Interview with Texas Southern's "Ocean of Soul" Marching Band director, Dr. Brian Simmons.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 All right, HBCU Legends fans,
00:05 it's Kyle T. Mosley of HBCU Legends on Sports Illustrated Fan Nation.
00:11 And if you hear the music in the background,
00:13 that's none other than the Ocean of Soul.
00:16 Those guys are getting ready for the National Battle of the Bands competition.
00:20 That's gonna happen on Saturday at NRG Stadium.
00:24 And we have Dr. Brian Witt Simmons here.
00:28 He is about to, he does it like he always does.
00:32 He gives you straight to the point.
00:35 >> Yes. >> Reason why the host band TSU
00:39 will be able to take it home on Saturday.
00:42 Doc, how you doing, man?
00:43 Thank you for spending a little time with us today.
00:46 >> Man, I appreciate the invite.
00:49 I'm good, man.
00:50 I'm pushing on, trying to keep the students motivated,
00:55 keep our eyes on the prize of what we have going on,
00:58 not just with the season but with our performance this weekend.
01:01 So I'm good, man.
01:02 I'm in good spirits.
01:03 Thanks, and again, thanks again for the invite.
01:06 >> Hey, no problem.
01:07 Look, we had to have you guys on because, like I said, you guys are the host band.
01:11 And at the press conference, you told me straight up, hey,
01:16 they gonna have to bring it.
01:18 We know, we always bring it.
01:19 So Dr. Taylor told me something a little different on the other day,
01:25 but he's gonna be shot fired [LAUGH] when I spoke to him.
01:30 He said, Dr. Simmons, he knows us well, and
01:35 it's just gonna be one of those type of competitions.
01:38 We're gonna have a good time when it comes to that on Saturday night.
01:44 So look, man, I know we've talked before.
01:48 Tell me how you guys feel.
01:51 How do the new students in the band, how they get acclimated to what's going on?
01:56 Are they gonna be ready and prepared on Saturday night?
02:00 >> Of course, the students will definitely be ready and prepared.
02:04 I tell my band all the time, you wear Ocean of Soul on all of your paraphernalia.
02:11 That's the name of the band, but to actually be the Ocean,
02:14 you gotta earn it every time you go out.
02:16 So they clearly know that we don't go in with a complex.
02:21 We go in to compete and to dominate all opponents, not just one.
02:25 So it's in their mind, they're ready.
02:28 The show is full with a lot of quality.
02:32 We have a lot of quality marching.
02:34 We have a lot of quality drills that we're gonna be doing.
02:37 We have a lot of high quality arrangements, different genres,
02:42 different decades.
02:44 So everything that we have, I'm 100% confident not only in just
02:49 the execution of it, but just the content overall.
02:52 >> All right, I know you guys have up to ten minutes to get on the field,
02:56 do your thing.
02:57 >> Yeah. >> You got the auxiliary teams and
03:00 everybody's gonna be there, the ladies dancing, as well as your drum majors.
03:06 Who are your drum majors for this season?
03:09 Have you guys revamped that group or
03:11 do you have some just a couple of new pieces there or what?
03:15 >> Well, Texas Southern traditionally has three drum majors.
03:19 This year we still have three, but it's a whole new set.
03:22 So we have Cameron Hednot, he's a percussionist, he's from Beaumont.
03:28 Cameron should be a sophomore.
03:29 We have Kevin Smith, he's actually from Houston,
03:33 from Missouri Marshall High School, Thurgood Marshall.
03:37 He's a mellophone player and we have one other, we have Dominique, Dominique Connor.
03:44 Dominique Connor is an aviation major, he's a senior, and he's from Houston as well.
03:50 So he's from trumpet, I don't know if I said that, but those are our three new guys.
03:56 They've been practicing, this summer they've been training,
03:58 they've been doing everything that they're supposed to do.
03:59 So they have all of the resources, all of the tools that they've needed.
04:03 It's on them to go out and execute and create their own legacy.
04:06 So I think they're excited for that.
04:08 >> All right, well good.
04:10 I love the drum majors cuz I'm an old drum major myself.
04:14 Those guys gotta bring it and they gotta be the ones here who really set the tone for
04:20 the whole band as far as the show case is concerned.
04:24 Any new designs or field designs that you guys gonna have this coming Saturday night?
04:31 Any new processions or anything to that nature?
04:35 >> Of course, our drill that we're gonna do is gonna be a few sequences.
04:43 So there's the total drill, which is as soon as the whistle blows,
04:48 all of the stuff that the band does, marching the formations that they create.
04:51 But there's sequences within that total drill.
