From: aelman@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Adam Elman)
Subject: Re: Best marching band
Organization: CS Department, Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date:  8 Oct 92 04:34:01 GMT

bkowal@aludra.usc.edu (Brian A. Kowal) writes:

>>
>>You know, I have to stand up a little here for the LSJUMB.

>I have no problem in your pride of your band.

>>Truth is,
>>there are quite a few members of the Stanford Band who are not only
>>excellent musicians, but have also done a lot with some of the best
>>high school marching bands in the country.  Some have received awards
>>for marching band.

>Then why do we not see a more quality performance.

It _has_ been improving in recent years.  From what I've heard, '86
was a low point, and things have been steadily improving.  Still, one
of the problems is that Stanford students really don't have the time
to practice music and get ourselves up to the quality level required
by a traditional marching band.  So our musicality suffers, which is
something that we do need to deal with, and we are trying.

>>If Stanford really wanted to put together a
>>traditional marching band, we've certainly got the talent to do it.

>There are enough traditional bands, keep Stanford unique - but please
>do it with class!!

>I have seen the Stanford band from 1986 till present.  I like the idea
>of making fun of things, but you guys are so poor and crude at doing
>so that no one likes to listen or watch.  I have often read the Bay
>Area newspapers indicate their displeasure at the Stanford band.  If
>you are trying to change your image and actually try to please the
>crowd with your satire - Great!  I'll be looking forward to seeing you
>guys on November 7.  Otherwise, please don't waste your time or ours.

Actually, now that I think of it, I can understand your opinion.  The
fact is, since I've joined the band, both of our USC shows were
actually pretty lame.  Two years ago, we had very little time for our
halftime show (which, by the way, was further cut because your band
went over their alloted time -- thanks a lot) and the formation we did
didn't work well -- the entire trumpet section ended up several beats
off the rest of the band.  And the show we did last year in L.A. was
pretty lame, if I remember correctly -- the show was originally funny,
but had a pretty bad script.  We're actually much better than those
two examples -- hopefully you'll see that when you visit in November.

>>However, very few people here, certainly not the folks in the LSJUMB,
>>feel like they _have_ 20-40 hours per week to do things like
>>disappearing diamonds and straight lines. We'd rather spend our ~8
>>hours per week to run around on the field,

>On the field, many bands have alot of fun... some just don't want to
>admit it and act like martyrs.  Most bands party harder than most
>Fraternities, we all have our fun, it just depends when.  The Stanford
>band likes to get drunk before their shows, and urinate on their own
>field (1986, I saw it - with many other fellow USC Trojan Marching
>Band members.  Total lack of class.)

OK -- I wasn't there then, so I didn't know that.  However, I have
_never_ seen that take place, and would guess that no current band
member would do it (well, at least not the ones I can deal with, which
is most of the band).  The majority of the current band actually does
have a bit of class.

>  Last year the Stanford band had
>the equivalent of an entire liquer store confiscated from them before
>they entered into the Coliseum.  There is a time and place... If they
>wanted their alcohol so bad they could have bought beer (since the
>Coliseum is the only Pac-10 Stadium to sell it - They stopped selling
>it at Stanford due to all the fights.)

Actually, what was confiscated was a large amount of empty bottles,
which we take to the Coliseum to protest the fact that they search us
in the first place.  The band, to my knowledge, attempted to smuggle
in very little alchohol if any.

>>play music _we_ (and our
>>student body) like, and generally look like we're having lots of fun.
>>Which is something else that people seem to enjoy.

>Do not try to make out the Stanford band as being a good enjoyable
>band, until your image changes.  Your band likes to be drunk,
>irritating and rowdy all at the wrong time.

Funny -- most of us were completely sober, having a good time, and
being perfectly nice in the two games we've played against you (except
for the lameness of the shows, of course) since I've been here.  In
fact, it was the USC band that was taunting us before we took the
field at halftime, and generally being arrogant and rude -- not to
mention doing a satire of Stanford which, had it applied to USC and
had we done it, would have probably been considered EXTREMELY rude and
arrogant.  (Pretty funny, actually, IMHO.)  

Besides that, we still seem to have LOTS of fans, including our
current athletic director (who, for those of you still wondering,
lifted the suspension of the announcers on Monday), lots of alumni who
love us, and the vast majority of the Stanford student body.

>From what I have been hearing about the MOB, at Rice.  I would have
>really liked to see them - now they sound creative and funny!

Same here.  Wow -- we agree on something.  Incredible.

>Brian A. Kowal
>USC Trojan Marching Band Alum 86-90
>Fight On!

Adam Elman
LSJUMB '90-present
Fight Off!
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college