I was a band geek for almost all my school years. I started in 4th grade and kept right on going through college. Mainly because my mama bought me a flute in 4th grade---I asked for a clarinet: potato/potatoe---and she said I would have to play it the rest of my life. I perdy much do what she says. She is the boss of me.
This PostSecret just cracked (tee hee!) me up. I can't say I ever went commando in my marching uni, at least in high school...but I think I marched drunk a few times in college,
so it's anyone's guess if I was commando or not.
I met some of my best friends in band...good times. And band geeks (Band-O's if you went to Butte High in the 80's) like to drink, a lot, wherever they go. The chaperones used to check our luggage before band trips and SMELL all our shampoo/conditioner/water bottles, looking for alcohol. Tip: stash it in your instrument case. Doesn't work well if you play the piccolo so make friends with the tuba player.
Bands always get roped into playing for all kinds of crazy events. Our high school band played at the opening of the McDonald's in my home town. Am I the only one that finds that weird? Did then. Still do.
We also played for volleyball matches (fans and players hated us) and for wrestling matches. [I have nothing against either sport. It's just that the fans, athletes and coaches didn't really want us there. We didn't really want to be there. We already played for every football and boys/girls basketball games, and every parade in town. It was some some kind of Title IX/equal access thing in the 80's, I think.] The wrestling coach at my high school (he holds some national record for number of state titles...creepy little guy with cauliflower ears) asked us to just play the same song after each match: the theme from the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. [This is one of my favorite Olympics. It's the one where Torvill & Dean skated to Ravel's Bolero and brought down the house with perfect 10's in artistic impression. First time ever in ice dancing. Sorry hockey mates...I'm still a figure skater at heart, and sometimes when I'm skating now in full hockey gear. Just ask Coach about my pretty flamingo leg extension. I was in figure skating back in '84, so...leave me alone. I can tell you that the Soviet hockey team defeated the Fins in 1984 for the gold. So there.] My fingers still know the notes to that damn theme song. It's one of those tunes that once it's in your head, it's not going anywhere. What is that all about? And the wrestling coach dictates the music? Weird.
My college marching band played for a dedication of a veteran's memorial. We were all SO hungover and it was a super somber event. I just remember thinking, please gawd, don't let me vomit in my sax. And being the jokesters that band geeks are, it was hard to keep a straight face with all the comments and innuendos flying around. Funny and sad at the same time.
My music career has come in handy in life. A couple years ago, my friend U1 (Ugly 1), [we have a U2 & a U3 in our circle---it's a term of endearment, I promise. I'm one of the U's. Don't go feeling all bad for the Uglies.] and I played a sax duet of the Star Spangled Banner at our state hockey tourney. I thought it might be cheesy, but we got a ton of compliments. One of the player's mother came up to us in tears about what a special moment it was. Ummmm....it's a women's REC HOCKEY LEAGUE! Weird. My team lost in the championship game in a shootout. Not weird. Just disappointing.
This PostSecret just cracked (tee hee!) me up. I can't say I ever went commando in my marching uni, at least in high school...but I think I marched drunk a few times in college,
so it's anyone's guess if I was commando or not.I met some of my best friends in band...good times. And band geeks (Band-O's if you went to Butte High in the 80's) like to drink, a lot, wherever they go. The chaperones used to check our luggage before band trips and SMELL all our shampoo/conditioner/water bottles, looking for alcohol. Tip: stash it in your instrument case. Doesn't work well if you play the piccolo so make friends with the tuba player.
Bands always get roped into playing for all kinds of crazy events. Our high school band played at the opening of the McDonald's in my home town. Am I the only one that finds that weird? Did then. Still do.
We also played for volleyball matches (fans and players hated us) and for wrestling matches. [I have nothing against either sport. It's just that the fans, athletes and coaches didn't really want us there. We didn't really want to be there. We already played for every football and boys/girls basketball games, and every parade in town. It was some some kind of Title IX/equal access thing in the 80's, I think.] The wrestling coach at my high school (he holds some national record for number of state titles...creepy little guy with cauliflower ears) asked us to just play the same song after each match: the theme from the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. [This is one of my favorite Olympics. It's the one where Torvill & Dean skated to Ravel's Bolero and brought down the house with perfect 10's in artistic impression. First time ever in ice dancing. Sorry hockey mates...I'm still a figure skater at heart, and sometimes when I'm skating now in full hockey gear. Just ask Coach about my pretty flamingo leg extension. I was in figure skating back in '84, so...leave me alone. I can tell you that the Soviet hockey team defeated the Fins in 1984 for the gold. So there.] My fingers still know the notes to that damn theme song. It's one of those tunes that once it's in your head, it's not going anywhere. What is that all about? And the wrestling coach dictates the music? Weird.
My college marching band played for a dedication of a veteran's memorial. We were all SO hungover and it was a super somber event. I just remember thinking, please gawd, don't let me vomit in my sax. And being the jokesters that band geeks are, it was hard to keep a straight face with all the comments and innuendos flying around. Funny and sad at the same time.
My music career has come in handy in life. A couple years ago, my friend U1 (Ugly 1), [we have a U2 & a U3 in our circle---it's a term of endearment, I promise. I'm one of the U's. Don't go feeling all bad for the Uglies.] and I played a sax duet of the Star Spangled Banner at our state hockey tourney. I thought it might be cheesy, but we got a ton of compliments. One of the player's mother came up to us in tears about what a special moment it was. Ummmm....it's a women's REC HOCKEY LEAGUE! Weird. My team lost in the championship game in a shootout. Not weird. Just disappointing.
You can identify the Uglies because we have this sticker on our cars. Although, U2 is in Singapore and I don't think she has a car there...
2 comments:
Oh man, that wasn't cheezy - I thought it was a great rendition!
It was musically accurate, in tune and kept tempo. Those are my three pet peeves about the Anthem at sporting events. Get the dotted-eighth-sixteen notes correct. For gawd sakes sing or play in tune or get the F off the stage. And lastly, it's not a funeral durge---keep it moving! We had the same music professor in college and he taught us well! :) Maybe I should offer our services to the DWHL this year. HAHAHAHA!
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