INTERVIEW: Bromheads Jacket

One of the crop of Sheffield bands that lit up the national music scene in the mid noughties, Bromheads aren’t ready to jack it (or should that be jacket?) in just yet and will return for one final trip to the Golden (well, Yellow) Arches next year. 

Nearly 18 years after the OG line-up parted ways, Tim Hampton and Jono West have reunited and welcome Milburn’s Joe Green behind the skins for two special nights in April. 

Ash Birch caught up with Tim and Greeny down at the former’s swanky Crystal Ship Studios for a chinwag about what’s behind the comeback. 

Alright lads, so it’s been nearly two decades since the original Bromheads Jacket line-up disbanded. Why have you decided to resurrect the band now?

Tim: When Liam [Bardell] got Yellow Arch, he started chipping away at me about us doing a charity gig as Bromheads Jacket, but at the time I was definitely done with music for the rest of my life.

After Bromheads finally finished around 2013, my mental health crashed massively. I felt like I’d given it everything I could, and approached it almost like labour, but I didn’t see a great deal of return. I was just a lot of drama. Like many people who were in bands around that time, I went on this massive period of self-loathing, trying to figure out what I wanted to do. They’re lost years.

Bromheads’ bassist Jono West. Photo credit: Martin Cotton

I hid away from a lot of people because my mental health was so shit. I disappeared from Jono’s life. But when I came back up to Sheffield, I was like, I miss my mate. We started meeting up at lunchtimes every Friday, and we did that for twelve months before anyone even mentioned the words Bromheads Jacket.

Jono had a really nasty bike crash about six years ago, which has left him with permanent concussion. He can’t do any sports anymore, but one of the things he can still do is play bass, so when my daughter started writing music, I asked him to come and play. 

So I’d reconnected with one of my best mates, and we’re having such a good time being together. Then I’ve got Liam still asking us to play, and I thought, I just wanted to make music with my best mate again. 

And I’ve always wanted to play with this c**t [looks at Greeny], so let’s fucking do it!

How did this *ahem* drummer become involved?

Greeny: Knowing what Jono had gone through, and always admiring him, it just felt like the right thing. 

Being around all that music scene, we always looked up to Bromheads. You’re always taking influences and I loved Dan [Potter]’s playing. I always thought I’d love to do that. As soon as Tim asked me, I was like, “I’m in.”

Bromheads Jacket and Milburn drummer Greeny. Photo credit: Martin Cotton

Me and Al [Turner] watched Tim giving it some underneath the City Hall, and we wanted to do it too. It inspired the Milburn and the Monkeys thing. It galvanised us as teenagers. 

In the back of my head, I always thought I’d love to see Bromheads Jacket again, and now I get to actually be involved. Knowing everything that Jono had been through, I wanted to do it for him too. It’d be nice to get him playing music again and playing the songs that he loves and helped create. 

Tim: When I mentioned this idea to Jono, he was fucking stoked. His whole face lit up. 

Greeny: And that’s a big face to light up!

How has the reaction been to the comeback news?

Tim: I didn’t realise we made so many people happy! The messages we’ve had from everyone, or people driving down from Aberdeen, it makes it feel really nice to do it for other people. 

Were you worried about bringing Bromheads back after all this time?

Tim: In my head, I’d already locked it away as not good enough. It’s taken a long time, and I make no secret of this – therapy literally saved my life. 

Before we decided to do this gig, I actually decided to go back to therapy because I wanted to make sure that when we only sold 20 tickets I didn’t have a full fucking breakdown! When those tickets went on sale, I was nervous as fuck. I can’t help it. We sold out the first show within two days. 

Bromheads’ frontman Tim Hampton. Photo credit: Martin Cotton

Is the plan for just the Yellow Arch shows?

Tim: It was definitely just asking Jono to play one gig in the beginning. People keep telling us we could do more gigs, but Jono is very committed to the charity that he runs [Mobile Power, who are helping provide energy solutions in Africa] and because of his condition, he can’t really travel, so it was always one in the beginning.

Because of the reaction and the tickets that we’ve sold, we suddenly realised there’s people that still care about our band, which for me is still pretty unbelievable. I just saw it as a bunch of idiots, writing a load of nonsense! I still sort of think that now, but I see it more as a big ball of fun. 

For Jono, it’s allowed him to speak to his company and they’re really supportive of him doing some more shows. It won’t be a massive tour or anything, but to do a few shows and release an album would be great!

What can people expect from the Yellow Arch show?

Tim: The reason that the Bromheads Jacket second album, and everything after that, was a huge mistake, was because I tried to be a pretentious rock star. I was like, ‘we’re much more than a tongue in cheek, silly little punk band, we’re artistes’. That’s where it all went tits up, because we weren’t thinking about making music for the fans, or for fun, and everyone said, what are you fucking doing? People like that your band is silly and funny, but I didn’t listen.

Photo credit: Martin Cotton

I feel like I want to apologise to everybody for letting them down, but 18-years later, we’re going to put it right. That’s the idea for this gig, that we remember the music and the tunes from 2004 to 2006. It’s gonna be great fun and heavily inspired by that first record.

Have rehearsals started then?

Tim and Greeny (in unison): No!

Greeny: I’ve been mapping it all out in my head, listening in the car. I’m loving it! I listened to a lot of Bromheads, so I know where the songs go. I’m very familiar with it, so it’s a comfortable way of learning. Even though I’ve not been behind the kit, I’m already there.

Will there be new tunes at Yellow Arch?

Tim: One hundred per cent! I’ve got some ideas already. Watch this space.

Bromheads Jacket play Yellow Arch Studios on 12 & 13 April 2024. Tickets available from fatsoma.com.