BigW Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 My history was only from 1978 (1977 for DCI, mainly from watching it on PBS) and I must say that the transition from what I saw in 1978, to what I DID in the 80's was an amazing turn around. Clifton was surreal experience, and the best part of it was that we didn't KNOW how good we were at that point!...the nucleus of people that were there in 1982 that I started with in 1979 was small, and there were a FEW that were there from earlier years....our attitude was hopefully taking out someone during the year that we hadn't beaten ever before...we didn't know we were going to do it NOW and with a big vengeance! I think most of us were a tad peeved that we dropped to 6th at the end of 81 after making top 5 in 80, we wanted to remedy that! Yeah- I went to 78 DCA as a spectator and saw 77 DCA on TV. Rook really had to sell me when I talked to him at District Band- he said the corps was going to get better- a LOT better. He was so serious and sincere I believed him. And I think we did have a pretty big reservoir of absolute frustration after 81. You know, I listened to 81 a few times recently with a judges' jaundiced eye and the corps was pretty decent. There wasn't anything in terms of horns where I was left shaking my finger at as a really bad issue. I think it was just that the show was so scattergunned in conecpt, trying to hit everything musically and that it didn't give us any kind of identity that hurt us. At the end we weren't that far out from Hawthorne. Frank's recent article I think hits the nail on the head about what was going on. Westshore had serious long term goals, that had started several years before that everyone bought into and sincerely believed in. When that goal got stopped in 1981, Maybe it discouraged some of the people who didn't come back. Very understandable. I also think management quietly asked some people not to come back. Those who stayed wanted that long term plan back on track. Period. I note here that Ben and I pretty much said the same thing- we wanted to beat someone we hadn't before- just one of those corps, and get 4th or better in 1982. In other words, do what was needed to achieve our goals. when we had the win at Clifton thrown into our laps, it wasn't what we expected, and a big thing to deal with for a lot of us. We were still pretty young people for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Somerset and Musselman have wonderful pie. BITD Pittston had some fantastic Italian Wedding Soup and Haluski. Elkins' food is real nice too. Yah drive a zillion miles and get in there starved, you don't forget a good meal. ohhh Shamokin and the pierogies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 At the Reilly Shamrock show Dave Fisher was talking about the Dizzy World trip. Hearing a kid say "Mommy, why does the creek smell?" and realizing it was the unis. Then Dave and Rick Adams were going thru the "You Suck.. no you suck.." bit and then explained it was something they picked up from Gary Ulrich. ... oh yeah... the Barelytones <$1 to Rich T?>. I was roaring and young lady (now in the Air Force ) who never did corps was like --> I never got into the pain for the sake of winning stuff so glad I was in when I was. Just let me play my #### horn and BS with people and I'm happy. But youse guyz had yer fun too. the thing was...in 90, we didnt worry about the win much. it had been such a yo yo season. even finals weekend, after having the best score in DCA the weekend before, we didn't worry. in 96, from midseason til Disney, the win became everything to some members. Then something happened in Disney, that I can get to 20 years from now when we're finally up to 96, I can splain how the win became secondary, even after ####### th bed at prelims and finding ourselves looking up at Cabs going into finals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 What years did the "Barry Boys" originally march? I know Dave and Randy did a little time here and there, but Don was there a LONG time. How abut Bob Spichler? (I'll never forget Ogre yelling to him one day "Hey Spich, how your wife and my kid?") Don taught for a bunch of years too. he was the drumlines drill tech for several years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 it's crazy, being just a kid when you guys marched, how I remember watching the corps go through it's ups and downs, being part of both towards the end, and the re-birth as an alumni corps. Sure, in 73, Dad jumped to the Yankee rebels, but he always kept touch with Shore,and we'd go see them periodically. I loved the Rebs and the folks there, but to me, it was always about Westshore. If we'd be at a show and Westshore wasn't there, I was ######. by 82 and 83 I got togo along more often and got to watch the corps improve, and actually beat corps I always dreamed about. I remember the frustration in 83 at the end, and was at the meeting when leadership changed. I was very frustrated the corps wasn't rebounding as quickly in the mid 80's, and couldn't wait until Mom finally took off the chains and let me march. In 89, we didn't realize we were getting good, we just got our ### kicked every weekend and kept trying. Popping a 19.1 at the last Carlisle show ever in drums floored us. in 90, we came back with expectations, but not of how the season was...it was nuts. Up one week, down the next, and then finals weekend. 91-94, the real world got in the way but I went around often. I was at the meeting after 94 when it was decided the corps was done. I cried. When I found out Jerry was taking over, I was skeptical. The week before Serenade, I stopped in to say hey, and ended up being recruited to play for SIB. Next thing you know, I'm wearing the drum full time. We knew we had potential, but never expected 2nd, and being undefeated in drums. 