weedyweidenthal

http://news.madisonscouts.org/?p=242

Madison, Wisconsin!?!?!?! I hear you owe a guy from that area a Coke! ;) -Weedy

Having marched with 2 VERY different drum corps, I will go ahead and say fact. Although, between the two corps my tour goggles differed also. In 2007, I had a "tour girlfriend" that is now engaged to the guy she was actually dating at the time. I was 16 and she was 19 (To clarify, we never did anything serious). We were both feeling desperate at that point for some kind of affection. After marching with the Madison Scouts, I could not wait to see my girlfriend. Every girl was looking ridiculously attractive. When I first got to school, I thought that so many unattractive girls were incredibly good looking that my friends would make jokes about it all the time. When I finally saw my girlfriend after the summer was over she thought it was hilarious how much I missed her. I think she likes me having tour goggles because she is already a VERY good looking girl and when I see her for the first time after the summer I can't take my eyes away even when I try. The weird thing is, none of it is a joke. It's like a week of re-experiencing puberty.

8. 1993 7. 1975 6. 1995 5. 1983 4. 1988 3. 1996 2. 1980 1. 1999

Yeah, but according to you Madison is also downsizing the hornline... I'm amazed that you would know both of these facts before members that talk to the staff on a regular basis would. (Yes, I'm questioning your credibility)

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Man that's a bummer! Paul Snow Stadium is such a fun show! Especially now that I'm a student at the university, it would have been a lot of fun to perform in my home stadium in the summer for all my friends in the band. Also, that stadium is a REALLY good place to perform since the stands are so close. -Weedy

Hey Tom, I like your prediction a little bit better this year ;)

That's too bad.

People do not march drum corps just for educational purposes. I don't know of anybody that has decided to put themselves through all the hardships that come with marching in DCI just so they could get an education. I will be marching until I age out because I love the time I spend with my brothers and I love my corps. I can not imagine a summer without drum corps because I love to perform. The fact that it will help me be a better educator one day is a bonus and just one of the many positive things that drum corps produces. I like the bond that I create with the members, staff, and alumni. I like the sense of accomplishment that I feel as I step off the field after a show. I like seeing other parts of the country and being on a bus for hours trying to sleep so that I have energy for rehearsal the next day. Drum corps is so much more than an educational experience... It's a life changing experience that can not be replaced by a university marching band. I highly doubt that many people would say "I'm getting an education in college so I won't march in a corps." Spirit is no longer "Spirit from JSU." In the Marching Southerners at JSU we have around 80 people that have marched in DCI and many more trying out this year. I doubt anyone of those 80 would say that they wouldn't march in DCI because we learn the same stuff in Southerners that they learned in DCI. -Weedy

I had been refraining from posting too much since I got back from tour, but since you asked... This was easily the best summer of my life. I can not wait to get back to camps and see all of my brothers again. There wasn't a day that I woke up and wasn't happy to be a Madison Scout. I'll never forget after the second show we did when I went up into the stands and Andy (an alum from 1955) and his wife "Raggedy Anne" came up to me and shook my hand. There were tears in Andy's eyes as he told me how proud he was to see us on the field. I sat in the stands with him that night and he told me stories about when he went on to play with Stan Kenton and about teaching the Scouts after he aged out. Then in Madison he saw me on the field and walked right up to me to sing Never Walk next to me. So in Madison I had Bryan Hughes (an alum, big supporter, and one of the men that convinced my mom to let me go to Madison) and Andy on either side of me while we sang during encore. That was when I really realized that I was a Madison Scout. It didn't matter that that night we found out we were in something like 19th place... We had a family and that's what was important. If any guys reading this are considering auditioning this summer, commit to getting to a camp now. You will not regret it. -Weedy

Vince Oliver wrote the brass. Ken Karlin is writing our drill. The program coordination is by Ramiro Barrera. -Weedy

Dang it Travis! You beat me to the banner also! That was fun, except my pillow exploded and the beads went everywhere! I was so tired on the way home Sunday... definitely worth it though. And nice try Cap Sound! -Weedy

You are correct, it is the first part to the second movement, which I think is going to be a lot of people's favorite tune of the show. Actually, now that I think about it, there is a little bit before we go into that part that isn't in there. There is a video of an orchestra playing the same song on youtube. It's going to be really exciting. -Weedy

Ask again in 2011 ;) ... I've got until 2012.

There were actually only 7 of them at the camp. Just wait until you hear all 12, those guys are really awesome. -Weedy

Oops! The staff would know better than I. I meant to answer the "how will the iguana be portrayed?" question. I thought it was a serious question, not understanding the fact that the iguana was metaphorical, sorry I missed the sarcasm. On a related note, the source music to the second movement is easy to find online. certain video websites are available... -Weedy

The iguana is metaphorical. The music portrays the iguana metaphorically. The iguana stands for Intelligence, Passion, and Progress. The real question is: how do we portray those three qualities? The other thing is, even if you're an audience member that doesn't understand the theme, you can still enjoy the music without having to overanalyze.

Between 110 and 113 probably. This is something that some people will debate about for forever though. -Weedy

No... sorry to disappoint. At Spirit we usually said trumpet and in Madison we say soprano. It's just a kind of joke I couldn't resist. -Weedy

I need some time to think about this one... it's between Madison 1980 and 1982. I'm leaning toward '82, but it's a really tough choice. This is definitely one of my 3 favorite drum corps songs along with Malaguena and The Way We Were. -Weedy

Camp was a lot of fun. Be on the lookout for an update on the webpage within the next few days. Even with the cold, we managed to make some good progress in the drill and what really got me excited was that even with how cold it was, and even though at lunch we couldn't hold our grapes because our hands were too cold, there was no whining about it. It always helps to work with bunch of guys keeping positive in conditions like that. Johnny is right. The drill is hard, but not uncleanable and it flows very well so far with the music we're playing. 2 weeks and 4 days until everydays! I can't wait! -Weedy

Man, any post with Madison in it attracts a lot of controversy these days. I think everyone needs to give other posters the benefit of the doubt and assume that they don't mean harm. That said I can't wait to get on the field this summer and tear down the house. I can't wait to get back to working with the guard alongside us again. Don't be hatin'! -Weedy

I would love to hear PR play Amazing Grace live. The recording I have of them playing it is one of the most beautiful pieces I've heard any ensemble play. -Weedy

I wish I could have been there in '88. As far as shows go, I agree that '95 had great shows and if I had to travel back in time to one finals night, that might be it. BD had a fun show that year also. I would have to make a tough choice between 1995 and 1980... Madison's Malaguena and Ice Castles and Spirit's Georgia and Let it Be Me... in one night!?!?!? Not to mention SCV playing Procession of Nobles, Crossmen Spanish Fantasy and Jack Miraculous, Northstar with Land of Make Believe and Ole... crap! THAT must have been amazing.