Epilepsy and Stigma in Popular Music 2290 – 3
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MEDICINE AND ART Medicine and art Epilepsy and stigma in popular music 2290 – 3 Through the ages, people with epilepsy have been subject to stigmatisation. To what extent is this still a reality? The depiction of epilepsy in contemporary popular music may reflect these attitudes. Mia Tuft genres such as death metal, hard rock and this is your hell [email protected] hip-hop. International advocacy politics given at birth Karl O. Nakken aiming to prevent the spread of prejudices symptoms take course against epilepsy in recent years has helped seizure taking over bring about a less discriminatory content consuming… in their lyrics. convulse… Throughout our history, epilepsy has The frightening epilepsy The American band Death, which by some remained a disease associated with stig- In death metal, epilepsy has been used as are regarded as the progenitors of the death matisation (1, 2). To obtain an impression an effect to evoke fear (Figure 1). This metal genre, released their album Death of popular notions of epilepsy in our time music idolises all that is dark and negative, bloody gore in 1987. The album contains we can study, for example, modern cultural and disease and violent death are frequent the song Scream bloody gore, in which epi- communication, in our case music. Music topics. The band Malevolent Creation uses lepsy is described in a way that links to a lyrics can reflect current attitudes, often epileptic seizures as a shock effect in their time when the belief that the disease was quite directly and without embellishment. lyrics, in the same vein as «disease, blood caused by evil spirits had wide currency: Moreover, it provides an insight into what and gore». is in fact permitted in current music publi- Controlling the minds of the bloodthirsty cation, for example in the form of directly Seizure dead discriminatory lyrics. … Unholy seizure slicing through your head Many song lyrics have portrayed epi- living in fear lepsy as scary, contagious or linked to sexu- tearing your soul Although some of the death-metal lyrics ality. This is especially evident in musical no cure for this pain portray epilepsy in a strongly negative light, Figure 1 Gus Rios of Malevolent Creation. Photo: Camera Press/NTB scanpix 2290 Tidsskr Nor Legeforen nr. 23 – 24, 2014; 134: 2290 – 3 MEDICINE AND ART epileptic seizures are also used to describe of times, and the repetitions in themselves and has frequent seizures. «I’m known a desire to vanish or become lost in dreams become symbolic of an epileptic seizure. in town as the creep that's into zombies,» to escape from a troublesome world. Some But: «I’ve got a problem» – this is not only he says in the autobiographical lyrics. of these lyrics imbue epileptic seizures with a positive love story being told (3). In melancholy words, he describes how positive associations (3). Some artists continue to describe epi- he feels as an outcast while caring for his lepsy as contagious, or they sing about how ill and dying girlfriend. A sexual and contagious disease acting reprehensibly may trigger epilepsy. Through history, epilepsy has been associ- In «Hit’em Up», the artist Tupac is rapping Lyrics that question the stigma ated with sexuality. In the 19th century about epilepsy (3): Notions of epilepsy through the ages have masturbation was regarded as one of the not always been unambiguously negative. causal explanations of epilepsy (1). Sounds You fucking with me? Some believed that persons with disease and twitching that occurred during seizures You fuck around and catch a seizure or a were God’s chosen people on Earth, cf. were perceived as sexual ecstasy; the aura heart attack. the designation morbus sacer. was the foreplay, the cramps were the In recent years, some have attempted to orgasm. The notion that epilepsy could be In the song Contagious, the band Static use song lyrics to challenge the prejudices contagious has also caused unfounded fears Lullaby describes epilepsy as scary, conta- associated with epilepsy. Throughout his in society. It was believed that the disease gious or of a sexual nature: career, Nick Cave has been preoccupied was caused by an unknown source of infec- with social stigmatisation, as is shown in tion or that those affected were possessed The choking has you foaming at the mouth several of his lyrics (Figure 2). On the by evil spirits that could be transferred to Our bodies convulsing on the floor album Henry’s Dream, he has included a others (1). Like a fish out of water, the price of wan- song about the historic figure of Christina These historic notions live on in many ting more the Astonishing (1150 – 1224). She