“Ready Up!” Human Jukebox prepares for Crankfest

The High stepping, Head Rocking, Cape Flashing, Southern University Marching Band better known as the “Human Jukebox” goes through long practices of preparation for the Crankfest Battle of the Bands (BOTB). The Crankfest BOTB is a showcase between the Human Jukebox and The Jackson State University Marching Band better known as The “Sonic Boom of the South.” “We are doing the Battle to benefit both programs, if you did not know everyone comes to the game to see both bands go at it, but all of the money that’s being made is going straight to the Athletics Department,” said Director of Bands Nathan Haymer. The Crankfest BOTB will be Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 3 P.M in New Orleans, Louisiana at Tad Gormley Stadium. Haymer says, “We are trying to attract the College crowd, the High School Crowd, and the after church crowd.” He also goes on to say the reason why the battle of the bands is taking place in New Orleans is due to the fact that it is the Band Capital of the World. The Sonic Boom of the South is known for their loud horns, Prancing J-settes and Shimmying Jackson 5 Drum majors, but the Southern University Band Staff and students are not letting that come between their views of the Sonic Boom. “Jackson Who?” says Ladonte Lotts 20-year-old Junior Business Management Major from Houston, Texas. Lotts continues on by saying ,“Jackson States band sticks to their style, which is not better than ours but their okay.” But even with all of the practices there is still a lot of things this band has to overcome and accomplish behind the scenes. Haymer elaborated on how the band has been affected by the cuts to higher education. “With all of the budget cuts in Louisiana not only has the band program been impacted but all Higher Ed has faced impact,” says Haymer. Haymer says don’t fret Haymer has met with the Vice President of SGA to come up with solutions to help fund the band more. “What the students really need to understand is how much it cost to operate a band.
If I told you that you had $4 million dollars you would think you’re a millionaire until you realize that you have $7 million dollars in bills, so I need to explain in better terms to the student body this semester and the spring semester of what it takes to operate The Human Jukebox,” said Haymer . Despite their many obstacles the band continues to inspire and amaze all, even the Staff. Assistant Director of Bands Kedric Taylor says “I joined the Jukebox because I liked the Style and precision of the band and being around them a lot in the early 90’s due to my brother being in the band really inspired me.” At the BOTB, The Sonic Boom will not be so inspired when the Jukebox unleashes their powerful notes of music better explained by Assistant Director of Bands Brian Simmons “When deciding what band. I wanted to march in for college, I had to make the decision of do I want to sit across from The Jukebox for 4 years or be a part of it for 4 years.” Even with all of this said the Jukebox takes the good and bad and makes it great, and this hasn’t gone unnoticed, even by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture who has place excerpts of The Human Jukebox into their Museum.