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

I'm in the Bridgemen pit--in fact, that's me on the left getting ready to put some abuse on that cymbal. In a show with the music we play, it's cool to hear some vibraphone once in awhile, so Dennis Delucia wanted the keyboards amped, as well as some components of the drumset, so the groove would come through. I, personally, have overplayed 64-man hornlines acoustically on marching vibes, but you know what--that makes the bars overtone real bad and it sounds like crap. So, Dennis wanted us to play like musicians and still be heard, and I think it's cool after 25 years of performing to finally hear some of the music I work up to perform. I really don't mind this kind of amplification, but I hope DCA doesn't allow the vocal stuff. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

WOW, what a tribute!! What a great picture, too! The only injustice is that Tom Shea isn't in that picture. He showed up at our Memorial Day camp and I thought, "This little guy is going to play timpani?!" I soon realized that this guy was/is blessed with some incredible ears, (and I don't mean he can fly). His tunings were always centered right on, and he was/is a great entertainer. It was great being in that line with such talented people! Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

I nailed a judge my very first show. I got something like 5 or 6 that year; I played a 32" bass drum and went up and down the 50, where a lot of the execution guys liked to stand behind the snares. Sometimes they forgot to move with the line. The next year, I got a judge with my 29" timpani. His clipboard bounced off the turf several times. Luckily, I never nailed anyone while marching vibraphone during a show. I did, however, get our drum major, who forgot that I had to march backwards to the outside of the drumline's arc at the end of drum solo; that one looked like a train wreck! Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05 Bridgemen, '06

Geneseo Knights, 1979--Cindy Skiles!! Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83

Junior corps first show: Milwaukee, June, 1979 Junior corps last show: Kewanee, IL Hog Days, Labor Day weekend, 1983 All age corps first show: Appleton, WI, June, 2001 All age corps last show, (at least for awhile): 2005 DCA prelims Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05

Back in the day, I marched 32" bass drum, then 29" timp, then a 50 pound vibraphone, all with a real bad lumbar problem brought on by being run over by a Cadillac when I was little. At least once every tour, I had to be taken to a chiropractor and/or doctor for help because my back would totally stop working. I never did take all the drugs they wanted me to take for pain and such. I tended to do relaxation exercises and stuff. Recently, I've been playing timpani with the Racine Kilties. I now, on top of my on-going back problem, I have a degenerative left hip due to a little mishap I had while in the Army involving a helicopter. I'm afraid I'm not even going to be doing this much longer. I hope I can get this stupid hip fixed soon. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Kilties, '01-'02, '04-'05

Fifes with drum and bugle corps is basically a twentieth century thing that probably started about the time of World War I. The Army last used fife and drum corps in the 1860s. The infantry used very few bugles during the war between the states; the artillery and cavalry, however, did use them. Bugle calls came into wide use after the war; most of the calls we're familiar with are artillery calls, since the fellow who was commissioned to write the calls was an artillery officer during the war. Each company of each regiment was to have one fifer and one drummer. That meant that each regiment had 10 fifers and 10 drummers, who played all the calls to duty every day and, of course, gave the troops some good music to march to at times. The musicians were usually between the ages of 10 and 16. George Bruce, who co-wrote the famous "Bruce and Emmett's" book, wrote that he was happy that so many drummers were needed in such a duty as he felt that, at the time, rudimental percussion had fallen by the wayside. So, he made sure to write some very rudimental and involved parts to accompany Emmett's fife charts. On the part of the Union, the musicians were trained at Governor's Island, NY, and most were trained by rote. During battle, any sane commander sent the kids to the rear to help with medical and other duties, although there were instances of very courageous acts on the parts of musicians and some were killed in action. The best representation, that I've seen, of an old military fife and drum corps is Williamsburg, except even they use bass drums, which were not normally used. Bands, and some European fife and drum corps, used bass drums and even cymbals, but what 13 year old is going to march 20-30 miles a day with a bass drum?! Bass drums are a twentieth century thing as well, although the odd corps may have had one here or there. Williamsburg also still uses standard 6 hole fifes, which I really like. They also still use young students in the corps. Although they are awesome to watch, the Old Guard is the epitome of what a military fife and drum corps was NOT. They use 11 hole fifes, bass drums, plastic heads, taped sticks, and one-valve bugles, which nobody ever had back in the day. I think, however, if the "old timers" are somehow able to watch the Old Guard, they are very impressed with the musicianship, marching, and combination of bugles and fifes, (not to mention the incredible drum books they play today). Being a performance group that represents our great nation, the Old Guard has simply gone through the same type of "evolution" that our drum corps have, and I love them--they're awesome! Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 Reenactor with a wrecked hip, '00-?

Wow, Sergeant 1st Class Tilley was in the same unit that I was in when I was stationed for three years in the ROK: Delta Troop, 4/7th Cavalry. Back in the '80s, however, we were air cavalry; I think they changed into an armored unit upon returning to Korea. Drum corps kept me going, too, as I always was under a lot of stress and longed for the days of drum corps. As duty in Korea was considered a hardship tour, I was allowed to come home every year for a 30 day leave, at which time I promptly showed up in Rockford to help out the Phantom Regiment for a few weeks leading into DCI. I would take my drum pad to the end of our flightline in Uijongbu and practice to try to keep my chops up and running. This was of great interest to some of the Korean neighbors of our post--they would peer over the wall and smile. Most of the time, though, I was working on the helicopters, or flying in them, trying to keep the place secure, especially during the Olympics. I loved the air cav and the job we did, I loved Korea, and I loved how drum corps gave me inspiration and discipline in my life. Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 P.S. GARRY OWEN!!

In 1980, I carried a 29" timp in the Knights. That wasn't half as bad as the vibes I marched the next two years. The corps, to save money, bought a generic marching vibraphone that weighed about 50 pounds to the Musser's 38 pounds. It came with a T-bar harness--which immediately BENT IN HALF after one or two rehearsals. We then had a special T-bar made at a steel mill--which wasn't as bad, but tended to allow the instrument to bounce up and down a lot when marching. I finally built a harness in my basement, using an old fiberglass tenor harness and the top part of the T-bar. When I was a kid, I was run-over by a Cadillac (only the best for me), so I had to wear a lumbar brace and go to the chiropractor every tour when my back would freeze-up. I remember our center snare drummer trying to carry the vibes to the field after we had marched laps around a track--it's all he could do to drag it over there, and he said he'd never pick it up again! Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 P.S. The other "great" thing about those vibes was the bars. I played using Balter cord mallets which I used all the time at school. The bars were wider than Musser marching vibe bars, and also were much thinner. As a result, I broke 15 of the bars right in half in one afternoon! Whatever piece we were playing was pretty exciting with all the metal splinters flying up in the air!! Luckily, the guy replaced all the bars after I took it to him and complained. They always had such horrible overtones.

Ottawa Crusaders Los Amigos (Quad Cities) Purple Knights (Rockford) Kenosha Queensmen Shoreliners (Kenosha) Voyagers (Janesville, WI) Statesmen (Springfield, IL) Firemen (Buffalo Grove, IL) Vaqueros (Elmhurst, IL, I believe) Illiana Lancers West Allis Wranglers Saginaires Cleveland Caballeros Stardusters Milstadt Crusaders Bellettes Imperial Guard Bob Blomberg Geneseo Knights, '79-'83 P.S. One I will always keep dear to my heart is the Knights' legendary rookie corps, the Hoopole Sunbeams!