Grimethorpe Announcement

[Oodle Bugler]

"The world famous Grimethorpe Colliery band have been chosen to play at the London Olympics 2012 opening ceremony.An estimated billion people across the world are expected to tune in to watch the ceremony on July 27, which is the brainchild of Oscar-winning film director Danny BoyleFormed in 1917, the Grimethorpe Colliery brass band, earned nationwide recognition as the inspiration for the 1995 film Brassed Off, featuring Ewan McGregor, which followed the struggles of a fictional colliery band, Grimley, after the village pit had been closed down.Grimethorpe have already chalked up memorable performances at the Carnegie Hall in New York and Sydney Opera House. Now they are set for a forgettable stint at the Olympics."this is from some Yorkshire paper after a 2 second google search. I'm really hoping there is some more exciting news than this to justify all the secrecy and 4br hype. Maybe this will continue the good work done for the image of brass bands in Brassed Off by featuring the conductor cycling to rehearsal in uniform, or a live ferret race while they play the Floral dance or William tell. I would like to see a man kept in a box and subjected to 20 performances of the same piece (which is ether too hard, too easy, or boring) before being vilified as a deaf old idiot for a few weeks on-line as a fair representation of our nations finest amateur musical movement - but I don't suppose the opening ceremony will be long enough for this!

Brilliant - I doff my cap sir....

[Ianroberts]

And joe bloggs still wont notice the difference in quality between Grimethorp and the local comprehensives band !

good luck to them though.

[Damocles]

"The world famous Grimethorpe Colliery band have been chosen to play at the London Olympics 2012 opening ceremony.An estimated billion people across the world are expected to tune in to watch the ceremony on July 27, which is the brainchild of Oscar-winning film director Danny BoyleFormed in 1917, the Grimethorpe Colliery brass band, earned nationwide recognition as the inspiration for the 1995 film Brassed Off, featuring Ewan McGregor, which followed the struggles of a fictional colliery band, Grimley, after the village pit had been closed down.Grimethorpe have already chalked up memorable performances at the Carnegie Hall in New York and Sydney Opera House. Now they are set for a forgettable stint at the Olympics."this is from some Yorkshire paper after a 2 second google search. I'm really hoping there is some more exciting news than this to justify all the secrecy and 4br hype. Maybe this will continue the good work done for the image of brass bands in Brassed Off by featuring the conductor cycling to rehearsal in uniform, or a live ferret race while they play the Floral dance or William tell. I would like to see a man kept in a box and subjected to 20 performances of the same piece (which is ether too hard, too easy, or boring) before being vilified as a deaf old idiot for a few weeks on-line as a fair representation of our nations finest amateur musical movement - but I don't suppose the opening ceremony will be long enough for this!

Wonder whats on the programme:- Florentiner, Londonderry Air, McArthur Park, Death or Glory .....................??

[carlwoodman]

"Now they are set for a forgettable stint at the Olympics."

I just had to check this out for myself and, yes, it really does say forgettable; http://www.barnsleynews.co.uk/genera...ening-ceremony

[euph77]

not any more!

[classicbrass]

If this is true, could it be that they will be sat somewhere in Danny Boyle's 'Green and Pleasant land' set representing 'it's grim up north' and total exposure will be limited to around two or three seconds as the cameraman pans past, frantically trying to get everybody taking part in the pagent on screen?

[hobgoblin]

Wonder whats on the programme:- Florentiner, Londonderry Air, McArthur Park, Death or Glory .....................??

Maybe a recording deal with a big label to do a double cd entitled "Brassed off meets Hogarth Lear".

[brassneck]

I wonder if this state of affairs is affecting Grimey as well? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18637276

[simonium]

I wonder if this state of affairs is affecting Grimey as well? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18637276

As there are no professional players in the brass band movement - not ever!! - it won't make any difference.

[brassneck]

As there are no professional players in the brass band movement - not ever!! - it won't make any difference.

Of course there are no paid players in the band movement ... never have been ... if you say so! ;O)

[simonium]

[brassneck]

... there have been complaints from musicians & performers about being told that the privilege of appearing at such a prestigious event should be enough to compensate for not getting paid.

http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/new...pay-musicians/

[DRW]

... there have been complaints from musicians & performers about being told that the privilege of appearing at such a prestigious event should be enough to compensate for not getting paid.

http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/new...pay-musicians/

I'd play at the Olympics for free. It would be a better story for the grandchildren than "I used to play at the local church fete for free". Controversial I know, but a fact.

[brassneck]

I'd play at the Olympics for free. It would be a better story for the grandchildren than "I used to play at the local church fete for free". Controversial I know, but a fact.

I suppose it's the principal that may get carried over to other public events regarding the use & payment of musicians in the future.

[Rob]

I'd play at the Olympics for free. It would be a better story for the grandchildren than "I used to play at the local church fete for free". Controversial I know, but a fact.

Do you make a living from playing music though? Not paying musicians to perform at this is an extremely dangerous precedent, and especially shocking given the levels of excess expenditure and salaries at LOCOG.....