Bandit

Ah Sunday, a day of rest...apart from the hoovering, cleaning the bird and fish out and washing. Actually decided to do some practice while the dinner was cooking. I know when to stop as the smoke alarm goes off. It is the perfect cooking aid.

Been to see my Dad today. He is 80 next week, I cant believe it as I still look on him as so young. Actually he feels my age and I feel his lol. I don't really get on with his partner which makes it difficult if I have a problem and need to talk, but I do try to be nice to the people I do not like, but to be honest there are not that many in my life thank goodness. I have been to another Xmas fayre today. Purchased 6 tombola tickets and won 4 prizes. A Comb??? A Brush???? Leg Wax???? and a Woolworths voucher!!!!!!

Hastings

Today has been a blur and have been on automatic pilot due to lack of sleep. Got through it though without crashing the Limo or anything. Really fancy doing nothing for the next few days, but I know I have tons to get through.. Oh well forward into battle.

Pickfords

I took the day off work today and went into town. Although I did all my Xmas shopping in October I like to watch the mad panic on other folks faces they hunt for gifts. I wonder if anyone actually goes to work as it was heaving in the City? It was pointed out by a member of our audience that we had been advertised as a Northampton Band on a forthcoming gig? So as not to break the Trade description laws we are now all having to move to Corby!

Status quo

I have decided that I am going to close this Blog down just before Chrimbo. I hope those that have been reading it have enjoyed it. The last Blog should be on 23rd December.

Silver

Because of the cold, I have had to invest in a pair of Long Johns. Now when I snuff it, can someone please make sure I am not wearing them. Although I have no street cred, they certainly wont help.

Bells

Last night we rehearsed a Big Band Medley of Xmas tunes. The piece itself is quite technical with change of tempo's etc, but if it comes off, I think it is the best arrangement I have heard and will certainly make the hairs on your head stand up (not mine). I have spent 5 hours of my day in an unheated Coffin Shop. If your happy and you know it clap your........

Singles Night

I am taking my life in my hands this pm. I am going single hand idly into a large cage, with no protection, but a net.......and catching a lone Finch!!!Poor thing is all alone after his mate passed on to the big birdcage in the sky. I am moving him to a friends house who have got an outside aviary, with loads of company for him/her. Actually thinking of birds passing on, just think if we did not have gravity, what it would look like in the sky???

Just like that.

Everyone must have seen moths flying around a bulb at some stage in there life. They seem to be attracted by the light? The same seems to go for my reversing lights on my car. There can be no one around, but as soon as you shift into reverse and start to move, someone walks behind the car. I went to support the local Xmas Fayre today and drove into the car park. Finding no room, I slipped into reverse and started to move. At this point I nearly ran over the magician who was about to perform. He had loads of space around him, but decided to head for my reversing lights. Now that would have been a neat trick, if I had made the magician disappear (under my car). The double booking has been sorted now, but it took a few days. We can breathe again phew.

Ghost Gig

It would appear that in 2009 we are doing a job we have not even been booked for, which could turn out to be interesting as we are already out that night. Again, I am shocked with the slowness of folks replies to e mails and telephone calls. It would seem that I work on a different time scale to everyone else (or is that Army training?) as it seems to take ages for people to actually spring into action. I think this will be my New Years resolution and get a 'Roundtuit' installed in my head so I can be just like them!!!!

Bush

I don't know if it is the winter blues, but life just seems like it is, get up, go to work, come home, go to, bed, get up go to work?? Cleaning the limos in a wind chill of about minus 2 today I started to wonder what it is all about? I think they should start a new TV programme called 'I am a Trombone player, get me out of here......but preferably somewhere warm.

Alf

It was great to have the section back last night. I wish I could say I played great, but marked myself 5 out of 10 only. Tried to keep my training up this week, but been difficult as so tired? I try and do an hour every other day, but it is sometimes hard to keep motivated. We met some of the doziest drivers on the road today as we do most days. Yesterday one driver came round the corner on the wrong side of the road swerved to miss the Hearse and went up the pavement....never a dull moment.

Hog

A first for us all today. The cortege was led by 40+ Harley Davidson's. What a sight and we may never see it again. Chapters from all over the Midlands attended and some good old bike music played at the service, including the revving of a Harley as well.. Had a b*****g today for doing something in my lunch break, and was told to do it in my own time, which I thought my break was!!!. That should make you think!!!

