Bob Menear

Sorry to see Sky among the list of inactivity for the year. Politics is really taking a toll on entertaining drum corps. Gas prices are enough to try and curtail some of the drum corps activity let alone other problems. Where and when will this all end. A lot of people put their heart, soul, and pocket books into this activity and then get their foundation pulled from underneath them. Sky, I wish you quick recovery, and best of luck with the mini corps. Bob Menear Steel City Ambassadors Alumni Steel City Ambassadors Mini Corps Westshoremen Alumni

No matter how many people a corps may have they are proud to be a part of the drum corps community. There's a lot of blood, sweat, tears, years and months in producing a show for the general public. Remember back in the 50's and 60's (well some of us can), when prelims took two full days for DCA, and DCI corps? Now we're down to a few hours. Drum Corps organizations today have another issue to contend with, the price of gas!!! Sometimes the average drum corps joe has to make the decision that week between paying bills and having enough money to drive to the show that weekend to compete, plus keeping up with his dues to belong to his performing corps. And after all that sacrifice for a year to get the show ready and then someone says "Well now you have to have so many in your corps to perform"..The board and instructional staff of a corps bust butt all year long to keep all their members motivated in belonging to their corps and bang!!!, you suddenly get shot down. What's the next step for next year? No performing corps under 50? 75?.. Let's face it folks we have an expensive hobby, plus we hear from our friends and neighbors "Why are you wasting your time with that stuff, what do you get out of it"? Well, I've performed with small groups and large groups and no matter what the size of the group, they all have one thing in common.."Heart"!!! I hated to hear that Heat Wave was going inactive, and I'm sure there will be more entertaining corps added to the same list. I think there will be a great deal of interest in MCA (MINI CORPS ASSOCIATION) in the next few years, and it just might save some excellent entertainment from going under... Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.... Bob Menear Arranger/Instructor Steel City Ambassadors Present Steel City Ambassadors Mini Corps 2007 US Nato Naval Show Band 1967-68 Hawthorne Cabs 1969-70 Pittsburgh Rockets 1972 High School Band Director 1972-2002 Theater work backing most Motown touring groups in the Pittsburgh, Pa area 1972-present Steel City Ambassadors 1980-Present National Guard Band NCOIC 1985-2007 Westshoremen 1981-82 Westshoremen Alumni Present Shenandoah Sound 2005-06

There are a couple Doobie Brothers charts that would be good, "China Grove" for one.

I'm former Navy Show Band 66-69 and we used the Conn Constellation. What a great all-around horn this was. Free blowing and all. It was a great lead horn as well as a section horn. I wish this horn was being reproduced today as it was then. As far as Bach horns, I play a Bach Horn (model 195) and they only made a 1000 of them to mark the jointure of Bach and Selmer. The bell an body was designed by Loyd Fillio after a certin 1930's type Besson. Fortunately my horn plays fantastic, and I do a lot of shows for Motown Artist and touring stars. I have never found another horn to play like it, however we ordered several new standard Bachs for our National Guard Band and the precission craftmanship which Bach dominated once is not what it used to be. The horns now have to be sent to the shop to be deburred before being played because of the excess sodering and etc. If you order a new horn make sure you specify you want a top shelf horn.. Just like in a bar the top shelf wiskey brands are the best, the same goes for factory top shelf models. They have been tested and are found to play like a horn should play. These horns are reserved for the professional who call and says "I NEED A GOOD HORN." Everything else sent out usually doesn't even play close to these horns. I understand a new company has Edward Trumpets on the market and although I have never played one, I hear they have received excellent reviews. I would love to hear anyone else's views on any of the above mentioned info. Bob Menear