As part of Audacy's commitment to sharing stories and spreading awareness of mental health challenges through our I'm Listening campaign, we spoke with some of our 2024 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas headliners about their own struggles and suggestions while backstage in the Artist Lounge sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Listen below as The Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, 311, Jimmy Eat World, Franz Ferdinand, The Linda Lindas, AWOLNATION, and BBY each share tips on how they manage to keep positive and stay mentally sharp.
The Smashing Pumpkins
While speaking with KROQ host Megan Holiday backstage in the Artist Lounge, The Smashing Pumpkins members were asked how they each keep their personal mental health grounded these days as the world sometimes feel like it’s turning into chaos. Frontman Billy Corgan laughs, “Well, I write depressing records, so let's get that out of the way.” Guitarist James Iha says he’s started following different kinds of sports. “I've been following the NBA now more lately,” he explains. “NHL, well, I like baseball a lot, but now I'm just getting into all sports. I'm just gonna stop looking at the news.” Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, however, has a different approach adding, “I jump on my Ducati!”
Beck
Backstage with hosts Megan Holiday and Nicole Alvarez, Beck tells us that he’s recently been keeping his brain in check by meditating. “A good friend of mine got me some TM [Transcendental Meditation] classes, which I did. But I haven't been doing it, so I have not transcended, unfortunately, but I really would like to. I don't know, I'm probably a bit of a nature person, and then also my friends. You know, just being with my friends.”
311
Chatting with host Megan Holiday, 311 ‘s Tim Mahoney tells us that in order to keep his mental health in check, “You gotta be outside more than you’re inside, if you can help it. Or at least fight that fight. It can be as easy as that, you know, just to get out of your routine, whatever. Take a walk, find a hike, bring a homie, talk to the birds.” Frontman Nick Hexum adds, “Turn off the screen.”
Jimmy Eat World
Forever on the road it seems, Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins tells KROQ host Kevan Kenney that for his own mental well being, “You just gotta listen to what your body is saying, I think, and then act on that. It usually comes in the form of breaks or setting aside time. Not overextending yourself, not overworking. ‘Leave while they’re still clapping’ is a mantra that you can kind of apply to a lot of different areas of your life. It is really important to keep the place that music comes from protected because it's supposed to be fun. We do what we can to try to keep it fun, and usually that means stepping back and trying to focus on other areas of life than just trying to be the best band we can.”
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos tells KROQ host Megan Holiday that there is one thing he can always lean on in life: “My friends that really keep me together. I think we're very lucky being in a band with people who we get on with, people who we trust, and you know, people who you can open up to as well.” Bassist Bob Hardy adds, “I like running… exercise on my own, listening to a podcast. It took me a long time to realize that it's actually fun.”
AWOLNATION
Backstage with KROQ’s Klein.Ally.Show, AWOLNATION’s Aaron Bruno tells Ally, a new mom herself, “I read a book about motherhood, actually, because I have identical boys. I have two, right, and someone recommended this book and in it, it said no matter what happens, you give yourself the two minute rule. So, if all hell's breaking loose and it feels like the world's collapsing all around you, usually within two minutes it'll be fine.”
The Linda Lindas
Chatting with KROQ’s Klein.Ally.Show, The Linda Lindas say they’re having success with keeping their mental health in check simply by taking “a lot of breaks and we have a lot of fun.”
BBY
Now that their music is taking them to so many new places, BBY tells KROQ’s Klein.Ally.Show that touring “is always gonna be kind of hard, but I think when you're together with the homies, you kinda learn, you get into a groove of how to keep each other aligned and stay steady.”
Our friends at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health are all about hope, recovery, and well-being, and they're here for all of us. Get emotional support, service referrals, and crisis counseling simply by calling their 24/7 helpline at 1-800-854-7771 -- or for more information, visit www.dmh.lacounty.gov.