Last Call: Neal Casal and the Dangerous Thing We’re Afraid to Talk About

Mental health issues affect millions of people. Let’s talk about how we can help each other before it’s too late.
Neal Casal and I met in 2010 on the set of the movie Country Strong, an age-old portrait of a train-wreck musician (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) spiraling toward her tragic demise. The director wanted realism, so she hired real musicians (Neal on guitar, me on bass) for Gwyneth's band. In between takes, Neal and I jammed, traded dry jokes, and shared a lot of laughs. After the movie wrapped, we stayed in contact, hung when he was in Nashville, and Neal contributed photos to my column. Two years ago, we filmed a Rig Rundown with his band, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. It appeared that Neal was thriving ... then he killed himself last August.
Neal's suicide was shocking, but sadly it's an epidemic. Worldwide, there are roughly 800,000 suicides per year, which translates to about one every 40 seconds. If that's not grim enough, Rolling Stone recently cited a 2018 study by the Music Industry Research Association, which found that 50 percent of musicians reported symptoms of depression. Studies tell us that mental health struggles are more prevalent among creative types, but if you are one, or have spent your life surrounded by artists, you've probably seen it firsthand.
Adam MacDougall (Black Crowes) probably knew Neal best. They toured together for nine years in the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and formed their own band, Circles Around the Sun, which was just getting its legs when Neal checked out. I asked Adam if he saw Neal's depression issues.
"I saw it in him, as he probably saw it in me. Poets, writers, musicians through the ages have always been the sensitive ones looking for an outlet for this beautiful sadness. Neal and I tended to turn that into macabre humor. But I've been listening to his back catalogue of songs. It's surprising how often it was alluded to. Artists wear their hearts on their sleeves, so it wasn't a red flag, but listening to it now is just chilling. But honestly, every musician I've talked to, particularly after Neal, not one of them hasn't considered [suicide] at least once."
Mental health, especially depression, is the most dangerous thing that we're afraid to talk about, probably because it carries an embarrassing stigma and is easily misunderstood. People have plenty of reasons to be sad, be it bad luck or bad choices, but the clinically depressed have inherent issues that are often biological and can't be fixed with a Band-Aid of sheer willpower alone.
For those struggling with mental illness, a risk one takes in talking about one's problems is being perceived as an overly dramatic complainer. Some people may need to hear, "you have no reason to be depressed, be strong, man up," but to a depressed person, those platitudes make them feel unworthy of what they're feeling. So, they try to work it out themselves or disguise pain as humor. I know a lot of musicians who joke about suicide, but few who open up about it.
Rig Rundown - Chris Robinson Brotherhood
In retrospect, you could see all of that in Neal, which leads to the inevitable question: Who's next? This is a musician mag so, statistically speaking, half of us, including myself, have issues.
I was diagnosed as manic depressive when I was 22. (A few years later, the DSM-III—the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders— changed the term to bipolar, thinking the term "manic" might offend the nuts, but I prefer it, thanks to Hendrix's hardest rocking 6/8 song ever.) I disagreed with the diagnosis, but over the past 30 years I've checked off nearly everything on the bipolar brochure. I've been involuntarily hospitalized, medicated, incarcerated, twice divorced, and had five other psychiatrists and psychologists label me bipolar II. Combine that evidence with all the crazy shit I'd never tell you, and my tendency to run naked down the street or break into long, uncontrollable crying jags, and I concede the doctors may be onto something.
My glitches don't define me. I love my life and, although the lows are ass-kickers, the highs make it totally worth it. (Nobody talks about it, but for me the upswings of mania are truly, deeply, fabulously, furiously fun.) I'm outing myself because Neal's suicide makes everyone who knew him wonder if there was some way they could've shown support and love while encouraging him to get help.
I keep my glitches under control by fighting the lows like a person fighting cancer. I limit booze, exercise daily, do yoga, acupuncture, meditate, pray, try to get enough sleep, see the shrink when I must, play music as often as possible, and make a mindful choice to look for the good in this whole beautiful catastrophe. So far, this has worked for me, but everyone is different.
If you think you might need help, you probably do. Here are some places to start:
• Backline
• RecoveryFest Nashville
You don't have to white-knuckle it. There are more support and help options now than ever—many offering free treatment for musicians with mental health issues. Don't wait, get help.
[Updated 7/27/21]
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Crank the heat! PG's John Bohlinger plugs into the boutique-built Sterling Vermin, a modern twist on the iconic Rat distortion. Hear it rip through Strats, Teles, and a Les Paul with classic snarl and smooth silicon/BAT41 clipping.
Sterling Vermin RAT
The Sterling Vermin was born from a desire for something different — something refined, with the soul of a traditional RAT pedal, but with a voice all its own.
Built in small batches and hand-soldered in ACT’s Jackson, Missouri headquarters, the Sterling Vermin is a work of pure beauty that honors the brand legacy while taking a bold step forward for creativity.
The Sterling Vermin features the LM741 Op-Amp and a pair of selectable clipping diodes. Players can toggle between the traditional RAT silicon diode configuration for a punchy, mid-range bite, or the BAT41 option for a smoother, more balanced response. The result is a pedal that’s equally at home delivering snarling distortion or articulate, low-gain overdrive, with a wide, usable tonal range throughout the entire gain spectrum.
The pedal also features CTS pots and oversized knobs for even, responsive control that affords a satisfying smoothness to the rotation, with just the right amount of tension. Additionally, the polished stainless-steel enclosure with laser-annealed graphics showcases the merging of the pedal’s vintage flavor and striking design.
From low-gain tones reminiscent of a Klon or Bluesbreaker, to high-gain settings that flirt with Big Muff territory — yet stay tight and controlled — the Sterling Vermin is a masterclass in dynamic distortion. With premium components, deliberate design and a focus on feel, the Sterling Vermin is more than a pedal, it’s a new chapter for RAT.
The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).
PG contributor Tom Butwin reveals his favorite songwriting secret weapon: the partial capo. Watch how the Shubb C7 and C8 can simulate alternate tunings without retuning your guitar—and spark fresh creative ideas instantly.
Shubb C8b Partial Capo for Drop-D Tuning - Brass
The C8 covers five of the six strings, leaving either the low E or high E string open, depending on how it's positioned.
- Standard setup: Placed on the 2nd fret while leaving the low E string open, it simulates Drop D-style sounds—except you're still in standard tuning (key of E). You get that big, droning bass feel without retuning.
- Reverse setup: Flipping the capo allows the high E string to ring, giving you shimmering drones and new melodic options across familiar chord shapes.
- A flexible tool that lets you simulate alternate tunings and create rich sonic textures—all while keeping your guitar in standard tuning.
Shubb C7b Partial Capo for DADGAD Tuning - Brass
The C7 covers three of the six strings—either D, G, and B or A, D, and G—depending on how it's flipped.
- Typical setup (D, G, B): Creates an open A chord shape at the 2nd fret without needing your fingers. This frees you up for new voicings and droning notes in the key of A.
- Reversed setup (A, D, G): Gets you close to a DADGAD-style tuning vibe, but still keeps you in standard tuning—great for modal, spacious textures often found in folk or cinematic guitar parts.
Use it alone or stack it with the C8 for wild, layered effects and truly out-of-the-box inspiration.