Jump to content

FlamMan

Members
  • Posts

    2,123
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

Everything posted by FlamMan

  1. 2007 Madison. From Superman suits to Jump suits.
  2. 1979 Guardsmen...not the cleanest drumline, but a great book & very innovative. Grounded timpani, XL snare carriers, 6 Slingerland cutaway quads.
  3. Actually, by 1975 or 76, nearly every snare line was flat. Its kind of ironic that flat occurred while slings were still the norm, & before the snare carrier became popular in 79 & 80. I can't remember a snare line that was tilt between 75 & , well, through the 80's. I guess the Bridgemen still had a slight tilt until they finally gave in & went to carriers a couple of years before there demise. To me the tilt is a distraction that completely destroys the look & symmetry of a snare line. But thats just me...
  4. This just looks plain sloppy...and very bando. Nothing can top a wall of perfectly flat snare drums.
  5. I notice that many of the staff members are from Riverside Community College in California. Do they have a top band program or something? Just curious...
  6. Surely you must know some of what happened. If not, then you don't know!
  7. Wrong. You wouldn't believe some of the things that occurred...but far be it for me to be the one to air them here.
  8. I referenced the wrong post but you get the idea...
  9. What??? You should care...we should all care. Anyone who tells you that they don't care if a certain corps makes finals isn't telling the truth. The truth of the matter is that if you look at the corps who were perennial finalists who have folded, they all missed finals for a couple of years & then they were gone...27, Bridgemen, Guardsmen, etc...missing finals is not good for the corps or it's members, especially in todays DCI monopolistic drum corps environment. Back in the day when there were 500 corps in the US, it wasn't that big of a deal to not make finals because there were 75 other Division 1 corps who didn't make it...today, 7 division 1 corps miss finals. Here's hoping that Madison can bring it in the second half!
  10. I'll put it this way...Drum Corps has become an elitist, snobby music activity. In the 70's & 80's Drum Corp had a rock & roll mentality...entertain & get as many standing 0 & goose bump moments as possible. Now, Drum Corps is like the Opera...too sophisticated for the average Joe. I can't tell one corps from the other, either from their uniforms, or their music. You line up BD, BK, BC, & BS, & they look like they all got the memo to wear blue & black...& use the cheapest looking materials they could find. I am completely bored to death with todays shows, uniforms, show design, you name it. And you can trace the decline in attendance & interest in the activity to the transition from shows that were designed around entertaining music, to the "look at how sophisticated we are" shows in the early 90's. The switch from the tick judging system to the buildup system also hurt. On another note, I was so looking forward to this year Madison Scouts...they had everything tee'd up for them...to continue the momentum & buzz generated by last years Alumni project. The most innovative thing the Scouts could have done this year would have been to return to a more traditional, vintage uniform & show design...instead they went the other way & it most likely will cost them a finals spot, & new uniforms once again next year & more staff & member turnover. Just once I would like to hear the Cavies play Over The Rainbow for closer again...or SCV play Send In The Clowns...
  11. Suffice to say that there is alot that can't be told.
  12. It's a shame that the young Men in the Scouts will not have the thrill of wearing a superman suit. A tough, masculine uniform that screamed coolness. One of the reasons I marched in the Scouts was the uniform. I wouldn't make that same decision with this new uni. I really thought that the new uniform would be a combination of some of the traditional Madison Scouts uniform elements...the red sash, citation cords, & maybe even spats & a white scout belt. Instead, they came up with this radical, wierd design. Very disapointing. Heck, they could have wore the Alumni corps uniforms...they only cost about $80 for the entire uni! Kudos to the Troopers for not ditching tradition!
  13. Actually, I think it was SCV who started the left pinky out trend...somewhere around '73 - '74?
  14. This costume...er, I mean uniform needs one thing...SPATS! And whats with the different shades of green? How about adding a sash with the Fleur De Lis in the center? I was hoping for more of a vintage throwback look... These look cheap...
  15. DRUM & BUGLE Corps should do all they can to differentiate themselves from Marching Bands rather than trying to emmulate them. What made drum corp what it once was was the fact that there were distinct differences beetween corps & band...and band was kinda like the minor leagues & corps were a few levels above band. Who ever thought that after many bands copied corps, that many corps would then copy band? The real difference though is that up until the mid 1980's, most drum corp instructors either marched in the corps they instructed or another corps...then the influx of band instructors in drum corps began to influence the drum corps acstivity...amps, jester costume uniforms...yuk... There isn't a corps today that could compete & survive in the tick judging system compared to 1975 Madison, 1976 Blue Devils, 1980 27th...and those shows were as entertaining as you can get...and yes, they contained melody, company fronts, park & blow "concert" productions, and they contained music that was recognizable & memorable. As for attendance, the real comparison should be what was the TOTAL annual attendance at all drum corps shows in any given year in the mid to late 1970's compared with 2006? It's not even close...I'll bet it was at least 4 times as many in the '70's. Todays corps bore me to death. I will go to a local show in the Chicago suburbs to see what Madison is doing this year...but I may not stay for the rest of the show. here is hoping that the current trend & craze with all things that are vintage from the '70's will also effect drum corps.
  16. 1. Many Scout alumni were disenchanted with the direction the Scouts were going in... 2. Many Alumni did not feel welcome at camps & practice by the last Scout regime... The fact that so many alumni are now active with the Scouts again gives you an indication that change was needed...& is a positive. I just wish I had time to devote to the Scouts...
  17. The Snare Drum is meant to be played with the traditional grip. There is a completely different feel & mindset playing tradish -vs- matched grip. I played matched one season and absolutly hated it. So did most of the other guys in the line. And... DO NOT tilt snare drums...it completely ruins the look of the line. And and...play with reasonable stick heights...at least below chin level! And and and...DO NOT move your head all over the place like a bobble head doll while playing!
  18. Wow...many of these guys were involved in the alumni project. Thank God the Scouts will be back to edge of your seat, on your feet, rip your face off drum corp!
  19. Drum Corps need more Alumni on staff & less bando's & professional costume designers. The Madison BOD (& alumni) were not happy with the direction the corps was taking under Sal's leadership, which was one of strange uniforms, very ordinary & boring music, & an alumni base that was becoming less & less interested in participating & supporting the Scouts. There is no doubt that the Madison Alumni Corps had an impact on the Scouts BOD. Needless to say, the Scouts will be a more...um...masculine corps than what they had become...& in 2007 you will see Men in uniforms instead of dancers in cotumes. Gosh how I hope this is the beginning of a return to vintage drum corps.
×
×
  • Create New...