It's pretty amazing that the MOB has made it this long with little-to-no resources or university support. I mean, the MOB started I believe the same year as National Lampoon, which at one time was a pretty well-known cultural (or countercultural) icon, but the MOB has outlasted NL by almost 20 years.

Vanderbilt has an interesting approach for recruiting new members -- they invite students from all local colleges to join their marching band. (I know this because my son will be a freshman at Belmont, which is just down the road from Vanderbilt.) They also pay members a $600 stipend (and of course all expenses for travel to the hotspots of the SEC are covered).

I believe George to be referring to the Rally Club (although KTRU is another possibility).

Having our own place to rehearse, with better acoustics, should help a fair amount.
Only the staunchest of band-geek (if there's a better term, I'll use it, if someone wants to suggest one) was willing to tolerate the appalling environs of the east practice gym.
And that may be part of why the current membership is seen as distinctly different from the rest of the student body.
It's the distilled essence of band-geek.
The others weren't willing to practice in a dungeon, and left after one or two echo-filled, deafening rehearsals.
I'm hoping that the retention rate will improve.
(It may take another year to find out, because the new band hall will not be ready for us until later in the season, last I heard.)

Thinking that the music school will support or promote a marching band is just silly.
They are a trade school, training phenomenal musicians to perform in professional organizations, and marching band experience is not something those organizations are looking for.

The MOB's initial popularity was its freshness - the fans were bored with traditional marching bands.
Now they're bored with The MOB - because it is often the only band they see.
Many C-USA bands don't travel to Houston.
It's too far and/or too costly.
During the SWC era, only Tech occasionally didn't come to Houston (also too far and/or too costly for a 400-member unit).
Every other band visited, and provided The MOB with a foil.
In the past, that difference was enough to still amuse the average fan, even when shows fell flat.

Give The MOB time.
(Give them money too, that wouldn't hurt.)

The MOB is currently an embarrassment at FB; narration can't be heard, music can't be heard, look like a bunch of juveniles [and OLDSTERS] running around acting like indulgent NERDS!! Sad, sad, sad......

I was asked to join during my Freshman year in 1967 when they still wore wool uniforms and tried to "march" but when I was told that their was NO STIPEND, I just ignored them; I was an accomplished professional musician and used to being paid to perform.

I recommend that we invite a large local High School band or TWO to every home game for the half-time show; would at least increase apparent attendance! The MOB should remain a pep band in the stands for football and basketball only...... Time to move on....

I finished in '09, thought the mob was not that funny and embarrassing. Love the roots and the stories, but their randomness and lack of trolling of other teams keeps me from caring. Wish we would just skip it all together.

Honestly, most of their skits are poorly put together. They could use some marketing of their upcoming skits (to give us a heads up)to make it worth staying in the stadium to watch...

You can barely hear what is going on. Especially in a year where there is no video board to see everything better, the mob suffered. Randomness does not help when they are not loud enough to overtake nearby conversation. Hyping the visitors to Rice about how the past mob got a stadium full of aggies upset when they made fun of their dog to fans and visitors is great...then they get what it is today...

Anyway, some said expanded enrollment would help with more mob members and cheerleaders - but it seems we have a lot more cheerleaders and less mob.

Anywho, change is needed - either they need to provide us with something we should watch OR we should go with a band that can actually make some noise.

I remember the MOB being funny during the 80's and 90's, but not so much in recent memory. The humor is too nerdy and it doesn't appeal to regular fans who don't "get" the inside jokes. There must be an incentive put in place to get regular students to join up, not just the geeks that no one wants to associate with. Offer it as an option for students who need to complete physical fitness or liberal arts requirements toward their degree. The bottom line is that there are far too few members. There needs to be at least 60 members. I can't hear them. Promote the MOB. Build them up. Make them feel like the center of school spirit at Rice by giving them a nice building and by erecting signage and pictures around campus that put them in the spotlight. We're talking about the MOB here! Whenever the subject matter of Rice comes up, one of the first things people mention is the MOB. It's a significant part of the university.

I...probably shouldn't be getting into this, as a MOBster of relatively recent vintage who experienced both the highs of the last eight years (throwing in a comment during an interview with the DMs for an article in the New York Times after "$EC", getting booed off the field at SMU, getting a standing ovation at UH, the KTRU Inception show) and the lows (seriously, have you ever tried to hear coherent music in a gym before?).

