Northwood Headquarters VolunteerBand

Blue Band Article Summer 2006

Greetings from the nation’s capital! Things here in Northwood HQ are very busy this time of year and have been so for the last couple of months. Things started to pick up when Bandy received a phone call in the first week of May.“Hi Colours, I’m the CO of HMS Severn. We are having a cocktail party on board next week. Any chance you can help us out.”HMS Severn’s primary role is Fishery Protection and she was coming alongside HMS Belfast on the Thames to host a number of VIP’s and ministers. As it was extremely short notice it had to be put to the band first and it soon became apparent that due to the short notice and the time of day of the gig we were not going to be able to fulfil the engagement without help. After some frantic phone calls to RM Band Portsmouth and RMSM we managed to pull together a balanced combination that would be able to do the job.

During the next few days members of the band who had at first declared themselves unavailable for the engagement swapped shifts, took days off and generally did everything they could to support the gig. As things turned out we ended up with a band of 22 and now the only major concern was were we all going to fit onto the quarter deck! Our fears were soon proved unfounded as we came on board; we were to share the quarter deck with a large inflatable swimming pool filled with water, complete with fish and palm tree! There was ample room for us, the guests and the ‘oasis’. (Photos)

The gig went extremely well and we received many compliments from the ships officers and their guests. We would like to thank Bd CSgt Andy Hill and Musn Ali Gray from Portsmouth Band and Musn’s Gore, Pawsey and Wiles from RMSM for their invaluable support for this engagement.

Our next gig was our annual open air concert at RAF Bentley Priory in support of SSAFA. As usual we started things off and whipped the crowd into a frenzy before some RAF band came on and stole the show; I think they were called the Central Band or something similar..! Plans have already started for next years gig and we have been promised a longer slot, I’m not sure the general public can handle it! (Photos)

Unfortunately we have had to say goodbye to our long standing bass player Chris Heyes. Chris has been in the band for over 5 years and has seen all of the previous VBI’s come and go. We had a suitable social event to send him off and presented him with a framed picture of the band. But due to his long, loyal and valuable support to the band we decided to go that extra mile and contacted Terry Wogan at BBC Radio 2. You see Chris is a Eurovision Fanatic, sad though it may be, he can tell you any countries entry for the last 10 years or so. Terry sent us a signed Eurovision T-Shirt for Chris but during the signing dropped a garlic snail onto it leaving a greasy stain. This makes the T-Shirt unique and the band are currently keeping an eye on eBay to make sure Chris doesn’t try to sell it!

We have also had great pleasure in welcoming some new members to the band: Mike Innes (Trombone), Tony Hunter, Maureen Phillips and Suzie Miller (clarinet), Ian Harrison and Tony Oliver (Percussion), SAC Amy Ross and NA(METOC) Nikki Thompson (cornet). As I write the pile of equipment for the band festival continues to grow outside my office. I must make sure I’ve got all the dots……

The Blue Band Magazine is the journal of the Royal Marines Band Service and is published three times a year