Friendship between musician BLW and Laughlan Blair inspires song Trials and Tribulations

It was the day before musician Brandon-Lee Weston’s childhood friend’s 21st birthday but he knew the relentless ringing of his phone meant something was wrong.

The relentless ringing of Brandon-Lee Weston’s phone was too familiar.

“I knew something was wrong,” Weston said.

“Three weeks before, my dad had called me all day too.

“When I called him back at work, it was about my nanna.”

Weston said that was the first time someone close to him had died.

The second time Weston’s phone rang all day, the caller ID old him it was his hometown friend Corbin Thompson.

Brothers Declan Blair, Angus Blair, Laughlan Blair and Corbin Thompson. Picture: Contributed

Weston had grown up with Mr Thompson and his siblings in Mackay before moving to Perth to pursue his music career in 2019.

The call was about Mr Thompson’s brother Laughlan Blair.

“He told me Locky had tried to kill himself,” Weston said.

It was the day before Mr Blair’s 21st birthday.

Mr Blair was on life support for two days, before his family was forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to turn it off after learning he would never recover.

Weston was unable to make it to Mackay and was forced to say goodbye to his childhood friend on the phone.

Laughlan Blair died on May 6 2021. Picture: Contributed

He said he had known Mr Blair since he was five years old in much simpler times.

“Our dads were friends, when we first moved up to Mackay from the Sunshine Coast we moved really close to them in Andergrove,” Weston said.

“They had a house on Ivey Dr, and we were on Andergrove Rd and there was a little backstreet connecting the two.”

“We would play all the time in that backstreet, building bike jumps in the park.”

During their teenage years, Weston said he had virtually moved into his friend’s family home.

“I lived with them for my last three years of high school, I only went home to get clothes and see my dad,” he said.

After school, Weston moved to Perth to pursue his career in music while Mr Blair worked in the mines.

Weston said receiving the heartbreaking call while he was on the other side of the country was devastating.

“I just felt lost, helpless and angry with myself,” Weston said.

“There were so many emotions running through my head I couldn’t comprehend it.”

The musician said not knowing how else to deal with it, he picked up a pen and began to write.

Laughlan Blair’s friends and family Ethen Pedersen, Declan Blair, Angus Blair, Brandon-Lee Weston, Matthew Szymanski and Corbin Thompson. Picture: Contributed

Weston said from that night of heartbreak, the song Trials and Tribulations was born.

“It’s dedicated to him, a mixture of my emotions and what I was going through and it’s out there for people who can relate,” he said.

“It’s for Locky, and to show the world he was loved and people cared.”

Weston said he wanted the song and video to spread awareness about suicide and encourage anyone going through a rough time to reach out.

“Time can heal everything. I figured that out myself. Every day is a new chance, a new fresh start,” Weston said.

“Being a man as well, you don’t want to be seen as weak.

“But you can’t hold in all that pain.”

Laughlan Blair’s family gathered to make the Weston’s music video. Pictured: Chelsea Madden, Janell Szymanski, Ashlee, Hengstberger with children Maddison and Xander Hengstberger, Loura Thompson, Casey Irelandes with children Michael and Emily Hamper, Ethen Pedersen, Angus Blair, Brandon-Lee Weston, Matty Szymanski, Craig Weston, Corbin Thompson, Declan Blair, Zac Michel. Picture: Contributed

To honour his friend, Weston flew back to Mackay to film the music video and invited all of Mr Blair’s family to be involved.

The clip was filmed on the Mackay streets the boys had grown up in.

Weston said the process of creating the song and music video had helped “lift the weight” from his shoulders.

“Every time I watch it, it makes me cry, no matter how far away I am I can still watch that and makes me happy and sad all at once,” he said.