BigHoosierMack

Rifuarian; While I can appreciate the sentiment, that's the "Old" Revolution. The only people here that were a part of that debacle are members. Yes, kids actually came back after that. We're an entirely new Administration, and Educational Staff. "Money should NOT be an issue" Means: The Busses are paid for. Before we even LEAVE on tour!! What would it cost us to bring an extra kid along for the ride? Especially if it's their age-out? Very Very little. All they would have to pay for is their under-armour, compression shorts, shako, and plume. The staff contracts are all signed Designers have been paid Several public performances have gone over very well nightly run-throughs are getting tighter every day The Food is better than I ever ate at Glassmen, BD, or Phantom The Kids are EXCEPTIONAL. The Staff is Working remarkably well together, considering we're all new to each other as well. Things are strong here, and we're chomping at the bit to get this show on the road! This is not the same situation as 2011.

As Revolution's Drill Writer, I can tell you we have approximately 4 Brass spots available, they are in the trumpet and mello sections. We do already have a tentative Baritone member for our last low brass hole, but we're happy to talk to any low brass musicians to discuss other opportunities as well. (Trumpets are a lot lighter than tubas) ;) We have spoken with several Teal Members directly, and are working hard to ensure they get to complete their season either with our ensemble or someone else's. There is also discussion about sending a van or some sort of transport to bring a group of members so they don't have to feel like a "loner" coming in to the new group. I told the director this morning that I will re-write the drill if I have to. We're already 90% full of our original instrumentation of 32Br/20G/14Bat/10P... GIVE ME A REASON TO WRITE MORE DOTS!!!! But if you're a Teal Sound or Racine Scouts member, we would be happy to welcome you with open arms. Please don't hesitate to contact either myself, or the corps administration directly I'm also the guy working on building the new website, so please be kind about it's sparse nature at this stage of the game. Teaching the members is higher on the priority list ;) Come finish your summer!! Michael "Big Mack" McGlothlin Visual Designer Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps

http://www.dci.org/corps/list.cfm?class_id=2 Visit gorevo.org after the weekend for updates and interviews with design and administrative staff. We just finished week one of Everydays. These kids are rocking it out. See you all at the Crossmen Experience, and Austin shows in the next couple of days. If you play mellophone or Trumpet, come talk to us!!! We may just have a spot for you.... ;) Michael McGlothlin Revo Visual Designer

What those guys said. You won't hear it from us, only DCI. We are playing by the rules. If you look around the web hard enough you may see us in a lineup or two....just sayin. We had a great camp weekend, learned a lot of tough drill, and got a lot better. I'm sure you will hear more in the very near future. Michael McGlothlin Visual designer, revolution drum and bugle corps.

Hey Crown09 Revolution still has a few brass spots open. Primarily Trumpet If you are interested, please feel free to contact me. We are an entirely new organization, and good things are happening!!! Let me know, and you can be marching your dot in less than 2 weeks!!!!!!!! Michael McGlothlin Visual Designer Revolution Drum and Bugle Corps

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the staff who "weren't Paid" also the staff that never signed contracts, then stole equipment? At what point will DCP just close this so people can't make unfounded claims to the detriment of the organization? I'm all about FOI and accountability, but I'm fairly confident these people have already taken their "case" to DCI and been told to run along... I'm pretty sure you sacrifice the moral high ground when you take equipment hostage. I say that not as flame bait, but as perspective for whatever parent or prospective parent reads this. The New Management is Fantastic, and has been working feverishly to rebuild the financial standing of the corps. To hold them accountable for past bad acts (on the part of BOTH sides..) is more than a little foolish. I think everyone involved has taken responsibility, as evidenced by the change in leadership. Should anyone have to come here and explain every detail of their revelation to allow this issue to drop? The previous administration didn't put their foot down with the membership regarding paying their dues. It was a family formed, family run, family-style organization that had too big of a heart. Sure it screwed them in the end, and the new administration is NOT following in those footsteps. There are policies and procedures in place to assure that doesn't happen ever again. It will hurt. It will be hard to send someone home for not paying their fees. But the new guys know that above all that's their job. And they take it seriously. I'll say it again....there are procedures and policies in place that WILL NOT allow the same mistake to be repeated. We've got 38 pages of drill to learn at the next camp the music book is written, and being played VERY well I already have my airline ticket (so they have some $$ at least...) We've got a vibrant FB community of members We're expecting to fill our final 6-8 contracts at this next camp, based on current recruiting #'s (but we all know how that goes) If you're in San Antonio, and want to see some amazing stuff, come to the next camp. Find out for yourself. And Please, can we get this thread locked so it doesn't further devolve into a hurtful he-said she-said? Michael

