Stolen days
As days and weeks blur into each other, it feels like we’ve all had days stolen from us this past year and a half.
This week, I’ve been listening to Mike Noga’s Folk Songs album from 2005. Its gentle, introspective feel suits my mood.
Stolen Day is the title of one of my favourite tracks from the album, and as days and weeks blur into each other, it feels like we’ve all had days stolen from us this past year and a half.
His new album Open Fire comes out this week. It’s poignant timing that the album is released just two days before World Mental Health Day and during Mental Health Month.
Mike Noga died in 2020. His family have spoken of his lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression. His death was due to a cerebral haemorrhage, a condition the coroner said was exacerbated by bouts of heavy drinking.
He was 42 years old.
He might not have been a household name, but he was a respected and well-loved member of the Australian music industry, a former drummer for The Drones (he recorded three albums with them) who released three solo albums.
Since his death, Mike’s sister Ali, along with other musicians (including Paul Dempsey of Something for Kate) and his record label, worked to finalise his last album.
It’s a juggling act to celebrate a work of art and mourn the loss of the man who made it.
Mike’s own description of the album was: “Sonically and thematically there’s a healthy dose of impending doom about the state of the world running through the songs …”
In an interview leading up to the release, Ali talked about the music industry and the impact it had on her brother.
“Mike was seen as successful but he thought he was a complete failure at times,” she told The Guardian.
“Here is this talented, charismatic 40-odd year old who has dedicated his life to music – he started drumming around five years old – and (in his mind) has nothing to show for it.”
Ali described the music industry as “brutal”. It’s rarely been more brutal than it is right now.
Back in 2003, an Australia Council research paper showed musicians and actors had median creative incomes of $10,500, less than a third of the average wage. I doubt much has changed.
At a time when so many of us are turning to music and art to help hold ourselves together, as Covid batters our increasingly fragile psyches, it hurts my heart to think that so many of the people creating this art are doing it hardest of all.
The state of the local music scene is dire. It’s estimated the industry has lost $300 million of revenue and that’s hitting everyone from the promoters to the musicians to the crew who set up the stage.
On a purely selfish level, Covid resulted in my longest stretch without seeing live music since I turned 18. I tried to find other ways to show my support – buying tickets to shows that never eventuate, streaming albums, buying CDs, donating to Support Act.
Next month – November 18 is AusMusic T-Shirt Day, which raises money to help those in music doing it tough. Maybe we can all lend a helping hand, by dragging a band t-shirt out of the cupboard, putting it on and helping raise money and awareness. www.ausmusictshirtday.org.au
Or make a donation to Support Act.
And this week, indulge your sense of “impending doom about the state of the world” and treat yourself to Mike Noga’s new album, available at www.parttimerecords.com/home.
