Musical ex-miners' top brass strike album deal

The release of the album of pop and classical tunes from colliery brass bands will mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the miners' strike.

Several of the bands contributing to the album are those who played in the 'loyalty parade' as miners returned to work as the infamous strike ended in March 1985.

The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, who provided the soundtrack to the 1994 film Brassed Off about miners' struggles against pit closure, are among the traditional bands featured. It is to be released by music giant Universal on March 1.

The Music Lives On Now The Mines Have Gone will include tracks ranging from classics such as Largo from the New World Symphony and Concerto de Aranjuez - usually played on classical guitar - to pop hits like McArthur Park and He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.

Other bands from across the UK showcased on the album include Kent's Betteshanger Brass, Scotland's Buckhaven & Methil Miners Brass Band, Point of Ayr in North Wales, Carlton Main (Frickley) Colliery, Desford Colliery Band and others which have played on together despite the closure of the mines.

Each of the contributing bands will receive a royalty from the sales, in a bid to help them survive another 25 years.

Brass bands have occasionally made their presence felt in the world of popular music.

In 1977 The Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band made an assault on the UK singles charts with The Floral Dance, reaching number two. And Jona Lewie's hit Stop the Cavalry featured a brass band backing.

In 1997, the Turner-prize winner Jeremy Deller collaborated with the Williams Fairey Brass Band to produce Acid Brass, an album of acid house and techno music performed by the traditional brass band.

This inspired Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty of The KLF who were joined by Acid Brass during their performance of F*** The Millennium at London's Barbican Arts Centre in September 1997, which was later released as a studio recording.