NO BAND can faux nice chemistry for very lengthy earlier than its members ultimately really feel like calling it quits. So when The Head and the Coronary heart’s dynamic started to interrupt down, they did not strike out on solo excursions or go on a protracted hiatus—they really did remedy.

The band shaped in Seattle in 2009 and initially featured Jonathan Russell, Josiah Johnson, Charity Rose Thielen, Kenny Hensley, Chris Zasche, and Tyler Williams. They shortly developed a cult following within the Pacific Northwest and had been signed to the influential label Sub Pop in 2010, who launched a remastered and expanded model of the band’s self-titled debut album. Since then, The Head and the Coronary heart have toured relentlessly and launched three further albums, each touchdown on Billboard’s charts and exposing the band to a wider viewers.

However The Head and the Coronary heart’s ascent wasn’t with out its share of setbacks and challenges, together with Johnson’s exit from the band to enter rehab to hunt assist with a drug dependancy. After spending the final decade at a nonstop tempo, the band’s members reached a breaking level—bodily, creatively, spiritually—as they got down to report their 2019 album, Residing Mirage. To navigate this tough time, they enlisted the assistance of a therapist.

Williams, the band’s drummer, shared why the group felt compelled to pursue remedy and the way that alternative is factoring into the subsequent chapter of The Head and the Coronary heart.

I believe in our band, we have by no means needed to peak with success early. We have all the time needed to take care of an extended journey. And I believe once you begin an extended journey, you do not actually understand the paths that you will go down. It has been an attention-grabbing 10 years, however the starting was a really lovely honeymoon section the place it felt like we had all been destined by destiny to be collectively.

The Indicators of Gentle tour in 2016 was the primary time touring with out Josiah, considered one of our those that we love. We needed to rearrange the entire circulation of the present and Jon needed to be a way more charismatic particular person than he’s—he is extra introspective, he is an introvert. Then he needed to rework into this gregarious storyteller.

So there can be reveals the place he is similar to, “I do not know what the fuck I am doing anymore.” There have been a number of instances when there have been meltdowns after reveals as a result of we’re making an attempt to determine our approach by means of this drawback. And I do not suppose at any level did we are saying, “We should always go see a therapist,” though it was so evident we would have liked to go.

How we acquired from clearly needing remedy to truly getting it

After we had been recording Residing Mirage, Charity introduced up and it was heavy at first. You don’t need to admit that you just need assistance, particularly once you’re making an attempt to painting confidence as a band. It’s like a competence factor: Should you let your guard down, you are going to be discovered or you are going to get caught.

However it wasn’t getting any higher. {Our relationships} had been fracturing additional as a result of there was this big elephant within the room that was trauma. So we weren’t speaking hardly in any respect and songs had been getting more durable to complete as a result of we weren’t capable of be weak. You hit these artistic useless ends the place you set somebody off with a phrase or a phrase, and it’s simply baggage. Charity was like, “I am not doing this except we go see a therapist. I am not going to dwell on this setting.”

We discovered this wonderful particular person, Dr. Lee Norton out of Nashville, and he or she got here to Atlanta and did this marathon session with us over the course of two days—particular person members and likewise full group. It was the primary time we had actually talked to one another about how we grew up or the issues that we went by means of as children which have now manifested into issues as adults. We did not develop up collectively. We weren’t finest associates. We had been pushed collectively on this bizarre, fated approach. It was extra like an organized marriage, however there was no arranger.

We did not fake it was going to be straightforward

We approached remedy understanding it may be laborious, and it may most likely be loads of tears. However it will probably solely get higher from the place we had been, and we would have liked to connect with restart the progress and concentrate on the mission of music. We needed to get again to a spot, however we had by no means been in that place to start with. We had by no means identified one another so intimately and deeply, to the place I now perceive why one thing would set off considered one of my band members. Possibly I do not want to try this factor.

We began to see the progress being remodeled a course of weeks, and the way a lot the temperature has been lowered in our discussions and our capability to get a cohesive imaginative and prescient collectively. It seems like we’ll hold doing as a result of it isn’t just like the work ever actually ends. We simply should hold going and hold speaking, and it helps to have a moderator there who can information you and present you among the pitfalls that will help you not fall into them.

helps us regain some energy over our decision-making, which is tremendous thrilling going into our second decade. It seems like we’re discovering this complete new life.

This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.

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