{"id":1937,"date":"2013-06-18T11:12:56","date_gmt":"2013-06-18T10:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=1937"},"modified":"2013-06-18T11:14:48","modified_gmt":"2013-06-18T10:14:48","slug":"strike-up-the-band-black-skull-corps-of-fife-and-drums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=1937","title":{"rendered":"Strike Up The Band: Black Skull Corps of Fife and Drums."},"content":{"rendered":"

BLACK SKULL CORPS OF FIFE AND DRUMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In October 1980 a group of young men from Darnley inSouth Glasgow\u00a0got together with the intentions of forming a flute band.\u00a0 Of that group only two had any musical expertise and could play an instrument.\u00a0 The remainder–boys and girls–were total beginners.\u00a0They chose the name–The Young Protestant\u00a0Crown Defenders<\/strong>–and, not having any money with which to buy uniforms or instruments they set about fundraising on a grand scale.\u00a0 Soon. the first of the instruments were bought and practice began–the fluters learning by the old ABC method.\u00a0 Within a few months they had progressed enough to know enough tunes at an adequate level of musicianship and by May of 1981 were able to fulfill their first engagement with Finlay Drive District, Glasgow.\u00a0 Two months later the band began their love affair with Northern Ireland by walking for the first time in the 12th July parade with the Sandy Row District.
\nThe fundraising continued for the following years engagements but in September 1981 the decision was made to change the band’s name–after much debate–to Black Skull.\u00a0 So where did the name come from?\u00a0 In the summer of 1981 the band had a black skull painted on the bass drum.\u00a0 By coincidence a band called\u00a0The Orange and Blue<\/strong>\u00a0had arrived from Ulster for the Glasgow demonstration.\u00a0 Both bands got talking and it emerged that the visiting band came from a litlle village called Blackskull in County Down.\u00a0 It was then decided to change the name and the rest is history.
\n\"\"<\/a>The forward thinking band members\u00a0wanted to not only establish themselves as a band but to also set themselves apart from the run of the mill.\u00a0 To do this they acquired another new uniform and personalised drums but probably more importantly changed their style of music to incorporate more marches on the road to becoming a true melody flute.\u00a0 This proved more difficult than first imagined and it was a long hard road.\u00a0\u00a0Within the next few years however they had progressed to playing counter melody along with their jigs and reels.\u00a0 A big turning\u00a0point in the metamorhisis as far as playing went came when a lad from Londonderry joined the band.\u00a0 he had a great\u00a0musical knowledge and he imparted this to those who were most willing to learn.
\n\"\"<\/a>Another huge turning point in the Black Skull fortunes came around 1994 when the new direction took them to the realms of playing part music for the first time and changing to\u00a0 Corps of Fife and Drum.\u00a0 To implement this new style of playing of 1st-2nd and 3rd part\u00a0of course meant investing in a new range of instrument-F flutes..again at great cost. The move proved beneficial for the band and indeed was the catalyst in changing the mindset of many other bands who followed suit.\u00a0 The band was moving from strength to strength but nothing was achieved without hard work and dedication.\u00a0 However there were setbacks along the way.\u00a0 As stated Black Skull were by now frequent visitors to belfast to take part in the annual 12th Orange demonstration.\u00a0 In the late 1980’s a fall out with Orange Order members over a petty issue involving band members dressing up in funny costumes led to the receiving a sine die ban from the Orange Order.\u00a0 A huge change in both fortunes and circumstances came about when an approach was made in 1991\u00a0from the Independent Orange Order to the band to accompany Mossley LOL 134 Glengormley during the East Antrim celebrations.\u00a0 So started a long relationship between band and lodge that remains in place today.
\n\"\"<\/a>Always looking for an innovative approach the Skull changed their uniform–yet again–from the preferred Guards style to that more akin to the United States Marine Corps.\u00a0 This happened in 2004 but only lasted for a couple of years before they reverted back to the Guards style we have all come to recognise and love.\u00a0 There have many other milestones along the illustrious road.\u00a0 Taking part in the Maiden City Festival Concert must rank very highly in the list of Black Skull achievments.\u00a0 Thet were invited to play compositions made famous by William Love–an icon in Londonderry music circles and composer extrodinaire.\u00a0 William was a member of one of this countires finest bands–past or present–Churchill Flute.\u00a0 A CD was subsequently made incorporating the Black Skull recordings of William Love’s music–The Prince of the Realm.<\/strong>
\nThe Black Skull list of achievments is truly staggering…
\nAct of Union Concert 2007<\/strong>
\nConcert at Drogheda on the banks of the Boyne 2008<\/strong>
\nPhotographic Exhibition in the Bloomberg Art Gallery 2008<\/strong>
\nAn exhibition in the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art by Rodney Buchanan the famous visual artist entitled Here I Am.\u00a0\u00a0 This focused on the challenging views of culture, heritage and perceived sectarianism.
\n<\/strong>There really is very little else for the band to achieve.\u00a0 In their short history they have fulfilled a lifetime of ambitions and have taken bandsmanship and musical ability to new levels.\u00a0 The biggest compliment we can pay them is to point to the fact that they are one of the bands that most others in their particular field aspire to.\u00a0 They are much imitated but rarely equalled and never surpassed.
\nHere’s to the next 33 years!!<\/p>\n

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