Vox Populi: Brave Days Frontman Eric Knighton Discusses His Dedication to Mental Health Causes

There’s hardcore punk, pop punk, Celtic punk, and “whatever punk” the specialty of Brave Days. Around since 2018, the high-energy group coined the term whatever punk to describe their no-nonsense approach to their music. They are reminiscent of a classic skate punk band with chaotic, high-energy live shows. But they aren’t confined to that classic characterization emphasized by their various passions.

The band members love Dungeons & Dragons, poetry, and history. They each bring a sliver of their personality to the band’s music, all in pursuit of authenticity. Brave Days strives for their music to be a free forum for fun and realism. Fun is the focus, not classifications or designations.

Joining us today for a Vox Populi interview is Brave Days frontman Eric Knighton. He discusses his dedication to the cause of mental health-related trauma and why it resonates with the band.

No matter what your political or ethical outlook, there are issues and topics that we are all passionate about. Some examples are climate change, human rights, poverty, military conflicts, prejudice, and economic disparity. With this in mind, what’s the issue or topic that you are most passionate about?

Eric Knighton: “We’ve always been extremely passionate about mental health, especially when it pertains to those with a lot of trauma from church, family, or being neurodiverse in spaces that are not friendly to people with neurodivergence. There is still a huge stigma on mental health not just in religious communities, but in schools, community groups, and even down to households.”

Why is this issue important to you?

“This issue is important to us because all of us were those kids. We’ve all felt downcast because of mental health and have all had struggles with mental health in our lives, especially as guys in the South where we’re commonly told to ‘suck it up’ or ‘man up.’ We want to break those narratives.”

Brave Days, photo courtesy of the band

When did you first get involved in this issue?

“All of our stories are different, but our guitar player, Will (Herridge), definitely got involved very quickly simply by having conversations with people he knew could make a difference in the smaller communities he was involved in, and led with the vulnerability needed to start those talks.”

Who are the key players involved in this issue today?

“We’ve seen several organizations do some great work in the community for these issues, such as HeartSupport, To Write Love On Her Arms, and so many others.”

If you could have everyone in the world hear you for one minute, what would you tell them about this topic?

“You are never too much and always enough. No one has everything figured out. So let’s start talking about it.”

What would be the simplest solution to helping improve mental health? Would you want to take this approach?

“The simplest solution would be for someone to wave a magic wand and make anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc. either go away or be widely accepted and understood, but sadly, this wouldn’t be the case. The most realistic solution, and we feel we’re on this path already, is to just start having those conversations about it that can be deemed as scary.”

Brave Days ‘Tulip’ album artwork, by Liz Herridge & Chris Ventura

What are some actions that readers can take right now to contribute to tackling this issue?

“Talk to your friends. Be vulnerable with them. Tell your people you love them. If you feel like your friend is struggling, say something. Don’t be afraid to open that door.”

If left unchecked, where do you see this issue heading in the years to come?

“If left unchecked, we’re going to see a lot more kids, even younger as things go, struggle with mental health issues without proper resources and conversations they need to deal with them and people will continue to isolate. The greatest enemy of progress in this issue is isolation, and the greatest strength of progress is an open and honest community.”