Gene Bennett3rd

Beinge a muckraker (i'm a professional) I am glad to see both sides sit down, work out their grievances and try to make this whole thing work in the future. Maybe, when the dust has settled, we can all discuss what we've LEARNED, so people who try to start corps in the future DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES!!!! See you Soon, SKY Good luck this season FUSION CORE

I saw SCV in 1987 at Prelims of SCI East. They were first after the intermission, and the drumlind was at the top of the hill, running the drum solo. I was standing back away from the line (they scared me). Ralph grabs my hand and has me stand in FRONT of him as they played. I nearly wet myself!!!!! HANDS DOWN one the top 5 lines of ALL TIME. Oh yeah, the Blue Devils 84,85,86

If you look at the staff listings of all the corps he marched with, you'll find his fathers name!!! How's that for an answer?

That seems fair and cool. People have the right to do what they want, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO STEAL. Good luck with your corps!!!!

I've been waiting ALL DAY for this one, Lee!!!

Wherever we do go from here, I have a feeling it will look oddly similar to what's happening right now. No communication, no information and the same silly things killing corps ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I know my opinion isn't worth the paper it's not printed on, but I hope people think about what has been said over the last couple of days. SILENCE=DEATH

Boom Boom Boom. Another corps is gone...What have we learned? Nothing. Can we keep it from happening again? No, we can't even talk about it. This is why I drink...

I can't wait to read it, Harry. I wish you and your organization a wonderful season. Kick some mini-corps butt and COME BACK SOON. We miss you ALREADY!!!

Chris, I definetly owe you a beer. THAT'S MY POINT!!!! This has been a GROWING problem with THEM and MANY OTHER CORPS. They are no longer desireable to march with. Whether it's an antiquated style of show design, management style or even LOCATION, something has been WRONG. Why haven't they made the necessary changes to the organization to keep them where they were? EVERY CORPS HAS A ROUGH PATCH. It's the nature of the beast!!! It's sad we can't get to the HEART of the problem and discussit, so other people don't make the SAME MISTAKES!!! This is all I've been trying to say, man. I am a marginal Sky fan, but more importantly, I am a DRUM CORPS FAN. I want to see as MANY DRUM CORPS as the land can handle. I HATE seeing corps fold, go inactive or whatever. It scares me that this activity may NOT BE AROUND FOR MY KIDS TO WATCH and maybe even PARTICIPATE IN. Granted, they aren't born yet, but that's another story. I say what I say NOT to put anyone down. I say it to hopefully bring us all UP.

Hey Jim, I have not and will not sling crap. I am really frustrated by people's inability to speak up when things are going wrong. I DO NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS TO SKY'S PROBLEMS, but if we can't recognize that THERE IS A PROBLEM... you get...this. I've met Chris a few times. Cool guy. He can have a beer out of my cooler ANY DAY. We just disagree about the purpose of this forum. It's nice to see people DISCUSSING the problem though. It's the first step to finding a solution. See Y'all in the parking lot. Gene

Chris, I hear you and I understand...but DISAGREE. Biting our tounges has gotten us a POWERHOUSE corps reduced to almost NOTHING. If people weren't so afraid of RUFFLING FEATHERS, Sky would by fighting for the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, not Mini Corps.

ANY negativity typed here is looked down upon by your corps management and staff. To those of you who are members, EVEN IF YOU TYPE DISCLAIMERS, you are STILL representing your respective drum corps to the public that is reading this. People will read what you're typing, look at your name and corps affiliation and a negative vibe will be generated in the reader's mind towards YOUR corps. Well Chris, it's a good thing that I typed nothing negative. Sometimes the truth of the matter is NOT sunshine lollipops, fuzzy bunnies and cute puppies. The demise of an organization is an UGLY thing. It's sad that Political Correctness keeps our eyes off what's really happening. a CORPS SELF DESTRUCTED. Sorry Dad, your son has an opinion.... ^0^

