Men are being encouraged to talk about their mental health in a documentary starring Rag’n’Bone Man and members of Portishead and Idles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man Down is a documentary about guys in the music industry who deal with issues like loneliness, depression, and suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Something needs to change,” said Anthony Mackie, a Bristol-based rapper who attempted suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the nonprofit Help Musicians, 70% of musicians suffer from anxiety or depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Male musicians, in particular, are at significant risk of developing serious mental health disorders, according to Gemma Jennison, executive producer of the film and founder of the Man Down Programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suicide is the leading cause of death among men under 65, according to official government figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two were members of Central Spillz, a collective that performed at festivals around the country at its peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the highs, both artists struggled, as Mr. Mackie revealed in the film Man Down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There’s a lot of swagger and masculinity required from MCs and rappers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It kind of goes against it to open up and talk about how you’re feeling,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The financial precarity of being a musician or in the music industry in general; if those things come apart, people have to find other ways to make money,” Ms Jennison explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She went on to say that there are other variables that have a “cumulative effect” on why men are in the positions they are in presently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ms Jennison, a certified mental health nurse based in Bristol, founded the Man Down Programme after witnessing people she cared about struggle with mental illness and hide their emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Men’s experiences captured<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I wanted to see what was going on and why males were having trouble.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to do so, I concluded that the music industry needed to be accountable or have open dialogues about what they did with musicians or any of their employees regarding welfare.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She explained that the film was created to capture men’s experiences for a new training programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gavin Thorpe, Adam Devonshire of Idles, and Geoff Barrow of Portishead are among the Bristol artists featured in the film, directed by London-based filmmaker Jamie Yuan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rag’n’Bone Man, whose 2017 album Human became the fastest-selling male album of the decade, is also featured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the documentary, he talks about his tour experience, saying, “A lot of things changed very quickly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It sounds simple; just open up, talk about it, and you’ll be great,” Mr. Mackie added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s not that straightforward, but I can assure everybody who watches the movie that once you breach the seal, everything changes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Thursday, Mr. Mackie and the other Bristol artists included in the documentary will watch the premiere with their closest friends and family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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