George Musgrave

FRSA The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...

is an academic studying the psychological experiences and working conditions of creative careers, with a current focus on mental health and wellbeing in the music industry. He is based at

Goldsmiths, University of London Goldsmiths, University of London, officially the Goldsmiths' College, is a constituent research university of the University of London in England. It was originally founded in 1891 as The Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute by the Wor ...

and the

University of Westminster , mottoeng = The Lord is our Strength , type = Public , established = 1838: Royal Polytechnic Institution 1891: Polytechnic-Regent Street 1970: Polytechnic of Central London 1992: University of Westminster , endowment = £5.1 million ...

. Musgrave is also a

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

and performs under the stage-name of Context. He released his debut mixtape ''Dialectics'' in 2008, ''Mental Breakdown Music'' in 2009, and the EPs ''Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes'' and ''Hindsight is the Purest Form of Romance'' in 2014.

Early life and education

Musgrave went to

Wymondham College Wymondham College is a coeducational day and boarding school in Morley, near Wymondham, Norfolk, England with academy status. A former grammar school, it is one of 36 state boarding schools in England and the largest of its type in the country ...

from 2000-2005, and achieved a first-class degree in Social and Political Sciences at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

in 2009. He then went on to do an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 2010 and completed his ESRC funded PhD at the Centre for Competition Policy at the

University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and 26 schools of study. The annual income of the institution f ...

in 2014

Academic career

He is the co-author of Can Music Make You Sick? alongside Sally Anne Gross. This two-part report published in 2016 and 2017, and subsequent book in 2020 published by

University of Westminster Press University of Westminster Press is the open access academic press of the University of Westminster, England. It publishes academic books and peer-reviewed journals and runs on the Ubiquity Press Founded in 2008 by Brian Hole, Ubiquity Press is an ...

, examined the relationship between mental health conditions (principally anxiety and depression) and the nature of working in the music industry. The book draws on survey and interview data, alongside

Jodi Dean Jodi Dean (born April 9, 1962) is an American political theorist and professor in the Political Science department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York state. She held the Donald R. Harter ’39 Professorship of the Humanities and So ...

's concept of communicative capitalism, to explore how digitalisation and a state of abundant musical production has changed the way in which musicians experience building a career. They suggest that musical ambition is based on a series of status’ rooted in the nature of music as labour (‘the status of work’), how value and reputation is acquired and understood (‘the status of value’) and the impact this comes to have on musicians’ closest relationships (‘the status of relationships’), and that each of these status’ can come to harm the emotional and mental wellbeing of musicians. The research - described as "the largest known study into mental health and the music industry" - led directly to the establishment of the first 24/7 mental health helpline for musicians - Music Minds Matter - launched by the charity

Help Musicians UK Help Musicians (formerly Musicians Benevolent Fund), is a United Kingdom charity offering help for musicians throughout their careers. History It was created by Victor Beigel in 1921 as the Gervase Elwes Memorial Fund, following the death of En ...

in 2017. The research has informed the work of organisations including Communion (Berlin), NHS Wales and the

Music Managers Forum The Music Managers Forum (MMF) is the world's largest professional membership organisation representing music managers. At present the MMF membership stands at over 950 managers based in the UK with global businesses and a wider network of 2700 ma ...

, and was supported by music industry figures including

Grant Hutchison Grant Hutchison (born 13 June 1984) is a Scottish drummer and percussionist. He is best known as the drummer of the indie rock band Frightened Rabbit, with whom he recorded five studio albums. In 2022, Hutchison joined The Twilight Sad after a f ...

Frightened Rabbit Frightened Rabbit were a Scottish indie rock band from Selkirk, formed in 2003. Initially a solo project for vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchison, the final lineup of the band consisted of Hutchison, his brother Grant (drums), Billy Kennedy ...

Adam Ficek Adam Steven Ficek (born 8 March 1974) is an English musician and psychotherapist who performs under the Roses Kings Castles name. He is a songwriter and member of Babyshambles. Ficek joined Babyshambles in 2005 with former The White Sport ban ...

and

Shaun Ryder Shaun William George Ryder (born 23 August 1962) is an English singer/songwriter and poet. As lead singer of Happy Mondays, he was a leading figure in the Madchester cultural scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993, he formed Bla ...

of the

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder ( bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joined t ...

. Upon release, the book was an Amazon Number 1 Best Seller in the 'Sociology of Work' category. His research has been featured by media outlets including

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

, GQ,

The Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nikk ...

BBC Music Introducing BBC Music ''Introducing'' is BBC Radio's platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK music talent. It gives artists the opportunity to be played on Local BBC Radio and nationally on BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, Radio 3, ...

