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Navillus WP

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    Defenders Alumni Corps (Massachusetts)

    in Alumni Corps Discussions

    Posted

    We picked up three additional members of the horn line at Sundays' rehearsal. (I think we've topped 70 brass players.)

    Irrespective of your intentions to play or not, you'll meet some great folks and find out how much you have in common. Maybe someone can help with carpooling if you want to give it a whirl. Lots of patient people willing to help.

    I travel down from Central Vermont to rehearsals, and could help anyone along the way (I-89, I-93) with a ride. I stop to carpool in Londonderry NH with someone who lives in Auburn, NH.

    Warning: I listen to "ol' skool" drum corps CD's all the way down and back. :rolleyes:

    • Like 1

    How intense were rivalries?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    Ghost, Thanks for the memories. Pretty good letter isn't it?? I haven't seen it in years. Although it was issued before I joined SKEK I have an original copy. I think everyone who joined the corps after that letter was written got a copy on their first day.

    It was not meant to put down the Crusaders, instead it was using the Crusaders as an example of what hard work can accomplish. St. Kevin's at the time was becoming a little too comfortable with themselves and "The Letter" as it has become to be known, was a tool to motivate the members of the horn and drum lines. The color guard is not mentioned because it was the one section that wasn't having problems.

    There is much folklore about who composed the letter, but A Member doesn't necessarily mean a marching member. Some think it might have come from the Assistant Corps Director or because of the stylish writing pened by the departed Corps Director Ed Rooney himself. I still don't know.

    The Letter did have an effect on the corps. It helped get the heads cleared and although things didn't start out great for the corps early in the season, by mid summer (The Dream) things did turn around and the corps finished the season very strong by finally pulling ahead of the Crusaders, winning the Dream, finishing high at the VFW Nationals and winning the CYO Championship. Hard work and Determination = Success.

    And for the record, St. Kevin's didn't beat the Crusaders again after the 1964 season.

    There's a lot that can be said for the rivalries in Boston with as many corps as there were in the 60's.

    The Crusader - St. Kevin rivalry was just as much a neighborhood rivalry with the corps coming from different sections of Dorchester as it was a local/national drum corps rivalry. There were off field issues throughout the years. A lot of it due to dating a member of the other corps. Others just due to bad blood, I.E. 67 AL Nationals parade in Boston.

    Thanks for adding the insight and for adding context, Lou.

    BTW, I dated a Lancer color guard member from "North Of The Bridge" who had been theretofore "going steady" with a BAC member, who eventually went back to seeing him "steadily" while marching with Two-Seven. That was a source of some minor annoyance, but not outright hostility.

    -Bill-

    How intense were rivalries?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    ....... Wow. :shutup:

    I've been walking around thinking about this post, particularly given the current (FEB-APR2012) unfortunate status of the SKEK Alumni Corps.

    Some thoughts .....

    In the 60's and 70's - rivalries between local corps in the Boston area included hard feelings over "raiding" - the notion that kids who had marched with local CYO or Eastern Mass Circuit units that were based "South of the (Tobin) Bridge" should gravitate towards the Boston Crusaders, and kids from "North of the Bridge" were expected to gravitate towards Revere's Twenty-Seventh Lancers. Those who did the opposite were sometimes subjected to snide comments.

    Additionally in the 60's and 70's , people from the trying-to-emerge local corps competing at the CYO, Eastern Mass or Mayflower level resenting talented kids leaving their home towns in order to play for nationally-competitive St Kevins, Majestic Knights, Boston or later 27th, rather than staying behind to help the local CYO, Eastern Mass or Mayflower Circuit corps improve.

    By the time North Star came into their hey-day, there was an additional rivalry - within the corps. That is, the "Locals" versus "Corps Groupies" (a.k.a.: "Corpies") who came from other regions, moving from corps-to-corps, auditioning for spots -- putting them up against locals who grew up dreaming to march with the local "Marching Major League" corps. My second year, three guys showed up from California and two guys from Maine. (We were glad to have them, and no one lost a spot to them.) However ... when auditions started years later, the level of receptiveness to "corpies" began to change.

    Even in the 60's, this was a big source of the conflict when Immaculate Conception Parish council cast the "senior" Reveries adrift: newer members who wanted to compete at the national level lived outside the parish, and (in the eyes of some) took spots from kids whose families belonged to the I.C. Parish. (Note: it was not a problem among the kids at that point, just the adults. There was a sub-rosa element of racism as well among the adults, given that several of the new non-parish members were of color. See 1968 photo below.)

    27thLancerSnareDrumLine.jpg

    If you could resurrect any corps...

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    I'd start a corps and call it Deja Vue and would preform a top 12 corps show that isn't around anymore, kingsmen, 27, blue rock, purple lancers, kilties, seneca, oakland, freelancers, suncoast, and on and on.....

    Our Alumni Corps selects numbers to include in our repetoire that (we hope) bring back such memories: BD's Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor and La Suerta, Madison's MacArthur Park, and Anahem's So Very Hard to Go and the Firebird closer. Charts are as close to recreating authentic sounds as possible. VERY VERY well received by our fans.

