KeithHall

I missed many but add yours too Mine? Seneca Optimists

I did say this was an Upstate thing. No offense to the Island.

I listed a few and if I forgot any...I AM SORRY!!!! Have fun and have great memories. Mine? Royal Coachmen However my next one would have to be Squires and Cadets of Greece

Read carefully....... In the years that you were in corps, there was a certain mix to your staff that worked for your corps. Who were the staff that made your corps successful? This does not mean that only top 12 corps take part in this, it doesn't matter. My corps, The Royal Coachmen (NY) had its best season in 1976 and its last. But throughout the winter leading up to the '76 season our corps director John Hathaway brought together a great group of staff people to lead us to our first successful season. Brass Arranger/Instructor....Ted Key Percussion Arranger............Bill Decker Percussion Instructors.........Doug Kleinhans and Marvin Newton Marching/Drill Design..........Bob Stone Rifles................................. Sue Plummer and Amy Colkitt Guard................................Can't remember her name, was from Canada and never saw her again after Philly. Lets see yours

Saw Maynard in 1979 at Shea's in Buffalo. Bobby Millitello playing Bari Sax and Flute. That was when he had the big band...way cool!

I wouldhave to chuckle thinking about these younger judges saying, "What is the tic system?" They'd freak out because they would have to write or better yet REMEMBER the symbols for each different instrument. They'd quit. The older judges (are there any?) would love it because they are probably still tic-ing in their heads when judging.

It was the little guy sleeping under a tree dreaming of the first place trophy

I would like to see a junior corps represent Western NY (Buffalo/Niagara Falls area). I would like to see a Junior corps in Sarasota, FL I would to see drum corps thrive again I would like to see if St. Malachy's predictions/visions will be right about the 112 Popes. We are on 111 right now. Look it up. I am sure to tick someone off hehehehehehehe I would like to see all girl corps make a comeback too. Add your own

I know we did compete at every NT Open except 1977 and on. The heart of the NT Open Commission was John Hathaway and once he resigned as Royal Coachmen Director he left the NT Open. Sadly, that was the downfallof drum corps in Western New York as the Royal Coachmen died, later, so did the Imperial Regiment and then the Frontiersmen. Yes there were smaller parade corps but they too died. I will never forget seeing Argonne, Blue Devils, San Jose Raiders, Freelancers, Seattle Imperials, Black Watch, Precisionaires, Charioteers, Toronto Optimists, Floridians, Colt .45 (now Colts), Marksmen, and many others

Why is the score of the Royal Coachmen omitted? We were there because we sponsored it. I remember competing against the Derry Patriots then too. Blue Sabres were from NY and Sharpsburg were from PA so I know there was no merger. Blue Sabres had the famous SLEDGE from Roch. Crusaders and ES fame.

The 1974 NT Open featured Blue Devils, Regimente Militaire, Argonne Rebels, Cavaliers, Charioteers, Floridians, Squires, etc. I know that 1976 was won by Marquis but don't remember who else was there. Originally Santa Clara was supposed to be in the 1974 show but pulled out for some reason. I thought it was a good show. The stadium was good and the field was well taken care of by the school district. I remember they thought the drum corps show did more damage to the field then the high school football team and the semi-pro team. We laughed! I remember seeing a picture of the judges and Vince Monacelli was one of the judges. Did Tom Peashey judge that show? I don't remember.

With apologies to those Div II and III corps that I left out I picked my neighbor Greece Cadets

I forgot I wrote this! Yea it is pretty good.

I did have a recording of Cavaliers, Regimente Militaire, Toronto Optimists and Squires but I lost it in the 70's.

I was a 6 year drum corps veteran by 1975. A young stud back then...hmmm I still am now!!!!

I'm from North Tonawanda!!!!! Recordings? Hmmmm...a guy by the name of Tom Wein from Lockport, NY I believe recorded that show and may still have it somewhere. He marched mellophone with us. What were the scores? Please...do you have Open and A scores? What about 1976? Thanks

I remember that!!! I was teaching Renegades from NY and remember hearing that. That was pretty rude.

Donny, you leaking man? Sorry to hear about that. Is it a drip or a big geyser? Now if you're talking leaking out of the mouthpiece...I have that too, but only in the morning during warmups. It goes away. Miss you buddy!

