TRacer

No vocals (sampled or otherwise) = no problems.

Inspired by the Fanfare Brass "TO THE BOX!" advertising banner at the top of the DCP webpage: "Can I point my horn to your box?" "Excuse me, but I've lost my puppy in the luggage rack of our bus...can you help me find it?" "How fast would you like it?" as you dial up 185 bpm on Dr. Beat (bip bip bip bip bipbipbipbip bipbibibibibibibi...)

No problem for BD; they would just play all the hard stuff while standing still. As usual.

Slogan for stadium seating pad: "My arse was skinnier when I marched!"

Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had not marched my age out year and would have been content had I stopped after '84. That was a magical year; in my mind '85 was a let down (not because of the outcome, but the experience) and it set me back from a college standpoint. I also had a good job I left to march my age out year. But, times were different then, and the difference between marching at age 21 vs. 22 is huge. EDIT: I might feel differently had I aged out in '87 which was a banner year for SCV; however, I didn't, so I don't.

Seifert forgot to add, "...we anticipate higher visibility for our product as we combine our synergistic energies on a go forward basis." I can describe MD 20/20 in a similar fashion: "MD 20/20...a lighthouse brand...subtle, yet unassuming, with a slightly delicate afternose. A junk wine, albeit one suitable for framing." Doesn't make me want to go buy a bottle and sit on a curb and drink it, though.

Sure-- we could see a corps perform one night on Bbs, and the next night on G's.

Barfonium, I am in Orange County a bit north of you and can relate, both from an injury and alienation perspective. In my case, my injury was upper body related that was incurred over the long term; specifically, the left shoulder from-- what else? Holding a horn. In the Spring of '83 I went to an orthopedist, and after x-rays and so on he determined that the ligaments holding my left shoulder together were so swollen and overdeveloped, every time I raised my arm they and the accompanying nerve endings pinched under my clavicle, creating intense pain. I can still recall him handing me a 10 lb. weight and saying, "Now, show me where you hold your horn." He told me to quit, and let my body heal. I didn't. To make a long story short, I never told my instructors about it, and lived with it for three more marching seasons holding a bell-front heavy DEG baritone (and, yes, we did do some high velocity drill in '85, my age out year.) In the here and now of drum corps, I can't imagine a modern day staff member allowing me to march with that condition, especially when the chance of further injury is so great. In other words, I think the PR staff person made the right call. At the same time, I was also going to school out of state. I hit the gym, A LOT. I ran 10K races. This opened up new social circles for me. Other suggestions: do you own a road or mountain bicycle? If so, there are riding clubs in your area. If you own a motorcycle, perhaps you can join a riding or fellowship group there (for example, Honda Rebels owners have a pretty rabid following.)

Take a good looking current or former marching member who has some driving talent, and put him or her in NHRA Super Stock or NASCAR Truck-- presto! a whole new fan base. Something along the lines of a Courtney Force/Danica Patrick or Jimmie Johnson of drum corps, and put the corps' logo somewhere on the car. OR, find someone in NASCAR or NHRA who marched, and go from there. Don't laugh, several of my FB friends who are SCV alums are seriously involved in motocross and/or off-road racing, so it isn't too far fetched. I personally have been an avid 1/4 mile drag racer since 1993; my 10-second '87 Buick Grand National which I built & drove had my "Alumni / Santa Clara Vanguard" license plate frame mounted on the back or SCV's old "Championship Years" souvie bumper sticker on the back window. Drum corps and motorsports, there's a new one. Let's match race PR's Bus #1 and SCV's Bus #1, and see who wins.

Completely agree. When I watched them rehearse in Walnut last year I thought, "Gee, most of the kids are pretty short," as I stood next to the HS stadium pressbox. Then I realized it was because of the technique, particularly when backing up, where the kids "shrank" several inches in height. I imagine this is one of the contributing factors (besides New Era and all that) why SCV no longer marches a stripe and/or white bucs and/or white pants anymore. Sure, the dark pants & shoes hide visual dirt, but Cadets march cream/light shoes...and win. Crown marches cream & light shoes...and will probably win. Same with SOI. I find it telling that you have to go back 25 years to find SCV's last High Visual Award at Nationals, with the marching style and lower uniform of the day. Give 'em G's and you'll get your wish.

I just sent a FB message to the assistant band director at Esperanza High School in Anaheim; he, Rick and I all marched mid 80's Red Team together so hopefully that might help.

