chasing a ring/ not what you think

[oldtimefan]

PREFACE: Its ok to do this in my mind. We all have our reasons we marched where we marched. Times have truly changed, but this has happened since the advent of DCI.

That said, why did you march where you marched.

I will start with my first corps being the Dubuque Colts. They were my first corps. I marched there as they are my hometown corps. They were in need of people. BAD. They took me with ZERO experience and no audition. 13 years old and heres some cymbals. Here is how you count and here is when you crash. Talk about a learning curve.

I then marched with the Guardsmen on bassdrum for a season. It was a trying year, but it was fun. I had a roommate that was the hardest working snare drummer I have ever met. He was non stop practice. Even on the bus he wouldn't stop. He went to the bathroom while people slept and practiced. He told me all season, Garfield will win DCI and I will be with them. He went to Garfield in 83 and marched the threepeat. Ringchaser? Sure, but he earned every bit of it.

My last corps I marched was in Kansas. The Sky Ryders. My junior year of high school. I loved every bit of their style and wanted to be a part of them. Guardsmen were folding and I didn't want to go back to Colts. ( I just didn't want to spend my time so close to home ) Sky had a drum corps world ad looking for members and I was in heaven. I called and was offered a spot in the cymbal line. Bingo. My favorite spot to be in. ( had dreams of SCV cymbals ) Off I went.

Your turn. Where did you march if you care to share, and or why did you go where you marched?

There is no wrong answer, we all have our reasons. If you wanted to experience winning, is that honestly wrong?

Edited September 7, 2013 by oldtimefan

[kcbari]

I marched Star in 1989 because of the cost and because I had friends there already.

Only once tour started did it really sink in how serious this group was...camps were truly nothing next to the intensity of that staff once we belonged to them on the road (remember, no cell phones, just letters and the occasional collect call home). They truly remolded our minds into the machine of excellence that became the Star hallmark...I would not trade it for the world.

[oldtimefan]

I marched Star in 1989 because of the cost and because I had friends there already.

Only once tour started did it really sink in how serious this group was...camps were truly nothing next to the intensity of that staff once we belonged to them on the road (remember, no cell phones, just letters and the occasional collect call home). They truly remolded our minds into the machine of excellence that became the Star hallmark...I would not trade it for the world.

Jim Mason was my Colts director at that age of 13 and the complete rookie season, so say no more. I know plenty of his intensity. Star was formed with all intent to win. They had the formula and the backing. Mr. Cook and Mason never failed, and Star rocked and so did Blast!

[84BDsop]

I'd only discovered drum corps in 1983....found I had one year of eligibility left...reached for the brass ring and tried out for BD...and for once in my life, managed to grab it.

Championship ring or no, I've never regretted it.

[oldtimefan]

I'd only discovered drum corps in 1983....found I had one year of eligibility left...reached for the brass ring and tried out for BD...and for once in my life, managed to grab it.

Championship ring or no, I've never regretted it.

But after "discovering" drum corps, how did the Devils become the place you landed? Was it that you lived close? You saw them and knew thats where you needed to march? Both, neither? I would kill to have marched my age out year. Crappy part on that year was that I was NOT chasing a ring, but was going to try out with a certain corps that happened to win. A LOT. Solely because of my former room mate in Guardsmen. I was so proud of him and how he carried himself. I wanted to emulate that. Downfall was that I had grown up, had a job that my mom was not letting me quit. She was the one I needed to have help me financially. I worked in the medical field and was doing one on one with cancer patients. Drum corps for a fourth year, or helping families cope with death? I may have made that mistake that cost the championship anyways......ah to dream of that season that never happened and everytime I hear the strains of Appalachian Spring, I get this feeling.....mom was with me as we watched the Cadets leave the field in Madison in 1987. They were so proud and stoic. The faces were burnt in my minds. I promised myself then and there, I will let my kids be kids until they either have their own, or I am dead and gone. Just as mom sat with me that night at finals and actually held my hand as Garfield filed past us in Madison. I got to return her favor. Mom got cancer in her early 50s and wanted to die at home. That was her only request. I took care of her every night after work and sat with her up to the moment of her death at the age of 56. Maybe working with cancer patients in my last year of eligibility was the right thing....................

[Kansan]

My band director introduced us to Drum & Bugle Corps. One of my friends marched Sky Ryders the summer between Junior and Senior year of High School. I liked what I had seen of Drum Corps so far and was envious of my friend traveling the country performing.

I saved up money, learned to play Baritone attended the winter camps and stayed home for some stupid reason. I saw the show when they performed in Overland Park, KS and it was horrible. They needed more people and new drill. I called up Dan Jewet and if they needed and Baritone Players and he said come on out. I packed my bags and headed to Hutch for the 2nd tour of the '85 season. Didn't think much about winning the big banana but did feel, with the revised show we had a chance to make top 12. We came in 15th and I watched finals from the stands.