Motto

For saying that I just wanted to sit huddled in front of the fire last night, the Concert at the Oak turned out to be a cracker. The room, as always was full, and a great night was had by all. At work today, the heating had broken down. Not that we ever get warm in our job, but it is nice occasionally to get warm, especially at dinner. However we all sat in coats and hats eating our gruel. If that was school we would have been sent home?

Soldier

It is a well known fact, that some professional artists take drugs to help them through the stress and anxiety of performance. I have to make a confession here. When I was serving in the Army in Germany, I was heavily into running. In fact I ran almost every day, in all weathers and conditions. I once went into a German Health shop and purchased some vitamin tablets that were supposed to help my running. I took one and then went for a 10 mile run. Half way through the run I had to stop for a pee. I jumped into a hedge and was shocked and traumatised that suddenly my urine was bright blue and glowing.... I thought I had some obnoxious disease or illness. When I got the herbal instructions translated it was found that this was side affect of the tablet, so goodness knows what was in them. I almost turned into a Smurf!!! well part of me anyway.

Desert

From Glenn Miller to Gustav Holst tonight. I sat on first bone and just about sight read a Concert for a wind band (they don't have instruments tee hee, just eat a lot of beans.)
We played , Copland , Mendelssohn, Williams, but the thing that I was chuffed about is... I heard a piece of music on Classic FM The Jazz Suite by Shostakovitch and in it was a Trombone solo I really fancied having a go at.......well knock me down with a fiver out of Roy's wallet, it was only on the programme. Suddenly it was there and I had to play it, A wing and a prayer (should that be a wig and a prayer) and I got through it. It has been another life experience, but right at the end of an extremely stressful week, and due to get more anxiety filled. Ah the life of a musician..now where is the Stella.

Beans

I actually managed to get a half hour practice on this Concert I am playing at on Saturday. It's a long time since I have done wind band stuff, so it is really going to be on the edge of the seat stuff, just what I need after the stresses of this week. If only people knew lol.

Arry

I am that stressed at the moment it is unbelievable. Sometimes you just wish you had enough money to say what you want no matter what the consequences, However that is not to be, and so the stress builds up inside along with the frustration, I managed to get a little practice in last night, but I have so much on ,it was not quality. I think I need to get a punchbag.....

Tonto

Talk about Billy no mates. Despite trying numerous 'bone' players, I ended up being the only Trombone there last night. This has never happened before and was slightly disconcerting to say the least. It was like being in a Barber Shop quartet for many years and then suddenly finding you were on your own? weird, and hopefully not to be repeated. Life is so busy at the moment I am not getting chance to do what I want to do. I hope it calms down soon.

Solo

Writing this from work as so busy it's unbelievable. I have had to try and contact deps for tonight and wont now until I get home if I have any or if just me on the bone. Got to rush.....

Winehouse

You have to admire our loyal followers of the Band. On an horrendous night of weather they turned out to listen to the band through floods and rain. A special treat tonight was our Female vocalists daughter singing. Voice of an angel springs to mind as she did a cracking job.
I would just like to say how well I played tonight....I would like to say it, but in fact I had a terrible night. Poor old Chell had to sing a song at double tempo, but kept going to the bitter end, thanks to a lack of concentration by yours truly. I wanted to end the night by saying to the audience " I have a had a wonderful evening, but this wasn't it" My fault.

Poppy

Went to the Royal Oak last night or a drink. It was packed. Tonight we have a few surprises for the audience so should be an entertaining evening hopefully. Just watched the remembrance parade. I have shivered for an hour on that parade as it was always cold, especially in Germany. But what a stirring occasion with the Massed Bands ,especially when they played 'Sunset' which contains the Cavalry Last Post. I have been very lucky to experience what I have, and for that I am very grateful.

Hay There

Woke in the early hours of the morning just to check if anything had dropped off yet, but so far so good. Always visit my Dad on a Saturday. We have shed time. I think that if I were married I would have a massive shed, probably with a bar and TV point as well.. He is 80 this year but I still think of him as much younger. He drinks Vodka and Carrot juice every day. His liver is not good, but his eyesight is brilliant in the dark.! Went to town to observe the panicked Xmas shoppers, with a sense of satisfaction that I had done all mine. Supposed to go to a Barn Dance tonight but so far I have dodged it with some canny excuses, but I might still be nobbled yet.

