In this episode of Behind The Decks we checked in with Joe White.
Joe is a DJ, music promoter and cousin of our Founder Freddie Cocker.
He is also the Co-Founder of DJ collective, Social Groove, alongside his other co-founder, Tommy Oriel, who will both be performing at Just Checking In Live #5.
Joe began life buying and playing Drum & Bass (D&B) vinyl records before meeting his now DJ partner Tommy whilst he was doing his plumbing apprenticeship.
Joe then took a life-changing trip to Ibiza in 2011 and from that moment, not only was his love of all forms of dance music crystallised but he wanted to put on club nights himself.
He started a night called ‘KAKED’, before moving on to try a different night called ‘Ad-Hoc’ and then another one called ‘Music Club’.
After a hiatus, Joe and Tommy came back together to form Social Groove, where they do DJ sets together as well as put on their own club nights.
In this episode, we chart his 15+ year music journey, buying his first pair of decks, his favourite memories of the club nights he put on, his dance music awakening and education and all the highs and lows that come with being a music promoter.
For Joe’s mental health, his difficulties have revolved around his issues with addiction and undiagnosed ADHD, which has shaped much of his life.
We discuss the impact that the undiagnosed ADHD had on his education, how his teachers and peers perceived him and how he found those labels uncomfortable and limiting.
Joe is in the process of getting a diagnosis at time of recording and we explore how many young men, largely working-class ones like Joe who exhibited strong ADHD symptoms but were left unchecked, felt ‘lost’ or dismissed for being who they were.
We also explore whether this pendulum has swung too far the other way, its implications and how that’s impacted men like Joe being able to get a diagnosis at a time when NHS waiting times are not in a good place.
Joe took part in Movember in 2023 to generate awareness of addiction issues and we finish by charting his recovery journey, what has worked and not worked for him and a nuanced conversation about sobriety.
As always, #itsokaytovent
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