Post Reports – Deep Reads: A Songwriter Had Part of His Brain Removed. The Music Flowed.
Podcast: Post Reports
Episode Title: Deep Reads: A songwriter had part of his brain removed. The music flowed.
Host: Michael Laris (reporter and narrator)
Date: September 6, 2025
Episode Overview
This deeply personal episode explores the journey of folk rock musician Mike Frazier, whose mysterious health decline led to the life-altering decision to have a section of his brain removed. Narrated by Michael Laris, the story weaves Mike’s medical mystery, the impact on his life and artistry, the emotional rollercoaster of diagnosis and surgery, and the unexpected outpouring of creativity that followed.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Medical Mystery and Its Toll
- Mike Frazier, a Virginia-born songwriter, began suffering from unexplained, excruciating stomach pain that disrupted his music, daily life, and mental well-being.
- The pain escalated into severe, life-altering episodes—paranoia, depression, and a growing inability to write or perform ("I feel like I've lost every essence of my mind. I don't know what's going on at all." – Mike Frazier, 05:42).
- Even with his wife Steph’s history with epilepsy, they didn’t initially suspect Mike's symptoms were related.
Memorable Moment:
"She's literally, I'm calling her. She's talking me off the ledge, and I am like, what the is wrong? Why can't I eat? Why do I feel sick every time I eat?"
— Mike Frazier (05:59)
2. The Path to Diagnosis
- After an episode during a lunch with a friend, Mike's symptoms were finally recognized as seizures. A neurologist pinpointed a misfiring cluster in his right temporal lobe.
- Mike was diagnosed with epilepsy, a condition affecting about 1% of adults but often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.
- Neurologist Paul Damian Lyons explained how epilepsy can manifest in subtle ways and worsen if left untreated:
Notable Quote:
"So not all learning is good, right? There's pain, right? There's PTSD, there's addiction. Those are all circuitries of learning. So epilepsy is a circuit, like everything we do...the more occurs, the more that circuit's used, the more effective the brain becomes at seizing, and that's the pathway of drug epilepsy."
— Dr. Lyons (09:58)
3. The Surgery
- Surgeons removed part of Mike's right temporal lobe through a challenging procedure while playing his songs in the operating room.
- The operation eliminated his seizures and chronic pain, and a biopsy showed no signs of cancer.
- Mike woke up in pain and found his mind changed in unexpected ways.
Notable Quote:
"I just assumed, like, well, the minute they cut this thing out of my brain, like, oh, well, I know I won't feel depressed anymore. So that was a rude awakening."
— Mike Frazier (12:08)
4. Music as Recovery and Transformation
- Songwriting became Mike’s therapeutic tool, helping him process trauma and document his journey.
- He experienced a transformation: for the first time, melodies and lyrics arrived fully formed.
- Mike described a dramatic improvement in his cognition, creativity, and everyday skills:
Memorable Moment:
"I'm like, reading is easier, writing is easier. Mental processing. I go in the kitchen, I start cutting up vegetables and I'm like, what the...? I've worked in kitchens since I was 18 and I've never been able to dice an onion before. And so I'm feeling good about that. And I'm also like, what the hell?"
— Mike Frazier (14:31)
- His post-surgery album became a musical diary of his recovery, with lyrics reflecting his ordeal and hope.
Song Lyric Excerpt:
"Years of pain with no reprieve
Feel strange to have peace that kind of idea like, well now I feel all right
I still feel it creeping in
Start to panic yet again
Thinking about how I almost lost my mind
Thinking about how it breaks my heart each time
Try to keep the doors locked the windows all shut tight holding out for something I know no
One day I'll find."
— Mike Frazier, from "One Day I'll Find" (15:11)
5. The Science Behind the Awakening
- Doctors explained that small, abnormal electrical signals in Mike’s brain may have clouded his cognitive function—even between seizures. Their removal lifted a mental “buzzing,” enabling clarity and improved creativity.
Notable Quote:
"It's like being in a room with an incessant buzzing...and then it stops. And you didn't even realize how stressful that was until it stops and you feel the sense of relief."
— Dr. Selznick (17:00)
6. Epilepsy, Stigma, and Community Connection
- At a post-surgery show, Mike met and performed for a local epilepsy support group—none of whom knew his story beforehand. The encounter became a powerful, healing moment for all.
Memorable Moment:
"It really did, like, change my thoughts on how I should not let epilepsy control me."
— Adam Gebermettin, audience member and fellow patient (19:15)
7. Resolution and Renewed Hope
- A year after surgery, Mike reported no longer feeling in “survival mode.” His new album, April Days, marked the anniversary of his operation.
- In a concert in Winchester, with his doctor and family present, Mike led a singalong and shared his hard-won optimism.
Lasting Words:
"We're going to heal our mind. Won't it be just fine? Thank you very much. Take care of each other out there. Save the earth and the world."
— Mike Frazier (21:14)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:30 – Introduction to Mike Frazier's story
- 02:14 – Brain surgery with Mike’s own music playing
- 03:50 – Mike’s struggle with unexplained pain and life changes
- 05:42 – Mike describes feeling he has lost his mind
- 09:58 – Neurologist Lyons on how epilepsy becomes entrenched
- 12:08 – Mike on post-surgery depression
- 14:31 – Mike describes cognitive improvements and creative breakthrough
- 17:00 – Dr. Selznick explains cognitive “buzzing”
- 18:44 – Connection with epilepsy support group
- 19:27 – Mike’s recovery milestone: no longer feeling in survival mode
- 21:14 – Mike’s concluding words at his concert
Notable Quotes
- Mike Frazier (05:42): “I feel like I've lost every essence of my mind. I don't know what's going on at all.”
- Mike Frazier (12:08): “I just assumed, like, well, the minute they cut this thing out of my brain, like, oh, well, I know I won't feel depressed anymore. So that was a rude awakening.”
- Dr. Paul Damian Lyons (09:58): “Epilepsy is a circuit, like everything we do...the more that circuit's used, the more effective the brain becomes at seizing.”
- Dr. Lee Selznick (17:00): “It’s like being in a room with an incessant buzzing... and then it stops.”
- Adam Gebermettin (19:15): “It really did, like, change my thoughts on how I should not let epilepsy control me.”
- Mike Frazier (21:14): “We're going to heal our mind. Won't it be just fine?”
Episode Tone and Reflection
The narrative blends medical intrigue with raw, hopeful vulnerability. Both the scientific and emotional stakes are real—reflected in Mike’s candid anecdotes, the expertise of his doctors, and the transformative power of music and community. The episode closes on a note of shared resilience and forward-looking optimism.
This summary captures the journey of diagnosis, medical innovation, and the healing power of art—and charts how loss can sometimes restore more than it takes away.