Ryan H. Turner

I'm glad you brought up Matt. Someone ealier in the thread said that Robbie Carson was the fastest. I could have swornt that Matt Savage actually holds that particular record, right?

Very interesting to see the Michael Gaines influence out there with so many of those designs. Hilarious. I can't get into it. If I do, I'll never leave my computer. And it's already bad enough as it is with You Tube and Drum Corps Planet taking VAST amounts of my apparently WORTHLESS time.

You cut. You cut me deep! GOOD ONE!!

Well, regardless if you didn't give a review of anything else, thank you for taking the time to give us a review on what you did. Because your opinion and insights are really cool to read, perhaps you would consider reviewing all DVD's dating back to 1823 and please have that on my desk by tomorrow morning. Thank you. But seriously--try to do the rest if you get a chance. Enjoyed your review very much. P.S. 1823???? They had corps back then????

...of the "444"???

Come on Sammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... I don't speak officially for Impulse but how does a corps that was started by former VK alumni and that used a "looser" type comedic inspired thematic thread to all of their shows for the first 8 to 9 years of their existence do MORE to embrace the "heritage" you speak of? Impulse had a near impossible job to do. They had to shake the cobwebs and "bad mojo" of VK, chart their own course, set their own standards, be their own corps, and put up with loud mouth non-believing alumni who said it would never work (raising my hand, I'm sorry to say). Considering that they're celebrating their 10th year in existence with a very strong management core to the corps as well as incredible parent boosters and some great instructional and design talent, I would venture to guess that "embracing a heritage" would be something Impulse has done actually pretty well considering what they're up against every year. As I think I remember a rather important person in the Impulse organization telling me once, Impulse was simply what VK would have become anyway. 'Nuff said. P.S. Just so no one gets miffed from the VK organization that I am hijacking a thread, nice turnout and nice pics VK. Good job.

Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive....from Sacramento..... The Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelancers!! I would pay money to hear that again at a drum corps show. (Yeah yeah yeah...I bleed VK red, but...and yeah yeah yeah...Freelancers were the archrivals....but I still liked them...go figure!)

HELLO VELVET KNIGHTS!?!?! COME IN VELVET KNIGHTS!!! DO YOU COPY VELVET KNIGHTS?!?!?

For those that don't know, in my real life, I am a manager for the Fire Communications and Command Center for the Orange County Fire Authority. To answer your question above, no, things are NOT ok out here, BUT, I will say and rather proudly might I add, that us Californians deal with tragedy and disaster with great amounts of solidarity, compassion, hard work, and perseverance. When the smoke clears and the flames are out, I am betting this will be the worst disaster in American history. This eclipses in my book the 1993 and 2003 Firestorms. You cannot fathom what's happened until you drive down streets where houses once stood and there's nothing there except ash. I can also tell you that many marching band programs in the North San Diego County area have been affected, and one of southern California's premier marching band competitions, the Mt. Carmel High School Band Review and Field Tournament has been cancelled. There's a lot of pain and loss out here, but there's a TON OF HOPE. We'll rise. We always do.

Wow...such banter back and forth. Let me set a couple of things straight... Sam, being from the East Coast, I would assume you must have a great set of binoculars to see our music programs where "instrumental music is dying". That's hardly the case. Secondly, it is BECAUSE of the ultra competitive top level marching bands out here in southern California that the drum corps activity (with the exception to some extent of Pacific Crest) is not flourishing (depending on your definition of flourish of course). When I personally say flourish, I mean there are 10 World Class level drum corps. There is absolutely no reason, mathematically speaking, utilizing the performance, creative, instruction, and administrative talent that is here in southern California. But...the sad truth. There's no REASON for it too. I've tried to make this point, and all you have to do is look at the once unbelievable youth band activity that once dominated southern California to know that I'm right...but high school marching bands (and winter guard and winter drum line) are the new "it" thing. Period. And just like video killed the radio star (sing it with me folks), the same happened to youth band. The comparison between youth band and drum corps is that while different in quality of course, it's the same thing--extracurricular to the high school/college experience. Someone above--can't remember who--said something about "build it and they will come". I can't disagree with you more. That's a simplistic and very naive way of thinking using the drum corps model. This day and age, rather we like it or not, the drum corps HAS to be prepared to DO BUSINESS, and think long-term LIKE A BUSINESS. This is not a question of a bunch of instructor/designers that get together and say "Hey man let's put something together." It's FAR more involved, FAR more difficult, taking the resources, commitment and absolute devotion of a lot more than just one or two or a few people. Pat Seidling told me there are 6 "pillars" to success for creating and keeping a drum corps "healthy". Once those pillars are in place, and it takes a LOT to get those in place and equally strong, drum corps will flourish. At least according to The Turner Principle of Flourishing.

Believe it or not, I was hired by director Lauren Ripley to write the drill... ...and then they folded. DOH!!! Bad timing. Never got to write drill. But I sure was excited about the prospect. Outside of Lauren Ripley who is with.... ....uhhhh.... COLTS?? ....I don't know anyone else from the organization.

