Gary W

Is there a way to see the current postings without hitting the refresh over and over?

If you don't compete the last week or two of August, it really hurts you at Finals. Let's face it, the judges know that if there's corps to come in the show that qualified for higher placement in the prelims, they're better. Just my opinion...

He had a lot more hair when it photo was taken than now days. Still the same great guy!

Does anyone know, and are willing to say, where ES is practicing today? Thanks in advance...Gary

The '65 Dream was interesting. In '66 Cru did a show in, I think it was Binghampton. About half way thru our performance, lightning hit one of the lights and knocked them all out. We finished in the dark.

Keith, I can't resist this one... Please send copious amounts of money to The Blousemen headquarters which just happens to be my house. Checks and Postal Money Orders will also be accepted. Make sure you spell my name correctly on the checks! Currently we only have Blousemen official bikinis in the 3X size left. How many of each can I put you down for?

The Rochester Grey Knights have lost another member. Ken Verstraete passed away this morning 8 Jul 2010. Ken was a long time member of the corps and past Commander of Grey Knights Post 972. He was the color guard captain in the corps. Ken marched with the 1965 Grey Knights/Crusaders that won the 1965 Senior American Legion Nationals in Portland Oregon. Ken continued his love of drum corps by attending local shows and the DCA Finals when in Rochester for years.

Is Tom still on double secret probation?

I have many memories of Louie. We marched together in The Grey Knights and The Grey Knight - Crusaders. Louie's work ethic and enthusiasm made him a natural leader and great fun to be around. This is indeed another sad day for the alumni of the Grey Knights.

Sad news. I'm sure Don Wahl is looking down with a tear in his eye...

The Rochester Grey Knights played an all Gershwin show in 1964, the year before the merge. Sal Sparazzo was the arranger and instructor.

I've always liked "in your face" openers. In 1965, the Grey Knight Crusaders played "Devil at Four O'clock" By the time the corps had made it to midfield, the crowd was on their feet. The Crusaders in 1966 at the first few shows opened with "Once In A Lifetime" We were doing poorly. We took a weekend off and changed the entire show. Devil was put back in along with "I Talk To The Trees", Once was moved to after the concert. Our season made a complete turnaround. Empire's "Begin The Beguine" was another tune that turned the crowd on. For DCI... it has to be 1992 Cavies "Gavorkna Fanfare" Standing in front of the hornline playing that tune made the skin on your face distort like standing in a wind tunnel.

I'm sad to hear Jack is having some problems. Hopefully he's on the road to recovery. Just the other day, I was going through some mementos that had been stored away for a long time. Many years ago, Jack was hired by TCI in Rochester, NY to teach the drum line. He also took time to get me started as a drummer. I still have the sticks he gave me to learn with. I remember the lessons on which he worked with me on Don Brown's back porch. Even then, as I was just a dumb kid, I knew that Jack was truly a great man and a great instructor. Because the corps needed horn players, I switched from drumming to the horn. The rest is history but I'll always remember those times with Jack.

My brother and I marched with both TCI and the Grey Knights at a lot of shows in 1963. It was only a problem when one corps went on right after another. Back then the order of appearance was determined by a draw at the business manager's meeting in the afternoon of the show. TCI would always volunteer to go on first. No one ever wanted to go on first so there was no argument from the other corps. There was no running in the drill in those days...

OK...I rest my case. Never being at the show site until the corps I was with got there for warm ups, I really had no idea where the judges parked or how they got there. I know it's a long day for them but I can remember back in the late 50's going to the VFW Nationals. Prelims lasted two days and had the same judges for all the corps. I always wondered how they could be objective judging their 63rd corp of the day. The Tick System probably saved them. Sorry to create a ruckus. Wink