Matt

It's always been a fun topic. I remember being so mad when Regiment got second that I wasn't really able to enjoy Vanguard's show for a while. By the time CD's came out that fall, I had forgiven the judges. I loved both shows equally, but for different reasons. Now, almost 18 years later, I still love both shows. They're both still in my top shows of all time. But, 1989 Phantom Regiment was the reason I eventually marched drum corps. That group of people epitomized every that drum corps was all about to me. So, I'm just happy that I got to see, hear, and feel, what I believe to be probably the best year of corps ever. Matt

We are indeed. I love our bright white foreheads from the hats! As for Stephen King's "It," that wouldn't surprise me, but I only remember the drum corps part. On another note, I ran into Aaron Fisher's Mom last night at a Minnesota Brass practice. Have a good day! Matt

Wow---you still remember the Blockbuster incident. I had forgotten about that. As I recall, we just ended up watching drum corps tapes all night. I got my first introduction to Suncoast Sound watching Earl's tapes. I remember meeting you there too. You were also one of the first people I met as well, along with Jessi. Who knew that we would ending being the motley crew pictured below: I can even still remember marching my age out show in 1993 very vividly. I even remember my *gasp* mistakes in the show. It was such an emotional night, being my last show, and having the crowd be so into it. Wow. I still tear up every time I hear it or watch it. Good times indeed. Matt

I still remember that day in Denver when we recorded it like it was yesterday! It's one of my favorite memories from 1993. Matt

I've heard a lot of people who hate that moment in the show, but I always thought it was cool. It was a nice contrast in style to the rest of the show, and I thought it fit perfectly. Bravo!

It was an AWESOME euphonium line that year, and those rookies were some of the most solid players I've ever met. 1993 was BY FAR my favorite of the years I marched, and I like 1991 an awful lot. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane Nikk...and welcome back to the world of the living. A quick anecdote from 1993: Many of you remember Dave St. Angel's famous "gesture" towards the judges in 1992 after Phantom Regiment's finals score was announced. The fact that it was caught on live television made it even more priceless. One night during finals week in 1993 we were watching the 1992 broadcast after rehearsal as a way to unwind after a long day. When we got to the famous "gesture," Dave turned to the group of us watching and promised to keep his hands in his pockets when they read our score. He kept his word, too. Regards, Matt

Back when I marched we used to hang weights off the Euphonium, near the bell. Not much, just a couple of pounds. Doing that for about a week or two of playing, you'll never worry about your arms again. It worked well for me. Matt

I lost track John after the 1992 season. I would love to know where he ended up. Matt

He was....John instructed the tenor line from the late 1980's through 1992. We shared in-town housing when I marched in 1991. Good guy. Matt

I couldn't tell you what snare he marched in 1990, but he was definately the head conductor in 1991, his age-out year. Matt

Amen-- I haven't been happier since I threw away frontpage 3 years ago. Dreamweaver or homesite all the way! Matt

Here's my two cents.... TROOPERS (1st viewing) - I've always loved the troopers uniforms as well. I was really disappointed the corps was so small. PIONEER (1st viewing) - I thought the coffee tables was a nice way to compensate for lack of people in the corps. It put a nice frame around the group and made them seem much larger. Considering their size, which was even smaller than troopers, they sounded a ton better! MINNESOTA BRASS INC (3rd viewing) - Drum Beauty has always been a tough show for MBI. Think about it. Every other show they do during the season is on the weekend or holiday. This is the only show during the week. All the members spend all day at work. They then rush to the stadium and try to get into the mindset for a performance. The only way to do that is with some quick rehearsal. Every year they do two runthroughs to get ready and it helps and hurts. It gets everyone in the necessary frame of mind, but it wears out their faces and bodies....I love this show, and I love this corps, but it was a bit ragged tonight. SOUTHWIND - (1st viewing) - This was the first time I've seen these uniforms. My wife leaned over and whispered that the color of the jackets reminded her of the Bridgemen. I had to agree there. This was a nice show. It was adequately played and marched, but it certainly didn't standout. COLTS - (1st viewing) - This was the best Colts I have ever seen. I don't when they switched to the current uniform, but it looks great! I had forgotten what a difference it makes to see a corps wearing white pants. It is so much harder to hide marching mistakes. These guys played very well and marched great! They certainly beat my expectations. SCV - (1st viewing) - First off--I love the new uniforms. Cesario did a good job. These guys were awesome tonight. I don't even know where to start. I loved everything about this show. Well done all around. CAVALIERS - (2nd viewing) I have no doubt these guys will win DCI. It has just gotten better since last time I saw it. The drill is cleaner. The horn parts have been adjusted to be more playable in some spots. The drums are as solid as ever. The guard is awesome. What is there not to like about this show. My only other comment is that I thought the hornline was a bit off tonight, but hey--that happens! Good job Cavies! Matt

Down Boy! I don't hold anyone's high school against them.....at least not anymore.... :D

I'm not sure when I'm coming back, but I AM coming back. I've just got to get these kids of mine a few years older. :D Make sure you give Aaron Fisher a bad time for me...he and I went to high school together and marched Phantom Regiment together.....

