Muso rocks to represent

WELL-known local musician Shann Lions has decided it’s time to talk about neurodiversity and his own journey on the spectrum.

Diagnosed with dyslexia in 1993, autism in 2009 and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in 2025, he’s using his punk band Relays which plays its biggest gig yet tonight in Castlemaine supporting You Am I in part as a platform to begin the conversation.

“Through playing in this band it’s been cathartic and helped me accept who I am and be more open through song,” he reflected.

“I felt like it was a good time for me to bring that to the band – the different perspective of looking at life and being a voice for not only myself, but marginalised people or people who are neurodiverse too.

“It’s interesting I’m doing it now but I feel like Relays is the ultimate vehicle to rid myself of what I’ve been holding within for so long.”

The prolific singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist believes having both ADHD and autism is the ultimate juxtaposition because “they’re the complete opposite”.

“Where autism you want structure, ADHD makes you at times be spontaneous and crave no structure,” Lions said.

“It’s a different way of looking at and interpreting the world but I wouldn’t be able to make as much music as I do unless I had these conditions.

“I wouldn’t be as motivated and have the creativity I do if I was a neurotypical person.”

He said he doesn’t view the way he interprets things as a disability, but nonetheless life is not without its challenges.

“I’m thankful that I’m really high-functioning, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have some deficits,” he said.

“The capacity of insight I’ve built into myself around knowing what my triggers are, but also knowing what my workarounds are helps.

“You have to have a level of exposure to things that make you feel uncomfortable – without that, there’s no progression.

“It’s like anything, you’re always going to have things to work on.

“I also give less of a damn – I really only value the opinions of those people who deserve it.

“There’s always trolls – especially when you’re making art – who will try to uproot what you’re doing, but it doesn’t matter because I’m still going to do what I do.”

On top of opening for one of Australia’s most influential rock bands of the 90s at Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal tonight, Relays had another big win recently, receiving a $6500 grant from Creative Victoria under its Uncovering Talent, Disabled creatives stream.

The money will go towards paying for the production of the band’s second album.

Lions said he did not know how his funding application would go based on Relays’ style, but “went with his gut”.

“It’s very non-PC and in some regard about people who are marginalised, low to middle income Australians,” he said.

“We’re definitely not making music that’s safe, so I was really chuffed with the selection panel who got together and made this decision from an artistic standpoint.”