SCV90-92

When I was in SCV we had an A corps and a B corps. The B corps didn’t go to their respective championship show. Now SCV has not only an A and B corps they have a winter guard, and winter percussion program, and all four performing units go to their respective finals. As well, they use the facility to teach little ones to dance. BD also provides more music education services to the community than it did 20 years ago. I don’t think these organizations are being run as Drum Corps when it comes to the bottom line. They are professional nonprofit entities that fund Drum Corps activities. They are not drum corps trying to make a buck, they are professional organizations giving their bucks to drum corps.

I don't think so, but I can’t remember enough to say it wasn’t me. I had no problem sleeping on the bus. I think I do recall you not having "rings" or to the effect that "rings" weren't part of the thing back in the day, and that you could if you wanted buy them after the fact. I think the person you are thinking of might have been a Lead Soprano who marched a rookie year in 1989. It could have been anyone really. I recall we did have conversations though. What's so haunting however, is I remember thinking "WOW" you're part of the history of SCV, and now in retrospect your time, and my time are really not that far apart any more. I remember, in a board meeting back in 2007/2008 someone said to the effect that this year marks the 20th anniversary of our drum relation ship with Pearl. I remember thinking WOW, 20 years. That’s a LONG TIME. Then, thought, oh wait I was marching then. Sigh……. Where you driving at the time we were going to a Camp in Oroville, CA, and there was a couple in front of the bus driving a pick up truck beating the heck out of each other and we could seem them hitting on another and the their truck weaving in and out of the lane? I remember that. I remember thinking “this isn’t good”.

Well, that's also MY bus and MY driver For good or bad, we only have one of those busses left, and I think this year is the last year for it as well. I was most certinally on SCV-3. So it must be from 1990 I remember our interaction. here's me: http://www.scvanguard.org/history/gallery/...p;currentrow=25

I think so. I don't know what year it was I did, but if your avatar is a picture of you, then there is only one bus driver that even remotely looked like that, and I rode on that bus. 91 was certainly the better of the three years I was with the A Corps.

I can however imagine being that French Horn Player. When I see that hole in the show I will always think that could have been me. See, I was the LAST soprano cut in 1989. I went on to become the SCV Cadet DM and Soprano Soloist that year. If I recall correctly, the French horn section was the weakest (talent wise) of the horn line. There were trumpet/soprano players filling in the French horn section. Had I been cut earlier I could have and would have moved over to the FH section. Had he not been there, there likely would have still been a FH hole to fill when I was finally cut from the horn line. I was already given a drill spot and learning drill when I was cut. I got to play with the parachute a few times too. I hope I don’t get myself in trouble for what I’m about to disclose. I’m now currently the Treasurer for SCV. What happened, happened A LONG TIME AGO!!!!!!! As I sit here now I sometimes think I’m better off for not having made the horn line that year. In the end all I would have is a cheap ring not worth $20. I might very well not have the drive I do in life for what I’ve helped SCV achieve in the last 5 years. SCV has a new bus on tour this year. I personally signed the check for that purchase. I personally am the one that played the largest role in altering our financial situation to allow such a purchase to happen. I didn’t do it by giving SCV money. I did it with my professional skill set, and integrity and guided SCV in that direction, and now they are on their own feet under the direction of a great full time staff that continues the improvement. We also laid down a new floor at SCV’s hall (we still had the one in there from when I marched), and a new roof is going on as I type this. Doing things like that for SCV by far trumps anything I could have earned on the field as a marching member. So if one wants to keep score, those guys “took my ring”, and I gave SCV a Bus, a new flooring and a roof (and that’s only so far). I think I got the better end of the trade.

Agreed. I think we wore the Aussies at Semi's in 92., and we wore them at retreat. I liked the 91 uniforms the best in my years. One regret. In 1992 I kept that little back hat. I should have kept the Aussie. Of all things I remember, our uniforms in those years were hand made, and they basically felt like heavy duty T-Shirts. It was GREAT running around the field in those things. Unlike my high school band uniform that choaked the hell out of me.

It’s a popular show for sentimentality. The reality is there were 128 of us on the field performing a simple show relative to our competitors. Standing still and blowing our brains out while the guard locks arms and does a company front doesn’t exuberate skill or complexity in chorography. I forgot about all the drum talent too. It was clearly a Sunset year. We entered that season with high expectations and felt honored to be playing bottle dance, but it fell short of the ideas we had in the off season. It could have been such a better show and ended on a soft note like the musical, and not in your face retro. The show didn’t exuberate “this is what SCV learned, and this is what SCV has become” it exuberated “this is what SCV was”. But it’s an important part of my life. I never won DCI, big deal. I came away in life with far more than simply being in a marching band on steroids for those years.

Coming into SCV in 1990 was a hard experience. Those before me only placed out of the top 3 once since the dawn of time, and I started in the downward cycle. 91 was better, but 92 was another hard year. The entire horn staff got nixed, our show was basically a tribute to Royer. I certinaly don't want to disrespect other corps out there, but when you trying to hold up the status of 1989 and prior SCV it's a heavy load to carry. I figured ending in 1992 (2 years still left if I wanted) was a good time to exit along with the Royer dynasty. I also finished up college and crammed in a lot of more summer classes.

The marriage proposal between a Star member and I think Phantom at finals retreat. Was this in 1992? Can we get to the scores and go home already. I just want off the field.

I know exactly what you mean by that. 93 would have been my 4th patch, and 94 my age out. I would have had a lot of seniority. In 92 I was a vet (2 years) and I was one of the most junior members at 19 with two years with SCV A -Corps. We had a lot of experience and talent in the horn line in 1992, and I feel it was wasted. Hell, I played 3rd sop and placed in the top 10 at individuals. I’m honestly glad I walked away, and focused on finishing college. The disappointment that was 1992 was merely a prelude to the disaster that followed, and continued through the mid 90s In terms of the corps being young I think 2/3 of the horn line simply aged out, and of the 20 or so that didn’t even less stayed. I will validate your statement.