    • Like 1

    Most Famous Show Ever?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    So I was wondering:

    when a parish decided to no longer sponsor a corps, did they lock up the equipment so the new corps (like 27, BAC, Bridgemen, etc)have to obtain new stuff or was an arrangement made? Seems like the IC/ Reverie break wasn't very friendly.

    I can speak for Immaculate Conception Parish and 27th: the parish council decide to fold all property and assets into the Reveries "feeder corps." The "Junior Reveries" then became the "New Reveries" and continued on, and kept competing for several years.

    27th started with NOTHING. Some former Reveries did not cross over to the 27th, and were subsequently replaced by a bunch of non-Revere kids from the Greater Boston Area. Surplus West Point Cadet uniforms in storage f(rom when the Boston Crusaders cut away from that parish) were borrowed from Most Precious Blood parish in Hyde Park until a permanent solution was found. Horns and color guard equiopment was borrowed from the defunct Majestic Knights of Charlestown's feeder corps. The 1968 "hit-the-ground-running" season (27th made finals of VFW their first year ) was part of the proud history of the corps, and the legacy of the management team led by George Bonfiglio. George B-isms: "Do it right - and do it it right THE FIRST TIME. Anyone can get it right the second time" and "It won't be easy being a Lancer."

    What Did You Put Up With?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted

    When I receive my first bugle (a very-used contrabass) it hadn't been cleaned. It stunk and tasted like a stew containing cigarette smoke and all the flotsam that accumulates inside the tubing after as hard season. After a week of playing it nightly I brought it home, disassembled what I could including electrical taped joints and poured boiling water thru it for hours.

    Defenders Alumni Corps (Massachusetts)

    in Alumni Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    defenderlogo.pngDEFENDERS ALUMNI CORPS

    * Next OPTIONAL Brass Rehearsal is WED 25 APR (7–9 PM) @ Abington Senior Center (MapQuest: 441 Summer St. - Abington MA 02351)

    * Next Full Corps Rehearsal is SUN 06 MAY (Noon–4 PM) @ Abington Senior Center

    • We have percussion instruments, bugles, and color guard equipment to lend.
    • Renew old friendships, talk about "back in the day..." Come check us out!

    The Defenders Alumni Corps is an all-age drum corps with members ages 16-88. Although the name of the corps is the Defenders Alumni Corps, many of our members come from 40 different drum corps or bands.

    Membership is open in all sections. We acknowledge that some potential members haven't played in years. Have no fear; you'll get your chops and hands back with a little rehearsal. (You'll be surprised how much you retained over the years.) You'll receive lots of patient assistance and enouragement from those around you. Not everyone will be able to learn everything right away, we just tell everyone to know what NOT to play when we perform. There will be plenty of rehearsal time and sectional work to get new recruits caught up and recent members more comfortable with what we know.

    Rehearsals are conducted one Sunday a month, with 2 optional music rehearsals on two Wednesday nights a month. All are held at the Abington Senior Center. VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOMED.

    We do understand that life and family "come first" and that members will have to miss rehearsals and performances from time to time. However, we ask that you make every effort to attend whenever you can.

    There are NO DUES to participate. (No "initiation" of rookies, either!) For an annual $25 uniform fee, members are issued both summer & military uniforms. (Member must buy their own black dress trousers and black shoes.) Members are also expected to sell 15 tickets ($60 worth) for our annual "Helicopter Golf Ball Drop" for cash prizes at our annual golf tournament.

    2012 Repetoire (so far...):

    • "Momotombo" (1980's Defenders adaption of pop hit by Malo)
    • "MacArthur Park" (1970's Madison Scouts version)
    • "La Suerta de Los Tontos" (Stan Kenton, 1980's Blue Devils)
    • "Theme Without a Movie" (1980's Defenders)
    • "So Very Hard to Go/Firebird Suite" (1970's Anaheim Kingsmen)
    • "The Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" (1970's Blue Devils)
      To see us in recent action, click on:

    Cooments heard In Drum Corps

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    Ok.....but did they take your beer?

    By Jay-zus! When I read that story, I had the exact same thought!!! :thumbup:

    Maybe it's a knee-jerk response derived from all those nights (all year long) on "The Wall" ... I was convinced that no MDC cop assigned to patrol the Revere Beach Reservation ever had to purchase their own beer.

    Back to Comments heard in Drum Corps:.............

    At age 60, I still flinch involuntarity when somebody hoarse-whispers: "Cop!Cop!Cop!"

    I could be holding a glass of milk and still automatically conceal it behind my back or inside my jacket....:blink:

    Most Famous Show Ever?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted

    For the record - I am a product of a CYO band program - and had the opportunity to march with several great corps in the Boston area when I wanted "more" from the activity. From the first time I saw 27th perform in Oct 1969, I knew I was going to be a 27th Lancer. I never worked so hard in my life as I did to earn a spot, and I worked even harder after I made it. I wanted to earn respect from the warriors that paved the way for me.

    You have done that and more, Jim.

    • Like 1

    Most Famous Show Ever?