04:55 So we're gonna go through a few different things.
04:58 We're gonna make some different stuff for you.
05:00 And more so because we can.
05:02 This year I really challenged the band to let them know, I'm like, look,
05:05 it's some stuff that we normally wait mid season to put on y'all and introduce y'all to.
05:10 No, we're gonna introduce it right now.
05:12 So you can get acclimated to what's going on with Texas Southern University around here.
05:16 So the drill, you're gonna see plenty new designs,
05:20 plenty different things that you have never seen Texas Southern University do before.
05:24 >> Okay, ten minutes, it's not a lot of time to really put
05:30 everything out there that you wanna put out there, but you gotta-
05:33 >> What you said?
05:34 You said- >> Go ahead.
05:36 >> I was asking you- >> I said, I'll say it in ten minutes,
05:41 it's not a lot of time you can really go out there and shine.
05:46 But you gotta find a way to compress it and give the audience what they want.
05:51 Is there gonna be a lot of audience engagement this year?
05:54 Cuz I know that was one thing that was lacking in some of the band performances
05:58 of last year at the National Battle of the Bands.
06:02 [SOUND] >> Could you hear me, Doc?
06:05 >> Can you hear me?
06:07 Yeah, I can hear you.
06:08 >> Okay.
06:09 >> Yes, I think our show is gonna have a lot of audience engagement points.
06:15 See, the thing about audience engagement is you're not supposed to necessarily
06:20 give them an opportunity to do something.
06:23 You just have to put something out there that you know they're gonna respond to.
06:26 You have to put something out there that you know.
06:28 And I think that's a real important thing about HBCU marching bands.
06:32 I feel like to be a marching band director, you have to be fluent in pop culture.
06:37 You have to be fluent in what's going on, what's hot, not just right now, but
06:41 a long time ago to a certain demographic of people.
06:44 So I know that there's gonna be many aspects of our show
06:47 that I feel like everybody is gonna be able to get with.
06:50 I can't tell you too much.
06:52 I can't tell you too much.
06:53 >> [LAUGH] All right.
06:54 >> I can't tell you too much.
06:55 We still gotta have our surprises, but- >> Okay, well, hey.
07:00 >> There's gonna be something for you.
07:01 Watch this, there's gonna be something for you.
07:03 There's gonna be something for your son.
07:05 There's gonna be something for your grandmother.
07:07 There's gonna be something for your auntie.
07:08 There's gonna be something for your uncle, even your nephew that's in middle school
07:12 right now.
07:13 >> All right, all right, I like it, man.
07:15 You gotta do it.
07:16 You gotta give the good cross section and have everybody happy a little bit.
07:21 >> All right, now when it comes to the performance, that's great.
07:26 But in the stands, before the actual field drills,
07:30 you guys gonna be battling back and forth, back and forth.
07:34 Anything we need to pay attention to or
07:37 any of the sections that we need to pay attention to in the battles in the stands?
07:42 >> You just pay attention to everything.
07:47 When we perform, it is a combination of all students and band directors' hard work.
07:52 So with that being said, all eyes locked in, all ears up, paying attention at all
07:57 times, anytime you hear, whoosh, you need to be focused on everything, all parts.
08:03 >> [LAUGH] >> Because everybody works to play
08:07 their part in the band.
08:08 I can't just say, y'all need to watch out for our trumpets.
08:12 What about our trombones?
08:14 They work twice as hard.
08:15 What about our baritones?
08:15 They work twice as hard.
08:16 What about the dancers?
08:17 What about the flags?
08:18 What about the tournos?
08:19 What about the drum majors?
08:20 Everybody, when we perform, lock in.
08:23 >> It's a collective affair.
08:25 Everybody's on board, ready to go.
08:28 >> Exactly.
08:30 >> Now, when it comes to your final performance,
08:34 nailing down some of the intricacies of the performance,
08:38 you guys are gonna go up until Saturday or you guys are ending everything tomorrow?
08:44 How's it gonna be?
08:45 >> I mean, what I like to normally do when we teach for performances,
08:51 so when we start learning a drill or whatever it is,
08:54 I'll teach the basic fundamental that the drill is gonna encompass.
08:59 Because it's movements and maneuvers in it, so I'll start introducing those
09:05 maneuvers, then I actually start teaching whatever the drill is.
09:07 Then I go back along with the band staff and we break things down and reteach.
09:12 And we will do that all the way up until the day before the performance.
09:17 >> Okay, all right.
09:19 >> On Saturday, you're gonna get exactly what it is.
09:22 But even tonight, right now, it look like it may rain or it may not rain.
