Purdue News
Purdue News
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March 9, 2001 Purdue’s Basketball Band mixes craziness with musicWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Come tournament time, there’s a team in the stands with bright gold polo shirts that may be every bit as vital to the success of Purdue women’s basketball as the team in numbered jerseys on floor. Just like the scholarship players, they warm up for the game with special exercises, then play hard for 40 minutes. Just like Purdue coach Kristy Curry, they actively show their displeasure at bad calls. But in the spirit category, Gold and Black Sound Basketball Band (GABS) is unlike any other. Many of the 56 band members admit they are always loud, sometimes obnoxious, yet fun-loving to the end. They say they work to whip up spirit in Mackey Arena and every other gym in which they play. "In order to be a member of GABS you have to be willing to sacrifice a little blood, sweat and even dignity," said Steve Pappas, a fifth-year senior from Menomonee Falls, Wis., whose shaved head and game antics attract attention from fans. "We try to create an atmosphere that makes Mackey the toughest place to play in the Big Ten." When Purdue’s opponents shoot free throws, for example, and the band disagrees with the call, Pappas and others turn their backs to the court. If an opposing player fouls out, the band chants, "Left, right, left, right... sit down!" as the player returns to the bench. Band members also swing their instruments and incorporate exaggerated hand movements as they perform many songs. This season, in fact, dancing has become a highlight. Fans routinely ask for autographs from Greg Butler, a drummer from Indianapolis, whose gyrations to a tune called "The Horse," have become unusually popular with fans. "Greg is really hilarious. Fans that sit next to us love when he dances, and they cheer every time we play that song," said Kristina Murray, a sophomore in consumer and family sciences from Osceola, Ind. In addition to getting fans into the groove, GABS has moved basketball players – and even Kristy Curry's baby – to dance along. While the band played "Jahari Dance," for example, point guard Erika Valek led the players in a funky dance at center court after winning the Big Ten Championship. In the stands, six-month-old Kelsey Curry bopped along. "She loves the band. She kicks and bounces around when the band plays," said Kelsey’s nanny Michele Hayden. One of GABS’ favorite traditions is one most fans don’t see – pregame warm ups. "We like to think of ourselves as a very emotional band. We don’t want to pull anything or injure ourselves in any way so, not unlike the team, we make sure we stretch before every game," said senior trumpeter and exercise leader Jason Singer, a pharmacy major from New Palestine, Ind. "This tradition was started many years ago and gets passed on each year." Alan Landers, who rehearsed and directed the band during the 2000-01 season, said there’s a night-and-day difference between women’s basketball at Purdue and at its archrival Indiana University, where Landers studied music. "At IU the atmosphere is not there. No one goes. No one wants to play in the band," he said. "Purdue’s GABS band took me a little bit by surprise – how into the game they are, and how integral they are to the game. The coolest thing I’ve ever seen was 12,000 people standing up and clapping along with the band when they played ‘Get Ready To Rumble’ at Senior Day." Over the years GABS has developed a distinct personality. "I think our band is particularly loud and obnoxious, but not in a bad way," said senior trombone player Jolene Miller, a science major from Cincinnati, Ohio. "We particularly like drawing attention to ourselves by yelling at refs and opposing players when there isn’t a whole lot of other noise in the arena. When we have the other team’s fans yelling back at us, we know we’ve done our job." Every member contributes a bit of themselves to GABS' personality. "When you are a new member coming into GABS, you really don’t know what to expect," said Murray, a first-year member and tuba player. "After you’ve been to the first game, you get swept up in the excitement, and your own personality comes out and contributes more fun to the band. "I like to do very exaggerated horn moves, and each game I try to think of new ones to go with new songs. I would like to think that people (watching me) are thinking, 'Wow, she is excited!'" Tournament time traditionally inspires GABS to new heights. For the 2000 Big Ten Tournament they introduced referee sock puppets inspired by the Pets.com mascot. This year they’re working up some hip-hop songs requested by the team, and there will probably be other surprises. Curry, and all the coaches before her, say they like having GABS on their side. "Coach Curry has talked to us, thanking us for all of our hard work and everything we do to support the team," said Pappas. "It feels good and make us want to go out there and cheer harder at the next game." GABS members have a particular affinity for women’s basketball. "I picked the women’s basketball team because the fans aren’t fickle. They’re here to stay," said baritone player Amanda Cox, a senior food science major from New Palestine, Ind. "We have a sense of family with the team." Favorite memories for Cox, and many of the seniors, lie in the national championship season of 1998-99. It was that year they dared to form a Block "P" on the IU arena floor after a victory. That year they also traveled to the Final Four in San Jose, Calif. "Going into the tournament, the entire band felt that we were on the verge of witnessing something special, something we would never forget. Being able to be a part of the success our team had that season, and in the tournament, was truly amazing," said Pappas. Sources: Steve Pappas, (765) 743-1146, spappas@purdue.edu Jason Singer, (765) 743-0137, jsinger2@purdue.edu Writer: Kathy Matter, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu Related Web site:
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