The WORST Marching Band Judge Tape (Doyle Gammill) 

The band performing is Carlsbad High School (NM) 1994. If anyone is able to share a video of this show, I will gladly splice the audio of this judge tape to it!

I haven’t finished yet. But this isn’t the worst. The worst was an official DCA tape my corps got. The judge went “good evening carolina crown... er I mean Carolina gold... gosh that’s embarrassing” They then shut the recording off and THATS what they sent us. Presumably he turned it off and started recording again but he didn’t send us that, we got the bloopers. Our pit tech always listened to the tapes with us so we went to listen for the first time together and just lost our shit at our like 45 second tape.

One of the truest things I've heard on a judging tape: "Trumpets when you manage to actually play that, it's gonna be amazing!" - humbled the trumpet line in a way even our shouty director never could.

I knew Doyle Gammil! He was very quirky and when he talked to my highschool band he was more or less as baffling as he was in the tape. He was say things and we would politely nod not really knowing what he was actually saying (example: he rambled about snow melting on a roof when taking about our asian themed show... and no one knew why). Even though he was a bit... eccentric... he was incredibly kind and a hard worker. He really did love band in the Lubbock area. He passed away in 2018

Now I know why the bluecoats didn’t win 2019; they didn’t have a HUSKY sound

Many years ago, there was a well know judge somewhere in the east coast. That judge the group I was with. He was on General effect that night. His comment, and I quote, "The general effect of your general effect is generally effective."

"those are some good looking flags" best opening line *ever*

And I thought I'd heard some pretty non-sequitur judges tapes. This one is in a league of its own. My favorite comment in a judges tape of my band was, "Why did that poor girl just scream? Is she hurt? Oh wait, nevermind, there's just a demon over there. Kid, you're gonna have to just grow a foot taller so I can see what's going on."

I never heard someone so enthusiastic about judge tapes

Once got a judge tape, he said, "man, y'all got some TALLL tuba players" We got a superior.

I was in Doyle Gammill's high school band, Lubbock Monterey High School. The band hall facilities are now named in his honor. I went on to get my bachelor's and masters in music and have had a long successful career in music. While this tape is funny at face value, it doesn't accurately represent the true picture of what "Gammill" as we all called him, was all about. He was an eccentric person, maybe the most eccentric I've ever known. He was sort of cross between Andy Griffith and David Letterman. He was a standup comedian without a comedy club gig. I was in the Monterey Band from 72-75 and things were a lot different then. While Gammill was an all state trombonist as a high school student, I never considered him a great musician or conductor. However, he more than made up for it with his sense of humor and positive outlook on life. I've never known a more motivated person. He was like a pied piper, a kid magnet. Everybody wanted to be in band to be around him, to laugh and to see what he would say next. What he lacked in musical knowledge, he more than made up for in his administrative and public relations abilities. Gammill would constantly bring in top clinicians and conductors to clinic our band before big contests and festivals. Lubbock is the home of Texas Tech University so there was always a wealth of information and knowledge right there. These experts came in and rehearsed us and told us how to play and interpret the music. Gammill taped each clinic and transcribed every word and would follow up on what they said. We always made first divisions and were considered on of the best bands in west Texas during those days. Some of the musicians who went through this program under Gammill were: Clay Jenkins, trumpet professor at Eastman School of Music, Clif Magness, Emmy and Grammy winning producer and artist, Chris Seiter, nationally known trombone artist, and many others. So, go ahead and laugh and have fun with this ridiculous sounding tape. Gammill was totally out of his league here, judging a corps style contest, decades after he retired from band directing but this doesn't truly represent what he was as a person who lead and inspired a generation of appreciative and very talented musicians.

Can't tell you how many judges just add on "percussion was a little loud" to every tape like it's compulsory.

He is judging Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Cavemen. Because, you know, Carlsbad Caverns. At the beginning, he was referring to staying in Hobbs, New Mexico.

On a scale of 69-420, how HUSKY do you sound?

My band had a ballad in the 2019 season that used the song “Creep” by Radiohead. One of the judges had the audacity to compare a small town high school marching band to the goddamn Bluecoats and scored us lower because Bloo just happened to use it in 2011.

