Re: Aggie Band 2019

OldArmyFight said:

Aggie Band, Class of (cough) 77. Okay, just because football news is kinda hard to find, some tid bits about one of the strangest collegiate organizations known to mankind.

1. The official name of the organizations (plural for a reason) that form the band you see on the field is: The Combined Band at Texas A&M. The name comes from the late 1930's when Texas A&M began to expand for the looming war. The campus was divided into two parts, one side was housed around Sbisa Dining Hall and the other around the newer Duncan Dining Hall. One side of campus trained predominately infantry and cavalry units, the other side artillery. Each part of campus had its own band, The Artillery and Infantry Bands. For sporting events, the two bands would come together and form The Combined Band. These two bands were intensely competitive, and as you will see in number (2), the bandsmen at A&M became legendary for their willingness to engage in fisticuffs.

2. The nickname of the Combined Band at Texas A&M is "The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band." Not Fighting, but Fightin'. This nickname comes from the culture of fisticuffs among bandsmen in its early years. The first drum major of the Aggie Band, a man named California Morris, was the first student expelled from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas...... for constant brawling. From Morris the band instilled the tradition of selecting the head drum major by holding...... a bare knuckle boxing match. The winner of the "tournament" became the head drum major.

3. The bands fought so much internally, both bands were disbanded and reformed as the Maroon and White band. That worked, for awhile. In the 1970's, the bands returned to their original designations of Artillery and Infantry. Each band is now comprised of three company or battery sized units (A, B, C companies and A, B, and C batteries). Each band has its own battalion level staff, a command structure and a drum major. The Combined Band has its own staff and command structure, with the head drum major. Total of 6 subordinate units, two major sub units with three drum majors and Combined Band staff form the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. When members of the band are commissioned, their unit designation as they walk across the stage is always their battery or company, never "the band'.

4. The band is the only college band (or Service Band I think) that is housed in the same space (up until this year, Dorms 9 and 11 on the Quad, the band has been moved to Dorms 10 and 12 now the new band facility has been finished), has two formations a day, takes meals together, etc. Bandsmen leave the band with their class, whether they have graduated or not, as the band like the Corps is structured in a rigid class system. Basically, 4 years and you are out.

5. Many early traditions of the college come from the band or are connected to the band (not surprising, as late as the 1970's, one out of every 40 students at the college was in the band). Reveille, the school mascot was the bands' mascot for years. The Band Director hated that dog, and eventually got her moved to another uni. E-2, still the Corps mascot unit. The Yell Leaders come from a group of Aggie Band freshmen dressing up in janitor uniforms to put on skits for the dates of upper classmen.

6. For almost all of Texas A&M's existence, it was forbidden by an act of the Texas Legislature (that should tell you something right there), to confer degrees in music. So, no Aggie Bandsman (to the best of my knowledge) had a music scholarship to be in the band, certainly not up until I graduated. Pretty sure changes to that will or have happened, but not positive. When I was at A&M, there were no music courses taught at the school, save a course in music history. Our Band Commander took the course, and it is the only course he did not get an A. He missed a perfect grade point average by that B, and he graduated with a degree in nuclear engineering.

7. Texas A&M is one of the only major colleges or universities where both the alma mater (Spirit of Aggieland) and its "fight song" (Aggies claim "we do not have a fight song, we have a War Hymn) were written primarily by students or former students.

8. The most famous of Aggie Band directors was Col Dunn (the guy who hated the dog), and he tried unsuccessfully to ban the boots seniors wear. Incredibly difficult footwear to march in (one of the many reasons the Aggie Band marches at 104 beats a minute, not the 120 of the Army and Air Force Bands, and not the 90 for the Marines and Navy. Have no idea what show bands tend to go at). Basically, the band refused. Which is interesting because another Aggie tradition, those same senior boots, were first made by the first band director, Joseph Hollick, whose primary occupation was a boot maker.

9. The Aggie Band plays a distinct rendition of the national anthem, passed down from Col Dunn (the guy who hated the dog). It is still my favorite way to play the national anthem.

