Would you have joined the Velvet Knights?

[JoeW]

just read my signature...answers the question!

[greggmanX-Kingsmen]

Oh, #### no. They're a poor man's Bridgemen.

[naatd_alum]

I was a member of the Velvet Knights in '96, the final year. I was 17 years old and had been cut from the Glassmen tenor line in February (the remaining tenors were all age-outs). I came out in June to fill a hole in the pit and had a blast! However, the organization had a lot of financial issues (let me tell you, tuna fish everyday got a little old). I remember we had a visual tech who was also a bus driver. He was a little disgruntled, not sure when he had time to sleep. I remember we got lost finding our way through Santa Barbara after an all night drive from San Francisco. We hit a dead end on a one lane road, and the guy just back the bus right through this beautifully landscaped front yard, just tearing up the grass. The bus wents nuts - I remember hearing the quote "VK destruction tour '96." .... ahhh, that pretty much sums it up. Coming from the midwest (I grew up in Michigan), the attitude of the kids I was not used to. I think that I was much more naive than the rest of the corps - California just breeds a different person. But, I fell in love with two things that summer - California and Phantom Regiment. I ended up marching 3 years with Regiment in the tenor line, and I have now lived in West Hollywood California for 4.

Would I march VK again?

No...It was a great place to start, but my heart belongs to the Regiment. Besides, Phantom Regiment serves gourmet cuisine compared to VK's tuna fish marathon.

Someone was asking why VK folded. In April '97, the IRS shut them down. I don't want to slam too much, but you can pretty much attribute VK's downfall to Tom Hixon. I don't want to say too much, but his priorities were not in the right place. The sad thing was Mike Jackson and Jim Wunderlich of the drum staff (major players in the SC percussion circuit) were very motivated to bring back the corps and the percussion section in particular. In '97, from what I heard, they had a lot of talent in that line and a good show based on Monty Python. It's a shame that it had to end.

[sburstall]

I had to say "no" for a few reasons...

1) I never heard of VK until they made the Top 12.

2) Bridgemen were the clown princes I loved when I started drum corps. VK wasn't on my radar screen yet.

2) I had dreams and desires to march Phantom (never did as you can tell). :(

3) California was just to far away for this Michigan boy.

[Ex VK DM]

I had to say "no" for a few reasons...

1) I never heard of VK until they made the Top 12.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well a corps goes from being a inactive parade corps in 80 to making finals in 84, yes it was a shock to some.

80 - Parades

81 - 33rd

82 - 21st

83 - 17th

84 - 12th

Bridgemen during the same period.

80 - 3rd

81 - 6th

82 - 8th

83 - 11th

84 - 14th

I have nothing but respect for the Bridgemen and what they brought to drum corps.

[Tupid_06]

In '97, from what I heard, they had a lot of talent in that line and a good show based on Monty Python. It's a shame that it had to end.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NOOOO!!!! I LOVE MONTY PYTHON!!!!

Our HS band was actually thinking about doing a Monty Python show...but our band is on a low budget and we wouldn't have been able to hire anyone to arrange the music.

I would love to see a Monty Python and the Holy Grail show...it would be hilarious.

[kevingamin]

I enjoyed watching VK but I have never had a desire to march them. They were the total opposite of what I wanted to do on the field.

[2CoolVK]

Yes, count me in.

[EdMedina]

Yes, count me in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a staging director?

Sorry, inside joke.

[2CoolVK]

As a staging director?

Sorry, inside joke.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh my. We were working that angle pretty hard.

Are you going to Finals?