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[[Category:Groups]]
{{Group|| name = Moocho Macho Moocow Military Marching Band| type = Arts| selective = No| membership = 0| meeting-time = 1x weekly during fall semester; 2x on game weeks| meeting-place = [[Shapiro Hall]]| office = The Band Closet| contact-name = Jessica Luning| contact-unix = jl9| wso-listserver = moocow| website = http://wso.williams.edu/orgs/moocow/| established = the dawn of time (er, post WWII by Prof. Irwin Shainman)}}The Williams College Moocho Macho Moocow Military Marching Band is ideally composed of roughly 25-30 musicians who meet semi-weekly each fall in preparation for weekly home and/or away [[football]] games. These musicians have varying musical abilities and experiences allowing fledgling musicians the opportunity to play alongside and learn from those with more experience, which bridges the gap between the novice and other Williams [[music]] organizations. Although marching bands at other schools are limited to wind instrumentalists, the Williams Band honors equal opportunity and welcomes all instruments, such as violin and string bass, and even features vocalists in the plastic section, kazoos. Each week, under the direction of two caped student leaders, the Williams Band parades down [[Spring Street]] carrying with them the Williams Competitive Spirit to all home football games, opens the game with the Star Spangled Banner, performs an original [[halftime show]] and intersperses witty cheers along with rousing melodies throughout the game. Overall, the Williams Band prides itself in enthusiasm and musicianship while '''HAVING FUN!'''
Contact Katy Dieber Jessica Luning (07kldjl9) or Sunmi Yang Austin Paul (08syajp1) for more info or to join. Also, check out the band's [http://wso.williams.edu/orgs/moocow/ website]. Rehearsal are held Mondays from 7-8 and Fridays from 4:00-5:00 during football season. The Band also plays at several basketball games during Winter Study.
==[http://wso.williams.edu/~aramos/bandhistory/preface.shtml Band Mythology]==
One snow-covered winter, a Priestess of the Order of Ephiram gave birth to twins, who eventually came to be known as Emilus and Magilus. The people of Williams were horrified, for the Pristesses of Ephiram had vowed to remain chaste. The [[President]] of the College, perhaps attempting to hide evidence of his involvement, ordered a few fellows from [[Buildings and Grounds|B&G]] to throw the twins into the [[Hoosic River]], which was then in flood. However, the men were afraid, and they left Emilus and Magilus in the shallows of the flooded fields that bordered the main channel. The waters quickly receeded, and the babies were deposited on the drying ground.
A [[The Cow|purple cow]] came upon Emilus and Magilus, and suckled the two babies. A shepherd discovered the three, took the babies off to his rude hut, and raised them. The twins became quite musically proficent. Emilus even learned to play the viola, but she set it aside in favor of the kazoo because she wanted more respect.
===The early years of the Band===
Emilus and Magilus attracted much attention as they wandered about Williamstown, tending their sheep. One fine April day, with Zepherus blowing softly and flowers budding all about the countryside, the twins were watching their flock just above the [[hairpin curve|Hairpin Curve]]. They spotted a raiding party from [[Amherst]] swarming down the road. (The warriors hoped to steal a card catalog so that they could find books in their library -- a collection which they had taken from Williams.) Emilus and Magilus drove their flock into the road; the knot of sheep delayed the raiders while the twins hurried off to warn Williamstown. Today, the cult of the [[Elizabethans]] honors the brave sheep.
===[[Mr. C]] arrives===
Many years later, Emilus and Magilus wandered off to the west, where they settled, and founded a small clan. They left the Band under the capable leadership of the legendary Mr. C. "Tough as an armadillo," Mr. C proved to be an outstanding Band Director, with a mind honed by many years of paddleball and [[golf]]. The other bands in the NESCAC shriveled and disappeared, having been repeatedly humiliated by Williams. Under student leader Moody, the [[Wesleyan]] Band put up a tremendous resistance; it fell after Moody graduated. Williams Band gained a hegemony over the conference, and has won the New England Division III Marching Band Championship for thirty-six consecutive years.
===The last Moocow?===
An unfortunate series of events befell the Band starting in the Fall of 2017. Several members quit. The senior leader left the College. Recruitment was poor. The Band was only able to operate because Chris "Two-Quatah" Caproni (Mr. C) was able to levy high-schoolers from Drury to fill the Band's ranks.
Then, in the fall of 2018, Mr. C did not return. To replace him, Ashley Paradis was selected. But by that point, the Band had only three student members. Then two. Then one.
The alums returned for Homecoming, as they always do. A sextet performed (which included the legendary Denny Blagden '62) which was met with cheers. The Band hasn't performed since. Professor Ed Gollin, Chair of the Music Department, is poised to restart the Marching Band. But until then, I am the last Moocow. - [[Jra5]]
