Skylander

I know it's been a long time since this was posted, but I haven't been on this forum for a long time and I did want to respond to your comment. I know for a fact that we were in Gloversville in '79 because I was with the corps then and was in the show and attended the after party. It was at that party that I earned the corps nick name of Chester the Molester! I'll pass on an explaination on how I got it. That show was the closest one to my home in Clifton Park, NY while I was with Sky. Following the after party we formed a small car caravan and took the approx. hour trip to my home where I housed a number of my fellow crops men for the evening including Al Hopper, Shakey and his wife, John Hertlein, Red VanDuyne and there may have been a few others I've forgotten. There are stories from that evening that will live in infamy... at least amongst those of us that were there that night! LoL So, enough for now and maybe I'll be back again... withing a few years! [O:

Here too!

I have the latest versions of both IE and Firefox and it doesn't work on either!

Chang, To the best of my knowledge you will not see Capital Brass become a field corps. The best way to learn about CB is to visit their website at http://www.capitalbrass.org/home.htm.

Where have I been? Well I'm still trying to figure that out myself! Currently I'm in Portland OR at a National Elks Convention. We arrived here on Friday from Los Angeles where we were visiting our son Mike and his girlfriend Leda. We'll be leaving here later in the week via Amtrak and 3 days later will be back home and back to trying to figure out where I am once again!

I don't remember one at the race track either. I know there was a DCA show at the East Side Recreation Park in Saratoga back in 1971. That was the first show I attended when I regained interest in drum corps and led to my joining the Brigs in 73.

Not as much as that lawyer guy that does TV commercials... James Trauring!

Hey Joe! I think it's time for another shameless plug or bump! Get yer BUMP on Junior!

NO! I'm not coming down to play the part of Alvin! Best to you and the gang throughout the Holiday Season and through out 2009! Joe

Best wishes Brigs for a successful '09 from a member of the Class of '73.

Andy, let me know where you'll be announcing again and I'll be sure to have Jack Papa there to assist you!

TOM: Leave it to you to have a come back! But I have a comeback of my own... every once in a while when you look up into the night sky, you'll be reminded of me! ANDY: I feel undeservedly honored that you would even mention me in the same sentence with those gentlemen. And let's not forget Ray Lane - Contra. I can't think of a nicer, more effervecent and care free person!

Paul, I would say that what you say about the 70's was much more true in the early 70's but that seemed to be changing by the time that I joined the Skyliners at the end of the decade. (78-79). And you don't have to sell me on MCA. I bought it lock, stock & barrel this past weekend and as I think (CRS?) I told Tom, on Saturday night, "I don't think I'll ever be the same again"; and that included about Mini Corps!

Paul, Although I was not one of the performers, I did get the sense of what you speak about having been one of the first observers to the venue, one of the last to leave as well as being at the hotel afterward. I do have to be honest though and say that I do in a way miss the good old days when we would pull stunts like droping of the drawers and giving a competitor a good natured wiggling of the moon! EDIT ADDITION: Yes Tom Mac, I know it would have been a full moon in my case! Just thought I'd mention it before you had a chance!

Andy, I have know Lydia since about 2003 and have worked with her and I can say that what you said about her is typical and routine. Now when she really get's serious about what she's doing, all I can say is.... get out of the way! She's the best!

Geeze, if I knew that slapping you around was fashionable on Saturday, I'd of had a little fun of my own! Or maybe I could have just run you over instead? EDIT: I just noticed that this was my 666th post. I certified that it was not me that made the above post. It was the devil in me!

Tom, You forgot to thank me for staying out of the way! Seriously, this as you know was my first experience with both I&E and Mini Corps since my first exposure to Drum Corps back in 1964. Also as you know, I was hesitant to attend this event at all. BUT, I have to admit that I and my wife were certainly glad that I had made the decision to make it because... I was personally BLOWN AWAY by what I discovered. Yes, I said blown away by what I discovered because I had never believed that I&E or Mini Corps could ever reach the level of enjoyment one could get out of traditional drum corps competition! Boy, WAS I WRONG and I believe that I'll never think of drum corps the same way I have over the past 44 years. I've seen a number of indoor competitions several years years ago and felt the full enjoyment could never be achieved because there was just too much brass and percussion for the amount of indoor space used. Not only was the balance between sound and space last night great in my opinion, but you could also better hear and appreciate just how talented the performers themselves really are. It may have been better in other venues, but I was just simply wowed by what I heard. And for the corps themselves, If I were to have judged them last night, there would have been a seven way tie! But then again that's why I'm not a judge and talented knowdgeable people like Donny Allen are! One thing that I do have to admit though is that I was bias in my favorite corps last night. Capital Brass simply left me flabbergasted and emotionally effected because I never expected to hear something so professional and enjoyable this quickly and my kudos to you (Tom) and your musicans for making it happen... especially in an area that's tough for any drum corps developments. If I didn't know you or of Capital Brass and was told that the sound track was to be used in an animated major motion picture, I would have believed it without hesitation. I thought it was just that good and had similar thoughts during the performance last night! I have other positive thoughts and emotions about last night, but I'll keep those thoughs personal between you and the few members of CB that were with you when I expressed them last night. Before I close I wouldn't want to pass the opportunity to also say something about your son Paul. I never would have believed what I heard coming out of his instruments and I place the musicanship right up there with the kind of musicanship I've heard coming out of Blast! Keep up the good work, but don't over do it! Drum Corps need you around for many years to come!

It is! It's an FSOJ recorder assembled in Florida's best orange groves!

Like many, I have more than one favorite moment. However I have one that is more enduring that any. It was my first expeience with drum corps back in January of 1964 when I traveled one weekend with the Interstatesmen to Quebec for their Ice Carnival! I'll spare the long and gruling details of that wonderful weekend, but do want to mention that it was the first time I ever saw the NY Skyliners - up and close! Impressed... but little did I know that years later I would become one of them.

Tom, It is not my intention to open any old wounds, nor do I wish to cast any aspersions on Vince or any other particular individuals involved, but I do have to say that there is something here more important than "the good of the one," and that something is honesty and integrity. In the case of the 73 Brigs, chosing the path of "The good of the whole" absent honesty and integrity was a grevious disservice to those of us who were part of that corps... especially those, like Fred Gebhardt who had much more that just time invested in it like myself and many others. Those whose egos would have gotten bent out of shape by our making DCA would have gotten over it eventually, some of us 73 Brigs - now 35 years later - would not still feel somewhat offended when we think about what happened and last but not least DCA would have in all liklihood survived. In the unlikly chance that it haden't survived, I seriously doubt that it would have been because the path of honesty and integrity was followed. Sorry for going partially off topic with this, but I felt it was needed to be said! Anyway it's all ancient history now and DCA is doing well... and that's a good thing! Joe

Shucks! And I thought it was Donnie Ho playing "Hiney Bubbles!"

So, tripp'n over chairs now-a-days? Well at least you're not in a foriegn country following a drunken fool around in a two man conga line anymore!

I most likely would be if I can! This one's to ALL the I-Men... (and the Turds too)

GUESS WHO NANCI MATH AWARD 2008

Oh well, I guess it wasn't the first time! Now you got me wondering which time you're refering to!