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The Million Dollar Band

CaliforniaTide

CaliforniaTide

All-American
Aug 9, 2006
3,618
14
57
Huntsville, AL
MasterShake said:
I found it interesting when we attended the Orange Bowl that Michigan's band has a physical requirement to be in the band. I don't think MDB will be doing any kind of dancing until some of the band members lay off the hot pockets.
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There are definitely some big MDB members. At the same time, UM's band does a totally different kind of marching than the MDB does. Those dudes are doing high knees while playing! Of course they're going to have a physical requirement. I know that the USC band does a much slower version of Michigan's marching but also don't do it all the time.
 
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Big_Fan

1st Team
Mar 1, 2001
644
0
0
Wilmore, KY, USA
UAMDB1 said:
Here's something...can you say SAME SHOW ALL YEAR!? One show, not three, not four, one. No wonder they do it so well. If I sit and do theoretical phsysics over and over and over everyday nonstop for a year by god i'll have it DOWN. Point is anybody can do what they do with the amount of repitition they do it in. Period.
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They used to play 2 shows. It was not much different musically...the drill was much easier though. JSU could not do 2 shows of that caliber each year...MDB could not do one show of that caliber in two years - not an insult, but a fact. The biggest difference is that the Southerners in that video marched 380...150 of which were also in drum and bugle corp...and over 300 of the southerners are music majors. The Southerners are in a different league. Comparing the MDB to them is like comparing the JSU football team to Alabama.

I just posted the video because I thought it might be enjoyed by band fans.
 
W

whitman

Scout Team
Dec 28, 2006
135
0
0
UAMDB1 said:
Here's something...can you say SAME SHOW ALL YEAR!? One show, not three, not four, one. No wonder they do it so well. If I sit and do theoretical phsysics over and over and over everyday nonstop for a year by god i'll have it DOWN. Point is anybody can do what they do with the amount of repitition they do it in. Period.
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Point of order: They don't always do one show. There have been several years recently when they have done two shows per year, plus a pregame, which makes three shows.

Also, they have about three times as much drill in their shows as SEC bands.

In terms of music, there shouldn't be any difference. Stuff the MDB used to play was just as hard as anything JSU plays. The new arrangements are very watered down in comparison to the past.

Truthfully, nothing else matters if SHOW DESIGN is lacking.
 
C

Crimson Pig

1st Team
Nov 29, 2004
924
0
0
What does being big have to do with it? I'm plenty large, but I can do what I need to when I put my mind to it, and I've got some band video to show you just that. People in band that complain about heat and the like are just people that need to realize that if they put their mind to something they can deal with whatever. Being overweight means I hurt a LOT. I deal. Being overweight makes heat even worse. I deal. Makes marching harder. I workout my lower calf muscles and deal.

As far as what caliber show we do, I don't know what to say. That'd Dr. Ozzello's stuff, but I won't complain. I'm just happy to be here.
 
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Crimson Pig

1st Team
Nov 29, 2004
924
0
0
And I seriously doubt anything the MDB used to play in the past was more complicated. I've done more musically technical stuff in the MDB than I ever did. Dr. Ozzello is very very nitpicky as far as intonation goes and that makes the hard stuff even harder. Not saying anything here is hard for me to play, but I won't say it's not technically difficult sometimes. I've heard Mrs. Scott's old band. Same dynamic and messy in places where Dr. O's stuff wouldn't be.

I also can't remember the last time I saw JSU start a year with their entire show on in the first game. From what my good friend on the drumline tells me that's almost never the case.
 
W

whitman

Scout Team
Dec 28, 2006
135
0
0
And I seriously doubt anything the MDB used to play in the past was more complicated.
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I played under Ms. Scott and Dr. O -- the Larry Kerchner arrangements were much more difficult. The tempos were generally faster and they had more notes in them. Chester was technically diffult, but there wasn't any "wow" factor to it with the crowd.

I also can't remember the last time I saw JSU start a year with their entire show on in the first game.
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No, but they'll have just as many drill sets, if not more, on the field than MDB does.

Go here and watch JSU's opener drill: Click Here

I counted 21 sets in just the opener. And those are difficult sets...not symmetrical straight lines at 4 step intervals and follow the leaders.

There's a reason they don't have the whole show on the field -- cuz they're doing THAT with 380 people.
 
C

Crimson Pig

1st Team
Nov 29, 2004
924
0
0
Agreed. I can't imagine JSU getting a better response here than we do. We don't get cheers because it's not, "My Home's in Alabama" and "Amazing Grace" or explosions every other Saturday.