Well, I'm not an official spokesperson, but as one of the few staff members not busy with camp this weekend, allow me to chime in. Revolution is going strong. Evaluations are ongoing / have been completed, but it's not my role to discuss that. Honestly, I wasn't there, so I can't speak to the process. There are some really exciting things going on with the group, and financially I can say they have turned a HUGE corner. It's Revo, so you know a few things already. Smokin' Drumline Smokin' Guard Smokin' Hornline. I will karma-cap myself and say that at this point we're all just keeping our heads down, and we'll be happy to be a little bit of a dark horse in the race. But this new administration has completely turned the org. around from a $$ perspective, from a vibe perspective, and They are in it for the right reasons. Anyone who had concerns about Revo at the end of 2011 will feel nothing but Hype for us after 2012. Right now the corps is at a special performance, and they'll be getting back to work on the competition show over the rest of the weekend. I'll let the more detailed post-camp report fill in all the blanks, but we're all good. We better be, because I'm going to camp next month to teach some sick Drew Farmer drill, and listen to some sweet sounds.... I need that in my life!!!! And I hope Forte is in the same boat ....so we can all have a little more Drum Corps in our lives this year.... Go Open Class!

Oh My word..... All I can think of when I hear there's yet another "Project" under works from this cat. Linky (About the project, not the dude) Is there anything we can legally / legitimately do to ensure people don't have to find this corner of the interwebs to learn what's happened? Can we start a facebook warning page or something? I only ask because A) I'm the guy who brought the "Ecplipse" situation to the collective attention here, and I'm upset with myself for getting lax on tracking this kid's actions. b) According to his Twitter feed, he's not done yet. cnagy1 c) the time for redemption is over, as far as I'm concerned. I'm going to make a point of following his every move. And calling him out any time I get the chance. Thanks DCP for keepin' the faith.

Yeah, it's a "Subtle" ending, NO Elsa, just snoring. It's written very well though, and the buicks are nailing it. ~Michael

I just watched their run-through..... Lets just say "It works".... Because it would be really inappropriate to give away the ending, when the corps is sleeping in the next room... You'll like it, I swear. ~Michael

Just went and watched both shows, and the only thing I can possibly notice that might be considered a "Drill Jack" is the collapsing, expanding box moment that is about 3:30 mark into BK's show, and right in the final frenzy of Boston's. Thats a fairly commonplace maneuver that several corps over the years have used to varying degrees of effect. I can think of at least one Cadets show that used it, and it's all probably been "Jacked" from somewhere before. But I digress, the fact that they both use a similar Visual Idea in a very musically appropriate way is coincidence, and strong construction for them both. Beyond that I have no idea what you're talking about. Have you seen a lot of shows, because I've seen that idea about a million times, who knows where it came from? Michael

I saw what you did there!!! Nice ^Flame-bait. Not takin it...even though I realllllllllly want to... ~Michael

I feel ya, Chaddy, I've been saying all season that the Devils or Cadets best shot is to come from behind anyway....it's a better place to push from. It's going to be down to the wire !! ~Michael

how did Gary Markham Judge 2 captions? GE music from the field, or Brass from the stands, or a mis-print? Looks like a pretty exceptional finish to an exceptional season full of exceptional shows. ~Michael

