MARDI GRAS

[The Other Mike]

I've sensed the past 2 seasons I've marched with GCS a negative vibe from just 2 GNODCA members in which you see in the previous post stated by Brian "I guess that goes to show that we are only now discovering some things concerning GCS that our eyes were not fully opened to over the last two years." this pretty much sums everything up. I've been marching GCS for 2 yrs now so we know who that message was directed of and to.

I've been discussing this with friends from GNODCA the past week and am not happy with what I've been hearing said about me especially from what I've done for GNODCA and have not a #### thing to show for it yet I'm depicted as a devious enemy. All in all the problem lays with just 2 people I know of and no one else. So, my other friends from GNODCA I look forward to jamming with them this Sat. evening while the 2 overgrown kids can go and sit in the corner of the parking lot and pout.

btw... if your trying to rebuild and form a product to cater to the community start by not burning bridges with the band directors of the area 'cause you've done so twice over already.

It's always a three sided deal in New orleans. The people who want things to grow and will follow, the people who know how to make it grow and then the people who THINK they know because they marched in a class B corps 30 years ago and think they know everything yet can't ever see the big picture. And yet people wonder why Marty Hurley went to Phantom and Moe Latour left for Blue Stars then Star and then Cadets. Forward thinking people ( in general ) are rare in New Orleans, not just in drum corps. Forward thinking people can only take stupidity for so long.

Back in 80 or 82 ? I can't remember but there was a decent product being built that had alot of potiential for growth. The kids were there, the money was there etc. Charlie and I were invited to come out and hear the horn line and with both of us being band directors who knew/marched/taught/judged corps, those people realized the potential of not just having our kids involved, having us involved could have pushed things to open class and possibly a top 12 rank. But, true to form, as we walked in there were the handful of snots that had to make the comment " oh everybody look, the professionals are here.

We politely listened, gave the people that had asked us to come our thoughts and left.

And where is THAT corps now ?

Then in 86 when I put together the package .............but told them forget it when 2 idiots fought me tooth and nail because they wanted to OWN our own buses so we could paint them in corps colors instead of the "at cost" deal I had worked on for charter buses. Then they had the balls to use MY name for the corps.

I agree Thomas, some people are trying to do something, but it's like trying to run a marathon dragging a 80 pound sack of manure on your back.

One of them who has really gotten a snootfull came up to me at the parade the other night and just looked at me with a look of disbelief on his face and said " And you guys do this for a LIVING ? I had no idea just how many stupid things you had to deal with".

I just smiled.

It's a shame because there really are some people trying to go in the right direction, they just don't know which way to go.

Back several years ago when we had decided to just do the Alumni corps and possibly a mini corps, I urged people who had the time to march with GCS with the understanding that IF we could get a mini corps going, they would march both GCS AND the mini corps. It was a good relationship and we welcomed anyone who could come to New Orleans and march with us. GCS sent several people each year, yet no one would make the trip to Houston to march with them. To me, that was a slap in the face to GCS.

Oh I better shut up............................

[The Other Mike]

The parade organizations do not have everything laid out and know the exact days they are marching until the work with teh city to coordinate the many parades and the city approves everything each year only a few months before the parade, and so the parade organizations do not have contracts to have signed by marching groups, so no announcement could be given before it was, though we understand GCS's eagerness to know the dates so that y'all could come and march. All local band directors in this area are familiar with that process as they are approached by the parade organizations after they have their parade details approved by the city.

Sorry Brian, that is not true. The parades ( unless a new krewe ) know their dates way in advance.

I get most of my parade letters in September and a few call me before school lets out the year before.

I can well understand the hesitations on scheduling parades too far in advance and not knowing if you can put a product in the street, but that should not be blamed on the krewes.

And let's be UPFRONT that parades in Metairie are NOT the real Mardi Gras. Metairie parades are for the most part a cheap knock off of downtown parades.

Edited January 30, 2008 by The Other Mike

[LSU GRAD 82]

Being a life long native of New Orleans and in Houston temporarily since Katrina, I find all this funny stuff. Why dont yall just shut the you know what up and quit airing your dirty laundry in public.

Who's side do I take? I just know that the "Chocolate City" is full of idiots and I find Mike's comments to ring the truest. Nothing of substance ever has and ever will become into reality drum corps wise in the New Orleans because of the reasons Mike stated. Too many know it alls with huge egos that cant get out of their own way and see the big picture.

BTW, why would I want to march in ANY drum corps whose TOTAL membership is barely larger than my college drumline and why would I want to miss Endymion or Bacchus to do just that?..........

P.S. Louisiana State University- 2007 College Football National Champions. Geaux Tigers!

[5drumsweeps]

BTW, why would I want to march in ANY drum corps whose TOTAL membership is barely larger than my college drumline and why would I want to miss Endymion or Bacchus to do just that?..........

....because we perform and play MUCH better than that slop of an LSU line. This is Drum & Bugle Corps not wanna be instructors who are students trying to teach other undergrads DCI exercises.

Besides.. remember your post: "Snare tilt = Black college and high school marching band percussion sections with straps and leg rests........"

You were right.. why don't some folks just shut the you know what up already and just ___________..........

[5drumsweeps]

It's always a three sided deal in New orleans. The people who want things to grow and will follow, the people who know how to make it grow and then the people who THINK they know because they marched in a class B corps 30 years ago and think they know everything yet can't ever see the big picture. And yet people wonder why Marty Hurley went to Phantom and Moe Latour left for Blue Stars then Star and then Cadets. Forward thinking people ( in general ) are rare in New Orleans, not just in drum corps. Forward thinking people can only take stupidity for so long.