You missed a good one Sluggo--the stands were packed...I had a lot of fun.

They couldn't stay at Eastview---Phantom Regiment was staying there. There's an old Regiment instructor (one of mine, so not That old) who is a band director at Eastview. He hooked em up.

I will only add my comments to the top three: Minnesota Brass Inc--- You know, these guys get more fun to watch every year as they amazingly get better every year. This was a great show all around. The new uniforms look great (but they need gauntlets darnit!) and give the corps a look of confidence and determination. This is also the first year of Euphoniums in the hornline, and you could hear them (Way to go Euphs!). The hornline is solid with 65 members, and Roger Grupp's solos were up in the stratosphere as usual. It was nice to hear a good low brass solo with Mark Santori. I miss marching with these guys...maybe next year.... Phantom Regiment--- I will admit that I was worried about these guys. There was a big change to the music--namely a new brass arranger--JD Shaw. I marched with JD (he went by Jeff then) in 1991's "Phantom Voices" show so I should have realized he wouldn't try to change the trademark sound of the corps. My mistake. This was a classic Regiment sound with more low brass than you could imagine--it was music to my ears! The thing missing from this show---GE. It was well played by both the hornline and drumline and the drill was decent, but there were very few spots in the show that made you go---"Wow--that was cool." Don't get me wrong--I loved the show, and I'm excited to see them doing well again after struggling for a few years. Cavaliers---- Cavies, on the other hand, were just dripping with GE. It seems that about every 15 seconds I was muttering, "Wow that was cool!" This show has it all right now---great drum moments, great horn moments, great colorguard moments, and great drill moments. My only surprise was that there was some pretty dirty drill in spots that were showcasing the drill. Did they deserve to beat Phantom Regiment? Absolutely. Did they deserve an 85? I thought it was a little high, but hey--I'm just an audience member these days, not a judge! I think they will win DCI if they can continue to improve. Matt

I started playing trumpet back in the fifth grade. I played up until my freshman year in high school. My band director asked me to switch to baritone, which although I didn't want to, I did. I think it was one of the best decisions of my musical career. I was never really a great trumpet player because I never had great range. Switching to low brass finally gave me the range I wanted. Now the next problem was that baritone was somewhat limited in the types of ensembles I could play in, so I took up valve trombone, and eventually slide trombone. Now I could play wherever I wanted, and with my improved range, I was generally playing first and second part, which I thoroughly enjoyed! When college came, I switched back to baritone and also played euphonium---not sure why, I just did. I certainly don't regret it, because college level music contained much more interesting bari/euph parts. College also led to drum corps, where I played both baritone and euphonium, although I greatly preferred the euphonium. I only ever played DEG bugles, but within the DEG's I felt that the three valve baritones sounded stuffy compared to the three valve euphs.... Matt

Bill first started working with the corps in 1993. I really enjoyed working with him. Both he and Dan have similar styles of teaching....

Typical Dan :) We were out doing section work one afternoon, and Dan had the baritones. He worked us (Marching and playing---everyone else had to just play) for about an hour and then marched us to the local convenience store where he bought everyone a soda...guess he thought we did a good job! Matt

Actually, they're really only about 2 pounds heavier. We actually trained for it Regiment by putting weights on the ends of the horn during the early season practices so that within a few days, the Euphonium by itself felt really light. But those first few practices---man my arms were screaming! Matt

I would have to see my most influential instructor was Dan Farrel. If you've ever met Dan, he's got to be one of the most intimidating guys ever, but has an incredible way of motivating the hornline and individuals without resorting to putting anyone down. For example, we had a terrible show one night in Ankeny, Iowa in the summer of 1991, and the percussion caption head Marty Hurley (who remembers Marty?) absolutely had a fit right there in the parking lot at the show. He yelled at the hornline for a good fifteen minutes before he sent us away. The next morning Dan apologized for his behavior, and that he would not be allowed to yell at the hornline again. That being said, he offered: "Now, I know I've heard you guys play better than what you did last night...why don't we go out and try again today." It was a very subtle way of saying, "You guys sucked last night!" But, he didn't need to make us feel bad. We felt worse when he said it like that, but it had the POSITIVE effect he wanted---we worked harder and had an incredible show that night. He always worked like that, and it made practice a lot more fun. Great approach to teaching anything.... Matt

Euphoniums just look cooler! :)

That's the way auditions were for Minnesota Brass.... "Here's your horn, what part do you want to play?" Eventually we would shuffle the line to even the parts, but there was never any pressure behind it...what a great group to march with---everyone was always welcome. I would go practice with them in between camps for Regiment just so I could keep my chops up. Matt

I know this definately varies even within the same corps over different years depending on the turnout at auditions, but I'm curious to know what kinds of experiences you had...good or bad. In both years I marched we had probably 25 baritones/euphoniums for twenty spots, but both years the low brass staff tried to make it a learning experience rather than an audition. For example, we had to play a solo for a staff member one on one, and both years it ended up being much more a constructive criticism than anything else. It was the most pleasant audition I've ever done. Matt