kaiser

Avant Garde placed 16th in 1984 with a score of 80.90.

Wow! I don't doubt it. My first year was 1973 and I believe in a 50 mile radius of Troy,NY, there were 10 active Jr. corps operating. I think! Memories, they fade so fast!!!

This is so sad! I had the duel honor of not only competing in this show but as a Lions Club member, "working it. This event not only provided the area with a great show,it generated a huge amount of charitable funds over the years. Lions Clubs International is the worlds largest service club and is involved in countless community projects,with it's primary focus on sight. I hope the Ft.Edward Lions Club can find another method of bringing in funds to support the wonderful things they do! And of course, I hope that somehow the drum corps community can find another outlet to get their "fix". Like many communities, this area has a long and rich drum corps history. Brian, I am sure you could do a better job of coming up with the number of corps that this area has produced. Double digits for sure.

Avant Garde was a result of a merger between the Speigelaires from Speigeltown NY and the Emerald Knights from Saratoga NY in the fall of 1974.

I have to agree with you Brian. Especially Us Open 77!! I would like to add that the UOEC/DCE Championships were usually "very entertaining". Last show of the year, all corps usually let it all hang out.

1974 DCI Ithaca: "From Hawthorne New Jersey, the Mucha....ROARRRRRRRRRRRR" The most electric corps performance and electric crowd I can remember. I still get chills when I think about that recording. BTW: The Purple Lancers received a ovation just a decibel or so lower than Hawthorne!

What Brian failed to say is that Alice Coopers "Halo of Flies" was combined with Dvoraks "New World Symphony". Neither may have been a first in everyday life. But in "Bizzaro World"... this was a championship show. BTW- I loved that show. Jerry

Keith, I'll try # 2 Avant Garde 1977 3rd place.

As a competitor, sometimes it was cool to not know scores form other corps, and just worry about your own! Trying to beat your score from the night before. As a fan, it was usually a day or two later, after you called your buds that attended different shows around the region. And remember, it was very regional back then. Especially early in the season. Oh yeah, there were no cell phones then. Just CB's LOL And yes, I am a dinosaur!!! jk

Great to see that you found DCP. Lots of great stuff here. If anyone wants to know the loudest horn player ever. Jeff's your man.

Great post Greg. FYI: Greg was the only person to march with the corps from day one to day last. That's what is was all about. I'm sure that Greg had many opportunities to march with one of the "Big" corps,but he stayed to the end. To Mr Reese: You pretty much nailed it on what the corps was all about. I also want to let folks know that Jeff Perkins not only gave his heart and soul to the corps but back in the day but was also one of the most well respected Directors in all of Drum Corps.Jeff's dedication and skill not only kept the Avant Garde in business despite the tough times all corps faced,he was also sought out by many other corps, some of them "finalist" corps, for advise and direction. He did so much with so little. P.S. to Mr. Reese... 2 of the best 2nd place corps on the field at 1975 NY States Phoenix and Avant Garde. We both lost the show, but won the crowd! jerry

Hey Brian, Yup, I'm a very infrequent contributor to DCP. Spending more time reading the Historical Jr. Stuff. Reading the All Ages stuff makes me crazy... well, actually crazier. FYI: to all DCP readers. Brian was one of those little known, amazing soloist's that this forum often talks about. He was one of the most naturally gifted Baritone player's / soloist's I have ever heard. Just never got enough "pub". I'm not quite sure that politics was the downfall of the corps. The Avant Garde, like many NY state corps, had to fight every year to make budget. Monetarily and membership wise. We were not alone. It's just the way it was. Heck,in our first year of competition, there were enough NY corps to have prelims and finals for the American Legion Championship. Flash forward 10 years and there was maybe 1 or 2 competitive Jr corps in NY. Oh well. Great to hear from you Brian. jerry

Keith, Some more names to add to your list. These are just from the Capital District area. Speigelaires Emerald Knights ...these are the organizations that formed the Avant Garde Troy Muchachos Green Sabres Volunteers Magnificent Yankees Johnstown Patriots Mavericks The Killmen Troy Clovers I'm sure I missed some. Also Add In: Purple Lancers Kingston Indians A few people that made an impact on the activity. Rudy Caprifolio Inducted to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1980 Dom DelRa Inducted to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1986 Was the creator of the Drum Corps Mellophone There are many others. I'll pm you for your e-mail. jk

I remember the 1975 NY American Legion Championships and the talk your dad gave to our corps after a beat down by the Squires. Of course they deserved the win, but at that time we didn't think so. I was amazed that the director of a competing corps would take the time to not only understand what we were feeling but also to give the corps a "pep talk". Fast forward a few years later. Your Dad and Mom "volunteered" their time and energy to our corps. I used quotation marks around volunteer because they were much more than that. Again, I had to ask myself,why? I realized that there was no hidden agenda, no motive. Your folks simply loved the activity and what it truly meant. This IS what Drum Corps is all about.

