Brassed Off! - Grimethorpe Colliery Band

I know - what on earth is this doing on here? It seems incongruous that, what is essentially a brass band greatest hits album, should share shelf space with luminaries of rock and pop.

Well I have a soft spot for brass band music. There I've said it. And I suppose I always have since buying Terry Wogan's version of 'The Floral Dance' in 1978. In part it's because of the lovely round sound that a good brass band makes; warm, comforting and moving. It's also because it's a very northern sound and inextricably linked to the once great mining industry.....

Between 1984 and 1985 the UK was plunged into conflict, only this time it would not be fought on foreign soil with an enemy who we knew little about. No - this time it was fought in car parks, fields, roads, in houses and across kitchen tables. And the north east was hit hard. Very hard. To try and help, local businesses donated supplies and between them created food parcels. Our family helped out by distributing these parcels to families around the region. I vividly remember the smell of freshly baked bread rolls permeating through our car on Sunday mornings whilst we went about our 'rounds'. As well as making me hungry it also made me realise how fortunate we were to have parents who did not need to withdraw their labour in protest to protect our future.

Wherever one lies on the political spectrum surely the distribution of food parcels to families can't be viewed as a subversive activity? I don't see any laws being broken there? Well the police force had a different view and started a campaign of intimidation against my dad; following him to and from work over several weeks. On one hand it must've been nice to have a police escort to school, but one the other it was disturbing and a violation of personal liberty. Or something like that. It's fair to say that since then, I've always viewed the police with suspicion.

Anyway enough of politics for now and back to my original point - that a brass band makes a lovely noise. I'm no expert and I only own two brass band albums (and one of them is a soundtrack) so I'm far from an expert. But we are off tonight to see Grimethorpe Colliery Band play in Darlington and I'm sure we are in for a treat. I just hope that we are not followed there by members of Her Majesty's Constabulary - unless they offer to buy us a pint for past indiscretions....then again pigs might fly!