Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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JUST JAMMIN’. John Friedman and Stranger Than Fiction finish up a set at the Sigma Phi Epsilon Mud Vol- leyball Tournament. The band performed their original song, “1,000 Dreams” at the Home- coming Variety Show. Photo by Patrick Mahoney ALL KEYED UP. Stranger Than Fiction member Jimmy Myers plays for the crowd at the Sigma Phi Epsilon Mud Volleyball Tournament. The band had a KDLX Top 10 hit before they broke up in the fall. Photo by Patrick Mahoney A SONG FOR YOU. Dur- ing a gig at The Outback, 12 New Guppies member Granger Lofton plays bass and sings back-up. Student bands found gaining local exposure was limited to bars and Greek sponsored events. Photo by Mike Fernandes ONE MORE TIME. Mem- bers of Trouble in Mind belt out a song during a rehearsal. The band played original songs and described their mu- sic as a mix of rhythm and blues and Southern rock. Photo by Randy Wolf StTupENT Banps 19

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Bands find it hard to mix classes and practice without missing a BEAT Thousands of screaming fans rushing the stage, hot lights, adrenaline pumping and an arena filled with sweaty bodies sounded like every musician’s dream come true. But, with that dream, came a price. For most band members getting to- gether and playing was enough, but for some groups, making it big would be a dream come true. “ “Tt was adream It was very of mine to be a professional mu- difficult. All | was sician and actually . make aliving from ever doing was it,” Kyle Dredge, member of 12 homework and | New Guppies. said. “Just being i in” ble to pl igi- play ing music. als uniee -Kyle Dredge press myself, whether it be lyri- cally or through my drums, was my- dream.” Don Carrick, drummer for Trouble in Mind, admitted that if the opportunity to make it big came up he would take it. “My parents would have hated me, but I would have been willing to drop every- thing for the opportunity,” Carrick said . “Tt was a one-time shot and if you got the chance you might as well go for it.” Maryville provided few playing op- portunities. Occasional gigs at fraternity parties and local bars were the outlets for publicity. However, most of the band members said their more intimate and private performances were their favorite. “] liked playing shows that were re- ally small,” Dredge said. “The interac- tion with the crowd was what really turned me on.” Members of the group Stranger Than Fiction agreed with Dredge. “We really liked small parties,” John Friedman said. “That was where we got the best response. Everybody was danc- BY KARISSA BONEY ing and having fun. However, it was kind of a double-edged sword because a lot of students were into the house beat and rap which strayed from what we were doing. So, sometimes we gota better response at other places.” A good response from any audience required hours of practice and hard work, band members said. Finding extra time between college studies and band prac- tice was sometimes impossible. “We learned 40 new songs in a span of amonth and ahalf,” Dredge said. “It was very difficult. All I was ever doing was homework and playing music. I usually played two or three hours a day.” However, most said forming a band was more than throwing muscians to- gether. “You had to find the right songs that people were going to listen to,” Friedman said. “It came with a lot of trial and error. There could be conflicts of interest with band members wanting to do separate things.” Members agreed that it was hard to keep a college band together. Because of the strain on time and difference of opin- ion, some bands stopped playing. One week after Stranger Than Fiction per- formed their KDLX Top 10 hit, “1,000 Dreams,” at the Homecoming Variety Show, they broke up. “Tt finally became too hard for us to agree,” Stranger Than Fiction member Jimmy Meyers said. “There were too many artistic differences. We wanted to play too many different styles of music.” It seemed making it big in the music industry would take some time for many bands, but in any case they were creating music and following their dream.

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TEEDLE DEE. Alpha Sigma shas Tweedle bugs invade Homecoming parade. The phas won first place in the ‘ority division of the float mpetition with their “Alvin d the Chipmunks” entry. ioto by Don Carrick PEANUTS ON PARADE Prancing through the streets of Maryville, members of Sigma Sigma Sigma wave to the crowd. The Tri-Sigs spent nearly three weeks on the papier-mache characters. Photo by Todd Weddle FITTO BETIED. Making a fash- ion statement, the Delta Chi’s group costume entry makes its way down the parade route. The costumes placed first in the fraternity division. Photo by Scott Jenson PRIZE DUCK. Tau Kappa Epsilon’s “DuckTales” float travels down the parade route. The TKEs placed first in the fraternity division of the float competition. Photo by Scott Jenson