Music, Mental Health and Survival-Bonfire Madigan Shive

This is an interview with composer, performer, musician and mental health activist Bonfire Madigan Shive. Here, I catch her in her dressing room after a performance of 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore, the latest production she scored, to talk about mental health, class, survival and her contribution to the book "Live Through This- On Creativity and Self-Destruction."

Other contributors include With contributions by Nan Goldin, bell hooks, Patricia Smith, Cristy Road, Carol Queen, Annie Sprinkle, Elizabeth Stephens, Carolyn Gage, Eileen Myles, Fly, Diane DiMassa, Bonfire Madigan, Inga Muscio, Kate Bornstein, Toni Blackman, Nicole Blackman, Silas Howard, Daphne Gottlieb, and Stephanie Howell. Interview by editor- Sabrina Chapadjiev

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• suicide
• Icarus
• project
• mental
• health
• depression
• music
• cello
• revolution
• bonfire
• madigan
• art
• feminist
• riot
• grrl

[ideaview]

This video shows important and vital content which makes it all the more unfortunate that its video resolution is extremely low. If its source video is of higher resolution, which it should be if it was recorded by anything greater than a cell phone camera, then please reload this video at the highest definition that youtube allows. It is a crying shame whenever the message gets lost because of poor presentation. Thanks for your understanding and here is to hoping you redo and reload this.

[theawesomestusername]

@ideaview I'm really amazed that instead of a thank you for me taking the time to do this at all, you come with criticism about how I should do it better. I am not a video artist, and if you need 'higher resolution' to understand what Madigan is saying, then perhaps you should take the time to do your own video of her. Also, while she's talking about mental health and class, you criticize me for not having a 'good enough camera'. Interesting.

[ideaview]

Presentation quality counts. Appearances count. Important messages are not appreciated because of poor delivery.

You don't need to invest thousands to do a decent video. Even a one hundred dollar or less Flip video camera would produce a better image.

I stand by my suggestions that you post a more watchable movie. Thanks for your consideration.

I hope someday you will.

[theawesomestusername]

@ideaview Since editing the book, most of my energy working in the mental health field is spent speaking at colleges. Otherwise, I'm more focused these days on my own art. I'm encouraged that you care so much about the issue to criticize me- it shows how much you care about what Madigan has to say. I recommend you take time out of your schedule to interview her and post another video in better resolution. She, and the other authors in the book, have so much more to say. Good luck.

[nikkilightbrigade]

i want to hear more about suicidaL desperation as civiL rights issue!

PLEASE eLaborate!

PRoject Icarus for those that are interested/in need/check it out

[nikkilightbrigade]

thank Q!

[bambinangel]

awesome interview!!!

I agree with you totally 100%!!!

[locandro1]

Great interview! What she's talking about is basically the seeds for changing consciousness. When society can become aware of the things she's talking about, e.g. around 7:15, then our values can change for the better and we'll do a lot better in spheres even outside of mental health.

[nivascott]

I met Madigan at a Tattle Tale show at Jabberjaw in LA. She's a great artist who I have followed for many years now. Great to see this interview. Thanks!