Tooting My Horn

By: Mr. Wilson on February 22, 2005

I can't believe we said yes. A couple weeks ago both the Missus and I received an e-mail. It began:

Say, I've got a proposition for you and also a need for your help!!!

Rarely can anything good come from an e-mail that begins like that. I mean, he used three exclamation points. That's scary stuff. For whatever reason -- my current theory is that the Missus and I are both certifiably insane -- we decided to hear the guy out. As a result, the Missus and I are now the two newest members of your new favorite band, Death By Brass, led by Brendon "I taught James Valentine to play the guitar back at Irving Junior High" Sibley. I do autographs for $20 apiece. Actually we are technically just substitutes, in case any of the regular trumpet players can't make a gig. From what we hear that can happen fairly regularly. Last night was our first rehearsal with the band. In fact, it was our first rehearsal of any sort since 2002. It's hard to believe we haven't played our trumpets in that long. Our lips certainly felt the strain. Neither of us has the chops we used to have back in our Cornhusker Marching Band days. And yet we both fared pretty well. Most of the other band members hadn't played since November, so it's not like we were the only ones ending a long hiatus. And it's not like I could ever forget the fingerings for the notes. Some of Death By Brass's music is the same stuff we used to play back in pep band at Southeast -- Can't Turn You Loose, Fire, Girlfriend, Gimme Some Lovin', Jungle Love, Story In Your Eyes. For whatever reason my brain decided to retain those tunes in my memory. I can play many of them (more or less) by heart, e ven though I last played them in 1997. For now I can't sight-read music very well, though. What are those little # thingies again? I have been wanting to get my trumpet back out for quite a while. Playing with Death By Brass is way cooler than accompanying the occasional hymn at church. They perform on Husker game days at The Eagle's Dock Party at 8th & 'Q' in the Haymarket, and at other miscellaneous gigs throughout the year. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. We are just subs for now, but that's ok. We'll need some time to ease back into the idea of playing loud music in front of large crowds of drunken revelers. I haven't used my stadium-filling "Go Big Red" voice for a while, so I'll have to start rehabilitating that, too. This could be a lot of fun.

Lincolnite

Tooting My Horn

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