Pride of the Southland surpasses others in quality, discipline

First off, I would like to clarify that I am writing this not as a former member of the UT band but as a concerned supporter. I am disgusted with the recent editorials bashing the directors of the UT marching band. I really can’t believe that so many people are coming out to say that our band is mediocre, and that we get shown up by the other bands. How many of you people are out there? Because everyone I’ve ever met loves the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and wouldn’t take those other bands in its place for anything. Like Gabe Johnson, who started this whole mess, I was in the Pride for two years. But unlike him, I understand the reason the directors make this band into what it is.

When a band like Florida or Auburn plays, it sounds like a bunch of kazoos. If you prefer that sound, then go ahead and transfer to one of the hundreds of colleges in the country with a band like that! We sure won’t miss you! It takes hours of hard practice to get the sound that we have. I don’t even really agree that we aren’t as loud as those bands, but in any case the idea is quality of sound, not quantity. Anyone can pick up a horn and scream into it. It takes actual skill to make good, loud music with it.

On top of that, those other bands don’t have anywhere near the discipline that we do. They goof off right up until their show starts. They scratch themselves when they’re supposed to be at attention. And they apparently get more respect than we do? I just don’t understand it. And as for some of our shows not being up to our skill level, we can’t play Circle Drill every week. In fact, the easier shows usually come right before Circle Drill so the band can start working on it at the same time as the easy show.

The directors and the band work too long and too hard to be treated like this. Our band is really something to be proud of, and if you think other bands are better I really don’t know what to tell you. They don’t put the effort that our band does into their performance, and it is obvious. At the Georgia game this year, at one point the band started playing a new, funky-sounding tune in the stands. The entire football team started dancing along with it! I have never seen that happen at other schools, and I’ve been to most of the stadiums in the SEC. I would not trade our band for anyone else’s, and I am proud of what our directors strive for. I hope I’m not alone!

Mary Hall

Junior in animal science