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Bayonne Bridgemen


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There used to be a bumper sticker they sold at shows that stated,

"If he's beating a drum

he won't beat his mother."

Anyone one want to share the Royalares stories?

or how the Kilties neede escorts in and out of Canada?

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  • 1 month later...
Many Drum Corps in the early days were a great place for kids to go. many were located in cities where there were very few oppurtunities for youth so you often had the choice of playing sports, playing in a drum corps, or getting into trouble. The corps that I think could have epitomized this sentiment was the CMCC Warriors where there were a lot of at risk kids in the corps. I don't think there's a better way to help kids than to have them invovled in an activity that builds teamwork, personal responsibility and passion such as drum corps does.

I started out in the South Bronx marching for PAL (grafitti artist or vandel, you choose) I learned to play the tenor drum and progressed to snare....I lived only 2 blocks away from the CMCC D&B (174th St and Jerome Ave) would walk by and listen to the hornline playing (Hy Dreizer was the Music Arranger) man did it sound so good...I'd lean against the wall and let the music fill my very being...I was asked to come in serveral time by corps members and staff, but rejected their offers. Didn't think they wanted some hoodlum mingling with them and I had my own reputation to keep...Finally that music just got inside me that I would always walk by and listen for hours, even went on a sunday (didn't know they rehearsed at the Armory instead of their building. Finally I got up the nerve to walk in to their building, I was in awe, shiny bugles (side valve/rotor) drums of all kinds, some that I never seen before, flags and rifles....They were not only a Drum & Bugle Corp but a real Cadet Corps with uniforms and rank and mostly discipline. I was shown around the facility and I couldn't believe all they had to offer. I was asked if I played an instrument and I told them I played a snare drum(very weak player by the way). The drumline was full but there was openings in the hornline!!!!!! I was given sheet music a spare baritone and I froze. I didn't know how to read the music!!!! I was ready to say thank you and leave, but the horn sergeant took me to another practice room and played a note for me to repeat. The first ever note I played was "E" fast forward, all my music was by copying the sound on paper hearing it and within the start of the season, I had 13:10 mins of music all in my head and was sounding as well as a seasoned player!!!! I marched till I got blisters on my feet and sweat pouring down my eyes

arms sore from holding up that baritone, even used a shoulder carry euphonium. My fondest memory was practice at the park across the street from Yankee Stadium and the people on the train platform above the street were screaming and shouting for more, my chest swelled and I stood taller and marched smarter, we all did, no green shirt could deduct a "tic" that spring afternoon. I could go on....I left the Corps early, never aged out because the Iranians had taken over the US Embassy in Tehran. I spoke with the Corps elders and members, no one wanted me to leave but, they instilled in me a discipline and pride for being an American, that I knew I had to do this, so after 5 South Bronxers failed making it to the Ranger Battalion, I became the first to be a Ranger in the 1st Ranger Battalion (Pre-75th Ranger Regiment). But thats another story. This is in memory of "Papa D" James Dixon Sr CMCC Warriors Drum & Bugle Corps Quartermaster and WWI Veteran, Thanks for believing in me, you are missed......Sons of blood and thunder......

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wow...

Awesome story!

Thank you for sharing it with us, and thank you for your service to our country!

JJ

P.S. - Always loved the Warriors, and its members.

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I grew up in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. While a lot of my friends were out doing things that got them arrested, I was at rehearsal so, drum corps was a major factor in my positive upbringing. The other was the foot or feet that could potentially be inserted in my rear end by my mom and or other members of my family. That being said , as we all know there were things done around drum corps that might get you in trouble elsewhere but in that controlled environment, it was dealt with and you learned from your mistake in no uncertain terms.

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I grew up in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. While a lot of my friends were out doing things that got them arrested, I was at rehearsal so, drum corps was a major factor in my positive upbringing. The other was the foot or feet that could potentially be inserted in my rear end by my mom and or other members of my family. That being said , as we all know there were things done around drum corps that might get you in trouble elsewhere but in that controlled environment, it was dealt with and you learned from your mistake in no uncertain terms.

