Barrel Dawg is a band of interesting musicians who society might think of as misfits. Their music is honest and reflects the core values of human lives. The group has recently shared a video of ‘Weird Things’ which is a song about mental health, anxiety, and depression, some things that regular people go through every now and then. The most special thing about this inclusive group is that the multiple band members are all overcoming the challenges of living with disabilities. This is reflected in their latest music release, which became a song to help people who struggle with their mental health. We recently had an opportunity to have a chat with the group members, so let’s see how the conversation went…
DMR: What inspired you to write a song about mental health struggles?
Barrel Dawg: I have experienced anxiety and depression first hand myself, my hubby Mongrel has had his battles with the black dog and our son also has struggled with severe anxiety. Muttley also battles with his own demons and there are a lot of our friends and family impacted by mental health conditions. I honestly, just wrote how I feel at times and if that helps others, through sharing my story. then that’s awesome. I’m just a storyteller, and the best topics, are what you know and what you feel.
DMR: What do hope people take away from ‘Weird Things’?
Barrel Dawg: That they are not alone in these feelings, and it’s ok, to not be ok. Muttley calls these , yuck days. We hope listeners will sing the song with us, because we strongly believe that music is therapy and it can help lift your mood if you are having a yuck day!
DMR: Do you believe music can play a therapeutic role in both the artists creating music and the audience listening to it?
Barrel Dawg: 💯 Sharing this song is as important for our mental health (as the artists / creators) as it is for those with whom the song resonates with. We hope it sends out a strong message that mental health suffers and supports, are not alone, we are a community!
DMR: How do you handle the emotional aspects of performing this song live, especially if it brings up personal or intense memories?
Barrel Dawg: We actually find this song uplifting and it always gets a positive ‘sing-a-long’ reaction when we perform it live. So, no negative vibes at all! Muttley always talks about the immense positive energy associated with this song. So, positive vibes only!
DMR: Were there any specific artists or songs that influenced your approach to tackling this subject in your music?
Barrel Dawg: Inspiration partly came from working on a training program for the Beyond Blue Call Centre Staff, when i was an Instructional Designer a couple of years back.
I worked with University Professors to develop a module to assist with Anxiety & Depression Awareness.
Needless to say, this topic made its way into a song or two. We have another in one the pipeline called Glitch, its intense.
In relation to musical influences for Weird Things, well it could be that I’m a big fan of Kate Bush, for her haunting balads. I also adore the drama produced by The Butterfly Effect, which is particularly portrayed in their album IMAGO. That album is epic!!!
DMR: Did you encounter any challenges when addressing such a sensitive topic through music?
Barrel Dawg: Not at all, it’s the complete opposite so far. Our biggest challenge is lack of reach. We truly hope fans will share this track to help us reach more people who need to hear this song.
DMR: How do you think music can help in increasing awareness about mental health issues and struggles?
Barrel Dawg: The internal struggle is real for those who experience it. It isn’t the same as physical pain that you can see, like a broken bone, so some people don’t know how to empathise. We hope that through lyrics and visuals expressed in our video, that we might help these people to understand & better relate.
DMR: What kind of feedback or reactions have you received from listeners who have connected with the song on a personal level?
Barrel Dawg: I’ve shared it in some support groups and had a lot of people reach out to me privately and say thank you, or that I am brave for sharing my feelings in the song. I never thought of myself as brave, I just love to sing and share stories, and hopefully lift a few others up along the way. It’s all been supper supportive feedback.
DMR: What advice would you give to fans who may be struggling with similar mental health conditions?
Barrel Dawg: I think i answered that in the question below.
DMR: Is there a message of hope or a call to action that you want to share through this track?
Barrel Dawg: You are not alone, you are loved and embraced for all your weirdness, being strange is what makes us unique, be the authentic you, sing to lift your mood, and talk to others about your feelings, heck sing them out loud and be proud!!!!!! If all else fails, call a help line for support and share your thoughts!
DMR: Who are those musicians who have inspired you to become musicians yourselves?
Barrel Dawg: I honestly think it comes from within. Sure there are musicians who influence us all individually, but in relation us Barrel Dawgs, it’s the comradery from within the group that is the glue! We are the musicians who influences and push each other to do better. Jed Dawg drums and the rest of us are like, ‘Shesh, he is so good, we better step it up!!!’ But honestly, the same can be said about all of us at different moments!
Then of course, we have an incredible family / friends and our SUPERFANS cheering us on!
We are a band with all of our members managing multiple disabilities. In fact, as I type this I’m recovering from a minor spinal sugical procedure for a back injury, Mongrel has fractures in his lower spine, Jed Dawg has bad knees, Madra snores like a bush pig chasing a bull through a tower VB cans and Muttley tells bad Dad Jokes on replay 🤣🤣🤣 All humour aside, there are serious underlying medical conditions for us all, however, we prove, that with the right support network we are still passionate about chasing the dream, producing and performing original 🎶
DMR: What can your fans expect from you in the future?
Barrel Dawg: Howlin’ Good Times Album will be released any day now, then we have a bunch of singles in production too!
Maybe even a recording of Madra’s snoring, it has to be heard to be believed.🤣🤣🤣
We are also super keen to play at The Coronaton Hotel at Portland as part of their Blues Festival this June!
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