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This love of kidding around goes back to their teaching days.

Pipes recalled one of his favorites. "We (the Green Machine) did an arrangement of 'Land of Sky Blue Waters' in a parade. I made a horse costume for a man to wear. The head baton twirler had a rope that went all through the band to the horse - and a 'miner' with an arrow through his head.

"We only used that horse once," he said.

"You never can beat a dead horse," Thompson added.

But Thompson and Pipes are seriously proud of their teaching years.

Pipes devoted himself to developing a strong music program in Guadalupe.

"I started them in fourth grade," he said. "At first, we rehearsed in the auditorium, until it was condemned." (Pipes points out that this had nothing to do with the music!).

They then moved to the junior high school where they rehearsed at 7 a.m., five days a week. Because the school bus driver wouldn't let kids with the large instruments like sousaphones on the bus, "I picked them up and took 'em to school myself," Pipes recalled.

"The Mean Green Machine" earned nine consecutive "superior" ratings in local school band competitions and went on to shine in larger state competitions. They also took 17 first place prizes out of the 19 times they participated in the Elks Parade.

Thompson was an equally dedicated teacher. "I really loved working with kids in the fifth to eight grade group," he said. "What pleased me the most was it got a lot of kids involved. I really worked hard on the fundamentals, getting them prepared for high school music. We had a lot of 'excellent' and 'superior' ratings."

And some good stories to tell.

Thompson recalled one day a newspaper photographer came to take band pictures. "A trombone player told me that the kids at the bus stop had stolen his mouthpiece," Thompson said.

When the pictures were published, "Here was the bell of the trombone - with the mouthpiece stuck right in it. The kid didn't even know!" Thompson guffawed.

Then there was the drum major in the Pismo Band Review.

Her skirt, Velcroed together, fell off right in front of the judge's stand. "She was a wonderful drum major and was mortified but kept going," Thompson said.

The band took first place, and the only comment from the judges was, "Next time, pin your skirt!"

Thompson and Pipes years ago began the "Bandarama," an honor band show which is now sponsored by Hancock College and includes bands from Santa Maria, Guadalupe and Orcutt who all set up on the floor of the college gym. Each band plays for about 10 minutes.

"Then, they all play together," Pipes said. "You have a fourth grader next to an 83-year-old. It fills the gym with sound. It reverberates when we stop!" he enthused.

Both men strongly support arts in the schools.

"I'd like to see a lot more spirit, see people recognizing that the arts are part of a well-founded education. Activities in music, dance, or other arts are also important on college admission applications."

"Whenever there's an economic panic, the arts are the first things to suffer," Thompson lamented.

But not right now, when the Central Coast's own Music Men are here to make sure that the band plays on.

* Niki Reese Eschen is a longtime contributor to the Santa Maria Times who resides in Santa Maria.

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