MSU Spartan Marching Band 1973

Excerpts from the Nov. 17, 1973 Spartan Marching Band halftime show, filmed without sound. I added audio clips from the 1972 & 1973 SMB live recordings. This show was designed by SMB seniors to parody some previous routines. It featured a rendition of "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from the 1972 season that "accidentally" resulted in two male symbols (not captured on film - we see the "correction" here) and a big train wreck.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• msu
• michigan
• state
• university
• spartan
• marching
• band
• smb
• 1973
• music
• alumni
• gary
• sironen

[garysironen]

Lol - drifting amoeba - I like that. As a former band director, I can say one advantage of the 4 person squads is that 25% of the band is trained for leadership every year, and with students leading more and the director yelling less, the students tend to pay more attention when the director does speak. But I sure do appreciate watching marching amoebas.

[tmcduncan]

Notice the Big Tens marching halftime.

[garysironen]

@tmcduncan Yeah, we didn't have a flag corps back then, and no dance team. In fact, my first year, 1972, we just had our first (and only) female musician.

[Hornman64]

Thanks Gary, well done. I still have the LP around somewhere, I think. Wish we could find film of my 60-63 bands, but they seem to have disappeared. I do have an audio of 63 shows dubbed from Bill Moffit's R/R many years ago. Dave Rafferty

[garysironen]

@Hornman64 - Thanks, Dave. The staff filmed all of our shows, which we watched the following Monday to critique, enjoy and pick out those who would "cross the Red Cedar" later that week. I wonder if they still have those films and could digitize some of the best from each year?

[djseverus1]

@garysironen

"Crossing the Red Cedar" is banned now because of hazing rules. But as a current SMB member, I can imagine how it must have been effective. Glenn Brough tells us stories...

[garysironen]

@djseverus1 Yeah, there are probably a lot of things we did then that are considered hazing now, but I suppose the Red Cedar was also considered a health issue:). I had to go in once - it's awfully hard to swim under water when the water is only knee deep.

[Spartan00000000]

Back when the Spartan band actually "marched", as opposed to the current "drifting amoeba" style.

[jphu1213]

I was in SMB from 69-71, remember performing "train wreck" to the tune of the "WABOB" march, as Dave Catron re-named it on the sheet music. Words were created on "Bus #3", back in the days of animilism. Couldn't do that now with a co-ed band. It was DEFINITELY HAZING! But everyone took it good naturedly. I saw the Fiddler show from the stands. Crossing the Red Cedar -- one had to kick--step across & back for not bringing your knees to a 90 degree "chair" The band played "Funeral March".

[TheBaytones]

Yes! Eephers!

[ObeliskToucher]

Thanks for posting -- hard to believe I'm out there somewhere, but I remember marching those shows.  Sure wish the albums from those years were available on CD... (SMB 73-75)

[sportschick1719]

Thank you for posting. My Mom was at MSU from 1973 to 1977! She enjoyed this.

[lammlmd]

Love this... Thanks! (SMB member 1988 to 1991)

[Hornman64]

Maybe in some dusty vault in the music building, only to be found when it is demolished for the new one ( I should live so long. LOL)