Many of us have been touched in some way by Mental Health, something that is very close to our hearts here at Phluid Records. 

This week we invited Stephen Ball of the Exeter based Well Raver collective, who specialise in positive mental health through music, to talk about the group’s origins and goal.

 Stephen: In 2017 I started hypnotherapy to overcome a lifelong anxiety disorder. One of the first things asked of me was, “what am I passionate about” I replied “rave” and was asked “how can you expand on this passion”? I thought of “DJing”, bought some decks then shortly afterwards attended a Morning Sober Rave by EDP and hadn’t danced like that in 20 years - straight away I wanted to put something similar on.

 In early 2019 I taught a DJing workshop at The Bridge Collective, a community enterprise which was well attended. Everybody loved the Old-Skool Rave I was playing, so I decided to launch Well Raver and it’s gone from there.  The idea being to show people how far you can come if you conquer your mental health battles. In my late 30s I thought there was no hope, that I’d be having panic attacks for the rest of my life, but by chance I discovered hypnotherapy which changed everything. The message is never give up, as you never know what is round the corner, you WILL find a way forward.

 We’ve since hosted a brilliant event at The Cavern over Summer, two events at EX4 Nightclub where we’ll play more clubby sounds and we’re hoping to come down to JJ’s Liskeard in the Spring, but Hardcore Rave is still my passion and I’m hoping to get back to the Cavern soon.

 Find out more about Well Raver at facebook.com/wellraver or on Instagram: well_raver