Making “treble” wherever they go.
From bringing a live seagull into the band room to giving staff members decapitated fish heads, the MHS band has an attached reputation.

According to junior and drum major Jane Suppes, in order to be a band kid one must be there to play music and improve as musicians. Suppes said there are other students who are not in band or are in band but not for the music that are considered “groupies,” “bandies” and “band-aids.”

“You have to have an interest in music,” Suppes said. “You have to want to get better.”

Low brass section leader and junior Lane Koster said band kids are typically wild and therefore looked down upon.

“What it takes to be a band kid is you have to be crazy and not afraid to admit it,” Koster said. “Imagine Meth, a guy named Meth, took a bunch of cocaine and heroine and just said, hey I’m gonna go to the supermarket.”

According to Koster, band kids are strange and out there but are overall good people despite popular belief.

“We’re loud, we’re crazy, we litter, we’re satan worshippers, but we’re honestly pretty good kids,” Koster said.

According to sophomore Spencer Mead, band has traditions that help them bond.

“After football games or basketball games we go to Abby’s,” Mead said.

Koster said band kids have adopted some customs over the years.

“Every year we choose a band kid to have a cult over, so this year we chose Andre [Deplois],” Koster said.

The members agreed the band has a reputation of being geeks, weirdos and troublemakers. However, instead of the entire group being blamed, Suppes said certain individuals who are responsible should be instead of the entire group.

“Some band kids have a bad reputation because decisions they make, but it’s not for the purpose of the band clique,” Suppes said. “It’s for their personal purposes, but then it sometimes gets pinned on us.”

These individuals, according to Suppes, have been kicked out of the band.

“Mr. Kruse has kicked some people out because of their behavior,” Suppes said.

Band director John Kruse said students have been kicked out of band in the past.

“We had a couple students last year that did us no favors,” Kruse said. “That’s why they’re gone.”

According to Kruse, all groups will have their troublemakers, but they must overcome them and grow from their experiences.

“Well of course you know every group is going to have their good days and bad days,” Kruse said. It’s going to exist like in any group, and we try to rise above that.”

According to Kruse, most of the band students are very well behaved and receive above average grades.

“ The other stereotype you should mention is most of your band students are honor roll students and overall they probably have way better behavior than the student population in general,” Kruse said. “The group overall honestly they’re pretty civil minded.”