DURING his late teenage years, George Hutton spent six weeks in a psychiatric ward as he battled severe depression.

He suffered from the illness from the age of 17, with high doses of medication and regular trips to doctors a part of his life to help combat the all too regular bouts of depression.

During his struggle, concentrating on developing his music played a big role in helping him through his darkest days.

And now, having recently gained a first class honours degree in music from Newcastle University, the Hexham resident is part of a North-East band which has spent the past month touring the UK.

The talented drummer has included O2 Academies in Glasgow, Sheffield, Birmingham, Islington and Liverpool as venues performed at alongside mates Allan Hyslop, Christos Worsley, Paul Holdsworth and Seth Tinsley, collectively known as Kosoti.

The appeal of the band has stretched across the country, and they are looking to put together an album following the success of their singles and EP.

With everything going so well for George and the band, things are looking really positive for the impressive five piece.

It is a far cry from where George found himself eight years ago.

He said: “The depression got so bad I had to spend six weeks on a psychiatric ward to get myself stable and in a good place to move on with the recovery.

“Over the next year, I was seeing doctors on a regular basis and talking to therapists, and I was able to get myself feeling positive about the future.

“At that point, I decided to test the water in terms of music education and I went down to London to do a popular music course, which I did really well in.

“About four years ago, I was given the ‘approval stamp’ to say I was feeling better, and it was around this time I met Allan and Christos and we formed Kosoti, which was a different outfit to what it is today.

“Joining the group was a contributory factor to my ongoing recovery and an escapism from depression.

“When you go on stage, you have to be confident and, when it goes badly, you have to be strong enough not to let it rip you to shreds.”

Confidence throughout the band will currently be sky high, as they have enjoyed their busiest-ever schedule in the past few months.

Kosoti featured at some of the region’s biggest music festivals, including Northumberland Live, the Mouth of Tyne Festival and Lindisfarne Festival, as well as Cumbria’s Solfest.

The good times have carried over into September, with a whole host of visits to O2 music venues across the country.

The tour is evidence that the appeal of the band is certainly spreading, and bigger things could be around the corner.

George said: “We are more than happy to get these gigs and come out of Newcastle because it is a great opportunity to go out and get more fans across the country.

“You have to make sure you are gigging with good local bands who people will come out to see, but it’s great that people from outside the North-East want to come to see us.”

The nationwide tour has also coincided with the release of their biggest single to date.

The band released charity single By Your Side , in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, and the reception has been their best yet. It follows the release of Pirouettes , War , Bark and Sticks and Gone Too Far , as well as EP Cradle , and is a track all five members can relate to, especially lead singer Allan Hyslop.

George explained: “ By Your Side is definitely the most significant thing we’ve done as a band, and it
is a piece of music we are all very proud of.

“Allan had a double brain haemorrhage and it was life threatening, so it was a very worrying time for us all as friends of his.

“He had the right support and team around him and recovered from that position of being really unwell,
and he wrote a song about the people out there who have been there for him.

“It is a sincere message from us and it is for a worthwhile cause, with all proceeds going to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“Considering my own personal difficulties, it means a lot to me as well and I will be sharing it and dedicating it to my mum for being there when I needed her most.”

With so much going on, George has to fit his hectic schedule around his job as a drum teacher at Hexham‘s Core Music, a position he has held since 2010.

And with all the other members having work, family and social commitments, it can be tricky to get everyone together at the same time.

But they seem to have struck a good balance, and are definitely going places.

George said: “Our aim is just to get our music out there and share it with as many people as possible.

“Without sounding too obvious, we just want to be as successful as we can be because we would like Kosoti to be our jobs. There is nothing more rewarding than doing something you love for a job, and anything more than that is a bonus.”