apoch003 Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 :P 10 years before that... In 72, our opener was Clifton Williams' "The Sinfonians". We started in the corner in files and entered the field, expanding them as we went. I was a 3rd baritone that year, as I had returned to the corps after leaving at the end of 71 in the general exodus of the drum line when George Tuthill was fired. I led off one of the rays, and the baris had some notes that went from count 3 of one measure and cut on 1 of the next ....3-4/1 kind of thing. Well, we were at Teterboro airport rehearsing on the parking lot of this warehouse one Saturday early-on in spring. We started out one time, and instead of stopping the air on 1, as I KNEW I should, I did one of those "tongue releases" that ends up putting this ugly 'uuuht' sound on the release. Don Angelica, our main horn guy, was standing probably 65-70 yards away, yet everyone heard him yell my first name over the entire corps. That's all he did, just yell my name. :P And of course, we had to start over! And, I never did it again! I got back in his good graces by bringing him a bag of hot zeppoles from a carnival we held at my college...the music dept ran the Zeppole stand. :) Mike <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mike, the more I read your stuff.... Mike DUFFY??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Mike, the more I read your stuff....Mike DUFFY??? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Goodness no. He was one of the great arrangers/instructors in my day (e.g. Anaheim)...I was a lowly member of Garfield! Check my sig below for my DC marching background... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felixh Posted February 14, 2005 Share Posted February 14, 2005 Never needed that kind of stuff in BD when I marched...all Wayne had to do was talk to us calmy in a voice that told us we'd let him down...without actually saying that. VERY effective on us.We were never told to do pushups by the staff, either...we screwed up, we dropped and did them on our own (when it was appropriate). Self-discipline's the best... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I guess things do no change much in the Blue Devils over the years, besides the obvious stuff. I can never remember being yelled at or humiliated in the Blue Devils. Of course we had some falling out between individual corps members which was always fun to watch, but the leadership in the hornline (Wayne Downey, Jack Meehan) never (IMO) and experience never had to stoop to that level.....you said it 84BDSop.........."self-discipline's the best"....thanks for sharing your thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptr250 Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 I guess things do no change much in the Blue Devils over the years, besides the obvious stuff. I can never remember being yelled at or humiliated in the Blue Devils. Of course we had some falling out between individual corps members which was always fun to watch, but the leadership in the hornline (Wayne Downey, Jack Meehan) never (IMO) and experience never had to stoop to that level.....you said it 84BDSop.........."self-discipline's the best"....thanks for sharing your thoughts <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My memories of Jack Meehan are much different. I recall him going around the field wacking people on the calf with a interval stick (on bare legs) when they made a mistake. Also after we beat the Troopers in Milwaukee in 1970 one of lead Bari's, Jim Fowler, went to shake Jack's hand (Jack had been teaching both SCV and the Troopers). Jack promptly put his cigarette out in Jim's palm. Maybe he mellowed by the time he got to BD. Wayne on the other hand was always a gentleman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felixh Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 My memories of Jack Meehan are much different. I recall him going around the field wacking people on the calf with a interval stick (on bare legs) when they made a mistake. Also after we beat the Troopers in Milwaukee in 1970 one of lead Bari's, Jim Fowler, went to shake Jack's hand (Jack had been teaching both SCV and the Troopers). Jack promptly put his cigarette out in Jim's palm. Maybe he mellowed by the time he got to BD. Wayne on the other hand was always a gentleman! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That is hard to believe, but hey, if that is what you experienced....I guess you are correct when you say he must have mellowed....I would say substantially so. I for got to mention that Jack was also an expert at getting the hornline relaxed and stretched before and after rehearsals...he was a master at it and I still use many of those techniques today as well.........Jack the mad man?....hard to believe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 That is hard to believe, but hey, if that is what you experienced....I guess you are correct when you say he must have mellowed....I would say substantially so. I for got to mention that Jack was also an expert at getting the hornline relaxed and stretched before and after rehearsals...he was a master at it and I still use many of those techniques today as well.........Jack the mad man?....hard to believe! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Jack and the elevator rides....#### near fell asleep one time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS787980 Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 By todays standards, some of my former instructors could be put in jail! But I learned respect and discipline from their methods of discipline and humiliation, and all in a good way.Examples: Mine was when I was 14 years old and a tenor drummer in small corps. We were learning our drill, and many of you may recall how s l o w l y time passed while you waited for your direction. I couldn't stop tapping my mallets, so the drill instructor came over and grabbed them from me, heaved them into the end zone, shouted in my face like two inches from it and made me stand at attention for what seemed like an hour. Needless to say, I learned very quickly to shut up when told to. Another was a drum instructor who duct taped a chronic "ticker" to a pole at the field and made him watch the line rehearse. He left him taped to that pole for the whole two hour segment of practice. Another was a rifle who was made to stand at attention while the corps director gave announcements. I don't know what she did, but she had to hold her rifle out in front of her for like 15 minutes without letting it fall. Even MY arms hurt... Do YOU recall any such events from YOUR days?? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> All I can remember is.. Being told you HAD to have the material for a "practice" flag.. Didn't matter if you could afford the material or not. To me.. not fair.. but I realize now.. those instructors didn't need to know YOUR story. My biggest beef has always been... Excuses.. why one "can't" perform the task at hand. I always thought.. you are in "this" corps for a reason.. And excuses.. don't cut it. Just me. Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felixh Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Jack and the elevator rides....#### near fell asleep one time! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I remember a technique Jack had for stretching the spine. laying on your stomach and lifting your upper torso up beginning with your head slowly vertebrae per vertebrae, and then reversing the motion, slowly down until your face touched the grass and you could imagine your head sinking into the ground.....this sinking into the ground nearly put me to sleep a few times. Still a great relaxation technique I use today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I remember a technique Jack had for stretching the spine. laying on your stomach and lifting your upper torso up beginning with your head slowly vertebrae per vertebrae, and then reversing the motion, slowly down until your face touched the grass and you could imagine your head sinking into the ground.....this sinking into the ground nearly put me to sleep a few times. Still a great relaxation technique I use today <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yep...I think he called it the "cobra" The things you learn in durm corps!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bd5times Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 That is hard to believe, but hey, if that is what you experienced....I guess you are correct when you say he must have mellowed.... Wayne used to tell us stories about Jack when Wayne was marching SCV and Jack was teaching......sounded like Jack was intense......(although, the cig. thing doesn't sound like him). He did mellow from what we heard...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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