If Dr. O dropped back to doing one or two shows we could do anything JSU could do. I don't see Dr. O doing that though.

I'd love to do something as technically challenging drill-wise as JSU. It'd give my butt a workout...I'd probably have a heart attack or something, but it'd be fun.

Getting 3 or 4 songs and 20-30 over three or four weeks(usually actually done in about 2)
vs.
Getting 1 song with 20-30 sets in 2 weeks, which leaves more time to work on the drill for said song, which would make it easily possible.

That'd be cool, but as I said, I'm just happy to be here.

It'd be an interesting showdown...us and JSU. I'm sure something great is planned for us to play.
 
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bamahuey1

1st Team
Jun 27, 2005
881
1
0
49
Wow, I'm actually enjoying reading this thread by all the "band geeks"! Just kidding, but there is some neat stuff out there about the band that I don't get to here very often! Kind of neat to think there's members in the band that have the same questions I do, and I appreciate those members who are sharing the info! BTW, thanks for all the hard work you past and present band members do! Much appreciated!
 
M

Mav^

3rd Team
Sep 11, 2005
245
0
0
38
If we would switch to military marching style, that would solve the problem. Texas A&M's band is amazing to watch in person. It gives me goosebumps to watch those guys perform, and I would never think about leaving my seat during halftime. With Alabama's band, I'm indifferent. I usually get out of my seat, because it just doesn't excite me to watch show-style bands. To me, it appears as if there's a lot more skill, time, and precision involved in military marching.

I'm not even supposed to like Texas A&M's band. In fact, I HATE A&M. Not because I'm an Alabama fan, but because I'm a Texas Longhorns fan. I shouldn't be awe-inspired when I hear their fight song. I shouldn't be awe-inspired when they move into their final formation, but that's the effect those guys have. I don't know how many other Texas fans would admit to everything I've said, but I do know that when I lived in Texas everybody I know thought their show was the best in the nation.

The enthusiasm of the fans during the introduction and throughout the performance is unrivaled. No school comes close to caring that much about their band than Texas A&M, and I'm jealous.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9fJSQt11E&mode=related&search=
 
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bamakeith

1st Team
Sep 21, 2005
506
0
0
44
Atlanta
As one of 10,000 ticket holders in the East Upper Deck, I implore the band: please move back to the corner!!! All I ever get is a 1.5 second delayed echo off the West Upper Deck, and only if its aluminum bleachers aren't covered over by people. Most times, I hear nothing at all.

And for Pete's sake, be interesting and be loud!

Thank you for listening. :cool:
 
U

uahitchguy

New Member
Jul 8, 2007
16
0
0
Unfortunately, nothing is going to change. I understand the situation. Anyone of us would do the job the way we thought that it should be done. Dr. Ozzello is doing what he thinks is right and running the band the way he sees his. It's his prerogative (thanks google. I didn't know that it was spelled that way) to do his job the way he wants to.

Do I agree with how he's doing his job......only about 15% of the time. He means well, but it's just his personality. Ms. Scott's personality was just more showy and extravagant at times and it came across to the crowd. Nothing is going to change as long as he is here. This will change only if people call/email President Witt and call/email the trustees enough to get on their nerves and make them listen. That is exactly what happened to the band director after Col. Butler. People and students were fed up with how things were going and they went to the school's president and got things changed. I'm not necessarily calling for Dr. O's head, but it only seems to be getting more boring every year it seems.
 
M

madamesnapper

1st Team
Jul 3, 2001
367
11
0
South of T-Town
I've been around both Dr. O and Ms. Scott for quite some time. Both are very fine directors with differing styles and both do/did an outstanding job.

This does not need to be a thread about one being better than the other. Dr. O is doing a great job and finding his own way as a director. Ms. Scott had some missteps along her way as well, but performed some very memorable shows. For those of you who choose to associate only her performances where "things blow up" denigrates some of us who marched or closely watched the band during the long scope of her career. I can assure you that no fireworks were used when we marched off the field to standing ovations at LSU (1987), Sugar Bowl (1989) and a host of other games.

Dr. O's time will come, so why can we not give props to both directors for what they did best? Does the MDB need to consider some changes to a few things? Possibly. When should we NOT reflect upon things we can do better? But I still love them and respect all the members AND their leaders, past and present.
 
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A

alextupelo

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2006
5,026
0
0
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
madamesnapper said:
I've been around both Dr. O and Ms. Scott for quite some time. Both are very fine directors with differing styles and both do/did an outstanding job.

