At one point, Tim Bricheno thought he would never make music again. Today, the guitarist is busy beavering away in the studio proudly working on a new album with his former All About Eve bandmate, Julianne Regan, due for release later this year. Until recently, none of this seemed possible. “I thought it was all over,” the former Sisters Of Mercy man admits, cursing the tinnitus that he believed had robbed him of his creative outlet in 2019. “Making new music feels extra important now. A lot has gone into it emotionally.”
There are 7.6 million people in the UK living with tinnitus. Musicians are four times more likely to be affected than anyone else, yet there are scant resources available for support or advice to those who suffer its debilitating effects. That’s why Bricheno has teamed up with fellow musician Jack Rubinacci and registered charity Tinnitus UK, to co-chair a free online support group, hosting meetings via Zoom every second Monday of the month. The next one takes place on January 8 at 7pm GMT (featuring a special guest appearance from expert audiologist Rob Shepheard) and is open to anyone who feels alone in their suffering.
“It’s a place for musicians to express their thoughts and feelings on living and working with tinnitus, surrounded by others in a similar situation,” Bricheno explains. “The aim of the group is to support and educate each other, to be able continue to work and make music despite having tinnitus. Our members are living proof that it’s possible. It can be a hugely empowering group to be involved with because it’s such a struggle; you can feel very alone when you have tinnitus.”
Here, Bricheno takes some time out from the studio to talk tinnitus prevention, share his personal journey and explains why greater awareness and long-term regulation are needed to combat the taboo of the music industry’s “hidden disability”...
For anyone lucky enough not to have experienced tinnitus, can you explain what it’s like?
“Everybody’s tinnitus is a little bit different. In my case, imagine an old-fashioned kettle on a stove whistling at a high-pitch that never goes away, ever. Other people experience the sound of electrical buzzing in their ears. There’s even what’s called ‘musical tinnitus’, where people get a loop of music playing constantly in their head. It can be quite serious. One of the things you will get asked about when you seek medical help is if you’ve had suicidal thoughts, because it does drive some people that far. Thankfully, I’ve not been in that place. It’s a hidden disability. In the music industry, it’s extra hidden because a lot of musicians don’t want to be seen as disabled. I know for a fact that a lot of very high-profile musicians have got it, but they won’t stand up and say so. We need them to come forward.”
In terms of the science, does tinnitus occur as a cumulative effect or at a specific frequency/decibel level?
“It can be cumulative and it can also happen in an instant. In my experience it just came on one day, which is quite common with musicians. I had exposed myself to a level of loud music for too long. It’s the loudness of the sound itself and the sustained exposure. The rule of thumb is: with anything over 85 decibels – which is about the level of a vacuum cleaner – you’re at risk of damaging your hearing if you spend a great deal of time exposed to it. The higher the number of decibels, the lower the amount of time it’s safe to spend around it.”
I know for a fact that a lot of very high-profile musicians have got tinnitus, but they won’t stand up and say so. We need them to come forward
Tim Bricheno
What is your personal experience of tinnitus?
“I effectively did the whole of my musical career without earplugs. I was having my moment, if you like, in the ‘80s and ‘90s when earplugs weren’t even a thing. Nobody wore them. I didn’t actually have any trouble with it back then. But in 2019, I was helping a young band who were just getting going out, so I agreed to go into the rehearsal studio with them and I remember thinking, ‘Christ, they’re playing really loud’ and sure enough, at the end of that three-hour session I had tinnitus. I was so used to that I assumed it would go away like it used to after playing gigs myself. But this time it didn’t. I had damaged my hearing and tinnitus has been around ever since. It was life-changing. That gig tinnitus that’s with you for a night? You almost wear that like a badge of honour when you’re young. But when it’s there for good and you have to deal with this sound all the time, it sends most people – including myself – into a real spiral. Particularly musicians because they’re wondering how they can continue making music without making the tinnitus worse.”
How did you feel when you realised the damage you had done?
“I went through the typical curve. I freaked out and stopped making music altogether because I found that it made my tinnitus worse. Very slowly, with the help of some medical professionals who treat tinnitus and my co-host Jack, I took incremental steps back into making music but adapting so that I wouldn’t do any more damage. There isn’t a great deal of help out there. Traditionally, you’ve had to tough it out on your own and that’s what we’re trying to change.”
