elphaba01

"Sherwood's Forrest": Sadly, another "Legend" bites the dust....... Elphaba WWW

"SKEK's" Fanfare: Yes indeed, the 1962 "An Evening With the Corps at Carnagie Hall", FCLP 2060. The "Fanfare" was from the "El Cid" movie track, and the announcer was Mr Richard I Blake the sound engineer for the early years of Fleetwood Records. Other "Notes" from that night include the senior Interstatesmen shooting off blanks from their rifles, "Pepe" Nataro's "Sunny Side of the Street" indy solo, Tommy Martins "You Made Me Love You" solo, Don Angelica's showing up in a bullfighters cape, and the "debut" of the contra bass bugles as carried by the Garfield Cadets. Elphaba WWW

"Unamplified & Effective": My pretties: I realize that this goes "Way Back", but: The "First Corps" that I heard using "Vocals" was the St Kevins Emerald Knights, at the Drum Corps News concert which was held at CARNAGIE HALL, New York City, in the Spring of 1962. St Kevins membership included their Parish's CYO Choir, and in the course of their performance that evening they sang "Somebody Knows". It was performed without any "backing" and without the amps which are son "In vouge" today. They did a great job on the number and recieved a "Standing O". They are the only drum corps to have actually perfomed a "Vocal" at Carnagie Hall. Elphaba WWW

Bellville Black Knights: A very strong Mid West junior corps in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Perenial finalist at VFW Nationals finishing as high as "fifth" in 1961. Managed to defeat, at one time or another in that era all of the national contenders. Onr of the first drum corps to perform an "Original" piece of music, their "Concert piece", "Sherwood Forest", which was named after their director the late Mr Forest Cresson. They are greatly missed. Elphaba WWW

"Cheapo": My pretties: They could go one even better than the "Stooges"/'Wash & Wear crumpled look" outfits. Dig out those old pictures of GARFIELD from 1958 & 1959 (There are some great ones in the HODC Vol #2 Book) and recreate the "Shorts Knee Sox & Aussies" look that got them through two tough seasons after they were tossed from the Parish. Elphaba WWW

"DCA "Bring Backs": My pretties: How about the great "Mission Drums" show that used to be held in Boston. Talk about a GREAT early season "Showdown" of the "Powers". Norman Prince, Reilly, Archie, Rebels, Hurricanes, Hawthorne, Skyliners, Reading Buccaneers and a host of others that appeared in that 'Classic" over it's very long run. Elphaba WWW

"Enough is Enough": My pretties: Way back in dark old days of "G" valve/roto bugles, when istructors were still called "Instructors" rather than "Designers", "Visual" was "Marching & Manuvering", the "Auxillary" was know as the "Color Guard" (And wore the SAME UNIFORM as the rest of the unit) and 'Drumming' was called DRUMMING (And actually played on drum heads rather than kelvar)....... SOMEHOW drum corps such as Blessed Sacrament, the Chicago Cavaliers and St Kevins Emerald Knights managed to win multiple National Championships in the American Legion, VFW and National Dream with "Staffs" that consisted of three or four instructors. Chicago had the team of Fararra, MaCormick and Litteau, Blessed Sacrament had Jim Day, Frank Kubinack and Bobby Thompson while St Kevins had Frank "Buddy" Bergdoll and Cliff Fisher. Mr Fisher taught drums as well as the DRILL. Boston's Crusaders, multiple champions of the CYO had the Dennon, Shellmaer/Palange "troika". Times sure have chenged eh? Elphaba WWW

'Loss in the Caballeros Family": Via con dios Senor Frank. Mucho Caballero...... RIP Elphaba WWW

"Check out the Alumni": "If you want to see old style color guard stuff check out the Alumni". Ladies and gentlemen, we have a WINNER!!! Hold all other phone calls!!!! Elphaba WWW

"Seniors Surpassed" It may not be a case of the "Juniors getting better", but rather the situation where the seniors started to copy the juniors, rather than it being the other way around. "In my day", all we ever looked forwrad to was "Going Senior". We wanted to "Be Like Them" in every way. That, sadly, no longer is the case. Elphaba WWW

"Troopers": Speaking as a very OLDE Drum Corps Witch, it is VERY sad to see one of the Founding Members of "DCI" (The late Jim Jones Trooperss 'Founder/Director' was THE driving force behind it's creation), for whatever reason, being "Shown the Door". Elphaba WWW

"World Open Revisited": The corps that discovered that they were actually IN the Wolrd Open Finals show was the old Connecticut Royal Lancers. This happened at the 1963 WO Preliminaries. The corps had departed the Roosevelt Stadium after prelims and went back home to Bridgeport Connecticut thinking they were in eleventh place.. The "Legend" says that they actually stayed together to practice that evening and were told then that they had made the night show. They proceeded to travel back to New Jersey, compteted in Finals, where they placed 10th. This, (The 1963 WO Prelims) believe it or not, was the first contest in which the Royal Lancers had ever competed. They had made the Finals of a National Championship contest. I believe there is a "record" of some sort here..... Elphaba WWW

"Wherever etc": We saw the "Zone" at Gettysburg. The program was incomplete, sloppily performed, uniforms (costumes) not issued, and we (And many of the USAF Drum Corps Alumni, who were having their Reunion that weekend) thought it was stupid. We saw the "Zone" again at Foxoboro. It was complete, well executed and completly outfitted. And we still thought it was stupid. Elphaba WWW

