25 Best Marching Bands In The Land

[JuanA.Nuñez]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/681190-college-football-2011-ohio-state-and-the-25-best-damn-bands-in-the-land/page/26

[Eagle-96]

We may not have put the best product on the football field the last few years but we do indeed have the best sounding band in the country bar none and it's not even close.

Edited May 11, 2011 by Eagle-96

[UNTcrazy727]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/681190-college-football-2011-ohio-state-and-the-25-best-damn-bands-in-the-land/page/26

Yeah...sorry, but there is no way the Green Brigade is the best band in the nation. I'm sure I'll get -1s for this, but no one of this board can say with a straight face that we have the best band.

Edited May 11, 2011 by UNTcrazy727

[greenminer]

Yeah...sorry, but there is no way the Green Brigade is the best band in the nation. I'm sure I'll get -1s for this, but no one of this board can say with a straight face that we have the best band.

I say "opinion piece", you say "i'm calling bs on this one."

whatever works for you, brah.

[letsgiveacheer]

Congratulations to the Green Brigade!!

I have been very critical of them in the past for their (and almost every other marching band) corps style of marching. To my mind, it is uninspiring.

But what the North Texas band has, and has always had, is a very high degree of musicianship. I have not heard another university band that can touch them...not Michigan, not Ohio State, not Indiana, no one. I'm proud to see them get this recognition.

[SilverEagle]

I've watched the North Texas Bands since I was in High School and participated in half time shows with my HS band in the 60's.

The McAdow-led Bands were musically without peer. Sometimes it was like listening to a 120 piece lab band.

The Dr. Winslow-led bands were pretty close in quality to the McAdow bands, and twice as large. But they were there at games for themselves, not the team...or the school. They never took responsibility for promoting spirit at games.

The current Bands are better than most bands in the south-south-west, but not as good as previous versions of the Green Brigade. They just don't bring the crowds to their feet in spontaneous applause like previous bands did. I remember one performance at Texas Stadium when we were playing SMU (Eric Dickerson and company). When the Band did it's grand finale (mainly in front of the SMU fans since SMU was the home team) EVERYONE in the stadium stood and gave them a standing ovation.....for at least 5 minutes. It's the only time I've ever seen the SMU fans show any class. I've seen A$M and UT fans do the same thing during the same era.

One of the most underrated marching bands in Texas is the UTA band. Those guys could flat out perform at football games, and I would rate their fight song (as performed by the UTA bands of the early-to-mid-80's) as good as any in the state....even UT's. When they went head-to-head with the Dr. Winslow Green Brigade bands, they never out-played us, but they always OUT-SPIRITED us.

Here is a sound clip of their fight song. The quality is pretty poor, but the "energy" of the fight song comes through.

http://www.hark.com/clips/dgcntlnjrk-uta-fight-song

Edited May 11, 2011 by SilverEagle

[drycreek]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/681190-college-football-2011-ohio-state-and-the-25-best-damn-bands-in-the-land/page/26

If they are not the best-------I would like to see/hear the band that is better!!!!

[Dr. Seuss]

I cant say they are or arnt the best band because during haft time im back at the tailgate drinking more beer, eating more burgers and refilling my flask

[UNT 90 Grad]

We may not have put the best product on the football field the last few years but we do indeed have the best sounding band in the country bar none and it's not even close.

We DID put the best product on the football field...we just waited until half time to do it.

[SilverEagle]

Here is UTA in 2003...making a big sound. Something we've gotten away from.

Here they are in 1985. Also making a big sound and their drum line is not too shabby.

BTW, another gripe of mine. Our nationally recognized drum line no longer performs at football games. The second team (or lower) drum line is the one who shows up to games.

WHY HAVE WE STOPPED PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AT FOOTBALL GAMES?

Edited May 11, 2011 by SilverEagle

[greenjoe]

It was during the Winslow era that the drumline dressed differently from the rest of the band and started waving their sticks to the rhythm of the music. I thought that they were mocking the alma mater. I still think that was their intent. Somehow, the waving of sticks became waving of the Eagle claw or talon. And for most NT fans, it is embraced as a show of support. I don't do it because of my preception from years ago. Back when Dr. Wimslow was director, I left the stands to go to the Fred McCain room for food or drink. I just couldn't watch a band that seemed so apart from the rest of Saturday's activities. I don't feel that way now.

I would however, like to see the Green Brigade play "Texas, Our Texas." I've never heard a college band play it regularly. It could be almost another North Texas Alma Mater since no one else is doing it.

The lyrics could be modified from "Texas, our Texas..." to "Texas, North Texas, all hail the mighty state."

GO MEAN GREEN

[MDH]

I love them, they're great, but I wish they played more variety.

[bdan2002]

Top 25 Marching Bands

[TheTastyGreek]

Top 25 Marching Bands

Merged with an already existing thread on the same topic.