Imagine your name is Carl, and going to Carlsbad HS

“The soft parts have to be very soft” - Doyle Gammill

This judge needs to be a returning character in EMCs videos

I looked up "Doyle Gammill" and im getting obituaries of Doyle Gammills from Lubbock, texas, one died in 2018 and one died in 1985

this really makes me wonder what the hell the qualifications were to be a judge 💀

My mom was actually in that band on the field (Carlsbad HS) that year.

Every year after marching MPAs my old band director would play this tape instead of the actual judge tape since it was the end of the season and we should just be proud of what we just did, great time seeing the reaction of all the new freshmen for the first time

Our show last year was named “polarity” and was about how opposites attract. At an invitational we had a judge say “it’s like there’s 2 different things going on on the field. What are they going for?” And he was one of the judges that put us in 2nd to last place 😀

C. Doyle Gammill passed away May 5, 2018. Born in Lubbock TX. He had quite a career and his students loved him!

The funniest judge tape I’ve ever heard was last year marching band. I was one of the two synth players, and in the intro we were playing Adagio for strings on the synths, and one of the judges had a full on mental breakdown. He was like, “Where’s the strings? Where’s the strings?! WHERE’S THE STRINGS?!!” I guess we just played so well that we sounded like actual strings? 😂

What... what caption is he judging... all of them? Was this all the competition could afford? Just the one guy?

I sadly think this man passed away two years ago. Rest in peace to a legend.🕊

Reminds me of a drunk DCI judge I got into it when I was staff in 90

My band staff plays the recordings for each judge out loud for the whole band to listen to the Monday after a competition.

I’ve had that guy judge my high school band before, and he had a lot of weird comments like that. I remember the entire show he kept talking about the color of our flags.

In Japan, judges just sit on spectator chairs (somewhere in the middle). They don't walk around like we see in DCI. They also have "judge tape" too, so we can listen to it after the show. I'm Indonesian though, but I marched in Japan.

I’m in the Carlsbad Drumline EMC visits every year. This is Cbad,New Mexico, which would make more sense because they in Lubbock,TX. The judge said “blue and gold” when Cbad,CA is purple and white.

This is magnificent. Just from him doing his intro a second time after losing his pencils like gangbusters, I know I'm in for a ride.

9:43 when you’re losing the argument 10:00 GLIZZYYYY

Day 3 of asking Eric to make a full cover of “I don’t know what the heck I’m doing”, full drumline style.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS LOST FOREVER THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS. THATS A BEEE YOU TI FULL SHADE OF BLUE

Imagine being the band directors and receiving this and trying to go over what the judge said. How do you get criticism and things to work on from that?

Also from some digging I did, he was a band director at Lubbock HS way back in the 70’s. I’d imagine he is just very old Edit: apparently he just died last year at the age of 78 😕

He sounds like Stephen sassafras

This judge tape is the most unhelpful thing since my high school bands color guard

"You jush look like you EAT IT UP! MMmMmM!!!" 😂

Is no one SERIOUSLY gonna talk about how at 6:05 , When Eric says "THE HUSKY SOUND!", it lines up with this loud suspense like note the band played when he said that??? THAT'S LEGENDARY RIGHT THERE MORNING PEEPS!!!

We had an amazing judges tape once where we had an oboe solo as our pre show, and the judge called it a soprano sax. When the vocalist came in in the balled, he commented immediately with “are you kidding me?” in a very good way. Our band director actually played it in front of the whole band because the tape was really positive since it was for an unscored showcase thing. It was a very positive experience all around

I listened to the percussion judge tape with pit and drunline and the only things he said were "nice chimes" "drumline can be more quiet at that part" and my absolutele favorite "are you guys excited for the movie that's coming out next month?" Our show had a part that was Bohemian Rhapsody and he was talking about the movie

He is referring to Hobbs county! Not hogs! I'm from that area originally, and its hilarious because my band teachers were exactly like this

4:27 sounds like the sound byte you'd hear after you beat down the tutorial guy who teaches you how to fight

I live in America, and believe it or not, we got marching band!

This is such a great break from all the challenges we have in the world. Love this stuff, it is like hanging with a friend I marched with but can't because of the pandemic.