"A Long Time Ago, Far Far Away": I have very early memories of watching the Barnum Festival's "Parade of Champions" in the old Hedges Stadium (Harding High School), in 1956, or possibly 1957. I remember the Geneva Appleknockers (With their GREAT soprano soloist, Mr Kenny Peterson, now 76 years young and STILL wailing), Hawthorne Caballeros ("Go Get em' Ralph!!") the Lt Norman Prince 'Princemen' with "Sweet Georgia Brown", and the New York Skyliners, with Hy Drietzer still playing a pretty wild French Horn bugle as their "Concert Soloist"in "Puttin' On the Ritz". The first "Junior" corps I can actually 'remember' (sort of) was the St Vincents Cadets who also competed at Hedges Stadium in the Bridgeport PAL Cadets "Parade of Junior Champions" in 1959. The late 1950s saw the Bridgeport Police Athletic League convert their "Parade Corps" into an "M & M" unit, and the cross town St Raphael's Roman Catholic Parish had started a drum corps which became the Golden Buccaneers. Elphaba WWW

VFW & American Legion Nationals: The VFW "Senior" Championships were discontinued after the 1962 title show, which was won by the Reading Buccaneers, a "Three-peat", 1960, 61 & 62. The American Legion Senior Nationals were conducted as a "Stand Alone" contest until 1980, and that title was won by the Hawthorne Caballeros. The VFW Junior National Championship was looked upon as "THE" national title for junior corps, all throughout the 1960s. There were other prestigious "National Championships" such as the CYO, Legion and Dream, but the "VFW" was the one that was most respected and sought after. Elphaba WWW

"Going Back a Bit": "Suddenly Successful": The Santa Clara Vanguard should fit that description. The corps was "assembled" as the "Vanguard" in 1967. By 1970 they had beaten all three reigning National Champions (Racine Kilties VFW, Chicago Cavaliers Legion, and Casper Troopers World Open & CYO) and that year won the National Legion title. In 1971 they were crowned VFW National Champions, and won the second and third DCI Championships in 1973 & 1974. Elphaba WWW

"To Be in G": Mee three. :P Elphaba WWW

"Loud is God": Add 1974 Madison and 1975 Muchachos to this list. 1973 Madison had a LOUD hornline also, particularly late in the season. 1972 St Andrews Bridgemen were pretty loud, as was the 76 and 78 editions. Most of the St Andrews and Muchacho hornlines of the 1970s were Larry Kerchner products, and Madison's "mentors" were Ray Baumgart and Jim Elvord. Elphaba WWW

"Standstills" We did "Standstills" at Carnagie Hall, Symphony Hall (Newark NJ) and the Boston Garden. We also did 'standstills' New Haven & Bridgeport CT, Jersey City NJ, and New Britian CT. There were numerouse competitive 'standstills' all over the Mid West & East Coast "Back Then", as well as more parades than you could shake a plume at. Elphaba WWW

"Retro Drum Corps & Circuit": Strange that something like this should come along right now,: October 22 & 23 will see the formation of a junior "Retro" 'Circuit' to be called "Neighborhood Drum Corps" (DCN) in Bridgeport CT. The "Driving Force" behind this are the management of the newly resurected PAL Buccaneers drum corps. Details remain to be worked out, and a "Charter" written, but the intent to "Return to the roots" is quite in evidence. Stay tuned for details. Elphaba WWW

"Scores Written Down": In June? A "99"? <**> Elphaba WWW

Connecticut "Count Down": St Raphaels Buccaneers Bridgeport PAL Cadets St Anne's Loyalaires Connecticut Royal Lancers Scarlet Knights Trumbull Cadets Trumbull Troubadors Milford Police Cadets-Shoreliners New London Surfers St Raphaels Marionettes St Raphaels Musketeers St Aedens Cadets St Aeden's Emerald Buccaneers Connecticut Classics Nutmeg Rangers New London Fire-Ettes Notre Dame All Girls Silver Falcons Stateliners New Britian Grenidiers Leicester All Girls St Stephens Cadets Charter Oak Sabers Fairfield Colonades Norwalk Hot Shots Golden Crusaders Oxford Explorers Seymour Vanguard Startford Connecticut Yankees Bridgeport Troopers Vagabonds This is only a very partial listing. There are many more Connecticut corps, junior and senior that have crossed their "Fianl Finish Line" (Borrowed this from the Bucc's website) and I apologize for not being able to remember them all. Elphaba WWW

"Best Endings "Of All Time": Thats quite a "spread". If you mean "DCI", I would say the Blue Devils "Man Loves a Woman" finale from 1992, or any of the Madison finales of the mid 1990s. The Scouts "Ballet in Brass" finale of 1974-75, Argonne's "Stars & Stripes" signature, and the Muchachos "Espana" finale merit inclusion also. Juniors PRIOR to "DCI" (Yes, there was drum corps prior to October 1971), Some great "Endings" that come to mind include St Catherine's "Exodus" closer of 1961, Chicago Cavaliers "Somewhere" closer of 1965, and Casper Troopers "How the Werst Was Won" of 1970 to name but a few. Elphaba WWW

"Cadets 2005 'Fan Appeal'": It speaks volumes that at the "Semi Finals" the Cadets "Championship Effort" was rewarded with what only can be termed "Polite Applause", and the closer presentation of the Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni Corps program drew (at least) four enthusiastic & spontaneous "Standing O's" from a crowd that was/is not all that familiar with senior and/or Alumni corps activities. Elphaba WWW

"G Bugles": "Bump". Yep, the "Sound" of REAL drum corps would return. Elphaba WWW