Episode 7: Trauma, with Adam Ficek of Babyshambles

In the early 2000s – post-Britpop – an influx of indie bands emerged, beginning with New York based The Strokes. This paved the way for the Hives, The Vines, The Soundtrack of our Lives, and then a host of British bands – the most popular of all of them, The Libertines, as fronted by Pete Doherty and Carl Barat. Around 2003/4, following Pete and Carl's falling out in relation to drug abuse, Pete formed side project Babyshambles, which took off in its own right. After a turbulent start with drummer Gemma leaving the band, Adam Ficek – previously a musician in the band The White Sport – was brought on board as Babyshambles' drummer. My overriding memory of these early 2000s years was the extent to which drug use and litigious activity by rock stars were getting equal prominence in the press (if not more) as the music itself. While Britpop spread a message of invincibility, togetherness and youth, there seemed to be darker, sinister undertones connected to the drug culture around the 2000s bands which, for me, started to become synonymous with that time and which led to a noticeable isolation, separation and exclusivity within the indie music scene, spilling out into the behaviour and attitudes of the public fan base. I observed this shift acutely while at university when I was working a part-time job in a ticket box office of an indie club in my late teens. I really wondered about this phenomenon and welcomed the opportunity to speak to Adam Ficek of Babyshambles who was in his musical ascendancy around this time. On speaking to Adam, I became fascinated by his trajectory into the psychotherapeutic world after experiences with Babyshambles. I was keen to hear about his own understanding of how his turbulent upbringing led to deep emotional wounds that got re-triggered within the rock music industry climate of the time. We talk about that upbringing, his lifestyle on the road within Babyshambles, his exit from the band and subsequent healing process that led him to a new music journey and academic career in music psychology and psychotherapeutic practice. We also explore Adam's interest in the way sound production affects us emotionally.  Helplines and support listed below (hover over text for hyperlinks). Follow Sound Affects Podcast:Twitter: @soundaffectspod Facebook: @soundaffectspodInstagram: sound_affects_podcast Contact Sound Affects Podcast:soundaffectspodcast@gmail.com Subscribe to Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sound-affects-music-mental-health/id1331897982 Download on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mOGoi0QeHiwwRoJuetOkC?si=2sXZzkl8R1yu86EG4yM5Yw Episode breakdown: Intro0.00–0.20 Babyshambles, 'Killamanjaro' Live at S.E.C.C.0.20–0.38 Adam Ficek, 'Sun'0.38–1.40 Intro to Adam1.40–1.02.25 Interview with Adam Ficek52.35 Adam Ficek, 'Interlude'1.02.24–1.03.43 Adam Ficek, 'Sun'1.03.43–1.06.58 Signposting, helpline support and guidance for getting therapy1.06.58 Listener feedback from David Walker and news1.07.38 Outro1.07.41 Babyshambles, Killamanjaro Live at S.E.C.C.Contact Adam:Adam Ficek: @adamficek, @musicandminduk, @amusiciansmind, www.musicandmind.co.uk Support, helplines and guidance mentioned in this episode:Helplines and charity support: Samaritans, CALM, Music Minds Matter, Help Musicians UK, Mind, Cruse Accessing therapy: IAPT, Mind, or visit GP Private therapy directories: Counselling Directory, BACP, UCKP, Welldoing Additional support:1 North East, Music Support, Help for drug addiction

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Sound Affects Podcast – featured in NME's Podcasts for the People series. A music & mental health podcast exploring all crossovers between music and mental health: how music and sounds affect us somatically and psychologically, the songs that see us through, what drives people to music careers/a life on the road, the music industry climate, music therapy as support for mental illness, music fandom, music journalism and research in all these crossovers. I speak to well-known musicians and figures, experts, therapists, academics, researchers, authors, journalists, charities, and music fans. Each episode is an interview with a guest centred around a specific theme of music and mental health. Sound Affects is produced, edited and hosted by me, Katerina – a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist working professionally in both the NHS and private practice. I'm also a freelance sub-editor and writer published in The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Wellcome Collection. Before becoming a therapist, I was a Samaritan helpline listener supporting people struggling to cope with suicidal feelings, and I worked full time as a copywriter and editor for Samaritans during the time of the charity's male suicide research launch. I've worked in magazine and newspaper publishing for many years and spent a lot of time during this time speaking to musicians and creative people. The idea for Sound Affects came while writing about and interviewing bands – I noticed a theme emerging around existential identity and just how sad some of the so-called "rock n roll" stories of excess were. I was also aware of just how much music impacts me, and in particular, specific bands and sounds. It is no secret that I'm a huge Oasis fan, and this theme features regularly in this podcast as alongside my interviews, I occasionally pause to reflect and consider what draws me to this music and how it has shaped me. When I trained as a psychotherapist, I drew together all my interests, culminating in this podcast. I often see musicians as clients for therapy, and I routinely appear in the press and radio commenting on various aspects of therapy and emotional health. I've been a guest on BBC Radio, and appeared in OK! Magazine, Psychologies, Stylist, Grazia, The Independent and more.