CHAPTER 2

BRISBANE EXCELSIOR, 1930-1961

From the beginning, Brisbane Excelsior has been fortunate in its choice of conductors. There were, of course, occasional partings of the way, but the Band's record speaks eloquently of the wisdom of those who chose its Musical Directors. Not all were local musicians; some were recruited from far a field. In the formative years, J.D.(Jim) Napier, W.H.(Billy) Davis, J.McKelvie, S.Martin and R.Elliott laid the foundations for the mature Excelsior to compete against the very best bands in the land, their successors continuing their work. Following these first Conductors were C.Andrews, C.Wood, E.John, G.Holmes (from Mt. Gambier), F.McLeod (from New Zealand), Albert Wade (from England), Alf Paxton (from Victoria's famous Hawthorn Band), Les Baxter, Captain J.Compton, W.Ryder and Norm Henstridge. All left a mark, for all were dedicated bandsmen. Old hands in the Band recall, mostly with warmth, their personal recollections or anecdotes handed down about these baton-wielders, but somewhere is an untold story. It involves the one missing Minute Book, the one submitted in a Court Case involving a sacked Conductor who took the Band to court. A skeleton in the closet? Rather it was merely one discordant demi-semi-quaver in a sparkling arpeggio spanning the period 1912-94.

By 1933, Brisbane Excelsior was the best Brass Band in the State. The previous year, under Albert Wade, it had won the Championship of Queensland, the Boosey Cup, the King and King Cup, the Besson Shield, the Morris Shield, and the Hawkes Shield - each one an indication of performing excellence by the youngest addition to the ranks of A Grade. In 1933, Excelsior scooped the pool in A Grade, winning the no. 1 Test Selection, the no.2 Test Selection, the Operatic Selection, the Diagram March, the First Oval March, the Street March, and the Hymn Tune. The heavy hand of depression lay menacingly over the whole band movement, and Brisbane Excelsior had sought temporary affiliation with the military band of the 9/15th Battalion led by Bandmaster Wade. Three years later at Maryborough, Brisbane Excelsior affiliated with the band of the 9/49th Battalion, again winning the A Grade Championship in 1936. By 1938, George Waller (principal cornetist in the Regent Theatre orchestra) was Bandmaster in place of A.Wade, whose death brought much sorrow. Brisbane Excelsior paid their last respects to their former Conductor by journeying to Ipswich for the Albert Wade Memorial service. It was under George Waller that the father-son combination of Edward (Ted) Roache and T.E. (Tom) Roache began to enrich Excelsior's unique sound.

In the eighty-two years of its life, four generations of this gifted family have been playing members. E.Roache was Champion of Champions in 1932 and 1935, and Queensland Champion Soprano Cornetist in 1929, 1932, 1934-36, 1954, 1956 and 1961. Tom won the Australian Championship twice on Bb Cornet, six times being Champion of Queensland. At the Commonwealth Jubilee Band Contest in Murwillumbah in 1952, father and son came second and third respectively, in itself a noteworthy achievement but less spectacular than other achievements of the duo, alone or together, as their record amply demonstrates. Brisbane Excelsior Brass Band was declared Champion of Champions at that Jubilee Contest. It is worthy of note that at the Queensland Band Contest at Rockhampton in 1958, the father-son combination won the open cornet duet, their fourth Queensland championship as a duet. Earlier, Edward (Ted) had won the "old buffers" solo, an event restricted to players 60 years and over. In a lengthy article in 1958, Rockhampton's Morning Bulletin described Tom Roache's playing as "an inspiration":

"An outstanding musical treat was presented last night by Mr. Thomas Roache of the Brisbane Excelsior Band to win the Bb cornet solo championships and gain his fourth title in band contests. Last year he was Australian champion at Ipswich and prior to that he had won two state championships in Queensland and one in N.S.W. Perhaps the proudest man in the audience was his father, Mr. E.Roache, who had given his talented son his early training with band instruments. The adjudicator (Mr. W.S.May) described the champion's performance as an inspiration."

In an interview after the contest, Tom paid homage to both his father and to Captain J.Compton, Brisbane Excelsior's Conductor immediately after Les Baxter and Alf Paxton. James Compton had also been a gifted Bb cornetist, winning the Champion of Champions title and the Queensland title in 1922-24 and 1927. Captain Compton was Brisbane Excelsior's Bandmaster from 1944 until 1955, another of its Conductors with an impressive record as soloist. He was succeeded briefly by W.Ryder and then by Norm Henstridge (1955-58), who had arrived in Queensland from Melbourne in 1933. Norm Henstridge was Champion of Champions in 1933 and 1949, Queensland Bb cornet champion in 1933, and Soprano Cornet Champion in 1937-39, and 1946-49.