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Navillus WP

    I guess we can always count on drillman to twist events to fit his own view of the world. I guess, to some extent we all do that. Mr D is evidently not a fan of George B., or the 27th Lancers. That is his right. I can tell you from personal experience that George B could be a difficult man to work for. But I can also tell you that NO ONE loved his corps, or the activity, more than he did.

    Drillman probably isn't familiar with Anton J, or the many, many slights, outright insults, and complete misuses of his unchallenged power with regard to how the VFW Nationals was run. The Reveries were not the first corps to get "jobbed" by Tony. Over the many years of his hegemony there were literally dozens of corps that, quite innocently, got in his way, or somehow threatened some disruption to his Million Dollar Pageant of Drums, as the VFW modestly billed their annual extravaganza.

    Ask around, drillman. You'll hear some stories.

    George B was just the last, and most visible of the corps directors. And he was the only one with the courage, and the gear, to declare to the world, "F U, you miserable Bas***d! I'm not going to let you get away with shafting my kids and, by the way, the entire drum corps community!"

    Having met Tony on a few occasions, I don't think he was quite the evil mastermind that has become his legacy. He didn't give a rats a** about drum corps. He cherished his exalted position within the VFW, which meant that he had to kow tow to the very sleazy internal politics of the VFW. That show made A LOT of money for the VFW. That money came from having the best corps in the country show up every year, at their own expense, and put on the best show. Of the two Nationals, the VFW was, by far, the more prestigious. And Tony was very proud of that. The last thing he needed was for someone to make waves, to have the VFW brass become aware of the slightest problem.

    The VFW brass didn't give a rats a** about drum corp either. They enjoyed the money. And they enjoyed the contest. George B and the Reveries certainly got their attention. It was the beginning of the end for the VFW and the corps, and a huge impetus toward the formation of DCI.

    For all his many faults, Tony never tried to put any drum corps out of business. He needed them to show up and perform. Other governing bodies may have made it their mission to systematically weed out the weak, the unfit, the unwealthy. But the VFW never did. We may argue motives, tactics, and dream about conspiricies, but we are faced with the incontrovertible fact that drum corps has become, for whatever reason, increasingly marginalized.

    So, I'd say that the 1966 VFW finals was THE SINGLE most important event, for better or worse, in the entire history of drum corps.

    Tony was not the evil villain. And George B just might have been the most courageous person to ever lead a corps, anywhere.

    Again, my conclusion is only my opinion. The events are as they are.

    I marched with 27th from OCT 1969. I knew George B as well as anyone. I was part of the everyday discussion of what had happened at the sit-down, hearing it from the people (adults and youths) who were present at that event.

    People who were part of the organization will attest that George ran the corps like a strict father who makes sure that everyone had a stake in operations (in the rise and fall of events, in the planning future events) were kept closely apprised of the "WHAT" was going on as well as the "WHY" information. George used this style to enhance everyone's buy-in.

    He told us all the time: "It isn't easy being a Lancer" because he demanded buy-in to his participatory democracy. He was a great listener and would make his decisions around the information and ideas we shared. (You may not agree with his final decision, but you had no doubt that George had listened to you.) He encouraged us to hang out at his house on South Cambridge street. His own children were like our brothers and sisters. (BTW, each of them marched in drum corps, one is still a nationally-recognized instructor.) His wife Patsy was a cross between everyone's aunt, big sister, and mother, depending on the circumstances.

    George B did not have a disingenuous bone in his body. He was brutally honest, stunningly (sometimes brutally) candid, and squeaky-clean honorable. His pet peeve was "quibbling" -- playing games with facts and circumstances to make a lie seem like the truth, telling half-lies to avoid responsibility.

    He had no time for cheats, back-stabbers, con artists, promise-breakers, and above all, people who took advantage of kids.

    That being said, VFW National Championship organizers didn't promote drum corps for the good of either participating organizations or the youths participating. Organizers just wanted to promote a top-notch slate to ensure VFW conventioners made the Championship part of their planning each year, thus increasing the likelihood they would make the VFW National Convention an annual event. The prize money was ridiculously low for the finalists, and non-existent for the rest. Nobody was supposed to receive "appearance money." ALL corps funded everything (food, travel, housing, etc.) to get there and go thru the prelims. (In 1970 each of us paid $375 to cover transpo to Miami & our housing, and were individually responsible for 100% of all our food and beverages, even water at practices.)

    To have all "his kids" pony-up all that money to get to the Nationals, and then be (seemingly) capriciously bumped-out -- while the lower-finishing corps leap-frogged over his kids and be allowed into the National Championship Finals because (as George viewed it) they'd quibbled themselves out of an unsportsmanlike penalty -- infuriated George. When AJ Schlecta told George he had zero interest in hearing anything George had to say because the mission of the show organizers was to expeditiously entertain the spectators, not support the kids trying to compete, George formulated his plan for the sit-down, not an unheard-of strategy in the Sixties.

    It wasn't about George's ego.

    BTW: In the years I knew George, I never knew him to say "F*** You" to/about anyone. He made decisions very deliberatly and for a purpose that we (mostly) understood because he wanted stakeholders to be in-the-know. I cannot recall any decision based upon the desire to use "his kids" to send a message of "Go screw yourself."

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