Australia is a country in pain. The country has literally been ablaze for the past few months and the stress and pain of the situation is certainly showing on the people who have found themselves wrapped up in it. Even as I write this reports are coming through of more fire-fighters losing their lives while others are severely injured. The news of the catastrophe seems to grow every day with very little remorse.
What has been a big surprise for me is how much the music industry has become involved with helping out. Not only are there an amazing amount of charity concerts popping and not only have artists such as Metallica and Pink reached into their pockets to help out, but I have been surprised by the small touching moments that I have experienced from several musicians over the past couple of weeks.
It all started with a Skype interview with Russian symphonic metal band Imperial Age. Normally when you are recording an interview it begins with a friendly hello, some general chit chat and then you jump into the questions at hand. This was an interview with a difference though, as soon as we got the hellos out of the way Aor and Jane caught me off guard by asking me if I was okay with the fires in Australia. I answered and went to go on but soon realised that their concern was genuine. They then spent twenty minutes asking me if it were true how many animals had been killed, if the fires were close to me, was I safe, was my family safe and whether there seemed to be an end in sight.
It was one of the most amazing interviews that I ever had the experience of conducting and something that I never thought would happen again, then just a day later I was scheduled to interview Paavo Lotjonen about Apocalytpica’s brand new album Cello. Again though it seemed like the last thing he wanted to talk about was the album, instead he again he checked if I was okay before asking if what the he had seen on television about the fires was really doing it justice.
The whole experience reminded me just how lucky I am to be involved with such a wonderful industry where strangers on the other side of the world show that truly care what is happening to Australia and her people.
It was however the third interview that got me thinking just how important music can be to people at this time. That interview was with Deb DeMure the lead singer of new wave rockers Drab Majesty who are about to embark on an Australian tour. What he told me has played through my mind a million times since. When I asked DeMure if he was looking forward to the Australian tour he said this. ““We’re just hoping that the emotional shock of these fires hasn’t totally ravished the hearts and the souls of the people so much that there is a sombre cloud over it. I wouldn’t blame people if there was but it has really touched me how people are taking these fires, music seems so trivial when you think hundreds of thousands of koalas have perished… it feels really surreal.”
The answer floored up and I then asked whether or not that was something that had been playing on his responded and he responded with. “Yeah it does definitely. It kind of trivialises what we are doing but on the other side it gives us the opportunity to bring a gift that allows people to escape so I guess in a way it shows why it is essential for the Arts to carry on by creating something that people can experience and enjoy.”
That statement made me realise one thing – Australia needs music more now than ever before. Even in my own life I know how healing music can be. Today I use music to distress and unwind. Jump in the shower, turn up some tunes and sing at the top of your voice – it is amazing how that allows me to escape whatever is stressing me out. Likewise as a teenager it was albums like Nirvana’s Bleach that helped me get through the emotions that the warzone that was my High School left me with.
Yes it is amazing that so many musicians have dug deep to help the victims of the fires but every Australian should also remember the healing effects that music has on your mental health as well. Maybe go and check out a live show as a way to escape or simply chuck on your favourite album and sing at the top of your voice… it all helps.