minority ethnic community has been shown to be disproportionately affected , with few
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