Mental health is always an important topic. However, mental health issues are heightened in May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. Brian Mackey is an artist for whom mental health issues are very important. He wrote “Saturday Night Sleeping” for his son who died of a heroin overdose. With the release of the song, Mackey hopes to raise awareness of both mental health and addiction issues. By phone, he discussed writing the song and what he wishes more people knew about mental health and addiction.
“Saturday Night Sleeping” was released on May 20th in partnership with the non-profit organization MusiCares. Between the release and the end of September (National Recovery Awareness Month), 100% of the proceeds generated from sales of the single will go to members of the music community for mental health and recovery assistance.
Recently, Mackey took the time to discuss the new single, addiction and mental health issues, and more.
Glide Magazine: What was the process of writing “Saturday NIght Sleeping” like for you?
Brian Mackey: To say it was hard would be an understatement. Every time I revisited it to do a mix on it, or add something else to it, or go back and listen to it, it’s still hard. When I wrote it, it was before the pandemic. My son passed away in 2018. I was busy trying to take my mind off of it. I wasn’t even thinking about writing a song until everything got quiet in my head and I had enough time to write it. Whenever it felt like a cathartic moment, it also brought back a lot of pain. A constant reminder. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe.
GM: It can’t be any easier to sing it.
BM: No. It’s not. That’s the weird part. I’m starting to practice it more to do the live premieres, just so I can get used to putting my mind in another place. I’m starting to get used to that now a little bit. Even when I went back to do a mix on it or when it was mastered and he gave it to me, I almost gave it back to him so I wouldn’t have to deal with it. This is where I’m at with it. I have to be comfortable enough to share it or put it away. And I don’t want to put it away. I’m forcing myself to be comfortable with it.
GM: When it comes to addiction and mental health, what do you wish more people knew?
BM: I wish more people really understood that a lot of the time, it’s not the choice of the user. It’s a pull that’s so strong. It’s really almost like getting bit by a vampire. Once it’s in your bloodstream, it comes back. You crave it. The pull of it is really strong. A lot of emotions are entangled in addiction. Being addicted to something, it’s something that you’re going to run towards. More people should be aware that we’ve had addictions since the beginning of time. Alcohol, opiates, opioids. We’ve been hooked for thousands of years on substances. With pharmaceuticals like Oxycontin, these things have just morphed into demons. It’s hyper-addictive. I think it’s made to be addictive in certain circumstances so they can sell more product.
GM: That’s twisted to make people addicted to something that’s legal.
BM: I truly believe there’s a component to that. I don’t think it started that way. I think that over time you have to know what you’re going into. It’s no secret that it’s hyper-addictive. When Oxycontin runs out, here comes the heroin. When the heroin runs out, it’s Fentanyl a lot of times. That’s how a lot of overdoses happen. In the case of Brian, that’s what happened to him.
GM: It’s like Trainspotting where he was addicted to heroin and then he got the state-supplied methadone.
BM: Exactly. It’s very reminiscent of Trainspotting. We live in times – especially in the lockdown – that are making it really easy to drop out. Social distance is a term that’s used a lot. A lot of people are soulfully distant. Their souls are somewhere else. I just hope things get better. The addiction is super strong. I battled with addiction, not on the same level, but I’m on medication to keep me away from substances. People should be more aware that it’s anybody’s child, brother, father, mother, daughter. It’s any member of the family. It crosses every strata of person. It crosses all boundaries. It hurts everybody out there. We’re in strange times. I feel sad, not just for the loss, but the fact that it’s killing so many people. A lot of the times, these lives just get lost by the wayside. It’s sad.
GM: Where do you think we are as a society in dealing with addiction and talking about it?
BM: I think there’s still a huge stigma involved when it comes to addiction. As far as talking about it, I think it should be paramount in schools. They should take students to places and meet with people that are addicted and talk to them. Find out what the deal is. Show them what can happen with addiction. Look at the homeless situation in San Francisco. A lot of that mental illness is with self-medication and addiction. I think we should make it more paramount to have that discussion with everybody at a younger age and let them know the power of what we should do. Make things more readily available for people. Have different counselors set up in schools, have people know that they can have a conversation about addiction. We still have a long way to go in other words.
GM: Do you have any recommendations for families where someone is suffering from addiction?
BM: I do. I think NarAnon is a great organization. That’s very helpful. I think if people can tap in keeping themselves busy, and I know it sounds crazy. But if people can keep themselves busy, whether you’re an artist or musician, into sports or writing, whatever your inclination is in life, try to keep yourself busy. Try to get around people that enrich you in life. I know it’s hard. I also believe there’s a lot of division in the world right now – especially in the United States. We all need to be on the same deck here. We’re all looking at the same thing. Everybody gets addicted. I believe we need to be more unified, talk about it more. I think NarAnon is a great step in that they’re all-inclusive, they’re available at every church. It doesn’t even matter if you’re religious. It’s really supportive. It’s great, not only for the people that are addicted, but for the families as well. It’s a strong foundation I believe.
Photo credit: Nicole Mago
