SkipMebden

I don't know where he'll rank when history is written, but let's not forget Mike DiMeo (Brigadiers). As someone once said, he is a freak of nature! And, the reason he probably wasn't mentioned yet in this thread was that he didn't sound like a screamer. That's because his sound was so full in the upper register it didn't sound like he was playing high. His face didn't krinkle up when playing a double-C so he didn't even look like a typical screamer. Let me assure you he's a screamer nonetheless. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

Melody: It looked like a ballet was going on in the gym! I was going to joke about "jazz hands" but I didn't see any when I looked in. It was a serious class. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

ME. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

Sorry Lee: Bad form. It shouldn't have happened. Thanks for being such a good sport about it. I remember lining up at finals retreat next to you guys one year not long ago and all our guys kept saying was how much of a class act you were. We weren't wrong. Now to your comment. Could you imagine a merged corps? WOW!!!!! Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

Brigadiers: I'm hoping this was just a mistake. Please don't respond. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

You seem to have enough enthusiasm for the whole state of Connecticut! Will we see you soon? As a corps we've made the decision that while we'll never forget our beloved friend and family member, Clarence (CJ) Johnson, we've had to move on. We did so after a few years of remembering him before shows and at other times.

We'd love to have you back Geoff if not only for the fact that since you're a big mukety-muck at DCP you'd be able to figure out a way to keep the Brigadiers' thread permanently at the top of the list! Scott Mescon Brigadiers 93-

Fred: Has someone recruited you yet? Brigadiers.com. Scott Stansfield, our Official MP3 Recorder, needs to come up for a visit to do them. How 'bout it, Scott? Why don't you pile Mark Kelly and your great son into the car and make a day-trip out of it? You're always welcome! Alex hasn't arrived yet, but we hope to see him soon. It was his solo voice and couple of others' that added to the Brigadiers' Finals retreat performance of, "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," making it one of the most listened to Drum Corps recordings of all time. We would be honored to have him back. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 93-

Just put that sound on the field and I'll be happy! The Ballad, I'm told is next. Wayne is stoked about how it came out apparently. If he's excited about it, that's all I need to hear. Our job is just to perform it like the Brigadiers have always performed their ballads. (With all of us playing. :) ) (Together.) (Add Percussion.) (And, OK, Color Guard.) (You know, also a great big, loud audience without which we lose our reason for being exciting.) Scott M. Brigadiers 93-

Last weekend's camp was awesome! We got our latest tune, Moulin Rouge's (Queen's) The Show Must Go On (TSMGO.) It's DARK! Powerful, loud, minor and eminently accessible. And just what our audience has been wanting to hear from the Syracuse Brigadiers, BTW. The mellophone parts are extremely intricate and involved...be careful what you ask for...! The lower brass sounded like the big pipes on a church organ in a sanctuary with great acoustics. They sounded so deep and in tune that I can't wait to see if that can transfer to the field this summer. If half of it does, look out. Upper brass, I'm biased, so no comment. I'll let someone else speak about my section. The Brigadiers Winter Guard is off-the-hook. If anyone is interested in my review of their home show performance, write a post, I'll get permission, and I'll post it. Their show is probably the best written color guard show I've ever seen. I saw them two weeks ago and again this past weekend and they just keep adding to their already unbelievable show. This bodes well for the full-corps' competitive season this summer. The battery looked almost full so I'm guessing that tryouts will be the order of the day sometime soon. The percussion caption head spoke to us all about the different approach he's taking this year with the line's development. It's a very developed plan, the earliest measurable parts of which are already accomplished. I heard the front ensemble playing but didn't see them, so I don't know how big they were. You know how most corps including us have problems with people feeling comfortable just not showing up for rehearsals and/or shows? And then, giving some of the lamest excuses on the planet for their absences?!? Corps Management will very little tolerate that anymore apparently. It causes a million more problems than the simple holes in the drill we can all see, as you all know. This is the first year since I started with the Brigs (1993) that I think members like that will be removed quickly. It's a group dynamics thing, pure and simple. Finally: Welcome back Chris and Beth Calhoun! To me, their return is incredibly meaningful. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 1993-

I'll see you there, Mike. Apparently, Wayne is inspired! The first chart is supposed to be something else! I can't wait to tear into it! GO BRIGS! Scott M.

I'm afraid that's up to the particular hospital. I would guess that it's unlikely because there's just too many moving parts to have everything come together perfectly. You should call him to get his home address...a reason for the call. I don't know whether you know him but I'd pretty much guarantee he's love to get your card and would give it to you. Scott Mescon

Chefdan: Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Mark. Judging by your years in in the Scouts, Mark is actually your junior, but respect is always an excellent thing! Scott M.

I visited Mark Kelly at Kernan Hospital a couple of times while I was in Baltimore this past week. His contact info is: Mark Kelly, Room 923-1 Kernan Hospital 2200 Kernan Drive Baltimore, MD 21207 Phone in his room: 410.448.6549. I happened to show up right when he was to have his first Physical Rehab session. He had had a BKA or Below the Knee Amputation of his left leg. It’s gone from about 4 inches below his knee cap. He’s about 60 pounds lighter and I must have walked past him a couple of times looking for a much larger guy in a wheel chair. He was in excruciating pain from muscle spasms above and just below his knee and there were some tears. He was understandably afraid to move his leg for fear that another round of spasms would start, but this is a no-nonsense place. The physical therapist assigned him some exercises which he would have done forever if I didn’t tell him that he’d done his 30 reps. He was a little out of it from the heavy dose of muscle relaxers they gave him but the core of him was in there. He told me he was depressed and he told me it gets lonely there. He wants people to call him at the number above. He’ll be there until at least December 30th. Three days later, Christmas Eve Day, Scott Stansfield, his son, Andrew, and I visited him together. He was looking a little better. The spasms were almost gone because they changed his muscle relaxer to one that actually worked. Well we immediately took him outside in his wheel chair and drove him all around the grounds of this hospital where we’re told local professional athletes go to rehab. For a while we sat a bench and just shot the crap. Stansfield, one of the funniest guys on the planet, IMO, did a great job keeping him amused. Apparently, he hadn’t seen the outside for more than six weeks and he just kept on saying how great the air smelled and how beautiful the day was. He told us that he plans to hit the gym hard as soon as he gets his prosthesis. He has to wait until his leg heals up completely though. His employer, Best Buy, couldn’t have been any better about everything and wants him to the have the best prosthesis he can get at their expense. Mark had had several operations to try to remedy this problem before the final decision had to be made about the BKA. He told me that the pain I saw him in the first day was nothing compared to what he had gone through in the course of this whole thing. And, while we couldn’t get him to belly laugh, we did get him to smile and chuckle a little. He was proud to tell me that several of our Drum Corps Community visited him at the other hospitals he was in before this and that they had come from very far distances. He hasn’t been near a computer so he missed Donny Allen’s thread about him and the nice words everyone had for him. I hope when his life settles out a little more he’ll go back and read about how much loved he is by those who know him and how concerned our Drum Corps Family is -- concern felt by those who don’t even know him. It’s why we have to spend hours trying to explain the unexplainable. Call him. It will do him a world of good. Scott Mescon Brigadiers 93-

Thank for getting the "get its," Trish! We're looking forward to playing it too! All I've been hearing is that Wayne is really excited about what he's written so far! Scott M. Brigadiers 1993-