Back in 80 or 82 ? I can't remember but there was a decent product being built that had alot of potiential for growth. The kids were there, the money was there etc. Charlie and I were invited to come out and hear the horn line and with both of us being band directors who knew/marched/taught/judged corps, those people realized the potential of not just having our kids involved, having us involved could have pushed things to open class and possibly a top 12 rank. But, true to form, as we walked in there were the handful of snots that had to make the comment " oh everybody look, the professionals are here.

We politely listened, gave the people that had asked us to come our thoughts and left.

And where is THAT corps now ?

Then in 86 when I put together the package .............but told them forget it when 2 idiots fought me tooth and nail because they wanted to OWN our own buses so we could paint them in corps colors instead of the "at cost" deal I had worked on for charter buses. Then they had the balls to use MY name for the corps.

I agree Thomas, some people are trying to do something, but it's like trying to run a marathon dragging a 80 pound sack of manure on your back.

One of them who has really gotten a snootfull came up to me at the parade the other night and just looked at me with a look of disbelief on his face and said " And you guys do this for a LIVING ? I had no idea just how many stupid things you had to deal with".

I just smiled.

It's a shame because there really are some people trying to go in the right direction, they just don't know which way to go.

Back several years ago when we had decided to just do the Alumni corps and possibly a mini corps, I urged people who had the time to march with GCS with the understanding that IF we could get a mini corps going, they would march both GCS AND the mini corps. It was a good relationship and we welcomed anyone who could come to New Orleans and march with us. GCS sent several people each year, yet no one would make the trip to Houston to march with them. To me, that was a slap in the face to GCS.

Oh I better shut up............................

The relations between GCS and 'certain' members of GNODCA are still alive and valuable (1 of the members marching with Echoe's this Sat. I grew up with in the same neighborhood 4 houses down from each other), like I said its just a few people in GNODCA who have a problem with me now, and if it were not for GCS or marching Drum & Bugle Corps I would most likely be 1 of the most bitter individual's having to deal with that we had to post Katrina 'cause GNODCA was providing nothing but domestic problems which were spilling over into our occupation.

[The Other Mike]

....because we perform and play MUCH better than that slop of an LSU line. This is Drum & Bugle Corps not wanna be instructors who are students trying to teach other undergrads DCI exercises.

Besides.. remember your post: "Snare tilt = Black college and high school marching band percussion sections with straps and leg rests........"

You were right.. why don't some folks just shut the you know what up already and just ___________..........

OUCH, man I can see you guys have had dealings before this thread.

But as far as slings.............one word; Bridgemen

but in three words: Black Market Juggler

[The Other Mike]

GCS,

Where are you guys staying in New Orleans ?

We have other groups staying at the high school but now that I have a lower school building all to my own I can offer you guys a place to sleep or rest only a few miles from the parade and showers in the gym.

I live 3 houses away from the lower school so it's not a problem.

Just don't steal my xylophone ( rimshot )

[The Other Mike]

BTW, why would I want to march in ANY drum corps whose TOTAL membership is barely larger than my college drumline and why would I want to miss Endymion or Bacchus to do just that?..........

Well for many of us in New Orleans that did march corps, there were years that all of the corps WERE that small during Mardi Gras. Depending on the parade and which high school bands were marching in the same parade............If E.J., Bonnabel, Rummel, O.P.Walker and Chalmette were all marching that night the Southern Rebels, Bleu Raeders, Stardusters and Masqueraders were lucky to have 20 people each. In the 60's, the corps were bigger because they had less kids in band and most of the membership were kids off the street. As the 70's rolled in more and more high school band kids marched corps and it could kill a corps when most of the membership had their band in the same parade.

I remember marching with my band for Atlas on Friday night, 2 parades with the corps on Saturday and Sunday each, With the corps for Feret on Monday, Pegasus on Tuesday, some parade in Chalmette on wednesday and Momus on Thursday, back with the band for Diana on Friday, a Saturday day parade on the Westbank with the corps, a Saturday night parade with the band, Sunday afternoon with the band, Sunday night with the corps for Bacchus and Monday night with the band for Zues ( sp ? )

Thats 15 , yes, 15 Mardi Gras parades in a week and a half. And I wonder why I'm having so much trouble with my knees these days.

Miss Endymion and Bacchus ?

I'm just too old to fight the traffic and the crowds. In my younger years I loved catching any parade I could. Now, as a band director since 78, my crowd days are long gone and since we have a full week off for Mardi Gras I clean house and lay on the sofa when not working on the model railroad. ( when you own a 3,000 square foot model railroad, it's take up alot of time )

Keep enjoying it as long as you can. One day early old age will hit like a ton of bricks and you will wonder how you ever did it.

[The Other Mike]

Ok, heres the link to the railroad

http://www.ccmrc.com/

and a map of the layout

http://www.ccmrc.com/images/ccmrcmap.jpg

[ContraMarine272]

Ok, heres the link to the railroad

http://www.ccmrc.com/

and a map of the layout

http://www.ccmrc.com/images/ccmrcmap.jpg

That's awesome, Mike. If I didn't have my railroad hobby I couldn't stay sane enough to do Drum Corps!!

FYI, I'm modeling Rio Grande's Tennessee Pass in N scale, circa 1988.