'Hey' song banned at AU games

Media Credit: DAVE STONE / EAGLE FILE PHOTO PEPPING THE CROWD - The pep band is no longer allowed to play the "Hey" song at AU games. The Athletic Department banned the song, saying it does not promote good sportsmanship.

Correction appended

The AU pep band has stopped playing the "Hey" song at sporting events at the request of the university's Athletics Department, according to Pep Band Boosters President Matt Nestopoulos.

The song, formally known as "Rock and Roll Part II" by Gary Glitter, does not encourage good sportsmanship, according to David Bierwirth, associate director of Athletics Development and Special Events. He said fans often shout "You suck!" at the opposing team when the pep band plays the song.

Last year, the pep band only played the song during close games, according to Nestopoulos. But the song was a popular number among fans, he said.

"That was the one song that everyone in the band requested to do," he said.

The "Hey" song always got the best reaction out of students, Pep Band Boosters Vice President Ryan Keller said.

"We're going to try and find some ways to get the crowd excited that are more family friendly," he said.

Some pep band members suspect playing the "Hey" song was a factor in AU Athletics' decision to fire Scott Cameron, the band's former director, according to Keller.

Bierwirth said he could not discuss Cameron's dismissal because it was a personnel matter.

The decision to fire Cameron was sudden and surprised members of the pep band, Keller said.

"We feel, as the executive board of the pep band, that they did not respect us, did not include us in the [firing] decision," Nestopoulos said.

AU Athletics had considered banning the song for a few years but finally decided to ask the band to stop playing it this summer, Bierwirth said.

"We're just really trying to promote an inclusive and fun atmosphere," he said.

The pep band and the Blue Crew have diversified attendance at sporting events. Many families and alumni attend the games, according to Bierwirth.

Sarah Pitney, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said she wished the pep band could still play the song at games.

"I really like singing along to that song," Pitney said. "The band at my high school used to play it, too, and it always got everyone into the game."

Other sporting organizations banned the song recently for other reasons.

The National Football League banned the song in September 2006 after Glitter was convicted of molesting underage girls in Vietnam, according to Newsweek.

Syracuse University also banned the song back in 2003 because students chanted "vulgar lyrics," according to The Daily Orange, the school's newspaper.

Correction: The Eagle misattributed the source of the sentence, "He said fans often shout 'You suck!' at the opposing team when the pep band plays the song." That information came from Pep Band Boosters President Matt Nestopoulos, not Associate Director of Athletics Development David Bierworth.

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