There was, of course, no contest during World War 11. It is of special note that missing from that audience in Rockhampton in 1958 was Jim McKelvie, former Bandmaster of Brisbane Excelsior. Failing health had prevented his attendance at the contest, the first he had missed in twenty-five years. As music selector of the Queensland Band Association in that time, Mr. McKelvie had been responsible for the choice of test pieces to be played.

In this phase of its life, Brisbane Excelsior played a key role in the development of the City. In 1940, it was the Band chosen to play for the formal opening ceremonies of the Story Bridge. The Band was then under the baton of Alf Paxton, formerly Bandmaster of Victoria's celebrated Hawthorne Brass Band. By May 1940, President Billy Veal was speaking at band meetings of the "new spirit" directly attributable to Mr. Paxton who had lifted them to "a very much higher pinnacle than had been attained in the past". Allan Napier, who first joined Brisbane Excelsior in 1943 while still in the R.A.A.F., still recalls with respectful affection Alf Paxton and his influence. Paxton himself felt constrained to note that not all members were of A Grade standard, but only because some were not prepared to undertake the daily grind of practice. He also mentioned his pleasure at the Band's performances in the Botanical Gardens and the Parks (22 performances during the past year), at the Rosemount and Diamantina Hospitals (1 each), at Doomben Racetrack (2), at the R.N.A. Exhibition (5), at the Corpus Christi and other Processions (several). It is also interesting to note that at the Annual Meeting in May 1940, Ted Roache (sen.) moved that the Band's name be altered to "Brisbane Excelsior Silver Band". The motion was carried unanimously, but the name-change appears to have been very short-lived. Amongst the treasured memorabilia of Allan Napier is a copy of the 1941 rules and constitution of the "Brisbane Excelsior Brass Band", the last page bearing the distinctive signatures of Billy Veal (President) and J.W.Box (Secretary).

During the remaining years of war, Brisbane Excelsior not only gave many of its players for the larger call but contributed enormously to cultivating a national spirit by establishing the practice of playing whenever Australian troops were leaving Brisbane. Enlistments from the Band included R.Pickering, C.J.Thomas, T.E.Roache, J.J.Turner, T.Peden, D.Barlow, A.Napier, E.T.Selby, F.Walker, E.Cousins, R.Robinson, N.Baxter, L.Roberts, W.H.Johnson, E.Warden, R.Pleaven, R.Ricketts, C.Lees, R.Schmidt, H.Williams and R.Dodds. When the Korean War erupted in 1950, D.Webb, L. Radford and K.Gordon also joined. Alf Paxton and Billy Veal actually interviewed various firms throughout Brisbane in order to explain the Band's patriotic motivation and seek leave without loss of pay for bandsmen to pay their respects to valiant young warriors heading off to war. Undermanned as they were, the Band maintained a busy schedule with practices at the South Brisbane Town Hall (soon curtailed because of unsuitability of the premises), a highly successful recital in Kingaroy which earned a "rave" review in the local paper, temporary use of the Rifle Club Hall in Boundary Street, and regular practices at 130 Adelaide Street in the City (A.J.Longson's premises). There were also the regular duties: recruiting rallies for Army and Air Force, weekly playing in the Gardens and Parks, and commissioned radio broadcasts for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The Rallies were perceived as obligations, no request ever being refused and every rally attracting a full Band. At one huge Rally in City Hall attended by the Lord Mayor and the Prime Minister of Australia, the Band excelled itself. President Veal observed with pride at the Annual Meeting in May 1941 that "he did not think it possible for a Brass Band to get down so fine." To Alf Paxton he gave the full credit. For his part, Mr. Paxton appears to have possessed a finely-honed sense of humour (or execrable mathematics). At that Annual Meeting he informed members that he thought fifty percent of the Band gave very loyal service, but that "the other 33-and-a-third did not give of their best". Was this Irish humour or had the Minute Secretary simply made a human error in basic maths? It was characteristic of these men that, apart from the Conductor, not one earned a single penny from music yet they unanimously decided to establish a Spitfire Fund within the Queensland Band Association. To commence the project, Brisbane Excelsior donated 111 pounds towards purchase of an aircraft. The funds were to be raised through recitals at either the Post Office or Anzac Square. Somewhere about this time, the Band appeared to use the mnemonic "XLCR" for the first time, the simplified and catchy spelling attracting attention.

