LCMDF, aka Finland-born Berlin-based sisters Emma (23) and Mia (21), have been through life coaching, and agreed to answer the questions of the DiS readership on the subject of Mental Health, the title of their forthcoming EP. Paranoia, taken from said EP, premieres below, and the band are currently beginning a string of five London dates - see the poster at the base of the piece for info.
Dear Emma and Mia,
Good luck with the column, I hope you're being genuine. Are you? What's your background?
Poosi
Thanks. Yes we are. We are releasing an EP trilogy called "Mental Health". The first part is out on October 29th. We've been studying self help literature and yoga and have been very interested in mental health, well-being and self esteem since we started this project. These are also topics that we are discussing in our new songs.
Dear Emma and Mia,
I have a problem. My office mates drive me insane. Gift wrapping my desk and filling my drawers with jelly is not funny! How can I make it stop?
Anon
Check first if you're taking yourself too seriously. If you feel that that is not the case and a line has been crossed then we advice you to stand your ground. You need to get your office mates to respect you, but that wont happen before you learn to respect yourself. Be yourself no matter what. Sometimes it's hard to see all the people who accept you for who you are when you only notice the ones who do not. As Mark Twain said, "the worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself".
Dear Emma and Mia
I need to change the past.
hipyounggunslinger
The only thing you can do is to accept the past. Try not to live in the past nor the future, for the only place that you can be is now. Don't close the book, just turn the page.
Dear Emma and Mia
Every time I open my inbox I die a little inside. Even the thought of my email depresses me. I can spend all day reading and deleting emails, but I don't even make a tiny dent. And when I do spend a day doing nothing but email, I'm mostly just deleting things and finding stuff that was important three days ago, but now no longer matters. It isn't so much the contents, more the hideous volume of messages, and my inability to plough through 600-700 emails a day, mostly about things that I would never publish or that even if I try my hardest, I can't listen to all the music anyway. How can I feel a little less like email is some stinking burden in my life?
Sean
When you accept that you can't control things, you will learn how to manage them. Prioritize and focus on what you are doing, when you're doing it. Instead of letting the pile of emails overwhelm you, accept them and make the best out of the situation. Also, it wouldn't hurt to organize your inbox and your work day systematically. Remember to take breaks, maybe a walk? Surprise yourself by leaving out bad habits, (like eating in front of the computer) and integrate new good habits into your every day life. Give yourself a massage, stretch, and - this is important - remember to breath.
Dear LCMDF,
waht can we do to get chicks
Verbal
Realise how awesome you are, and that you don't really need any chicks. That's how you get them.
Dear LCMDF,
I need to make a video to get students to go on a demo in London to protest against government cuts and send a message that we want to reclaim education back for young people. I've asked Scandinavian pop stars Those Dancing Days if I can use their song Run Run for a video but their record label hasn't replied yet. Can I use one of your songs instead? (are you Scandinavian?) Props on the mental health activism. Kiitos x
Catriona
We are on tour in London the 4th-11th of October, maybe we can join your cause? Yes, we are Scandinavian, the Finnish sort. You can surely use our song, but you will have to dodge our publisher Jonas from Sweden first. He's in his office in Stockholm.
Dear LCMDF,
I want to spend all my time being in a cult and making weird art, music and writing, but I need money to live, how can I get paid to do that or find a job that will still give me time to do the things I need to?
Ana
It's a common dilemma for an artist to be able to support oneself without compromising on art. I advice you to expect nothing more than the joy of creating, but work hard and remember that it's your job to believe in you, not anyone else's. Being an artist is as much work as any other job. If you can't handle economic insecurity, then, well - get a job with a secured monthly income. Some cults might provide paid accommodation for their members, but we wouldn't know anything about that.
Dear LCMDF,
What is the name of your unreleased track where you sing "give me a break / give me a break/ why don't you give yourself a break?". I heard it when you played Queen of Hoxton with the Crystal Fighters. It's so good!
Thomas
Thank you, you are awesome. It's called "Paranoia", and it's being premiered... right here!
Dear LCMDF
Sleep paralysis.
Forzaborza
When you have problems with your sleep, it is usually mirroring something that bothers you when you are awake. Avoid caffeine and speak to your doctor.
Dear Emmi & Mia
Growing up I was largely cared for by local authority services, which meant being transferred between a variety of foster families and services; I was also diagnosed with conduct disorder after a string of violent incidents involving other children. Since leaving formal care, service cuts have limited the amount of care that I receive. I have been in and out of a number of institutions. Due to local service cutbacks I no longer qualify for any formal support between periods when I am institutionalised, and so find myself in and out of care with no way in sight to break this cycle. I have no-one else to turn to. Please help.
Anon
We are sorry to hear that. Sadly this is out of our range, we can't advise on mental disorders. Please contact a professional, perhaps through a helpline like MIND -http://www.mind.org.uk/help.
Dear LCMDF,
I need to find a way to celebrate a 12th Birthday of a music website. I know that our staff like to drink and that our readers are quite partial to a drop, but I don't know how I will be able to afford to buy everyone a drink. How would you celebrate this moment in DiS' history, without breaking the bank?
Sean
Parties are for having a good time. Try secretly serving your guests non-alcoholic punch, and see how the placebo kicks in and takes care of the rest. Remember you can also have fun without alcohol, let your positive energy raise the spirit. Your guests will thank you later when they wake up fresh and hang-over free.
Dear LCMDF,
Why are people so mean to each other on the internet?
Adam
Because saying something to someone's face is much harder than commenting anonymously on an online commentary field. It's easier to criticise from behind the screen. Remember that negative comments don't make you worse nor do positive comments make you better. The importance is not in what people say but how you choose to relate to their words.
Dear LCMDF
Do you know where I can get this coat?
Anon
Nice coat. But still, try asking a stylist - this is out of our range.
Dear LCMDF,
Could you tell me where all the really cool guys in Berlin are, and how to meet them?
Dorothee
Come to one of our concerts, there they stand in line. Also, don't look for the right one, be the right one.
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LCMDF are in the UK 4-11th October, and their "Mental Health" EP comes out on October 29th, featuring "Paranoia", which premieres here. Follow them on Facebook and check out their website here. Plus, see them perform live at the following dates: