by Billy Findley, copy editor
“Meat Loaf.” “Death Cab for Cutie.” “Jimmy Eat World.” These are just a few of a seemingly endless list of strange band names out there. While such names may often draw skeptical feedback from a lot people, there may, in fact, be a meaning behind them. Than again, they may just be attention-grabbers.
“Gunshots in a Crowded Mall,” a band that came together on campus last year, recently received some criticism from the parent of a current Bryan College student. The remarks were made known through an e-mail received by the Bryan admissions office just shortly before the band was to appear in concert in the cafeteria on Sept. 17.
According to the band members, the parent disapproved of their band name, especially in light of the reality of violence at other colleges.
The message revealed that the alumnus deemed it “a blunder” on the part of the admissions office to allow a band with a name bearing such negative connotations to appear on campus, according to band member junior Justus Stout.
“The parent was understanding but, perhaps, a little abrasive,” says Stout.
However, Stout went on to say he understands where the alumnus was coming from and says the band is even considering changing its name sometime in the future.
“Gunshots in a Crowded Mall,” first appeared last year in the in the Freshman Talent Show. The group originally had seven members and sought to display a mixed genre of indie-rock and folk.
The name was an idea of former band member senior Justin Winters and Stout along with the rest of the group supported it.
“I thought it was poetic with a kind of bold streak,” Stout says.
Winters says he originally wanted name the group “Last Flight to the Sun,” but “Gunshots in a Crowded Mall” gained much more approval from the members.
According to another band member, sophomore Luke Lillard, the name is not by any means meant to convey a violent depiction.
“That’s not the image we want to evoke,” Lillard says. “This is a message for Christians to look in on a deeper level.”
Their title is meant to encourage an enlightening perspective on truth, according to Stout.
“Truth is something loud and that catches attention. I think if people were confronted with truth they would be terrified, like they would by gunshots in a crowded room,” Stout says. “We hope to present truth in our music.”
While there are members who do say they like the name, there have been suggestions for changes,, however, nothing is set in stone yet.
“The reason we can’t really change it is because we can’t get enough people to agree on something,” Lillard says.