Formation 1937 Musical Director Garry Cutt Active from 1937 | Type Brass band Affiliations WFEL | |
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Members Jon Probert, Jim Fieldhouse, Mike Eccles Genres Jazz, Classical, New age, World Record labels Decca Records, Chandos Records Similar Acid Brass, Foden's Band, Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Black Dyke Band, Harry Mortimer | ||
The Fairey Band is a brass band based in Heaton Chapel in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
Contents
Its name comes from Sir Richard Fairey and the Fairey Aviation Company, famous in later years for the Fairey Delta 2 aircraft - the first aircraft in level flight to exceed 1,000 mph, and had an important contribution to the shape of Concorde and its droop nose.
Fairey Aviation
The band was formed in 1937 as the Fairey Aviation Works Band by workers at the aircraft factory. This was at a time when the company was producing aircraft that would see plenty of action in the first few weeks of World War II, although sadly few of its aircraft would be of sufficient calibre to pose a real threat to German aircraft. Its aircraft, especially the old-fashioned yet versatile and destructive Fairey Swordfish, mainly carried torpedoes for the Fleet Air Arm. Fairey were taken over by Westland Aircraft of Yeovil, chiefly due to its innovative Fairey Rotodyne.
Sponsorship
It became known as the Williams Fairey Band when Fairey Engineering was taken over by Williams Holdings in 1986. This company was bought by the American Kidde fire safety company in 2000, although the band retained the Williams Fairey name. The sponsorship by Kidde finished at the end of 2002. In 2003, they were sponsored by FP (Music), a subsidiary of Fosters Partners (Asia). At the beginning of 2010 the band acquired a new sponsorship in the shape of the British brass instrument maker "Geneva Instruments" and became known as the "Fairey (Geneva) Band". This arrangement ceased during 2011 whence the band reverted to its original name of "The Fairey Band".
Contest record
The band has been successful at the major national contests since its inception in 1937, however this was curtailed following the loss of company sponsorship in 2002. Following several lean contesting years, and a considerable rebuilding process, 2010 saw a remarkable resurgence in the band's fortunes. They achieved overall victory in the Tameside Whit Friday march competitions and an invitation to the 2011 European Brass Band Championship in Montreux courtesy of their victory at the 2010 English National Brass Band Championship. Further success followed with runners up spots at the 2010 British Open and Brass in Concert Championships, and a 3rd place at the National Championship finals at London's Albert Hall.
Full contest winning record:
National Champions of Great Britain: 1945, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1965, 1986, 1993, 2002, 2003
British Open Champions: 1941, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1979, 1987, 1993, 1998
English National Champions: 2010
All England Masters Champions: 1996, 1997
European Champions: 1994
Brass in Concert Champions: 1996
North West Area Champions: 1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1959, 1963, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2014, 2015
BBC Television Champion Brass: 1976, 1977, 1979
BBC Best of Brass: 1978
Granada Television Band of the Year: 1979, 1980
BBC Radio Band of the Year: 1987, 1988
Musical directors
Video clips
Songs
Acid BrassThe White Room · 1991
Pacific 202Acid Brass · 1997
The Groove That Won't StopAcid Brass · 1997