the fish
30.12.2005, 14:25
As it's the day before New Years Eve and I'm bored at work, and can't be bothered faffing about with how I'm going to get next year's targets, I thought I would fill in the "TMP" Ice Breaker!
I had just turned 8 years old when I started playing at primary school in Witney Oxfordshire under the tuition of Dorothy Calcutt from Stonesfield band, who had loaned 20 or so instruments from Witney Town Band with a view to starting a junior band. I was last to arrive and was offered a cornet to play. I wasn't keen and pointed to the big instruments at the back (in fact two mini Eb basses) she went out to her car and came back with a full size 3 valve imperial Bb bass for me, I sat on 3 cushions to reach the mouthpiece and I was away! for the record (with the exception of the odd orchestra job on Eb Bass) I have not played another brass instrument.
By the age of 10 I had progressed to Witney senior band (a non-contesting band), and at the age of 15 was "head hunted" by Morris Motors Band in Oxford whom Harry Mortimer had just finished his involvement with, as a replacement for the just departed to Desford Dean Morley! and was introduced to my first contesting experience at the L & S C Areas at Watford Town Hall on Journey into Freedom.
Morris Motors folded when the sponsorship dried up a couple of years later, and I was invited to join City of Oxford Band (although I only stayed briefly) and then Hartford Motors Band (now Kidlington) before joining a reformed version of Morris Motors called Rover Band under Terry Brotherhood until it's final demise in the early 1990's.
I tried to go into retirement when I got married in 1996 but my wives family were involved in Jubilee Brass (Oxford) Band who were a non contesting band at this stage, and I continued playing with them up until our divorce in 1999. Around this time I met some old mates who were playing for Wantage Band who convinced me to start afresh in the contesting world with Wantage. I accepted the offer and here I am still with them in 2005 having proudly seen the band progress from mid table second section to the top of the first section in L&SC and having made a lot of new mates along the way
When not banding I work for Barclays Bank managing an Agricultural portfolio of customers, or can be found in good ales houses across the country sampling ales from far and wide with my CAMRA annorack on!
The nickname "Fish" was bestowed upon me from the brewery staff of Wychwood Brewery for being able to consume vast amounts of their product and still remain standing!
Regards to all at TMP!
Julian
I had just turned 8 years old when I started playing at primary school in Witney Oxfordshire under the tuition of Dorothy Calcutt from Stonesfield band, who had loaned 20 or so instruments from Witney Town Band with a view to starting a junior band. I was last to arrive and was offered a cornet to play. I wasn't keen and pointed to the big instruments at the back (in fact two mini Eb basses) she went out to her car and came back with a full size 3 valve imperial Bb bass for me, I sat on 3 cushions to reach the mouthpiece and I was away! for the record (with the exception of the odd orchestra job on Eb Bass) I have not played another brass instrument.
By the age of 10 I had progressed to Witney senior band (a non-contesting band), and at the age of 15 was "head hunted" by Morris Motors Band in Oxford whom Harry Mortimer had just finished his involvement with, as a replacement for the just departed to Desford Dean Morley! and was introduced to my first contesting experience at the L & S C Areas at Watford Town Hall on Journey into Freedom.
Morris Motors folded when the sponsorship dried up a couple of years later, and I was invited to join City of Oxford Band (although I only stayed briefly) and then Hartford Motors Band (now Kidlington) before joining a reformed version of Morris Motors called Rover Band under Terry Brotherhood until it's final demise in the early 1990's.
I tried to go into retirement when I got married in 1996 but my wives family were involved in Jubilee Brass (Oxford) Band who were a non contesting band at this stage, and I continued playing with them up until our divorce in 1999. Around this time I met some old mates who were playing for Wantage Band who convinced me to start afresh in the contesting world with Wantage. I accepted the offer and here I am still with them in 2005 having proudly seen the band progress from mid table second section to the top of the first section in L&SC and having made a lot of new mates along the way
When not banding I work for Barclays Bank managing an Agricultural portfolio of customers, or can be found in good ales houses across the country sampling ales from far and wide with my CAMRA annorack on!
The nickname "Fish" was bestowed upon me from the brewery staff of Wychwood Brewery for being able to consume vast amounts of their product and still remain standing!
Regards to all at TMP!
Julian