I sat down with Brian Mitchell an Ambassador for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. We pulled no punches in this one! With discussion ranging from how the Foundation came to be after a tragic murder, the work they do, the power of music to create communities and why in 2026 we can't afford to be complacent about hate crimes and discrimination.

I spoke to singer and songwriter Kat Button about how her own mental health journey has shaped her song writing. We also talk about the importance of getting kids talking about mental health, the perils musicians face in navigating social media and much more. Check it out!

Blending Ska, Reggae, Hip Hop and social commentary into wonderfully joyful music Rocky Leon is an immensely talented musician and human. We spoke about his love for his craft, battles against algorithm's, the power of music for keeping hold of positivity and his outlook on life. A fascinating discussion and an artist you should check out!

With a long career spent working as a producer & songwriter Joshua Landry or Lø Spirit sat down to talk with me about how he balances his long term physical & mental health issues with a rising career as one of Alt-Rocks newest faces , how his health conditions have shaped his song writing and much more as he prepares for the launch of his debut album

I sat down with Cherry & Callum from Defences a UK band in the rise! We spoke about how they aim to connect people and create community through their music, how themes of growth & mental health run through some of their songs and so much more.

I welcomed Mike Yates from Skaraman back to the pod for this one! Felt like catching up with an old friend! We spoke about creating a supportive local music scene, coping with enforced time away from creating music and more. & the impact that can have on our wellbeing and more!

Alana Hil is a Soul singer with a unique personal and musical journey. In this episode Alana & Rob cover a wide range of topics from her journey so far and how her mental health experiences shape her music to the pressures of social media & what can be done to support the mental wellbeing of musical artists. Alana is down to earth, honest and a fascinating person to talk to.

In this bonus episode I caught up with Mike Hartley to talk about Icebreaker festival including some of the history behind the festival, some of his fondest memories from running Icebreaker for 12 years and more. This episode also contains a mini review of this years festival from myself.

In the last of the three specials to mark two years of Minds Aloud we brought back Liam from The Big Movement Project and Phil from the Southern Ska Collective. We spoke about men's mental health, the benefits of movement and performing for our wellbeing and more.

Enjoy this last and the other two specials before it before we kick off more episodes for 2026!

The second of the three special episodes to mark two years of the pod! This time we brought back Kate from heavy metal Therapy, Jeordie from tonic Music & Rich Lansley. Again wide ranging discussion. We spoke about the importance of looking after our artists mental wellbeing, the benefits of creativity for our wellbeing and the power of peer support plus more!