Liver long time

It would seem that when I got called out by the police the other day, that the person we moved had a potentially lethal infection that could be caught by handing. It is nice to know after the case isn't it. Although we take as many precautions as we can, we are still human, and still make mistakes. I still haven't received the music I am supposed to be playing at a Concert very shortly, so that should be exciting and on the edge of the seat stuff. Today has been so busy that we only had 10 minutes for lunch, and that was really on the move. Still I like it that way as it keeps the mind occupied. Need to get down to some serious practice tonight, but already running late.

Madonna

I cant believe that we are nearly into the Xmas period. I have got all the pressies wrapped and wrote all the cards (well that was done a while ago) This year I do well ,as I have 2 whole days off whoopee. Actually not looking forward to it this year, after what happened last year, but we will have to take each day as it comes. As soon as I got into work this morning I was called out, so the morning went very quickly. I had an early finish today in lieu of overtime spent. It's a hard decision sometimes. Is money more important than time? Only you can decide that one. But from what I have seen and experienced in my job, I know the answer that suits me. Managing to practice most days as well as get some training in but with the dark nights it's hard to motivate one's self. This week I have been like a dead howl (I couldn't give a hoot) as from the serene shores of Blackpool, I am back on the Roller Coaster of life and it is manic!!!

Wolf

A strange occurrence at work today. A woman came into the office who was obviously distressed, saying that her young son had been rushed into Hospital. She said that she had no money and could we give her some for a taxi fare. I did not get chance to deal with this incident, but we all heard it from the other office. What would you have done? I wont tell you the outcome, but I would have rang the hospital and checked out the name of the child first! Also if it were my child, I would have ran to the hospital if I had to.
Last nights Concert had plenty of ups and downs. A bit of sight reading and a few laughs (at us). I think a couple of beers are called for tonight.

A very busy day. I was glad to see finish time. However there had been a crash on the Motorway and traffic was being diverted onto my route home, so it took ages. Just pulled up outside my house when I got called out on a police call. Back into the traffic jam, and back to work to pick up the removal vehicle, To the area of the removal, then back into Derby to the hospital, then back to work, then back home....phew. We were talking at work about different weird names for Bands. A great trio to see are Jock strap and the two swingers!!! But we invented a name if 4 very large overweight ladies decide to form a group. The Gastric Band!!!! what a winner.

Chiller

A rehearsal session at the Oak last night. As always not enough time and loads to do. Roy the wallet insisted we did some Xmas music to get him in the Festive spirit, but after 6 hours of this he was still as miserable about Chrimbo as ever. Point of note that our young female Trumpet player is really shining on the horn, and playing some nice jazz rifts. Back to reality and work today. A visit to the new Derby Mortuary... it's massive so I don't know what they are expecting, but my advice is...keep breathing!!

Heart

I think I know why the UK is having such dire problems, be it with the economy, law and order and the general apathy in Britain today. Since being secretary for the Band I have come in to contact with quite a few folk who ring me to enquire about the Band, then go ahead and reserve a date. As always I ring back nearer the date to see if everything is ok as we had not heard from them, only to hear that they no longer want the band. It did not occur to them to give me a courtesy call. A good example of this was many years ago. A lady rang to book the Band. She was very specific on what she wanted. This included a particular piece of music we did not have. We ordered this in and all was prepared. This Gig was booked in the month of November for the following February Valentines Day. It was a respected establishment. In the meantime I turned down a couple of gigs for that date. In the January I rang the lady to finalise details, only to be told it had been cancelled a couple of weeks after she had rang me. She had forgot (that is short for 'not bothered') to inform the Band though. She was so blase about the matter that I did some home work and contacted her Boss. I hope she got the biggest b******g ever, but she seemed so unintelligent ,it probably would not have registered. Strangely, the same thing has happened again this month. Despite e mails and phone calls the person has not bothered to get back to confirm or cancel a booking?? Now that is just plain bad manners.

Songs of Praise

I broke my own rules last night. After a particularly exciting couple of days by the sea, I was relaxed and chilled when my mobile rang. It was an orchestra asking if I would play in a Concert that was coming up in November. Now I had promised myself that from now on I would stick to playing with the Big Bands, but being calm and in a good mood, I said yes!!!!!!!! The worse thing is that they rehearse on a Sunday morning??? I did not know Sunday mornings existed. I thought they were just fairy tales? So looks like I am going to rediscover a seventh morning at least once this year! Also took a call last night from a prospective organiser. He has seen the Band as an audience member on many occasions. I wish I could have recorded what he said about the Band as he could not praise it high enough. I told him how the lads and lasses of the Band work extremely hard to make the OBB what it is today. Hopefully we will be making a trip to Stoke to play for him at some point.