Down and Off

Happy New Year from John and Tim as they have the privilege to talk with new Alumni Hawkeye Marching Band Board Member and Social Media Extraordinaire Craig Brown. Craig talks about his journey from Fairfield, Iowa to the HMB Drum Line, his band memories from Michigan and Northwestern, time under Dr. Jones, graduation and meeting his wife Katie Newkirk, almost getting married in Kinnick, his famil...

Bowl season is upon us and John and Tim have the privilege to talk with current Hawkeye Marching Band Drum Major Amanda Thomas. Amanda talks growing up loving marching bands, coming to Iowa to march and become an educator, her time in the mellie section, trying out for drum major, favorite memories, and how it's been this year working with two amazing Golden Girls in Kylene Spanbauer and Ella...

John and Tim have a special Halloween treat for the Down and Off family, our first Golden Girl Ms. Chelsea Russell (Mrs. Chelsea Potter)! Golden Girl from 2007-2011, the 2006 Ms. Majorette of America and *7* time world champ. Chelsea talks about her recruitment and audition for the Golden Girl of the Hawkeye Marching Band, the 2009 Michael Jackson Halftime Show, how she created shows with Drum Maj...

John and Tim have a special treat for the HMB family. As part of the Hawkeye Marching Band history project, Band Board President Kirk Philips interviewed Director of Bands Emeritus Dr. Myron Welch about his time with the University of Iowa School of Music. HMBers from the 80s, 90s, and 2000's will surely have memories of Dr. Welch's support of the band and iconic instruction of the Star-...

Summer rested co-hosts John and Tim launch season 2 of the Down and Off Podcast with 80's alum and show biz veteran Scott Icenogle. John marched with Scott under Dr. Morgan Jones, and Scott shares about his journey from a military family in Virginia to the University of Iowa for Communication Studies, following in his father's footsteps through the HMB, his many memories with the band, a...

Nostalgic co-hosts John and Tim continue to listen to Dr. Carter Biggers as he continues to discuss his doctoral dissertation on the History of the Hawkeye Marching Band. Part 3 of the interview looks at the eras most of our listeners know best: Dr. Morgan Jones, David Woodley, Dave Henning, and Kevin Kastens. Dr. Biggers gives us a fascinating look at the history of the Hawkeye Marching Band. Par...

Wide-eyed cohosts John and Tim continue to listen to Dr. Carter Biggers as he continues to discuss his doctoral dissertation on the History of the Hawkeye Marching Band. Part 2 of the interview covers the tenures of Charles Righter in the 40s, Frank Ebbs in the 50s & 60s, Frank Piersol in the late 60s, and Tom Davis in the early 70s. Folks familiar with the HMB will be delighted to learn of th...

Newly learned cohosts John and Tim have an excellent series of episodes for you, sitting under the learning tree of Dr. Carter Biggers, HMB Grad Staff from 2009-2013, and his Doctoral Thesis on the History of the Hawkeye Marching Band. From the band's military beginnings in 1865 through each director, all the way to 2012 under Kevin Kastens, Dr. Biggers gives us a fascinating look at the hist...

Three dudes, seven costume changes, zero regrets. John and Tim bring on Drum Major Pres Maxson to discuss his time in the Hawkeye Marching Band at the very beginning of the Kevin Kastens era. Pres shares about his drive to become drum major, Band Slide Show shenanigans with Robert Gallery & LKK & Jon Buetjer, the Iowa-Stanford email, and his writing career since. John and Pres give testimo...

Humbly talented co-hosts Tim Clay and John Brown sit down with a friend from John's marching days, Dave "Big Al" Griggs. John and Dave catch up, remembering old shows, traditions, parties, and directors. Where did the "Big Al" nickname come from? Dave was in the marching band for how long?! Give the episode a listen! Also, a special thanks once again to those of you who re...

Esteemed colleagues John Brown and Tim Clay sit down with current and first ever female Hawkeye Marching Band Manager Kate Weldon to discuss her unintended journey to the HMB, unintended to the Band Manager position, and how she has thrived in all roles and how they have shaped her future. Get a behind the scenes look at what the Band Manager does on a weekly and game day basis to make the HMB fun...

John Brown and Tim Clay sit down with long time Alumni Band staple, Steven Jepson. Jepson shares about his time in the Fossil Band, how it's changed over the years, plus some great Hawkeye Marching Band memories, from road trips to Minnesota and Iowa State to tales of iconic director Dr. Morgan Jones to culminating his HMB career at the '82 Rose Bowl and playing Hey Jude. John and Tim al...

What was originally supposed to be the second interview of Episode 3 becomes its own episode! John and Tim interview Laura Sievert about her time in the Hawkeye Marching Band from the early millennium. Laura shares her story about how the HMB family got her through an incredibly difficult time, her experience reviving the Public Relations position for the HMB, and Laura turns it back on the hosts...

John and Tim share holiday plans and interview HMB Alumni Director Jeff Sebille and learn about his time in the band, practice as Alumni Band Director, advice for students, and a recap of 2020 Virtual Homecoming. Check back next week for Episode 3 - Part Deux with Laura Sievert! Send feedback to iowaalumniband@gmail.com and follow the pod on Twitter @DownAndOffPod.  Music recorded by the Hawkeye M...

Down and Odd Podcast co-hosts John Brown and Tim Clay reflect on the Virtual Homecoming and reminisce on favorite game day memories. Guests include interviews with 1950's alum Devon Dietz about his time in the band under legendary director Fred Ebbs and current Drum Major Michael Janssen. Send feedback to iowaalumniband@gmail.com and follow the pod on Twitter @DownAndOffPod. Look for the next...

The debut episode of the Down and Off Podcast, the podcast for alums and friends of the Hawkeye Marching Band. In this episode, hosts John Brown and Tim Clay introduce themselves, check in with Director of the Hawkeye Marching Band, Dr. Eric Bush, to get an update on how the year is going for the HMB, and get a special interview with the Voice of the Hawkeye Marching Band, Lou Crist. Music recorde...