First of all, I have to say that I really respect the hell out of the members every year, and this year is no different. This is not about the membership, or their performance level. Also, I really like Brian as a dude. He's funny, warm, sincere, and I believe that he has a very particular vision for the corps. For some reason his definition of "Experience of a Lifetime" doesn't necessarily include a strong link-in with competitive success AND THAT IS TOTALLY FINE. He is the director, and the Glassmen are in the market of staying alive. The Glassmen aren't seeking out kids that are looking for rings, the Glassmen are looking for kids who "WANT TO MARCH!!!". Listen to the announcer after they come off the field for the first 3/4 of every summer. They're advertising in July. That's not really a good sign...if you're struggling to stay rolling down the road, and fill up the busses, making finals is a win in and of itself. BUT....I saw this quote much further up, and I about jumped out of my skin.... NO, there's not. The closest thing they have to a tradition is staying in some of the same schools every year, and forcing members to shave. The "Corps Song" is from their 92 show, when they placed 13th?!?!? And the Lyrics..?...really....?.... No, I'm sorry but the real corps song is 'Just a Gigolo', and is strictly forbidden, by fiat. I actually got a rather firm talking to for trying to figure it out by ear in the parking lot after a show in '99. When you feel compelled (by image) to make up words to replace a song they play at Applebee's during Granny's Sunday Brunch, something is off. You think people would be offended? NO, PEOPLE WOULD FLIP. Oh, and then there's "Initiation" which is a Joke 10 years after I went through it....and frankly it was a little contrived at that point. The best part about that night was how trashed the staff got. How are people supposed to respect and cherish the memory of the history of their corps, when we have worked so hard to erase it's memory from our present. THEY MADE UP a corps song....but we already had one. I know it's silly, but it's a micro-cosm of the same issues repeating themselves. "Ignore the past, but let's build a strong future." "Forget that I just replaced the entire staff responsible for your rise, who you loved...these guys are NICER!!!"...That's essentially what "Happened" at the end of the Gold Trilogy. There's more to it than that, but that was the attitude taken with members, which is why the members all went somewhere else. I can name 10-12 people off the top of my head from the '99 Glassmen who were in the '01 Blue Devils..Horns, Drums, Guard, everything...That kind of thing doesn't really happen without a catalyst. But I digress, realistically the source of the "problem" is that there is no perceived sense of urgency to maintain or grow final's night placement. The show comes second to the "Experience of a Lifetime" And Brian is in a bubble making that experience great. He's too busy Feeding, clothing, housing, fueling the corps. If he really has a weakness, it's that he has nobody else to trust and really delegate to. How often do ppl actually SEE him, vs. how often is he "Asleep in the van" (which is code for "We have no idea" btw). More importantly, Brian is in a bubble of his own design, and his own creation. His (apparent, and percieved) unwillingness to trust someone / something else besides Sal Salas is troubling, because THAT dude has been hit or miss AT BEST, and never really for the Glassmen. Their excellent seasons were Cesario shows, period. Brian needs someone seasoned enough for him to trust, and modern enough to make a difference. No small task finding such a person. They would also have to be willing to work for peanuts. Yes, his fear is stifling the overall competitive success of the corps, but it's not unrealistic, and it's not impairing their ability to make it down the road. In fact, it is likely RESPONSIBLE for keeping it rolling. Think about it from his perspective, If you can't fill holes, are you really going to let your drill writer go all Mike Gaines 265 pages of drill? No. Are you going to turn your caption heads loose and let them beat you into cleanliness? NO, because people will die, and there will be MORE HOLES. Let's just keep the ship afloat, let's just not be a sad storyline about folding mid-tour Magic-Style. I think what frustrates those of us in alumni-purgatory is that when you make up a new history, you've then told us that our contributions and experiences should be shunned and looked down upon. I've spoken with sooooooo many alumni who have just felt pushed away and saddened by their distance from the corps. And it's even more sad because Brian is actually a pretty nice guy, and a VERY decent human being. It's pretty hard to get too upset with the guy....we still end up buying stuff, sending money, etc... It's a sick cycle, and I just sort of Pity everyone involved. ~Michael

Michael, That post officially made this the best thread I've ever been involved in. Thank you! ~M

