80s band rivals reunite to release charity Christmas single

Two former frontmen from rival Burton bands in the 1980s have reunited decades later to create a festive charity single in support of Treetops Hospice and the Stroke Association.

Mark, of indie band The JFKs, has teamed up with Steve from fellow Burton-based band, Flamehead, to write and produce Coming Home – an uplifting Christmas track aiming to raise vital funds for two charities “close to their hearts”.

The collaboration began after a chance encounter at a gig, where the pair discovered they were both still making music more than 30 years after they were part of the town’s vibrant music scene.

Mark said the decision to work together again was a “no-brainer”.

The single also features guest vocals from Jo Doran, an old friend and member of Burton indie legends, The Telescopes. Jo joined the project after spotting news of the collaboration on social media and attending the newly reformed Flamehead’s first gig, where the three caught up and reminisced about the old days.

For Mark, supporting Treetops Hospice with this song is deeply personal. Both his mum and dad were cared for by Treetops nurses at the end of their lives.

He said: “Treetops didn’t just look after each of my parents – they looked after the whole family. When everything felt uncertain, the nurses were there to reassure us and guide us through what was happening next.

“Supporting Treetops with this song felt like the most natural thing in the world, and this track is my way of giving something back to a charity that helped my family when we needed it most.

“We’re hoping to raise as much money as possible for both charities through the downloads and streams of the song.”

Last year, the Treetops nursing team supported over 2,000 patients, with over 34,000 hours of end-of-life care delivered. The bereavement counselling team provided more than 5,000 hours of sessions – including over 1,500 for children and young people.

All proceeds from Coming Home will be donated to Treetops Hospice and the Stroke Association.

The song can be purchased and downloaded online for £1 or more: https://flameheadband.bandcamp.com/track/coming-home