Disturbed’s David Draiman Talks Mental Health On Stage
There has been a shift in Rock and Metal in recent years following the deaths of rockers like Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, and Scott Weiland. As heartbreak from losing these iconic talents still resonates with fans, David Draiman comes clean with an audience at a recent Disturbed show about how he almost joined them.
TRIGGER WARNING: MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE / SELF HARM, ADDICTION, DEPRESSION
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Draiman is visibly upset when the clip starts, and then he takes a moment to talk about “a reason to fight” and that we all need one. He brings up addiction and depression, noting that they are diseases that are just as valid as cancer, and notes how they can be invisible.
He shares that he’s tired of losing everyone he loves to these diseases, and notes that every single member of Disturbed has had to deal with those demons. He calls out Weiland, Cornell, and Bennington, before he notes that he almost joined them. He pauses, and the crowd’s deafening silence at the statement is somehow very audible before individuals begin to yell that they love him.
Draiman then gets the crowd to raise their hands if they’ve dealt with depression or addiction, or know someone who has, and asks them to keep their hands raised and prompts them to look around before saying “Take a look around this arena, as you can see, my friends… You are not alone.”
Especially with the way the world has been, these themes are becoming more prominent. Another example of this would be James Hetfield’s comments about his own struggles with insecurity and imposter syndrome on stage with Metallica back in 2022.
Because of this, it’s important to note that just because these men are considered “Hard Rock” doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings. There are still some metalheads that have been awful about these men in the comments finally bearing their souls, but it’s important to understand that no matter who you are, you can experience these things, and it’s better for us to talk about that openly rather than bottling it up.
I am reminded of a clip of Macho Man Randy Savage on Arsenio Hall talking about being a macho man and still crying. I think we can all take a lesson from this – especially the men who feel that showing emotion is a sign of weakness.
SEE: DISTURBED PERFORM IN 2022
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Ami Nicole ACRONYM (Photographer + Writer)
Ami Nicole is a Concert + Festival Photographer and Music Journalist who has covered multiple artists of all genres in digital media and in Radio to 60+ stations across the U.S. Some of the acts she's photographed include Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Rob Zombie, My Chemical Romance, Shinedown, and more. See her full portfolio on ACRONYMIS.com/photography/concerts.