In 2011, I began writing a song that would take on a little life of it's own over the next few years. The premise was to try and keep the music simple and to try and write the original melody to suit my voice, which seems like common sense, but it is actually quite challenging when you are not musically or vocally trained. Over the following months I worked and re-worked lyrics and melodies and at one point when experimenting with the falsetto chorus I would sing to my Husky, Whiskey and get her to sing along. I have been touched throughout my life many, many times by family, friends and through people I have met that have had experiences (personally and through the loss of loved ones) that have died at their own 'request or choice'.

 

I have researched and talked to a lot of people about suicide. I do not like the phrase 'committing suicide' because it is based in language that is centuries old, and still implies that anyone who does this is 'committing a sin or a moral wrong'. There is much more to it than that. In the distant past people did not have any grasp of mental illness or the potential depth of that 'internal suffering'.

 

Even today with all the technology we have we are barely able to see what is happening inside of someone with an illness that destroys 'the world within'. The concept of doing a music video that would reach people, open their eyes, and raise money for a worthwhile organisation working to change the same old thinking and help the same people was what gave birth to the cause that we call 'Ricochet'.

 

The premise of something like a bullet or an object that hits the wall and then 'keeps travelling in another direction' was symbolic in that it captured what I was trying to do for people emotionally with the song and clip. If someone is suicidal there is an intensity in the moment that needs to be seen, and then overcome to get beyond that intense stage of mental anxiety. In this way it is very much like hitting the wall, but rather than stopping, to just keep on going through the burning inside and to reach another moment; that is what invariably sees the intensity subside.

 

This is one of the messages in Ricochet - just continue on a little longer, even when all hope seems gone. It is a very powerful call to anyone on the verge of doing something in what seems as a last resort... 'you can make it through the next minute or so' and the feelings will subside in intensity. Another focus of the song Ricochet that we translated into the clip were the statistics we were able to get from sources like Lifeline, the Black Dog Institute, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the World Health Organisation. By combining the factual strength of these with the gentle and observant wisdom from people all around the world the images supported an educational experience in a way. Many people who have seen the clip before it's release were completely amazed by some of the statistics! There is a whole team of great people that assisted in getting the project to where it is today that I must thank and acknowledge.

 

I use the word 'team' because after a while it really felt as though we were all putting everything into the goal of making this project a success. In late 2013 I was introduced to Steve Isoardi through a friend of mine Graham Toole. Steve recorded the song 'Ricochet' and performed much of the music. Steve is a brilliant musician with a depth and technical understanding about music that is remarkable, and he also produced the song with me and introduced me to Adam Toole (no relation) who is our drummer on the track. Adam works as a sound engineer for the ABC so he was able to contribute ideas and make comments that really assisted with shaping the overall sound. Mia Isoardi is our 13 year old 'angel' and is Steve's daughter, and she's also in the clip with Ashleigh Toole (Graham's daughter and my 'Director of First Impressions' at LJ Hooker Commercial Central Coast.) Ashleigh is a finalist from Australian Idol in years gone by, but Ash has an amazing talent and incredible voice - bringing passion into the driving messages of the final chorus and outro.

 

Once we had the song mastered we were able to get to work on the 'people side' of the video clip. Two guys that have become better friends through the process and who have given so much of their time to assist are Noel Sadler (Skip Film Productions) and Bob Fitzgerald (Video Spark). Both Bob and Noel were already shaping the footage and messages in text before we filmed the live performances, so much of the background work was already in place. Countless hours of editing and reformatting by Noel and his knowledge of social media and IT has been a blessing. Bob has been like 'spirit guide' to me through the process - and it's his creative camera work that makes the clip come alive! What we have is the best that we could do. I am really happy with the final product, and I hope that people will want to pass it around and help get it out there! If we can educate people and reach a few that are feeling desperate, Ricochet will have it's own destiny and perhaps help to light up a little of the darkness.

 

Ty Barron13th April, 2014