In the long tradition of college bands, a few names stand out—Pink Floyd, Phish and REM all managed to transcend their undergraduate beginnings to reach the highest reaches of musical stardom. Ideally, the atmosphere in a university is open-minded, creative, open-ended—perfect for the creation of good music and great groups. Whether this generalization applies to Harvard, however, is a different story.
“At Harvard, you stop being able to be creative after a while. All the work, always doing something instead of having a place to just create—it made it tough to stay with a creative side,” says Michael Gould ’05, whose stay in Cambridge has forced his band, Shadowbox, to take a hiatus. “People just expect perfection of themselves, [but] it makes it hard to perfect what you’re doing when you expect yourself to be perfect.”
Still, some Harvard bands continue to rock by letting themselves relax. More casual than super-serious, big-dreaming acts such as The League, The Blanks or Chester French, these bands’ success depends on four pillars of wisdom: not taking things too seriously, maintaining a diverse and open mind, being inclusive and ultimately, being passionate about the music.
Not Taking it Too Seriously
Broviet Union is all about taking things in stride. Blockmates Theodore B. Bressman ’06 and “singer/air guitarist” Seth H. Robinson ’06 founded the band, but made room for second drummer Kyle J. Berkman ’06 and bassist Daniel J. Crane ’06 at the end of last year. A self-described comedy band, Broviet Union doesn’t feel the pressure to rise to another level. Last year, Broviet was so well-received at Currier House’s variety show that the audience called for an encore. Unfortunately, the Union couldn’t provide, given that they have only written six songs. These include: “High School Girls,” “Mexican Cockfight” and “Palindrome,” a song composed entirely of palindromes.
When asked about their practice schedule, the band members looked at each in confusion.
“Not practicing is what makes us so great,” says Crane.
And for the future? They’re divided.
“Conquering the world,” Berkman says.
“Happiness,” Robinson says.