As I was reading Sam's first paragraph I suddenly had a flash of a jump-cut sequence featuring Hank Williams Jr singing, "Are you ready for some DRUM COOOORRRRPSSS?" complete with a cadre of "Daisy Dukes" holding up signs ("I'm a Cavies Gal !" etc.) Pardon me whist I go flog myself for even thinking of such blasphemy, anon. EDIT: Maybe that sequence could show part of the hornline picking up a staff vehicle, and running across a field with it...mucho macho. You'd also have to show clips of a great looking guard at rehearsal, as most of the guard uniforms aren't anything to write home about anyway. Is there a way to tie drum corps into NASCAR? That's declining in popularity too and could use a boost.

As great as that clip was, I can't help but wonder how much more awesome it would be if the students put down those B-flats, picked up G's and replayed the tuning sequence (it's the same one from the days of yore.) I don't mean that negatively-- I marched with one of their current brass staff responsible for their transformation; it would just be neat to see/hear a back-to-back comparison with the same talented players in the video.

Perhaps they could use body harnesses to suspend the field judges from the "Doritos© AirCam" cables at Lucas Oil Stadium used for NFL games; I'd pay to see that. (Rondinaro: "...and there goes Percussion Judge Alan Christensen, zooming from the 5 to the 40 as he follows the snare line!" Delucia: "Man, what great form with that clipboard!!")

I've always been partial to '82 North Star-- what a drumline.

Keith, I didn't know that having the score recording replayed after our KAC performance was being considered at one point...that would have been very cool!

(Standing in a line at first camp) Instructor: "Hi there-- ____, is it? What do you play?" Complete Drum Corps Rookie: "Saxophone, sir." Instructor: "Excellent, we can work with that. Congratulations, you're now a euphonium player; take this music and go stand over there." The exchange above wasn't fictional, as I was the next one to step up to the table after said sax player. The instructor was Rick S., and the date was the December 1983 camp. That sax player worked his butt off, nailed a Jim Ott Trophy in his first year of playing, and put in four incredible years with the Red Team (84-87); he's pretty evident on the '87 DVD. Man I miss local membership recruiting...

Can we move Santa Clara back to Santa Clara while we're at it?

It just occurred to me that given the lack of year patch and Finals patch, maybe the original owner of the jacket didn't finish out the season? Either that, or perhaps it was lost on tour. Just speculating here... To Paul M: As someone who marched the same era you did, thank you for your efforts in trying to acquire and donate the jacket; your heart was in the right place.

Sam, they didn't hand out patches like that in '04; we received official Rose Parade musician patches, an official RP certificate (signed) and we were allowed to keep our uniform "shars". Did the SCV Cadets go to Nats in '94? I know the Cadet corps member jackets look very similar.

"I never look back, dahling! It distracts from the now." -- Edna Mode

I read the sub-caption to the thread title and for some reason I thought "section" meant sop/trumpets, etc. Actually... Brass "All Stars" by section Sopranos: 81 or 82 SCV (actually, both had most of the same members) Middles: 91-93 Star, probably the same personnel Bari/Euph: 81-82 Freelancers, 88 BD, 93 or 08 Phantom Contras: 87 SCV or 91 Star; no credit for tuba lines doubled by a synth. I won't comment on guard or percussion.

The guy I introduced to DC in '84 aged out in the euph section in '88 after joining BD in May of '87 when a spot opened up. Part of me still wishes he'd marched '87 SCV from a "Circle of Life" perspective (he'd auditioned and made it, but BD was more flexible on the tour fee) but watching him from the stands in KC in '88 still made me proud! I would liked to have seen an overall tie that year for sure, but they still took home the Ott Trophy.

JF-- Sent you a PM.

I thought it was a nice gesture to let us take the Ott home that night as it was SCV's first. Both BD and Cadets have outstanding brass programs and have won the Ott trophy too many times to count; overall the 80's were a highwater mark for SCV's brass program and they were in the thick of it again in 97/99/01. As intensely self-critical as I am at times, for years I've often listened to the recording and thought, "Darn it, if I hadn't fracked in Tenderland (at 0:33 & I think again at 0:38 in the video clip), would we have taken the Ott outright?" As for the tymp player; hey, you have to admit, Martha WAS cute! You can see her again on the '87 DVD.