"Alternative" marching bands

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

As I sit here waiting for various emails to arrive so I can leave work, my mind wandered...

It suddenly occurred to me I've never heard of one. If anyone knows if any exists, please say so.

I'm not even quite sure what I mean by "alternative" marching band.

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

http://hungrymarchband.com/

and there's another I heard of because they're coming to NYC for the RNC and looking for a place to crash.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:11 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah I figured there was something out there... the stranger the better. thanks

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

and I would say the other one would be welcome to pitch tents in my yard if they come to but the house's being torn down so it wouldn't be too comfy.

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I first experienced them at a loft party in Williamsburg. They just came up the stairs and started playing.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember the Berkeley marching band playing "She Bangs the Drums" one day.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"Acid Police" is my suggestion. Tell yr friends, Dan.

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.extra-action.com/

they're a bay area band that play all the rally's and protests and pretty much resemble the N0\53 d00d5 beloved bands (Friends Forever, Lightning Bolt, etc) use of costume. you can watch a video one of their impromtu (?) shows at that link. it's pretty much a hipster affair.

― JaXoN (JasonD), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

also, David Bryne used a marching band on his ECM album Music for "The Knee Plays"

― JaXoN (JasonD), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

and Jordan to thread

― JaXoN (JasonD), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Best would be one that takes itself too seriously instead of being colourful and fun and goofy. I'm sure there're more than a few ambulatory Polyphonic Sprees out there...
*shiver*

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

there is some radical-left marching band that shows up at protest rallies in chicago. maybe kerry would know more about it?

― |a|m|t|r|s|t| (amateurist), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

*shiver*

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

they're coming to NYC for the RNC and looking for a place to crash

in light of the fact that we're currently at code orange or code violet or code indigo or whatever it is, please rephrase that, thank you very much!

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

thea: as in drumline kind of serious? i dont know if i could handle that -- id have severe flashbacks to high school.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Does the Youngblood Brass Band march?

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:53 (twenty-one years ago)

no, not that type of serious. maybe they'd have to be not from the US but inspired by US marching bands. ehh, I dunno

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:53 (twenty-one years ago)

jax0n OTM upthread.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 9 August 2004 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe I'm trying to imagine one that could actually be good but I can't think of how. Either they're too goofy or they would resort to something too esoteric, like playing only piccolos or played only Joy Division songs, or...join the Hari Krishnas.

― Thea (Thea), Monday, 9 August 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the Youngblood Brass Band qualifies. Their cover of "Human Nature" is pretty awesome.

― ng, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, ok. I hesitate to associate New Orleans brass bands and marching bands since I'm sick of getting asked if any of us do drum corps, but the brass band is definitely a mobile unit.

Youngblood doesn't actually do second-lines since the music is more club-based, but they could if they wanted do. Same for the Soul Rebels Brass Band, who are also very hip-hop-oriented. My band Mama Digdown's Brass Band (who shares a number of members with Youngblood) definitely does do parades and such, as do all the other New Orleans bands (Rebirth, New Birth, Hot 8, Lil' Rascals, Lil' Stooges, etc.).

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 01:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Btw, since a number of New Orleans bands have put up websites all of a sudden:

Hot 8 Brass Band
New Birth Brass Band
Stooges Brass Band
Mama Digdown's Brass Band
Youngblood Brass Band
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Louisiana Music Factory

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 01:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i dont know why but all i can think of in terms of this thread is jim o'rourke, maybe because he did arrangements for a few pieces in "school of rock". [specifically, the scene where they're in music class where jack black discovers they're talented]

if anyone is down for doing an "alternative" marching band in the philadelphia area [dc/md/va/nj/ny], drop me a line. i am really good at plotting field positions!

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Btw, there is a brass band in Chicago that's more funk-oriented, can't remember their name though.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 01:16 (twenty-one years ago)

i saw a brass band marching down a street in India for a wedding and i swear they were channeling Albert Ayler.

― gaz (gaz), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 02:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Banda El Recodo

not a proper marching band, but pretty close...they play 'banda' music, derivative of polka but homegrown here in Mexico, they've got lots more flavor than brass/marching bands, imo

lotsa fun to dance to when drunk at 4am!

― manuel (manuel), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.mojomusic.com.au/images/large/mar04/fleetwood_tusk.jpg

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, also, regarding Recodo stuff, look for 'la crazy loca' and 'la chiquilla', to start with

― manuel (manuel), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, someone better do a marching band version of ACID POLICE with me

― Red Panda Sanskrit (ex machina), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Flavor:

http://www.newbirthbrass.com/images/newbirthlive.jpg

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I am not sure that "brass band" was what I in particular had in mind, though of course it qualifies.

Maybe there's a Swiss marching band that plays zithers and yodels.

Maybe there's a conference of alternative marching bands, somewhere out there. whoa

― Thea (Thea), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.