Seriously, about the band.

[abezontar]

Abez - I didn't see your second post when I responded to the Joe Q fratguy business - thanks for the input.

And to answer your question, no. Not since the 5th grade, or something like that, why do you ask?

The reason I ask about the your experience as a musician is because with the current instramentation and numbers we have there is no way the band could play something like "Hey Ya" and have it sound good.

I don't know if you have ever watched BET black college football on Saturday nights, but they will occasionally air a football game between historically all black colleges. The cool thing is they also show the halftime performances as well. What is unfortunately though is there most of the bands that try to play that genre just end up sounding really, really bad. Schools like Grambling State, and Morris Brown are unusual. To have that kind of band you have to be able to offer a whole lot that we don't have the money to offer right now.

Schools like Grambling put their band as part of the music department and get support (both funding and moral) from the music department at their school. SMU does not; in fact Meadows often encourages its students to stay as far away from the band as possible. Other schools are able to offer full scholarships to the university just for being in the band. SMU does not. In fact until the recent rebirth of the Diamond M Club and fundraising efforts by the group the average scholarship award given for being part of the band was the same as it had been since the 60s and 70s, despite the dramatic increase in tuition. Even with the increase in fundraising I don't think the dollar amount of the scholarships has gone up too much. Still every little bit counts.

The long and short of it is the Mustang Band simply isn't in a position to play the genre of music you suggest in its current form. That is one reason why I harp on the money issue so much. I am sure both Don Hopkins and Tommy Tucker would gladly listen to your suggestions (i know Tommy listened to mine before chuckling and telling me I had been drinking a littel too much too often). But without huge institutional changes in the way the University views the band, and the funding it receives little will change.

As for the animosity directed your way? I think a lot of people are frustrated not necessarily by anything you have done, but by how quickly the "young'uns" want to throw away what makes the school unique so that we can be more like "insert name of big school here." A few years ago there was a push, led by the homecoming queen if I remember correctly, to get rid of Peruna our shetland pony in favor of a horse and rider like Texas Tech because it was cooler, or was more like what a "real" school would have. It appears to a many of us who have moved on that kids still in school would rather forsake what we built and left for them for whatever the new hot trend is. Whether that perception is justified or not I don't know.

Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Buckethead]

The only thing that should ever change about The Mustang band is its size.
Lets get it back to 99 guys and dolls. Keep doing what you guys do every week.

[DiamondM]

I had no idea what a hornet's nest I was disturbing asking why the band plays such a small selection. I have nothing against the band, and I don't think the question is the least bit insulting, so cancel all plans for my funeral.

You will always step into a hornet's nest when criticizing tradition. Nevertheless, I agree a little with some of what you have to say -- the basketball band plays a little bit more modern stuff and sounds good. I personally am not a big fan of Wipe Out, which they've played both the last games. However, and it's a big however, I don't think you are (1) listening very closely if you think the "only" thing they play is Peruna, (2) listening to other bands if you think they play more songs (as opposed to a different set of repetitive songs), and (3) understand the time limitations of what can be played in between plays at a football game.

With respect to #1, the Mustang Band plays 4 different versions of Peruna, Pony Battle Cry (the other spirit song which you should learn the words to if you haven't already), Dial M for Mustang, Wipe Out, several drum chants, and a number of other songs during time outs and in between quarters when there are longer breaks to fit in other songs -- a much broader range than many bands if you really listen.

As for #2, the fact that other bands play the Darth Vader theme and the "Hey" chant don't make their playbooks more diverse, just different from ours (but not very different from high schools or everyone else). If you ever listened to say, the TCU band, they play (1) the Darth Vader theme, (2) the Hey chant, and (3) their fight song. That's it. Or take USC. The Trojan band pretty much plays 2 and only 2 songs. "Fight On" and the march that you would recognize if you heard it. SEC schools play that same SEC ditty that EVERY SEC school does, over and over and over, plus their fight song. Florida State does the Tomahawk chop chant over and over and over. That is the point of spirit songs. They're short, they're traditional, and the crowd can clap, sing, chant, along.

