ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, August 28, 1996             TAG: 9608280060
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: Associated Press

UVA PEP BAND SACKED; OTHER GROUPS TO PLAY

OTHER MUSICAL GROUPS will play at football games to teach the UVa band to be more professional and less prone to practical jokes.

There will be no irreverent humor from the University of Virginia Pep Band at halftime of this year's football games.

UVa athletic officials say the band has agreed to remain on the sidelines this fall to learn from visiting bands how a proper halftime show is done. Wood Selig, associate athletic director, said Monday that the band does not have enough members to provide a good show.

``The Pep Band pretty much said that they could not meet the needs that we had for pregame and halftime,'' Selig said. ``It's not hostile; it's not threatening. Both sides understand the other point of view.''

The Pep Band has drawn criticism over the years for such highjinks as trampling an Elvis impersonator, depicting another state's governor as a jailbird and making fun of university administrators.

In 1993, the university took away the band's microphones because of complaints about its shows. The band sat out for a year while a Sports Band was formed to take its place. The two later merged and began performing in 1994 at selected games.

Band director Chris Rasmussen told a student newspaper that band members now seem willing to explore options other than humor-based shows.

``I think they think it's time to make some format changes to coincide with the quality of the football program,'' said Dwight Purvis, UVa's director of bands.

Purvis said it will cost $15,000 to bring in the visiting bands for five home games. The money will come out of the Pep Band's travel budget.

Selig said the Pep Band will watch the other groups and learn from their routines. Among the bands already scheduled are the Virginia State University Band, the Baltimore Colts Marching Band and the Charlottesville High School Marching Band.

Selig said the ultimate goal is to get the Pep Band back on the field.

``We'd be foolish to go out and do this every year,'' he said. ``It's a lot easier if our own band can meet our needs.''

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