Support Life And Music (S.L.A.M.) Mental Health Org Launches Season 2 of SLAM Music Survival Guide

with the SLAM Awards

Featuring Rob Halford, DMC, Alex Skolnick,

Jennifer Batten, and More!

Watch the Season 2 Trailer HERE

Watch the 2026 SLAM Awards HERE

Support Life And Music has launched the second season of its acclaimed SLAM: Music Survival Guide series, featuring a new round of conversations from across the musical spectrum. The guests include superstars, influencers, industry VIPs, authors, and more! Each show features uplifting talks about mental health in the music life. 

Support Life And Music (S.L.A.M.) was founded as a nonprofit in 2025 by veteran journalist, Jack Mangan, to fight back against music industry tragedies from substance misuse, depression, and suicide. S.L.A.M. is saving music lives through storytelling, media, research, expertise, and inspiration. 

S.L.A.M. has made a powerful impact in its first 20 months: 

Season 1 of the “SLAM: Music Survival Guide” podcast featured 55 episodes of conversations with musicians of all levels, music industry VIPs, authors, and more. Season 2 will be even more exciting, having launched on August 27th with the SLAM Awards episode! 

In its first 20 months, S.L.A.M. published 43 articles, essays, reviews, and thinkpieces, including 7 D.R.E.A.M. (Data, Research, Education, Awareness, Music) reports. 

S.L.A.M. has had official appearances at numerous in-person events, including Arizona Bike Week, Phoenix International Jazz Festival, MIM’s Celebrate Soul, and more. 

Support Life And Music is here to improve musician mental health and seriously reduce music industry tragedies.

Members of the S.L.A.M. Advisory Council are available for interviews. Please contact jack@supportlifeandmusic.org to schedule. 

The slate of shows in season 2 includes, with more to come:

• SLAM Awards
• Roddy Bottum (Faith No More)
• Jacob Givens (YouTube phenomenon), Alex Skolnick (Testament)
• Edith Pageaud (Classical guitar sensation)
• Steven Rosen (Author) and Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson) talk Jeff Beck
• Alice Wallace (Country musician), Rebecca Downes (Blues musician)
• Lips (Anvil)
• Brad Cole (Backline)
• Todd Michael Hall (Riot)
• Jenn Czep, S.C. Mendes, Hal C.F. Astell (Horror/SF Authors)
• Dr. Karlheinz Brandenburg (co-inventor of the MP3)
• Rory Schmitt (author), Red O'Brien and Eric Laws (Blood Lovely) talk about New Orleans

Watch the Season 2 Trailer HERE

The SLAM: MSG second season opened with the 2026 SLAM Awards honoring the music industry’s mental health superheroes! This star-studded, blockbuster first-of-its-kind online event features music, presentations, acceptance speeches, and more, paying tribute to music industry stars and VIPs who’ve inspired mental health positivity through advocacy, action, social media, writing, music, and/or just through their own personal stories. 

Hosted by superstar Cathy Rankin, the show features speeches from an incredible class of honorees. The full list includes:

• Michael Alago (Legendary record label executive and artist. Subject of the acclaimed documentary: "Who the F**k is That Guy?", author of "I Am Michael Alago.")
• John Bambino (VP Artist Management for In De Goot Entertainment)
• Dani Cutler (Scene Mom Says, ex-KWSS Radio DJ)
• Rob Halford (Hall of Fame singer for Judas Priest, author of "Confess" and "Biblical")
• Amy Sciarretto (Trendsetting music publicist, founder of Atom Splitter PR)
• Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (Rap/Hip-Hop pioneer, author of "Ten Ways to Not Commit Suicide")
• Pamela Parks (Headity Artist Management)
• Jason McMaster (Iconic singer from Dangerous Toys, co-host of Talk Louder podcast)
• Dr. George Musgrave (aka Context, a Rapper who's worked with Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, others. He co-wrote a groundbreaking clinical paper on musician mental health)
• Dr. Dorian Lamis (Psychologist, author, and professor who co-wrote the clinical paper, "Musicians, the music industry, and suicide: epidemiology, risk factors, and suggested prevention approaches," with George Musgrave.)
• Marc Lopes (Singer with Let Us Prey, ex-Metal Church)

Featuring music videos and performances from: 

• Chuck Tomasi - Technorama
• Garrett James and the Wanderers - Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Center
• Jack Mangan - S.L.A.M. 
• Cathy Rankin

And guest presentations from: 

• Jose Mangin - SiriusXM
• Todd La Torre - Queensryche
• Mark Pruett - The Whiskey Network
• Michael Stackpole - Author
• David Ellefson - Kings of Thrash, ex-Megadeth
• Burton C. Bell - Solo artist, ex-Fear Factory
• Dobber Beverly - Oceans of Slumber
• Ben Wells - Black Stone Cherry
• Monte Conner* - Nuclear Blast Records
• Evo Terra - Simpler Media
• Dr. Sheila Dee - Simpler Media
• "Metal Dave" Glessner - Talk Louder 
• Jonathan Jacobs - Rawkstars
• Ari Jacobson - Backline
• Hilary Gleason - Backline
• Debbie Watson - Nuci's Place
• Rob Dukes - Exodus

*Monte Conner’s testimonial read by Jack Mangan

The host segments were primarily filmed at Technorama Studios, engineered by Chuck Tomasi, with post-production by Vincent Desiderioscioli of YoVinny Productions. The 2026 SLAM Awards Show is sponsored by All Access VIP Adventures. 

Watch the 2026 SLAM Awards HERE

Support Life And Music is here to improve musician mental health and seriously reduce music industry tragedies.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

FREEMAN PROMOTIONS

Jon Freeman - Freeman@FreemanPromotions.com

Heather Freeman - Heather@FreemanPromotions.com

Jason Lawhon - Jason@FreemanPromotions.com