Rising alt artist Woz releases his second EP, No Medicine For That. No Medicine for That explores the effects of his early childhood traumas which is conveyed over distorted guitars and influences that range from Queens of the Stone Age to The Ramones. Woz discusses his Borderline Personality Disorder, severe addiction, and suicide attempt.
Woz recently released the official music video for the first track off the EP, “How I’m Gonna Go”. This deeply personal and emotional track was written after Woz was six months sober and following a suicide attempt in mid 2021.
Tell us about the main theme of this EP
For me, I think it’s about handling trauma. Admittedly, I didn’t handle it in the best way. I was self-destructive and out of my mind. Glamorous or not, I think it’s an important part of that story that I couldn’t gloss over.
How did you come up with the main theme for this EP
When I started this EP, I think those wounds were just so fresh, and I was starting to get my grip. Writing about it was the only way to really close that chapter, and start the recovery process. It was very natural.
Some of these themes are quite sensitive and personal. How do you find the strength to share them with your audience?
It all came from this realization I had. As I’ve grown, I realized that the stories worth telling, and the stories that truly impact people are the ones that are almost too hard to tell. Art serves its purpose when it sticks with people, and thats all I could ever hope for.
Do you have a piece of advice to all of those who struggle with the same issues you talk about in your EP?
Stories saved me I think. Other peoples, but also what got me through it all was living to tell my own stories. I had great people around, and they pushed me to live when I didn’t want to. That came with new experiences, and fun stories to tell. It can feel like living for short bursts of dopamine at first, but the more you stick with it, you’ll find some semblance of inner-peace down the line.
What are some things you rely on everyday to keep your sanity and stay grounded?
Medication was life changing. They gave me the keys to change my life for myself. I have my dog, friends, art, and my audience, and I love them more than I ever thought i’d be capable of thanks to my meds. Its crazy how powerful the chemicals in your brain are, and how they impact your view of the world. Drug abuse really messed with those chemicals, and I can’t thank my medication enough for leveling them out.