10. The nickname for Aggie Bandsmen is "BQ". While its official meaning (now) is Band Qualified student, in my time it was understood it meant "Band Queer", because bandsmen were famous for sticking together in a fight. This is not an insult, as many in the newer generations do not understand the humor associated with all male institutions (as the band was until 1986). Our room mates were always the same sex, if you are a man, you room mate is always referred to as "my Ol' Lady." (My second Ol' Lady lives 11 miles from me and is still my best friend in the world. His wife understands that she is his wife, but Ol' Lady is a term reserved for former bandsmen who roomed with you). Women refer to their room mates as Ol' Man.

11. The Aggie Band does not march with tuba's, as the word tuba starts with the descriptor for our most hated in state rival (now no longer play them in football), texas university, always lower case, or t.u. Our sousaphone section are called the bass section, and along with the drum section are the most independent of all groups in the band, with their own rituals and leadership structure when preparing for drills.

12. And flutes are not allowed in the band. They are the only standard band instrument that will not fit through the bands' formations.

13. The band's uniform is always whatever the uniform of the day is for the Corps of Cadets, except at halftime as the band has always refused to wear inclement weather gear (raincoats, etc.). In class A uniform, an Aggie Senior will have on almost $2,000 worth of kit (Boots $1,200 or more, blouse, jodhpurs, spurs, garrison cap, etc.....). The class A uniform is patterned after the 1931 Army uniform, commonly referred to in the Army as Service Pinks and Greens. The Army just announced that this year they are starting to transition back to Pinks and Greens.

Have a great game Tigers. Best of luck for the season.

My grandfather was at Clemson in the mid 20's and he referred to his roommate as his "ol lady". Must have been a military college thing more than a band thing

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Aug 22, 2019, 5:55 PM

Let me add some commentary to highlight some of this great post. I think I too will get chills when the band enters the field based on their deep commitment to providing this nation with young men to join the fight .... whenever or wherever. Clemson has followed that same commitment. I was one of them .... USMC 1969-1989
Aggie Band, Class of (cough) 77. Okay, just because football news is kinda hard to find, some tid bits about one of the strangest collegiate organizations known to mankind.

1. The official name of the organizations (plural for a reason) that form the band you see on the field is: The Combined Band at Texas A&M. The name comes from the late 1930's when Texas A&M began to expand for the looming war. The campus was divided into two parts, one side was housed around Sbisa Dining Hall and the other around the newer Duncan Dining Hall. One side of campus trained predominately infantry and cavalry units, the other side artillery. Each part of campus had its own band, The Artillery and Infantry Bands. For sporting events, the two bands would come together and form The Combined Band. These two bands were intensely competitive, and as you will see in number (2), the bandsmen at A&M became legendary for their willingness to engage in fisticuffs.

Very neat!

2. The nickname of the Combined Band at Texas A&M is "The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band." Not Fighting, but Fightin'. This nickname comes from the culture of fisticuffs among bandsmen in its early years. The first drum major of the Aggie Band, a man named California Morris, was the first student expelled from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas...... for constant brawling. From Morris the band instilled the tradition of selecting the head drum major by holding...... a bare knuckle boxing match. The winner of the "tournament" became the head drum major.

Great way to select a head drum major .... surprised more schools don't adopt that policy.

3. The bands fought so much internally, both bands were disbanded and reformed as the Maroon and White band. That worked, for awhile. In the 1970's, the bands returned to their original designations of Artillery and Infantry. Each band is now comprised of three company or battery sized units (A, B, C companies and A, B, and C batteries). Each band has its own battalion level staff, a command structure and a drum major. The Combined Band has its own staff and command structure, with the head drum major. Total of 6 subordinate units, two major sub units with three drum majors and Combined Band staff form the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. When members of the band are commissioned, their unit designation as they walk across the stage is always their battery or company, never "the band'.

Like this too!

4. The band is the only college band (or Service Band I think) that is housed in the same space (up until this year, Dorms 9 and 11 on the Quad, the band has been moved to Dorms 10 and 12 now the new band facility has been finished), has two formations a day, takes meals together, etc. Bandsmen leave the band with their class, whether they have graduated or not, as the band like the Corps is structured in a rigid class system. Basically, 4 years and you are out.

Good .... develops esprit de corps!

5. Many early traditions of the college come from the band or are connected to the band (not surprising, as late as the 1970's, one out of every 40 students at the college was in the band). Reveille, the school mascot was the bands' mascot for years. The Band Director hated that dog, and eventually got her moved to another uni. E-2, still the Corps mascot unit. The Yell Leaders come from a group of Aggie Band freshmen dressing up in janitor uniforms to put on skits for the dates of upper classmen.

