Frankie is a videographer and composer who’s worked across the arts in theatre, comedy, and commercial work. He talks about sharing a love of Britpop with his parents, and how one of his song choices is inspired by a previous MTSB guest! Frankie discusses his paid work and his creative work, and how his creative routine supports his mental health. And we return to the conversation about the ‘problematic fave’ - can you separate the art from the artist? Frankie makes an excellent point about the many other artists who were involved in creating Michael Jackson’s work, for example.Blair’s bit of trivia for this show is a surprise entry in Midge Ure’s rock CV.Listen along to Frankie’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Blur - End of a Century (04:49)Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments (13:35)The Proclaimers - Sunshine on Leith (19:18)Midge Ure - If I Was (26:45)Robyn - Dancing On My Own (33:30)Bob Dylan - Idiot Wind (39:33) Girls - Hellhole Ratrace (43:00)Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (46:46)Public Enemy - Fight The Power (51:36)Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On (53:56)Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection” (57:43)You can find Frankie:On Twitter @francoislowe and Instagram @frankielowevideoResources/Links:For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

Blair's Blues and Other News

MTSB #15 - Frankie Lowe

Christie is a dancer, choreographer, actor and host of the Inside Out Theory podcast! She talks with Blair about the importance of finding friendship with other artists who will celebrate your wins, and how important it is to her to maintain varied work across several careers as a performer, a creative, and an educator. She discusses the link between the physical pressures of working in the creative industries, especially as a dancer, and the mental health pressures - and the importance of understanding and accepting what one can and cannot control, as an antidote.Also, Blair reveals some excellent Kevin Bacon trivia, and producer Elizabeth chimes in to debunk the old rumour about Lauryn Hill’s ‘racist statements’ about white people.Listen along to Christie’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Glenn Miller - In The Mood (08:27)Driicky Graham - Snap Backs and Tattoos (09:58)Roy Orbison - You Got It (20:42)Kenny Loggins - Footloose (24:14)Chicago Ensemble - All That Jazz (32:39)Eminem - Lose Yourself (39:02)Imagine Dragons - Believer (46:15)Ricky Martin - Maria (51:58)John Lennon - Imagine (59:59)Lauryn Hill - Everything is Everything (1:03:17)Katrina and the Waves - Walking on Sunshine (1:09:10)You can find Christie:On Twitter @christiemanning and Instagram @christieleemanningResources/Links:For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #14 - Christie Lee Manning

Jonny is an MBE-holding mental health advocate, author, and filmmaker. He talks about living with schizoaffective disorder, and his social media campaign to find the man who saved his life, six years after they met on a bridge. They subsequently started a mental health charity together, We Are Beyond. He also talks about the consistency of music in the maelstrom of mental health, and the ups and downs of 2020, and the ways in which this year has both helped and hindered our mental health. Blair and Jonny discuss different medications and their effects, and the alternative to FOMO: JOMO!Listen along to Jonny’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Amy Winehouse - Rehab (05:38)Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart (10:28)Janet Jackson - Together Again (11:45)Gabrielle - Rise (21:00)Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (35:22)Madonna - You’ll See (36:46)Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over (41:20)Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free (46:46)ABBA - Dancing Queen (55:30)Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come (58:22)Nina Simone - Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (1:03:04)You can find Jonny:On Twitter and Instagram @mrjonnybenjaminResources/Links:For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #13 - Jonny Benjamin MBE

