History: 1986-1991
1986-1987
This was the first year in which returning members sang the National Anthem to newbies after the audition process was complete. It was also the first year of "the pledge."
1987-1988
In the Fall of 1987, Mark Van Haren was admitted by Fleet Street, the Mendicants, and Mixed Company alike during auditions, leading to the "sealed envelope" tradition.
This year also gave rise to the Love Sucks tradition when Mark Van Haren noticed that all of Mixed Company's songs were about hate (or love—we keep getting the two mixed up). So, the group decided to perform a show called Love Sucks in the American Studies theme dorm. Love Sucks has been performed every year since then, having traditionally been held in Roble. In recent years, the show has been held in Toyon Hall to accommodate the huge crowd that inevitably shows up.
Some other highlights from this year include an East Coast tour, the recording of the group's first album The Loudest Voice Wins, and the invitation to perform the National Anthem at a Portland Trailblazers game.
1988-1989
Highlights for the 1988-1989 year include two tours: one to the Santa Barbara/Los Angeles area, and another to the East Coast.
1989-1990
The 1989-1990 group used their spare time to conceive and record Mixed Company's second album, Doing Strange Things in the Name of Art.
1990-1991
During the 1990-1991 year, Mixed Company was wracked by heated debates over the stylistic and musical direction of the group. Interpersonal struggles and battling egos marred what had been a very promising year. The group's prestige on campus continued to grow, thanks to fantastic soloists and increasingly complex arrangements, but popularity was not enough to close the major rifts dividing the group. At the end of the year, spirits were low, and only two Mixed Cones agreed to remain in the group for 1991-92.
