Ex VK DM

If I can remember right tour fees with VK (89-90) were around $450-$500, but you had to work 2 bingos and/or have someone work them for you. The 2 bingos cost you $100 if not worked. You had to buy your own Converse. Can't remember having to pay for camps though.

I'm with yall. Plus the fact that there were 2 girls in the 88 guard that I thought were stunning. One was pink and the other was dark blue or purple.

That may be true but I blame Hixon for a lot of it. Tell how a man who, just the year before was only a pit tech, then become Corps Director. True the demise started a few year before (as soon as Jack Bevins retired), but Hixon was not the man for the job, unfortunately no one else wanted the job, that's how he got it.

That's why IMO it's an un-enforcable rule. The rule does not require a picture ID, just a birth cirtificate. Anyone could walk into a corps camp say that the name on the BC is theirs and march. As long as the person keeps it to themself. no one is the wiser.

I have one. How many drum corps have EVER made DCI finals, and of those how many are still with us?

Yes unlike most of the "dead" corps out there, The Freelancers still have their non-profit status and have a winter drumline. Which is closest to anyone to putting a corps back on the field.

You could also just go to the Div II/III finals scores and look who won.

1988 Blue Devils 1989 Phantom Regiment 1988 Velvet Knights 1989 Cadets 1992 Cadets 1992 Velvet Knights

Yes, well asctually hid at one time don't know if he still does. Tony M. the soloist from 88-89, had that plate on his car, but that was a long time ago.

John, I know those were some of the cool years of the VK. Cause I remember being in the Cadet corps when you were in the "A" corps, wanting so bad to be in the coolest corps in the world. The survey was just made up of the years made finals. because those are the shows that most people have seen.

Oh we just called him ReRun. We had solist in 90 the could repeat "The Frack" note for note, frack for frack and would do it in the parking lot after shows. It was SO funny to other corps just bust a gut.

If we are talking 88, Tony was slightly too old to be marching, yet he march AGAIN in 89, along with Freddy who was born somewhere where they didn't keep very acturate birth records. So on paper he was very legal. Freddy was the one who (from what I heard) played some pro gigs, but to me that didn't tell his age. Tony called it quits after that season, but Freddy dicided to give it one more try in 90, and would have been ok except for the fact that he told a guard member who he was interested in his real age. She told the director and he was sent home mid tour. If he had just kept his mouth shut it would have been all good. The ironic this was that the staff member that gave the corp the news about Freddy, was a member of the 77 Bridgemen, and was WELL aware of what could happen. My take on it is, it's an uninforceable rule. Who's to say that I couldn't get a birth cirtiicate froma cousin or anyone, go to a corps and say that it's me. the rules don't say that you have to have a pitcure ID. As long as you stick with your story no body will ever know.

Oh come on "The One" tick to end all ticks is the 89 BD Allegre (I think) soloist rightly names by all of my corps buddies, ReRun. To nail your solo ALL year then get to finals and suck face is just too much. Every time I hear that solo, I still feel the air just leave Arrowhead Stadium. That was just sad. :o

Just goes to show you that, sometimes you are so unaware of what everybody else is doing when you march. You main concern is and always should be on what you are doing to improve your performance. I knew I had that one right because, in 89 the running joke was that if they (DCI) di that again that "the black man" couldn't pull the number. Ellis Carter (a black guy) was the DM in 88 along with Darren Bassard (a white guy). Ellis pulled 12, so I was not going to be allowed to pull anything.

That whole "draw for performace order" was a bunch of crap. My personal opinion is that is VK had not hat to go on 1st, they would have place higher. That was a top 5 corps. (except for the visual). The members felt, "here's DCI trashing us again" not giving the credit due. Which is why there was a lot of member turnover from 88-89. They all went up north, to the "more respectable" corps. Pretty much the begining of the end.

True there aren't any currently on the field, but there have been: Black Knights, Illinois Black Gold, Oklahoma Black Watch, Washington Black Watch, New Jersey Just in case someone is considering starting a colorful corps, here are a few names that I came up with: The Silver Foxes (Senior Corps from Florida) The Golden Steers (somewhere in Texas) The Purple Lancers (sponsored by Prince) and my favorite The Pink Flamingos (from Miami)

As far as I know, he moved back to Washington state to be a fireman. He hasn't registered at the VK Alumni Web Page (http://www.adamland.net/vk/). I'd like to know what he was up to. So if anyone hear anything, please post it.

The red high tops are a little hard to find but you can if you know where to look. Personally I go to the Converse Outlet store. Plus I still have my red ones from 89 and my purple ones from 90.

Well Ryan & Sam, my intentions have always to march again, be it with SCD or a WGI World Guard (I can do that now), but right now I can't commit the way I would need to. I drag my daughter to enough high school band rehearsals and she's already at the point where, "I hate band daddy". So I don't want to burn her out on the experience before she ever gets in it. So who knows when, but I'll be there. Yes there are a lot of VK alum all over the So. Cal. Drum Corps scene yet I didn't see ONE VK Corps jacket the WHOLE night, other than mine. It seems to me that there are alot of alum who are embarrassed to say they marched VK. I have this arguement a lot with people who say, why did you march there when you could have march up north? My thought is that if I wanted to march I could have, but for me I was practicly born and raised VK from the Cadet Corps on up. I held VK in such high esteem that I thought I wasn't good enough to march and went to a small Div. I Corps from WA. (Spartans) in 88. (silly me). Anyway back to the topic. I LOVE all of VK's shows but for me sitting back and watching 88 and the reality that not for a bad draw (thanks to said meantioned Ellis Carter) they could have been a top 6 Corps. 89 had the drumline (early season wins over the northern drumlines) and the hornline, the visual program missed Bobby Hoffman the most. 90 Had the best show concept away from the Magical Mystery Tour shows. the only problem was the ending. The show never climaxed to the great VK endings of 87, 88 & 92. I was down on the field in 92 waiting for the shark to come out of it's den. When it did, WOW. The crowd ate it up. It one thing for a audience to be loud, but to drown out a full Corps charging the front side line and you can barely hear them was one of the coolest feelings in the world. It would be hard for someone to convince me that Cavies (who won) got as good of a end of show reaction.

'92. If I recall correctly, that show had everything including the kitchen sink.... You're thinking of 88 when the corps actaully brought a sink to finals.

Just seeing who amongst us old time marchers (scary to think I aged out almost 15 years ago) can still recall the glory days of the Velvet Knights.