As for #3, the more elaborate, longer songs that you are talking about can only fit during timeouts (which bands are supposed to alternate if the visiting band is there) or in between quarters. I think you will find that the Mustang Band actually has one of the biggest books of music for these opportunities, they don't repeat the same songs over and over again every game like some bands do (at least they didn't used to). I will note that I agree that they could spice things up here with some slightly newer tunes in Mustang Band style. It already does this more in basketball (Dirty Deeds is one of my favorite tunes in Moody). The great thing about the Mustang Band in its hayday was that it was playing cutting edge stuff that no one else was playing. I don't think we should abandon the old standards, but I think rather than only play the stuff that was cutting edge 30 or 50 years ago, the band ought to be playing what is modern and cutting edge now too. Of course, this has nothing to do with Peruna, because Peruna is not a time out/end of quarter song, it's a spirit song that should be played over and over bewteen plays, after first downs, fumbles, change of possession, etc.

[SMUltimedia]

Thanks Diamond and Abez.

[PonyPride]

The only thing that should ever change about The Mustang band is its size.
Lets get it back to 99 guys and dolls. Keep doing what you guys do every week.

Agreed -- the band (and alumni band) sound great.
Personally, I'd like to see it get bigger than 99, though. Some of the big bands that have come in (Mizzou at the Cotton Bowl, A&M at Ownby, of course) have had several hundred, and absolutely filled the place with sound. Would love to see the Mustang Band that big!

[jtstang]

Please tell me you didn't actually watch American Pie: Bandcamp. I may be losing respect for you jt.

No just American Pie 1 and 2. Tell me you haven't forgotten the bandcamp story.

[abezontar]

Please tell me you didn't actually watch American Pie: Bandcamp. I may be losing respect for you jt.

No just American Pie 1 and 2. Tell me you haven't forgotten the bandcamp story.

no, I just wanted to make sure you didn't subject yourself to something so horrible as American Pie: Bandcamp

[mrydel]

Please tell me you didn't actually watch American Pie: Bandcamp. I may be losing respect for you jt.

No just American Pie 1 and 2. Tell me you haven't forgotten the bandcamp story.

no, I just wanted to make sure you didn't subject yourself to something so horrible as American Pie: Bandcamp

Which leads me to ask how do you know it is horrible without haivng seen it?

[abezontar]

Sadly I did attemt to watch it, I don't think I made it five minutes before I turned it off.

[Peruna2001]

Sadly I did attemt to watch it, I don't think I made it five minutes before I turned it off.

I made it through the entire thing. I think I may have broken it down into two or three sittings though. Very bad. First two movies were great. Third movie...eh. Straight to DVD...blech.

[smu diamond m]

The only thing that should ever change about The Mustang band is its size.
Lets get it back to 99 guys and dolls. Keep doing what you guys do every week.

Agreed -- the band (and alumni band) sound great.
Personally, I'd like to see it get bigger than 99, though. Some of the big bands that have come in (Mizzou at the Cotton Bowl, A&M at Ownby, of course) have had several hundred, and absolutely filled the place with sound. Would love to see the Mustang Band that big!

It used to be 96 guys and a doll. While I am not opposed to having a massive band (almost 200 at my HS), I just don't think that is the Mustang Band destiny. I'd love to be proved wrong though.

[abezontar]

Sadly I did attemt to watch it, I don't think I made it five minutes before I turned it off.

I made it through the entire thing. I think I may have broken it down into two or three sittings though. Very bad. First two movies were great. Third movie...eh. Straight to DVD...blech.

You know, I think you were the one that said I should try to watch it.....I may have to exact some sort of retribution for making me subject myself to such an emotionally scarring experience.

[Peruna2001]

I thought the girl in it was cute. Helped me make it through most of it. SORRRY!

[abezontar]

ummmmmmmmm...............do I want to ask what you were doing through most of it?

[RGV Pony]

Someone mentioned before that Tommy Tucker, the main arranger, is open to input. I have some input I'd like to give. Prior to offering such input, however, a few other resources are needed. Does anyone have sheet music for Pony Battle Cry?