[76lsjumb]

Sorry to hear it is so hard to get decent musicians these days.  Our high school of maybe 1,500 had a 300-person strong marching band, divided into two halves for daily practice.  All spots through tryouts. It was just a garden variety public high school, nothing magnetic about it.  For whatever reason we had a lot of musicians. Top trumpeter went to Julliard. #2 guy went to Eastman, #3 was really good too, but I think she became a EE, #4 went to Berklee SOM, somebody went to Yale for music, etc. Maybe times have changed. I don't go to high school games outside the WCAL, and I think only Riordan and St. Francis even have bands.

Anyway, maybe they can learn to tune the sinks and skateboards and it'll sound a little better.

It's not impossible to get decent musicians for the LSJUMB -- at least one I know of has gone on to win a Pulitzer Prize for music composition -- but, unlike University of Illinois and many other "traditional marching band" schools, you're  not likely to get vast numbers of LSJUMB members who aspire to Juilliard, Eastman, etc.  There just isn't enough time in the day to perfect those elite musical talents in wind ensemble, orchestra, etc., pass all your other courses, AND attend rehearsals/games for football shows.  Occasionally, you get folks who like to give concussions to mice -- [url]http://mmqb.si.com/2014/04/17/mouse-concussions-nfl-cte[url], but, for the most part, you need to find people who are willing to spend boatloads of time for one unit because they like sports [including not just football, but women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, the occasional men's and women's soccer games, all-campus rallies, etc.] AND who are also pretty good musicians and/or willing to spend a fair amount of time taking lessons to become good musicians.

Also, you are correct that the Toejam Band [quite often] attempts to spoof the LSJUMB.  Almost always makes for an awkward performance, there is indeed a lot of booing, but no one, to my knowledge, has EVER taken the time to write an Open Letter to U.SC about it [after all, why do that when you can respond by doing a show about their famous "Girls Gone Wild" director alumnus? Of course, when the Toejams do that show, it sure looks like -- and sources have confirmed after speaking with them on various occasions -- they are having a lot of fun.

Speaking of famous alumni, I don't think I have seen any comments [although I may have missed them] in the context of this whole disrespecting Iowa discussion about the competing "famous  person" interviews done at the Rose Bowl.  Our representative:  Condi Rice.  Iowa's:  Tom Arnold.

'Nuff said.

[76lsjumb]

Sorry to hear it is so hard to get decent musicians these days.  Our high school of maybe 1,500 had a 300-person strong marching band, divided into two halves for daily practice.  All spots through tryouts. It was just a garden variety public high school, nothing magnetic about it.  For whatever reason we had a lot of musicians. Top trumpeter went to Julliard. #2 guy went to Eastman, #3 was really good too, but I think she became a EE, #4 went to Berklee SOM, somebody went to Yale for music, etc. Maybe times have changed. I don't go to high school games outside the WCAL, and I think only Riordan and St. Francis even have bands.

Anyway, maybe they can learn to tune the sinks and skateboards and it'll sound a little better.

It's not impossible to get decent musicians for the LSJUMB -- at least one I know of has gone on to win a Pulitzer Prize for music composition -- but, unlike University of Illinois and many other "traditional marching band" schools, you're  not likely to get vast numbers of LSJUMB members who aspire to Juilliard, Eastman, etc.  There just isn't enough time in the day to perfect those elite musical talents in wind ensemble, orchestra, etc., pass all your other courses, AND attend rehearsals/games for football shows.  Occasionally, you get folks who like to give concussions to mice -- [url]http://mmqb.si.com/2014/04/17/mouse-concussions-nfl-cte[url], but, for the most part, you need to find people who are willing to spend boatloads of time for one unit because they like sports [including not just football, but women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, the occasional men's and women's soccer games, all-campus rallies, etc.] AND who are also pretty good musicians and/or willing to spend a fair amount of time taking lessons to become good musicians.

Also, you are correct that the Toejam Band [quite often] attempts to spoof the LSJUMB.  Almost always makes for an awkward performance, there is indeed a lot of booing, but no one, to my knowledge, has EVER taken the time to write an Open Letter to U.SC about it [after all, why do that when you can respond by doing a show about their famous "Girls Gone Wild" director alumnus? Of course, when the Toejams do that show, it sure looks like -- and sources have confirmed after speaking with them on various occasions -- they are having a lot of fun.

Speaking of famous alumni, I don't think I have seen any comments [although I may have missed them] in the context of this whole disrespecting Iowa discussion about the competing "famous  person" interviews done at the Rose Bowl.  Our representative:  Condi Rice.  Iowa's:  Tom Arnold.

'Nuff said.