96...we were hungry, but the focus was on good, not wins....til we got some wins. The staff really did a good job keeping scores from being a topic. Disney happened, then the next week we went out with 11 holes ( thanks WCU band camp), and while everyone else in DCA was thinking "they're choking", we weren't. We just kept working. Then I heard Fran's voice ....."and in 2nd place, with a score of 96.8......The Haw" ( couldn't hear the rest)....wow. Only to see it fall apart in 97. I didnt march as the job got in the way, the mess of 98 and beyond....wow. To seeit rise and fall so many times......and still rumors abound of another rise. The names metioned arent kids anymore. They aren't going to do it. It's going to take a nutjob like me winning millions to make ithappen. so ######, go outand fuel my future winnings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Somerset and Musselman have wonderful pie. BITD Pittston had some fantastic Italian Wedding Soup and Haluski. Elkins' food is real nice too. Yah drive a zillion miles and get in there starved, you don't forget a good meal. W, I'm the same way.... Barbara was amused at how many times I remembered a place I'd been by the food and/or drink I had there (drum corps destinations and otherwise). I told her it was a family trait... and it kinda is. A number of my family members are the same way. An army... or a drum corps... marches on its stomach, to borrow a phrase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Then I heard Fran's voice ....."and in 2nd place, with a score of 96.8......The Haw" ( couldn't hear the rest)....wow. That was a wild night. Barbara was next to me, helping me keep track of the scores/awards order (as she always did)... and so was Rod Yetter of the Chieftains, who was helping out with the awards ceremony. We got the scores/awards in hand... took a look... and Barbara, I and Rod were like, "holy mackerel!!!"... and then we all had to do our best not to give anything away with our body language or whatever. LOL. When I'm working a show I always keep a bottle of water handy in case I need a quick drink to avoid dry mouth. That night, I got to the second-place score... and before reading it I reached for my water bottle to take a sip... and Rod smiled and said to me, "Better take a nice long drink!!!..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I didn't hear the score we recieved at 1996 finals. I remember the hornline going bonkers behind me. The drumline was motionless, due to countless hours of "indoctrination". I wanted to "jump out of my cowboy boots", but didn't. I still hadn't heard the score and asked Mickey Petrone's wife what our score was. I'm kinda proud of the way the line handled things, that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Nutz... forgot about Don B, saw him in one of the WSM FB pics from 80s or 90s and my jaw dropped. Dave was in from 74 (if not earlier) until 79 or so. Think I saw him at 80 or 81 Carlisle and he was not marching. Randy I just can't place. Spichler came in around 77/78 or so. Saw him at winter practice on the CV stage and thought grandpa was checking things out before he let the kid join. Then Grandpa picks up a horn and sits his butt down. Then we thought first long drill rehearsal he'd be gone, wrong again. Probably hardest thing he did in the corps was NOT killing someone (Ogre or Bowser?) when the wife and kids line was used (he was highly PO'ed). I remember sitting with him at the Hbg Moose after the 79 Forum show, he bought me a beer and said something like "if you get nailed, you don't know me!" Tough old dude, I'm guessing military of some sort?? Not sure when Don marched...he went to school with my brother (class of 73) and when I said I joined Westshore, he said "does Don Barry still march?" I went to high school with Randy (Dave graduated the year before I got there, but got to know him through Randy) Randy was the one that said to me "hey, we lost one of our cymbal players, why don't you just come to practice next weekend..we're going to New Orleans!" (which was why the parents said..." Um... NO!" Randy was a bass drummer in 78 and 79, not sure about the years prior to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 it's crazy, being just a kid when you guys marched, how I remember watching the corps go through it's ups and downs, being part of both towards the end, and the re-birth as an alumni corps. Sure, in 73, Dad jumped to the Yankee rebels, but he always kept touch with Shore,and we'd go see them periodically. I loved the Rebs and the folks there, but to me, it was always about Westshore. If we'd be at a show and Westshore wasn't there, I was ######. by 82 and 83 I got togo along more often and got to watch the corps improve, and actually beat corps I always dreamed about. I remember the frustration in 83 at the end, and was at the meeting when leadership changed. I was very frustrated the corps wasn't rebounding as quickly in the mid 80's, and couldn't wait until Mom finally took off the chains and let me march. In 89, we didn't realize we were getting good, we just got our ### kicked every weekend and kept trying. Popping a 19.1 at the last Carlisle show ever in drums floored us. in 90, we came back with expectations, but not of how the season was...it was nuts. Up one week, down the next, and then finals weekend. 91-94, the real world got in the way but I went around often. I was at the meeting after 94 when it was decided the corps was done. I cried. When I found out Jerry was taking over, I was skeptical. The week before Serenade, I stopped in to say hey, and ended up being recruited to play for SIB. Next thing you know, I'm wearing the drum full time. We knew we had potential, but never expected 2nd, and being undefeated in drums. 96...we were hungry, but the focus was on good, not wins....til we got some wins. The staff really did a good job keeping scores from being a topic. Disney happened, then the next week we went out with 11 holes ( thanks WCU band camp), and while everyone else in DCA was thinking "they're choking", we weren't. We just kept working. Then I heard Fran's voice ....."and in 2nd place, with a score of 96.8......The Haw" ( couldn't hear the rest)....wow. Only to see it fall apart in 97. I didnt march as the job got in the way, the mess of 98 and beyond....wow. To seeit rise and fall so many times......and still rumors abound of another rise. The names metioned arent kids anymore. They aren't going to do it. It's going to take a nutjob like me winning millions to make ithappen. so ######, go outand fuel my future winnings Your 97 was my 84...I was all set to take a year off and do other things, but..well...we'll get to it... I already have most of it written out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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