What is your advice to young musicians?
“When you gig or you go into a rehearsal room you’re putting your hand in the fire every single time. That can easily be avoided if you use protection. When you’re younger it’s too easy to assume this only happens to older people, but having worked on the British Tinnitus helpline, I know that’s not true. This happened to me in my fifties and it was devastating, but the highlights of my career were in the ‘80s and ‘90s, so I was lucky. What’s awful is when you get someone on the phone and they’re only in their early twenties and you know they’ll be fighting with one arm behind their back from that point onwards. It’s heart-breaking. But you don’t have to put yourself in that position. Prevention is better than treatment. It doesn’t matter if you use a cheap pair of earplugs or an expensive pair of custom fitted ones, anything is better than nothing. Don’t go into battle without your armour on.”
The industry appears to be making more of a concerted effort to protect the mental health of its artists these days, but does it do enough to factor in physical health issues such as hearing, especially as the two can go hand-in-hand?
“No, it doesn’t. My personal mission – I must stress it is mine, even though I’m working with Tinnitus UK – is to try to introduce some control into the industry. At the moment it’s absolutely unregulated. Nobody cares if you get tinnitus if you go to a gig. There are no rules. But if you work on a construction site you have to wear hearing protection if the sound of the jackhammer goes beyond 85 decibels. I’ve never been to a gig that’s less than 90 to 100 decibels and most of them are tipping in at around 110. In any other industry that would be breaking the law. Unfortunately, at present, it’s up to individuals to protect themselves.
“I think the music industry can do so much more to at least make people aware of this. But it’s not sexy, so the industry doesn’t want to know. It’s a funny business. Part of its appeal is that it’s got a lawless element to it. Hearing protection doesn’t fit into that, but it needs to because believe me, it can be hell having tinnitus.”
I think the music industry can do so much more to at least make people aware of tinnitus. But it’s not sexy, so the industry doesn’t want to know...
Tim Bricheno
What kind of regulation would you like to see introduced?
“I’d like to see a change in the law at a governmental level. The situation with volume regulation at concerts is that there isn’t any. Anything goes. The only thing that interferes with that is the Public Nuisance Act, because somebody down the road might not hear their television. But that needs to change. People need to respect what they’re doing when they go to a gig. Surfers love the sea, but they go in respecting the fact that they could drown in it. Gig-goers need to have a similar mentality that the thing they love also comes with genuine risks to their safety. I’m not saying don’t go to gigs – gigs are amazing – but have a deeper appreciation of what you’re entering into and what you can do to make it a safe experience.”
Is there a duty of care on the part of the teams of people who work on behalf of artists, too?
“That would be amazing, but in fairness to the record labels and managers and so on, I don’t think they’re aware [of the dangers] themselves. You only become aware of the realities, as I did, when it’s on your doorstep. I can’t believe it didn’t happen to me earlier, but the truth is I just didn’t know about any of this stuff before, nor did the people around me. I had no idea I was putting myself in the firing line. I had all the warning signs, too.”
What are they?
“If you have temporary tinnitus after a gig, that is a sign that you’ve done something that’s right on the edge. The only difference with mine was it wasn’t temporary, it stuck around. Most musicians and gig-goers will know temporary tinnitus. The only difference is you’ve got lucky if it’s gone away.”
Finally, for anyone interested, what is a typical support group meeting like?
“When you’ve got something that you feel alone with, as most people with tinnitus do, there’s nothing like being in a room of people who are all in the same boat. That in itself can be such a levelling experience. Most people who’ve got it, their family and friends are sick of hearing about it, so people tend to shut up about it. In a room of people who have all got it, who are also musicians, it offers an environment of support from those who understand. We’re here to let people know that you don’t have to give up music just because you’ve got tinnitus. You just have to adapt and to do things differently. Come along to one of the groups and you’ll see. You don’t even have to say anything if you don’t want to. We haven’t got all of the answers, but we can help. Tinnitus is not the end.”
Musicians’ Tinnitus Support Group next meet on January 8 at 7pm GMT and every second Monday of the month. For more advice on safe decibel levels see Tinnitus UK. Listen to Tim’s new music with All About Eve vocalist Julianne Regan.
Interview: David McLaughlin
