“This Too Shall Pass,” a well-coined phrase used by Silvar Laidlow, one-half of the north-east’s musical power couple, He Knows She Knows.
“This Too Shall Pass,” is how Silvar Laidlow determines the passing of life’s trials and tribulations, and, even the way the world is right now, and one’s mental health issues, then,
“This Too Shall Pass!”
It is a phrase in which they use on their current, ongoing tour, but not a tour in the musical sense, no, over the past few months, Silvar, and the power beyond the throne, his partner Sharna, have been ‘visiting’ schools and educating children about mental health.
Oh! And they’ve also been throwing in the occasional, short performance.
“It’s been an annoying couple of years really, especially as we’ve not been able to tour in any form,” began Silvar as he contemplates a world through a global pandemic.
“But we’ve also been able to diversify what we do quite a bit, and have been able to accommodate other projects.”
Of those ‘other projects’ the one which probably has taken off the most, and stuck out more than anything, is their current campaign.
Granted the success of which was, maybe, a little unexpected.
It was unexpected because they were only really planning on a short, local run – best laid plans and all that; however, a couple of talks later, and having got the lay of the land, things just, took off.
“We were probably just looking at a week initially, but it all just clicked into place with the company we are working with,” continued Silvar.
“A friendship also, quickly developed, so now we’re doing even more schools, and further afield.
“I’m thinking, we’ve probably spoken to around 20,000 children, which is great, especially as the past couple of years has been just as hard, if not harder, for them.
“That, and with what we’re doing now, it’s helping us as well; we are using the advice we’re giving, making sure that we actually do, practice what we preach.”
The project has also opened doors for the dynamic duo.
A meeting with local, Sunderland Central MP, Julie Elliott, and the chance to discuss what they’re doing with the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Habib Rahman (the city’s first, non-white Mayor, in its 800-year history) have been too good to pass up.
Opportunities like those don’t come around too often, Silvar saying off those two meetings that: “When we met the MP, it was just as you’d expect it to be, what you’d think, imagine seeing really.
“The Lord Mayor, that really wasn’t what you’d expect.
“His office was very cool, with a lot of memorabilia, from the Blaydon Races, to the bell off HMS Newcastle, and more.
“He treated us like we were family, and was an open book, whilst being very interested and supportive of what it is we are doing.
“We are definitely looking forward to a long, working relationship.”
As for the future of their mental health campaign, Silvar added: “We want to both continue with the campaign, and appear at as many schools as we can.
“We have a plan for the year ahead, and we’ll hopefully be able to give the kids a lot more tools in which to help them progress through their teenage years, and beyond.”
One final piece of advice, guidance, supreme words of wisdom from the musician, shows that the love within him, it runs deep.
“Build your home with the stones life throws at you, because that’s what life is, and you do with it as you will.
“I could have wasted away after my mother passed away, but I found that writing music, really helped, and the song which came from that has been our most successful;.
“Therefore, turn the negatives in your life, into positives, because….
“This Too Shall Pass.”
If you want to catch He Knows She Knows performing on stage, in their day-to-day, musical environment, then they have the following, two dates, in the North East, upcoming – HMV Newcastle’s Live & Local, April 9, 3pm (also receive signed copies of the HKSK debut album, The Past Was Tense, released the day before); AND at The Fed, Dunston, November 17, Doors 6pm (with support from Tilly).
Keep up-to-date with the He Knows She Knows bandwagon, find out more about their music, and their mental health campaign, via their socials on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HeKnowsSheKnows Twitter https://twitter.com/HKSK_Music (and many more); also, visit the website via https://www.hksk.co.uk/