NEWS FLASH!! Happiest Man on Earth! 2009! Geo. Hopkins Controversy Free!! Heard saying in private "I guess I'll keep quiet about the rolling Harp section... until next year"

I was always a proponent of not being a groupie for one of the "big" corps. However, in the privacy of my home it was a different story. I would listen to every recording of Hawthorne I could get my hands on. Cold chills every time. Who could forget the snare line and the famous "Hawthorne Stare" 5 tics for the drum line in 1975. Jeff Kievit. My vote as the greatest soloist ever. The crowd would cheer...than hush when he was about to play. Oh yeah, he would play on one foot while jumping up and down. Oh yeah, he would do this with a valve rotory horn, probably a Getzen. He would fill the entire stadium with sound. He even "outplayed" the helicopter taking off during the 1974 prelims at Cornell. We will never know what their placement would have been in '75. The only thing I do know, is that there seemed to be a few holes in some of the corps competing in finals that night....hmmm. Finally, for some of the non old timers. Back in the pre-historic days. Senior corps ruled. The goal for junior corps kids was to be able to march with a Senior corps. The Muchachos started as a feeder corps for the Cabs. I guess that would explain why the Cabs were always the front runners.

As we all think back to our active Drum Corps days, there are many folks that we remember. Corps members, directors, instructors, support staff, etc. Endless stories of our various exploits are told whenever possible. This is a wonderful part of our activity. However, there are certain people that had a impact on us that goes beyond the stories. I thought this would be a good forum to express our thoughts about these people. We might find that some of these have had an impact on more than one of us. Here's my list. Jeff Perkins- Avant Garde Director. He taught me countless life lessons. How to be competitive on the field and in life. He was always about the Corps, always put himself last. The most dedicated man I have ever met. Chet Zabeck-Avant Garde Instructor. You always knew where you stood with Chet. He helped me grow up.....quickly. Dick Robilato-Avant Garde Instuctor (briefly). Gave me a singular butt chewing that has stayed with me to this day. Joel Alleyne-De La Salle Oaklands / Etobicoke Oakland Crusaders. Joel was quoted in the DCI yearbook as saying "respect is earned, not given". That meant a lot to me as a 15 year old and even more to me now, as 49 year old. Some of these people you may know. Some you have never heard of. That's the point. All of these folks, to this day, still impact me. Share your stories if you want. If not, take a brief time out. Think back and remember the people that made your Drum Corps days not only enjoyable,but life changing. Jerry Kaiser

The things I miss.... in random order: 1. Telling a judge to move just before I hit him(or her). 2. Defeating a rival for the 1st time. 3. Giving someone "the look" when they try to break ranks. 4. Getting on "the record". 5. The "World Open". That was pure drum corps atmosphere. 6. The show held at the end of the year,after DCI. 7. Sneaking beers on the bus. 8. The "older" girls. 9. Free hot dogs after a parade. 10. The FANS! j kaiser

the most amazing "execution sheet" ever the 1975 Hawthorne Muchachos drumline I believe, 4 or 5 "tics" between the 2 sheets. Oh yeah, back in "the day" we referred to Sandra Opie as "the electric pencil"

Good Luck Roy! I'm new to the Florida Brass family and I want EVERYONE to know that you did things right.From the first minute I picked up a horn and sat down, I felt like I knew these guys for years. I truly believe this was due to the philosophy you set forth when the corps started. One question: Can anyone really retire from Drum Corps? Jerry

Hi all, I was just killing some time at work so I decided to look at some of the other DCP forums.WOW! I am quite impressed with the passion expressed about the new rules changes. The thing is, the world is all about change.Some good,some bad. The only thing we can do is-----deal with it. This brings me to my point.Yesterday I attended my 2nd Florida Brass rehearsal and had a ball.My chops are still pretty bad, my reading is rusty and I think I forgot how to mark time.Oh well.I met some more great folks. Even met some folks from some of the CT corps I .competed against back in JR. and SR. days. I really want to thank the Florida Brass organization for this outlet to "re-live" the good old days of Drum Corps and the fellowship it provides. I am looking forward to the upcoming performances.I just hope that my memory starts to improve so I can actually play and not fake it(I've done that before too). To all drum corps folks out there. Your memories are important, so remember the way things were, but accept change, it is inevitable. Jerry

Hi All, This past Sunday 1/13/08 I attended a rehearsal with the Florida Brass.This was my first drum corps rehearsal in a very ,very long time. I chose this organization because I was looking for the spirit of drum corps without the pressure and stress I experienced back in the day. Well, before I new it,I had a baritone in my hand and I was trying to keep up. The last time I played a horn in a corps it had a horizontal valve and a rotory(I was a drum major most of my corps days and we all know they didn't do much). It felt like I had been marching with these folks for years.By the way,for all Skyliners out there,Bobby Burke still has great chops!! Everyone should check out a rehearsal,I guarantee a great time. Jerry Kaiser Avant Garde 1975-1981 NY Skyliners 1982