The Barry Horns

The Barry Horns are an eleven-piece brass band, made up of fans of the Welsh national football team. Formed in 2011, the band's name is a homage to retired Welsh footballer Barry Horne. The band has a five-point mission statement called the Barryfesto, which notes that the band exists in order

Contents

• The barry horns this is wales
• The barry horns only you
• References

1. to unite Welsh football with the power of horns
2. to put tunes on the terraces
3. to bring hope where there is mathematical impossibility
4. to replace plastic hooters with brass ones
5. to win at life when we can't win at football.

Musically the band play a variety of songs, many of which are associated with Wales and/or football, including "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Just Can't Get Enough" and "Pick Up the Pieces".

The Barry Horns' first public appearance was outside the Wales v England World Cup Qualifying match in Cardiff on 26 March 2011. They also appeared at the Welsh Cup Final in the same year, which was broadcast on S4C.

Their other media appearances include performing on BBC1's flagship football programme Football Focus, BBC Radio Five Live and in a short promotional campaign for BBC Wales' coverage of Welsh national football. In December 2011, they were the house band on the Jamie and Louise programme on BBC Radio Wales, playing a variety of Christmas related songs including an interpretation of East 17's 'Stay Another Day'.

In February 2012, The Barry Horns released a video for their version of the Rocky theme, which they recorded as the anthem for Wales's World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign. The video featured members of the band in various training scenarios as a parody of the training montage from the film.

In December 2013, the band released a cover of the song "Only You", 30 years after the cover by The Flying Pickets had earned a Christmas Number 1. The recording failed to make the UK charts but proceeds were donated to the charity Prostate Cymru, with a dedication made to the Flying Pickets' lead vocalist, Brian Hibbard, who died of prostate cancer in 2012. A music video released on YouTube paid homage to the original Pickets video from 1983.