09:26 We're still going outside.
09:28 And we're still gonna clean up some things, and then we're gonna get our reps in.
09:32 Then we're gonna clean up some things, then we're gonna get some reps in,
09:34 then I'm gonna let them get some water, then we're gonna get some more reps in.
09:38 >> All right, well, look, is it okay if I come out and
09:41 take a sneak peek of the performance on tomorrow?
09:44 >> I mean, I can't stop you.
09:47 >> [LAUGH] >> Right?
09:50 >> Yeah, I got you.
09:53 All right, well, look, The Ocean of Soul.
09:56 Great name.
09:59 It's been around for such a long time.
10:01 People know it's synonymous for just having a lot of energy, a lot of passion.
10:07 But the sound, you guys have one of the best sounds in all of HBCU band.
10:16 So talk about the sound and how do you guys incorporate
10:21 the woodwinds so well with the brass and everything?
10:25 Man, it's just such a great sound that you guys produce.
10:28 >> Right now, the sound is maturing.
10:35 And it's just growing, it's evolving.
10:38 And it's really because I put together a team of people who were great at what they
10:44 do, but they all come from different experiences, different places.
10:49 So when you put me being from New Orleans,
10:53 me playing in Southern University Human Jukebox,
10:56 me arranging for the Southern University Human Jukebox.
10:59 So I arranged for Southern for almost maybe like nine, ten years.
11:04 And I'm not just talking about on the job,
11:05 I'm talking about when I was in the band as well.
11:07 So I bring that level of expertise with some Louisiana flavor.
11:10 Then you get somebody like Mr.
11:11 Hunter, who's a graduate of Jackson State University,
11:15 you know what I'm saying, who's a sousaphone player from Georgia.
11:20 He's coming in with something totally different.
11:23 I like a real clean to the point, colorful sound.
11:28 I like stuff to sound as close to the record as possible.
11:31 Of course, you put your own spin on it.
11:33 But I want people to become engulfed in the music, encompassed in the music.
11:38 Mr. Hunter, he's a percussionist a little bit.
11:41 So he likes to play live set type music.
11:44 He's into the jazz and R&B.
11:46 So he brings little stage intricacies into marching band.
11:50 When he's playing on them live sets, and when he might do it on a keyboard,
11:53 or when he might do it on a drum, you're going to hear that in the band.
11:56 Dr. Pollard is into jazz trumpet and just really playing licks
12:02 and just being that showman on that horn.
12:04 So that's some elements that he brings into the band.
12:07 Everybody is bringing in what they do, and it's creating this big gumbo.
12:12 And you're just eating it.
12:13 It's like, man, this is different.
12:15 And it is.
12:16 That's where it comes from.
12:17 Yeah.
12:18 And you're ready to get everybody full on that gumbo, baby.
12:22 You got to have it.
12:24 I tell everybody, the difference between the gumbo and the soup,
12:27 we got the spice.
12:28 We got the filet.
12:30 We got everything that's going for it.
12:32 And we got the seasoning.
12:33 And that's what you guys are going to bring on Saturday night.
12:37 All right.
12:38 And watch this.
12:38 Hold on.
12:39 I got this one for you.
12:41 The difference between a gumbo and a soup
12:43 is the root, which is the foundation.
12:46 That's right.
12:46 That's right.
12:47 I can't believe about the root.
12:49 Yeah.
12:50 And the foundation, when you make that root
12:52 and you put all that stuff in, it holds and carries everything together.
12:56 That's right.
12:56 So that's the root.
12:58 Yep.
12:58 You're right.
12:59 You're right about that, man.
13:03 I think about all those holidays my mom sat up,
13:06 was doing the root for the gumbo.
13:09 Ready-- she did it by hand.
13:11 Nowadays, these people go to stores and get root in the jar.
13:16 And the thing about it is, I don't care how much shrimp you buy.
13:19 I don't care how much sausage you buy.
13:20 I don't care how much crab you buy.
13:21 I don't care how much expensive okra you buy.
13:22 I don't care how much all the spices you--
13:24 if it ain't got no root, it's not gumbo.
13:27 It's not gumbo, baby.
13:28 It's not.
13:29 Yeah.
13:30 All right, man.
13:32 I was looking at--
13:33 I want your opinion on this, because you're from New Orleans,
13:37 and you know Manny fresh, and you know Juvenile.
13:40 Juvenile had his set with NPR.
13:44 What did you think about that?
13:45 That was just such a fantastic setting.
13:47 I appreciate how they honored him to allow
13:51 him to be able to give his craft over, and Manny being a part of it as well.
