vibraphonusrex

That's it for me. If I want to see marching bands, I'll go to BOA. And please, don't call it drum corps anymore; why does this name still hang around? So much for being unique, but that's society today. Bob Blomberg

Bob Blomberg

Once again, when CARRYING the flag, height doesn't matter even a fraction of what placement does. It's nice to worry about it, but there's nothing in the flag code that says that one flag needs to be higher than another, or all flags need to be the same height, or whatever. Everyone's confusing permanently placed flags with flags being carried. So, I'd worry much more that maybe my unit didn't create a uniform presence, but not that any rule was violated. Bob Blomberg

When carried in a procession, the flag should be to the right of the marchers. When other flags are carried, the flag of the United States may be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. When the flag passes in a procession, or when it is hoisted or lowered, all should face the flag and salute. (U.S Flag Code) There's no mention of height when parading the colors, just position. Most of the quotes I'm seeing are about displaying the flag with others in a permanent setting, such as outside a building. It's a great and noble thing to adjust things so the staffs are the same across a rank, but the important thing is the placement. With the exception of a few hand placements, the picture is fine. What was NOT fine, was the Madison Reunion Corps placing the national colors in the middle of a line, and not at the right or out in front of the line. I was also one of about 20 people, within my eyesight, who stood to honor the colors with a salute when they passed in review. It's getting sad. Bob Blomberg

Well, I guess if I had to miss it, at least it was because I was in England for my niece's wedding. Way to go, Regiment!! I love you, love you, love you!! Bob Blomberg

I ALLEGEDLY brought a street sign home from an undisclosed location in 1981. I also ALLEGEDLY "borrowed" a barricade, took off the light, hung it under my vibraphone, and marched a rehearsal with the yellow strobe light effect. Other than that, it was the usual stuff, like ALLEGEDLY safety wiring a kid in his sleeping bag and hanging him in a urinal. Ah, the good ol' days. Bob Blomberg

First time: February, 1979, Galva, IL; basketball game half-time standstill, with the Geneseo Knights. Rode with a friend in his little car through the winter of '79; thought we were all going to die. Last time: Labor Day weekend, 1983, Kewanee, IL; Kewanee Hog Days competition, Geneseo Knights. As an age-out, I was supposed to burn my marching shoes, but wanted them for keeps; burned my practice shoes with the holes instead! Bob Blomberg

For me, I say Crossmen, 1977. I hadn't heard many corps recordings when a guy gave me a tape with the '77 Crossmen on it. I thought the whole show was great, but I was just astounded by "Russian Christmas Music." I wish I could vote twice, though, because SCV '87 was just as powerful, plus my friend was in the pit that year! Bob Blomberg

Even back in 1982-1983 we couldn't drink soda during a day of rehearsal. It was OK, however, to drink some on your time off. I didn't fully understand, or appreciate, it at the time, but I now try to limit myself even when practicing at home for a couple of hours. The only real problem back then is that the corps replaced the soda with some kind of goopy sports drink, so I just stuck with water, (which, of course, is essential to drink anyway). Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

Not really with the marching timpani. I marched a 29" timpano and my vibraphone was WAY heavier than that. It bent the T-bar harness in half and I had to fabricate a harness in my basement from an old fiberglass tenor harness and a specially forged steel T-bar. That, and I had to wear a lumbar brace the second year because my back was wrecked. Somehow, I still managed to look like I was having fun out on the field, (as indeed I was). In fact, the xylophone was worse than a timpano in the weight department. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

True enough--but by the time I marched, (1979, 1980), the HG had devolved mostly into the worst guard members being assigned just because they had to have a flag out there. It was truly dishonoring the flag, some of the things I witnessed. And Madison Alumni dishonored the flag by placing it in the middle of the squad instead of on the right with a guard and no, the POW flag is NOT allowed to be placed in the place of honor, as some have argued. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

OK, I'll tell that to the drummer of the year trophies, and to my performer of the year award. I loved timp lines and loved playing in one. I just hate to see the instrument that rules the orchestra hall diminished into what it was when I marched. There were some really great lines out there, and a lot of bad ones, but even the really great lines did little to bolster the individuals' timpani technique. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

I marched timpani for a year in 1980, and I agree with the question, "Why would you?" Not only would one be hard-pressed to perform modern drill with one of those things, but the drums themselves are so inferior to concert timpani. Most of the 'timpanists' of the day weren't timpanists at all--most were just kids who couldn't make the bass drum line, and some pretty horrible technique issues were present with most lines. If a tuning gauge broke in the line I was in, forget it--the rest of the show was out to lunch, because not being true timpanists, no member of the line could possibly know enough to tune to the pitches required. I think it was fun to play in a timpani line, but with today's emphasis on education, it makes no sense; there are a few orchestral pieces that require more than one timpanist, but the timpani parts are nothing close to the split parts of a timpani line, and the parts are played on concert pedal timpani. Baroque timpani usually are tuned with some kind of hand crank or individual tuners, but banging as loud as one can on a timpano on the field is quite a bit different from playing on calfskin in a Baroque ensemble. It would be quite awesome, however, to see timp lines used in alumni corps--there's some historical significance there. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

Yes, it was amazing!! I don't know how George arranged that with the weatherman, but way to go! Actually, I think YR-Rudi was remembering the Tournament of Stars show in Bayonne on June 10th. Wow, the wind was incredible. The real heroes that day were the colorguard members--I don't know how they put up with that much wind. On one gust, my vibraphone actually blew out of position and started to roll across the parking lot! Bob Blomberg

What's for lunch? Grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What's for dinner? Grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Snack? Grilled cheese sandwiches, OR peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!!! The best year was 1983, when a generous citizen donated huge boxes of the breakfast cereal "Halfsies." We had Halfsies with milk for breakfast, Halfsies as a side for lunch, and some kind of Halfsie casserole for dinner almost every day! At our end-of-year banquet, the corps raffled-off huge left-over boxes of Halfies! Needless to say, I ate any other kind of cereal after 1983. It was also fun to watch the flies skate around on the giant block-o-butter they used to put out for us. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06