Exploring the relationship between music and Kevin’s lifelong struggle
By Cody Virginia Hutchison
MUSICIAN and artist, Kevin Nolan is featured in a new short documentary that outlines and explores the relationship between Kevin’s music and his lifelong struggle with schizoaffective disorder.
At 19 years old Tallaght born Kevin was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, which has been described as the “unhappy marriage of bipolar and schizophrenia”.
Musician Kevin Nolan on the keyboard
Kevin began writing music to regain some of the freedom he’d lost due to his illness.
Now at 37 years of age, Kevin reflects on his music as an “expression of his own experiences that have told him something about himself”.
The short film, ‘HUM’ is an intimate and music-fueled tour of Kevin’s world.
His film has won numerous awards, including “Best Short Documentary” at Irelands Guth Gafa International Film Festival. ‘HUM’ will be available to view on the RTE player until June 24.
Kevin is also set to release a new retrospective album which precedes his debut ‘Fredrick & The Golden Dawn’ which was released in 2014 to European critical acclaim.
His new album, ‘Absent At The Moment When He Took Up the Most Space’ will come out on July 26.
Dark, theatrical style
Nolan is known for a dark, theatrical style, and dramatic tour de force.
After the release of his first album he returned to the studio to make his next album and although he was knee deep into the second album, he decided to pause and cast his eye back at the recordings he made before Fredrick, that he himself had not listened to since he began work on the debut in 2006.
His new album features 38 selected recordings of his from 1997-2005 that were never released.
For Kevin these songs are letters from his younger self to his present self.
After this release Kevin explains he may have new understandings towards the creation of his follow up of Fredrick. Speaking on his musical career Nolan says, “music has helped me all of my life and I feel humbled and happy.”
