This week, Blair talks with his close friend Adam, who is currently working for the World Health Organisation (WHO). He talks authenticity, the imposter syndrome that plagues us all, no matter how ‘successful’ you get, how COVID might help to alleviate a mid-life crisis...and his interpretation of what exactly Blur’s ‘Universal’ really is. Listen along to Adam’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin: The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (02:05) Neil Young - Heart of Gold (05:08) Procul Harum - Whiter Shade of Pale (13:19) Pink Floyd - Time (22:06) Pulp - Common People (29:16) Radiohead ..read more

Georgie is a comedian, award-nominated actress, voiceover artist and writer currently working on the film ‘Blind Ambition’ with Silversal Films supported by BFI! She discusses her top survival picks, her comedy persona vs her real self, her experiences living with visual impairment, and the topsy-turvy politics of the Edinburgh Fringe. She talks celebrity culture and the oversharing of oneself as a ‘product’, and which elements of her life she is and isn’t willing to talk about in her comedy material. She also discusses the influence that her older brothers and her best friend Drew have had on ..read more

Cleave is a film student and rock lover, who talks about his experiences as a young man with depression, a recent spiritual awakening thanks to Russell Brand’s podcast, mental health treatment in the UK (or lack of it), and the benefits of spirituality. He has channeled his experiences into short films and videos to raise awareness of mental health issues. Listen along to Cleave’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin: Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark (02:38) Iggy Pop - I’m Bored (06:42) The Doors - The End (10:14) Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Thunder (14:12) Led Zeppelin - Im ..read more

Frankie is a videographer and composer who’s worked across the arts in theatre, comedy, and commercial work. He talks about sharing a love of Britpop with his parents, and how one of his song choices is inspired by a previous MTSB guest! Frankie discusses his paid work and his creative work, and how his creative routine supports his mental health. And we return to the conversation about the ‘problematic fave’ - can you separate the art from the artist? Frankie makes an excellent point about the many other artists who were involved in creating Michael Jackson’s work, for example. Blair’s bit of ..read more

Tom is a musician, writer and watchmaker who recently left his investment banking job to live the artist’s dream! Tom talks extensively about men’s mental health, losing friends to suicide, grief, and whether or not you can separate the art from the artist when problematic behaviour is revealed - something all of us have likely had to grapple with, in recent times. Bonus content: our producer Elizabeth turns up with a fun fact (59:40): the backstory of how Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) came to be made, via a Pulitzer-prize winning writer, a case of mistaken identity, and the birth of th ..read more

Ben is a filmmaker and men’s mental health advocate who runs the charity Talk Club. He talks about the transformative conversations that resulted from touring his documentary film ‘Steve’, inspired by the suicide of his best friend, moving from the world of advertising to more ethically-focused creative work, and how he takes control of his own mental fitness (with a little help from his kids, pancakes, and Pharell.) Listen along to Ben’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin: Otis Redding - Sitting on the Dock of the Bay (01:48) Arctic Monkeys - From Ritz to Rubble (06:06) Talk Ta ..read more

Gordon is the chair of the charity Bipolar Scotland, a published author of psychological thrillers, and a mental health consultant and researcher who works to identify better ways for systems to serve people. Gordon has a bipolar diagnosis himself, and speaks to us about the romanticised link between mental health and creativity, theories on how bipolar disorder can be triggered by genetic and environmental factors, and how Bipolar Scotland helps families to live with bipolar. He shares stories of mania and depression, giving an insight into what it really means to experience those extremes. A ..read more

Jonny is an MBE-holding mental health advocate, author, and filmmaker. He talks about living with schizoaffective disorder, and his social media campaign to find the man who saved his life, six years after they met on a bridge. They subsequently started a mental health charity together, We Are Beyond. He also talks about the consistency of music in the maelstrom of mental health, and the ups and downs of 2020, and the ways in which this year has both helped and hindered our mental health. Blair and Jonny discuss different medications and their effects, and the alternative to FOMO: JOMO! Listen ..read more

Actor Millie Watson (Holby City) talks about her journey to mental fitness, and her love of many genres of music from folk to drum n’ bass. Through a discussion of growing up as a child in Egypt and eventually moving to England, being hospitalised for an eating disorder, and breaking out of the mainstream typecast for female actors, Blair gets to know Millie’s journey through art and music. Listen along to Millie’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin: The Cranberries - Ode to My Family (1:16) The National - About Today (4:45) Bush - Glycerine (11:49) The Martinis - Free (17:38) C ..read more

Ellen is a comedian and writer, former bassist of Los Campesinos! and, newly, a junior developer! She talks mental health as a touring artist, drawing on her experiences with her band in the USA, to producing shows at the Edinburgh Fringe (which means every day - for a month!) She also discusses why bad relationships can be so gripping, how she navigated her family as a child and that sometimes, you SHOULD meet your heroes - if your hero is Neil Gaiman. Listen along to Ellen’s songs at this Spotify playlist. Discussions begin: Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (04:49) Le Tigre - Deceptacon ..read more