Shortlink to this content: http://bit.ly/1UUncLT

Saturday, June 18, 2016 12:42pm ET by  
Comments (0)

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 times James McVey from The Vamps spoke from the heart

James McVey, who plays lead guitar for The Vamps, regularly delights his fans with great advice, advocacy for animal rights and insights into his personal moral code, and we have rounded up some of our favourite moments from his past interviews. 

When he got real about the expectations of being in a band vs. his reality of being a musician:

In 2014, McVey waded into a debate hosted by the ITV show 'Loose Women' about sexual promiscuity among young people in bands and explained that he gets really irritated by the assumption that being in a band means you sleep around a lot:

"People assume I am accustomed to one night stands and sexual immorality from being in a band. The truth is that my experiences within the past few years with The Vamps has taught me even further to maintain dignity and respect for women; too many girls are taken advantage of at a young age and it makes me sick. Being young doesn't mean you have to be foolish. Learn at your own rate. Discover who YOU are before you let others do so."

When he wasn't afraid to talk about cyberbullying:

Back in 2014, McVey shared the following post on his Tumblr account about the amount of hatred and negativity he sees online, and admitted that it makes him worry for future generations:

"I have come to realise that there are a great many similarities between hate and love. It sounds strange, however every single time I go on Twitter or Instagram I see so many individuals adamant to cause destruction, pain and upset. I see girls as young as 13 telling others to self-harm, even kill themselves. I see people desperate to unpick a person’s stability; they find any shred of insecurity within a person and play on it. I see people who actively seek confrontation - people who can’t accept the fact that people are allowed to like more than one band."

He also confessed to his Twitter followers that he was bullied at school and the best course of action to take is definitely to tell someone:

"I was bullied and didn't fit in to any groups at school. It sucks at the time but I am happy now :) just focus on being yourself and getting the best grades... I don't even see anyone from my school anymore [...] It's always best to tell someone. And also remember that these people won't be in your life forever [...] You've got to realise that after school these people will mean NOTHING to you and you've got to stay strong."

 

 

When he spoke candidly about the dangers of dieting and fitness addiction:

McVey is known for his incredibly toned physique, but last year he warned fans about the dangers - both physically and psychologically - of dieting. He shared the following message on Instagram about body image, nutrition and what it means to embrace a genuinely healthy lifestyle:

"I have a problem with the word ‘diet’. To me, ‘diet’ means a period of time where you either eat less, or just avoid eating those fattening and sugary snacks. The problem I have with this is two things. Firstly, what happens after this time is up? You can’t just ‘not eat’ forever. Most people finish a 6 week diet and then put back on any weight they lost in this time. The diets just don’t fill you up, and for more people just aren’t suitable for a busy person.”

“Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, I don’t think it’s ‘psychologically healthy’ to live your life day to day thinking ‘oh I shouldn’t eat that’. For me, I realised that I needed to not ‘diet’, but to simply ‘adjust’; I never tell people I am ‘on a diet’, but that I am enjoying a healthy lifestyle."

In May 2015, one of his fans shared a story with him about her own weight loss, which he inspired, and he confessed that knowing he can influence people to be healthier and more positive makes it all worth while: "Absolutely LOVE hearing people who have changed their lifestyles and made a real difference! 

Every time he has shown love for animals and support for their rights:

The young musician is a huge lover of animals and last summer he teamed up with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to help find forever homes for some kittens: "Had an amazing time shooting with @PETAUK Thanks to the@themayhew. These kittens can be adopted, go to their Twitter."

McVey has also used his own social media page to spread information about the despicable cat killer of south London and recently told BBC Radio 1 that the person responsible needs to be caught: 

"It's the mutilation I think is particularly horrible, as well as leaving them outside the house or in the garden of the place they used to live. In the case yesterday, the cat was decapitated, which was horrible, and it was a 20-year-old cat too. All cats are loving members of the family, but especially a really old cat and quite a vulnerable cat if it was that age. I would encourage people to recognise that this is a person who needs to be found ASAP because it can lead to more severe human harm and I would urge people to be vigilant in the community and do our best with a mutual effort to find the person and people responsible."

When he embraced the skin he's in:

The 'I Found A Girl' heartthrob makes no bones about the fact that he has struggled with acne-prone skin and he told his online followers that learning to accept yourself, flaws included, is the first step towards becoming more confident:

"Never be afraid to accept and embrace imperfections; the road to absolute acceptance is stitched with the lessons and set backs facing you ahead. Nothing or nobody can lead you to this enlightenment- it is your task, and yours alone. We all have scars, those dark memories that torment us, yet it's not about forgetting them; it's about recognising that these scars are what constitute your very being, what makes you who you are today."

McVey concluded: "Never forget, simply acknowledge that others are experiencing this transition with you, and it's down to you to help those who are struggling. My name is James and I have acne. What's your name?"

Follow us: @Pressparty on Twitter Pressparty on Facebook

Watch McVey in action here:

 

  Shortlink to this content: http://bit.ly/1UUncLT