Hey Guys! I'm sorry I checked out last night and didn't get back to you sooner. The idea I was looking for is actually present in 2 Cavaliers shows, 1995 and 1999. I KNEW it was in the 95, show, but I couldn't find it to save my life. Then a friend called and told me you can only see it in the high-cam, but FN only only has multicam . I was able to find it, at the 7:37 mark of the 99 show, and it's really cool, but not as hard as I was trying to make it. I'm trying to write an effect based on the same idea of evolving densities, and Mike Gaines is obviously the standard in this "style". I can't believe I spent as much time as I did looking for it...but thanks all for taking the time to engage! ~Michael

Hey All, I've spent an hour watching cavaliers videos on the fan network trying to find "The Esophagus" I would take time to describe it, but I'm sure someone somewhere knows exactly what I'm talking about and where (what year) to look. Thanks in advance for any guidance. I marched Devils, and I feel like I would rather have a lobotomy than sit and watch another hour or more looking for the 15 seconds of video I really need to show my wife. Thanks ahead of time! ~Michael

Jeez Stu, you're so cynical.... Just check this thread, Howdy was listed as the Tuba tech (Say WHaaaa?)here, so I'm sure he can provide us with some great examples to quiet the masses.... Oh wait...you wanted a video, my bad... ~Michael

First things first, a sincere thank you both for your service to our country and for taking the time to communicate. And you'll notice a sincere retraction of my snarkiness from here on out. Your post seemed exceptionally rude and naive to me. But, only because...... I get why you said it, coming on it from such a long run in the activity. And to be frank, I completely agree with your assessment if we're talking about the techniques from the 70's when they didn't have yardlines. I've also heard members of many generations use "Form Marching" in a derogatory, and uneducated way, just as the term "dot diver" has negative implications to a member of that school. The general "My way is better" nature of the thread, combined with my misinterpretation of your actual meaning most certainly set me off a bit. your brief synopsis of that "flip out" moment people have is what I just experienced, but we've all likely been beaten about by it one way or another. Which is why I almost didn't read the thread, because I knew what Howdy was up to....flame bait. For what it's worth, I only came to appreciate the complimentary (and in so many ways identical) aspects of both current schools after marching devils back in '01, and then moving to the Chicagoland area for the next 4 years, where it seemed every time I met anyone who would ask me anything of substance about the Blue Devils experience, it would nearly always end with "How do you get that clean if you don't know your dots?". I had a flashback, and I'm sorry. Luckily those moments often turned into great friendships and working relationships with some of the smartest guys I know, who were unfortunate enough to be Cavaliers....and to have to live with that forever..lol In all honesty though, it taught ME a lot about how they work, and how to put the two together in a way that even they could live with. I consider this a "good to meet ya" opportunity. My name's Michael, played mello for 2 years DCI (99 Gmen, 01 Devils), Auditioned, was accepted, and got all the way to MEPS in Indy, before being DQ'ed from Marine Corps for of all things hearing loss. You lived my dream man. I have been involved now for I guess about half of my 30 years on the planet in some form or fashion. I've only recently become a decent writer, but I love learning the activity, love gettin' dirty in a sincere intellectual disagreement, and am honest enough with myself to know when to say "I'm wrong". I probably shouldn't allow myself to be annoyed by anything so late at night....sorry man. And yes, anything can be charted in pyware, but some specific things wouldn't be because of the "best practices" ambitions most of us (myself included) have. Take for example the backwards floating / morphing ribbon form dissolve in BD '10 that happens right before the mirrors crack, around the mid-point of the production. That moment would only be possible with at "dot-only" technique were you to stop and clean each of the constantly morphing step sizes and direction changes. Yes, similar moments can and have been done with a form only approach, but the demand on the tuba section specifically would require a competent pyware user to write it in a "cleanable" fashion. I'm fairly confident we wouldn't see that moment from a dot-only corps, because changing step sizes and pathways on the move isn't what they do, especially when you use that most kryptonite like term to any Cavalier..."Curved Pathway". I don't say that in a pejorative way because there are other tools which they use more often and much better than any form marcher. But the point is, while anything is possible were you to chart and clean count by count, some things just aren't reasonable under those circumstances, and are therefore charted, learned, taught, and cleaned differently. Learning Jay Murphy drill from Jay Murphy while Jay Murphy writes it on the fly was a truly mind-bending experience. Wish I could have done it more than once. ~Michael

