1988 Pregame - The Pride of the Southland Marching Band

Studio recording from 1988.

[@davidvittetoe7632]

This is how I remember the Pride!

[@johnandersen5836]

I was in marching band at Oklahoma State from 84-88. Loved the power sound that bands played back then.

[@jonesthegrey4197]

I used to have this tape but lost it years ago. If I recall there was an amazing version of Also Sprach Zarathustra on the B-side. In any case, would love to find another copy somewhere. Thanks for posting.

[@chandlerdearmond7250]

When was Jay Romines at UT? I believe it, I'm just trying to get a time period.

[@BobbyLCollins]

Jay Romines was Associate Director of Bands at UTK from the mid to late 90s. He was Interim Director of Bands in 1996. And frankly, for all purposes, he still functioned as Director of the Marching Band in 97 and 98. He, along with Gary Schallert, were unceremoniously let go in 1999 so that Gary Sousa could bring in Don Ryder as Associate Director. It's not surprising that period of history is not taught to band members today (after all, it was only a couple of years ago that Assistant Director Mark Connell was thrown out of the band room because no one knew who he was, and no one bothered to ask). Jay returned to UTK a few years later and taught saxophone, but was not involved with the band department. Jay was the glue that held The Pride of the Southland together in what was, at that particular time, its darkest hour (which, in retrospect, was just a fart in the wind compared to what was to come). Many individuals (including myself) feel that he should have been named Director of Bands in 1997. He was an alumnus of the band program, he had first-hand knowledge of Dr. Julian's standards and expectations, and he fully understood "The Big Orange Sound". Sousa didn't even want to be there, and it showed.

[@themi6quartermaster17]

@@BobbyLCollins Sparks (again a dark hour indeed) was not the answer after Julian retired and the band has been on a downward trend ever since. The musicianship is just not what it was. Romines should have been given the baton to carry on the tradition but that is another story that will probably never be told in print.