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You know you're a "Fossil"...


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You can name a drum solo by the Corps and the year by hearing it, or you could say the name and Corps and sing it.

Santa Clara, "Young Person's Guide" 1974, 81, "The Clock" 1975, "Birds of Fire" 1975, "Lezginka" 1978, 79, 87.

Blue Devils, "Channel One Suite" 1976,77 78, 86, "Paradox" 1982, 83.

Bridgemen, "Black Market Juggler", 1982, 83.

Now there are snippets. Four measures for snares, then tenors, then basses. All interchangeable, and the movement is becoming more important than the notes.

The Blue Devils are now famous for their warm-up "Diddy" (Which is really cool.)

Not a slam at the kids, but more of a way to say I'm disappointed in the staffs and the current trend.

And not a slam at this particular post but 'fossil' kinda means 'old' to me. Like if you're going to mention singing a corps signature tune from the fossil days. For instance: How The West Was Won or the drum solo titled Unsquare Dance Big Spender, Concerto In F or even The Captains From Castile. I'll bet the old old timers can name the corps that made those (and many others!) famous long before the Stravinsky you cited. Oh, here's another: Baby Elephant Walk; a classic I didn't really care for but the corps that played it made it a staple because the crowd ate it up - not to mention the first instance of a soprano mouthpiece in a Contra Bass.

Just saying ...

Puppet

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And not a slam at this particular post but 'fossil' kinda means 'old' to me. Like if you're going to mention singing a corps signature tune from the fossil days. For instance: How The West Was Won or the drum solo titled Unsquare Dance Big Spender, Concerto In F or even The Captains From Castile. I'll bet the old old timers can name the corps that made those (and many others!) famous long before the Stravinsky you cited. Oh, here's another: Baby Elephant Walk; a classic I didn't really care for but the corps that played it made it a staple because the crowd ate it up - not to mention the first instance of a soprano mouthpiece in a Contra Bass.

Just saying ...

Puppet

  • B.A.C. ("Boston's Articulate Crusaders") played the Unsquare Dance drum solo, as well as Conquest (from Captains of Castile), but before Boston included it in their routine, so did St Vincent's Cadets, Chicago Royal Airs, Cambridge Caballeros, and Des Plaines Vangard. Several others have played it since, including Madison Scouts.
  • Mighty Saint Joe's played Big Spender but so did others including Blue Devils, Etobicoke Crusaders, Chicago Cav's, L.I. Kingsmen...
  • Chuck Quackenbush from Blue Rock played Baby Elephant on his contra, but so did the Royalaires in 63, I.C. Reveries/27th from 1966-69.
    .... and I'm so old I don't buy green bananas anymore.

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  • B.A.C. ("Boston's Articulate Crusaders") played the Unsquare Dance drum solo, as well as Conquest (from Captains of Castile), but before Boston included it in their routine, so did St Vincent's Cadets, Chicago Royal Airs, Cambridge Caballeros, and Des Plaines Vangard. Several others have played it since, including Madison Scouts.
  • Mighty Saint Joe's played Big Spender but so did others including Blue Devils, Etobicoke Crusaders, Chicago Cav's, L.I. Kingsmen...
  • Chuck Quackenbush from Blue Rock played Baby Elephant on his contra, but so did the Royalaires in 63, I.C. Reveries/27th from 1966-69.
    .... and I'm so old I don't buy green bananas anymore.

"Boston's Articulate Crusaders" I like that. I remember IC Reveries doing Baby Elephant Walk, so when they became 27th they continued it? I think I remember 27th first year doing Tropical Gas for concert and Impossible Dream for their closer.

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"Boston's Articulate Crusaders" I like that. I remember IC Reveries doing Baby Elephant Walk, so when they became 27th they continued it? I think I remember 27th first year doing Tropical Gas for concert and Impossible Dream for their closer.

I believe that was "Classical Gas," not 'Tropical.' :tongue:

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I believe that was "Classical Gas," not 'Tropical.' :tongue:

But when you're really old like us what's the difference? Tropical Classical And since you just had to go into so much detail - Leaving out the Casper Troopers, It made me wonder just how many corps played Malaguena. I know Madison Scouts played it on and off from about '63 until the mid 90s. The Bronx Kingsmen and the Muchachos and I seem to remember the Blue Stars ... probably many, many more. Like anything from West Side Story And by now you should know I never miss a chance to post my favorite:

Picture1.png

best guard uniform ... ever.

Puppet

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Best old corps memory the first time seeing copper tdrs played by vanguard and blue debs were just starting their rise. And the best of all, you first drum corps girlfriend who after 37 years finds you on Facebook and says she has been thinking of you. Lol

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I believe that was "Classical Gas," not 'Tropical.' :tongue:

You are right, it was Classical Gas. Tropical gas came from my drinking too much Red Stripe beer in Jamaica a few years later. Caribbean cruise courtesy of US Navy.

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"Boston's Articulate Crusaders" I like that. I remember IC Reveries doing Baby Elephant Walk, so when they became 27th they continued it? I think I remember 27th first year doing Tropical Gas for concert and Impossible Dream for their closer.

In 1968 we played "Baby Elephant" out-of-concert (which was "Hall of the Mountain King" from Peer Gynt #1)

PLayed "Scarboro Fair/Classical Gas" in concert in 1969, 70. (I still love that Jim Wedge arrangement and I can still play every note of my part on my horizontal/rotary G-bugle.)

Played "Impossible Dream" Off-The-Field in 1968, 69, 70. "Danny Boy" wasn't OTF until 1971 (....and I can still play every note of my part on my horizontal/rotary G-bugle.)

Edited by Navillus WP
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You know you are a fossil when you remember....

Marching with piston rotary horns, brand-new ones!

Making the American Flag squad was a huge accomplishment for a color guard member!

Every corps marched a cymbal line,tympanies and one or two keyboards!

There was no marching during the "Concert" number!

The color guard marched with 20 different competition banners, and used them in the show!

Being out of step was an embarassment!

You were taught marching by the designer, who was also the director and extra bus driver!

You could actually hum all of the songs from each corps!

There were three levels of music; loud, #### loud, and Madison loud!

There was no such thing as a food truck, those were the buses which dropped you off for 30 minutes at a mall!

You competed against Michael Boo! :thumbup:

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Making the American Flag squad was a huge accomplishment for a color guard member!

Not to be a smartmouth , but really? :blink: Heading to the corner the first half of the show, and then marching down the 50 for "Color-Pre" and then back to the corner of the field for the rest of the show wasn't what most of the Guard tried out for BITD... Not that it wouldn't be an "Honor" to carry the A-flag, don't get me wrong, I just believe that doing a *little bit* more on the field was what most people tried out for. Hate to say it, but making the A-Squad usually happened to those who couldn't quite make it in the general flag or rifle line... We loved them anyway though :cool:

You competed against Michael Boo! :thumbup:

I whole heartedly agree!

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