Fran Haring

I hear ya. Those '07 uniforms..... yikes. Fran

Admittedly I'm a bit biased here, but Sunrisers' "Evergreen" closer from 1977 and 1978. That tune put the exclamation point on what were two incredible years for Sun....... and the soprano solo in "Evergreen" was played by Tom McCarthy, one of the best brass players I've ever heard. RIP, Tom. Fran

"Colonel Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects!!!!" :P Fran

I'm with you on this, John. During my time with the Sunrisers, I had the privilege of being led by two great DM's.... Tom Hart and Tony White. Both those guys were a huge part of our success during those years. They were leaders in every sense of the word. Never underestimate the importance of a drum major, not only as a music conductor, but as a leader and motivator for the entire corps. Fran

Once we get done paying some bills, I gotta see about sending for those 1972 DVD's. I would LOVE to see that DCA Finals again....one of the all-time great drum corps shows. In particular, a Top Five to die for. Fran

What Sam said. On the DCA side, we (Sunrisers) played "Legend" in the early 1980's, and the Buccaneers played some Mangione stuff, too.... "Bellavia" and "Feels So Good" are two I remember. I also seem to remember DCA's Kingston Grenadiers doing an all-Mangione show several years ago. Fran

OK.... this I can go for. If you leave out the "move to Philadelphia" part, this sounds like one of my family reunions. b**bs Fran

Tony, when I get a spare moment or two I'll send you the 1978 Burger King story for the alumni site..... and hopefully (I know I've been promising you this one for a while!) I'll also get to the "behind the scenes" story of the Schacker Sign from 1980. I'm pretty sure the statue of limitations has run out on THAT one!!!! :P Fran

Ahhh.... the good old days.....LOL George, I (vaguely) remember sitting in a bar in Manville with you the night before that game..... and we were thinking, "this is gonna be great, with a playoff berth on the line." So great that we got tossed out of the stadium!!!!! heh heh The only detail I might correct is that we actually were booked for some more Yankee games in the years to come.... I have no idea how that happened, but it did!!!!! B) Fran

Actually, until Steve Williams mentioned it, I didn't either!!! :lolhit: :lolhit: Seriously.... he and my sister Loretta will be married 35 years as of next July. I'll let him know you said hello! It's amazing how many ex-Manville Crusaders have posted on DCP in recent years..... maybe we should have a reunion someday. Fran

'73 Vanguard...... great corps. Talk about starting your drum corps career at the top!!!!! Fran

Woodwinds = bad idea for drum corps, IMO. I hope it never happens. Fran

I think the 13th century was when my knees were born...at least some days, that's how they feel! :P Fran

Sunrisers went from 6th to 1st in 1986-1987, and the Buccaneers went from 7th to 1st in 1978-1979. Al, you are right on about the 2005 Cabs. That was an amazing comeback effort during that season! Fran

Exactly. And YOUR definition of what a "bugle" is, and which types of "bugles" should be allowed in a "drum and bugle corps," is your definition. There are those who might argue that the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps is the only "pure" drum and bugle corps in existence, because the Marines play on two-valve G instruments. My point is.... that many people have many definitions of what a "drum and bugle corps" is. You have yours, and I have mine. The Marines have theirs.... and since they also carry weapons, I'll go with their definition. :P So....if people determine that modern-day corps, using B-flat instruments, amplified pit percussion, and using narration, are "drum and bugle corps".... than I guess that those groups are just that: Drum and bugle corps. And if a group comes out playing kazoos, and the people performing with that group say they are a "drum and bugle corps"..... then that group should be considered a drum and bugle corps. Because after all, people determine definitions. WRONG. You've never said you don't like modern drum corps. In fact, you have stated you like modern-day drum corps. Even if they are bands. :P I sure as heck have never "seemed to try to say" anything... at any time, anywhere, about anyone. Not my style at all. We'll just have to agree to disagree about all this........ and maybe we can continue our discussion over a cold beverage after an alumni show sometime. That would be cool! Iced tea or soda for me, since it looks like I'm going to be Mrs. Haring's driver for a while. Fran

Good question. I know the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps plays on a custom-made set of two-valve G instruments, but I don't know who the manufacturer is. Fran

This has nothing at all to do with this thread topic.... but I like the video of the seagull stealing a bag of chips, in MadScout96's signature!!! Fran