Georgie is a comedian, award-nominated actress, voiceover artist and writer currently working on the film ‘Blind Ambition’ with Silversal Films supported by BFI! She discusses her top survival picks, her comedy persona vs her real self, her experiences living with visual impairment, and the topsy-turvy politics of the Edinburgh Fringe. She talks celebrity culture and the oversharing of oneself as a ‘product’, and which elements of her life she is and isn’t willing to talk about in her comedy material. She also discusses the influence that her older brothers and her best friend Drew have had on her music taste, and explains to us what the game “Cock or Ball?” entails.Listen along to Georgie’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Van Morrisson - Brown Eyed Girl (02:12)Metallica - Nothing Else Matters (08:49)Matchbox Twenty - Bright Lights (12:36)Nathaniel Rateliff - And It’s Still Alright (20:45)Fastball - The Way (30:29)Lulu and the Lampshades - Cups (44:30)Vintage Trouble - Outside In (48:00)A Star is Born (2019) OST (53:50)Portishead - Roads (1:04:13)Baz Luhrmann - Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen (1:05:49)Buck Cherry - Crazy Bitch (1:10:40)Top tip: our last guest, Tom Corneill, *also* chose Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) as a pick! And rightly so. Listen to Tom's episode (number 11), to hear our producer Elizabeth tell the backstory of how Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) came to be made, via a Pulitzer-prize winning writer, a case of mistaken identity, and the birth of the internet...!You can find Georgie:On Twitter and Instagram @TheGMorrellResources/Links:Watch Georgie's stand up in action, and read what she has to say about disability representation.For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #12 - Georgie Morrell

Tom is a musician, writer and watchmaker who recently left his investment banking job to live the artist’s dream! Tom talks extensively about men’s mental health, losing friends to suicide, grief, and whether or not you can separate the art from the artist when problematic behaviour is revealed - something all of us have likely had to grapple with, in recent times.Bonus content: our producer Elizabeth turns up with a fun fact (59:40): the backstory of how Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) came to be made, via a Pulitzer-prize winning writer, a case of mistaken identity, and the birth of the internet...!Listen along to Tom’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:The Beatles - Nowhere Man (02:42)David Gray - The One I Love (07:30)The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (13:02)Jimmy Eat World - Always Be (21:25)Radiohead - Let Down (29:02)Beastie Boys - Sabotage (34:08)John Lennon - Beautiful Boy (45:22)The Rolling Stones - 19th Nervous Breakdown (52:30)Baz Luhrmann - Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) (55:49)The Beatles - I Am The Walrus (1:01:00)Nirvana - All Apologies (1:03:43)You can find Tom on Instagram @tomcorneill and on Facebook.Resources/Links:Visit Tom’s website.The original Chicago Times column written by Mary Schmich: ‘Advice, like youth, probably wasted on the young’Watch the video for 5am on YouTube, buy it on iTunes or stream it on Spotify.If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe, and mentioned by Tom in this episode. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #11 - Tom Corneill

This week, Blair talks with his close friend Adam, who is currently working for the World Health Organisation (WHO). He talks authenticity, the imposter syndrome that plagues us all, no matter how ‘successful’ you get, how COVID might help to alleviate a mid-life crisis...and his interpretation of what exactly Blur’s ‘Universal’ really is.Listen along to Adam’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (02:05)Neil Young - Heart of Gold (05:08)Procul Harum - Whiter Shade of Pale (13:19)Pink Floyd - Time (22:06)Pulp - Common People (29:16)Radiohead - No Surprises (32:14)Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) (36:59)Jarvis Cocker - Running the World (41:27)Boston - More Than A Feeling (46:02)Blur - The Universal (47:16)You can find Adam on Instagram @adambinsnappingResources/Links:If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #10 - Adam Pearless

Cleave is a film student and rock lover, who talks about his experiences as a young man with depression, a recent spiritual awakening thanks to Russell Brand’s podcast, mental health treatment in the UK (or lack of it), and the benefits of spirituality. He has channeled his experiences into short films and videos to raise awareness of mental health issues.Listen along to Cleave’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark (02:38)Iggy Pop - I’m Bored (06:42)The Doors - The End (10:14)Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Thunder (14:12)Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (17:43)Metallica - Fade to Black (19:45)The Smiths - Asleep (22:14)John Lennon - Imagine (29:20)The Wurzels - I Am a Cider Drinker (31:11)David Bowie - Heroes (36:39)Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (39:33)You can find Cleave on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram @meat_cleavester.Resources/Links:Watch Cleave’s latest film about quarantine on YouTube.If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #9 - Cleave Redford-Lane

