SCV Biker

Madea-- Your posts are some of the best "in the trenches" testimonials I've read in a long time-- if I ever meet you at a DCI function, I owe you two beers!

As someone who performed TPOL for two of the years listed, I was disappointed when we were told we'd be repeating the piece in '85. I didn't care for the drill nearly as much in '85 (a rotating box? c'mon!) even though a skinny lead bari (yours truly) got some camera close up time with a Madison vet named Vince Noble. We then tried to tag on a high velocity version of The Red Pony afterward that was great on speed, but fell woefully short on design; that was our opportunity to get uber-crazy drill wise and we simply inverted an arc. I still can't believe we took High Visual outright that night with a version of TPOL that had (IMO) none of the OMG magic factor from the prior year. Frankly, aside from the rip roaring opener and the pants change, overall I didn't much care for our program that year and didn't enjoy aging out with it ('87 was a great way to go, though!) Which is why... ...'84 is the better version for me. The entire bari section played the low register "For many years I've known this field / and all the work that makes her yield" passage while backing into the blind set that eventually became the company front. Also, having essentially given the championship away the previous night in the Semifinals debacle in which we were late to the starting line (GR nearly had a stroke he was so angry), absolutely sucked for the next 12 minutes and took 4th for the first time all year, we were really jacked on Finals night with the white pants and white tunics, and Tim Salzman's pre-show speech in which he convinced us we would (not could, but WOULD) be the first corps in DCI history to jump from 4th to 1st in one night. With nothing to lose, we let it all hang out and that's what's on the DVD. The best part of the push for me was making direct eye contact with a fan a few rows up from the railing for several seconds just as the front changed direction at the 50; in those few seconds that man (late 50's, gray hair) just went to pieces and began bawling uncontrollably. That moment, and cradling SCV's first Jim Ott Trophy in my arms on the bus ride back to our housing site, are still my fondest memories of my marching years. Then I saw... ...Crown's '09 show at Q-Finals, and their rendition made me choke up for two reasons: the lushness, and the respect and reverence in which they played it; I also found myself asking, "Darn it, why couldn't we have done something like this in '85?"

As far as I can recall, the only two corps to march a completely clean sideline including marching tymps in 1982 were 2-7 and Valley Fever out of Modesto, CA.

Blue Devils 1979 - Has all the typical BD rythms, then culimates in a HUGE brass stack at the end with ballsando triplet drum gaks to finish it off. 2004 SCV, who opened their OTL with...(everyone take a huge "Raymond Burr" breath now) A REALLY LOUD looooooooooooonnnnnnnggggggg noooooooooooottttee.................!!! 1982 Crossmen - The first 2 minutes of Russian Xmas Music, their opener. It had a HUGE intro with a "call and answer" stack then...BOP!!!! followed by the contra section holding a single note for 16 counts while one of the drummers played sleigh bells...chills, baby, chills...I think there was a huge set rotation drill-wise going on at the same time too... '82 Garfield's opening statement, with the ultra-screamer who glissandos up to an octuple Z sharp something that makes my dog bark every time I listen to it. '84 SCV - all sops playing the opening lick in unison into a mass crescendo, then a KA-WHAM!! with the low brass entrance ("We are SCV, and we can play REALLY LOUD too!")

Try the '72 Argonne Rebels...

...and having Donald Angelica in the box on Finals night helped too.

Between the two lists we have a total of 17 shows, half of which are from the 80's...best of the 90's has two from the same corps ...three from the 70's...13 of 17 used G horns...hmm... Also, reading Hoppy's remarks on the '84 show...I saw that train wreck up close from the WW end zone as it came toward us; I couldn't believe the visual scores when I read the recaps later. I was surprised the author didn't say, "In addition to never before seen drill, GC also began the trend of falling marching members which continues to this day..."

As "The Last Man" in & out of The Tunnel of Doom in '85, I can tell you there were moments of sheer panic when something got hung up (like a green pant leg caught around an ankle), because the next guy/gal behind them couldn't stop and had to barrel on through. We tore off our own pants; there was another member inside the tunnel who assisted when needed and was "The Stuffer". Also, SCV tore off the green tunic fronts to reveal white ones underneath at the very end of their show that same year at Finals.

I thought it was called "Drive-In Drum Corps: Park 'n Blow"...?

Well, yes, as a matter of fact it did. So I talked to my other half and...

What's the problem? Never had it? For those seemingly stuck in some cosmic Forbidden Zone, "A slang word for self-confidence, self-esteem or self-efficacy...Self-efficacy has been defined in a variety of ways: as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals, as a person’s belief about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance..."

C'mon, this is too easy... The horns...you know, the 2-valve (or later 3V) kind. In G. That look different. Which meant switching BACK to the concert instruments we'd play during the week. Heaven forbid, professional musicians and educators came out of these hornlines -- gasp! Is there any ibuprofen in the audience?

* COUGH GAG Spit up my Diet Coke on the screen * As the Bud commerials used to say, "True...True..." KAC '05-'07 B-25

atlvalet: please hit the check box marked "Enable Signature" on your next reply to turn off your signature so it doesn't show up multiple times, especially since it's so big! Thanks!

Thank you, Eric, for clarifying what I was trying to say. I did not say nor imply that we did things absolutely perfect, otherwise the 85-87 years would have had different champions, yes? I fully agree that things must evolve; however, I can tell you that high expectations were placed on us by vets from years past who no longer marched. I am not belittling, but pointing out the intanglible as Eric simply & eloquently stated. I know many of the volunteers very well, have driven for the corps, three kids I taught at the HS level went on to march SCV '89, I sponsored one of their members in '04, have participated in their alumni functions when able, contributed $$$ toward new uniforms...despite that, sometimes shock value is needed to help kids find their limit, then push that envelope. Also, notice I mentioned Troopers in trying to encapsulate the intangible that is mojo. I love the show SCV is doing this year; it is so different, but I know the kids could "crank up the volume", metaphorically speaking. Sort of like the very end of Star's show in '93, when Rodinaro said during a close up, "Look at the emotion on that girl's face!" (her name was Amber.)