The classic Michigan sound

Submitted by MMBbones on

This five minute video is worth your while if you have any love for the heritage of the Michigan Marching Band.  It's from the mid '80's when it was last conducted by a "Michigan Man."  I am not trying to imply that the band is anything less today, but this clip gives you a good sense of the "historic sound" at its best.  It also gives you a look at the practices that most people never get to see. Watch the first and last minute if you're bored with this sort of thing, but don't skip the last minute.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MMBgoblue#p/u/4/fr38pp74IVI

A few notes:

1. The picture quality is poor.  The sound is quite good.  Thanks to the original uploader.

2. Yes, the young lady getting her ankle wrapped was very attractive.

3. When the shows were almost all high-stepped, band members got hurt all the time.

4. Silverdome officials told the M director that the MMB was significantly louder than The Who, who had played there a few months earlier.

5. Note that Michigan was using a glide-step and has, at times, ever since the early 80's.

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Bando Calrissian

August 25th, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^

I find this video quite entertaining, given today's discussion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcpSN0rBXFQ

From the 1985 "Salute to Animal Husbandry" show, featuring a bunch of high school kids dressed up in old MMB uniforms and jackets to fit into the Back to the Future theme.  Listen to Carl's intro.  Well, not 2001, but it's 2010, and some of that is, er, true!

Now THAT is a relevant, fun, and interactive halftime show!

Joined: 07/02/2008

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maizenbluenc

August 26th, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^

This is how I remember the MMB. (This and Bullwinkle.)  The creativity in this halftime show was a little corny, but fun.

The worse thing in 1985 was the opening show when they played The Yellow and Blue. Nobody ever knew the lyrics except "hoorah for the yellow blue" and "hail, hail", and it was slow.

Anyway, of the 5 home games, one half time show might be opera or something, three were creative and "hip" like this one, and the fifth was somewhere in between.

But we could hear them, and we were entertained.

Joined: 07/21/2009

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WolverineHistorian

August 26th, 2010 at 12:05 AM ^

MMBgoblue = me. 

That footage is from "Take the field" Volume 1, which focuses on the 83 and 84 seasons.  My video is a copy of a copy I found online 10 years ago which is why the picture quality is kind of blah.  But still decent for a copy of a 27 year old video.

Considering the God awful acoustics in the Silverdome, the sound in that specific video is impressive. 

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