More known for their wry, self-deprecating humour, today Lancaster rockers Massive Wagons tackle a very important and serious subject… albeit still with a bit of their trademark panache.
New single “Night Skies” is released today and taken from their hotly anticipated, forthcoming seventh studio album Earth To Grace set for release on November 8 via Earache Records.
The group teamed up with their friend, British comedian and actor Nick Helm to make its hard-hitting official video.
Discussing the track, frontman Barry “Baz” Mills shares:
“Night Skies”… #ItsOkToTalk.
It’s a song I don’t want to be too open about – it’s quite personal and I think when you go into a song’s meaning too much it can ruin the work you put in writing the lyrics. I write songs to try and create imagery, for people to conjure up their own opinion of what the lyrics mean – if I start explaining everything then it destroys that.
But I will say, that it’s about human beings struggle with mental health, something that can’t be talked about enough! It needs to be said, and I’m happy saying it, there is no coming back from suicide, to put it bluntly. So if we can stop anyone at all making that choice, then we have done something incredible, people need to know there is help available! We were extremely lucky to have Nick Helm involved in the video. We love Nick, he is a truly magnificent human, extremely talented comedian and actor and he jumped at the chance to be in the video and spread the word about mental health. Nick has been fighting his own demons, which he goes into in his live show, and loved the idea of playing a character happily dealing with a series of small disasters on the outside, putting on a brave face, showing you just don’t know what’s going on with people on the inside. We believe Nick has elevated the song’s meaning to a whole new level through his incredible portrayal in the video, and we want to thank him dearly for being a part of it.
Just remember you are not alone, you can speak to people, people are waiting to help you, don’t suffer in silence, seek help. Please.
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Nick Helm comments:
I’ve been a fan of Massive Wagons for a while now and we’ve become friends over the last few years – we were sort of looking for something to do together. They came to see me earlier this year when I was on tour and the main message from my show was that if you’re having mental health issues talk to someone and ask for help. It might not be the first person you ask, but eventually someone will hear you and start you on a path. It honestly does get better.
Anyway. Sort of out of left field Baz sent me their song “Night Skies” and asked me to be in the video. As I’m a comedian I had initially thought we’d do something a bit more upbeat, but as soon as I heard it I knew this was the one. Because I talk about mental health onstage it felt like a good fit. Then Baz said he wanted to do a kind of tribute to Tony Hancock so we tried to do something that encapsulated that sort of character for the video and I suggested the guardian angel thing. It happened organically. It felt like if we took all those elements we could do something positive with it. I can’t stress this enough, if you’re struggling with anything, worried, overwhelmed, having intrusive thoughts, or dark feelings, ask for help. Talk to someone, anyone, and tell them how you’re feeling and you will eventually get help.
I love the song, I love the band, and I loved getting to be a part of something special.
Here is a small list of some resources which might be helpful if you’re looking for someone to talk to:
Phone numbers:
- MIND: 0300 102 1234
- SAMARITANS: 116 123
- SANEline: 0300 304 7000
- NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HELPLINE: 0800 689652
- CALM: 0800 58 58 58
- NHS MENTAL HEALTH: 111
- CHILDLINE: 0800 11 11
Websites:
- WWW.SANE.ORG.UK
- WWW.ANDYSMANCLUB.CO.UK
- WWW.WOMENSMENTALHEALTHNETWORK.
COM - WWW.TONICMUSIC.CO.UK
- WWW.YOUNGMINDS.ORG.UK
- WWW.MINDOUT.ORG.UK (
specifically for the LGBTQ community) - UK.MOVEMBER.COM
In other Massive Wagons news, for the third consecutive year, Baz and Adam have been taking their special Forget The Haters anti-bullying workshops on a tour of local primary schools as part of this year’s Lancaster Music Festival.
So far, over 600 KS2 pupils at Dallas Road Primary School, Willow Lane Community Primary School, Lancaster Ryelands Primary and Nursery School, and Trumacar Nursery and Community Primary School have taken part in interactive sessions about the importance of kindness, respect, and being yourself, joined in with Baz and Adam performing “In It Together”, and taken home some bespoke merch as well!
Baz and Adam express:
It’s awesome that this topic is taken seriously by schools. This is something we both experienced first hand at school ourselves and are now addressing. We are trying to pass on some guidance to kids who may be experiencing the same issues. Bullying needs stamping out and where better to spread the word than in our great local schools with the fantastically smart and funny kids who live in and around our home town of Lancaster!
Massive Wagons will be touring Europe during the LMF this year (October 10-13) but if you’re a young musician aged 14 – 25 you can learn some stagecraft tricks from Baz during a special LMF Academy running August 13 – 15.
Get tickets for Stagecraft with Massive Wagons on August 13 here and get tickets for the LMF in October here.
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