Old Band Geeks...Show Yourselves!

[MineralMan]

Someone brought up the Rose Parade, which made me think of my old high school band days. 1959-1963. We marched in the 1962 Rose Parade. I was the band's oboist, so I got to be drum major the last two years. It was a small town, but we had over 100 members in the band, which spent a lot of time going places, even on overnight trips.

Band Geeks Rule!

[lizziegrace]

1. Yahoo!!

Flute in marching bands in Texas and Tennessee. From 1972-1978. Then in college marching band on scholarship for 2 years. I played bassoon during concert season.

:hi: Nice to meet a fellow double-reed player.

[MineralMan]

2. An ill wind nobody blows good...

for the oboe, anyhow. I met a really adorable bassoon player in an honor band once, but that's another story altogether.

I didn't play in college, but picked the oboe back up in my 30s and played in a woodwind quintet for several years after that. Gave it up again, though, due to lack of time.

[lizziegrace]

3. I haven't played in 25 years

My family couldn't afford a bassoon and I haven't been able to since. I always played school instruments.

If I ever hit the lottery, my first purchase is a Puchner bassoon.

I tried playing oboe for a while. Thought my head would explode. Too much air to move through a tiny reed...

Thanks for bringing back some memories. :)

[MineralMan]

4. I guess the band geeks haven't gotten out of bed yet....typical...

[Silver Swan]

5. Our school was so small

that the band geeks had to play dual roles as athletes and class officers, etc.

I was in the band, but all the cool kids were. There was no "geekiness" about it (unless the ability to read music is a geeky skill.)

I played an alto horn for marching and a French horn in concert band. In fact, I was in high school band for five years, 1959-1964. I was asked to join as an eighth grader because the band director needed French horn players.

I didn't own a horn in high school, I played school instruments. I bought a French horn at a yard sale several years ago, so I finally have my own. There is a community band in my town that always needs French horn players, and welcomes all skill levels. Maybe I should join.

[whistler162]

9. Must have been a rough football game when the band played.

[Silver Swan]

22. Nah

The guys who played football didn't play in marching band during football season.

However, another small town that our school played against actually had football players, in their football uniforms, marching with the band during halftime!

[MilesColtrane]

6. I played clarinet, and later, marching french horn.

Ah yes, no one knew how to party like those band girls in the back of the bus.

good times...good times

[MineralMan]

12. Yowza! Band Bus Follies....

Then there were the overnight trips. We always ended up in some dumpy hotel. The band director was fooling around with one of the other adult chaperones, and the other adult chaperones headed for the bar (and were probably fooling around with each other, too). Of course, that meant that 100 teenagers were essentially unsupervised.

A cartoon was what it was, to be sure. A risque sort of cartoon, to boot.

(Disclaimer: Not all of the students in the band were part of this sort of hijinx. Truly. If you have a child in the band, I'm certain that your child does not participate in anything unseemly or against the rules. It is only the rowdy set that does these things. Thank you for your attention.)

[FanGrrl]

7. re: old band geeks

band geeks do rule i never was one but the are awesome :-) :fistbump:

[nytemare]

8. I was a band geek jockette!

If I wasn't marching, I was running the bases on one softball team or another.

I played clarinet/bass clarinet. I was trying to petition the jazz band leader to allow a clarinetist, but he wouldn't go for it. He said I thought jazz was too swingy.

[MineralMan]

13. Bass clarinet players give great embouchure!

Or so I hear...

[Aristus]

10. I am the ultimate band geek. I played the tuba.

B-)

[lizziegrace]

11. You've recovered well

:)


:hug:

[Aristus]

20. I've got a picture somewhere; I'll have to scan it in for you.

B-)

[lizziegrace]

25. Here's one of me

from a newspaper story about those who made all-region and all-state.

[Aristus]

30. Wow! You look terrific!

Such a beautiful smile... :loveya:

[lizziegrace]

35. Awww...

:blush:

I was 16 then. Wow. That was a long, long time ago. :wow:

[Aristus]

39. Found it! Poor quality, but that's me on the left:

[MineralMan]

32. You were too cute...

[lizziegrace]

34. You know us double reed players

;)

[MineralMan]

37. Well, there is that.

A fine-looking class of band geeks, certainly, the double-reed players.

[MineralMan]

17. Ha! My wife played the tuba.

I knew there was something I liked about her, first time I saw her.

[supernova]

14. I played the flute. Anyone else go to competitions?

:hi:

:D

Yes, I was in symphonic band, concert band, pep band, and the ad hoc "orchestra" we put together for musicals. :D

I love band. :-)

Going to competitions was always fun. We spent all day at these, messing around and then performing for the judges. :D We even cut a record one year.

[Paladin]

15. Trombone Guy, Here

So you know I've mastered seven positions, at least......

[MineralMan]

16. And those glissandos...well...enough said...

[ogneopasno]

18. I was a bandie hanger-on. Wasn't in the marching band, but played string bass with the concert

band (it was the same thing). Sister was drum major for two years.

[MountainLaurel]

19. Flute and flag corps in high school marching band

Flute and oboe in concert band. Played piccolo in college marching band.

How do you tune two piccolo players?

.
.
.
.
.
.
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You shoot one of 'em.

[erinlough]

21. Band Geek then and now!

I played Sax in 1970's in high school. My son played many instruments in high school band and started a Color guard unit for competition, My husband and I traveled around with the group to move equiptment, we called ourselves the erection crew!!! Then my son earned a spot in a Drum Corp called the Cavaliers out of Rosemont in Chicago. He marched every summer with them and won two world championships with them in the late 90's. I have kept on traveling with them as a volunteer since he aged out. I love the people and the activity. Band Geeks Rule!!!

[SOteric]

23. Flute, piccolo, percussion and melodic percussion.

(I guess I was an overacheiver even in high school.)

We called ourselves 'Banned Geeks.'

[Wapsie B]

24. High School and College band geek.

Kinda wish now I coulda been in the Stanford marching band. But besides the expense and distance from home my high school grades wouldn't have been good enough for that school.

[WinkyDink]

26. My h.s. band performed at the 1964 NY World's Fair. I played trombone. Today's "British"

h.s. band (Liberty Grenadiers) was from my little town of Bethlehem, PA.

[DS1]

27. While those college bands are nothing but fucking awful racket-machines

it's better than hearing the opening riff to Welcome to the Jungle between every goddamn play

[csziggy]

28. I wasn't in band but I was a band roadie for my sister

She was a clarinetist, oboist, reed virtuoso and the high school band played everywhere while she was in band. My parents went along so I had to as a child. Sis was in the All-American Marching Band (before McDonald's tacked their name on) in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC in 1963 so she was your East Coast equivalent in the same time period.

For that little town we had a great marching band until the band director retired. Now he directs the community adult orchestra and they are really great - well worth attending their concerts.

[elshiva]

29. I played the trombone in elementary school

And one time at band camp...

[MineralMan]

31. No you di'n't!

[elshiva]

33. No, I didn't go to Band Camp! I just loved that movie.

:)

[MineralMan]

36. Well, you should have gone to band camp...

it's all true. :evilgrin:

[elshiva]

38. Heehee!

:)