Bromide are a London-based Indie band comprised of Simon Berridge, Ed Lush, and Hugo Wilkinson with influences heavily rooted in Husker Du, Teenage Fanclub, The Replacements, Guided By Voices, and Dinosaur Jr.
The band’s sound has been described as “Grant Hart fronting Sebadoh” and “Elvis Costello fronting Dinosaur Jr.” Vive Le Rock noted that they mix “the best bits of The Lemonheads and Dinosaur Jr. replete with melancholic melodies and J Mascis-ish guitar lines”.
We sent vocalist and guitar player Simon Berridge our 20 DISARMing questions about music, art, travel, and existence in general. This is what he shared with us.
Hi Simon. Congratulations on your new “Magic Coins” single, released through Scratchy Records and thank you for answering our questions.
What are you listening to right now?
Thank you and it’s “Back to the Middle” by Deerhunter. I love this track – and the video. I completely forgot about it then just found a link to it in an email I sent someone five years ago.
What was the first LP/tape/CD you remember owning?
It was a 45 bought for me by my mum I think – either the Carpenter’s “Jambalaya (on the bayou)” or The Glitter Band’s “Angel Face” – I just checked and both were released in March of ’74.
Vinyl or CD/Digital?
Generally vinyl though I’m not a purist. I listen to a lot of stuff in the car on tape and my TDK SA90. Recordings from stuff on both vinyl and cd sound pretty good!
What are your favourite bands?
Too many to list !! Probably Zep (Led Zeppelin), Hendrix, The Doors. That first wave of rock from ’65. First love is definitely The Beatles, then later all the 90s noisy pop stuff – Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom, Nirvana, Sugar, Guided By Voices. My fave singer is probably Mark Eitzel from American Music Club. More recently, there’s been Crystal Stilts, The Rocks…even got into The Fall. At last!!
Why do you live where you do?
It was cheap (Woolwich, SE London) and because it’s near south-east London’s thriving music scene across Deptford/New Cross/Nunhead/Peckham/Brixton.
What is your favourite journey?
Probably a holiday road trip in the Capri – somewhere in Euroworld.
What’s your idea of a perfect Sunday?
No chores, no admin, no internet. Just a guitar…oh and Mark Eitzel’s Don’t Be A Stranger album around mid-morning. Obviously.
What essentials do you take on a plane or tour bus?
I try and avoid planes. Oh to be on a tour bus on tour!!
What is your dream vacation if money was no object?
Bali. I went there a long time ago..will go back one day.
What do you do with 4 hours to yourself in a new city?
Well this is geared to someone regularly on tour and we’ve already established that ain’t me so…’PASS’
What inspired you to take up music?
I had no choice. I knew at age 23 when I left full-time employment that even if I didn’t commit my life to music I’d still be wondering each day what it would’ve been like if i had made that commitment so…might as well just do it!
What was your most memorable day job?
I worked on the stock exchange for a couple of years before thoughts detailed above got in the way.
What advice should you have taken but didn’t?
Don’t fucking leave the stock exchange you’ll never make any money out of music you idiot!!!!
Who’s your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would the menu be?
Charles Bukowski and I doubt there’d be any eating…I just want to see how long I’d survive.
Who is your favourite hero of fiction?
Philip Marlowe
What was the best live gig or music festival you attended (as a fan or artist)?
Another hard one…though seeing the Stone Roses with 10 other people in 1988 in Camden was a stroke of luck.
What are your “must” read magazines, news, websites, blogs?
The Quietus, Penny Black, NME, Artrocker – when it used to be emailed out around 2003…to be honest I really miss the 90s NME / Melody Maker era. Where is that now? Where’s Mr. Agreeable ?!? Where’s the abuse!!!!
Name something you consider a mind-altering work of art.
Most food.
What does the next 6 months look like for you?
More gigs…record a solo record (the other two Bromides don’t like my new songs)…more tedious sales work for money (if either of my bosses are reading, that is completely untrue. I love you both and I love telesales).
Which musician rule do you agree with? Always meet your heroes or never meet your heroes?
Yeah definitely meet them. Why not?
Thank you for your time Simon.
Thank you!
You can find out more about Bromide and buy their music from their official website HERE.
disarmmagazine.wordpress.com 