Bandmaster Paxton continued to draw the highest praise from his corps, President Veal freely confessing to immense pride whenever he heard or saw the Band play. He referred to Alf Paxton's special musical gifts including his skill at arranging items to "meet the wishes of those requiring the services of the Band", and his art at utilising the individual talents of his players in "competent combinations". What concerned him was that the other artists featured with the Band received the lion's share of press attention while the Bandsmen "who give their afternoons or evenings to assist, get no recognition at all". It was but another price of duty, he explained, especially since music had a unique role to play: "It is a most soothing influence in a troubled world. We can at least say that we, as a Band, have contributed our share in assisting the War Effort."

Alf Paxton's words also merit attention, uttered as they were in special times. There was a need, he emphasized, "for middle-aged and older members to stand fast". Other Brisbane Bands had already gone into recess for the balance of the War. Some had simply folded. Paxton exhorted his players to "hold the fort". To the Cornet line, he had special words. "Don't let us go out of business or be pushed out," he urged. In other ways, too, Alf Paxton maintained the banding faith as one bandsman who joined Brisbane Excelsior in 1942 observed half-a-century later. Jeff Herbert, who has been with Excelsior for fifty-two continuous years, regarded him as "a man ahead of his time" in musicianship, in ideas on banding, in the need for a professional approach to public performance. Jeff himself has been a tower of strength to the Band with his 21 years with the Northern Command Band as principal cornetist and 19 years as instructor on brass instruments with the Queensland Department of Education. He began banding on cornet with Maryborough's Boys' Band in 1936 under Sam Whitaker, and continued on cornet after he joined Brisbane Excelsior. In 1948, Jeff came second on Flugel Horn in the Queensland Championships, and finished second to Tom Roache on Bb Flat Cornet at the Southport Contest. With Tom Roache, Billy Wallace and Len Radford, he won the Quartet at the Ballarat Contest in 1949.

The year after Jeff Herbert first joined Brisbane Excelsior in 1943, there was an animated discussion on whether to reduce practice sessions from two nights to one. According to the Minutes, the motion "lost by a large majority". Buried in the Minutes of that Annual Meeting was a reference by Billy Veal to an A.B.C. radio broadcast:

"I am sure I would be unappreciative if I did not refer to the magnificent playing of Mr. Les Baxter and Mr. Tom Roache in the recent Broadcast. Both soloists were in excellent form and their items were almost faultless."

There was also a reference to a ballot for an adjudicator for a solo contest.Dr. Dalley-Scarlett, eminent musician from the University of Queensland, was chosen. Such contests, however, were small and modest affairs at local band level. During World War 11, no Q.B.A. Band Contests were held. In 1946, Brisbane Excelsior resumed contesting at the Ipswich Contest which was won by Maryborough under the baton of the celebrated "Massa" Johnson, one of what was colloquially known as "the big triumvirate" (as Allan Napier puts it): Harry Schugg, J.J. Kelly, and "Massa" Johnson - three of the biggest names in Australian banding. The photograph of Brisbane Excelsior, led by Captain James Compton, reveals clearly the blending of old and new. Billy Veal and Frank de Hayr, foundation members, are to be seen along with new faces. Also clearly visible on the big bass drum is the Band's logo featuring the Australian flag.

On 19 July 1948, a special meeting of the Band was convened to discuss playing at public concerts and in New Farm Park under the sponsorship of ETA Peanuts, Tristrams and Peters' Delicacies. It was a matter of enormous moment, and Brisbane Excelsior at last decided to proceed with the deal by which they were guaranteed 10 pounds per performance. Down the track, that decision was ultimately to lead to another important name change. The Band was in keen demand, the following year Radio Station 4BK signing the Band to a contract worth 300 pounds over twelve months for twenty-six performances.