I am going to preface this message by saying...THESE ARE MY OPINIONS. If you DON'T like them, don't read them. They don't represent my former corps, my family and friends...just me. FLAME AWAY, I'VE GOT MY FIRESUIT ON!!! It is truly a sad day for drum corps....but we saw it coming for years! If a corps does what they do, even when everybody tells them to do something else, this is the usual consequence. That wonderful organization that held to corps together for 1,000 years can't do things the same way they did 1,000 years ago. It's apparent that PEOPLE WANTED CHANGE. Having said that...I do think other corps have been luring members away from SKY...but its THE MEMBERS THAT LEFT that people should focus their attention to. WHAT MADE THEM LEAVE??? Shiny new uniforms, horns and drums? Maybe the chance NOT to play Hy Dreitzer music AGAIN (don't get me wrong...it's GREAT STUFF....FOR ALUMNI CORPS) or was it SOMETHING ELSE??? I feel we(The Skyliners, that is) need to FIX THE PROBLEM before we blame people who "move to get a better job", help out with 1 corps on EACH coast and last , but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, people who wanted to march SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! Do I question the geographical proximity of a new CORE to the old Corps? Yes I do. BUT, if people WANTED to stay, THEY WOULD HAVE. Now, please spend 5 hours telling me why I'm wrong. Thanks for your time, and I'll see you all in the parking lot.

It's funny to watch them LEARN the eggbeater...Frightening, but funny. They are at a 2 pace interval when they spin, in case anyone was curious...

Take a WILD guess as to which one I picked.....

I've made out with myself before... it wasn't good...I got rejected...

(I am thinking Sky Ryders from Hutchinson, KS to somewhere in Texas in the late 80's early 90's) The Sky Ryders moved to De Soto, Texas in 1990 or 1991

Hopefully Joe Exley will be able to do a couple pod-casts again this year as well. Those were pretty cool. I had NO idea that BUSH releases recordings during the winter months!!! I wish more corps would do that...

The Crash Cymbals we played with in the 1992 Crossmen cymbal line were RIDE cymbals. They were 22" K medium ride cymbals, hammered twice, and buffed twice. A "Dark-brite" sound. The initial crash was very dark, but brightened in its decay. Innexpensive Ride cymbals are a viable "stop-gap" for crash cymbals till you can get real "lids". WHY HAVEN'T YOU LOOKED AT Z-MACS yet? (I hate to yell, but another answer to your question just kinda hit me.) A "multi-application-cymbal" is probably a good option for your program. You can crash them, play them suspended, and they're not too terrible on the drumset as crash cymbals. Hope some of this helps...

Snare line is sexy-hot... especially the second guy in from the left!!!

:spit: :spit: But really though...Bush had a great turnout. I hope EVERYONE has a good winter, and a safe season. See y'all on retreat!!!

Disclaimer I am typing this reply, using the findings I discovered utilizing both mark time techniques. I am not saying one is better than the other (although that's how I feel) and I did not mean to offend, talk down upon or ridicule ANY marching unit, alive or dead, that may disagree with the following reply. Lifting the entire foot off the ground while marking time is similar to the jarring motion of marching. It forces the performer to be aggressive with the movement of their feet. As a member of a moving percussion section, I feel that raising the foot off the ground will help our overall movement, and in return help the ensemble play together better. I can also see the advantages of leaving the ball of the foot on the ground. I PREFER to raise the foot, but if told, would leave the ball down. It is really a matter of preference... where your instructors marched or taught in the past. Keep an open mind, but don't be afraid to form your own opinion. Good luck this season, and See you on retreat!!!

That is a sad picture... The FIRST time the Crossmen beat SCV in 1992 was at the Manning Bowl. August 2, 1992 to be exact! The Bowl is dead, LONG LIVE THE BOWL!

That's what I was TRYING to say!!!!! Well put "hornline"