A.L.

I was a member of the clown band from 1985-87 and also played in Dixieland bands some years later. The Kings Island Clown Band started with the opening of the park, I believe 1972. Most of the members were students at Xavier University and that continued to be the case for many years, although there were many exceptions. Each year the band had to audition to get their job back, so they rehearsed incessantly during Christmas break for the January auditions. The band developed many traditions over the years, such as the RRWC party (Rolling Rock-White Castle) and the Cheese Coney Festival. Daily events were documented on colorful calendars, which survive to this day, as does the clown band family tree. The band had 12 members when I was in, 3 trumpets, 4 saxes, 2 trombones, 1 tuba, snare drum and bass drum. It was the best job any college age kid could have. The band did 5 performances on regular days, 2 or 3 of them were "walks" where we'd roam through the park and play tunes to entertain the guests. The others were "shows" which were right in front of the tower. On weekends, we'd sometimes have as many as 9 performances with the extras being in the picnic grove. It wasn't unusual to lose 3 or 4 pounds in the course of a single day. The band was well known for its antics throughout the park. We'd snake through the park, circle attractive females and play "The Stripper", visit other breakrooms and play for show performers, and play for little kids (who then screamed in horror). Our tuba player liked to block the "Wo" of the women's restroom with his tuba bell. He's now doing commercials in NYC. The shows at the tower were high energy routines, usually including a brief skit and the ever popular "girl song" in which a reluctant female was pulled from the audience for some dancing and comedy. There have been various other groups like the KI band at other parks. I'm not sure anyone knows who was the first in existence. That's a short history of the group. I'm sure I forgot a lot, but it would be neat to see it revived.