Top Secret Drum Corps

Top Secret Drum Corps is a precision drum corps based in Basel, Switzerland. With 25 drummers and flag twirlers, the corps became famous for its demanding six-minute routine performed at the Edinburgh Tattoo in 2003. With its invitation to Edinburgh, Top Secret became one of the first non-military, non-British Commonwealth acts to perform on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle.

Since its success in 2003, Top Secret was invited to return to Edinburgh in 2005 with a new and improved routine. Under the leadership of Erik Julliard, the band is also responsible for the founding of the Basel Tattoo, a military tattoo show similar to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, now held annually in Basel.

Drumming style

Top Secret has its roots in the rich drumming traditions of the band's home city, Basel, Switzerland, which is known for its annual carnival called Fasnacht. The city is said to have over 3,000 active drummers at any one time. These drummers perform at traditional events such as Fasnacht, the Vogel Gryff, Charivari, and various parades associated with the city's guilds. A Trommelkonig (Drummer King) competition is also held every year by the city's Fasnacht Committee.

Basel drumming style is militaristic, derived from the military drumming drills of Swiss soldiers dating back the Middle Ages. Top Secret in many ways adheres to the military nature of Basel drumming, but differs in many respects. Its drummers play at a much faster rate. Also, while traditional Basel drumming is somber and favors traditional marching tunes (accompanied by fifes during the Fasnacht), Top Secret's drumming style is upbeat and playful. Segments of their routines feature a "rhumba", a drummer's duel, drumstick juggling, exploding flagpoles, and other humorous details. Perhaps because of their 18th Century uniforms and precision work, the band is often referred to a military band or a part of the Swiss Army, but it is not affiliated with any military unit.

Members

Top Secret's members are highly dedicated drummers with diverse day jobs -- bankers, civil servants, factory workers, etc. They give up their free time to practice nearly every day of the year. Due to the demanding nature of the work, its membership is frequently changing.

Controversy

Traditional drumming society in Basel initially frowned on Top Secret's style of drumming but came to accept the band after its success in Edinburgh. Yet many stalwart Basel drummers still do not consider the band's drumming to be "Basel drumming" and are careful to make the distinction.

During the 2005 Fasnacht, Top Secret made local headlines with a prank meant to poke fun at the stringent rules of the Basel carnival. At issue was a policy which forbids foreigners from marching in the Morgestraich. Top Secret circulated news that it had invited a band from Dubai to march at the event. The "Dubai band" then appeared in costume at a press conference where angry carnival bolsters expressed their outrage. When the "Dubai band" revealed itself as Top Secret members in disguise, many Fasnacht participants and organizers were not amused.

Ongoing success

Since its 2003 performance at Edinburgh, Top Secret has enjoyed worldwide success. It has performed at various venues in Europe, the United States, and Australia.

They are the subject of a documentary film by Swiss television which recounts their rise to fame at the Edinburgh Tattoo. A feature film based on the Edinburgh endeavor is currently in the works with Insert Films, Switzerland.

External links

* [http://www.topsecretbasel.ch Official Web Page of Top Secret Drum Corps ]
* [http://www.drummerworld.com/watchlistdrummers/Top_Secret_Drum_Corps.html Drummerworld] website featuring a video of Top Secret at the 2003 Edinburgh Tattoo.