It seems you have little to no experience with well educated practitioners of what the modern marching world would more accurately call "Form AWARENESS" which is really not in any way "form marching". When form awareness is crudely and poorly conveyed, it's easy to see how a "Bringer of Truth" such as yourself may be mislead, but your entire post is frought with silly little things that give me an idea that you have never used the technique you so summarily dismiss. 1) Every rep has a different performance. EVERY one, whether you are taking in information about the form, or not. Every rep at the Cavaliers 2002 (probably the best "Dot Marching" performance ever) was different. Form awareness (when utilized properly) is a tool for cleaning transition counts, not a "roadmap to your dot". 2) You seem to be under the errant impression that marching with a sense of form awareness requires more "correcting" than marching the Dot, and I believe you are missing one huge corollary. While "dot" marching, you are taking in information off the ground around you, and constantly making adjustments based on where you know you're supposed to be. Proper utilization of form awareness involves a thorough understanding of the dots, crossing counts, mid-sets, etc. The awareness of form is simply another tool for a skilled performer to check themselves, and except in VERY rare circumstances, the dot takes priority. 3) "Going with what the form gives you" is a good way to get buried, whether you marched in 1980, or 2010 regardless. Even the most "form aware" of the current flock of corps (BD) would rarely use a phrase as blunt or without insight. In times of frustration perhaps, but it would never really be an appropriate thing to say. Evaluate the form and your real location, and make a decision. If it's not a halt, you're never really going to intentionally "miss" your dot. That's just not how it works. While your assertion that Dot-only marching is the "current" technology for marching education seems.....haughty.....I'll commend you for at least admitting here that you've never met any of the greats of this great other world called "form awareness". If you had, it would hurt my soul that you knew them and still had such a narrow concept of the practice. Put simply form awareness is akin to playing in tune. You don't simply press down the first two buttons to play a perfect A. You use the memories of proper practice to tell you what to EXPECT to feel,you evaluate what you DO feel, and you adjust accordingly, and constantly. It's a system that allows one to not only correct a problem in context (Recovery is on the sheets), but to learn when and where continued and or recurring issues may arise, allowing individual members with critical thinking skills to correct issues with direction changes, pathways, et all. Just like we all know that the trumpets must occasionally kick out the 3rd valve slide, and force their ears a little further down the arc, so must we expand our senses if we are to truly be limitless in our visual palette. While the "Dot-Only" school of design offers unique and amazing opportunities, there are definite effects that can not be conceived, charted, taught, or cleaned in that manner. Your awareness of form awareness is now less lacking. Cover down please. ~Michael

Sorry about that whole "reaching into your brain" thing. You might wanna get that checked out by a physician. I should have clearly stated that my "criticism" for lack of a better word isn't only directed towards one ensemble. In fact, it's not really a criticism in any way, just an observation. When I see RCC's drumline, I inherently recognize (as with a Rennick line) that most of those kids march together most of the year, and they learn from most of the same people most of the year (added "most"s so as not to seem like flame bait, or rash generalizations). I still love them, but the totality of my appreciation for their achievements includes the knowledge that they have a consistent educational structure. It's awesome, but it's not unbelievable, because of the "behind the scenes" structure I know about. Rudnicki's article wouldn't have been nearly as compelling or tear-jerking had it not started with the vets all leaving. When I watch that video, it means more to my HEART, not my head. But the fact that NEW kids pulled together means more to me on the emotional spectrum only. I'm all about the competitive advantages, and I don't take ANYTHING away from a group who chooses to take one. As an audience member and fan, I will still shake my head, and wonder how they did it. I will still clap, stomp, and scream for them, because it's awesome. But when we're talking behind the scenes about the adult side of things, I try to be intellectually honest enough with myself to recognize that achievement and growth on the sheets is very different from achievement and growth purely on the learning curve. The volume of growth over a season is more impressive to me than only finals night achievements most of the time. I don't care if people stack their lines. Bring it. It just makes it even more emotionally appealing to me when a non-select group of individuals achieves more on the sheets. I don't feel any less proud of my Ott just because I marched Blue Devils (lol stu), and wouldn't take anything away from any championship line ever. But I'm adult enough to recognize that we had the most consistent corps membership and staff on the field that year also, which certainly played into it. ~Michael