Helen is a theatre director, actor and acting teacher, who was born in England but has lived and worked in France and South Africa. She discusses her experiences of studying under legendary acting teacher Jacques Lecoq shortly before he died, growing up with mixed heritage, how the Black Eyed Peas helped her process the end of a relationship, and how she recently developed a love for Selena Gomez.Listen along to Helen’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Simon and Garfunkel - Cecilia (01:31)Joan Armatrading - Willow (06:24)Goran Bregovic - Ederlezi (12:37)Selena Gomez - Bad Liar (20:04)Nina Simone - Wild is the Wind (24:20)Black Eyed Peas - Shut Up (31:35)Lalela Cape Town Choir - Senzeni Na (35:03)Billie Eilish - Bury a Friend - (38:35)Ismael Lo - La Femme Sans Haine (40:59)You can find Helen on Instagram @frescotrainingResources/Links:Visit Helen’s website.If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #8 - Helen Iskander

Actor Millie Watson (Holby City) talks about her journey to mental fitness, and her love of many genres of music from folk to drum n’ bass. Through a discussion of growing up as a child in Egypt and eventually moving to England, being hospitalised for an eating disorder, and breaking out of the mainstream typecast for female actors, Blair gets to know Millie’s journey through art and music.Listen along to Millie’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:The Cranberries - Ode to My Family (1:16)The National - About Today (4:45)Bush - Glycerine (11:49)The Martinis - Free (17:38)Chase and Status - Alive (20:00)Leonard Cohen - Anthem (24:06)Alanis Morrissette - Front Row (29:59)Kate Tempest - People’s Faces (36:48)Salad Keita - Yamore (40:55)Keri Hilsom - Knock You Down (45:42)Nico - These Days (48:01)You can find Millie on Instagram @cbellamie.Resources/Links:Visit Millie’s yoga site.If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of charity Mind. For resources specific to eating disorders, see the Beat website.For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #7 - Millie Watson

Ben is a filmmaker and men’s mental health advocate who runs the charity Talk Club. He talks about the transformative conversations that resulted from touring his documentary film ‘Steve’, inspired by the suicide of his best friend, moving from the world of advertising to more ethically-focused creative work, and how he takes control of his own mental fitness (with a little help from his kids, pancakes, and Pharell.)Listen along to Ben’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Otis Redding - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay (01:48)Arctic Monkeys - From Ritz to Rubble (06:06)Talk Talk - It’s My Life (09:54)The Jam - That’s Entertainment (22:19)Pharrell Williams - Happy (26:23)Smokey Robinson - Tears of a Clown (29:37)The Rifles - You Win Some (43:36)The Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand (48:34)Oasis - Wonderwall (50:54)Gavin Thorpe and Talk Club - Soul to Save (54:25)Ben’s Twitter links: @benakers, @TalkClubUK, @Madewith_ and @ourkidsourlivesResources/Links:Ben’s TEDx Talk ‘How Do You Stop Men Taking Their Lives?’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9FEQYp1imcHis new film OurKidsOurLives is currently being crowdfunded: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ourkidsourlivesYou can watch the documentary Steve here: stevedocumentary.comIf you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by Ben Akers and another MTSB guest, Gavin Thorpe. Check out his episode too, for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #6 - Ben Akers

Juliette is a comedian, writer, broadcaster and mental health advocate who has toured the world with her shows, and has had consecutive sold-out Fringe runs for several years. She has had a complex mental health history over time, with 13 different diagnoses in total. Juliette speaks candidly about C-PTSD, eating disorders, and a period of hospitalisation in her teens. She also discusses how she now interprets psychotic hallucinations had in the past, and how she currently manages her day to day mental fitness. These experiences have informed her shows, work that creates accessible, transformative and positive learning experiences for her audiences.Listen along to Juliette’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star (14:29)CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share (32:05)Daniela Andrade - La Vie en Rose (38:20)Lizzo - Juice (46:30)Kylie - All The Lovers (55:49)Gonzo the Great - I'm Going To Go Back There Someday (57:44)Candi Staton and The Source - You Got The Love (1:01:49)Meredith Brooks - Bitch (1:05:52)Kermit the Frog - Rainbow Connection (1:14:15)Dave - Black (1:18:22)Lady Gaga - Born This Way (1:21:35)You can find Juliette:Twitter - @JulietteBurtonInstagram - @juliette_burtonFacebook - Juliette Burton: Writer PerformerYoutube - TheJulietteBurtonResources/Links:Visit Juliette’s website.You can find Juliette’s rescheduled tour dates here, see the Defined Project interactive map, and also a direct tip jar option for Juliette’s work!Juliette’s music video for her pop song ‘Dreamers (When I Grow Up)’ If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to Rethink Mental Illness, a charity Juliette is an ambassador for. You can also find many other mental health charities on Juliette’s project page for her show Defined.For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #5 - Juliette Burton