But I have a relevant point that ties in nicely to conversations we've had elsewhere on the board.

Yes, you'd like us to "stick it" to the other team. But apart from a few specific circumstances...what opponents do we have to stick things to that anyone would understand? Anyone have any particularly good Middle Tennessee jokes lying around? How about Louisiana Tech jokes? Anyone have anything good to stick a resurrected UAB with?

Summary: it's hard to stick it to the other team when no one knows anything about the other team.

Honestly, I'm more interested to see what they do with the election this year. My generation's election show went particularly absurdist (Obama and Romney fuse to form a kinder, gentler candidate: Cthulhu; Cthulhu's opponent becomes Leebron; Leebron fixes the deficit by selling PBS to UH [which actually got laughs, to the shock of everyone involved in putting a KTRU joke in the show two years after the sale]). This election, on the other hand, is going fairly absurdist on its own, so...it'll be interesting to see what happens.

(06-15-2016 11:03 AM)baker-13 Wrote:  I...probably shouldn't be getting into this, as a MOBster of relatively recent vintage who experienced both the highs of the last eight years (throwing in a comment during an interview with the DMs for an article in the New York Times after "$EC", getting booed off the field at SMU, getting a standing ovation at UH, the KTRU Inception show) and the lows (seriously, have you ever tried to hear coherent music in a gym before?).

But I have a relevant point that ties in nicely to conversations we've had elsewhere on the board.

Yes, you'd like us to "stick it" to the other team. But apart from a few specific circumstances...what opponents do we have to stick things to that anyone would understand? Anyone have any particularly good Middle Tennessee jokes lying around? How about Louisiana Tech jokes? Anyone have anything good to stick a resurrected UAB with?

Summary: it's hard to stick it to the other team when no one knows anything about the other team.

Honestly, I'm more interested to see what they do with the election this year. My generation's election show went particularly absurdist (Obama and Romney fuse to form a kinder, gentler candidate: Cthulhu; Cthulhu's opponent becomes Leebron; Leebron fixes the deficit by selling PBS to UH [which actually got laughs, to the shock of everyone involved in putting a KTRU joke in the show two years after the sale]). This election, on the other hand, is going fairly absurdist on its own, so...it'll be interesting to see what happens.

I guess you could do something on the way LT increased their average attendance by pushing deer season back two weeks.

Something on Lazarus for UAB, I guess, or zombies.

MT? I think the name says it all. Maybe a show on why they are never the best, or the worst, always in the middle.

(06-15-2016 08:56 AM)Grungy Wrote:  I believe George to be referring to the Rally Club (although KTRU is another possibility).

Actually I was thinking of both. KTRU is probably a more exact case of "priding itself on being different. Not better, different" -- but both were good examples of becoming irrelevant by choice. Of course, only one is a blanket-tax organization.

(06-15-2016 11:16 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 11:03 AM)baker-13 Wrote:  I...probably shouldn't be getting into this, as a MOBster of relatively recent vintage who experienced both the highs of the last eight years (throwing in a comment during an interview with the DMs for an article in the New York Times after "$EC", getting booed off the field at SMU, getting a standing ovation at UH, the KTRU Inception show) and the lows (seriously, have you ever tried to hear coherent music in a gym before?).

But I have a relevant point that ties in nicely to conversations we've had elsewhere on the board.

Yes, you'd like us to "stick it" to the other team. But apart from a few specific circumstances...what opponents do we have to stick things to that anyone would understand? Anyone have any particularly good Middle Tennessee jokes lying around? How about Louisiana Tech jokes? Anyone have anything good to stick a resurrected UAB with?

Summary: it's hard to stick it to the other team when no one knows anything about the other team.

Honestly, I'm more interested to see what they do with the election this year. My generation's election show went particularly absurdist (Obama and Romney fuse to form a kinder, gentler candidate: Cthulhu; Cthulhu's opponent becomes Leebron; Leebron fixes the deficit by selling PBS to UH [which actually got laughs, to the shock of everyone involved in putting a KTRU joke in the show two years after the sale]). This election, on the other hand, is going fairly absurdist on its own, so...it'll be interesting to see what happens.

