The Royal Marines Band Service On-line Community

David Duxbury-Williams · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject:

I remember back in the early 70's Ganges band used to do a Christmas Concert in a 'Special School' only they weren't called that then.
One time during, I think it was during the Post Horn Gallop, two of the inmates decided to get amorous on the balcony and were soon joined by several others. The Christmas singalongs proved to be interesting when the 'Choir' joined in.

Wee Mac · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:04 pm Post subject:

Wee Mac · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:32 pm Post subject:

During a trip to Hamburg on the Illustrious with Pompey band in 1987, The Bandmaster, Roger Jones, informed us that he had organised a gig at a local hospital. When we arrived at said hospital, there was a big sign glaring at us,
KRANKENHOUSEN. It was like performing in a scene from "One flew over the Cuckoos Nest".
The band was quite safe, as they were on a high stage. The buglers had to march on from the rear of the hall and take up the usual position at the front. It was a bit unnerving during the drum static, as the inmates started to get closer and closer. As rank had its privileges, I had positioned my self at the rear of our little formation, all four of us. Steve Quirk was in front and I could only imagine his fear, as the drooling inmates etc, started to paw at his drum. He must have been so relieved, when the men in white coats took them away. Maybe it was Karma, for asking Roger to play "God rest you gerry mental men"
we got paid though. Loads of beer and Wursts galore.
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Once a Bugler, always a Turtle !!

Hornblower · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:51 pm Post subject:

Hornblower · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:57 pm Post subject:

Wee Mac · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject:

In the early 90.s, when Jim Rider was DoM, we at FOP band did, a concert IN Dartmoor Prison, for the INMATES. That was bad enough but as it turned out, the captive audience turned out to be the segregated "Cons", Sex offenders etc.

Kev Snoddy, was told to feign illness and faint, during the CoD display, so that one of the pervs could take his place. You should have seen Snods panic, as there was a sudden rush of deviants to assist him and give him mouth to mouth.

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Once a Bugler, always a Turtle !!

Pompey Rich · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:20 pm Post subject:

That's very interesting, Mac seeing a Kev Snoddy's father was a prison officer. He used to work here on the IOW but ended up in the West Country somewhere. Probably retired now (lucky sod).

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Play up Pumpy...

Ginge Deary · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:48 am Post subject:

In the late sixties I was on a gig with the Staff Band at a county show.

The rain was coming down in bucketfuls.

The organisers decided the weather conditions were too bad for the prize bulls to be paraded in the arena.

Unfortunately for us we still had to perform a Beat Retreat – knee deep in mud and soaked to the skin!

medrummer · M2 Passed Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 194 Location: Deal

My strangest gig was when playing with Dee Lindars in the German oompah band at Deal. Someone from Dover Council thought it would help cement relations with the French if they booked us to play in Calais!
Not only were we pi$$ed because of the ferry hospitality, Dee also included his version 'da fuhrers face' and Riggo wore his nazi helmet..
Some of the locals took offence and we were whisked back on the coach tut suite ...who in their right mind would book a 'german band' to play in France.. we didn't even consider turning down the gig because the money was too good.. anyways, escaped with the fee, a shed load of duty free and a hangover!

Eff · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject:

I remember a gig in Malta at some kind of hospital, (maybe a geriatric hospital, I also remember some concern as the residents were making us sarnies!) with BRNC band in 95 I think, but behind the band on the stage they'd put up big neon letters spelling out the capitals of Victory in Europe Day, unfortunately I think they missed something in the translation as we sat down for the concert with the initials VD in big letters behind us!

Wee Mac · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:03 pm Post subject:

Mr Bass Trombone · Drum Major Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 622 Location: Spain

Dogs Stu andJoe90 and others of course, can you remember???? that gig we did one year at Kiel Wocke which involved marching through woods to where??? and what was the purpose of the gig even DD found it funny never did know, answers on a postcard please.
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Mr bass trombone

ivorsouth · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:15 pm Post subject:

Hi Mike and others. I remember that but not the year though. Apparently Pete Sumner arranged the gig because he thought that we might be getting bored with nothing to do. I don't recall marching through woods but arriving by coach somewhere in the wilderness and the only reason we ended up not doing the gig was because it actually started to rain. It was much to the annoyance of one of our hornists, "Blue" Taylor, who had dutifully left the coach to set up his stand and banner etc.., I,m guessing at the year being somewhere around 1973/74. Take care all, Ivor South.

Hornblower · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:39 am Post subject:

Blimey!

If I could remember all the gigs I did with Fleet, I'd probably be dribbling in a cell right now...

I do seem to remember what you're on about MBT, must have been when we stayed at Plon where the German Navy CPO's did their training - what a fantastic place eh? I loved it there, especially Lottie's Bar. I even liked the food, until they gave us yoghurt soup - that was a little OTT!!
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ITMA!

2nd Clarinet · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

Remember it well..........not that well actually, but I remember bits of it.
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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy marshmallows, which are kinda the same thing...!
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