Blue Devils; The Next 50 Years

[sburstall]

They should be like the 1976-1993 Blue Devils.

(in both sound and look)

You, my friend, will get adult beverages of your choice if you ever come to DCA finals.

Edited October 6, 2007 by sburstall

[ColtFoutz]

Do you mean "the next 50 years" as a drum and bugle corps, or with a dozen or so thrown in as a competitive bell corps?

^0^

[BD Raggamuffin]

Do you mean "the next 50 years" as a drum and bugle corps, or with a dozen or so thrown in as a competitive bell corps?

^0^

Really, who cares? Yes, technically BD has not been a drum and bugle corps for 50 years, but the organization is 50 years old. I don't think anyone is trying to dispute this.

[The Line]

Hey, watch out for that sarcasm, it'll get ya everytime.

[ColtFoutz]

Really, who cares? Yes, technically BD has not been a drum and bugle corps for 50 years, but the organization is 50 years old. I don't think anyone is trying to dispute this.

No, of course not. I just didn't hear it mentioned much when your history was being celebrated in 2007.

I'm NOT seeing it as a bad thing, just an interesting part of your history that reflected the times. There were a lot of bell corps in California in the 1950s, some of which grew into legendary drum & bugle units, which is a compliment to who took them there. For instance, the Sparks, in Santa Clara, had a nasty split among parents -- some of whom wanted to return to life as a bell corps, the rest of whom opted for bugles and formed the Santa Clara Vanguard. INTERESTING STUFF!

So, I find it EVEN MORE remarkable at how many titles you guys have racked up in the modern era considering you can subtract a few seasons out of the 50 where BD wasn't competing for drum corps titles.

Everyone has a history -- celebrate it. For example, the Cavies didn't compete in national, or any, season-ending contests until 1952, which makes their 20 world and national championships click in at an even greater ratio -- in 56 summers, not 60.

Same with BD.

[BD Raggamuffin]

No, of course not. I just didn't hear it mentioned much when your history was being celebrated in 2007.

I'm NOT seeing it as a bad thing, just an interesting part of your history that reflected the times. There were a lot of bell corps in California in the 1950s, some of which grew into legendary drum & bugle units, which is a compliment to who took them there. For instance, the Sparks, in Santa Clara, had a nasty split among parents -- some of whom wanted to return to life as a bell corps, the rest of whom opted for bugles and formed the Santa Clara Vanguard. INTERESTING STUFF!

So, I find it EVEN MORE remarkable at how many titles you guys have racked up in the modern era considering you can subtract a few seasons out of the 50 where BD wasn't competing for drum corps titles.

Everyone has a history -- celebrate it. For example, the Cavies didn't compete in national, or any, season-ending contests until 1952, which makes their 20 world and national championships click in at an even greater ratio -- in 56 summers, not 60.

Same with BD.

I guess I took what you were saying as some kind of snide remark, my mistake. I think it's great to celebrate history as well. It will be interesting to see what the Cavaliers do this year for their anniversary. I remember having to memorize a plethora of historical facts in my second year in Cavaliers to prepare for "initiations". The cavaliers were always very proud of their corps traditions. I was wondering if initiations are still a huge deal in the corps, as they were when I marched. I seem to remember hearing that they did away with much of the hazing that went on ( ALL NIGHT LONG), due to some bad publicity that came about when something happened with some sorrority initiations somewhere. Anyways, I remember being scared out of my mind before initiations. I was really young at the time (like 15 ), and the hype that surrounded the process was quite legendary, to say the least. But I did finally get to learn what "splooie" meant! Well, I've managed to, once again, get WAY off topic for this thread, but I was just curious. Peace.

[ColtFoutz]

I guess I took what you were saying as some kind of snide remark, my mistake. I think it's great to celebrate history as well. It will be interesting to see what the Cavaliers do this year for their anniversary. I remember having to memorize a plethora of historical facts in my second year in Cavaliers to prepare for "initiations". The cavaliers were always very proud of their corps traditions. I was wondering if initiations are still a huge deal in the corps, as they were when I marched. I seem to remember hearing that they did away with much of the hazing that went on ( ALL NIGHT LONG), due to some bad publicity that came about when something happened with some sorrority initiations somewhere. Anyways, I remember being scared out of my mind before initiations. I was really young at the time (like 15 ), and the hype that surrounded the process was quite legendary, to say the least. But I did finally get to learn what "splooie" meant! Well, I've managed to, once again, get WAY off topic for this thread, but I was just curious. Peace.

Hey, man, nothing snide here that can't be considered harmless in the constant give-and-take of drum corps rivalry. I think what makes corps different is what makes them great. Otherwise, finals night would come and every show would be the same. So, while writing my book has buried me in Cavaliers tradition, I also made sure to give a window on 60 years of history throughout drum corps. Studying that, and writing about it, I can't help admiring what the Blue Devils -- not to mention Cadets, Vanguard, Scouts, Troopers, et al. -- have created.

