[PLUG-TALK] RE: [PLUG] Printing music (TeX, but not MusiXTeX)

Miller, Jeremy JMILLER at ci.albany.or.us
Mon May 20 19:02:02 UTC 2002


I have to pipe in here, too... I don't find police or military
bands/marching intimidating at all.  (I'm also a former Marine, so I have to
admit some bias there. If you have an opportunity to see the actual Marine
Band and Silent Drill Team from 8th & I in DC, do it.  Or even just check
out a video... it's amazing.)

It's true that historically they have been used for that exact purpose...
but for a "power display" they would usually be accompanied by actual armed
solders.  And assorted weaponry.  Sometimes to show off to the citizenry...
often for visitors from neighboring countries. :)  In our country at least,
they usually don't come with ranks of soldiers and an assortment of Abrams
tanks or anything.  They march through, play some tunes, and leave. (In the
case of the Silent Drill Team, they do dance around with unloaded old M1
Garandes, and the bayonets ARE real.)   --  Nowadays the best way to see the
military show off their toys is actually an airshow.

Then there's the original reason for military bands:  The fact that
flags/signals and loud instruments playing cues were neccessary for realtime
battlefield communications back before radio was available.  And
inspirational for the participants.  (Getting 'em all fired up before
charging up the hill.  And likely getting killed.  Kind of sick, but true.)

Now, is it any coincidence that the most common place one sees marching
bands (and flag teams) is at a high-school or college football game? :)


All that said (enough trivia for now) I love the idea of non-military
marching bands doing that kind of show.  (Precision marching, drilling,
playing, and all of that.)  It is really fun to watch, and definitely
inspirational.  I'd enjoy it regardless of who is doing it, and the fact
that people are teaming up to do that sort of thing on their own (and
outside of the usual organizations) is really cool.  (Not to mention
anarchists borrowing military "techniques" is a bizarre combination of
smart, clever, and extremely ironic all at the same time.)

If they are a band, I'd like to see them play.


Jeremy

(Bassist... never marched in a band.  But marched plenty otherwise.)


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craighead, Scot D [mailto:craighead.scot at vectorscm.com]
> Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 11:28 AM
> To: 'plug-talk at lists.pdxlinux.org'
> Subject: RE: [PLUG-TALK] RE: [PLUG] Printing music (TeX, but not
> MusiXTeX)
> 
> 
> >As for marching bands, the Infernal Noise Brigade and other anarchist
> >marching bands have been really inspirational to me lately.  
> (The idea is,
> >of course, to take military techniques and strategies out of 
> the military
> >context and thus reduce the intimidation power of the police 
> and military
> >at public events.)
> 
> I'm not sure what you mean by this.  I never really thought 
> of marching band
> having anything to do with the military or the police.  I 
> played in bands
> that were part of the schools I was attending.  The OMTAAMB 
> is a huge band
> that doesn't exactly march.  More like a somewhat organized meander.
> 
> I got to tell you though, that seeing police or military at a 
> public event
> doesn't make me feel intimidated.  Actually, I'm glad they 
> are there in case
> someone decides to get violent.  (I don't mean this as flame bait.)
> 
> Is Infernal Noise Brigade a band?
> 
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