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Just because you’re in one of the most acclaimed modern punk bands around, doesn’t mean you’re always sure of yourself. On this episode of Going There with Dr. Mike, PUP drummer Zack Mykula opens up about his struggles with stage fright and self-regard, revealing how he’s learning to accept the challenges of performing without doubting his abilities.
Mykula discusses how even as his band has gained success, his stage fright hasn’t gone away. He describes it as a constant process of “exposure,” where he battles his instincts to “escape the whole thing.” That anxiety extends even off stage, as when he received a compliment from Fred Armisen following PUP’s Late Night with Seth Meyers performance and reacted with “narcissistic self-hatred.” “I was like, ‘Oh, well the thing fell down. And it wasn’t very good. I didn’t feel that good about it,’” Mykula recalls saying, noting that he later messaged Armisen to apologize for his response and was reassured he did in fact deserve the compliment.
It’s all part of the “rigged” system of self-doubt, where you can’t even believe positive appraisals from others. “It’s like, I’m going into a situation where I’m definitely going to experience pain and suffering, and I’m not acknowledging that… Like being a weightlifter and saying, ‘You’re never gonna be sore.’ And then when you’re sore, being like, ‘Oh my God, I must have done that completely wrong.’”
Listen to PUP’s Zack Mykula talk about how he’s learned to work within the “rigged system” of self-loathing and stage fright on Going There with Dr. Mike above, and watch a clip from the episode below (or via YouTube). You can see how Mykula is overcoming his anxieties every day by catching PUP on tour this fall with Jeff Rosenstock and special guest Ekko Astral by getting tickets here.
Those in need of mental health assistance can also check out the Sound Mind Live resources page for a list of helplines, community programs, therapy links, and more.
Going There is created in partnership between the Consequence Podcast Network and Sound Mind Live. This season is brought to you by Johnson & Johnson, who believes that health is everything. Their strength in healthcare innovation empowers them to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through their expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, they are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more at www.jnj.com, on the @JanssenUS and @JNJInnovMed on X.
Content shared from consequence.net.