This does not need to be a thread about one being better than the other. Dr. O is doing a great job and finding his own way as a director. Ms. Scott had some missteps along her way as well, but performed some very memorable shows. For those of you who choose to associate only her performances where "things blow up" denigrates some of us who marched or closely watched the band during the long scope of her career. I can assure you that no fireworks were used when we marched off the field to standing ovations at LSU (1987), Sugar Bowl (1989) and a host of other games.

Dr. O's time will come, so why can we not give props to both directors for what they did best? Does the MDB need to consider some changes to a few things? Possibly. When should we NOT reflect upon things we can do better? But I still love them and respect all the members AND their leaders, past and present.
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good post +1
 
W

WRhodesTider

1st Team
Jul 25, 2001
506
0
135
Birmingham, Al
Mav^ said:
If we would switch to military marching style, that would solve the problem. Texas A&M's band is amazing to watch in person. It gives me goosebumps to watch those guys perform, and I would never think about leaving my seat during halftime. With Alabama's band, I'm indifferent. I usually get out of my seat, because it just doesn't excite me to watch show-style bands. To me, it appears as if there's a lot more skill, time, and precision involved in military marching.

I'm not even supposed to like Texas A&M's band. In fact, I HATE A&M. Not because I'm an Alabama fan, but because I'm a Texas Longhorns fan. I shouldn't be awe-inspired when I hear their fight song. I shouldn't be awe-inspired when they move into their final formation, but that's the effect those guys have. I don't know how many other Texas fans would admit to everything I've said, but I do know that when I lived in Texas everybody I know thought their show was the best in the nation.

The enthusiasm of the fans during the introduction and throughout the performance is unrivaled. No school comes close to caring that much about their band than Texas A&M, and I'm jealous.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZI9fJSQt11E&mode=related&search=
Click to expand...
I agree. They have a limited number of songs that they play but I still don't see how they pull their drills off each week. I think I read that they never perform the same show twice.
 
O

ONLY4UA

Scout Team
Nov 8, 2004
160
0
0
I was with the MDB under both, Katherine Scott and Dr. O. Dr. Ozello is so boring, it's not even funny. Sure the music is focused on more, but the selections are absolutely aweful and boring. It's been like that ever since he took over, and if anything, it's only getting worse.

The band needs to be moved back to the corner. The only people that can hear them in the stands, are the people sitting directly opposite from them. It's embarrassing to hear fans say they never hear the band.

And to the Jacksonville St. fanatics; Who gives a crap about JSU? I laughed my tail off at the guy that says the MDB pulls out of competitions because they are afraid to 'compete' against JSU. There's no question that JSU is a fine marching band, but for you guys thinking you're on some level way above the MDB, you're just plain delusional. The JSU band members must obsess over being better than the MDB, while the MDB members forget that JSU even exists.
 
P

Pez

BamaNation Citizen
Sep 13, 2004
49
0
0
To get this thread back onto the original poster's topic, let's discuss numbers and music for this year.

Official numbers will be known after this coming Sunday night (once the MDB has held auditions). The MDB is expecting somewhere around 400 individuals marching (by far the largest the band has been in a long time). There are more students than that currently signed up, but not everyone always shows to registration and band camp. We'll have to wait and see.

The first show has been written - it is essentially "Country Music."

Expect some cool changes in pre-game as well.

The band is absolutely poised to be the best it has been in almost a decade this coming season. I think you'll absolutely love it.

See you September 1 and ROLL TIDE!
 
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Whammer Jammer

1st Team
Dec 1, 2002
709
4
0
69
High Point,NC
UAMDB1 said:
Agreed. I can't imagine JSU getting a better response here than we do. We don't get cheers because it's not, "My Home's in Alabama" and "Amazing Grace" or explosions every other Saturday.

If Dr. O dropped back to doing one or two shows we could do anything JSU could do. I don't see Dr. O doing that though.

I'd love to do something as technically challenging drill-wise as JSU. It'd give my butt a workout...I'd probably have a heart attack or something, but it'd be fun.

Getting 3 or 4 songs and 20-30 over three or four weeks(usually actually done in about 2)
vs.
Getting 1 song with 20-30 sets in 2 weeks, which leaves more time to work on the drill for said song, which would make it easily possible.

That'd be cool, but as I said, I'm just happy to be here.

It'd be an interesting showdown...us and JSU. I'm sure something great is planned for us to play.
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Is there a reason MDB sits under the upper deck...ther lies the problem with not being able to hear. It is not the sound level the location of the band. I do get to hear them at the stomp on the Quad but would love to get the upper deck more involved during the game!
 
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