Rocking Against Depression With LOKI From HIPPO

Interview by Kris Peters
Depression and mental health are becoming an increasingly prevelant
condition, especially in the modern age where sometimes just living
can become a struggle.
They are real problems with no definitive answer. Problems that
could affect any one of us at any time.
As much as money always helps in any situation, perhaps more
importantly in these cases the vital factor is more
awareness.
Awareness that it can and does happen. Awareness that it is not
your fault or something you should go through alone and awareness
of the fact that sometimes it's okay to not be okay and the most
important first step to helping yourself is communication and
putting your troubles out there for the world to see, hear and
help.
One way to do this is by staging events - of any nature - but when
music is your life and passion the default mechanism generally
switches to live events. And, as we all know, musicians do it
better than most.
On September 16 the Mansfield Tavern in Brisbane will host Rock
Beats Depression, featuring an eclectic assortment of local and
interstate bands uniting for one common cause. Brisbane metal
warriors Dreamkillers head the bill, with Black Whisky, Goatzilla,
Gutterfire, Tailor Made Rejects, Krave and more coming together for
a common cause.
The day will raise not only awareness, but also funding for The
Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue and Headspace with tickets under
$50 from Oztix.
Each week HEAVY will be speaking with bands on the lineup about
what being a part of Rock Beats Depression Means to them.
Today we start things off chatting to Brisbane heavy/sludge/doom
experimental outfit HIPPO and frontman Loki.
"Mental health awareness and helping is something that's pretty
close to our heart, in the band and outside of it," he began. "The
tattoo studio that I own does a lot of mental health stuff that
helps people as well. As soon as I saw them advertising for the gig
earlier on in the year I sent them an email I said I would love to
be a part of that. It's definitely something we're all about and
the struggles in life."
Listen on to hear Loki discuss mor about Rock Beats Depression, the
other bands on the line-up, what it means to him personally and
professionally to contribute, personal brushes with both mental
health and depression, a bit of history about HIPPO and what they
plan to unleash on the day and more.