In 1949, a more ambitious project was undertaken: a visit to Ballarat, the Mecca of band-music in Australia, in order to compete for the "holy grail". It was a huge undertaking requiring much husbanding of resources and a vigorous campaign of fund-raising to raise the necessary money. Brisbane was wholly behind the endeavour, with massive crowds turning out to greet the Band as it marched through city streets on its way to South Brisbane Railway Station. On route, at the Sydney stopover, the Band gave a performance at Bondi Beach Pavilion, before resuming travel southwards. It was a marvellously successful tour although no major trophies were won. St. Kilda won the A Grade Championship from Ballarat and Brisbane Excelsior, although individual players performed admirably. Colin J.Thomas won the Eb Tuba Solo Championship, Bob Campbell-Stewart the Junior Open, and Billy Wallace the Horn Solo. Tom Roache was third on Bb Cornet and Cliff Reece fourth. Brisbane Excelsior also won the Brass Quartet. Existing photographs of the historic visit also reveal that Billy Veal, foundation President, managed to establish contact with Australia's much-loved Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, during a break in a Victorian Park. Jeff Herbert recalls with gratitude the part played by 4BK in employing the Band for its Sunday recitals during which over 200 different band tunes were performed without a single repeat.

It was actually this special mission south which brought E.Selby and Brisbane Excelsior together. Keen to attend the Contest himself, Selby sought permission to travel with the Band and stay with them. Captain Compton thought that it would be "an excellent cover in the event of accident to any of the Band's regular trombonists", and agreed, with the stipulation that Selby "adhere to the discipline of the Band". For this special occasion in Ballarat, the Band had new uniforms made by A.J.Longson's firm. The very first public appearance of that uniform was during the street collection march on the way to South Brisbane Railway Station. It is of note that during the forties, one young Tenor Horn player in the Band - Alex Henderson - was dispatched overseas to the famous Kneller Hall, the training centre for British Army Bandmasters to learn the skills of their trade. Alex Henderson returned to Australia ultimately to become Director of Music in the Australian Army, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

In 1951, Brisbane Excelsior won the A Grade title at Murwillumbah, the group photograph clearly showing not only the existing band uniform but names and faces which have become part of the Band's rich history. Col Thomas (tuba) is in the mid-back row next to celebrated Drum Major R.Pickering. Cyril Radford, already valued percussionist, was to be principal percussionist for decades to come. The back row also shows E.Selby, gifted trombonist, who was Queensland Champion Bb Trombonist in 1949 and Jubilee Champion of Champions at the Murwillumbah Contest in 1951. In the front, amongst others, are to be seen Jeff Herbert, Billy Wallace, Len Radford and Bert Williams, wonderful stalwarts of Brisbane Excelsior. Father and son cornetists, E. and T. Roache, are also shown. They finished second and third respectively in the Champion of Champions judging. Brisbane Excelsior, overall Champion band, won every event, although the A Grade Street March had been a narrow victory from Brisbane Waterside and Brisbane Model Bands in front of some 2000 spectators. On the occasion, the Adjudicator, A.H. Baile, described the three finalists as outstanding, but the winning band - unidentified except by number - stood out even amongst the top three. Billy Veal was ecstatic, attributing Brisbane Excelsior's success to months of hard work. "The only key to success is intense rehearsal, " he told the Murwillumbah press: "For the last two months, Captain James Compton has practised our players every Sunday and Tuesday."

At Rockhampton in 1953, Brisbane Excelsior again performed well. J.Butt, on E Flat Bass, became Champion of Champions. Until nine months earlier, he had played only Euphonium, changing only at the suggestion of Captain Compton. A Railway Department employee, Mr. Butt had been stationed in Rockhampton from 1934 until 1942, during which period he had played with both the Rockhampton City and the Rockhampton Federal Bands. He had actually been a bandsman since 1923 when he had first joined the Ipswich Model Band and learned to play Euphonium. In 1930, he had won the Champion of Champions title at Nambour, and in 1934, had won the Open Duet title with E.T. Roache. In 1935, he won the Novice Euphonium title at Bundaberg. E.Roache also drew special praise from the adjudicator for exquisite playing on tenor cornet at the 1953 Contest. It was the "Old Buffers" entrants who attained the artistry which the Adjudicator said he had been seeking since the Rockhampton Contest began. The playing was excellent, he told the local paper, "and it touched him to find men of that age giving such artistic performances." The newspaper report quoted his words:

"Mr. Roache, who played Silver Threads among the Gold, had given a performance that was a musical treat. The player displayed splendid control and he had never heard better soprano playing."

The next day, he won the Open Duet with son Tom. Brisbane Excelsior and South Brisbane Federal were joint winners of the A Grade championship.

