UWE Bristol graduates release song for Bristol-based Talk Club on World Mental Health Day

A group of UWE Bristol graduates have come together through a university-led scheme to release a music single aimed at raising awareness of national mental health charity Talk Club and encouraging people to open up and talk more about how they’re feeling.

Run from the skin which binds us will be released on Thursday 10 October to coincide with World Mental Health Day. Written by UWE Bristol film-making graduate, Louis de Schynkel, and recorded by his six-piece band, Trans Siberian Express – all former UWE students – the song is about man's battle with his own title and how he resents the stereotypes of male expectations. The title is a call to arms to leave these stereotypes behind and comes from a poem Louis wrote when he was 20 and still studying at the university.

The single has come about as part of a wider initiative at UWE Bristol. The university has established its own creative agency, New Wave, within the School of Arts, to give its students the opportunity to access paid, flexible and practice-based work experience, offering a wide range of creative services to external clients. It works with current and recent graduates from a range of disciplines, such as Louis.

New Wave and Talk Club came up with the idea of a collaboration to promote Talk Club’s work and in particular its question “How are you, out of ten?”, designed to encourage more regular conversations about mental health. They decided to commission a song, which Louis successfully applied for. As well as writing and recording the song, the single cover artwork has been designed by another UWE Bristol graduate and New Wave graduate employee, Molly Wilson. There is also due to be a fundraising event in November, when one of Louis’ friends will jump out of a plane, and Trans Siberian Express is also finalising plans for a fundraising concert in Bristol this December.

Louis says: “This is an amazing project to be involved in. I love being able to use music as not only a way of expression but also action. I want this to be more than just a song and I hope with the way we have curated the project, there is a tangible connection between the music and the charity. A linear path for anyone the song resonates with to seek support from Talk Club or just to start talking.

“I hope that the process of writing and releasing a song that is personal to me and reveals my own vulnerability will highlight the benefits of expressing how you feel through music – it’s certainly helped me a lot in recent years. It’s very scary but the feeling of liberation that comes with it is priceless.”

Anneliese Paul, director of New Wave at UWE Bristol, says: “We know how tough it can be for graduates to gain practical experience that will help get them on the ladder of their chosen career. We are always looking for ways to create greater equity for our students and graduates within professional practice. We created New Wave as a way to provide opportunities to experience paid work experience on real life projects as well as build relationships with the communities around us.

“We’re big fans of the work that Talk Club is doing and the impact it has had, particularly in encouraging men to open up, thanks to the determination and dedication of Gavin and the team. We wanted to support their work, and this single is a fantastic collaboration that will hopefully reach many people and encourage everyone to talk more about their mental health.”

Gavin Thorpe, co-founder and co-CEO of Talk Club says: “We’re so grateful to UWE and especially the brilliant New Wave team for the support they’ve given us. We’re blown away by the creative talent we’ve seen from the students and graduates. We hope the single is heard far and wide and starts real conversations using the Talk Club's simple and powerful way of asking HOW ARE YOU? OUT OF 10?”

Run from the skin which binds us by Trans Siberian Express, a charity single in support of Talk Club, is released on Thursday 10 October, available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music and all regular music streaming platforms. A music video made by the band to accompany the single will be available to watch on the band’s Instagram page and YouTube.