Interesting topic. Well, the corps that I was with in the 70's was like that. We struggled for 5 years (71-75), building and building. After the 71 season the fire dept. dropped us. The waited til we got back from a parade and watched everyone put instruments and uniforms in the storage room and then informed us that the corps was being disbanded. Due to a very pushy and caring director, we were able to buy back the equipment and still kept the corps going. In 1976, with "new" uniforms (thanks Seneca Princemen) we began the last part of our journey. I remember a show in Rochester or Greece, NY (and we had won a few shows for the first time ever that year) anyways, we played a great show and thought we'd be at the top 3. Well, we ended up in the bottom 3. I guess because we hadn't competed in NY to much maybe because many people didn't like our director. Ted Key our brass arranger got in the middle of the corps, was crying and said if any corps ever got screwed, it was us. We were all devasted! It was the next weekend when Greece Cadet instructors wanted to work with us the rest of the year. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the police kept shutting our rehearsals down. We were in the paper every day, everyone was supporting us including the mayor. In the end we won...if only because we won the "A" class title for the NT Open. It may not have been the biggest prize ever but to us it was the best win ever. Our director resigned right before we left for Philly (DCI) and we took 18th place at prelims, it was terrible. Not the way to end the last drum corps show for the corps.

Sorry about the SOA mistake. My apologies

Salvation Army, Salvation Army Put a nickel in the drum Save another drunken bum Salvation Army, Salvation Army Put a nickel in the drum and you'll be saved. Oh.....one member would bring in his tape player and while dressing for the show would put on John Denver. Mellow us out. "Have you ever been mellow? Have you ever tried to find a comfort from inside you?" Hehehehe

Add to my collection: Greece Cadets, Fulton Gauchos, Oswego Black Knights, Tri-Town Cadets, Mark Twain Cadets, American Patrol, Geneva Appleknockers, Syracuse Marauders, Eagles, 76ers, Kingston Indians, Avant Garde, Patriots, Squires, Royal Coachmen, Imperial Regiment (Lakeview Shoreliners), Fusion, Northmen, Mello-Dears, Alpine Girls, Vestal Grenadiers, Purple Lancers, Utica Yankees, Frontiersmen, LI Kingsmen, St. Ignatius Girls Derry Patriots, Sharpsburg Cadets, 84th Bucktail regiment, Mavericks, Ambassadors (Ascots), Belvederes, Black Diamond Regiment, Cambria Cadets Buckeyes, Cleveland Caballeros, General Putnam's Men 27th Lancers, IC Reveries, Granite State Garrison, White Knights, Charioteers, Emerald Knights, Wausau Story, Begal Lancers, Surfers, Fantasia, Fantasia III, Royal Brigade, Muchachos, Royaleer Mounties, Ventures, Seneca Optimists (Princemen/Toronto), Oakland Crusaders (Etobicoke/DeLasalle), Opti-Knights, Midlanders, Krescendos, Canadian Knights, Durham Girls, Les Eclipse, Les Etoile, Offensive Lions, Flying Dutchmen, Northstar, Windsor Guardsmen, Saganaires(Northern Aurora), Northmen (WI), Floridians, Florida Wave, Devil Dogs, Spirit of Atlanta, Southern Rebels, SouthernAires, Bleu raeders, Stardusters, Night Hawks, SkyRyders, Valiant Knights, Argonne rebels, Velvet Knights, Commodores, Freelancers, Seattle Imperials, Black Watch (WA and NJ), Alberta Girls, Audobon Bon Bons, Des Plaines Vanguard, Belleville Black Knights, Pacific Blue, CapitolAires, Marquis Add More!!!!!

The 70's were a time of change and experimentation (as someone said in another post). The likes of Bobby Hoffman, Zingali, Royer, etc we'll never see. Because of DCI, drum corps was allowed to evolve. Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, it still evolves today. I want to pay tribute to the A Class. The Greece Cadets don't get the recognition they should. This corps, in 1975, paved the way for all A Class corps. Winning the very first DCI "A" Class Championship was a major thing back then. Over the years as we chat about history, this corps never gets recognized. SO hats off to the Greece Cadets of Rochester, NY 1975 DCI "A" Class Champions.

DO NOT CLOSE THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!! The hit is out on Scoresman....be very careful!!! LOL