My Interview with Helen Scott on BBC Essex Upload
- Dan Turner
- Jun 28, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 7, 2020
Back in April I appeared on BBC Upload. Anyone can upload their creative outputs for a chance to be played on the radio. When you upload you choose the relevant area, Essex in my case. You select the file, give a brief description, upload the file and that's it. A few days later I heard from the producer to say that they would play my track, Lust and Intrigue and if I was happy to do so, there would be a short interview afterwards.
The whole experience was pretty surreal. Shortly before the track was due to be played I received a call from the producer. After a quick greeting I was put on hold ready to go live on the air. The whole time you are on hold you hear a feed from the radio.
The host of the show, Helen Scott, was incredibly accommodating and while I was nervous I never felt out of my depth. As well as discussing the song we had a conversation about mental health struggles and the stigma that still exists, especially for men.
It was definitely an enjoyable experience and helped to solidify that fact that it is incredibly important for me to talk about my mental health struggles. Anybody who acts adversely to it isn't somebody I need to worry about.
After the interview had been on I took a recording of it from the BBC website for prosperity. Its definitely something that will be interesting to listen back to in a few years! I also kind of love the fact that the BBC had to edit my track to take out the rude word! Although I have offered apologies for that.
I have decided to share the interview on my Sound Cloud (I doubled checked that it was OK to do this before uploading). I have also made a transcript for this below. I think this fits in well with the themes of this blog.
Helen said something that is definitely worth remembering: "I think we forget that we're so similar us humans in so many ways, we all go through the same sorts of things and sharing and talking about it is key to us feeling connected and understanding each other and coming to understand our own thoughts and feelings as well"
If you would prefer to listen the audio is here: https://soundcloud.com/danielsturner/bbc-upload-interview
Helen: Right well its time for Daniel S Turner now who uploaded a couple of songs to Upload and I’m gonna play you one called Lust and Intrigue. Now I did mention that Daniel had described the song as being about sexual frustration and the inability to act like a normal human being around the opposite sex. I think we all know what that feels like when we’ve got a crush don’t we? Daniels gonna be on the phone shortly but here it is, Lust and Intrigue on Upload, BBC Essex.
Song plays
Helen: There you have it, Daniel S Turner there. he joins me now. How are you doing Daniel?
Dan: I’m good thank you how about you.
Helen: How does it feel hearing your song played on the radio
Dan: It’s a strange experience haha
Helen: Well I’m really glad that you sent it into upload thank you so much. Why don’t you talk to us about your song writing, is it something you do a lot of, are you a singer by trade?
Dan: Um, I certainly wouldn’t class myself as a singer haha. I do sing but songs but um..really I've only been writing again recently, since about Oct last year, after about 10 years of not really finishing a song. I found some inspiration in some different music I was listening to and was able to be open and managed to complete a couple of songs which built my confidence.
Helen: Oh well done you, so what do you do then?
Dan: Umm, what in terms of writing a song?
Helen: Well no I mean like what do you do as a job? Is this your hobby then?
Dan: Oh, well yeah, this is my hobby. At the moment unfortunately I do very little due to the current situation and other things outside of my control, so really in terms of writing its something I’m doing to keep my slightly sane.
Helen: Yeah, I don’t blame you, and are you feeling creative then? Are you feeling like you’ve got those song writing juices flowing?
Dan: Yes, yeah definitely. Umm I think since Oct I’ve written about 10 songs I’ve completed, and I’ve got some others on the go. They are of varying qualities but some of them have had some really excellent feedback online.
Helen: Oh wonder. So what do you usually write about?
Dan: A large portion of the music I’ve written about is actually to do with my mental health struggles. I’ve had a lot of issue with Anxiety and Depression and it helps to get it out. A lot of my lyrics are very open and I kind of discovered that it is OK to write about how you are feeling rather than trying to make your life seem happier than it actually is and its been really cathartic to get some of that stuff out.
Helen: Yeah I bet it has.
Dan: A lot of people seem to relate to it as well. My lyrics seem to be the think that most people can take from my music and say, yes, I understand that.
Helen: Yeah, and would you say then, is it easier for you to write about how you feel rather than talk about?
Dan: Yeah, yeah, to a degree. Umm, I mean I’ve spoken to people about my issues over how ever long and that does help as well but its just that the whole being creative is something that..it..it..I am able to take my mind off of, although I am writing about my issue I am also able to kind forget them at the same time haha.
Helen: Yeah I know what you mean. I think its lovely that your sharing that actually because you know there a huge stigma around men not being able to talk about how they feel. Is that something you’ve found with your mental health, is that a stigma you have come across? Because you seem very confident and open about talking about that.
Dan: Yeah there is definitely a stigma there. I haven’t experienced anything absolutely awful, but I have had some interactions where as soon as I’m open about that the mood changes. Its something I want to keep talking about and I started a blog recently to pool all of my creative interests and talk about mental health as well.
Helen: Oh wonderful
Dan: Its all things that, honestly, kind of a little bit selfish I guess haha because they help me but if they can help other people as well fantastic.
Helen: No I don’t think its selfish to talk about your own experiences because I think we forget that we're so similar us humans in so many ways, we all go through the same sorts of things and sharing and talking about it is key to us feeling connected and understanding each other and coming to understand our own thoughts and feelings as well.
So, you uploaded a couple of songs for us. Are you going to continue uploading for us Daniel?
Dan: Yeah, by all means! I’m working on a song at the moment that I’m actually excited about.
Helen: Oh go on, give us a little taste.
Dan: *laughing* I’m not going to sing it down the phone, but it’s something that’s quite interesting, to me at least. So I likely will upload that, but as I say I do have other songs as well that I have worked on as well.
Helen: Well, I’m so glad that you uploaded, I really am and its lovely to talk to you on the phone as well. Daniel S Turner there talking about mental health, song writing, sharing, talking to one another about things.
Be sure to follow Helen and BBC Essex on social media:
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