Lys Guillorn on chronic illness, self-care, and putting out music anyway (GRRL034)

Welcome to Grrl on Grrl episode 34 with Lys Guillorn, a “solo artist with a band”.

Lys and I recorded this all the way back in *last* July in 2017. Since then, she has released the split single “How to Move a Mountain” and more recently the song “Tinctoria”. (i’m sorry DID I JUST READ “LICHEN DYE” in the description for the physical release???? be still my heart.))

The majority of our conversation runs the gamut of mental health and chronic illness issues, including depression, fibromyalgia, the mad genius trope, symptoms & self-care routines, and how they affect and inform her songwriting. Near the end, we chat about being a solo songwriter with a band and how collaboration and community work together to build a better Connecticut and music scene.

This episode is the first to be edited by the amazing Sarah Parish who answered my call for help a few months ago. Thank you so much Sarah! She has been amazing help in getting my ass into gear releasing these episodes. Without her hard work and assistance, I’m not sure I would have finished these upcoming episodes! If you want to learn more about her current projects, scroll down to the bottom of the shownotes.

Thanks to The Fresh Brunettes for providing their song “Best of the Worst” as the new Grrl on Grrl theme song! You can find their album Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition on CDBaby. And of course, thank you to Lys Guillorn for her patience and to all of you folks for still checking in.

Listen

Download GRRL034 at Libsyn [~51MB; 55 minutes] or stream from these websites [iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play]

Show Notes

• Putting out her first album… writing it in 1998, finally putting it out 2003
• Different music industry then and now (no Bandcamp!)
• Being in the publishing industry and using that as a guide to self-release album
  • Hysteria … women’s humor magazine – “Getting in touch with your inner bitch”
  • Spin Magazine
  • What did you learn from working at Hysteria?
• [12:05] Elisa Flynn – “My Blood”
• Content warning: pain/fibromyalgia, depression
• Her May 2017 album “I’m a Boy”
  • Becoming really ill in 2016
  • Background on her song “M.K.” written while she was bedridden
• Depression symptoms
• Self-care routine
  • Banjo!!!!!
  • Artist’s Way in the morning
  • Yoga
• Do depression and fibromyalgia affect each other?
  • Taking breaks during certain months because of fibromyalgia and depression, with a few exceptions
• [26:35] Lys Guillorn – “M.K.”
• Is music industry better or worse now?
• Not being able to tour
• “I can’t separate my experience to have regrets”
  • June talks about health insurance/not taking antidepressants