4BR has been informed that the Flowers Band may not take part in the British Open qualifying Grand Shield Contest in Blackpool in a few weeks time.
Split
The 2014 Butlins, Yeovil and West of England champion was one of the short priced favourites to claim one of the qualification places on offer for Symphony Hall in September, but it appears their challenge for a fourth consecutive major victory of the season have been completely blown apart before they start work on the set test, ‘On Alderley Edge’.
The band has just completed a highly successful week long run of the stage version of ‘Brassed Off’ in Cheltenham — one which had gained critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike, but which has also led to a damaging split within the band, as Band Manager Lee Downie exclusively revealed to 4BR.
Disaster
"We have had such a wonderful contesting season, and our participation in the stage production had been a great success with local, national and international press coverage," he said.
"That success has now led to disaster though. We are now left to seriously consider our participation at Blackpool."
Stage show
4BR understands that following the final performance of ‘Brassed Off’ production, the band’s tuba quartet of Tony Pemberton, Rob Graham White, Craig Williams and John Daw was approached by the producers to take part in the West End run of the show, which was agreed by the band.
However, unknown to the Flowers management it later transpired that the approach had come from the representatives of film producers in Hollywood where Quentin Tarantino is set to produce his own version of the 1984 Miners Strike entitled ‘Pit Fiction’.
The four tuba players will play the character of Mr Pink, Mr Yellow, Mr Blue and Mr Green in a storyline that recreates the famous scene from ‘Reservoir Dogs’ set in the Workingmen’s Labour Club in Grimley.
Tuba split
Tuba player Craig Williams (aka Mr Pink) told 4BR: "We couldn’t say anything at the time, but the approach was made for the four of us to spend six weeks on the film set – starting on the day of the Grand Shield.
Balancing the decision to either have six weeks on Sunset Boulevard in LA or a weekend on the Golden Mile in Blackpool was a difficult choice to make — so we hope the band doesn’t feel too bad about it, and that they can get in a few replacements. We will be thinking of them."
Fellow tuba star John Daw (Mr Green) added: "I’ve been booked to do a pit head shower scene with Gwyneth Paltrow who plays Gloria, so you can imagine how difficult a decision it was for me."
That success has now led to disaster though. We are now left to seriously consider our participation at BlackpoolBand Manager, Flowers Band Manager, Lee Downie
Samuel L Jackson
4BR understands that a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins as Arthur Scargill, Meryl Streep reprising her award winning role as Margaret Thatcher and the duo Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta as a pair avenging hit men who kill strike breakers had been announced in the Hollywood press.
Lee Downie added: "You can imagine how the rest of the band feels right now — especially as they only offered us the actor who can do all those voice impersonations from the Police Academy films as a replacement."
