tgk2779

HOW IRONIC!???? I specifically remember seeing a live Chuck Mangione concert at the Wang Center in Boston A HUNDRED YEARS AGO! I was there with a gang of 2-7 friends and apparantly word got to the "Flugel-Meister" before the show that there were a bunch of drum Corps people in the audience.... I remember the way he introduced his next song; "Chase The Clouds Away" as a "THANK YOU" & a TRIBUTE to the Concord Blue Devils for LAUNCHING HIS CAREER! It's Funny how things change over time..... and it's Sickening how much GREED & MONEY rules the World these days.... Given the vast amount of obscure artists that are brought to light in today's Drum Corps shows,.... wouldn't it be GREAT if Some DCI Corps could possibly BILL someone, someday as an ADVERTISING & MARKETING FEE! ????

Come & join SCV & their NEW NEIGHBORS, the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders, who will be running a $5,000 Putting Contest! go to VanguardGolf.org and register online.

I've been reading and on the phone all day! This may be one of the most profound statements of all! Thank You from ALL of the members of the immediate and extended family of George, B.! Thank You John! It's been too long since we last saw each other and shared laughs! Weddings & Wakes are not the best way for anyone to keep in touch.... Thanks Again!

I just got home after a long day at work and found dozens of missed calls on my phone with NO messages left! I had a very sad feeling logging on just now, and the e-mails confirmed my initial reaction! God Bless You, my 2nd Dad!

Are you bringing Madonna as your DATE, Brother Jim??? Congrats to You and ALL the Bridgemen Hall of Famers! I'm sure that you are all in for a Great Evening! Such a shame that I won't be in the neighborhood at the time, because I'm sure you will all have a great celebration. I would have loved to join you all to have a great night with the Bridgemen Hall of Famers! Give my best to Msgr. Forker and let him know that I could even have a lot of fun in a room full of Yankee Fans!

2 days left on the last few spots in this year's tournament on Tuesday 9/22. Visit www.scvanguard.org

I am old enough to confess as someone who marched during the formative years of DCI. This discussion reminds me of two memories of that time. There was a total paranoia of overage people in EVERY corps after 3-years of consecutive overage disqualifications. 1) Folklore at the time was that I think (3) UNDER-AGE people jumped to all thre corps between 75-77 and were members of Disqualified corps in (3) consecutive years. Can anyone confirm and pass along my condolences to them over the absurdity at the time? 2) I joined the 27th Lancers at the ripe old age of (14) before the 1973 season. (Do the math!) I aged-out SEVEN years later, something I proudly hold as a rare case in DCI. The Paranoia amongst corps in the 70's about the possibility of overage members was SO great, that I was targeted while leaving the field while "passing in review" on more than one occasion. The Lancers had a policy of NO long hair and NO facial hair other than a mustache. It was always kept through the corps history as a "Clean Look". After already marching (4) years by the time I had graduated High School, I had apparantly become a familiar face to rival directors. By the time I was nineteen in 1977, I was instructed by George B. to carry my driver's license in my uniform pocket because I was being targeted by DCI Directors. In my last 3-seasons of marching, I think I was pulled aside while leaving the field at least a half-dozen times to face George B, Don Pesceone, and some rival Director (that we were beating at the time) looking to confirm my age. (I'll pass on naming the corps who challenged my age due to respect, but given this thread's topic, Gail Royer was NEVER one of them.) Laughing now, (1) corps director challenged my age in Three consecutive years! Twenty-five years later, George B. (re)introduced me to Don Pesceone as his Corps Manager during our incredible "Once More In '94" Alumni Corps year. Don looked at me and I said; "Remember me? I used to be the 19-year old OVERAGE Guy! We all laughed out loud as Don quielty remembered our personal history! Overage is Cheating... whether cheating your competition... or in SCV's case, cheating your own organization! I am truly sorry for wasting all of DCI's time back when I was a kid for having an "old man's face" Now that I truly am an old man and no longer held to the 2-7 standards, I proudly wear a Salt & Pepper goatee!

I actually judged that Prelims. I was the Field Visual judge and I remember Tony DiCarlo coming to the table to tell us that the show was being cancelled. The entire backside of B.U.'s Nickerson Field was crowded with ambulance vehicles. The local hospital emergency rooms were full of dehydrated members and the Boston Board of Health stepped in and stopped the show. We were told that the temps on the old B.U. carpet had exceeded 120°. The field Judges couldn't drink too much water at a risk of holding up the show with too many bathroom breaks. Instead, I remember having a couple of face-clothes on ice in a lunch sized cooler. The best I could do was wipe down with a cold cloth between performances. That was one incredible experience and I applaud every kid who performed that day. There isn't a former member who doesn't a story of their own from that "Wicked" day on Commonwealth Ave.

