81regiment

Individuals make the HOF with those numbers. Teams don't. They die in anonymity...like the Cubs.

Biased-much? Nooooooooo, just opining. But, if being biased means you can't have an opinion - DCP turns into a pretty quiet place, and quite frankly a terrible bore. There are no biases here, are there? I think an anachronism is anything that is bound to a specific chronology or period in time, which when placed outside the period with which it is indentified, seems really odd or curious. It's not too complex to grasp really, and I didn't need to look it up, thank you. Assume-much? Khachaturian is a "no-name?" Of yester-century? REALLY?? He was born in 1903 and died in 1978 - three years before we played one of his most famous ballets. The body was still warm while we were learning our drill in the winter of 1981. I think we have our yester-centuries confused. The old chaps you cited were all from the yester-yester-century, or the yester-yester-yester-century. Check facts, and don't bring a knife to a gun fight. FYI, SCV won in 1978 playing this no-name's music. The Gayane Ballet, since you've never heard of it. :sshh: They reprised it in 1987 and kicked arse with it. Drum corps is hardly a new beast, yet it is less evolved than most forms of entertainment. Traveling exclusively by bus, touring only in the summer, sleeping on gym floors, limiting the stage to a football field, recording judge commentary on cassette tapes...there are so many guys with great vision in this activity who yearn to break free of these -and many other - self imposed boundaries...yet here we are in 2007...driving a steam engine on the information highway. Is that not an anachronism? That's Hopkins' frustration. That's Gibbs' frustration. For better or worse, it is what it is, an activity trying to figure out how to survive as a business. That's my frustration. If something is an anachronism, is that necessarily a bad thing? I take from your comment that it is - which is why I suggest something contemporary, something hip, something totally 2007, something 21st century - something that would ease that irritation that you may feel when something doesn't sit too well with you in terms of the day and age. Good music DOES transcend time - no argument, dude. So does bad music - disco still sucks, but somebody still feels at home in polyester and stacked heels, and that crap just won't DIE!! I realllly hate that old fart Beethoven - yet PR has played some of his works. I won't be biased-much when PR announces "Ludwig" as their show concept. No cheerleading for Beethoven. Or can I still be biased toward PR and not like what they're doing? I love most Russian composers because their lives were filled with angst over the limits placed on them by Communism, thus there is a great deal of obvious passion in their composition. Even if some of them were ardent Communists - they were punished anyway. (There's an anachronism...communism.) I don't find passionate expression boring in the least. Neither does Phantom Regiment, I guess. So, thus the high level of approval on this board for this announcement. Fanatics - not just "Phanboys" - have been wanting this for a long time - which makes me wonder if you should consider another screen name. Hey, you blamed your age for your perspective on this - not me. I was just piling on and giving you my unsolicited opinions. I didn't ask for yours. Opinions are free and fair game here, if you have not noticed, and anything you say just might come flying right back at you. Be prepared, tenderfoot. So you don't like Spartacus. Cool. But if you can find where I said that your opinion of Spartacus makes you stupid, I will give you a 50 yard line seat to DCI finals. Yes, you'll probably be the only stick in the mud. Lighten up, Francis!

Hey Dana - I've got an 82 libretto with your name on it right here...what's the easiest way to get it to you?

I've heard from quite a few people under 25, so I guess we'll see. It looks like you endured the boredom of 16 pages of the Spartacus love-fest and made it to this point in one piece. Congratulations and thanks for checking in with us to tell us how #### boring it is. As for anachronisim...there's plenty of that in drum corps these days, and I don't hear too much complaining. As a matter of fact, this entire activity is an anachronism in many, many ways. Since when is good music held to supposed standards of chronology, in any genre. not just here? I guess if it's old, it must be rotten. Hey, a little aging never hurt anyone - one day you'll stop blaming your age, you'll credit your experience, and thus find the real root of your issues. Maybe even enjoy something that endures the test of time. Better go see what's hot over on iTunes before it becomes passe`. Hope you're not on dialup because you'll HATE the new Brittany Spears release by the time it gets done downloading.

Ahhh...I see what you're talking about JD...the sops played running 16ths in two different spots in that opening phrase - one spot in 1981, the other in 1982. I was talking about the 36 count phrase @ 128 tempo (1981)...I think the part you are referring to is the 20 counts immediately following (1982)... Maybe they can do all 56 counts in 2008...HA! 128 bpm...what a dirge!!! One thing for sure - JD Shaw is gonna paint this up and down with mello licks.

Yup - the running 16ths were in the sops and keyboards in 1981, but keyboards only in 1982. The version they've been playing for encores is the 82 arrangement. I can't imagine what the tempos are going to be like in 2008...

Yes...it's very humbling indeed...especially when you consider that there have been so many excellent (and MEMORABLE) Regiment shows since 81-82. Today, I received a handful of emails from PR alums from 1981 to 2007 - as well as from current members - it seems everyone is pumped about this. I think that Spartacus "fits" the corps better today than it did in 1981-82...if this line of thinking makes sense... In 1981, Spartacus was new and different in that it was designed around a story line. Not to discount the contributions of those that came before us, for there is much history and tradition that is rooted in the 1970s and before, but much of Regiment's "modern" reputation for performing powerful and emotional music (as opposed to purely "classical" music) was built since we marched. We saw a rebirth of the corps in the late 80s and early 90s, and again in 2003. From that point of view, I think Spartacus is a great choice for 2008 - the concept can be developed much further and delivered at levels of performance that were never even considered back then. I think there are stark differences between 1981 and 1982 (not just placement or scoring), and those shows were done back to back. I don't think that the risks of "going back to the well" are that great - I think you'll see some great creativity, some incredible writing, and flat out awesome performances from the members. I'm sure that the 2008 Regiment will do us all proud. SUTA

JD, I've always been a huge fan of the 82 show - you guys took the 81 show and kicked it up a more than a few notches. I can only imagine what they'll come up with... Should be lots of fun!

Matt - I think that was a 40" bass drum. Thumps pretty nicely as the nails are driven in the crucifixion (at the beginning of Apotheosis...er....closer). The nail sounds were made by slamming a old brake drum with a ball pein hammer, a cymbal crash/choke (that's me ticking at finals) and the concert bass drum backfield. I think if they want to crucify Spartacus in 2008, it's all hands on deck in the front ensemble. Lots of metal sounds available these days - probably make the Zildjian guys really happy.

I'M SPARTACUS!! I can not resist. "Wait till Biggus Dickus hears of this." - Pontius Pilate in Monty Python's Life of Brian

I'm Spartacus! I'M Spartacus! I'M SPARTACUS!!

Everyone already has candy - Halloween was what...7 days ago??

Oh boy... :spit:

It's at the beginning of Carnival..."We're off to see the Wizard" is right after the SCV "Phantom of the Opera" quote... The car horn was in the pit. The four notes from Cavies is the tag from "Gloria".

I was in Rockford for "Corps History Night" in 2005 - the staff usually conducts this exercise during spring training. Dan Richardson, Jim Wren, Dan Farrell, Tim Farrell, Marty Hurley...they were all there that night, along with the current design team and instructional staff, and it made for a very, very special night. There was so much history shared with the 2005 membership in just three hours, and it was great to be there and hear it first hand from all the people who built Phantom Regiment. I'll second you on having this DVD played for the membership every year.