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The history of the Westshoremen


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8 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

i do wish there had been more interest in performing in Annapolis. 

That would have been cool.  I could have played in the morning and announced at night!!!  LOL

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  • 1 month later...

I just felt the need to do this and I've been thinking and remembering hard the past few days.

 

16 years old, talking to Steve after I noticed his jacket at District Band at Bald Eagle-Nittany High School. Not realizing that just a bit over 40 years ago, that a pretty deep friendship was starting. I know I've talked about it before... but the conversation over lunch was pretty serious. I wanted to march somewhere, I'd been to '78 Championships as a spectator, and I was pretty unsure about the 9th place Westshoremen. Steve told me there was a plan, they were going to get better, and I could be a part of it, and that maybe being part of growing Westshore might be something special. I showed up about 40 years ago this month.

I'm thinking of all the conversations we had over the next 5 years now and reflecting. Either in his old Datsun Wagon, aka the Suckmobile, which was used as a rehearsal site for the drumline, who would play on the roof, or my old Buick-Opel. I had one of those Junior Licenses and Dad trusted Steve to be the 'responsible adult driver' if I got pulled over late at night at the beginning.

 

We did a lot of listening to a lot of recordings... I remember when he got the 78 RPM dub from Don Wertz from Lewistown of the 1946 Longshoremen Championship recording, and we reflected on the changes. Listening to Kansas and breaking down the compositions. Various jazz bands and arrangements and just breaking things down and thinking deep. Talking about different corps, why they sounded unique, I remember listening to SCV's Black Orchid with Steve... a LOT of BD, and learning why Phantom's Romany Life number was such a well, car crash. Or, listening to the original Phantom version of Ballet Estancia and really thinking about the fact unison wasn't necessarily... 'easy' after listening to it. Things and ideas we both took with us for later on.

 

Driving through Sterrett's gap on a great day to a practice in Carlisle... listening to Chicago and Steve telling me Danny Seraphine was a woefully underrated Drummer... I listened hard, and Steve was right.... and the guy's still underrated.

 

Sometimes... Steve would light up when he drove. "Take the wheel while I light up". The one thing I have always appreciated with Steve was that he implicitly trusted me that I wouldn't screw up. I leaned over taking the wheel, thinking "Jesus Christ, don't wipe out on 322!" 

 

I remember the first time I met his Dad, who was a professional Interior Decorator, and he was working on custom curtains for a bank client. he was ironing and creasing in pleats , and I was blown away, perfectly spaced, razor sharp, and straight. He laughed, kept going and told me it wasn't that hard. I think Steve had that attention to detail and exactness partly from his Dad. Do things well, work the details, be exact. His Dad was always amused when I would look at various antiques in his house, and he'd explain them. Things from before modern household appliances, amazing stuff, my sister always had them figured out and knew about them, which tickled him pink. I still remember him explaining the wound wire handles on his pot bellied stove when I asked how the heck you could touch them and not get your hands burned. Steve just grinned, and his Dad laughed. Our families became pretty close. I learned a lot of stuff about auctions, flea markets, and haggling from his Dad. 

 

I remember going to the big bonfire at Fred Benner's Farm with Steve. Fred was his old Band Director, we knew each other, and I went along. great party, got to meet Steve's High School friends the Partner brothers, and well, we partied pretty hard and just caught up on things.

 

I know I can get too wound up, too fiery. Steve always knew what to say, the right encouragement when I was upset after a bad rehearsal... there was always faith and confidence. There were times I knew some folks wanted to kick my axx… Steve was a bulwark for me. I've never forgotten.

 

I think about those times... and so many of us along with Steve and I that were looking for respect, validation, kids wanting to compete with the best and be in the fight. We made it. I think about that friendship that has lasted long after we left corps.

 

Steve laughing and explaining the "Pyramid of Pain" T-Shirt he had on one day and then going on to explain Robbie Robinson as a percussion instructor. After listening to Steve and Ben talking about him... I'm still thinking the guy is some kind of Mad Scientist. 

 

Standing in a press box in West Virginia watching something not go particularly right (I'm being nice here) and Steve and I saying exactly the same thing at the same time in reaction and then exchanging sidelong glances and trying not to laugh. 

 

Calling Steve at Pepper for music needing it NOW... and Steve staying chilled and getting hold of TRN in Texas to get it to me the next day. THANK GOD.

 

I've realized something over the last couple of days. My friendship with Steve has been special and close to my heart. If someone would ask me to trade it for a DCA Championship, I'd tell them to stuff the ring up as far as possible... It's worth far more than any of that and always will be. 

 

Jeff, Ben... if anyone wants to pass this on to Steve's Wife and Steve, please do it, I have no idea how to get in direct touch. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by BigW
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Wow... well said, W.

I am so sorry to hear about Steve's situation. I didn't know him well... but Barbara did, and she spoke very highly of him. They remained friends well after her 'Shore days ended.

Edited by Fran Haring
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I’ll be sure she gets it. I had a long one typed out but the work laptop ate it 

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I too, have been thinking about "Woodstock" aka Rook. I remember Steve convincing me to go along to rehearsal and show in Carlisle with him and Bob... And just "check out the corps"....that crazy day was all it took..I was hooked...Thank you Steve!     After I joined corps I traveled  a season with Bob n Steve in the suck mobile...and had some of best times on the commute to and home from corps rehearsal...Bob, do you remember the night the car spun outta control on ice and we almost went down an embankment close to Rook's home....in his calm voice he calmly told my bro ,who was driving..." Bob, I think  just #### myself...can I smoke in your car?"  With his one eyebrow up (you know what I mean)    

But, Steve was also my home away from home when I went to Temple...as he lived close to my dorm...he was always just a phone call away and for this I am eternally grateful as I was not only homesick but Drum corps sick...it was hard being at college after marching with ya'll.