[All About UNT]

It was during the Winslow era that the drumline dressed differently from the rest of the band and started waving their sticks to the rhythm of the music. I thought that they were mocking the alma mater. I still think that was their intent. Somehow, the waving of sticks became waving of the Eagle claw or talon. And for most NT fans, it is embraced as a show of support. I don't do it because of my preception from years ago. Back when Dr. Wimslow was director, I left the stands to go to the Fred McCain room for food or drink. I just couldn't watch a band that seemed so apart from the rest of Saturday's activities. I don't feel that way now.

I would however, like to see the Green Brigade play "Texas, Our Texas." I've never heard a college band play it regularly. It could be almost another North Texas Alma Mater since no one else is doing it.

The lyrics could be modified from "Texas, our Texas..." to "Texas, North Texas, all hail the mighty state."

GO MEAN GREEN

little confused about your asserting that the claw came from the drumline (if I read it correctly) but I can def agree with the Texas, Our Texas song and how it should be played.

[eppy4life]

I know our band is great. I just have a hard time seeing that at the football games. Sure, I may not know this or that about what they're doing but from the eye ball/ear test I can't seem to distinguish them from other collegiate bands I've heard. I would love for them to give off more of a 'wow' factor.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I would however, like to see the Green Brigade play "Texas, Our Texas." I've never heard a college band play it regularly. It could be almost another North Texas Alma Mater since no one else is doing it.

The lyrics could be modified from "Texas, our Texas..." to "Texas, North Texas, all hail the mighty state."

Performing "Texas, Our Texas" would be great. But I don't believe the lyrics should be modified. I find it incredibly disrespectful when the national anthem is being performed at Dallas Stars games, and when they get to the "whose broad stripes and bright stars" the crowd yells "STARS!!" Likewise at Houston Rockets games at "and the ROCKETS!! red glare." The national anthem is performed as a tribute to our nation, not to celebrate a sports team. If the Green Brigade does "Texas, Our Texas," it needs to be done as a tribute to Texas.

Edited May 11, 2011 by Mean Green 93-98

[MeanGreenTexan]

Performing "Texas, Our Texas" would be great. But I don't believe the lyrics should be modified. I find it incredibly disrespectful when the national anthem is being performed at Dallas Stars games, and when they get to the "whose broad stripes and bright stars" the crowd yells "STARS!!" Likewise at Houston Rockets games at "and the ROCKETS!! red glare." The national anthem is performed as a tribute to our nation, not to celebrate a sports team. If the Green Brigade does "Texas, Our Texas," it needs to be done as a tribute to Texas.

I approve this message.

-MeanGreenTexan

[greenjoe]

Good points. I assure you that my suggestion was not intended as disrespect for my home state. Just as an opportunity to "own" the song.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

I must have been watching a different band during the football games because we are no where close to having the best marching band....unless....did we get lumped into the high school category?

[LongJim]

Yeah...sorry, but there is no way the Green Brigade is the best band in the nation. I'm sure I'll get -1s for this, but no one of this board can say with a straight face that we have the best band.

I'll say it with a straight face. In comparison to MANY college bands I've seen, the Green Brigade--musically--is as good or better than any college band in the US. I personally don't feel their marching is anything to write home about, but they can play, for sure.

[SilverEagle]

I'll say it with a straight face. In comparison to MANY college bands I've seen, the Green Brigade--musically--is as good or better than any college band in the US. I personally don't feel their marching is anything to write home about, but they can play, for sure.

...but not like they used to play.

[Ibleedgreen]

CONGRATULATIONS Green Brigade!! A terrific honor....and don't change a thing. Your musicianship represents our fine College of Music well.

[MeanGreenHoops]

Here they are in 1985. Also making a big sound and their drum line is not too shabby.

Fun fact for you, the UTA drumline is taught by a UNT grad.

BTW, another gripe of mine. Our nationally recognized drum line no longer performs at football games. The second team (or lower) drum line is the one who shows up to games.

WHY HAVE WE STOPPED PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AT FOOTBALL GAMES?

Not true. It was sort of true for awhile when the drumline got so famous that we had too many drummers for them all to perform at once and we split them into two lines. There was a competition line that only did a few games and a second line that did the rest.

[MeanGreenHoops]

It was during the Winslow era that the drumline dressed differently from the rest of the band and started waving their sticks to the rhythm of the music. I thought that they were mocking the alma mater. I still think that was their intent. Somehow, the waving of sticks became waving of the Eagle claw or talon. And for most NT fans, it is embraced as a show of support. I don't do it because of my preception from years ago. Back when Dr. Wimslow was director, I left the stands to go to the Fred McCain room for food or drink. I just couldn't watch a band that seemed so apart from the rest of Saturday's activities. I don't feel that way now.

The reason the drumline had different uniforms, was because there were too many people in the band and not enough uniforms to go around. As for mocking the alma mater, most of those people are more loyal about UNT than majority of students. If you didn't notice at the last game last year we had an alumni band perform. of the about 150 people that performed, almost half were drummers.