Present at the Contest was Norm Henstridge whose life had virtually been spent in banding. He had commenced at the age of eight on Bb Cornet, arriving in Brisbane from his native Melbourne in 1933 and winning the Queensland Champion of Champions title. His last contest was in 1949 at which he again won the Champion of Champions title on Bb Cornet. In October 1955, Norm Henstridge became Conductor of Brisbane Excelsior, reporting eight months later at the Annual Meeting that he was "quite satisfied" with both support from bandsmen and attendance. That year, Brisbane Excelsior had relinquished its title as Queensland Champion but not its standing in public opinion. At the Mackay Contest in 1955, it had actually shared honours with South Brisbane Federal Band , each scoring 373 points. It was the first time such a complication had arisen, the Queensland Band Association being compelled to adjudicate on the difficult dilemma. At individual events, Brisbane Excelsior won the A Grade Test Selection (93 points to South Brisbane Federal's 91, and third), was unplaced in the Hymn section (at which South Brisbane Federal finished second), was second to South Brisbane Federal in the A Grade Test Selection No.2 (94 points to 93), and second in the Street March (South Brisbane Federal unplaced). Brisbane Excelsior also won the Best Set of Drummers trophy.

At a meeting that year, Billy Veal made reference to a forthcoming presentation of Dr. Robert Dalley-Scarlett's world-famous composition, "The Messiah", in which Brisbane Excelsior was to be involved. Dalley-Scarlett, of course, was the inaugural Head of the Faculty of Music at the University of Queensland and the world premiere in Brisbane was perhaps the outstanding event of the City's musical calendar. It is interesting to note that reference was also made at that meeting to a recent attempt to have all players from the Australian Army Northern Command Band excluded from registration with the Q.B.A. It failed since these players were vital members of the amateur bands as well. In 1956, Colin Topp was elected Band Sergeant, the first of the duties to be performed by this outstanding contributor to Brisbane Excelsior. From a boyhood on his parents farm and on cattle stations, Colin served with the Northern Command Army Band from 1950 to 1956, thereafter being a continuous member of Brisbane Excelsior. His enduring love for brass instruments had been awakened in the family home at the age of nine, his skill, particularly on Euphonium at which he was Queensland Champion a number of times, being mirrored in his rapid elevation to Deputy Musical Director and the subsequent formation of his much-acclaimed group, "Topp Brass".

At the State Contest in 1957, success again eluded Brisbane Excelsior, but not individual soloists. Tom Roache won the Champion of Champions title at the Toowoomba Contest, and competent judges observed that "they had never heard better playing" than the Band's performance in the March. Norm Henstridge commented on the perfect balance: "You could hear the fine passages!" The Eta Concert Band ( Brisbane Excelsior) won the A Grade diagram march from the highly-favoured Preston Municipal whose Drum Major was Mr. Jack Marchingo, today Queensland's deeply-respected Q.B.A. Secretary (retired). Jack Marchingo graciously stepped down as Drum Major to lead the massed bands, to allow Eta's Neville Smith (filling in for Drum Major Pickering) to take his place. It was also the year in which Brisbane Excelsior linked up with the Zillmere Marching Girls and the long reign of Drum Major Pickering approached its end. At the Annual Meeting, Mr. Pickering thanked bandsmen for their support and expressed the hope that they "would soon get a young man whom he could help to take his place". By 1962, there was such a man, Bernie Hoesman, who was to become not only valued cornetist, Drum Major and Assistant Musical Director, but a much-respected professional musician at North Brisbane C.A.E. (later Queensland University of Technology). Bernie had actually joined Excelsior at the pressing of a teaching colleague, Col Thomas's mother a couple of years earlier. In October 1958, Brisbane Excelsior formed its historic connection with National Foods Pty. Ltd., the Company's Queensland Manager, E.Olsen, agreeing to sponsor the Band for 500 pounds per annum. The money, a huge windfall at the time, was to be paid in quarterly sums, and in return Brisbane Excelsior was to become known as the "ETA CONCERT BAND". It was the commencement of a fruitful association to last a decade. There were other noteworthy events, too, at the time. The Bandsmen received a new uniform, the old ones being sold to Bullen Brothers' Circus in June 1959. In March 1959, the Band made a wedding presentation to its Principal Percussionist, Ken Clark, later to join the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. In August 1960, ill-health compelled Norm Henstridge to submit a verbal resignation, the vacant position of Musical Director being widely advertised. In July 1961, Colin J.Thomas was appointed to take his place, the wisdom of the decision amply demonstrated in the ensuing two-and-a-half decades in which he guided the Band's musical fortunes to new highs.