headscratcher

Hi Bruckner. Love your work, by the way. So I never marched Madison, but I grew up on Madison in the 1970s and 1980s, and I had the true pleasure of hearing Star back in the 1990s. I personally would be thrilled to hear a horn line combine the passion and fire of Madison style with the intelligence and balanced power of a Star of Indiana. And as an amateur acoustician, I posit that Madison's storied upper brass will only increase in power as its low brass provides an improved foundation for the overtones. Bruckner, think of it as pulling out all the stops. Jim Prime has a record of writing across styles. I have never heard a corps swing harder than Garfield 1984 in "America" (sue me, BD fans, but it's true). The true question, for my money, is not whether Madison will be all-male, or excellent, or loud and entertaining. The question is talent. Will these moves bring the horses back to Madison? Lord, I hope so.

There must be an element of this on the artistic and performance side, certainly. Kudos to Mason for recognizing his roots, and that greatness is in Madison's DNA. But if you think he'd walk into a financial and admin situation he doesn't control without confidence that it is on solid footing, well . . . that would be unlike Mason. I think Jim Prime has demonstrated that he can write in any style. Part of the point of the recent changes, it seems, is to bring Madison back to its roots while launching it into the future. I, for one, can't wait to hear what the Madison Scouts sound like playing a Jim Prime book. Last I heard, employment was at will. These guys have other options, I expect. And they know their drum corps history: love Madison or no, the corps was there at the beginning and crowds have loved it forever. Mason, DVD, Prime and those-yet-to-be-announced must view the opportunity to return Madison to greatness as a defining moment. You couldn't be more right: the proof of this pudding will be in the eating. But, for now, the prospect of Madison shaking up things while remaining true to its roots is precisely why I am beyond excited.

And Glassmen are going interplanetary and transitioning to a simple barter system.

Next up: Madison Scouts announce God as Spiritual Coordinator.

Hi there, salad 315. I won't comment on what the Crossmen expect from BonesBari, as I don't know (and I suspect you don't know) what the Crossmen expect from him/her. My questions for you, though, are very straightforward: 1. Were you at quarters or semis? If not, what gives you standing to criticize BonesBari, who was there and intimately involved in the proceedings, and the long, hot, and underfed summer that preceded it? 2. If you were at quarters or semis, do you believe Pacific Crest beat Crossmen? If so, on what basis? And if not, why do you label BonesBari thin-skinned, other than out of a desire to call someone who spent an entire summer trying to make finals thin-skinned? IMHO, Mr. Bones rightly takes umbrage at a a post saying a 15th placement for Crossmen would have been correct -- not despite, but because of, the fact that he marched Crossmen. Crossmen were decidedly better than Pacific Crest (sorry, PC folks, but this is true for anyone with eyes and ears). And lest there be any doubt, I ain't from Pennsylvania or San Antonio. Interested in your intelligent and responsive response, salad 315.

SUPERCEDED.

My first drum corps show was transformative, although it did not impact where I marched because I didn't (my loss). The show: Rockford, 1981. The corps, as I recall them: Madison, Phantom, Blue Devils, 27, Cadets, Memphis. I'm sure there were others, but these are the ones I recall. I was 12. Madison won the show. And based on the totality of these corps' performances, in their wonderfully varied ways, I knew three things: I wanted to be a better player, I needed to work to make that happen, and I wanted to swing. And 27 years later, despite all that has transpired in the activity and in my own life, I remain a fan. Quite a show that was. If anyone reading this played it, you have my renewed applause and profound thanks.

Without reading the various posts, Phantom won (and they did win) for three reasons: impeccably cleaned drum line, an unmatched and enervating horn line, and total entertainment value. What good drum corps has always been, and Lord willing will be for years to come. Brah-voh.

BonesBari08-13, I could not more totally agree. Crossmen were on the margin of top 12 with Madison. I was at quarters, and semis. I believe Madison appropriately placed top 12, but to suggest Crossmen were the 15th place corps is, indeed, insulting. Original poster, explain yourself!!!