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.)

You bet! I marched with three of the guys in that photo...guess who was in the "killer contra" section I mentioned in my post... :)

In my view—and Joe may agree, given his experience a few years after mine--- I am STILL waiting for SCV to get their MOJO back. I as posted in another thread, I really haven’t seen it since ’99 or ‘04’s Scheherazade. This is not intended at all to downplay what their staff, parents or volunteers are currently doing as I know a number of them, it is the kids finding that inner fire/“Eye of the Tiger”/take no prisoners attitude that SCV was known for. Frankly, if I was stuck in my the mid-89s score-wise at this point in the season for the length of time they have, I would be majorly PY$$T OFF. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in the 7th or 8th slot; I’d probably have a stroke on top of it. After a sub-standard performance, we wouldn’t just be “threatened” with pushups by the staff as I saw at a rehearsal during this season, we’d do it ourselves (“march with integrity”) after every little mistake. Rehearsals in these situations on tour would become very angry affairs, and section leaders and/or well-respected non-SCV vets who had paid their dues elsewhere typically lead the way. Chas had his, I will call them “methods”, to augment this. And as for the contra section—well, those guys were from Qo’nos (Kronos - the Klingon Homeworld) when it came to getting py$$t off with honor. Part of this had to do with the number of guys who had been through championship near misses, and one guy who’d been denied a ring while in 2-7 for a couple of years. The contras had a rallying cry I dare not repeat here. The point is, we had IT. Busloads of kids who came to watch us gave us space. Other corps feared us. All that MOJO got projected at showtime THROUGH the uniform, not just because we just slipped it on like a pair of gauntlets (“Let’s see...aussie, check. Star, check. Gloves, check. Mojo, check”— “BZZZZZZT!” wrong!) SCV’s that had “it” would just be unleashed. SCV ’87 (check out the close up of the one sop in RCM who makes a snap turn so fast, the air cracks as it rushes into the vacuum he creates) & ’04 (turn up the MOJO AMP to “11”, Nigel) were two prime examples, and I know I’m missing others. Another example of “uber”-mojo was Troopers’ rifle line— Holy Hellcats, Batman. I saw a few individuals at SCV’s rehearsal that had “it”, but not the collective. Kids, what applied then still applies now-- MOJO doesn’t come in a uniform bag or magically appear when you slip on the supersuit! Corps no longer fear SCV; “feared” SCV was like the girlfriend who ripped your heart out, stomped all over it, handed it back to you on a slice of toast, then forced you to eat it while she watched. It was “this is OUR field of honor and no one else’s, PERIOD,” not “Hey, thanks a lot for letting us borrow the field-- here you go, best of luck, we’ll have our machine text your machine-- ciao!” So what if you’re backing into blind sets or whatever…get angry and freaking do it!! Look at the reflections in your horn, develop that 6th “Spidey Sense”. You are SCV G-Dit!! Lots of folks are ticked with your show— DO your show, and THROW IT BACK AT THEM! Do it. Do it now. PS: BigDale, that is an awesome photo in your signature, I had to save it to my HD-- thx!

I couldn't agree more on this. With apologies to cartoonist Natalie Dee,

Drums corps is like NASCAR: no matter where they go, more often than not the weather never cooperates once they get there. For example, DCI Atlanta last Friday: rain & thunderstorms. NASCAR, same weekend: Pocono 500 in Pennsylvania was delayed by rain and nearly shortened bacause of it. (No, I am not a NASCAR fan; NHRA is more my speed because of my involvement as an owner/driver.) In addition, NASCAR does endless tweaking to their Chase format, further alienating their fans...just like DC.

Are there any FMM drummers out there that can offer any insights as to what happened to SCV's drumline to warrant such a low placement in the persussion caption? I read the recap and was stunned to see them in 11th in Technique. Even though I'm a brass player I've always been a bit percussion-centric and I know this has been one of SC's strengths in years past. I read that they only marched 4 basses last night; would that have an effect? Did someone fall and completely get them out of sync or...? Thanks!

...as usual.

When I read that I got a jolt...during the push in Tenderland at '84 Finals I somehow made eye contact with a middle aged gentleman a couple rows back from the front railing...he was standing along with a bunch of others. Anyway, clearly he was being moved by what he was hearing, then he & I made eye contact for several seconds at the point where the company front went from moving diagonally to forward. He then gasped and just went to pieces at that moment, holding his head in his hands and sobbing uncontrollably. While not completely non-existent (PR 08, SCV 04), I wish there were more "audience connection moments" factored into programming.

Interesting to note that in 1993 Star beat the Cadets by 0.4 points at Quarterfinals and subsequently lost to the Cadets by 0.3 points in the Semis and by 0.1 in Finals (and should not have IMO, but that's already been beaten to death and then some.)

IMO '85 was not as good as '84.

No mention of '72 Argonne Rebels? Sandra Opie was able to produce incredible TQ&I in that hornline; the sound they produced was 10 years ahead of its time, on chrome piston/rotors no less. As for other decades I would go with '82 GC (seeing them live IMO it was really the beginning; I still remember the "Arrow G" in RPH), '93 Star as mentioned previously, '00 Anybody D&B Corps who started marching Bb horns (and don't get me started on that.)