Wow...the wind in my drill design sails sure have been taken away. It's not like I'm great friends with Myron but he and I have exchanged emails over the years and I can't say enough about his talent. I'm very very saddened by the news in this thread, and yes, he ABSOLUTELY deserves his privacy. But in this activity, where we all think of ourselves as brothers, and let's face it, we treat some in this activity like celebrities, it really would have been nice to know so we could send him notes of encouragement or flowers or whatever. Ugh...this just hits me right in the gut. I've said for the longest time there were two drill designers whose drill "spoke to me" more than anyone else's, and that was John Brazelle, and of course, Myron's. Well...if Myron is reading this by chance or if anyone can get word to him, I think it would be safe to say that there are a TON of people that are pulling for him. I sure hope whatever is ailment is can be cured and that we can see him put his INCREDIBLE talent back to work. Keep going Myron!!

Oh boy--quick important question. I'm using the corps name because I'm too tired to think more critically. But let's pretend that at a show in the summer, you got PR, SCV, Cadets, Memphis Sound, Raiders, and VK. Let's say that ended up being the COMPETITVE result as well...PR winning, SCV 2nd...and so on. Does this mean ALL corps now get an appearance fee? Or is it going to be based on placement? What if Memphis Sound beat the Cadets at a show? Who gets paid what based on what?

One of my best friends in the whole world marched soprano that year. What a great season...but I think the song that sort of "did it" for me was "march" part with the sounds of the marching blocks at the beginning. There are a few songs that I can really say just sound freakin' HELLACIOUSLY angry if you will on the field in drum corps. Like the end of Medea for instance. Or the end of the Defiant Heart show. Man, that "march" is SOOOOOOOOOO freakin' intense, ESPECIALLY when they make that final half time goosestep push towards the end. Just listen to the FEROCIOUSNESS of the sound. Unreal. And I too love the end with the drum accelerando...I STILL don't know how the heck they did that.

Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy goodness...blunt if not completely...honest. Well...it is Rich. Tells it like it is. B)

I perused the website real quick Eric--do you have any idea why they don't compete in the summer?

You're welcome dude...and if you have any questions that I, one of limited intellectual capacity but with a penchant to laugh a lot, can answer, please by all means don't ask me and find someone else to pester. NO NO NO!! I'm just joshing...by all means email me. You know where to find me... I'm right here. Now I'm here.

Dr. Don Flahtery has done some good things with Gold. You know what's sad? And I sure hope Don doesn't get tweaked for me telling this little story. But I'm well known for being a little bit of a cheerleader. You should see me in those skirts!!! WOOO!! But I digress...so I'm at PCC this summer doing my duties as "The Voice" and I shake hands throughout the day with LOTS o' people. Of course I'm giving the compliments and good lucks with wild abandon, but with Don, I give him a very sincere compliment. I tell him I'm really happy for Gold's success, and really have enjoyed watching the corps grow and be exciting and obviously being well-taught. And you know what he said? He said something akin to "it sure is nice to finally get a compliment--it makes it all worthwhile when I hear something like that." It took me all of 30 seconds (as opposed to what I COULD have done and talk his ear off for an hour) to just say a few nice but SINCERE things about the corps. I felt like I boosted him a little with that. And I don't share that to toot my horn. I share that because I wonder sometimes if this activity doesn't CANNIBALIZE ourselves because we're sooooooooooo into the competitive crap and trash talking and bashing and "being better than" and getting twisted when we get beat by whoever...you know what I'm saying? I know I know...it's the nature of the beast. But still...is it that hard to be nice to each other and appreciate what we have and give a new group a smack on the back and say "Good job keep going?" Well...for Mr. Hall....smack smack....good job bro...keep it going. And I'm glad you found Dr. Don to be helpful. I'm wondering why Gold's business model hasn't caught on more. Sure seems to be the way to go...

So without having to go to Google Earth, is this close to LaCross in terms of driving time? Because...well...how are you "based" in one state and rehearse in another? That doesn't make sense to me. I mean...it makes SENSE...but it doesn't make sense to me.

Didn't George Hopkins write a book in the late 80's about the Garfield Cadets and how it was built or managed or something like that? And wasn't there a "science fiction" book about drum corps from other planets or something? And I'm not joking--this would be in the early 80's. Something something Instellar Drum Corps Congress or something????

Never mind.

Why don't you find your caps lock key there Lamb Chops before "screaming" your question at us. And your question is troll bait. Why are you asking?

Funny story--I narrated Lincoln Portrait back in 1990 for the Long Beach Municipal Band--a semi pro concert band that did concerts in the park all summer long (still does I believe). I was on the road crew and we'd set up every night in a different park on our "tour" for about 5 or 6 weeks. Long Beach has LOTS o' parks. In any event, I was "volunteered" to be the narrator for Lincoln Portrait for the one week during our "tour" that we featured the song. On my last night, I had invited my parents to come down so they could hear me...and I was doing great... Ya know...the whole "...and this is what he said...he said..." Until I got to the part of "...and this is what Abraham Lincoln said..." I instead called him Labraham Incon. Yeah. Thanks Turner. Go ahead and put that mic down right there and step away from the freakin' sound board.

I confirm with Mr Winton...email received. WOW!! When a corps that isn't in existence already has a rehearsal site locked and loaded...well...I can say as Spock would say..."Impressive...impressive indeed."

So I didn't get a real feel for it...did Dream do OK????