'Super-bands'

Too often I have seen bands, that become better, hi-jacked into becoming a 'super-band'. A 'super-band' is a band that has been formed from 'better' players joining an existing band to create a 'world-beating' band. The band gets into the position where the players that were good enough to get the band to its current ranking, are now no longer good enough to play for the band. These players are sidelined and the band becomes a collection of the 'better' players, not a band. Once sidelined, the changes are that they leave, disgruntled and embittered. Why are the rejected original members not good enough now? Being dumped, after years of dedication and loyal service, just because 'better' players appear. With these members leaving, the band has lost part of its history and community. To survive unsuccessful periods, a band needs this. A band is something more than just a collection of 'better' players.

Most of the 'better' players have just arrived from the last 'super band' that has just failed to meet or sustain its true potential. Obviously members come and go, but I am mainly concerned with the en-mass change, i.e. only a handful of the original members are left. This tends to happen to bands that have a lack of confidence in their ability. They often bring in a new leader, or one that is appointed by the 'better players'. They believe that this will lead to an improvement in their performance. I have found that this usually leads to the opposite. Their approach may be totally at odds with what made the band successful in the first place.

This band is now full of people desperate for success at the cost of the community, history and feelings of the original members of the band. This is success at any cost and cannot be sustained. It needs quite an effort to sustain a band, but it takes a lot more to start one from scratch.

If the band retains the players it had all the way up, and limits in-comers, any upset or disappointments will be got over. The rise may not be meteoric but will be sustained. Grow your band from within rather than acquire from outside. You got there by yourselves up to now, continue what you are doing. Build confidence into your players. A band that has got to the top, and kept most of its original players, will be a force for many years. A band grown from within has character and can stand knocks. There is tremendous loyalty within these bands. The sense of belonging is tremendous. It is their band, they are proud to be a member of that band. They do things to promote and help their band. The families are involved, generation after generation. How often do you hear of members of a 'super-band' being members for 10, 20 or even 30 years.

There are many reasons for joining a band. For most, it is comradeship, community and friendship that attracts them. However, those who join for themselves tend to have a 'success at any cost' view.

If the band is successful that is great, but it is not the end of the world if it isn't. A 'super- band' tends to break up under any tension. When eventually it does break up, it is the remaining original players that will be left to salvage the situation. All the 'better' players will be heading to play in the next 'super-band'.

After all, a band is there to play music to entertain the audience listening to it. It is not there as a vehicle to provide status for one or two of its members. A band is a group, not any one individual.

Super-bands are bad for the pipe band world as it concentrates the best talent in one band removing it from others. By creating one 'super-band' it may lead to a far greater loss to the pipe band world than the effect on that one band. One or two great players will not sustain a band. It is better having a group pulling together, than relying on a few for its success.

Have belief in yourselves.

Billy McCombie
12th March 1999

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Other Opinions:

'Super Bands'

'Tune Composition / Selection'

'Pipe Band Ensemble'