I guess you could do something on the way LT increased their average attendance by pushing deer season back two weeks.

Something on Lazarus for UAB, I guess, or zombies.

MT? I think the name says it all. Maybe a show on why they are never the best, or the worst, always in the middle.

But, regardless, nothing that particularly says "stick it," is there? At least, nothing along the lines of what was discussed above (Mack Brown's top ten wrist slaps, UNT "tip your waiters," etc.)

"Summary: it's hard to stick it to the other team when no one knows anything about the other team."

And the other team doesn't know anything about the MOB.

(06-15-2016 12:36 PM)JSA Wrote:  "Summary: it's hard to stick it to the other team when no one knows anything about the other team."

And the other team doesn't know anything about the MOB.

Pretty much.

UTSA (the two times I've been in for UTSA @ Rice) sent a band along, which was a very, very nice change.

Even SMU's band was nice the last time they came to Rice, actually.

MOB could probably develop a relationship with the UNT and UTSA bands (since they're the ones that are drivable, and thus MOB can do away games there easily). But other than that...things get rougher.

OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

Good questions. I wonder if Prof Yekovich is a Parliamentarian ?

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

I thought many Stanford alums didn't like their band due to the same reasons we're stating here?

If it's a recent change, I've got to imagine that the rising tide (i.e. winning) raises all boats.

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

IMO, its the same issue as Rice Football.

One prides itself on finding ways to be excellent despite being different while the other makes excuses.

(06-15-2016 02:11 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

IMO, its the same issue as Rice Football.

One prides itself on finding ways to be excellent despite being different while the other makes excuses.

And interestingly enough the both lack (or have I guess, due to recent changes in football) significant university support.

Well, I've not got two data points, which means I'm pretty close to forming a trend. If we wait long enough to start supporting Rice baseball with scholarships and financial aid, I think I might have a third.

And I wonder where that line will trend?

Mwahaha.

I think Stanford gives far more support to its band... not ridiculous amounts... but more

MY surprise is that with so many MOBsters over the years, there isn't a bigger push from within to support it. MOBsters should designate more of their university donations.

(06-15-2016 02:19 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 02:11 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

IMO, its the same issue as Rice Football.

One prides itself on finding ways to be excellent despite being different while the other makes excuses.

And interestingly enough the both lack (or have I guess, due to recent changes in football) significant university support.

Well, I've not got two data points, which means I'm pretty close to forming a trend. If we wait long enough to start supporting Rice baseball with scholarships and financial aid, I think I might have a third.

And I wonder where that line will trend?

Mwahaha.

KTRU had a massive broadcast radius; not sucking was well supported by that antenna and frequency. yet they managed to pile drive themselves into the ground.

Money and support aren't always the excuse that hinders excellence. The MOB has not shown any indication (that I can see and did not when I was there) that they were interested in anything except a circle jerk of inside jokes. No amount of money can fix that.

(06-15-2016 02:11 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(06-15-2016 01:27 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  OK so I will ask the question I thought would have come up by now....why is Stanford's band so popular with the students and some alums/fans? Do they get members because they pay or get a percentage of a scholarship? Are they more like the rest of the student body than the MOB is? For the most part they are way more controversial than the MOB and yet they still get a good amount of exposure during games (even if the announcers have to search for what to say about them). What is the relationship between the band and the music department? There are several other scatter bands...do they have the same issues as the MOB?

I thought many Stanford alums didn't like their band due to the same reasons we're stating here?

If it's a recent change, I've got to imagine that the rising tide (i.e. winning) raises all boats.

Yeah, I don't think they are incredibly revered by the student body, other than when the university administration hands down punishments for being too crass. I'm sure there's a lot more pro-band sentiment at those times, just because the press/punishments gives the band more of a badass / irreverent factor.

Think about when the last time the MOB got national notoriety - it was the Todd Graham skit with Dante's Divine Comedy. I'm sure people that were students at that time probably had a pretty damn good perception of the MOB. Edgier performances by the MOB might help with that now.

the less support they get from others, the more likely they are to want to simply entertain themselves. It's a chicken/egg thing as far as I can see