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

and more. Musgrave has also written articles on mental health for

BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, covering all genres including animation, comedy, curre ...

and

Crack Magazine ''Crack'' is a monthly independent music and culture magazine distributed across Europe. Founded in Bristol in the UK in 2009, the magazine has featured Björk, MF Doom, Lil Yachty, FKA twigs, Gorillaz and Queens of the Stone Age on the cover. T ...

. He has also published research on the ways in which cultural intermediaries create value for musical work, mental health and wellbeing in the gig economy, autoethnography as a qualitative research methodology for arts researchers, the documentary Avicii – True Stories., defining cultural entrepreneurship, and ethical decision-making by music managers.

Music career

Musgrave began his career in music in 2008 under the stage-name Context whilst enrolled as a student. After releasing his debut mixtapes ''Dialectics'' in 2008 and ''Mental Breakdown Music'' in 2009, he gained some recognition for his 2010 single "Off with their Heads" which featured Vertex of Marvell and a cameo from

Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...

. The video was featured on

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

. He then released the single "Listening to Burial" in 2011 which was featured on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

's national playlist. In 2012, he was the winner of MTV’s Brand New For 2012 unsigned competition, beating Clement Marfo,

Charli XCX Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...

and

Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent ...

on the channel’s hotly tipped list. Musgrave was recognised as a "brainy rapper" as he was currently studying his PhD whilst pursuing his rap career in 2012. He released a "Fire in the Booth" freestyle with

Charlie Sloth Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon (born 20 August 1981), known professionally as Charlie Sloth, is a British DJ, hype man, producer and TV presenter. Early life Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon was born on 20 August 1981. He was raised in the London Boroug ...

on 26 February 2012. In 2013 he signed a worldwide publishing and songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Publishing/

EMI Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing Ltd. is a British multinational music publishing company headquartered in London, owned by parent company Sony Corporation of America. In May 2018, Sony Music Publishing agreed to increase its stake in EMI to 90%, pending ...

. He released his four-track EP, ''Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes'' in 2014 via free download. It was noted for its intricate social commentary with samples from Goldie, Underworld and Altern8. During this time released the song "Small Town Lad Sentiments" which went on to be remixed by Mike Skinner. It was featured on Context's second EP, ''Hindsight is the Purest Form of Romance'' released later in 2014. In 2015, Musgrave took a break from music to focus on his academic career. However, he returned in 2018 to release the single "Better Than This". This was followed by the single "Take Me Back" in 2019 which featured Great Skies.

Publications

* Gross, S & Musgrave, G (2016) Can Music Make You Sick? A Study Into the Incidence of Musicians' Mental Health - Part 1: Pilot Survey Report, ''Help Musicians UK/MusicTank'' * Gross, S & Musgrave, G (2017) Can Music Make You Sick? A Study Into the Incidence of Musicians' Mental Health - Part 2: Qualitative Study and Recommendations, ''Help Musicians UK/MusicTank'' * Musgrave, G (2017) Collaborating to Compete: The Role of Cultural Intermediaries in Hypercompetition, ''International Journal of Music Business Research'', Vol.6(2), pp. 41–68 * Gross, S., Musgrave, G & Janciute, L (2018) Well-Being and Mental Health in the Gig Economy: Policy Perspectives on Precarity, CAMRI Policy Briefs, ''University of Westminster Press'' * Musgrave, G (2019) Making Sense of My Creativity: Reflecting On Digital Autoethnography, ''Journal of Artistic and Creative Education'', Vol.13(1), pp. 1–11 * Musgrave, G (2020) Avicii: True Stories - Review, ''Dancecult: Journal of Electronic Dance Music Culture'', Vol.12(1), pp. 94–97 * Gross, S & Musgrave, G (2020) ''Can Music Make You Sick? Measuring the Price of Musical Ambition'', University of Westminster Press * Athanassiou, D & Musgrave, G (2021) Building a Heavy Metal World: Cultural Entrepreneurship in the Polish People's Republic, ''Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts'', Vol.10(1), pp. 1–19 * Chaparro, G & Musgrave, G (2021) Moral Music Management: Ethical Decision-Making After Avicii, ''International Journal of Music Business Research'', Vol.10(1), pp. 1–14

Discography

Extended plays

*2008: ''Dialectics'' *2009: ''Mental Breakdown Music'' *2014: ''Stealing My Older Brother's Tapes'' *2014: ''Hindsight is the Purest Form of Romance''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Musgrave, George Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Researchers in organizational studies Academics of Goldsmiths, University of London Academics of the University of London 21st-century English singers English male singers British hip hop singers Rappers from London Academics from Norwich British consciousness researchers and theorists People educated at Wymondham College Alumni of the University of Cambridge Alumni of the University of East Anglia 21st-century British male singers