Ellen is a comedian and writer, former bassist of Los Campesinos! and, newly, a junior developer! She talks mental health as a touring artist, drawing on her experiences with her band in the USA, to producing shows at the Edinburgh Fringe (which means every day - for a month!) She also discusses why bad relationships can be so gripping, how she navigated her family as a child and that sometimes, you SHOULD meet your heroes - if your hero is Neil Gaiman.Listen along to Ellen’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (04:49)Le Tigre - Deceptacon (13:04)Alessia Cara - How Far I’ll Go (21:55)Rilo Kiley - Portions For Foxes (34:10)The Decemberists - Engine Driver (37:41)Amanda Palmer - Bigger on the Inside (45:14)Max Richter - The Departure (53:15)Fall Out Boy - Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows) (56:06)Nine Inch Nails - We’re in This Together (1:00:23)Clark - Growls Garden (1:03:34)You can find Ellen on Twitter and Instagram @ellenstarbuckResources/Links:Check out Ellen’s impressive writing credits!You can find Ellen's fan fiction comedy night Dear Harry/Spock here, as well as the podcast of the live shows.Watch the trailer for Ellen’s Fringe show It's Better to Lie Than to tell the Truth and End up Alone in a Ditch Crying.If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.

MTSB #3 - Ellen Waddell

Presenter of Music to Survive By Blair Chadwick, and our producer Elizabeth Mizon, interview each other to introduce you to the podcast! Through an examination of their own love of music, and their journeys through mental health and fitness, Blair and Elizabeth outline how the podcast came about and what they are hoping to deliver for their audience. Blair discusses some of the misconceptions people have around the experience of being bipolar, and Elizabeth talks about Dr. Elaine Aron’s research around High Sensitivity and its links to anxiety and depression in young people. They also touch on the concept of the ‘problematic fave’, long-distance relationships during COVID, and the grief of losing a parent.Listen along to Elizabeth’s and Blair’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin:Barwick Green (BBC’s The Archers theme) (14:42)She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals (16:22)Fire Brigade - The Move (18:28)On and On - The Longpigs (20:42)The Leak - Nikitch (28:09)Giant Steps - Coltrane (32:08)Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill (34:50)Simple Twist of Fate - Bob Dylan (36:41)Fastlove - George Michael (37:36)So Alive - Ryan Adams (40:37)Kyoto Now - Bad Religion (45:00)Peace Train - Cat Stevens (46:31)Mary the Ice Cube - Primus (47:10)Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix (49:34)Tender - Blur (52:17)Kenneth - Blair Chadwick (54:39)You can find Elizabeth on Twitter and Instagram @elizmizon. She writes on Medium @elizmizon too!Resources/Links:Find out more about Dr Elaine Aron’s research into High Sensitivity at The Highly Sensitive Person website, and listen to this well-known podcast episode she made with Alanis Morissette, who is an HSP. (The two made a documentary together also!)If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, please go to the NHS website, and the website of the charity Mind. For emergency support over the phone, you can call The Samaritans free on 116 123.For men who want to talk to others in a private and safe space, visit Talk Club - founded by two Music To Survive By guests Ben Akers and Gavin Thorpe, and mentioned by Tom in this episode. Check out their episodes for more info about the initiative for male mental fitness.The Music to Survive By theme tune is ‘Ghost Walks’, by Blair!

MTSB #1 Pilot - Blair Chadwick and Elizabeth Mizon

The finest Americana music from both sides of the pond

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Blair's Blues and Other News

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