ajlisko

I realize this was a tounge-'n-cheek comment but, some contest sponsors do threaten "reduced performance fees" for going over ... since the first DCA Classic, I can think of only a few corps that went over by a significant amount ... it's a 10 corps show, so pretty predictable ... winter stage shows are ususally more strict about timings but, most corps cooperate and adjust their show length to the sponsor's rule ... Andy "Alumni Corps have no 'points' to give away" Lisko

No ... no DCA members ... no dues ... each Alumni Corps is a fraternal organization that acts/operates independently ... DCA sponsors one Alumni show, which started in 1998 ... there are general time limits established ... some corps go over ... some corps go under ... Andy

No ... no ... no ... the Holiday Inn downtown will be the place to be Friday night as the BHOF rehearses with the St. Rita's Brassmen Alumni Corps ... the BHOF get together starts around 6'ish with Hy's charts resonating off the walls at 9:00 pm ... As far as Saturday goes, the CIRCLE is definitely the place to meet ... the Bpt. PAL Alumni will be tailgating around 2:00 and many of the corps do their pre-show warmups there ... and AFTER the show there's always a celebration going on by the Hurcs and PCP ... See y'all on Friday night ... Andy "imitating Vic's southern drawl" Lisko

I believe last year was a one shot deal from a private $$ source, not the DCA ...it was presented late it the game and came as a surprise to those of us that have been involved with the Alumni Spectacular since 1998 ... Alumni Corps were never meant to compete ... it's passe for us ... there was a movement early on to form a competitive circuit and it failed royally ... each corps brings with it the particular level of entertainment they are capable of producing ... and that's always been good enough for the fans ... and the corps share the gate at DCA, which has always been good enough for them ... the joy of being with an Alumni Corps is that everyone is a winner ... Andy "don't need no more competitions" Lisko

Funny story about Ritchee ... he calls Lefty Mayer of the Skyliners in 1972 after the White Roses disbanded and asked if he could try out ... Lefty asks, "Wadda ya play?" ... Ritchee: Lead Soprano ... Lefty: "I need annudda lead soprano like I need a hole in the head ... I already got 22 a dem ... call me back next year kid ..." Andy "I think we shoulda shot for 23" Lisko

Well ... I got the reply already from the guy who I thought would know best ... Harry Hazelwood ... he also gave insight to another celebrity DC person ... cool beans! Here's Harry's reply: Andy, I knew Frank Vincent, because I played in two corps with him. His real name is Frank Gatuso (stage name Frank Vincent). We both started out in the Jersey City Department of Recreation corps in the late forties. Frank was a tenor drummer. We both migrated to St. Joe's in Newark, the original "MIGHTY ST. JOE'S". Frank went on to play drums in a local rock band called the "Aristocats", and Joe Pesce was also in the band. Pesce went into acting, and years later, got Frank a few bit parts in some of his movies. Frank made a name for himself, and went on to act in many movies, including one that I just watched on TV, "Goodfellas". I contacted Frank a year or two ago via his website, and he wrote back to me that he is still in contact with some of the old drumcorps guys, including John Salvato, which is another story. John was in St. Joe's with us, and lived across the street from me in Jersey City. John went on to sing with the original "Duprees", as in "See the pyramids along the Nile". As I always have said, a lot of talent came out of the original "MIGHTY ST. JOE'S"..................................lol

I was reading through the actor bios for the Sopranos and came across this interesting tidbit on Frank Vincent who plays Phil Leotardo on the show: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Actor, musician, comedian, writer, producer. Born in North Adams, Massachusetts of first generation Italian-Americans and raised in the Greenville section of Jersey City, New Jersey. Frank's father, an amateur actor introduced him to show business at an early age. Frank acted in school plays and studied music at St. Paul's grammar school. He played piano, trumpet and drums but soon his love for the drums took center stage. He spent his adolescence playing and traveling with various national championship drum and bugle corps. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anybody know who he marched with and when? Being from Jersey City he could have been in St. Pat's, Our Lady of Grace, Blessed Sacrament or Mighty St. Joe's of Newark ... This should be interesting ... I don't remember his name ever coming up when referring to "celebrity" DC people ... Thanks, Andy "bye-bye Bobby Bacala" Lisko

Bobby BellaRosa told me a while ago that the building the HOF is located in was being sold and he was looking for a new home for it. It's located in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, which is targeted to be the next "hot" residential renaissance area ... I think the new Nets arena is going up closeby also ... Andy

Right you are Jim ... showing your age that is ... a little trivia/history: when the CT Yankees were the host corps for the Barnum, it was indeed called the Parade of Champions ... when Stratford and the Barnum went their separate ways, the Yankees kept the original show name (which was theirs anyway) and the Barnum was forced to change to Champions on Parade ... so ... your little slip was well understood by those of us from the "olden era" ... LOL ... Andy

Gotta agree with Duke here ... the 71 Dream crowd was chaotic during our performance ... constant cheering and ovations throughout the show ... the response to Sky's 72 Deam show wasn't too shabby either ... Andy

