Yeah, Joey - the Marine Band at 8th & I (USMC HQ in DC) has always had some pretty fair players; my dad was a jug, as were 2 of his 5 brothers, (one a 25-year, 3-war man), so when they came around once when I was a teenager (early '70s, Viet Nam going & all), we all went - period, no argument brooked. I gotta say, as an anti-militarist hippie, I was fully set on not enjoying it - but DAMN those boys could play!!!! And yeah, the red jackets (oops - sorry to any gyrenes out there - blouses) & white pants looked badass.
A high school friend of mine - euphonium player - considered that as one of the few kick-ass euphonium gigs going, he should sign up. Then he talked to the recruiter. You enlist with a MOS of combat infantry, and work your way through various unit bands to (maybe) a chance to audition for The President's Own. In the meantime, you're a rifleman, with no guarantee of ever tooting note one.
He let that one slide.
And I think you mean The haircuts go in and out of fashion. One is in or out of fashion, but has or does not have style - and the 2 have little if any relationship.
Peter (who spent his car time today on Blues For Allah, but is playing more than listening at home; the back surgery somehow took what little fluidity my fingers had, so.......)
