There have been twently three people there, aged between 15 and 30 who have committed suicide in just over a year.
While on their current European tour promoting their fourth album, Memory and Humanity, I have been lucky enough to get an interview with lead singer, Matt Davies, and ask him about his feelings on suicide and how he thinks people should vent their anger.
Your hometown is Bridgend in Wales, how do you feel about the recent bout of suicides in the area?
“It’s a sad thing, I mean, it’s probably the most attention the area has had for sometime and for all the wrong reasons. In the media, suicide is sometimes blamed on the influences of music. ”
Do you think music can have an influence over someone in that way?
I think messages in music can have an influence on a person’s lifestyle choice. For example, I became part of the straight edge movement through being involved in the hardcore scene. I was influenced by the messages in the music and felt I could use those ideas in accordance with my own feelings to live my life in a way that I thought would be beneficial. As for music influencing someone to commit self harm or even kill themselves I can’t think of any band that would actively endorse that message and I think it’s unreasonable to insinuate it. I don’t think the music is in any way part of the problem, I feel that in many cases its there as part of the solution. Music can be a saving grace for some people who are faced with deep problems. I know because we’ve had countless people turn to us over the years who have informed us of how important our music was for them to be able to get through a traumatic and difficult part of their lives.
The charity CALM is aiming to reduce the number of suicides in young men by getting them to talk about their problems. Do you, as men, feel like you’re not strong if you open up to your friends?
“Not at all, I do feel that men are sometimes not as open as they could be. Whether that’s a defense mechanism to not show weakness in the eyes of others I don’t know but I for one totally endorse the idea of communication. I do think it’s a very positive and healthy thing to get things off your chest and to talk to someone. There’s nothing positive about bottling up your feelings to hide them from people who care about you.”
What do you do if you’re feeling particularly down or angry?
“I usually find that I write songs or words to vent my frustrations. If that doesn’t work then I find something to do to help take my mind off whatever is getting me down. It’s hard but having a hobby or even if it’s breaking into a book and loosing yourself in your imagination for a few hours I find helps me.”
Do you think creating music is a good way to stop feelings getting ‘bottled up’?
“I do, I think creativity is a way of controlling our feelings and channeling them into a manageable form. Music has been a prime example of that for me. I vent my frustrations at the world through my words and music and it’s really helped me.”
Funeral for a friend will be back in the UK continuing their tour on the following dates;
Tue 09 Dec, Tenby De Valence Pavilion
Wed 10 Dec, Swansea Sin City
Fri 12 Dec, Cardiff University
Sat 13 Dec, Wrexham Central Station
Sun 14 Dec, Aberyswyth Arts Centre
