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Re: Channel 4 Monday night 9pm

Gillian Hayes wrote:<gillian_hayes@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Folks,
> According to the Guardian TV Guide, there's a programme on Channel 4
> tomorrow (Monday) night at 9pm on the first World Cup brass band --
> a group of Sheffield Wednesday supporters who became overnight
> stars. Reviews welcomed -- I'll be at at band.....

I put the TV on and came across this programme by accident.  I had no idea
how it had been billed in the newspapers, and having just read your mailing
I am even more disappointed than last night to discover that the Guardian
had actually linked this terrible group of players with brass bands.

I didn't watch it all - I couldn't stomach it to be honest - but I believe
a group of SWFC supporters started out taking their instruments along to
games and playing some of the well known chants to help encourage the
football fans to sing along.  No real problem with that on first sight -
they were a bit like having a mascot.  But the noise they made, boy oh boy!
 Once in a while we were graced with the odd bit of harmony played by the
trombone or euphonium, although the trumpets managed to create their own
close harmony quite regularly by being so horribly out of tune.

When they got asked to play at a special match - might have been the World
Cup (my ears and eyes had started to glaze at this point) - they had their
first rehearsal EVER (funnily enough, this really didn't surprise me!). 
One of the players had 'scored' the stripper and so they gave a rendition
for the joy of the camera ........ to be honest I was speechless (and
that's a real achievement!).

The only slight link with brass bands was the issue of commitment - at one
stage one of the drummers decided to pursue a career with his rock band,
and due to the commitments, he felt unable to continue playing with the
SWFC group - so even in this disastrous collection of musicians, it was
almost refreshing to see that they needed to find deps too!!

I know we all want the public to recognise that there is far more to brass
bands than the Floral Dance, but I really don't think this programme did us
any favours in encouraging a new perception!

If a football club wanted to encourage/enjoyed the novelty of musical
support they would have done much better getting a local youth band to
perform - they would have had far better playing and helped make a few
dreams come true for the youngsters.

Personally, I couldn't believe that a TV station could devote so much time
to such a weak story - OK, it was great for the group of 'players', a
marvellous opportunity for them, but the programme was just a collection
football clips, some very duff interviews, and even the deafest TV station
controller could work out their playing was terrible.  This is definitely
one 'fly on the wall' documentary that should have been well and truly
swatted before being aired!!


CLAIR TOMALIN
Flugel
Clacton-on-Sea Co-Operative Band
E-Mail: c.roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ICQ#:  21868132


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