Mike Skinner: "Every day in The Streets was scary"

30 September 2019, 14:29 | Updated: 1 October 2019, 10:21

The Fit But You Know it star has revealed being in the band in his 20s filled him with "anxiety, paranoia and general fear".

Mike Skinner has revealed that much of his time with The Streets was marred by fear and anxiety.

As reported by BANG Showbiz, the The Fit But You Know It rapper has talked to Q Magazine about his experience of depression and anxiety in his 20s while in the band compared to his 30s as a father.

"Every day in The Streets was scary because you feel totally out of control, Skinner told the outlet.

"Anxiety, paranoia and general fear. That's what my 20s were like. Whereas my 30s were closer to depression.

"It's more, just, like...

"You try and push yourself through this feeling of existential depression. I'm not trying to say one is worse than the other. It just feels different."

READ MORE: The Streets' albums ranked from worst to best

The Grand Don't Come For Free artist - who shares children Amelia and George with his wife Claire - also credited being a father for keeping him "busy" and not letting him spin out of control.

"That keeps you busy," he told Q. "But what else are you going to do? I know some really f***ed people. They've too much time to worry.

"With kids, you can't really get anxious.You never hear of parents getting mentally ill over their kids, do you?"

He added: "Like, they might become alcoholics. And fat. And get divorced. But you still have to hold it together if you are going to stick at the parenting game."

Skinner - who resurrected The Streets with a greates hits reunion tour in 2018 and released new music this year - admitted he felt out of touch when he noticed his audience getting older at his gigs and felt disheartened by what he was doing.

He said: "When you're young, it's very clear who you think you are. "Other young people influence that.

"There's a stage where you start to lose that identity and very gradually it's just out of reach.

"Then you are kind of guessing or acting.

"It's the curse of the producer, really.

"How do you stay connected to that instinct?"

Watch The Streets play their first gig in 7 years: