Drum Major Leonardo Zimmerman taking a break from leading the band. Photo courtesy of Kevin Rodriguez.

  San Luis Obispo High School marching band students present themselves as a welcoming community, but their actions speak louder than their words.

Expressions talked to four band students on why and how the band has gotten to this point.  

Expressions: Is band as good a community as it presents itself to be? 

Band Board President and senior Christian Cuevillas: I do think it’s a good community. Despite being caught up in teenage drama and toxicity, I do think it’s a good community. It’s a community where we grow together, where we learn instruments together, and where we develop friendships that may even last lifetimes. But, I do think we’re not immune to teenage drama. People talk smack out of frustration, and it’s just a way of getting things on the table. It’s a problem that we do talk behind each other’s backs, but at the same time, it’s normal. However, we do need to address problems and then deal with them. 

Assistant Drum Major and junior Ares Aguilera: I think that the way that it presents itself is definitely different than the way it actually is, but that’s guaranteed to be how everything is. I think that because of stereotypes, there’s an image that everyone sees band as. I think that our image the band kinda gives its self is kinda similar to that, but for people how are looking to join band. I think the way its explain and describe and the way it actullay is are very different.

Brass Captain and senior Adam Frederick: Yeah, I think a lot of the people in band care about what they are doing, but a lot of people don’t want to be there. It’s a place where like minded people can learn about music. However, there are a lot of people who are there, especially in marching band, who are there just to mess around and to be with their friends and detract from the overall experience, which is very frustrating for people who care about it a lot. 

Drumline Captain and senior Coen Carlberg: I guess it presents itself to be like a stereotype. [Band kids] are weird kids, right? It kind of makes sense because a lot of people join band for the socializing aspect and to make connections and friends and stuff, so the people that join band because of friends and socializing are genuinely a little bit weirder. Maybe you don’t make friends as easily so it’s definitely a good way to find people that will support you no matter what, no matter how weird you are.

Expressions: Why do people in band gossip? 

Cuevillas: Well, it’s just like how people talk smack and like, classrooms like you know, like on a math test, you’re like, Oh, I did. I got 100 percent and then Bethany got 92. They’re there I think I’m talking smack kind of errors out frustration and errors out like your inner thoughts, and it’s just a way of getting things on the table. It’s a problem that we do talk behind each other’s backs and talk smack but at the same time, it’s like it’s normal. However, we do need to address that and once we put something on the table, we need to address it and then like deal with it.          

Aguilera: I think the way its explain and describe and the way it actually is are very different.  I think that um, like, as drum major in leadership I get to hear a lot of things, especially as someone how, like, telling people what to do. I think that, when it comes to leadership like, stuff being spoken about leadership. I’m just saying that because that’s the best I can say things . Scene I’m one of the people being affected by that. is definitely like , oh you’re in our grade why are you telling us things. Or like why are you acting yourself high and mighty your my age or younger than me. But I think  with one another with in band I think that reason is that

This whole like smack talks stuff is going on is just because like people aren’t great people aren’t guaranteed to be nice and I just don’t think that it’s the kind of environment we should be having for band members especially people who look to band as a safe space. Or were they just joining band like, being treated badly  just joining band is horrible. I would never want anyone feel that way. 

Frederick: There sometimes are disagreements or drama between people and it causes a detachment from the main purpose of why everybody’s there. People just want to talk crap about each other and get at each other’s throats and make themselves feel better for whatever reason.

Carlberg: High school is notorious for drama and talking about each other. It’s not really like a  band specific thing, maybe because like, we’re more separated due to sections or might be some like, section to section like [talk about each other], but usually it’s all in good fun. And if it is not really because of band. It’s just because of like, teenagers. It’s just the nature of it.

Expressions: Should people continue to support the band despite the reputation? 

Cuevillas:  Yes, definitely. Band is a home to all of us. We play our football games, we play our competitions, and band is a community. In a community of high schoolers of course there’s going to be our drama. Band is a victim of teenage drama and teenage gossip, and despite being such a huge organization, we’re definitely not immune to it, but, of course, this is definitely something we should work on.

