ARE YBS THE BEST BRASS BAND EVER?!?!?!?

[timps]

Obviously after their success yet again at the Europeans, I am posing the question for peoples opinions about this subject.

I have never heard such magical playing as I did on Friday and Saturday at the Europeans in Glasgow.

Let me know your thoughts!!

Lee Downie
Ex-Percussionist Flowers Band

 

[nickjones]

Not yet.but they are a great band....you ask any member of the general public , name a band...apart from them going "ompa ompa" the names you will get are Black Dyke ( because of Groundforce ) Brighouse ( Floral Dance ) and Grimethorpe ( Brassed off )....I suppose they will regarded as a true great band when they win national after national , even then they will be compared to the Black Dyke Band of the 1970's...I have mates who play with the band , must be a great time for them , 6 euro titles etc...maybe they should start up a television station or do somthing no band has done before....any band with Dave King has to be special , I remember saying to my brother Mike when he was asked to join that with the finances behind the band and DK the band would be a force in banding...

 

[PeterBale]

There's no doubting that YBS are one of the most consistent bands at the moment, and a number of their slightly lower contest placings could be attributed as much to differing views on the interpretation of the test piece than the playing itself. Equally, the format of the Europeans, with both Set Work and Own Choice, suits them very well, as they can choose something that will really showcase their best qualities.

Nick picks up on the key factor of David King, and they are definitely a class above with him at the helm. Having heard them a couple of times in concert under other conductors, they are still a very fine band, with the soloists never failing to come up with the goods, but it is not quite the same as when he is there.

As for the greatest ever, I've said before how I dislike the term "greatest ever", but they certainly deserve to be counted with the best - Dyke and possibly Faireys under Peter Parkes are probably up there as well, and I'm sure there wil be other names from before my era that will spring to mind.

 

[Dave Payn]

Greatest ever is a bit difficult to judge given how many years of banding we weren't alive to hear! The best band I've heard my experience remains BBS under Howard Snell is the early 1990s. YBS are a very, very good band, but I think the BBS under Snell were a class apart. Contest results won't necessarily back that opinion up, but for all round sound, techinque and their sheer 'performance' factor, I've not heard any better.

 

[Australian Euphonium]

I think it's really impossible to start talking about greatest bands ever...

Personally I think YBS are the best band I've ever listened to, however then theres the issue that YBS has only been YBS for a short while, where as Dyke has been Dyke for yonks and their fame is very much cross-generational. In deed you could say they are famous simply for being famous, and it seems that nothing short of a mega-scandal would ever change that. (heres hoping that never eventuates)

I'd easily bet my last quid though, that in 100 years time people will be talking about David King as the best brass band conductor the world has ever seen.

 

[timps]

Thank you gentlemen for you words so far!!

I completely agree with the last point about David King, what a master!!!

Total control and respect from the band on the stage!!

 

[Dave Payn]

I'd easily bet my last quid though, that in 100 years time people will be talking about David King as the best brass band conductor the world has ever seen.

I can see that being the case, but personally speaking, my money would be on Howard Snell. Took bands to a completely new level when he started conducting bands in the late 1970s, introduced repertiore rarely seen previously in the banding world (Bernstein, Ravel, Debussy, Respighi). Absolutely NO disrespect to David King but today's top conductors, great though they are, are in my view reaping the benefits of the work and experience Howard Snell brought to the banding world. Just my opinion, though! ;-)

 

[Tobin]

Faireys for me - both under Parkes and gourley.

Their performance of revelations at the British Open (94 ithink???) was the best i've ever heard a brass band play - and they where placed 2nd!!! :shock: :shock: They where awesome

Difficult to answer this though, how can you argue with Dyke's contest record - and YBS seem to be untouchable at the moment.

 

[Darth_Tuba]

Faireys for me - both under Parkes and gourley.

Their performance of revelations at the British Open (94 ithink???)

95. It was Salamander in 94, and the best band definately won that day! :wink:

 

[Tobin]

thanks

Salamander - did wycherly get the instrumentalist prize that day? :?:

 

[nickjones]

Thank you gentlemen for you words so far!!

I completely agree with the last point about David King, what a master!!!

Total control and respect from the band on the stage!!

Are you sure?

 

[nickjones]

thanks

Salamander - did wycherly get the instrumentalist prize that day? :?:

no it was Richard Gosney - Sellers

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

the best band ever?
Well, I'd say one of, yes, but not sure about ever...

There's 2 kinda bands...
The modern sounding and the old ("traditional") sounding... oh, and everyone else in the middle ;-)

YBS in my eyes are one of the best modern sounding bands that I've heard... but until I've heard every band in the world, I could never say what band is the best ever.

;-) 8)

 

[Aidan]

Total control and respect from the band on the stage!!

Are you sure?

yes?

 

[Railybobs]

Prof King has earned respect from the brass band world.

Sometimes it doesn't always make him the most popular of people. But whether you like his ways or not, he deserves respect.

 

[drummerboy]

Hard to say who is the best ever. On Europeans results yes. Certainly they have one of the best sounds ever. Technically right up there (just look at Apocalypse) if not the best (BBS were good, but could they have truly done Apocalypse justice?)
So what if YBS haven't won any Nationals? BBS didn't actualy win that much (from what I understand) but that doesn't mean they weren't one of the best.
Hard to say who is the best ever, but if YBS can keep it up (which they have done so far) then why not? Who cares if they're not famous, it doesn't matter really (well I don't think anyway!)

 

[man of many talents]

i coudl be wrong but how desford i cudnt tell you the yr but i heard so much bout when they draw number 1 on enigma and variations n won anybody got any light on this ive seen it done at other contests but not at such a high contest as what they did it at

 

[JOCKBLAST!]

What?

 

[Australian Euphonium]

i coudl be wrong but how desford i cudnt tell you the yr but i heard so much bout when they draw number 1 on enigma and variations n won anybody got any light on this ive seen it done at other contests but not at such a high contest as what they did it at

Errr, beg yours??

 

[yorkie19]

YBS are a truly great band, and I fully expect them to come second to Ransomes at the Masters :lol: :lol: (OK, maybe a little wishful thinking).

However, Best.......Ever is a bit of a weighty title to carry round. All I'll say is, just look at all the albums that get released with the title Best.......................Ever. A short time later there is always another volume released.

I think YBS have raised the bar on the contest stage for the entire banding movement, in much the way that Dyke and BBS both have previously but they aren't the best band ever.