acquired of today’s song lyrics. Many rap lyrics Epilepsy seems, seems safe enough for me world fame after having risen from «the describe how sexy men produce an «epilep- It’s alright girl, it’s alright dead» during her funeral after having suf- tic» reaction in women (3). The women Contagious, contagious as it seems. fered an epileptic seizure. become shiveringly ecstatic at the sight The artist Antony Hegarty, known from of this man or his display of sexuality. Ther- In the song Ballad of worms the American the band Antony and the Johnsons, is also apy, an Irish heavy-metal band, uses epi- rap artist Chris Palko, with the artist name preoccupied with social stigmatisation. As lepsy as a metaphor for all-consuming love Cage, relates a personal experience in transgender he has also been subject to pre- or possession, emphasised by repetitive which the stigma of epilepsy «infected» judice. Perhaps he sees an opportunity to rhythms. In the song Epilepsy, the phrase him. He has met the most beautiful girl in use his song lyrics to influence prevailing «this infernal love» is repeated a number town. She contracts meningitis and epilepsy attitudes to those who are different? In his Figure 2 Nick Cave has written a number of lyrics describing people who are dif- Figure 3 Antony Hegarty has written the song Epilepsy is dancing, where he ferent and how they are treated by society. Photo: Gonzales Photo/Christian Hjort/ describes an epileptic seizure in positive terms. Photo: Rolf Øhman/Aftenposten/ NTB scanpix NTB scanpix Tidsskr Nor Legeforen nr. 23 – 24, 2014; 134 2291 MEDICINE AND ART Figure 4 Sam Riley as Ian Curtis, front man of Joy Division. Curtis often had seizures on tour and on stage, and he also used epilepsy as an element in dancing on the stage and in song lyrics. Photo: Mary Evans Picture/NTB scanpix delightful lyrics to Epilepsy is dancing he epilepsy as a child. He had a difficult child- as well as his various artist names. He describes an epileptic seizure in positive hood and adolescence marked by bullying has used the names Prince, Jamie Starr, terms (Figure 3). The lyrics include refe- and a father who failed to support him in his Christopher, Alexander Nevermind and rences to Christ’s resurrection. Hegarty pursuit of music. Many of his lyrics deal The Purple One, as well as the symbol . may have been inspired by Transfiguration, with making life-changing choices. The In his life and career Prince has deliberately a 16th century painting by Raphael, where song Sacrifice tells the story of little Victor, promoted his image as an exceptional cha- Jesus rises from the dead and a boy suffers who is a victim of bullying. racter, and this has been his strength. an epileptic seizure at the same sacred moment. During an epileptic seizure the Sacrifice Epilepsy as a means main protagonist in the lyrics is transported I was born on a blood stained table of artistic expression into another and different world. Cord wrapped around my neck Ian Curtis was the front man of the post- Epileptic ’til the age of seven punk band Joy Division. He suffered from Epilepsy is dancing I was sure Heaven marked the deck epilepsy and used it actively in his song Epilepsy is dancing … lyrics. Curtis lived a very tumultuous life. She’s the Christ now departing Mama held up her baby for protection He had a number of seizures, in daily life And I’m finding my rhythm From a man with a strap in his hand as well as on stage (Figure 4). As I twist in the snow Ask the Victor ’bout pain and rejection Because of his on-stage seizures he You think he don’t, when he do understand attracted a lot of attention and featured fre- The song is accompanied by a dreamlike … … quently in the media. The punk and post- music video of naked people in a paradisi- My name will be, Victor punk era was partly devoted to disinhibited acal garden of flowers. The seizure turns behaviour, madness and «freaking out» on into an ecstatic dream, similar to what can Amen stage. His seizures were hailed as somewhat be experienced by people with temporal freakish, but also as an illustration of the lobe epilepsy (4). When the seizure is over, These lyrics contain obvious autobiograp- unpredictable aspects of epilepsy (5). At the main protagonist steps back into grey hical elements. Perhaps Victor is an allusion the same time he was a highly respected reality in an asphalted industrial site. to «victory»? Prince himself expresses his artist, an icon, who with his means of The rock artist Prince suffered from identity clearly, in his characteristic style artistic expression and characteristic bari- 2292 Tidsskr Nor Legeforen nr. 23 – 24, 2014; 134 MEDICINE AND ART tone voice represents the post-punk genre. Curtis committed suicide in 1980.