MARCHING ORDERS! - Issue 15

It's been all hands to the pump at BDC HQ recently and once again I find my first article of the year being written in June!

BDC always seems to be upping its game and this year has been no different especially on the drum set side with the launch of the Raven kit, Legacy of the Royals snare drum (more about that later on), USA distribution and more recently the new Enigma drum set range.

British Drum Co continues to grow and September this year will mark the 10th Anniversary since the company started and it's safe to say it's never been in a better position proving that British manufacture is still the best it's ever been.

UK Drum Show 2024

At the UK Drum Show last year we decided to bring a small bit of the marching world to our stand by having the a couple of the Buglers from His Majesty's Royal Marines Corps of Drums. This also gave me the chance to catch up with former colleagues. Throughout the day they gave pad sessions with members of the public, from rudiments to drum solos and instruction in stickwork and it proved extremely popular with drummers visiting the event. It's alway nice when we can blend the drum set world with the marching world.

Legacy of the Royals Kit- Auction Night

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In November myself and Craig Buckley were invited to the the Royal Marines Charity Gala Night at the Guildhall, London. There were many special items up for auction that night but none so more than the 'Legacy of the Royals' drum kit.

There was a lot of excitement in the air as the bidding started and the hammer eventually fell with a top bid of £150K and if that wasn't enough, the buyer Mark Talbot then announced that he was giving the kit to the Royal Marines Band Service for use while the new Royal Marines Museum is being built.

Regimental Series Plus

Later in 2024 we added the option of being able to have traditional military pattern hoops on the RS1P, RS1C & RS1Y drums. Previously these drums came with triple flange hoops but after a few bands asked if they could be fitted with the traditional hoops we decided to add that option. To find out more about that option contact your local BDC authorised marching dealer.

Frank The Soldier

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Frank The Soldier visited us and explored our facility. He even assisted Si in crafting a snare drum in the shell room. He was then given the full tour of the factory culminating with Frank using the laser marching to produce his own drum badge.

As a special surprise, we gifted him his very own mini marching drum complete with his name badge that he made himself as an early Christmas treat!

Drum One Marching Department

I often get asked where can I try out all the different drums in the Regimental Series? well Nicko's Drum One in Trafford Park, Manchester is the only shop in the UK that offers you the chance to try out all the different models in the Regimental Series. As well as British Drum Co drums, Drum One stocks a whole load of other marching equipment from cymbals, slings, beaters even down to their own model of marching sticks MSX-1. Which have been especially designed for Corps of Drums who use stickwork in their repertoire. These are available in natural or white and can be found here

If you're in the area why not pop in and say hello. They even have a coffee machine, as if you need another reason to visit!

Legacy of the Royal Snare

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Introducing the ‘Legacy of the Royals’ Snare Drum! Inspired by Nicko McBrain’s iconic ‘Legacy of the Royals’ kit, created for the Mountbatten Festival of Music 2024, this stunning snare drum is a tribute to craftsmanship, heritage, and elite drumming.  Featuring Iron Maiden’s Eddie in HM Royal Marine uniforms spanning from 1664 to 2022. Designed in collaboration with Nicko's Drum One, this is a collector’s piece like no other. 

SPECS:

14" x 6.5"

22 Ply Tulipwood - 14 Blue • 2 Yellow • 2 Green • 4 Red (the denotes the Corps Colours of the Royal Marines)

45° Bearing Edge

Single Flange Hoops

Vintage Mini Claws

Gold Plated Tension Rods

Palladium Hardware

Royal Marines Corps coloured snare ribbon

Special Edition Gold B Badge

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Essey Musical Dealer Day

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In April this year I headed across to Belfast and spent a couple of days in-store with David & Kim Montgomery at Essey Musical. This allowed me to connect with many of the flute melody bands in the area that were already using BDC drums and those that wanted to find out more about them first hand. The in-store proved to be perfect timing to be present as Sgt White Memorial Flute Band came in to collect their British Drum Co Regimental Series drums.

As you can see from the photos above they choose the RS1 and added a couple of R1SC drums for their younger members, this was accompanied by a 28" x 14" bass drum. David tuned the drums up for them and showed the guys how each of the snare mechanisms worked. I always enjoy my time in Belfast and hope to catch a parade the next time i'm there.

MARCHING EVENT

Monday 29th September will see a marching event being held at Nicko's Drum One and will feature British Drum Co artist Simon Mellish, whilst knowing for his drum set prowess Simon's background and upbringing started in Drum Corps so the evening will consist of Simon letting you in on his practice regimes and all the tips and tricks he's picked up over the years. He has just recently written a very good book called Technique Evolution which is suitable for all drummers regardless of what standard they are. Simon will be performing exercises from this and his book will be available to purchase on the evening. Keep an eye on our social media platforms for more information about how you can attend this event.

BDC Buddies

For those of you that are unaware the the BDC Buddies group on facebook is the Official Unofficial group for all things BDC. The group is ran by John Fern and is the only one that has the backing of BDC. If you're not already in the group then click here. John works closely with BDC HQ and you will sometimes get to see things on there before we release it ourselves as well as being part of the BDC Family!

London Band Week - June 2025

For all you readers who love to watch marching bands then June is the month for you!

London Band Week is an annual invitational event that celebrates marching bands, concert bands, and wind symphonies from both the UK and the US. It's a premier opportunity for community bands, as well as acclaimed US collegiate and high school bands, to showcase their talents in London.

To find out more about each event click on the links below.

Key aspects of London Band Week:

• Focus: It emphasizes community, culture, development, and performance within the marching arts.

• Performances: Bands perform in various iconic London locations, including:

  • The London Tattoo: A historic musical pageant held in a state-of-the-art auditorium at the Royal Victoria Dock.

  • Palace Parade Review: Marching bands parade in the King's Garden at London's Historic Royal Palace, Hampton Court.

  • DrumLine London: A competitive tournament for drum lines.

  • Live in London: A chance to see the visiting bands from the USA up close and personal. This year you get to see The Marching Scarlet Knights & The Pride of Dayton

• Educational Opportunities: Participants can benefit from bespoke band clinics, instrumental masterclasses, and leadership workshops.

• Cultural Immersion: The event is designed to give participating bands and musicians a unique and rich experience of London's culture and traditions.

• Invitation-only: Bands are invited based on their core values, principles, and passion for performance excellence.

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As I bring this to a close, once again we're half way through the year and the manufacture teams seems to be a busy as ever. There's lots of new and exciting things happening at BDC so make sure you keep an eye on our social media platforms and if you've not signed up yet for our newsletters then make sure you click here

Until next time,

Stu