deftguy Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 The first corps that gave me the DC bug was the Anaheim Kingsman's 1972 show. I was sitting in my school's band room, and was struggling to learn to play the trumpet. Our new band director was showing the band his vision of the future of our band. He hits the play button on the 16mm projector, and I hear this powerful sound, and see the Kingsman colorguard looking like they were going to kick everyones ###. As powerful as the music was, I couldn't take my eye off of the rifle line. I quietly put that trumpet back in the case, left the band room for the colorguard room. I was determined to march in drum corps that day. Three years later I was auditioning for the Cavaliers, and made the colorguard. Anaheim Kingsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 "What Corps Sparked Interest": I can remember the Hawthorne Caballeros and "Norman Prince" at the Bridgeport "Parade of Champions" in the late 1950s, and the St Vincents Cadets at the PAL Cadets show in (possibly) 1958 or 1959. Long time ago...... Elphaba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tansea Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Obviously the corps you marched with played a role in you being a member of a corps but what CORPS that you saw/heard did you say, "NOW I like drum corps!"And yours? Carry on <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My Dad marched in a corps back in the forties, the San Jose Red Devils, I believe they were, so when the California State Championships were right down the street from my house, it was a natural. Back then it was a weekend long affair, with drill teams, drum & bell corps and then finally at night the Drum & Bugle corps would come on. Man, I was stoked. The corps that really did it for me though was the Stockton Commadores. They could blow! I mean by DCI standards - the tic system - they never would have made finals, but who the 7734 cared!!! They always did a standstill right after retreat and I would plant ny ssa right down in the center of them, right next to some of the best drum majors I have ever seen, and get blown away. You also have to remember that the drums they used had a chunkier, thicker sound (which should be a thread itself) so every bump in the road, which Santa Clara had quite a few back then, sounded/felt like a tenor line. It was a very privilaged time and area to grow up in for someone who loved drum corps as much as I did. I got to watch the birth of two of the most dominant forces in the sport; SCV and Blue Devils. I got to march with, for and against a large segment of the DCI Hall of Famers. does it get better than that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAILLE9192 Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 My drum teacher, who marched PR 88-89, took me to Dekalb for DCM in 90 my first live DCI show I was totaly blown away by Star, Cavies and PR been hooked ever since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 The first corps I ever saw was the Steel City Ambassadors in the mid 80s... from there, I started watching the PBS broadcasts of the junior corps shows. An addiction was created. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS787980 Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Obviously the corps you marched with played a role in you being a member of a corps but what CORPS that you saw/heard did you say, "NOW I like drum corps!"My corps was the Royal Coachmen of North Tonawanda, NY but the corps that sold me on staying with drum corps was the 1972 Anaheim Kingsmen at the US Open. Saw them at finals and went WOW! I saw so many corps at prelims I was delirious on the way home seeing signs that looked like drum corps. What a feeling! I wanted to march and play like them. And yours? Carry on <{POST_SNAPBACK}> For me.. this is two fold.. Watching the Anaheim Kingsmen at CYO Nationals.. circa 1973 or 1974? I'm not sure.. the memory is foggy. But particularly.. Watching the Santa Clara Vanguard at a "show on the road". For my corps. It was in Trumbull, CT. That I'll never forget. 1975? I was in such awe. I was a colorguard member.. When I saw those girls "show up" the rest of the corps with the bottle dance.. I knew that I was in drum corps colorguard forever. It was awesome to watch. Sharon PS: If I got the years wrong.. Apologies.. Memory sucks! :sshh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 I guess I wasn't specific, although all the posts are great. What I was looking for was... Even though you had joined your corps, what corps sucked you in to drum corps forever? As I said I was already with a corps for two years but when I saw Anaheim...forget it, I wasn't leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jd83 Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 It was a 1-2 punch. The '78 Guardsmen show did it for me first. It was my first impression of a DCI Finalist corps. I was on the Bleu Raeder rifle line and was amazed by the skills of the Guardsmen rifle line. But it was their '78 show that really put the hook in me. Their '79 show was even better. Then there was the '78 Phantom Regiment show that sealed the deal and made me want to always be a part of the activity. In August 1978, after watching Finals in the stands in Denver, I never imagined I would end up aging out with the Phantom Regiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 In my rookie year of '72, I had spent most of my summer competing against a lot of the Midwest junior corps, and the Govies(since the Boys of '76 were inactive). We really didn't see a lot until just before Legion nationals in Chicago. There was an exhibition show at Horlick Field in Racine, with 8 junior corps and 4 senior corps. We followed SCV on and as impressed as I was, nothing prepared me for the last show of the night. When the Hawthorne Caballeros' timbales section came out to the corner of the field, and one sop came out and played the call to the bulls. They then proceeded to file out one by one to set up on the goal line. When they got done they were almost sideline to sideline, 4 deep. I counted 76 horns, including 16 MELLOPHONES!!! After the 'rumps' to start the show, they came off the line to Captain of Castille, with the mellos making a huge end gait facing the stands..when they hit their first big impact line, my face got pasted back. From there to the end of the opener, I was mesmerized. After that, it was academic..I was hooked. BTW - If anyone wants to hear that show, you can buy the CD from Drum Corps World on their list of Johnson CDs. I'm going to get that one myself. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 We followed SCV on and as impressed as I was, nothing prepared me for the last show of the night. When the Hawthorne Caballeros' timbales section came out to the corner of the field, and one sop came out and played the call to the bulls. They then proceeded to file out one by one to set up on the goal line. When they got done they were almost sideline to sideline, 4 deep. I counted 76 horns, including 16 MELLOPHONES!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Along with a lot of Garfield's 71 drumline, I had gone to the Cabs after Garfield fired our drum guy George Tuthill, who taught the Cabs as well at that time. I was set to play congas, actually, along with two other ex-71-Cadets (in fact, we were all three of the triple toms from 71 Garfield). Actually played a Giant's game at Yankee Stadium in the snow. However, I missed the Cadets so I went back to Garfield to play baritone for 72, my last marching year due to work/school. I did love the Cabs shows in 71 and 72, though. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.