Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 02:01:06 EDT
From: Kurt Ludwick <KEL111@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Re: Best marching band
Distribution: usa
 <aelman.717975852@Xenon.Stanford.EDU> <1ao4ufINN8j8@girtab.usc.edu>
 <BvqH9M.G27@ais.org>

In article <BvqH9M.G27@ais.org>, plucky@ais.org (Chris Adamson) says:

>        No, seriously, I know some friends in the Michigan band who
>loudly extol the agony and pain they go through in their practices and
>the sheer hell they live through having to defend their positions in
>band against challenges from younger would-be members and how they can
>never drink, smoke, swear, etc. in uniform and their incredible
>commitment and...

>        ...and all I can say is "who really gives a rat's ass?"

I agree.  Blue Band at PSU is just as tough as it is at Michigan, and it's
not as tough as you say they make it out to be.  Anyone who whines about
it is pathetic.  Either you do it because you want to, or you get the hell
out.  Whining about it is idiotic.  We do what we do to be one of the best
college bands in the country, just as they do.  We don't do what we do for
pity.  It's too bad some folks at Michigan, apparently, do.

>        Why do so many members of "traditional" marching bands seem to
>need so badly to express their toil and effort?  Just a hypothesis,

The only time I know of that happening is when someone talks about how easy
or worthless it is to be in a college marching band.
Otherwise it's uncalled for.

>but I think they feel unappreciated.  People GO to the football game
>and may ENJOY the band, but don't GO TO ENJOY TO THE BAND.  Too many

First of all, that's not necessarily so.  I know a lot of people who go to
see the band just as much as they go to see the football team. (At PENN
STATE!)  However, the reason people generally go more for the football team
is that they like the two major aspects of college football:

1. Competition (college bands compete, in a way, but indirectly)
2. Action & violence (controlled, of course)

College band doesn't satisfy these interests, so they aren't as big of an
attraction as a football game.  But, that doesn't bother many people I know.

>bands I've heard play boring period pieces:  Sousa marches, Broadway
>musicals from 30 years ago, yet another tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber
>and "West Side Story", and tunes from this year's Disney movie.
>Excuse me, but just how many people are really interested in this
>music?  And as for formations and other things that bands do:  are
>straight lines and disappearing diamonds THAT interesting?  C'mon, the
>crowd can do the wave and that's more interesting to see than most
>things I've seen traditional bands do.

Look, if you don't like marching bands, then shut up about them.  A lot
of people do find these formations and this music interesting and exciting.
Otherwise, they wouldn't cheer so damn much at our shows.

>        I wouldn't put in 20-40 hours a week to perform something
>nobody gives a shit about -- that's why I did not and will not
>audition for the MSU band.  I've got better things to do than be a
>period piece.

Your loss.  Michigan is one of the best college bands in the country.
A -real- marching band, unlike some Pac-10 bands which shall remain
nameless...

------------
Kurt Ludwick
------------
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college