Ethan Stranger’s Brass Bottom

I know what y’all are thinking, who’s that trumpeter (dressed in a royal coloring of White & Green), why that’s me (Ethan Stranger), well a Younger version of me (during my High School Band Years) & while I have mentioned pieces of my Band years throughout my Blog posts, I haven't really fully explained what that experience was like (as we all had different experiences in such activities, I bet some of my fellow trumpeters or other band friends who read this will have a different opinion on how Band Life was different, compared to mine). So allow me (Ethan Stranger) to explain more on my ups & downs throughout my Band Years (and for the record, the title of this post was inspired by Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).

The day I received my trumpet began all the way back (towards the end of my Elementary years), originally I tried out for either the Drums or the Clarinet (like Squidward from Spongebob), but I ended up with the trumpet. Starting in the 6th Grade, I was slowly warming up to the brass instrument (as well as life in the band, thinking I could be like Louis Armstrong).

7th Grade (A Year that wasn’t really good for me), I tried to make the best of it (especially during my band years) & then in 8th Grade, I was literally thinking about quitting the band (just before my High School Year began), mainly because I was just tired of repeating the same old stuff that was going on within Middle School, but I decided to stay (especially since, at the time, I was friends with this 7th grade Trumpet Player (Alex Park) who begged me to stay since he felt like he’d be alone if I quit).

When High School Band rolled around, It was a completely different experience for me (as I was with the big leagues now). As a Freshman, most of the older trumpet players didn’t take much notice for I (Ethan Stranger) was only a Fishman (band nickname for Freshman) with a long tongue. Due to my bad grades in Algebra, I was declared ineligible for UIL (and I remember getting completely upset as it was the year my High School won UIL & all (but the ineligible) came back with shiny gold medals (it wasn’t long before I ended up swooping around the Bands Lost & Found looking for a gold medal, as I felt jealous (like Wreck-It Ralph) believing that having a medal makes you feel like a winner, especially when you’re with the big leagues - this I know, is not true, as most real accomplishments aren't measured in “medals” or “trophies”).

Too bad I didn’t have that special encouragement from 1993’s Rudy Film (check out the clip):

Eventually, Sophomore Year quickly became (if I do say so myself) the best year of my entire High School, as I finally managed to get a better hang of HS Life, I was passing my classes (meaning that I was now eligible to attend competitions but with a catch), you see, I was in JV (Junior Varsity) & they don’t march in the show, instead we pushed/carried around percussion/color guard equipment wherever needed, then when it’s time for our band to perform, we stand on the sidelines while watching the marching bands perform until all is done. Other than that, Sophomore Year was smooth Sailing for me. With the band, I went to LA (even went to Disneyland, Pics: Center).

The best part was seeing their wonderful world of Color Show (something that I wish My Band could’ve done, it was quite impressive):

On top of it, I had the best Band Director (Mr. C) ever (Picture: Center, read more on our friendship in my Just a band Director & his Student Post) & (at the time) I’ve developed a crush on a local Girl (Pics: Left & Right Corners, read more about her in my High School Crushes: Preparing for Love Post) who encouraged me throughout my band days (even when she was headed for another school, I wanted to quit band so I could spend time with her, but after she promised to come to visit me & encourage me to stay in Band, I did…for her..and for my band friends who were eager for me to stay….including Sarah Peterson). Oh yeah, as for Alex Park Trumpeter (who said to me that he’ll stay in Band if I stay), however when he made it to High School, it’s revealed that he quit (which made me mad).

Junior Year proved to be a bumpy ride for me in the band, with the mysterious return of My Girl (who was briefly at a new school then moved back) & continued to (once again) encourage me through band & that my dear Band Director Friend (Mr. C) departed for a better position for another school, I was trying to make the best of Band (but as I explained in my Just a band Director & his Student Post), I was trying to treat the Main Director as the New Mr. C (but that didn’t last long), plus I was feeling a bit betrayed by that so-called Drum major Sarah Peterson (who said to me that she’ll stay if I stay) & who knows what…I stayed, but she quit (that right there was betrayal, at least that's what it felt like at the time):

This was the whole Alex Park thing all over again (and as someone who had yet to discover that he had Aspergers/ADHD, I felt like I was always playing into someone's hands & later forced to live with that sadness while the other person doesn’t really care. I've since come to realize that most people, including myself, usually put themselves before others).

(I’m pretty sure if we meet again (highly doubt it) it’ll be something like Bojack vs Herb, same goes for Sarah):

On the Bright Side, Junior Year was the time I began hanging out with the Celeb Dance Team More often (Read more of my Let the Music Play Post to learn more on that story).