 

sooooo, thanks to my corps brothers and sisters..you mean the world to me xoxox

Edited by boomboom
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I was 9 when "Sarge" was  a rookie triple player in Dad's last year...1978. Since then I've always been "Jeffy". One of 4 people that have called me that and not ridden in an ambulance. And even as a young full of my own #### young punk, I was always Jeffy, and to the last time we talked 2 months ago...I was Jeffy.

 

Such great advice he gave me as an instructor and as a judge...you could not fluster him, and lord knows I tried LOL. I tried to get the whole TIA percussion community try at Wildwood a few years ago...nope. He'd smile, shake his head, and sip his beer.

He'd still laugh at my worship of Methacton's indoor line the year they did Sambandrea Swing and Downwind. The first year I taught on my own, the first two percussion tapes were Paul Smith, and Steve....and we know how tight they are. Pauls tape was awesome, as expected, but Steve's tape...it showed me you can have fun making a tape for a group. It's an approach i've tried to apply from my first tape. If people would get ruffled, to defuse the situation, he'd always reply "well drum gooder!"

A few years ago, he and Chrstine were part of a panel that all got protested...Steve laughed because i had been judging longer than Christine and she got protested...it meant she was a real judge. I still haven't been protested, and he still teased me I wasn't a real judge.

in 98 at the Catty show, Steve was on IA Music, and our pit was huge...i think they stretched 40-40...and he kept tryng to get around him, and they were sooo good...they kept sucking him in. So the tape ( i still have it) has a spot where he's on a roll....
" I am trying to get out to the band but your pit is 90 yards long with a note every milisecond...OMG! I did not just see that! Your center marimba played cross over flam drags and he scraped the drags like a tenor player! What do you feed these kids!"

Same night, we walk into  critique and we start the fun: " hey...this is an 18...we had a 21 last week! You dropped us 3 points!" Steve never to be flustered...."new sheets this week, lowered the numbers. We brought in Hopkins to consult so we could do the opposite of ( then) CMBC." We lost it.

Our love of the Cowboys. Him talking about Mare and the grandkids...me Christine and Sadie. The last 4 years we got really tight...often at least once a week calls..backed off a little before Christmas, but he had some treatments, family stuff and going to Florida. I heard rumors last week, but didn't want to go public..but I had chatted with Mare a little bit, and knew it wasn't good. As of yesterday he was pretty much asleep 23 hours a day. Mare told me she'd need my help and I told her if she needed me on a plane, all she had to do was call or text. 

2 years ago, when he first got sick, he watched the live feed from Wildwood. Being an administrator, he had access to the back end of our system to see scores as they came in. I get done judging my class, and the first thing I see on my phone is a text from him: " get your #### scores in faster Saturday and Jesus, who died and made you Santa Claus?"

 

And I busted out laghing. Dogtooth won't be as fun this year. Same for the Lobster House. I already miss the calls. But Mare....i'm here. "Uncle Sarge" as Sadie called him was a special guy, and i honestly don't know anyone that hated him...even disliked him greatly. When he was elected to the NJA HOF, I begged John Arendas...who sadly lost his wife Thursday night after  a year long battle with cancer....to be the one who got to tell Steve. He let me do so....and I am not sure who was happier.And if there is video of his acceptance speech, you WILL laugh upon seeing it. He started off saying he began to judge because he was young and needed the money, it meant he may get to ride in a Caddy, and he loved getting sent to all of the Middle East towns by Allentown...Bethlehem, Nazareth...and Paul Smith did the induction speech...because, well Steve and Paul.

 

Sarge...just thank you for being you. I know the end is near, and I hope all is peaceful on your final journey. Knowing you....you're not flustered.

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Yeah, that one freakin' bridge right at the Thompsontown Exit. Someone hit the brakes ahead of me at the wrong time when the bridge was icy and that's when I hit mine and couldn't gather it in. 

 

Every time I cross that *Bleep* bridge in freezing temperatures I think of that, put the car in the middle of the road and keep it straight. 

 

And that whole thing about the "Hawk Eye". Ummmhmmm. Example:

"Jamie, If we have to do this again, Rook is gonna Hawk you!", and Steve would come over with that raised eyebrow with that grin, lean over the individual, and just stare at the victim. Everyone else would just laugh.... and the person got the point. :satisfied:

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14 hours ago, BigW said:

Yeah, that one freakin' bridge right at the Thompsontown Exit. Someone hit the brakes ahead of me at the wrong time when the bridge was icy and that's when I hit mine and couldn't gather it in. 

 

Every time I cross that *Bleep* bridge in freezing temperatures I think of that, put the car in the middle of the road and keep it straight. 

 

And that whole thing about the "Hawk Eye". Ummmhmmm. Example:

"Jamie, If we have to do this again, Rook is gonna Hawk you!", and Steve would come over with that raised eyebrow with that grin, lean over the individual, and just stare at the victim. Everyone else would just laugh.... and the person got the point. :satisfied:

From Mare today:

 

today not as good as yesterday

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