I get the point you are making about not being able to have it both ways, and I totally agree. But here's the rub (maybe what you meant?) : MOST corps staff (most certainly those at Regiment 02) are more than happy to whine about how the Blue Devils wouldn't maintain their dominance if it weren't for the fact that other corps train all their members for them. It's a really intellectually dishonest commentary when it comes from someone who just got done cutting a vet to make room for a more talented rookie. About the only corps that can legitimately make that claim is Pioneer, because they take anyone, and really do the fundamental training expected at most other World class auditions. Either you want to build retention, or you want a free-for-all. If you're going to be cutting vets next year that aren't "good enough", then shut your mouth about Blue Devils or Cav's or whoever else "poaching" your talent, because you're the one kicking kids out of a "phamily" they're already in. Nothing rubs me more than hearing staff members complain that "their" kids are going Blue (or green, or maroon, or cream), and it's only because of them, and their time with the "XXXX-persons". Well, if they were really "your" kids, they wouldn't have, unless they were following you. If you, as an educator, were fulfilling their needs, they wouldn't be bailing. I think it says a lot more about those guys that they actually cared enough about the Phamily to come back and give it a shot, knowing full well that none of them would be offered spots. Those kids that got cut in 2003 are the heroes to me, not the admittedly sick lines that came after. There's nothing spectacular about taking a year-round ensemble of percussionists and maintaining a high level of success in a new ensemble. If NO UNT kids came to SCV this year and he finished top-5, THEN I'll say it's amazing. Just putting new uniforms on the kids really isn't that special to me... Give me "rag-tag" with heart over "sick chops" and attitude, any day! ~Michael Edit: just re-read the Rudnicki Piece. That kid "Tyler" who left his Uniform at the school? Yeah, that was the same Tyler who tech-ed the 2002 Regiment Snare line. Shared a bus-room with him, taking turns playing random scary PS2 games well into the night on tour.

I just figured I'd throw in my .02 on this point, since I was the vis guy for that line. The 2002 Regiment Snare line had zero seasons of Div I marching experience going into the year. If memory serves correctly the entire battery had 6, 3 of which from one guy in the tenor line. The eventual center snare had marched DCA ( Minnesota Brass ) I believe, and there were at least 2 high school kids in that line. One was a sophomore. Those kids got the crap kicked out of them, I know because I did it. Every day they got up, and asked for more. I know a lot of people look at a 10th place caption score and consider it a "let-down" or "off-year", but when I look at that caption score I think.....wow. I guess you have to be on the journey to appreciate such a "lackluster" destination. Dave Pride on Bass 5 lost about 130 pounds on tour. The top of the bass line was experienced (Together I believe), and 2 of the tenors had real experience. Mason, Lonnie, Chavez, Tyler, and the rest of the staff gave a rag-tag group of kids some of the best instruction on the planet, and worked them into a very musical, respectable, and well received 10th place (IN THE WORLD) percussion line. I've never been prouder of a 10th place anything. I really hope after getting cut the next year those guys all found new homes. It never sat right with me that NONE of them made it back. For what it's worth, retention seemed to be the biggest problem at the time. I'm not sure where the previous season's snares all went, and frankly never had the courage to ask. The guys I had were pretty great though. Even Micah. ~Michael

Go look at what Black Gold did last year, and then do the math. I'm an "alum" also, and I was a little heartbroken when I saw this. I'll wait to reserve final judgement for family day, but like most others I was hoping for a Gold redux, or something from the strengths and history of the corps. A Mighty Fortress! Kodaly! Madre, gigolo, the list goes on. I truly hope this turns into something BA.