By STEVE MASCORD
ELECTRIC Mary frontman Rusty Brown says the band’s new single “The Dealer” has a very serious message regarding mental health and suicide prevention.
The Melbourne rockers released the riff-laden stand-alone song two weeks ago, leading to speculation about the nature of the character in the title.
Brown says the themes relate to his own difficult experiences during the Pandemic.
“When I say ‘I ain’t gonna run from the dealer’, I’m sort of talking about the cards you’re dealt,” the acclaimed vocalist says on the latest episode of White Line Fever.
“You know what I mean? I don’t want to run from them. I want to take them on head-on and do the best I can for myself and everyone around me, including family, band members whatever.
“If we’re gonna go deep for a second, I was going through a tough time.
“If you listen to the lyrics …. ‘sometimes I get the feeling that I’m drowning’ … ‘sometimes I don’t know where I stand’, ‘sometimes I feel like I’m to blame’,
“You know, I was a bit muddled up at the time.
“‘Then I wake up and things have changed’ … in a positive way.”
Living in Melbourne, the most locked-down city in the world, during the Pandemic has had a devastating impact on many Victorians’ states of mind.
“Everyone has a tough time now – it’s a tough space we live in,” Brown said.
“I don’t want to get too heavy but it’s a heavy song, really, when you think about it.
“I just think everyone – man, woman, child, doesn’t matter – make sure you talk to people.
“It’s very important to me. I’ve lost a couple of people along the way and it’s not a good thing. You think you could have helped, you could have said this, you could have grabbed them, you could have hugged them.
“For everybody out there, listen to ‘The Dealer’, listen to the lyrics. It’s a positive thing. It may sound a little bit negative when you first hear it.
“But it’s just me expressing myself and the positiveness of coming out the other side.
“Speak to somebody. Always talk to somebody. It’s a good thing and I did that, you know? I’m much better for it.”
