The Inside Out hope to spread positive message with new music

The group, which features local singer George Hutton and songwriter Kieran Brown, hope to spread a positive message with the song ‘Hold On’.

The talented pair, who have been friends for the last 15 years, have been working on the project for the last 12 months and decided that now was the perfect time to share a powerful message about mental health.

They plan to release an EP of three songs later this year.

George, who recently toured America with the Five Irish Tenors, said: “There is a stigma attached to men telling people they are not ok and that needs to change.

“When Kieran showed me the lyrics to the song ‘Hold On’ it had a sentiment specifically aimed at mental health awareness. Music has the power to express feelings and help get messages out there that no other art form can equal.”

“The name of the band came from the idea of being able to take a feeling from inside us and put it out there”, George explained.

George, who is also a European medal winning powerlifter, admits he hit rock bottom in the past after the breakdown of a relationship.

“That had a serious impact on me. But I spoke to people. I am lucky enough to have a big family and really good friends so I spoke to them. We want to get the message out there, especially to young men, that it’s alright to talk if things are not going well.

“There is so much machismo nonsense out there and if a man tries to open up they are so afraid of being judged. The biggest killer of men under 40 is suicide and that is a frightening statistic.”

George will be going back to America to tour next year and hopes to spread the group’s positive message while he is there.

“I am going to be performing on St. Patrick’s Day at a 2,200 seater theatre in New York. That is a massive dream come true. I will be bringing the EP with me and hope that I will be able to spread the message in the song Hold On as broadly as I can.”

Paul Casey plays guitar and produced the song, which was recorded at Cable Junction Studios. Liam Bradley features on drums and John McCullough on hammond.

The single ‘Hold On’ will be available via all major digital distributors, including iTunes and Spotify, on July 28.

Half of the proceeds from the sale of the single will be going to a local mental health charity.

The EP will be released in September.