13:57 I thought it was a full circle moment just for New Orleans music in general.
14:02 And to the point to where as Juvenile, he's reached an age to where as--
14:09 people still enjoy his music, but they didn't even realize that they
14:12 could enjoy it a different way.
14:15 They didn't realize that those songs can age with you.
14:17 And like they said, age is like wine.
14:19 So him being able to get that NPR, that tiny desk type of situation
14:24 to where as, OK, Juvenile artist, OK, Manny artist,
14:27 we've got all of these instruments to do all of this stuff
14:30 that y'all did 20 years ago on a beat machine, how you want it.
14:35 It actually gave us an opportunity just to enjoy and relax in the music,
14:41 and really hear it just a different way.
14:43 You got to really hear a lot of what Juvenile says.
14:45 You got to hear not only his lyrics, but he got to be animated and sell it.
14:50 It was an experience.
14:51 It was an experience.
14:52 And I think more artists from that time period,
14:58 they deserve that type of opportunity just
15:00 to be able to show people like, nah, this is good music.
15:02 And good music just gets better with time.
15:04 It does, man.
15:07 It transcends all different generations.
15:10 That's when you know you have good music.
15:13 From the old Motown sounds to today, still, you still hear
15:19 that good music of Motown still being the foundation delivering
15:23 for what you see today and hear today.
15:25 Some of it, some of the art, not all, but some.
15:29 Have you guys thought about incorporating Slim Thug and all those guys
15:36 into some of the acts or some of the performances
15:40 that you guys may have coming up with the Ocean of Soul?
15:44 I mean, are you talking about like--
15:47 Like any of the rappers or anybody from Houston
15:50 having some of those guys come in to help perform with you guys
15:53 or using some of their material, whatever?
15:56 I mean, using the material is always--
15:59 that's what bands do.
16:01 Just like this weekend, we're going to be playing music
16:05 from whatever artist you can think of.
16:07 We use people's material.
16:08 That's where it's coming from.
16:11 However, actually getting a real artist, it's all about connections.
16:14 It's all about connections.
16:15 It's all about the thing that's going to bring us all together.
16:18 It's all about something that's going to benefit both sides,
16:21 you know what I'm saying, rather than just, hey, come play with us at this.
16:24 Can you hear me?
16:30 Yeah, OK, you're back now, Doc.
16:31 Go ahead.
16:32 Yeah, so it becomes something--
16:35 it just becomes something else, if that makes sense.
16:39 It does.
16:41 Yeah, so if I sit down with an artist--
16:44 OK, an artist, they have their material.
16:47 Performing for them is time.
16:49 That's money for them, you know what I'm saying?
16:52 What are they going to get out of it?
16:54 So a lot of times, I wait till I meet with people organically,
16:58 so whereas I can see what they need out of the situation,
17:02 then I can lay out what we may need out of the situation,
17:04 and then, OK, let's go on from there.
17:06 So I'm not a person--
17:07 I'm not just going to go out looking for somebody to do something,
17:10 because I understand that the reason that I want them
17:13 is for their talent and their gift,
17:14 and their gift is how they make money
17:16 and it's how they move on and progress in the world.
17:18 So if this opportunity that I have doesn't benefit them,
17:24 then I'm not going to do that.
17:27 But of course, with the right connections, yeah.
17:30 Yeah, that's respecting the craft and respecting the artists themselves.
17:33 I understand.
17:34 Yeah.
17:35 All right, Doc, at the press conference, I asked you this question,
17:41 and I know you told me, follow up with me on it on Saturday night.
17:46 But I'm going to ask it again.
17:49 What's going to happen with the Ocean of Soul on Saturday night
17:52 after the Battle of the Bands?
17:56 We're going to come in there.
17:58 We're going to show everybody what we've been doing and how hard we work,
18:04 and they're going to leave knowing that that's not the band to play with.
18:07 I'm not really big on--
18:12 I don't care about what a lot of people care about.
18:15 Everybody want to be the wrong EST.
18:17 Some people want to be the loudest.
18:18 Some people want to be the biggest.
18:20 Some people want to be the littest.
18:21 Some people want to be all of that.
18:23 Only EST I care about is the best, and there's no cap you can put on that.
18:29 You can put a 160-piece, 170-piece band against a 300-piece band,
18:36 and that 300-piece band can get their tail woo out
18:38 when it's talking about who's better overall.
18:42 So that's what we're going for.
18:43 We're going for quality.
18:46 And the thing that Texas Southern University marching band has right now
18:50 over everybody is the most valuable thing, and that's respect.
