GGarrett Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 (edited) Except some of 'em missed that bit about "heels together, feet at a 45". Ha Ha...I noticed that as well but didn't want to mention because of the awesome drum heighths and hand positions etc.!...I guess even the best of drumlines have their flawed moments in staged photography! Well, even Babe Ruth went up to bat and struck out a few times... and no one would dispute his greatness. Having been on those very steps in one of those very uniforms for that very type of photo for that very corps (just in another year), I can tell you that "heels together and feet at 45*" was the last thing on my mind that day. But I guess it's good to have your shortcomings pointed out to you once in a while... keeps you humble. Let's check out some of those Blue Devils individual shots from "picture day" in the early 80's posted here a while back... with all the hair and giant glasses and mullets and stuff... Edited December 28, 2008 by GGarrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 Let's check out some of those Blue Devils individual shots from "picture day" in the early 80's posted here a while back... with all the hair and giant glasses and mullets and stuff... Hey now....i resemble that remark! (or at least i DID...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomeOtherJoe Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 Yes. Jim Navarro. I'm an idiot. I saw the post from Some Other Joe, moreover Jim uses the moniker "JoeBlow" on another forum. Joe stuck in my head, and, although I know Jim as Jim, I STILL called Jim 'Joe'. My Left Brain then said to my right, "alright creative idiot, call Jim Joe....see what happens" What's even funnier....I marched with Jim Navarro. ~ Idiot Joe Don't sweat it, Rob. It's all part of my master plan to use the internet for settin' up a believable alias to support a life of crime in my twilight years. Once my mother starts addressing X-Mas cards to "Joe", it's on! ~ Criminal Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomeOtherJoe Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 You know what really sucks? Guys like Scott, Jim, Greg, and a whole lot of other 79 VK members had more talent than the staff gave them credit for. They were a better corps than 33rd. I saw it and spent a lot of time talking to Jack about it. It was a shame the corps wasn't given the opportunity to excel instead of being treated like a 33rd place corps. Because that's what it got them. Ya know, I was a pretty decent player at that age due mainly to being a practice nut to the point of dysfunction and having Scott to watch and learn from in HS. Yet, I was still just a 14 yr. old kid mixed in with much more mature players. As I recall, that's a pretty good description of the corps that year overall. They had great difficulty filling in the ranks, and there was a wide range of experience across the board as a result. In hindsight, if I were to fault the staff for anything (which I don't) it would be giving the corps too much chance to succeed rather than not enough. I took a year off then got a call from some old VK friends who were marching Freelancers. I spent a year on snare there, a couple at SCV, then my last at BD. I use to kid the guys I marched with that some of the most difficult notes I ever played were stocked in '79 VK's book. Judging by the PA numbers in the drum book, and the associated analysis numbers in the other captions, there seems to be some validity to that. It wasn't the design numbers that were low, it was the execution numbers. I've always looked back at both years I marched VK -- including '79 -- with a good deal of fondness, and that absolutely includes the staff. Likewise, though I moved on, I had a big grin on my face watching them grow and succeed in the early '80s... always felt a kinship to that corps. I've seen folks lament '79, but I'm not one of 'em... wouldn't trade that experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsssb Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Great shot of the 1974 Squires. I think this is the roster for that year: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingsmenSnare76 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Great shot of the 1974 Squires. I think this is the roster for that year: I am assuming this is the VK feeder corps right?...I remember them well because of that tiny little drum major!....Great shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Kingsmen Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Sorry Dave but that guy on the far end is Scott Moreno. He marched with us in the 08 KAC halloween parade this year. As Scott said, Jerry was our instructor that year and like Scott he was the most influential instructor during my Drum Corps years. He was the one who gave me the confidence to audition for BD (even though he didn't really care for them at the time) and for that I am truly grateful. You're right about Steve Litten. He was in the VK snare line in 78-79 and was one of our KAC bass drummers last year. Interestingly three snares from that 79 VK line went on to BD and SCV during the early 80's. It would've been four except that Scott had already joined Phantom. More photos coming soon It's funny that Jerry didn't like BD at the time. We always laugh about the fact that we marched together in AK in 74 and I marched with his wife in 75-77. He jokes about the fact that I sat on the brides side at their wedding... Jerry is, and has always been a great guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Kingsmen Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The first picture was taken at 1976 DATR. Second two were taken I think in Ft. Collins, Colorado in 1976. If not for the North tenors I don't think most people would recognize the Blue Devils. Whenever I read complaints about incomplete early season uniforms I always think back to this show. Their new tops hadn't arrived so they were wearing powder blue short sleeve shirts. They looked like summer dress Air Force shirts. Actually a pretty good look. Notice the drum major in the third picture is wearing the satin top from 1975 I think that I'm the 3rd flag from the right (looking at how tall and skinny I was back then...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundmanG Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 It's funny that Jerry didn't like BD at the time. We always laugh about the fact that we marched together in AK in 74 and I marched with his wife in 75-77. He jokes about the fact that I sat on the brides side at their wedding... Jerry is, and has always been a great guy! Talking with Jerry last year he did find it quite ironic that some of his students as well as is wife all marched in BD. I told him that life must be tough surrounded by so much Blue Devilness. And while they're still not his favorite corps at least he can joke about it. And you're right Vickie, he is still a great guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingsmenSnare76 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Talking with Jerry last year he did find it quite ironic that some of his students as well as is wife all marched in BD. I told him that life must be tough surrounded by so much Blue Devilness. And while they're still not his favorite corps at least he can joke about it. And you're right Vickie, he is still a great guy. Its funny...I didn't realize Jerrys position on this until the night of the 07 semi's when we ran out of gas on our way to that school where all the corps warmed up at. It was on the way up the freeway that I learned of his history with BD and the Odello family....I didn't even realize how associated he was until then....but then the gas tank read zero and the rest is in the KAC history books. I would love to continue that conversation/story that was givin to the people on that cruise up the freeway someday....perhaps Jerry will read this and send email to those on that trip!....Yes...Jerry is a GREAT guy and would have been a GREAT instructor for the KAC had things been different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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