The Band

[Dukie]

I love the band. Always have. Always will. Have four of their CDs (Mustang Jazz, Mustang Jazz Vol II, the one that starts with the modern Peruna sequence, and the one with the Light Crust Doughboys).

Somewhere Over the Rainbow is still lame. Sorry. It happens. Next play.

[sponygirl]

The band isn't making any 10 hour one way bus trips this year......TCU and A&M plus the few who go to Houston.......evidently in the AAC, bands don't travel.

They did last year. You want to get on a bus and travel that long, support your team and have the coach and players stomp off the field before the alma mater that some of you seem to despise? From what I hear, this year's cuts are all due to further reductions in funding. So, what is your point? Do you really think the games would be better without the band? I personally dislike the DJ and recorded stuff.

[malonish]

The band isn't making any 10 hour one way bus trips this year......TCU and A&M plus the few who go to Houston.......evidently in the AAC, bands don't travel.

They did last year. You want to get on a bus and travel that long, support your team and have the coach and players stomp off the field before the alma mater that some of you seem to despise? From what I hear, this year's cuts are all due to further reductions in funding. So, what is your point? Do you really think the games would be better without the band? I personally dislike the DJ and recorded stuff.

Band went to the Tulane game. JJ lead the team off the field before Varsity in a display of classlessness. Blake McJunkin stopped 10 yards from the tunnel when he heard Varsity but no one else remained. Blake is as classy as one could hope to be.

[sponygirl]

Agreed. There have been a few classy football team members, which sad to say, is the exception to the rule. My take is that the band members do an incredible job and the main force for revving up the fans and they work there butts off to do this, regardless of the football team's performance. Sadly. they don't expect any recognition of their efforts.

Does anyone recognize that this band had less than 2 weeks to organize and develop any type of routine? If you didn't like a choice, did you stop to consider that it might be due to time constraints or to other factors rather than just condeming the band?

Does anyone honestly prefer the DJ and his recorded bites versus tradition? How many of you have actually stayed after the game to enjoy the short concert?

[Arkpony]

I have found that in many cases the ones who criticize performers are the ones who have never performed themselves..the same kind who don't applaud a performance no matter how good it is. They have no idea what it takes to be where the performer is.

[sponygirl]

I have found that in many cases the ones who criticize performers are the ones who have never performed themselves..the same kind who don't applaud a performance no matter how good it is. They have no idea what it takes to be where the performer is.

Agreed! The previous criticism was a little sick.

[sponygirl]

I think it goes back to the fact that the Mustang Band is one of the very few unique bands left in college football and one of the few truly unique traditions SMU can call completely it's own. I haven't seen them march in some time, but the uniform changes and the true jazz repertoire are distinct and something we should cherish. They used to high step the entire show (I don't know if they do anymore) which was also cool and very unique and quite difficult (which is probably why almost nobody else does it anymore). Also the band is a student activity, it is not underwritten by the athletic or music departments like at other universities, which means they have to do more with much less (the new band hall is a long-overdue reward). It is made up of student die-hards in a university community that doesn't exactly foster die-hard fandom. Those who recognize what a special gem it is as an institution are very quick to defend it. And they should.

Could the repertoire be updated or expanded? Probably, but it takes an arranger to create real jazz versions of contemporary songs, and I don't know if the MBand has the arrangers it used to have to convert the music. Could it be larger? Certainly, but that is a matter of recruiting and as someone else pointed out, it will never be state-school big. When it comes together, the MBand can blow away bands twice and three times their size. It just does not always come together. the good news is that it seems to do so more often than the football team.

Thanks for defending the band program. It seems like it's a popular area for criticism, but,I think that all of you would agree that the games would not be the same without it. Or do you you really prefer a DJ and recoreded sounds? Well, since most of you don't go to the game or only show up for a short period, I'm not sure that your views are valid. Perhaps you could step out of the social atmosphere and think about routing for the team.

[sponygirl]

I have found that in many cases the ones who criticize performers are the ones who have never performed themselves..the same kind who don't applaud a performance no matter how good it is. They have no idea what it takes to be where the performer is.

Perfect. Thank you.

[SmooBoy]

After reading 8 pages of responses, I can honestly say, WTF? You don't like the band, fine. Ignore them and contribute to the cemetery-like state of fandom in Ford. Send an email to the director. Make some valid suggestions to those who matter, not the freakin' football fan board. As said a few pages ago, you have defenders like me in great numbers, not because the bat-signal goes off when band threads are posted, but because large numbers of the true blue fans are band alums. The band has been around since 1917 and will continue to play Peruna, Varsity, Shanty Town, and other standards long after we are pushing up daisies.

The size is s-l-o-w-l-y increasing over time, but ideally it will never be above 100 performers (unless major changes to tradition and structure take place). The catalog of music has not changed much over the past 30+ years, with some obvious current hits of the times mixed in. As mentioned in previous posts, look back at youtube vids of 1980s games at ut or at Texas Stadium and you will see the same formations and hear many of the same selections. The one constant in all the ups and downs is the Hub of SMU Spirit.

Direct your furor to the apathetic fans, the poor play calling, the weather, the hard seats, the non-working mens' bathroom sinks, Miley Cyrus, and that your spouse may not love you, but please let the band be. They are the one entity that has supported the athletes without ever expecting anything in return.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

the non-working mens' bathroom sinks

Now we are talking! It's definitely time to redo the bathrooms at Ford!

[malonish]

Direct your furor to the apathetic fans, the poor play calling, the weather, the hard seats, the non-working mens' bathroom sinks, Miley Cyrus, and that your spouse may not love you, but please let the band be. They are the one entity that has supported the athletes without ever expecting anything in return.

Miley Cyrus is obviously upsetting our players. that's why they seemed distracted

[SMUSIC 07]

From Tech fan referring to the dance club mix coming from the PA:

"What the [expletive] is this crap. This is a [expletive]ing football game."

I cannot say I've ever been to a football stadium other than Ford that plays this crap at every possible opportunity...or at all for that matter. For me, one of your hated twenty-somethings, there's nothing that screams college football like every fan wearing school colors, standing and cheering the entire game, and singing and chanting along with whatever the band is doing. SMU does not embrace any of these things, and that is why it is a terrible college football experience.

But it sure as hell fits Dallas and the bubble.

Learn the words to "Pony Battle Cry" and know when to put up pony ears. It's only stupid if only 90 people are doing it.

[DiamondM75]

What ever happened to the band taking the field after the game to play a quick post game concert? Could we bring that back?

[malonish]

What ever happened to the band taking the field after the game to play a quick post game concert? Could we bring that back?

They don't take to the field, they stay in the stands and play a concert. Possibly because of security type stuff?

[Pony147]

What ever happened to the band taking the field after the game to play a quick post game concert? Could we bring that back?

They don't take to the field, they stay in the stands and play a concert. Possibly because of security type stuff?

Probably just because of time and logistics. Plus nobody is left in the stands after the games anyways