To All of John "Cupcakes" Curren's family & friends, Please be advised that "Cakes" friendly demeanor and and ALWAYS warm laughter and humor is not going to be around while he and his family grieves over the loss of such a great lady! Don't let that stop all the warm sentiments being shared by everyone here. I'm sure, in time, the entire Curren family will have the time to read all the posts and will hopefully find solice in the grieving process. Cupcakes, It's been too long since you and I have been able to catch up and share the laughs! My deepest condolences to you and your entire "Hurricane" family during this difficult time. Be well, my friend! Hope to see you next during happier times the next time our paths cross! Thoughts and prayers for your Brenda,

Happy Birthday to you too, Brother Jim.... WOW! What a concept! Do you mean that we're ONLY Forty-One Years Old? That's Great! I'll sleep well tonight feeling younger,..... It's absolutely incredible to think that the 37-Year Old Kahuna and our late Matriarch started this "Thing Of Ours" with (5) Kids at home, including their youngest in diapers! It's even harder to believe that "Diaper Boy" (George B. Jr.) would later become one of the founders of the now infamous "Space Line". On second thought, maybe we are truly OLD!

Will this lead to the possibility that we may see a proposed use of Motorcycles at the next Rules Congress???? ....or will the Directors vote it down due to gas prices?

Lancerlegend has most of 76 covered correctly, but in defense of a couple of "Half-Century" Lancer relics, let's compare as many of us old b-tards memories and eventually we'll find the whole story that is now more than 32+ years ago! My middle-aged memory recalls 1976 as 2-seasons in one. First tour had us beating everyone on our 2nd annual tour to California. Madison and their "Revision 1" show including "Mahogany" as a ballad was scoring real low. Yes, we beat BD in Denver and Yes, success was everywhere! I even recall spending the Country's Bi-Centenial by marching in the Disneyland parade. Second tour was a totally different season where we LOST to everyone in sight. The bottoming-out point was in Toledo, Ohio where we also lost to the Seneca Princemen and the Capital Freelancers; both fine drum corps BUT.... beat MAdison and BD and then lose in Toledo 3-weeks later? Our night in Toledo culminated with a small speeding Toyota crashing into our bus after the show. 40+ of us were stuck at a Denny's for 2-days and almost missed the World Open Prelims. The last week and a half before Philly was a rebuilding period and a saving finish! 3- Personal Highlights of 1976... 1) I graduated High School! 2) I marched in the Disneyland Bi-Centenial Parade 3) A salvaging finish to the season at DCI in Philly 1- Personal Pledge learned from my 1976 season.............. I will NEVER travel to Toledo, Ohio again in my life,... for too many bad memories!

There is a ton of talent that emerges every year in the teaching front. We, the DCP self-proclaimed experts, seem to doubt every move that takes place in the drum corps community. Before we invite "Extra" or "Hollywood Tonight" to comment and report, let's not forget that teaching life cycles also have a limited shelf life. Let's trust the fact that the braintrusts behind every great DCI organization has NEVER been billed like a Rock Star show. No one has ever heard "on the Starting Line, from Garfield, New Jersey, George Zingali and the Garfield Cadets!" Trust the individual organizations to know how to move on after a premier staff member retires or moves on. Does anyone really believe that the Bluecoats will forget how to play a horn? ... the Cadets how to play a drum?... or will the Blue Stars need to resort to "Candy Sales" with a new director? DCP posters simply have too many "slaps" to throw. Most are either uneducated, non-trusting in the great activity in front of us, or have a personal axe to grind to any organization who simply told them that they're not good enough, and failed their audition years ago. Go ahead! Throw the flames! I dare ALL of the half-wits!

UW Whitewater... (the mosquito Capital of the World) The Pontiac Silverdome ... (aptly nicknamed "The Barn" for the echo) Olympic Stadium in Montreal ..( approx. 100 meters (Canadian measurement) from the stands) CNE Stadium in Toronto.. (approx. 100 miles (American measurement) from the front stands) and also (but definately not finally)... Univ. Alabama-Birmingham... ( nice place in the midst of a total ghetto... 79 horn line would have been mugged during warmups if there weren't close to fifty of us!) sorry for showing my age....... BUT my favorite stadium and sentimental favorite................. DILBOY FIELD IN SOMERVILLE, MA

Standing on the field at the conclusion of our performance with the 27th Lancer Alumni Corps, which was fourteen years ago tonight, 8/20/94! The crowd was so loud, it started a banging head-ache! It made us all truly feel like "Rock Stars"! Afterwards, I remember addressing the corps in the parking lot and telling them that we needed to keep on schedule. All I said was; "Lights Are Out at 10 AM". We can all assume what happened next.....