Hey Frank - remember that great story about the Bronx Kingsmen? During every one of their rehearsals for about three months, this guy who lived across the street from the park would call the police. Finally the cop told the guy "c'mon, which would you rather have, music in the night or your car stolen?" The guy stopped calling.

And I don't know about now, but who the heck were we traveling up to two hours on the NYC transit system to rehearsals, and then after AT LIKE 10 OR 11 PM, travel back home again? Try to find that kind of dedication in some 12 to 15 year olds now?

Puppet

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The Stockton "Police" Commodores director, Gene Castles, was a policeman in the Stockton P.D. He worked out an arrangement with the courts to give certain kids, bad but not completely incorrigible, who got into trouble the option of joining the Commodores instead of going to Juvenile detention or CYA (California Youth Authority). It had a profound effect on many disadvantaged, troubled youth in the area.

Can you imagine? You get in trouble with the law and your punishment is that you have to go and learn how to play a bugle from Jim Ott.

Ya know what Russell? When I first saw the Commodores, I couldn't help but think that these kids you didn't want to mess with. They were bad 'ssed, tough, and struttin' their stuff. Yet, at the same time, they showed so such class on the field, marched and played so well that you couldn't help but fall in love with them. Good Corps man. I miss them.

"Traces" Forever...

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Hey Frank - remember that great story about the Bronx Kingsmen? During every one of their rehearsals for about three months, this guy who lived across the street from the park would call the police. Finally the cop told the guy "c'mon, which would you rather have, music in the night or your car stolen?" The guy stopped calling.

And I don't know about now, but who the heck were we traveling up to two hours on the NYC transit system to rehearsals, and then after AT LIKE 10 OR 11 PM, travel back home again? Try to find that kind of dedication in some 12 to 15 year olds now?

Puppet

Very true, but then we didn't have Playstation 3 or computers to take up our time (lol).

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And I don't know about now, but who the heck were we traveling up to two hours on the NYC transit system to rehearsals, and then after AT LIKE 10 OR 11 PM, travel back home again? Try to find that kind of dedication in some 12 to 15 year olds now?

Puppet

Puppet,

I used to walk to rehearsals. Took about half an hour. Uphill in a foot of snow, with my brother on my back!! Kidding, but I know what you're talking about. It's a dedication to the organization that it was all about. Just to be among giants! A sum so much bigger than its little parts. You didn't need talent - that's what made it so special!! A bunch of kids that didn't know diddley, and a bunch of dedicated instructors who beat the talent into them and put something on the field that made people jump up and down screaming and clapping. Brassmen, CMCC, Des Plaines Vanguard, Troopers, Bridgemen, St. Lucy's and so many others - those were my heroes in the early 1970's. I didn't audition for the 27th Lancers. Audition??? I could stand up. That was my audition. Jim Wedge, George Zingali and countless others beat me until I was good enough. (Well, Wedge never actualy beat me) - but the others did. Much love atcha Puppet, you are a DRUM CORPS LEGEND

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Puppet,

I used to walk to rehearsals. Took about half an hour. Uphill in a foot of snow, with my brother on my back!! Kidding, but I know what you're talking about. It's a dedication to the organization that it was all about. Just to be among giants! A sum so much bigger than its little parts. You didn't need talent - that's what made it so special!! A bunch of kids that didn't know diddley, and a bunch of dedicated instructors who beat the talent into them and put something on the field that made people jump up and down screaming and clapping. Brassmen, CMCC, Des Plaines Vanguard, Troopers, Bridgemen, St. Lucy's and so many others - those were my heroes in the early 1970's. I didn't audition for the 27th Lancers. Audition??? I could stand up. That was my audition. Jim Wedge, George Zingali and countless others beat me until I was good enough. (Well, Wedge never actualy beat me) - but the others did. Much love atcha Puppet, you are a DRUM CORPS LEGEND

Blush!

Thank you.

Puppet

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