Tapper7

certainly the rule excludes medical emergencies. its just that this thread reminded me of my high school days. I dont know what things were like for the rest, but at MY high school ... the marching band was NOT COOL and NOT RESPECTED. We had groups of kids that would try to run through our ranks just to annoy us - and they occaisionally liked to throw mud or eggs when we were in full uniform. We had MAJOR prblms when we played the rival high school in football - a coach from that school which I wont name actually knocked one of our bass drummers over ... on purpose!!! Our marching tech [the VK guy I mentioned above, who also doubled as a football asst. coach and a soccer coach] just ran up and straight up tackled the guy, screaming something like "dont break rank!!!" ... heh heh. Hey, it wasnt me, ok? I know my post seems rude to a lot of you ... its just that you have to draw the line somewhere with ppl who get their jollies by antagonizing the band! Maybe the band got respect at other schools, but at mine, we had to fight for it. I had the same problem in college. In corps on the other hand .... nobody really ever messed w/ us. Except when we troop the line on the way out to retreat, which is, of course, all in good fun until a mouthpiece gets plugged! ;) ***insert "its all fun and games until ..." reference below***

I was only talking about INCHES here .... but I guess we already know how big of a problem a few inches can be in DCA. Different people learned different things about marching etiquette, you know. Im only espousing what I was TAUGHT - for the benefit of DCP readers who might be interested. As for your opinion I ....... And if someone were to break rank in front of you ... ... ...

Good points. Good points. A few of you brought up breaking rank. I was taught VERY EARLY in my marching career, that fans/spectators (particularly at non-drum corps events ie football games) break the ranks of marching units as a blatant show of disrepect. People who do this think that who they are and where they are going is soooooooo freaking important that simply cannot wait for the unit to pass and therefore try to break rank. This happens quite a bit when the the corps is in 2's. My first marching instructor marched Contra at VK in the mid-80's. He always used to yell at us when we were in 2's or in a parade form: "DONT LET ANYONE BREAK RANK!!!!!" in the last 10 yrs, ive had ample oppurtunity to stop potential rank breakers. Sometimes I even leave a little extra room, to tempt the person whose time must be soooo important - just so I can put my hand out, stop them and teach them a little lesson about respecting the ranks, "I'm sorry - I CANT let you through ... we consider it an insult" This thread just compelled me to remind everyone of the rule that is likely as old as military marching itself: "Don't let anyone break rank!!!!!!!"

johnson?

Congratulations to Star United. Plz keep coming back. Star fits ANY venue. Its not about DCI/DCA or classical/jazz, forget that. It's about drum corps. And Star is one of the best of all time. Class A? If you guys could get 30+ horns together ... you could set your sites a LOT higher than that. ;)

wait ...................... what???

Ill never forget the 1st time I heard a Maynard recording. I bought "The Essence of Maynard Ferguson" on advice from the brass players who came before me at my High School - BD alum Brian Kettlehut and VK alum Annti Karvonen. I put on track 1 - "Birdland" - and my life changed. THIS was the sound i'd been looking for all my life. THIS was the most inspiring and "happy" thing i'd ever heard. THIS is what I love about music. The song's in G major no less, what a fitting prequel to my drum corps career . ;) I received the news friday morning when i came across the obit section of Los Angeles Times - and immediately broke down. I knew his health'd been in decline, but nothing could prepare me for the news. Maynard Ferguson was, IS my hero. I was lucky enough to get to hear him play at the Orange County Performing Arts center w/ his Big Bop Nouveau Band in 1995. When he closed the show w/ "Birdland" - I cried. (!) The LA Times writer really hit it on the head in the 1st graph of the obit which read, "The famous trumpeteer who was beloved by fans and appalled by his critics ...." One of my best memories of Maynard is from sophomore year in high school. It was just before jazz band practice and we were blasting "La Fiesta" on the stereo. The band director came in (a sax player) and immediately chastized us, "You guys shouldnt be listening to that crap!" he said, "It's not even music!!" A more glowing endorsement we could not have possibly heard. ;) I never even really understood his impact until I heard the way his protege's (people like Roland Garceau and Joey Pero) spoke of the man and his abilities. Rollie was convinced that MF was by far the best trumpet player who ever lived. And I never heard him speak w/ so much pride as when he told me about being invited to Maynard's 75th birthday bash - and I could tell that the picture of him w/ Joey and "The Boss" himself - was one of my friend's most prized possesions. Friday morning I began to run through "La Fiesta" in my head - but 13 bars into it - where Maynard begins to sail above the ensemble in his trademark fashion - I broke down all over again. No one could scream like Maynard. If there actually IS a heaven, I know he'll be there, belting out "Gospel John" when I get there. In the meantime, Joey plays it pretty good, too. ;) Frank, thank you for posting on this thread. I could not have said it better. I'll miss you, Maynard. :( --Tapper

Ok .... the topic is interesting and makes a good debate, but after skimming this thread, it is CLEARLY: 1. Flame bait 2. Based on hearsay (ie: NOT based on fact) ---> no reason to get all bent out of shape over it. Oh, and 91 SCV f-in rocked. hard.

ring ring ring ring ring ring ... banana boat .... ring ring ring ring ring ring ... banana boat ! ... its sold in bunches ... etc etc ...

Furthamoa ... this thread is making me a litttle verklempft .... *sniff* "Talk amoungst yaselves .... I'll give you a topic: 'Grape Nuts' are neither grapes, nor are they nuts - Discuss" *sniffle* :(

Who, like Murray? Or Scott? You're refering to, like, the top 2 guys in the West, if not worldwide. Ever heard of SCV? Or The Blue Devils? Nevermind. I stomp them.

Booooooooo!

90 to 93 had some amazing s--- in there. 92 was great, but for my $$$, 93 was the year - 93 Star - best DC show EVER. 93 Madison + BD - sick Don Ellis charts And, of course, the Red Team .... edged out of the top spots again ... but they rocked out pretty hard too. And that was the infamous Dr. Len "beat the heat" year (w/ all it's sordid tales of contra's in silouette, lap after lap around the track, as the cruel southern sun began to rise) the top corps were unusually good in 93 - despite unfriendly weather conditions.

I never stopped.

wtf? OK... so I've been MIA for awhile. Crap. I almost forgot it was summer and everyone's competing again and like, generating scores and whatnot. Saw the most recent. Wow .... didnt see THAT one coming, but then again, I wasnt really looking. Right on, Sac! Oh and "what up DCP?"

...

It's my understanding that (and I could be wrong) that Kanstul G barry's weigh 8 or 9 lbs, Kanstul G euph's are about 13 lbs. You have to have large swinging nuts to carry either one ... (properly that is) as for these Bb things, I have no idea what they weigh but I'm guessing they are pretty light ... saw some at DCA and had to remark, "That looks kind of small..." heh heh.

All 3 the way to be!!! Marching band still sucks though.