PRAISE FOR MUSICAL DIFFERENCES"Conflict is inevitable at some point in any meaningful creative partnership and it can feel daunting and intractable. In Musical Differences, Monica Hanaway expertly guides you through the processes and benefits of mediation, equipping you with strategies to navigate disputes and potential pitfalls. I think her insights will be invaluable in helping me work through the more fractious aspects of my life as a musician."Phil Selway, member of the band Radiohead, UK"This book offers incredibly valuable perspectives on conflict and mediation within the music industry and will be hugely valuable to any musician that works with other people. I certainly wish I'd had access to this when I was starting out with early collaborations! Monica writes with empathy and understanding in a way that is accessible and engaging for musicians. The book is focussed towards sharing tools, insights and strategies for helping the reader to understand the psychological process and mechanisms involved around conflict and resolution which is entirely fascinating and hugely beneficial reading for anyone that works with others."Adam Martin, Huddersfield University, UK"Monica has a global reputation as a mediator who brings psychological insight into the practice. In this new book, she continues to add to our understanding of mediation and its benefits, in a clear and well-structured way. The focus of this book is on how mediation can benefit those in the music industry both financially, and more importantly psychologically. As with some of her previous books she offers realistic and multi-layered case studies showing in a practical way how mediation works. These are drawn from her considerable experience of mediations in the sector. She also offers some ways in which musicians can be pro-active in reducing and tackling conflict themselves. I would highly recommend this book to all in the media industries and to all interested in finding out more about mediation."Dida Mitchell, mediator, psychotherapist and trainer, UK"In my work with the charity Punk4MentalHealth at the intersection between music and mental health, I’ve witnessed countless times firsthand how musicians navigate the complex terrain of mental health challenges alongside interpersonal conflicts. As an existential and meaning-centered therapist who has worked with many musicians throughout my career, I’ve seen how the industry’s unique pressures create both internal struggles and interpersonal tensions. Monica Hanaway’s Musical Differences addresses these crucial intersections with remarkable insight and practical wisdom.What makes this book exceptional is Hanaway’s existential framework that recognizes how musicians inherently choose their path because it feels deeply meaningful. Yet, as she expertly outlines in her introduction, this meaning-making project becomes complicated when commercialization shifts its purpose or when collaboration creates tension between individual visions. The book brilliantly explores what existential themes play beneath the musical notes—time and temporality, authenticity, freedom and responsibility—all concepts that resonate profoundly with musicians struggling to maintain their creative integrity.The exploration of how musicians cope when they cannot realize their meaning or when others block their meaning-making addresses a core existential question: how do we manage when we cannot fulfill the most meaningful musical ideals we have in life? This creates grounds for not only internalized frustrations but also externalized acting out that leads to polarized views and conflict—dynamics evident in many musical collaborations.Hanaway’s case studies, particularly those examining “what leadership means in a band and the paradoxical ambivalence” and cultural differences within groups, offer invaluable insights into how existential anxieties manifest in creative partnerships. She delves into the crucial questions of how musicians manage conflicting ideals and dreams within bands or orchestras, providing not merely theoretical perspectives but practical clinical examples that illuminate the path toward resolution.The book’s greatest strength lies in its practical approach to conflict resolution through mediation rather than litigation. Hanaway demonstrates through eight detailed case studies how mediation can address both the practical issues and the deeper psychological concerns that often underlie disputes in the music industry. Her framework for proactive conflict prevention in Part Three offers concrete tools that groups can implement before tensions escalate.It’s worth noting that Monica stands in a profound tradition that connects existential thinking with music. Following in the footsteps of R.D. Laing, who worked with the early punk movement and the Sex Pistols, I too have found myself working within this tradition. How I wish Monica’s wisdom and this book had been available during my years working with musicians navigating their existential challenges! Her insights into what existential themes play under the musical notes and within their relationships, both one-to-one and in groups, would have been invaluable.This important work doesn’t just illuminate the hidden world behind the music and superficial smiles; it offers concrete directions for research, therapy, coaching, and mediation that can transform conflict into creative potential. Vital reading for musicians, band managers, music industry professionals, mediators, and mental health practitioners working with creative individuals.This really is an exciting and important book that will make a difference in the field and contribute to solving tensions and conflicts inherent to the music industry."Joel Vos, Metanoia Institute, UK