Aguilera: I think its very hard to say like you should still support us even thoe we still do this because band as a whole isn’t what’s making these being a direct effect on why this happing to people . I think its the people in band, that aren’t  the greatest not th whole band itself.  The environment obviously affected by the people but I think that it could definitely be worked on. This actually the first time , one of the first few times that actually been  brought up to me. Some many people are getting bothered by it.

Frederick: I think it is a very generally enriching experience for people like myself. I have gained a lot of knowledge from it, and it has given me a career path that I can follow in the future if I choose to. If you want it to be an experience that you are fond of, then you will make it that. You will associate yourself with people and be around people that make it a good and worthwhile experience.

Carlberg: I don’t think like any like outsiders are like oh, yeah, SLOHS band they are [say mean things about other people]. They’re mean, like I don’t see that happening. Like that doesn’t really make sense to me. And people usually it’s like, the our support comes from like, parents or like band kids. Like we support ourselves. No one really supports us that much. Like, all the money we make is from our fundraiser, or fundraisers. And I don’t think like Blaze pizza are what stocks are like, oh, yeah, we’re not gonna host a fundraiser for band because Floyd just band is is like meanie shit. That doesn’t really make sense. So, I think as far as the fundraisers go, whether they should keep supporting us, it’s usually like a win win. And they do it because they make money too. So it’s a mutual positive outcome. And besides that, we mainly support ourselves so I guess I just don’t really understand that like a problem or if like cable I like it for actually known for being like, like it doesn’t make sense.

Expressions: Is this only a certain groups of people giving band a bad name? 

Cuevillas: I think every section is guilty of it, like whether it’s just commenting on like a sections progress on a memorization test or just like how a leader deals with other leaders. I think it’s every section talks smack.

Aguilera: I hate to say it but yay there are certain groups of people  like friend groups or just like clicks in band itself.  That are definitely people who aren’t the kindest I know that there’s a certain group of people that are like this so stupid why are we even here and talk smack about band itself  and because I guess they aren’t enjoying it leads them to take that out on other people when it shouldn’t be happening to thoe people  and affects their feelings. 

Frederick: There are a lot of people who are underclassmen right now who are very whose behavior is unacceptable in the fine art that we are all trying to be a part of. They’re not rehearsing respectfully. They are talking when they shouldn’t play when they shouldn’t and making it a more frustrating experience for people who care about it and have a good time making music.

Carlberg: I mean, I don’t know. I didn’t even realize we’re giving ourselves a bad name to begin with. So probably not. Yeah.

Expressions: Why is this common in Band? 

Cuevillas: It’s common in band because we’re a huge organization. We’re an organization full of teenagers with drama. And just because like other organizations, you only have like a trimester to be there. But our organization we grow up with each other and we’re always seeing each other third period, fourth period. And although that means like we should be closer that also gives us more time to develop problems and develop drama. Anything else for the records. One final thought I definitely think that the Talking Smack and drama is a huge part of band and we definitely need to fix it but I don’t think that band is a toxic environment. Okay, it can be toxic at some times but I think overall like the overall community of band is non toxic. It’s a place to grow, and a place to make friends. And I just think we get caught up in drama sometimes, but drama can be resolved and drama can be talked about

Aguilera: I think the reason this is common is because the people who are not being the kindest  are the ones who are in it for an easy grade or not taking it as seriously but I because I know that mainly the people who don’t take it seriously are the ones who are being ruder,  but yay I think that thats mainly just their not just here for what everyone else is here for. So then their just taking that out on everyone else, I supposed.

Frederick: I think it’s common because a lot of people don’t care about it as much as other students. make a lot of people are there to be with their friends and their purpose which is to make music with each other and learn how to play our instruments that have very high level.

Carlberg: I mean, I would say it’s not common in band. I mean, I don’t know what the first question was, but I think it was pretty similar but I would say overall, like bands are pretty inclusive community like there’s a reason why. Like there’ll be so many people on band. There’s, there’s a reason why, like, there’s so many of us that don’t like music that much and aren’t that good at music but still join. Right. And if it was a truly toxic community, only the people that are actually like dedicated to music would still be in it. But that’s clearly not the case. Like there’s clearly plenty of us that don’t like music don’t like practicing but we’re still in it for the socializing and the community acts right. So I just don’t really see how our bad reputation like I don’t see how we have a bad reputation or we have a toxic community like that just doesn’t make sense.