20th Anniversary of "The Frack"

[bartyount]

Well, 20 years later you started a DCP thread about it, and it has generated 50+ responses. So I guess the answer is yes, some folks just can't get past it.

You may be mistaking reminiscing for not getting past something.

[drumno5]

You may be mistaking reminiscing for not getting past something.

Maybe yes, maybe no...

Fred O.

[ContraRich77]

No, I labeled "The Frack" as a benchmark (deserved or not). Most activities/subjects have historical benchmarks that define its existence. If I were to compare 'The Frack" to one of the above mentioned historical events, I would have discussed details of each event and tried to evaluate the similarities between the two (which would be silly).

As an alumnus of the 1989 Blue Devils corps, I'd say "The Frack" is COMPLETELY appropriate.

And, we love talking about it! MORE!

(ducks and runs)

[BRASSO]

I was there that night. I remember it being like the tropics in Arrowhead. Very warm and extremely humid. When I watched the re-run of the telecast the following day, you really got a "close up" view of the conditions and of that unfortunate moment. It's one of those moments where you don't want a camera zoomed all up in your face; sweat pouring down and the "oh s***" expression that speaks volumes without words.

I didn't mind Blue Devils in '89. I disliked the uniforms and wasn't much a fan of the Premiers with the Yamaha stickers on them.

I found Curt Gowdy's ramblings and bumblings of BD to be quite unforgettable, too...

"They're wearing black pants! **slight pause**...Which gives and interesting contrast to...blah, blah, blah.

Gotta love an old sports commentator that really knew absolutely nothing about drum corps.

I 'll put in a plug in defense of Curt Gowdy. Today the activity is being subjected to sportswriters and sports commentators ridiculing the Drum Corps activity . 2 weeks ago a national sportswriter had some very harsh words to say about Drum Corps and it's marchers and fans. Curt Gowdy, a national Sports Commentator was a fan of Drum Corps. He loved the activity. He first became aware of Drum Corps as a resident of Wyoming and later as the play by play announcer of the Boston Red Sox. He became quite familiar as a result in the 60's of the Troopers and the Boston Crusaders. So when he was asked at the last moment to be a broadcaster to the DCI Championships, he agreed to do it. Yes, his knowledge of the intricacies of the activity and in particularly how the corps are judged came thru in his few stumblings during the telecast. But Curt Gowdy was a great Man. Many people don't realize it, but Gowdy was an All American College Basketball player at point Guard for the Univ. Wyoming in his younger sports playing days. He was not just a good college basketball player. He was was of the best in the country. Yet this " jock " became a friend and fan of Drum Corps later in life. The comment that " he really knew absolutely nothing about Drum Corps " is simply factually incorrect. Also, you would never.... ever... have heard Curt Gowdy, the sportwriter and sports commentator refer to Drum Corps marchers as " geeks " or as " bandos "as we've heard from the sports world of late. Curt Gowdy is in the Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame, as one of the best Sports Broadcasters that ever lived covering Olympics, World Series, etc. The fact that he was a fan of the activity should not be lost depite a few unfortunate comments during the televised broadcast. Drum Corps was trying to move into the popular culture at that time and Curt Gowdy tried to help give it national recognition with his agreeing to participate in the TV broadcast at the very last minute when called.. Everybody in America who followed sports knew who Curt Gowdy was . And this was a DCI coup to have him agree to participate in the telecast.We should be honored to have had him despite a few unknowing comments he made during the telecast..... Curt Gowdy... Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, overall great guy, and fan of the Drum and Bugle Corps..... may you R.I. P.

Edited July 13, 2009 by BRASSO

[Threats]

True. But how about the end of 90 BD and "Tommy". Killer lip trill, Mr. BbTrpt1, if I remember and what a sound.... yeah man!

Mr. Larry Shane, truly one of a kind.

You may be able to find some old videos of Florida Wave on the-site-that-shan't-be-mentioned, where you will also find Larry's soloing...1987, 1988, and 1989, if I am not mistaken.

[Michael Boo]

I 'll put in a plug in defense of Curt Gowdy. Today the activity is being subjected to sportswriters and sports commentators ridiculing the Drum Corps activity . 2 weeks ago a national sportswriter had some very harsh words to say about Drum Corps and it's marchers and fans.

Do you remember what was written or who wrote it? Is it available to read on the Internet? I wonder what their logic was.

Curt Gowdy, a national Sports Commentator was a fan of Drum Corps. He loved the activity.

I had the honor of riding with him the morning after Jackson 1993 when a jet took him to Boston Logan and then dropped off the rest in Bloomington. He really was quite enamored of the activity and thought what he saw was worthy of any respect given to any set of athletes.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Michael Boo

[byline]

Do you remember what was written or who wrote it? Is it available to read on the Internet? I wonder what their logic was.

This may be the columnist the poster is referring to: Dennis Dodd thread

[eqlou]

I like the solo. The show sounds weird when I listen to the semis version. To me it gives the show character, ugly solo for a beautiful ballad. Plus he hits the sh1t out of the last note. Almost like he was just doing it on purpose. That's jazz baby!

[ohbaby]

Okay, all this talk of 89 has me motivated to start my project.

About 6 months ago I found on Ebay, a set of multi-cam vhs prelims of the top 25, it was very $$$, but worth it. I am going to make a dvd from these and when I get done, if anyone wants the tapes please let me know. (I may list them on Ebay)

It is nice to have a BD show that is how all of us remember it. Also, the SCV Finals has a bad sop solo that often gets overlooked too, I wonder if their prelims show was any better.

Edited July 13, 2009 by ohbaby

[supersop]

It wasn't a "FRACK" .. it's was a meltdown.

When he went of for the dub C (I think that was the note) and his face caved in ... everything after was a chain reaction. Two more missed attempts to hit the dub C. A fracked attempt at a fill and the 3 decending notes which were actually correct sounded as if he were exhaling his last breathes. The ending was nice ..... then the intro to the drum solo was frack laden along with some flat tire missed notes on the bottom end. (NOPE, I didn't even bother pulling out the CD. Every note is burned in my brain forever).

Now, that said, does it define the 89 Blue Devils? To me, NO. There were some awesome moments in that show and still stands as one of my favorite arranging efforts by Mr. Downey. Will everyone always remember that meltdown? Yep. Will it be the most talked about event of 1989 apart from PR taking 2nd? YEP!

All that said, let's just be honest. That was no frack. To this day I fast forward the track or whip out my legacy CD's which have Prelims cut in that section. It's painful to watch or even imagine what's going through that poor guys head. He never missed it all year .... dead nuts ON every single time, except when it counted. I'd say it more defines the soloist than it does the corps. I'm sure it's still something that haunts him to this day. I only hope that the rumors I heard about what happened at the busses after finals aren't true.

I'm sure he required some therapy after that night and probably does to this day. For that, I always say a little prayer for the guy when I pull out my 89 recordings. The guy was a monster player and should be remembered as such. But one night, on the most important night in a corps season and of his life (probably), a gremlin crawled so far up his horn it possessed his body and wouldn't let go.

[/honestly]