I'm just now noticing your resume -- looks like you're a Chicago-area guy, with your stint as Guardsmen mascot. What took you to Blue Devils? Maybe that's a loaded question... .

Perhaps needless to say, I devote more than a few pages to exploring the Cavaliers' tradition of initiations at different times throughout history. And I also take a crack at what Splooie means. (As you can imagine, as any good journalist would, I ask and research the question; and as any good Cavalier would, I get around a dozen different answers, many of them blank stares -- B) ) But you're right about things being tamer today, at least from what I've asked about. There's more of a respect for tradition, as if that were ever lacking. But what's neat is that guys in the 2007 corps KNOW Bruce Tietgen (dm in 1957, their first VFW national championship) when he shows up for practice. A guy in the '05 corps can actually have a conversation with corps original Warren Alm, and have it go on for hours. That's cool, and not something every corps has, and as Cavaliers alum and Colts director Greg Orwoll pointed out, is something he'd sorely like to develop with his corps.

As one '05 Cavalier put it, he doesn't need all the hazing and ritual to make him focus on a great performance -- he's already focused. And as the Cavaliers found out around the time you marched, paddling college-age musicians didn't make the same sense as disciplining a bunch of 14-year-old crazies back in the day. But man, are a lot of those old stories fun to hear!

[BD Raggamuffin]

Hey, man, nothing snide here that can't be considered harmless in the constant give-and-take of drum corps rivalry. I think what makes corps different is what makes them great. Otherwise, finals night would come and every show would be the same. So, while writing my book has buried me in Cavaliers tradition, I also made sure to give a window on 60 years of history throughout drum corps. Studying that, and writing about it, I can't help admiring what the Blue Devils -- not to mention Cadets, Vanguard, Scouts, Troopers, et al. -- have created.

I'm just now noticing your resume -- looks like you're a Chicago-area guy, with your stint as Guardsmen mascot. What took you to Blue Devils? Maybe that's a loaded question... .

Perhaps needless to say, I devote more than a few pages to exploring the Cavaliers' tradition of initiations at different times throughout history. And I also take a crack at what Splooie means. (As you can imagine, as any good journalist would, I ask and research the question; and as any good Cavalier would, I get around a dozen different answers, many of them blank stares -- B) ) But you're right about things being tamer today, at least from what I've asked about. There's more of a respect for tradition, as if that were ever lacking. But what's neat is that guys in the 2007 corps KNOW Bruce Tietgen (dm in 1957, their first VFW national championship) when he shows up for practice. A guy in the '05 corps can actually have a conversation with corps original Warren Alm, and have it go on for hours. That's cool, and not something every corps has, and as Cavaliers alum and Colts director Greg Orwoll pointed out, is something he'd sorely like to develop with his corps.

As one '05 Cavalier put it, he doesn't need all the hazing and ritual to make him focus on a great performance -- he's already focused. And as the Cavaliers found out around the time you marched, paddling college-age musicians didn't make the same sense as disciplining a bunch of 14-year-old crazies back in the day. But man, are a lot of those old stories fun to hear!

I never had any doubt that the Cavaliers would remain a very tradition oriented drum corps. I would say that it's a vital aspect of what makes them keep ticking year after year (no pun intended). I thought that I had THE explanation of what splooie means when Scott Seal gave me the low-down, but now I wonder... I always thought that "the board" was completely absurd, and I'm glad they did away with it. I never" went under" (although I did come close), but I think I may have just walked away if I had. #### that!!! And as you said, I don't think that these serious college music majors that make up so much of today's top drum corps would deal with that for a minute. As for why I went to Concord, well..... ^OO^ B)

[ColtFoutz]

I never had any doubt that the Cavaliers would remain a very tradition oriented drum corps. I would say that it's a vital aspect of what makes them keep ticking year after year (no pun intended). I thought that I had THE explanation of what splooie means when Scott Seal gave me the low-down, but now I wonder... I always thought that "the board" was completely absurd, and I'm glad they did away with it. I never" went under" (although I did come close), but I think I may have just walked away if I had. #### that!!! And as you said, I don't think that these serious college music majors that make up so much of today's top drum corps would deal with that for a minute. As for why I went to Concord, well..... ^OO^ B)

Right on, right on.

Hey, not to descend too much into shameless self-promotion, but I think you'd enjoy reading about this stuff in my book. I know enjoyed writing it. People certainly get a behind-the-scenes look at drum corps, and the Cavaliers specifically, but a lot of why I did the project was to show what the entire activity was about, and how it changed over 60 years. Anyway: I pay particularly close attention to what was going on, and what people felt, in that area of 1990-92 when the Cavaliers were finally getting to the top of the mountain again. Quite a few of your former colleagues to hear from there.

So, getting back on thread, aside from BD making a similarly awe-inspiring run to the mid- to late 1970s, what new direction can they go in musically? What areas of Jazz and the like haven't you guys already explored that could be a new and challenging fit?