The first song that he was really liking was 'Free' by Chicago.

Pretty sure I listened to this tape when I was in high school like 16 years ago and it never gets old. Sooooooooo bad! Somewhere there is a college marching band Director that was inspired to major in music because of this tape. 😂😂😂

I'm so glad to find this. I remember sitting in my band director's office and listening to this when it first appeared online.

It’s been a while since I’ve watched you and I remember starting to watch your videos 2 years ago and now it crazy how much you’ve grown

Thanks for posting this, I was on a RU-vid procrastination binge, but then I heard that dirt in the beginning and had to put my phone down

Ive heard a lot of judges' tapes over the years, this is GOLD!

The opener is called Free, by the group Chicago on the Chicago III album. Stan Kenton did the jazz version called Chicago III Suite on Stan Kenton Plays Chicago . The Blue Devils then grabbed the Kenton version and played it in 1979 and 1980. All three version are well worth listening to.

OMG Eric your videos are the best produced films of the history of humankind! Impressive

I didn't know I had to see more of these. But I need more of these.

YOO at 10:49 that's my high school marching band in the picture!! Wasn't expecting that haha

I remember doing some of these songs back in my Marching Thunder days at Marshall University. I will always have a love for “Free” and “Carry On Wayward Son” among others not featured here.

Norway, and started my musical career playing Clarinette in my elementary school's 3rd grade marching band.

Dude is a legend with his commentary. May he Rest In Peace 🙌🏾

We need more of this

The best part is that there were probably at least half a dozen recordings from this gentlemen for other bands - on that night alone. Oh, to have those tapes.

I live in Texas and our school has a marching band there, it’s awesome last year was our tenth year of getting first division in competition!

Definitely the FUNNIEST video of the channel yet!!! More of these would be AWESOME! :D XD

This man took a day to show me around most of the schools in Lubbock after I graduated from college and was looking for a band director job. It was a great day. He was a lot of fun to be around and a well-respected man around the Lubbock area. Clearly, this was not his day. He is not the imbecile you seem to think he is. There is only so much you can cram into a judge's tape in real time. Not trying to make excuses, I'm just giving you my experience with D. Gammill as you asked. It was kind of cool hearing his voice again after these 30 years since we met. I ended up teaching in a different school district in a completely different area, but enjoyed my time in Lubbock with this man. In my teaching career, I noticed that many of the older guys had a lot of trouble keeping up with corps style shows. Their heyday was a VERY different day.

8:38 I want the story behind this..

This dude was old AF, probably had like dementia or something …

The pictures and captions make this 10000% funnier

My doode just vibin on that field

"Look at all this visuals" "This is a marching band, sir"

We used this tape in our show we took to BOA Grand Nationals in 2016. it made old band peeps laugh :)

10:35 glizzy gladiator 🤣🤣

At 2:39 he's talking about the Carlsbad caverns a large cave system near Carlsbad, not Carlsbad caventry. Also he's talking about Hobbs, a nearby town close to Carlsbad, not hogs. Just a little clearance there. This is all out in the desert area of west Texas.

I swear to god I am cracking up so much!!!

I feel like some of he’s comments were kinda good maybe like the “Don’t move in a standing position” like don’t look around stay still because if you look around and all 299 other kids are still you’re gonna stick out but I felt like he needed to be more specific. The other thing maybe I feel like when he was saying “play soft on the soft”parts I felt like he was trying to say more like make a bigger dynamic change when it comes to a softer change, you gotta a bigger difference because it’s harder to be softer then louder in a marching band but he was getting caught up with all the things happening. But what do I know I am only a junior in HS

One of the tapes about the band im in sounded like a tornado the whole time, every few seconds you just heard a huge exhale right into the microphone

I need to show my band director this video. LOL Great commentator skills there, right Eric?

