admin
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How big was yours?I know how to make you buggers look! 
How big was:
a. The biggest Massed Band you were in?
b. The biggest Massed Band you saw? (I have to put this because there was a time there were spares on Massed Band gigs!)
c. The biggest band you knew about?
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Aaron Aardvark
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mine was quite a big one......
wish I hadn't had that tattoo done when I was p***ed in Gib though
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RAB
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Lovely pic Aaron.. but why are all the Buglers facing the other way??
Are they all in the cream puff?? 
For Aaron's benefit "Cream Puff = Huff" 
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Aaron Aardvark
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| RAB(Jock)THOMSON wrote: | Lovely pic Aaron.. but why are all the Buglers facing the other way??
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Cos they are all practicing for a 'Lincoln Split'.
There's something funny about this photograph actually Can't quite put my finger on it.
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General Melchett
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Is it that your "dressing" is out Aaron - LOOK IN!
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Aaron Aardvark
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there's nothing wrong with my 'dressing' I always dress on the right. Anyway....its not so important if you dont wear trousers. 
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Len
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| Aaron Aardvark wrote: | | there's nothing wrong with my 'dressing' I always dress on the right. Anyway....its not so important if you dont wear trousers. |
!964 tricentenary, 400. top that.
I'm older than I look.
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admin
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400?
That was 40 accross by 10 deep? How many drum majors and bookends were there?
I can remember 300+ but not as big as 400...
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RAB
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| Len wrote: | | !964 tricentenary, 400. top that.I'm older than I look. |
 I'll desist from stating the obvious Len, for old times sake and perhaps future requirements...  ....It's not the size of your band I'm impressed with mate.....  ... it's your memory...
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General Melchett
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I don't know if this was an indication or not, however the band for the 1960 Horse Guards was 20 across, with 5 DMaj's....
Biggest one I have done was Queen Mothers 90, an epic gig by any standard. 10 across RM, 10 across RAF and 12 across Guards, flanked by the two mounted Bands.
During the rehearsal one of the Drum Horses threw its rider and bolted into the Band. Needless to say (like the girls we are) we legged it. Complete bomb burst across the Parade, with Perry Mason the Guards GSM shouting "Still on my Parade" and FLEET answering "Yeah f*cking right lofty!"
2 and a half hours at attention on the gig in 80 deg heat, stepping 32 across off to Crown Imperial in slow. The groan as your knees collapsed was audible in W2!!!
Deli......
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mrbassbone
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| General Melchett wrote: | I don't know if this was an indication or not, however the band for the 1960 Horse Guards was 20 across, with 5 DMaj's....
Biggest one I have done was Queen Mothers 90, an epic gig by any standard. 10 across RM, 10 across RAF and 12 across Guards, flanked by the two mounted Bands.
During the rehearsal one of the Drum Horses threw its rider and bolted into the Band. Needless to say (like the girls we are) we legged it. Complete bomb burst across the Parade, with Perry Mason the Guards GSM shouting "Still on my Parade" and FLEET answering "Yeah f*cking right lofty!"
2 and a half hours at attention on the gig in 80 deg heat, stepping 32 across off to Crown Imperial in slow. The groan as your knees collapsed was audible in W2!!!
Deli...... |
Melch...you were EXPECTED to stay in ranks with a Horse bolting through them? WOW!
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General Melchett
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Mrbassbone, I don't think we were expected to - the Guards GSM expected us to! When you see a Drum Horse on it's hind legs 10 feet from you, you do start to think about possible exit strategies......
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Aaron Aardvark
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:smt046 :smt046 :smt046
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Co-admin
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I think the biggest we did was 34 or 38 accross on the 80 something HGs.
As for the horses... I'd have had my reeboks on and not waited for the starting pistol!
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Co-admin
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Now for mrbassbone... Perry Mason, the GSM (Garrison Sergeant Major) was (still is) a giant of a man. Standing about 6' 8" + his voice could turn a man to stone at 500 meters. He had the respect of any one and every one who met him. I would say he was a pussy cat but he was a rabid tiger! Fair and firm you knew where you stood. Black and white, NO grey area. He would shout out a subaltern if he was out of line and comfort a young one who was worried. A great man. He has since retired hence the past tense.
The hores Melch speaks of is a shire horse and the drums the size of timps!!
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Aaron Aardvark
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I wouldnt argue with it.....
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mrbassbone
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| General Melchett wrote: | | Mrbassbone, I don't think we were expected to - the Guards GSM expected us to! When you see a Drum Horse on it's hind legs 10 feet from you, you do start to think about possible exit strategies...... |
I would certainly HOPE so...LOL. plus start to think about a new set of drawers and pants....
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mrbassbone
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| Aaron Aardvark wrote: | I wouldnt argue with it.....
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I would not only "beat Feet", but "beat to quarters", "beat me in St looeey" or anywhere else
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EricAckroyd
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No wonder the horse is looking hacked off !!
"Hmmm......I spend all those years doing Royal Tournaments being kept awake by those Massed Royal Marines Bandsmen coming out of their bar !! Now its all over, what do they do ? ..........strap a big drum either side of me and bang the crap out of it !!!!"
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Spacerunner
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Biggest massed band ever was Horse Guards do in 1958 (?). 600 bandies, filled the playing field at South Barracks. Even had twenty something tenor drums.
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admin
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| Spacerunner wrote: | | Even had twenty something tenor drums. |
I think we would struggle to find 20 tenor drummers now!
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Mr Bass Trombone
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I think you would struggle to find one Tenor drummer today let alone a tenor drum. Horse guards Tercentenary year 1964, over 400 musicians on parade, also all the flag bearers around the perimeter of the said parade were also members of the RMB, also please remember in those day's we also had reserves, so how many good question, but we were 28 frontage. number of Drum majors 5 Charlie Bowden at the head, then if memory seves me right there would have been, Colin Bowden(no relation) Ports Group, the late Geoff Knox Ply Group, Alfie Laming, and either Matt Dillon from Whale Island(HMS Exellent) or Ken Booth who I think even to this day is the only member of the Band Service to attain the position of Drum Major. I know Ken who was Basson Player by trade did the first US tour as a D/M the next year so it may well have been him. Also in the said year 1964 I had the privelege of being chosen to represent the Band Service at the the reception given by the Lord Mayor of London at the Guidhall, also attend the Tercentenary Ball at the Lyceum in the Strand in the precence of Her Majesty and Prince Phillip who was then and still is our Captain General.
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2nd Clarinet
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Sydney 2000 .....Olympics
Two thousand marching musicians!!!!!!
Not counting the orch in bottom left corner.
Picture below,
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Pusser
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Need more work on their dressing!
Mr Bass Trombone, "also all the flag bearers around the perimeter of the said parade were also members of the RMB,"
Ground Keepers, please.
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Nick B
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| 2nd Clarinet wrote: |
Sydney 2000 .....Olympics
Two thousand marching musicians!!!!!!
Not counting the orch in bottom left corner.
Picture below,
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Looks like the que of migrants at our local welfare office!
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eric the red
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I'm surprised that no-one has yet mentioned the '77 Wembley Military Pageant- Tri-service massed bands including Cdo Fcs, FOP, CTCRM and BRNC along with 4 bands from the Guards and another 4 from the RAF, the balance being made up from Army corps and Regimental bands. Over 1200 on parade, including 2 mounted bands.
The RAF were wearing their new ceromonial head-dress for the 1st time- cue some serious pi$$-taking in the counter-march as the bands merged! (thats when they remembered to turn up...).
Remember Capt Shillito and his 'windscreen wipers'?
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