Wish Reveille had bitten the dood ..... maybe he did .... thus the hate!

6. For almost all of Texas A&M's existence, it was forbidden by an act of the Texas Legislature (that should tell you something right there), to confer degrees in music. So, no Aggie Bandsman (to the best of my knowledge) had a music scholarship to be in the band, certainly not up until I graduated. Pretty sure changes to that will or have happened, but not positive. When I was at A&M, there were no music courses taught at the school, save a course in music history. Our Band Commander took the course, and it is the only course he did not get an A. He missed a perfect grade point average by that B, and he graduated with a degree in nuclear engineering.

Fightin' men ort not to major in music ..... good move. I took Music Appreciation one summer and had about the same results as your BC ....... except when I graduated I am not sure the nuclear stuff, like the atom, had been discovered.

7. Texas A&M is one of the only major colleges or universities where both the alma mater (Spirit of Aggieland) and its "fight song" (Aggies claim "we do not have a fight song, we have a War Hymn) were written primarily by students or former students.

I'm not sure who wrote ours Alma Mater, but it is a good one and probably written by students who also did not major in music, since we don't offer that kind of stuff.

8. The most famous of Aggie Band directors was Col Dunn (the guy who hated the dog), and he tried unsuccessfully to ban the boots seniors wear. Incredibly difficult footwear to march in (one of the many reasons the Aggie Band marches at 104 beats a minute, not the 120 of the Army and Air Force Bands, and not the 90 for the Marines and Navy. Have no idea what show bands tend to go at). Basically, the band refused. Which is interesting because another Aggie tradition, those same senior boots, were first made by the first band director, Joseph Hollick, whose primary occupation was a boot maker.

As a Marine, I would have to think that ole John P. Sousa had it right and bands should march at 90 BPM. I'll give you a pass on that one as I can slow your band down to 90 on my computer and it will be right.

9. The Aggie Band plays a distinct rendition of the national anthem, passed down from Col Dunn (the guy who hated the dog). It is still my favorite way to play the national anthem.

There is only one way to play the NA and I think we have it right. I'll give yours a score after I hear a version of it on Youtube.

10. The nickname for Aggie Bandsmen is "BQ". While its official meaning (now) is Band Qualified student, in my time it was understood it meant "Band Queer", because bandsmen were famous for sticking together in a fight. This is not an insult, as many in the newer generations do not understand the humor associated with all male institutions (as the band was until 1986). Our room mates were always the same sex, if you are a man, you room mate is always referred to as "my Ol' Lady." (My second Ol' Lady lives 11 miles from me and is still my best friend in the world. His wife understands that she is his wife, but Ol' Lady is a term reserved for former bandsmen who roomed with you). Women refer to their room mates as Ol' Man.

We always used the "Ol' Lady' term when I was a Jarhead. IN Viet Nam we referred to our air mattress as our rubber B**ch ..... not to be confused with you Ol Lady.

11. The Aggie Band does not march with tuba's, as the word tuba starts with the descriptor for our most hated in state rival (now no longer play them in football), texas university, always lower case, or t.u. Our sousaphone section are called the bass section, and along with the drum section are the most independent of all groups in the band, with their own rituals and leadership structure when preparing for drills.

See, you named you Tubas after the guy who had the march count right ...... JP Sousa.

12. And flutes are not allowed in the band. They are the only standard band instrument that will not fit through the bands' formations.

Don't tell me you have piccolos!

13. The band's uniform is always whatever the uniform of the day is for the Corps of Cadets, except at halftime as the band has always refused to wear inclement weather gear (raincoats, etc.). In class A uniform, an Aggie Senior will have on almost $2,000 worth of kit (Boots $1,200 or more, blouse, jodhpurs, spurs, garrison cap, etc.....). The class A uniform is patterned after the 1931 Army uniform, commonly referred to in the Army as Service Pinks and Greens. The Army just announced that this year they are starting to transition back to Pinks and Greens.

Yeah .... servicemen (and women) don't need to be walking around with umbrellas, raincoats ..... or putting their hands in their pockets!

Have a great game Tigers. Best of luck for the season.

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Aggie Band 2019