I marched '87 with the intention of being in top 12 which I thought was probable due to their '86 9th place finish. Winning wasn't the big deal but top 12 was a big deal to me.

[frachel]

For me, everything seemed to lead me to Garfield. I was 14, a sophomore in HS. My friend was in the cymbal line of 85 Garfield, another a baritone in 86 Garfield. My HS band was "modeled" after SCV, and that year we played Appalachian Spring (ripping from 83 SCV). Never heard it before and *loved* it. Our marching instructor was in 83 Garfield (and is now on the board of BD) and Pat Zampetti was one of drum guys. The friend from 86 tells me Garfield is playing Appalachian Spring, and since we're from NJ he could do the driving to camps, and that's all it took. Honestly if they weren't doing that show in 87 I don't know if I would have gone or not. I was REALLY trying to go to Star - they were SO cheap, and I was looking into taking a train there, getting a friend to go with me, but it didn't work out (lofty 14 year old dreams). Even though I got insured pretty much the day before tour was to start and I ended up doing some of the season with the Bridgemen, the time with Garfield made a monstrous impact on me that I still recall crystal clear today.

[84BDsop]

But after "discovering" drum corps, how did the Devils become the place you landed? Was it that you lived close? You saw them and knew thats where you needed to march? Both, neither?

Well, they weren't close at all...I lived in San Diego...several hundred miles south. Something just grabbed me when I saw them live at Riverside...and they had application forms at the souvie both. Honestly, I tried out not really understanding what I was getting myself into.

I just kinda lucked out!

[scouttimp]

I'm with you on lucked out...

My friends and I were all corps junkies in HS- Mr. Kuhn had worked our band camp a few times, as well as Marty (?) from SCV. I started going to shows in '83, had instructors who marched Cavaliers in '84, went to a Marty Hurley clinic in '85. Wanted to march after my senior year, and tried out for Sky in fall '86- crushed to get cut in December. Mr. Orwoll called in early June of '87 and asked if I'd like to join the Colts (I had a friend marching) and I accepted. Scott Stewart called a day later with an offer to join as equipment guy/back field conductor (had a former teacher in the pit) and a chance to play in the Madison front line in '88, and I explained that I had just said yes to Colts. He was cool, and said that he hoped to meet me on the road.

Loved my half year with Colts, but knew that they had openings at Madison, and I already knew the pit guys and instructors, as well as the fact that the Scouts were going to tour Europe. Showed up at auditions, played a bit, threw a frisbee and played four square, got an offer and joined Madison at Thanksgiving camp. The ring was a shock to me, the fact that we were really good was not... it was a special year, and I almost feel guilty for being there with so many vets and ageouts as a rookie. In the end, all four guys in my wedding party were Scouts, I still collaborate and teach with m' brothers 25 years later and marching in the alumni corps was so cool!

My corps was the right fit for me, and I hope that every marching member finds a perfect home sometime in their years in drum corps.

[Barifonium]

I marched Impulse because they were local and I knew an instructor there. Plus I was able to march with them for a day because my band director said they were coming to our school. I knew about Drum Corps before I discovered Impulse but I never really KNEW what DC was all about because I never knew they cared so much about what they were doing. I just thought they were really good. I marched a second year because my mentor recommended I did no more than 2 years in Open Class, I knew people there, and I was scared that if I did world class my parents would cut me off and yada yada yada baseless college-finance worries.

I marched The Academy originally as a fallback for not making Phantom Regiment in 2011. My parents yielded to giving me a shot at world class hoping I would get it "out of my system." HA! Academy struck the right combination of competitive, decent shows, decent uniforms, and fairly local. It wasn't until after my first year there that I really REALLY grew to appreciate the people that were there. (I always respected the administration because I loved their philosophy once I found out what it was).

I auditioned for Regiment in '11 and '12 because of their 2003 show, and I knew how renowned their Buicks were. By the time 2013 rolled around I had learned that I assumed certain things about Regiment that proved to be false (such as their performance philosophy) but I figured I could adapt. I auditioned again in 2013 because I knew the staff and a large chunk of people in the horn line and several people auditioning (see signature).

Phantom Regiment symbolized, metaphysically, what it meant to be at my pinnacle, and to be a part of a legacy I could be proud of. Although, what I didn't appreciate from the outset however (not for a lack of trying) was that the aforementioned should have been why I did DCI, not any particular Drum Corps.

I tried out for other corps, but I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie and not air dirty laundry with regards to the events surrounding those happenings because they mostly involve me being an idiot.

Edited September 8, 2013 by Barifonium