Finally, for Senior Year, it was my final year of band, I admit that I was already tired of it & I just wanted it to be over (especially since I was sick of the Main Band Director always trying to correct my marching throughout band camp, his harsh teaching & him recording on how I move my chin in front the whole class, read more on that in my Bullies Club: No More) - this led me into missing a few competitions (due to this & that my grade in history was down unless I could’ve gotten it to a C. While I passed History, everybody in Band was wondering about my mysterious disappearance from competitions, it wasn't long before the band director made me go back (I didn’t get into trouble, he just lowered my grade down to a B & I was still eligible to receive my Band Leather Jacket).

Oftentimes (despite joking around & such, I felt like Chadwick Boseman’s Character (Leeve) from Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Check out the clip from the film), as he said Leeve got to be Leeve, Ethan got to be Ethan (plus I felt like that I shouldn’t follow orders from my fellow section leaders who were the same age as me at the time, I was trying my best with what I had at the time, but that just wasn't enough either in the eyes of them or the main band director) - or at least that’s how it felt for me at the time (Plus I was tired of doing the same old thing every year, especially since the trumpets sections the main theme was mostly military, I felt like I was walking around in circles & there was hardly any escape from it, just like in the Song) All I was just trying to make it through practice (plus finding out about my Girl & her love for this marine kinda made me a bit sour, read more on my High School Crushes: Preparing for Love Post to learn more on that story).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSYOGQ0cEeA

Plus I’ve never forgotten how upset I was when (in senior Year) JV (Junior Varsity) would finally get to do a little something in the competition shows & that were coming out, waving around these flag streamers for like 5-10 seconds & ... shows over. Throughout my Band years, I’ve had my fair share of ups & downs (from good laughs with friends to my fair share of some boring moments), to be honest, I thought I could be one of those students who could’ve tried to make a difference (in my own right, I kinda did, for I was one of those students who was on the verge of quitting band before being persuaded back into playing my trumpet, I’m pretty sure others have also been in those shoes, they either quit for good or stick around longer, just for the thrill of the ride).

However, I kinda wish that Mr. C would agree with several of my Music ideas & other bands' Related-Ideas (especially since nowadays in Band, JV gets to do more in Competitions than ever before, much to my jealousy), one idea that I would’ve liked to see come into fruition is trying to treat the UIL awards more like an Oscars-Styled Ceremony (rather than just waiting for all the other bands to finish up performing & then everybody stands on the field (very tiredly) awaiting for the awards to be handed out & finally it’s off to home). Hopefully, Mr. C finds this video (Below the Picture) inspiring him (in some way), if only our Band competitions would be a bit more like this show (more fun & exciting), what do you think Mr. C?

Despite everything I’ve said about my Ups & Downs throughout Band, looking back, it almost felt I wanted to relive those days, cause as of now (I’m older & no longer play the trumpet, as I use my fingers for either writing or playing the keyboard) I feel like I was just in Avatar Korra’s Shoes (My band Friends should read my “Legend of Korra: Power Bender Post” to get the gist of what I mean), but to make a long story short, I was like her (for she treated the whole Avatar gig as a joke until after facing off against numerous challenges that drove her to the edge until she began maturing), as for me, it took longer (as I was unaware that I had Aspergers/ADHD), so I felt like it was alright to be like the class-clown, but having traveled the world, to some of the poorest places on earth & not being able to find the good educational place was really challenging for me & it made grow-up in a very (not-so) happy way. But, I’ve come to see that there are always opportunities around, we only need to be able to see them, understand them and finally decide if we can take them or not - not being afraid of what could happen if it doesn’t pan out, just giving it our all to try to adapt to them.

To be honest, I have been (slightly) jealous over how my Band Friends have managed to succeed in life than I’ve had (from graduating from college, settling down, building a life for themselves, marrying & having kids) & I always ask myself, where does that leave me, as my Garage Band friend would say:

“Don’t overthink life, It has just started, it will surprise you. Do what you love, tons of people are struggling, but we’re the kind of people to stay Happy” - Michael N. 😊

Plus I’m happy to say that Mr. C enjoyed my Just a band Director & his Student Post & we’ve remained in touch (so yeah, I guess I’ll continue doing what I’m doing, as others (Neurodivergent or not) follow a different/longer path into the unknown & what I’ve learned from my band years was really something that'll stick with me, positive, to the end of time.

Ethan Stranger will play his trumpet someday…when it’s Leif Erikson Day (Because I’ve (officially) retired from Band…well mostly just tired).