The trumpeter heard belting out tunes during the current Ashes series is a renowned musician who has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment.
Simon Finch took over from long-time Barmy Army trumpeter Billy Cooper in 2020 and has been heard at grounds around the world over the last few years. The role of revving up England’s fanatical cricket supporters is a vital one, with the players regularly highlighting how much the noise created by the Barmy Army helps them on the field.
It’s unlikely he has ever been daunted by the job, given the stars he has worked with in his day job. One of the most respected trumpeters in the country, Finch has worked with Liam Gallagher, Kanye West, Blur, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Paul Weller and Florence & The Machine, to name just a few.
One of his most famous collaborations was with Kayne, providing backing for the iconic hit ‘All of the Lights’. Finch, who has played at Glastonbury, also composes and produces his own music, going by the moniker of ‘Shwaa’.
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He has been particularly visible during the fourth Ashes Test, where he parped the ‘Green Escape’ theme in front of Old Trafford’s 8,000-seater party stand.
Earlier this year, he was part of the Barmy Army party for England’s tour to New Zealand, where he, or to be exact his trumpet, suffered a mishap.
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The instrument was taken, dropped and damaged by a local fan during the first Test at Mount Maunganui, leaving it bent out of shape and out of tune. As a result, it looked set to fall silent for the second Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
However, the news reached New Zealand Cricket, who arranged to have it fixed by Wellington-based expert Brad Teal – and they even picked up the bill.
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New Zealand captain Tim Southee and fast bowler Matt Henry made the presentation to Finch on the eve of the match, with the musician thanking the pair for their “beautiful gesture”.
Handing over the horn, Southee said: “We did our best to try and get it fixed. We appreciate what you guys do. Hopefully we won’t hear too much of it but it’s always great to have you guys here.”
New Zealand went on to win the Test in dramatic fashion by just one run to level the two-match series 1-1.
