May as well play a rendition of the Wabash Cannonball in his honor.
Perhaps simply nostalgia but I liked the looks of the uniforms way back then & I recall members having more "fun" and not so terribly tightly wrapped and professional looking as are marching bands expended to be today ...mostly another commercialized marketing agent of the U & made for TV ...
(04-12-2010 02:35 PM)cyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]Perhaps simply nostalgia but I liked the looks of the uniforms way back then & I recall members having more "fun" and not so terribly tightly wrapped and professional looking as are marching bands expended to be today ...mostly another commercialized marketing agent of the U & made for TV ...
Rocky Horror Picture Show...need I say more..
(04-12-2010 06:16 PM)66Huskie Wrote: [ -> ] (04-12-2010 02:35 PM)cyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]Perhaps simply nostalgia but I liked the looks of the uniforms way back then & I recall members having more "fun" and not so terribly tightly wrapped and professional looking as are marching bands expended to be today ...mostly another commercialized marketing agent of the U & made for TV ...
Rocky Horror Picture Show...need I say more..
The Rocky Horror Picture show is NIU's equivalent of Harry Potter's Lord Voldermort.
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named"
Wasn't he always introduced as "Frank G. Bibb?"
I don't know if I'm getting old and such, but was the band actually bigger in those days?
Just from the perspective of a fan, I enjoyed the marching band immensely under his leadership.
The Pride of the Midwest, the NIU Marching Huskie Showband - right?
(04-13-2010 11:28 AM)chihuskie Wrote: [ -> ]The Pride of the Midwest, the NIU Marching Huskie Showband - right?
The band was bigger (and louder) in those days. We topped out at 230 on the field in 1988, about 100 more than now. Thanks for the kind words, GeorgeBorkFan.
"Marching Huskies" was the name through 1972. Michael Embrey created the "Marching Huskie Show Band" name when the band was resurrected in 1974. Frank changed the name to "Huskie Marching Band" in 1984.
(04-13-2010 06:10 PM)NIUmike Wrote: [ -> ] (04-13-2010 11:28 AM)chihuskie Wrote: [ -> ]The Pride of the Midwest, the NIU Marching Huskie Showband - right?
The band was bigger (and louder) in those days. We topped out at 230 on the field in 1988, about 100 more than now. Thanks for the kind words, GeorgeBorkFan.
"Marching Huskies" was the name through 1972. Michael Embrey created the "Marching Huskie Show Band" name when the band was resurrected in 1974. Frank changed the name to "Huskie Marching Band" in 1984.
Fank V. Bibb (Vern) He liked his scotch and the co-eds! The first time i met him, he was looking at the Susan Napoli Penthouse centerfold, she was a silverette.
(04-13-2010 06:10 PM)NIUmike Wrote: [ -> ] (04-13-2010 11:28 AM)chihuskie Wrote: [ -> ]The Pride of the Midwest, the NIU Marching Huskie Showband - right?
The band was bigger (and louder) in those days. We topped out at 230 on the field in 1988, about 100 more than now. Thanks for the kind words, GeorgeBorkFan.
"Marching Huskies" was the name through 1972. Michael Embrey created the "Marching Huskie Show Band" name when the band was resurrected in 1974. Frank changed the name to "Huskie Marching Band" in 1984.
Wow, 230? Is this a result of cutbacks? Less general interest in band?
(04-12-2010 06:16 PM)66Huskie Wrote: [ -> ] (04-12-2010 02:35 PM)cyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]Perhaps simply nostalgia but I liked the looks of the uniforms way back then & I recall members having more "fun" and not so terribly tightly wrapped and professional looking as are marching bands expended to be today ...mostly another commercialized marketing agent of the U & made for TV ...
Rocky Horror Picture Show...need I say more..
That wouldn't even have happened in a normal year, but at that point we basically had an interm director that knew she wasn't getting the job, so she said screw it and did something she wanted.
While that was most definitely a bad thing to happen to the band program, I think a balance between the way the band was then and the way it is now would be nice.
The band does not have the identity that it use to. Dr. Bough wants the band to basically be a cookie cutter band of every other one in the country. The band is playing better than before, but the drill is boring to the fans and a lot of forms of individuality have been frowned upon. Does anyone know where 3rd quarter band went?
That's just the opinion of one person now from the outside of it all. Just a nice blend of the band being able to be unique with the ability that the band has now to play. There are reasons the numbers have not even sniffed that 230 mark from the late 80s.
(04-16-2010 09:09 AM)tubaguy21 Wrote: [ -> ]There are reasons the numbers have not even sniffed that 230 mark from the late 80s.
Like what?
Part of it is just the sheer numbers of people that are intersted isn't as large. Part of it is the reputation of the marching band in the music building, it is not viewed as a real ensemble by most. EASILY the biggest reason is the retention rate. There are music majors that are told by faculty of the music department that they are not allowed to be in the marching band for longer than the 1 required year. A lot of schools have a music department required of at least 2 years, that will increase numbers. Also it's the lack of creativity that the band gets. We are given restrictions on what we can do in the stands and for just sun stuff in general. The creativity has gone way down...just as an example, the hockey jerseys for pep band were taken out because "it's not what most bands do."
Georgia has hockey jerseys for their pep band and we are debating on either hockey jerseys or bowling shirts for the pep band at the college I work for. I am also a tuba player! :)
Mr. Bibb had natural leadership ability, bolstered in no small part by a crystal-clear vision of what he wanted the band to be, as well as voice that could rumble the valves off of a tuba. By God, I think that man could motivate water to roll uphill.
Mr. Bibb had a very unique personality, to the point where he was occasionally in danger of becoming a caricature of himself. From the band parties and road trips to that long Cadillac he drove early on at NIU (I'd swear I remember cattle horns on the grille) to the occasional mini-scandal, he certainly left an indelible mark wherever he went. Back then, the marching band was still technically part of the athletic department, and the division made it easier for feathers to get ruffled in the music building.
The occasional spectacle made it easy to forget that he had been a very talented musician since long before he was even a West Point graduate.
I just realized that here, twenty-plus years later, I can't stop calling him MISTER Bibb, even though I think he relished being called 'chief' a lot more. Rick Brown, the drumline instructor during the 80's heyday, razzed him mercilessly when he found out Bibb's middle name was "Vernon". I think he called him "Vern" every day thereafter.
"All Hail! The King is dead, and we are the lesser for it..."
sounds like a sh!tload of wonderful memories for those close to the org.
Life today in many orgs is so much more sterilized and homogenized.
At work sometimes I feel paralyzed by PC overdoses.
I favor relating to others with respect at all times, but come on folks, get a grip.