Nope ... and ... nope ... maybe I'll see ya in Clifton if you're there ... Andy

Jim ... no doubt Archie grabbed the lead in the Alumni race in 1978 ... but ... they weren't the only Alumni Corps to appear at the Dream ... Sky's Alumni appeared at the 1999 Dream show, which was resurrected by Glen Johnson with the blessing of Mickey Petrone and Father Wojtycha ... a mere 22 years after Archie set the stage for all of us!!! ... LOL ... Andy "I was at both shows" Lisko

Just curious but, who were the judges? DCA, Independent, paid/non-paid? How many? Were DCA I&E rules followed or, does MCA have their own set? Thanks, Andy

HAHA ... I don't fit the Caballero mold? ... LOL ... I remember when Flowers was teaching Reading and Baltimore and marching with both (1963 I think) ... interesting to see him running down the sideline changing uniforms when they appeared back to back ... OH MY!!! Andy "One corps minded" Lisko

Thanks for explaining, Frank ... I understand the competitive nature of the biz and conflict of interest issues ... too bad Capitol Brass can't compete though ... the "free spirit" exhibited between them and Mass Brass in Bridgeport was uncanny ... no, I won't be making the Harrisburg trek ... enjoying my "retired friom drum corps" status ... See you in Clifton ... Andy

Is there a MCA rule in effect that disallows players from competing with more than one corps? Just curious ... Andy

Okay ... I found the article in the Fairfield Citizen News - March 28, 2007: ... The Memorial Day Parade Committee is in need of additional marching bands. Interested groups may inquire by e-mail to betsy-browne@hotmail.com ... Go get 'em! Andy

Ahhhh yes ... that famous Staten Island post on Innis (sp) St. ... how well I remember those shows ... the "creme de la creme" of I&E talent appeared on that stage ... and it was 66 or 67 when Bpt PAL and the Hurcs swept all the drum captions with Danny Raymond Sr. judging ... that was the night when PALer BIG John Harris was offering up pizza and beer to the judges ... ya just had to be there ... those shows just had another dimension in terms of drum corps fraternity ... Gaff, Pepe, Swan, Martin, Manny, Simpson, Charlie Aikens, St. Kevin's, BS, Jimmy O'Hara, Joe Gannon, Bodnar, Donnelly, Ron Findley, Greg Black, OLPH, the busload from Blue Rock,OCEANSIDE LEGIONNAIRES (w/Jack Murray), Beth Page Colonials, and just a slew of other contestants ... YIKES ... the show ran until 2:00 am or later sometimes!!!! Andy "rememberin' the Cichon Post before the Varrazano Bridge" Lisko

Either Bridgeport or Fairfield CT was looking to fill out their parade with more musical units ... AND THEY HAD MONEY!!!! ... try checking their local .gov websites or newspapers ... Good Luck! Andy

Meet the chicks and compete ... gotta luv it ... although the Bpt. PAL usually brought their own contingent of chicks (aka T-Birds) to the party ... two requests we usually had when we were signing up at the registration table: 1) put us on last; 2) where's the closest bar ... the rhetoric was always the same: "You ARE a Jr. corps aren't you?" ... those were precious days - eh Jim? Andy "dreamin' about I&E's of yesteryear" Lisko

Yup ... John marched in the CT Royal Lancers up through the 1965 season ... bass drummer ... on a recent clip of his "Made in America" series, he marches and plays snare along with a pipe band ... when I was teaching the Park City Pride in 2004, he stopped in at one of our rehearsals to reaquaint himself with many of his dc friends from Bridgeport ... then we all went to a local pizza & beer joint to relive memories past ... it was quite a surprise (and lengthy) evening ... Andy

HAHA ... Pepe taught me well ... Andy "I don't need no stinkin' mic" Lisko

Sometimes it pays to have stuff like this proofread before it gets posted ... I'm sure it will be a surprise to many but, Ruben an Ritchee did not "memorize" the crowd that evening - rather, their "mezmorizing" performance left an idelible mark on the crowd's memory ... also, the Brassmen did not send everyone running to the bathrooms to "wee" recieve their performance ... though tears did "well" up in gtheir eyes to the beautiful strands of "Where or When" ... All in all, it was a grand day ... the contestants adjusted to my "unconventional" way of announcing and foreplay with them (maybe next year the mic will work - LOL) ... and having the majority of the competitiors watch each other's performance was reminiscent of I&E shows of days gone by ... we wanted to revert back to this old-style, single-room, lovefest style of I&E venue ... the kind that I grew up with in the 60's as part of a huge I&E circuit in the east ... I think we accomplished that and more and look forward to what next year holds ... Andy "I used to play, now I MC" Lisko

Let me know what time it'll be going past my house ... I could use a sled ride after all the shoveling and ice chopping ... YIKES!!! ... hope some of the competitors can spare a cocktail or two for me ... Andy "singin' Sleigh Bells" Lisko

Brass/Mini Corps: Wayne Hiller Percussion: Wes Myers Andy "MC" Lisko