Oh what memories..........were you ever in a high school or college band?

[blueskies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvwABhIm_eE

Crank up the sound! My Alma Mater. Such great memories of marching down that ramp. It was pretty exciting and an honor when you were a kid. I'll never forget that. Anyone else have memories of their band years? I was sorry and horrified to read about the recent hazing incidents. Being in a band can be a very positive experience, which I was fortunate enough to have. Hope others did, too. This thread is about positive experiences.

[soulster]

Oh yes! I was a drummer in all the bands throughout grades 5-12, and even played in a R&B/rock band while in college.

[blueskies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1wbe...eature=related Try full screen for impact of the size of the place.

I was always jealous of the drummers. When I was in the band at OSU, the most coveted position was the Drum Major, after that, it was the drummers that were considered the 'elite'. I can still feel the excitement of the march into the stadium and then down the entrance ramp onto the field with the crowd screaming. A real thrill for just a kid and something I've always been grateful for the experience. Met a lot of nice people and some are still friends today. Learned a lot of being a team player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzIh2AjZszs&feature=related

[smark21]

Hopefully no one here was ever in the Florida A & M Marching Band, which seems to have taken hazing to new and deadly extremes.

[soulster]

Hopefully no one here was ever in the Florida A & M Marching Band, which seems to have taken hazing to new and deadly extremes.

Got some stories?

[smark21]

Got some stories?

YOu haven't heard the stories in the news? One member of the band died after a hazing session and a young woman had her leg broken after another hazing session got out of control. The band director of many years had to step down and now there are calls for the Chancellor of the college to resign.

[chidrummer]

blueskies,

I have very fond memories of my years in the University of Cincinnati Bearcat Marching Band. Some of those memories are absolutely crazy like getting a wild raccoon drunk on Jack Daniels during band camp. The entire percussion section practicing our parts in canoes on a lake. The whole band playing the Star Wars suite on a gorgeous star lit night at 3 in the morning to wake up our band director...

But, we got down to business too. The band's entrance to the stadium during pre-game hasn't changed much over the years. You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y12rc...eature=related

I had the pleasure of playing with them this past October during Homecoming. It was a blast seeing a bunch of my former band mates and marveling at the sound of this year's band. Bonus, we beat Louisville [[always a pleasure). Check out this year's band here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hi5BiFrG6Q

As the saying goes, half time IS game time!

[chidrummer]

Oh, I forgot to add, my cousin was one of OSU's drum majors - Dr. Oliver McGee. He followed Dwight Hudson back in '80.

[blueskies]

chidrummer,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFP3W0wGI6k

Wow....that's neat to know about your experiences at U of Cinci. Your cousin was a little after me at OSU. Rick Gammage was drum major when I was there. Jason Stuckert is the current OSU drum major, I believe. Above is his try-out. Impressive. That was cool with the percussion section playing in canoes out on the lake! Star Wars at 3AM....... I must say, you had some pretty great experiences!

[StuBass1]

I played in orchestras, stage bands, and jazz ensembles throughout Jr High and High school in Detroit. I was fortunate to be selected to perform in the Detroit Public Schools All City Orchestras. I had to give up my Saturday mornings for that but it was worth the experience. I was even inducted into an informal group of bass players called The Royal Knights of Bassists LOL. I wasn't hazed exactly, but after our final rehersal one year three of my fellow bassists took me downtown and I had to climb down a ladder near Cobo Hall and dip my foot into the Detroit River. I still remember those guys...Saul Stubbs, Zebidee Nelson, and Myron Poole LOL. I also played in a jazz quartet In high school with Demo Cates [[from The Fabulous Counts). They sent us around to several elementary and Jr High schools to try to get those kids interested in music education. I enjoyed the concerts we performed in. One day during a fire drill in gym class I got busted smoking by Mr Holmes the gym teacher. As he was hauling me off to the principals office he got surrounded by 10 or 15 students who told him that if I got suspended I couldn' t play in the spring concert the next night. He let me off the hook. Being a musician had it's advantages LOL.