18:53 Every time somebody see us, they're going to bring their best.
18:56 We bring the best out of them, and we demand it.
18:59 That's what it's all about right there.
19:02 So if anybody is looking to get famous off us, play with us if you want,
19:08 but understand we don't care either way.
19:10 I don't care either way.
19:13 You mentioned about Southern.
19:16 I went there.
19:16 I worked there.
19:18 That's all I got.
19:19 I'm not looking for them.
19:20 I don't care what they have going on.
19:22 When you start to worry about what another person got going on,
19:25 that's when you start to forget your own little stuff.
19:28 So we're going to handle it.
19:29 You lose yourself.
19:30 You lose yourself.
19:31 Yeah, and that's something I cannot do.
19:34 I cannot do that.
19:35 So we come in here.
19:35 We're going to handle business.
19:37 And people, oh, man, did you like this band?
19:40 Yeah, this band was fun.
19:41 Oh, they sounded real good.
19:43 But man, that band out of Third Ward, I don't know
19:48 if nobody could mess with them.
19:50 All right now.
19:51 All right, I got you guys ready.
19:53 Got you guys primed and ready, OK?
19:55 So let's do it.
19:58 Last thing, man.
20:00 Why should someone watching this, a young guy who's
20:04 in high school or even junior high,
20:08 why should they think and even consider
20:12 joining the Ocean of Soul?
20:14 It's about the growth as a person, the principles
20:25 that this band is run on.
20:28 We run on hard work.
20:30 We run on dedication.
20:32 No excuses.
20:34 And those are things that you're going
20:36 to need to not only be successful in band,
20:40 but in life.
20:41 And I know you're probably like, oh, that doesn't sound fun.
20:43 It's not all the time.
20:45 It's not.
20:45 It's not.
20:46 But on Saturday night, everybody will respect your mind.
20:52 The Ocean of Soul is all about discipline as well.
20:55 You cannot do what we do to the level
20:57 that we do it if you are not disciplined.
20:59 That's right.
21:00 So if you want to be made anew, if you want to grow,
21:04 if you want to evolve, then this is where you go.
21:07 If you just want to do band and ha, we had a video,
21:10 you go wherever else you want.
21:11 That's none of my concern.
21:13 I'm looking for people who are looking
21:15 to grow into themselves, who are looking to evolve and take
21:18 themselves to another level musically,
21:21 who are looking to hold up the name and a legacy
21:23 and go out and earn it every night.
21:25 So if that's you, there's the place for you.
21:29 All right.
21:30 I love it.
21:30 Love it.
21:31 That's Dr. Brian Simmons, the band director
21:35 of the Ocean of Soul at Texas Southern University.
21:39 They will be performing live and in full effect
21:43 with the combatants of the National Battle of the Bands
21:47 brought to you by PepsiCo.
21:50 It's going to be a good one, guys.
21:51 Be able to go and get your tickets still.
21:54 There are good tickets available on Ticketmaster.
21:57 So go to nationalbattleofthebands.com,
22:00 purchase your tickets there online.
22:03 Man, I'm ready.
22:05 I'm geeked because you know I'm a band head.
22:08 And I'm just going to be right there supporting everything
22:11 that you guys do on Saturday night.
22:13 OK, Doc?
22:14 And make sure you let me know what you think about it
22:16 when it's over with, bro.
22:17 Oh, yeah, yeah.
22:18 I will, man.
22:19 You know?
22:20 Now, you say you guys are going to bring it.
22:22 You got to bring it.
22:23 And like I tell people, you got to start off
22:25 with the drum majors, baby.
22:28 You got to start off with the drum majors.
22:31 This has been with me almost 40 years.
22:33 You got to start off with them.
22:35 Yeah.
22:36 You know?
22:37 And I love everything that you guys are doing.
22:39 I love the sound, of course.
22:41 But I like to see the feel perception.
22:44 I like to see the straight lines.
22:46 I like to see the cover downs.
22:48 I like to see the different precision.
22:52 That's going to be there.
22:54 Everybody loves the dance routines.
22:56 That's fine and dandy.
22:57 I'll need to hear it and see it and feel it.
23:01 All right?
23:02 Most definitely.
23:03 All right.
23:04 All right, I'm Kyle T. Mosley of HBCU Legends.
23:06 I'm here again with Dr. Brian Simmons, who is the band
23:11 director of The Ocean of Soul.
23:13 Good luck on Saturday.
23:15 Thank you, brother.
23:16 Y'all take care.
23:17 All right, thank you guys.
23:20 Bye.
23:21 [BLANK_AUDIO]