I live in iowa and we do have marching band this year but no drill or competitions We just had a reverse parade for homecoming today (we stay in the same spot and cars drive by us while we play) and it was really fun

Having taught band for over 35 years I have listened to LOTS and LOTS of adjudication tapes (yes TAPES!) There are tapes that are what I would call "narratives" that simply run the list of what the judge is seeing and hearing and he or she is merely commenting on that with few comments on HOW he or she would go about fixing the issues.The tapes are basically useless and provide no real help with reaching musical and/or marching goals.And then there are tapes that provide very real world suggestions on how to fix or re-route your efforts in making sure your show is growing during the competitive season. With the local shows that are sponsored by various school bands you are usually going to get a judging panel that is non-sanctioned or trained in any way other than they are or used to be band directors. Sometimes this is good and sometimes not so much.The contests are basically (totally) fund risers for the band program sponsoring the show. Plain and simple. This tape is a typical tape and I have heard much worse. The worst tapes are the tapes that are devoid of any comments at all. I've had those and then they simply put down a score without justifying the score in any way. At least this one was entertaining.

I think he was referring to Hobbs, New Mexico, which isn’t far from Lubbock TX there at the beginning

Oh man, this *is* a throwback. I have no idea who originally spread this around, but I remember someone sending me a link to it on AOL Instant Messenger, and the site it was on was hosted by a guy named bumjuggin. It made its way on to various social media sites and forums and much of the band community learned about it pretty quickly. Just gonna fix a couple typos: I was -Benderton Monrey band back when we would go through the Crossfed Caventry, Spend the night in Hoggs, Plate Hoggs- I was "band director of the [Lubbock] Monterey band, back when we would go through the Carlsbad Caverns we'd spend the night in Hobbs [NM]...played Hobbs (in sportsball)" (he's schmoozing the band director and his kids before the show starts. The town of Carlsbad, NM where the band is located is known around the world for their caverns, so he's pointing out back earlier in his career he taught at a school that did a band trip to Carlsbad--to kind of relate with the directors and kids a bit who are proud of their town's hallmark) -gold sequence- gold sequins Anyone catch the burp at 9:42?

The Florida A&M Marching 100 made an appearance in the slides. As a local and a lifelong fan, my day is made! 🧡🐍💚

I got so excited I just spent the last 15 minutes doing my best to find what show this was then I saw the comment that was pinned that someone found it already!

I love EMC videos

We had one of the perfect judges taps EVER. we got 3 comments from the same person saying "percussion writing is tasty" "solid first impact--tasty" and lastly "body work is very well done you are playing chess not checkers tonight" and when we heard him say "tasy" literally everyone started laughing their butts off.

all competitions where i am are cancelled and we all get to bring two people to the games

HEY. I'm from Lubbock, TX🙌

This was a great vid

In high-school their was this judge that only said like 3 things for the entire show it was kinda funny

Jim Lloyd was the director at Carlsbad HS during that time. I worked with Jim at Arkadelphia HS back in 2002, and he played this tape for me then. Pretty sure this was from the 90s, but I can't remember which year. One of the funniest things I've ever heard. He's teaching at Ouachita Baptist University now. Bravo for bringing this out of the cobwebs!

0:33 As far as taxes are concerned, I'm in the US. As far as shipping anything to me, I'm in a foreign country. Alaska is the Schrodinger's cat of states. We both are and aren't in the US, at the same time. We have a few marching bands, all high school level; And and all but one started in the past 3 years. After watching EMC videos in 2020, I got the bug again, and want to start a drum, maybe drum and bugle corps. So hopefully in a few years from now, people can say "yeah, in Alaska we have one group beyond high school for marchers".

The band at 4:48 is Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, IA. I happen to teach there and noticed it!

Thanks for including the sprit of Houston (University of Houston) marching band there for a sec

Our drum line tape this year we couldn't even hear because the guy was too quiet to comprehend.

From Canada here... in particular from the original home of the The Kiwanis Kavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (not to be Confused with the Cavaliers D&BC from Rosemount), Kitchener Ontario

This just reminds me of a winter guard show two years ago where the judges told us our show looked too organic soooo 😂

Wow! I was 14 that year and playing with the Roswell, NM high school band. We were probably there cause we played in almost every show as Carlsbad since they were like 70 miles away from us. Could have been the show in one of the 3 important ones for us in Artesia NM, Plano, TX or Albuquerque, NM.

8:30 Carmel HS Drumline 💪💪

I REMEMBER HEARING THIS AT CROWN OH JEEEESUS WHAT A THROWBACK