Welcome back, Grennies.... we missed you guys! Fran

Thanks, Steve.... Barbara's made a good deal of progress so far, and she is working very hard at getting better. My sister drove down from NJ yesterday to visit us..... so she got a day off from Wayne! :P Fran

I seem to remember it wasn't the entire corps, but a few individuals. b**bs That, and the Bat Day fiasco I posted earlier, were two of several bizarre incidents that involved members of the corps over the years at Yankee Stadium. Then there was the "Burger King Sales Pep Rally" from 1978.... which, of all the wacky situations I experienced with the Sunrisers, might very well top the list. But that's a story for another thread. ^0^ Fran

You're not silly or uninformed at all, Marty. But by saying that somehow I don't think you know any better because I'm a drum corps purist, etc., you seem to be quite adept at drawing wrong conclusions. And that takes talent. :P Heck, I'm not even quite sure what the phrase "drum corps purist" means. I'm just a drum corps fan, that's all. Your definition of "drum and bugle corps" is your definition. It's shared by many people, and not shared by many others. Doesn't make you any more or less informed or uninformed than the rest of us. BTW, just out of curiosity... how do you define a "bugle"...... a straight bugle, one-valve, valve-and-rotary, two-valve, three-valve, key of G, key of B-flat......... what's your definition? Remember, back in 1976 no less a drum corps authority than Hy Dreitzer said that a drum corps "bugle" ceased being a bugle when valves were added, in his opinion..... making the drum corps instrument, in effect, a trumpet keyed in G. So should "pure drum and bugle corps" have brass instruments with no valves then? Just asking. I liked the drum corps from back in the day, too... after all, that's when I got my start in drum corps. And I love the current-day alumni corps, who are keeping those memories alive. But I think in today's modern-day corps, the basic "life experience".... members working as hard as they can to learn and perform their corps' programs, fans coming out to cheer for those corps and members, and corps members forming bonds and friendships that often last a lifetime.... remains essentially the same as it was for us old-timers "back in the day." So, at least for now, they're still drum and bugle corps to me. And now, back to the much more interesting discussion of cars and cartoons. :P Fran

Absolutely... if not more than 1,000. By the time my sister and I got to the stadium in late morning, it looked like the lower deck was pretty full, so we headed to the upper deck. The alumni show has been a great addition to the DCA weekend, IMO. That show is just flat-out FUN to watch! Fran

What drum corps is using woodwinds right now? What drum corps is using bass guitars right now? Answer: None. Are there any current proposals on the table to add woodwinds? Not in DCA, for sure. And I'm not aware of any current proposal like that for DCI. You might want to check YOUR eyesight, Marty. :) Do I want to see woodwinds added to drum corps? Absolutely not. I think it would forever alter the fundamental "drum corps sound" of brass and percussion, and that would not be a good thing, IMO. But stuff like amps, pit equipment, etc., are additions to or enchancements of, and not distractions from, that fundamental drum corps sound.... again IMO. Marty, under your definition of "drum corps" we would have to disqualify the Empire Statesmen from being called a "drum corps"...since they 1) used a guitar in their show way back in 1985, and 2) they've used narration during their warmup in 2001 and 2002. And.... God forbid..... they've used props and special effects many, many times. The nerve of those guys. After all, you shouldn't be allowed to entertain an audience like that, if you are indeed a real "drum corps." Fran

Nope. I have never said, and will never say, anything about any such "transition" to marching bands.... whatever that is. I am saying that more kids involved in marching music these days are getting that same "experience" with their marching bands that we old-timers got with local drum corps....the cameraderie, the teamwork, the chance to perform in front of audiences, the overall "life experience".....because there are fewer drum corps on the scene, and more high school and college bands with competitive marching music programs, than ever before. It's a simple fact of supply and demand. A kid doesn't have the local VFW or church corps to join anymore.... he or she joins their school's band instead. For better or worse, it simply is what it is right now, folks. Perhaps that might change someday...perhaps there will be a re-birth of local corps, like the one Brassomaniac envisions in one of the above posts. That would be a good thing. But AS OF RIGHT NOW....... it hasn't happened. Fran

Almost forgot about that one......LOL What the heck...post the details if you will, George.... I think the statute of limitations has expired!!!!! :P Fran