Lost in Stereo

If you can’t tell by the title, this is a thank you letter for the members of the band State Champs.

 It might seem a little soppy and emotional, but I just have to get some things off my chest as i have a lot of love and gratitude in my heart which needs to be let out. If you don’t want to read the emo stuff then there is a little section at the end that simplifies everything I’ve tried to say.

 I’ve never written anything like this before so, before I get started I just wanted to say that some of the things I write in this might be a little dark but it needs to be said to fully understand why this letter is being written. So, let’s go!

 Dear State Champs

 My name is Laura and I have been a fan of the band for the past few years. I really love and appreciate what you do, and I just want to take a little time to say thank you. You might not even read this but if you do I just want to start by saying thank you for taking the time to read this. It might be a little lame, but I don’t care.

 Ok, where do I start?

 The last couple of years have been incredibly tough. Now I don’t want to get into too much detail as it is my issue/story to tell and it is no one’s else’s business but mine but without this information you might just get a little confused 😊 I don’t want any sympathy or anything from telling you this as I’m doing pretty well with the situation and what I have gone through is not majorly important to anyone else but me but like I said without this information this letter just wouldn’t make much sense.

 Anyway, around eighteen months ago I was diagnosed with a pretty serious mental health issue and was quickly hospitalised due to its severity and this has had a pretty negative impact on my life (like many others have too). I was very unwell and the beliefs I had about myself got so bad that it almost cost me my life. If I had not gone to hospital at the moment I did then it is highly unlikely that I would not been around to attend your show this week or have the lovely memories I have now, so I am grateful that I chose to keep fighting because I will remember that night for a very long time.

 The thing is with mental health issues (especially one like mine) it completely destroys you as a person and you lose sight of who you truly are. You get so lost in your own mind that you lose all interest in things you enjoy and love and the little traits that make you unique. For me, one of the most important things I lost along this journey was my love of music but during my recovery, you (along with some others) have helped me fall back in love with music again and I am so thankful that I did. Music really did save my life (what a cliché) and because of this, music has become an even bigger part of my life and recovery and helps guide me through life as I become the person I was always supposed to be.

 Earlier this year, I was in a really bad place in terms of my recovery. I was on the brink of a full relapse, very depressed and I had lost all hope that I could or even should recover. I was completely broken. I was an emotional wreck and just lost all confidence in myself and even began to believe that a full recovery just wasn’t possible. It was definitely one of the lowest points of my recovery so far but around that time State Champs released their new record Living Proof and something changed. That might sound a bit stupid but it’s the truth. It was like I needed something to come into my life to get me out of my head and this was what did it.

 I had been a fan of the band for a while and always enjoyed listening to you guys but that was as far as it went until this moment. There was something about this record that made me connect with it in that moment in time when I really needed something to distract me from my thoughts and ultimately motivate me to keep choosing recovery and keep fighting this horrible illness and I am so glad I did.

 I know I chose to buy the record, listen to the record and connect with it the way I did but if those five guys did not release this album at the time they did, who knows where I will be today. That sounds pretty heavy and I know you are just 5 normal guys in a band but it’s the only way I could think to express the situation.

 My love and appreciation of this band and this record increased massively after seeing you guys play live for the first time earlier this week. Finally, being able to hear songs that have had such a positive impact on my life and, more importantly, my recovery has brought me so much joy and I don’t think I have stopped smiling since.

 I attended the Glasgow date of the current UK tour and I’ll be honest, Glasgow was not my favourite place before this. It was the place I spent four months of my life receiving intensive treatment for my eating disorder and I have a lot of anxiety and negative memories attached to the city. But now that has all changed. I now have countless memories from that evening that I will cherish forever such as meeting you guys at the VIP acoustic performance, making friends with two lovely girls who made my night so much more enjoyable and also seeing a band perform with so much energy and I felt whilst watching you that you truly love what you do and are so grateful for the people who support you and your music.

 The most surreal moment of the night was hearing Our Time to Go live and for a split second when Derek sung the lyrics ‘I don't wanna live this way, Strong enough to break these chains, broken pieces can mend’ it felt like the song was being sung directly to me even though I was in a room full of people. It’s crazy how little things like that can inspire people and it makes me love you guys and that song just a little bit more.

 I know the songs were written from a completely different place then the one that I have interpreted it to be but that is the beauty of music. It connects people on so many different levels/emotions and that’s what makes this record so special to me. I could literally talk for hours about this record, band and that show but I won’t bore you anymore.

 Maybe one day I will meet you guys again and thank you in person, or maybe I will get some lyrics from Our Time to Go tattooed (or not as I am a big scaredy cat) as it has impacted me the most or even just come and see you guys again further down this road and just realise how far come I have come and how proud I am of everything I have achieved in this short amount of time.

 So, I know this is long and a little bit deep but I guess all I really wanted to say was:

 Derek, Tyler, Ryan, Evan and Tony (aka State Champs)

 Thank you for releasing the album Living Proof and being such a positive component of my recovery and my life.

 Thank you for giving me something to be excited about and for helping me fall back in love with music again.

 Thank you for being some of the most lovely, genuine and kind individuals I have ever met

 Thank you for being the soundtrack to a pretty important part of my life and I hope you keep doing what you are doing.

 But most importantly, Thank you for just being you – you might just be five guys who play music in a band for a living but for many people around the world (and back hahaha :D ) your music and lyrics has helped them through tough times just like mine and regardless of whatever happens, there are a hell of a lot of people out there who love and support you and are so thankful for all the hard work you put in to doing this as a career.

 You deserve all the success and happiness in the world and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you all.

 You have made one fan a very happy person and I will be forever grateful for the positive impact your music has had on my life