Cabs Alumni at Semifinals

[Eggbert]

Sure there may be mistakes and breaks but we are not judged so who cares?

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I don't understand this. Don't get me wrong, I love the Cabs and their alumni, always have. It's a great organization and I've gotten my share of goosebumps. But, "who cares?" Maybe it wasn't meant in the way I'm getting it. Do we need to be judged to "care?" Is the alumni thing just self indulgence? Doesn't the audience care if it's well done? I'm sure everyone out there does their best, but I'm just surprised to see that statement.

[Jeff Ream]

I think he means the mentality is do your best, which every corps has, but no need to beat yourself up if you mess up or worry to death it will cost a placement.

I am in an alumni corps, and we play for blood, but if we do make a mistake, we laugh about it later and go on.

[cabalumsw]

I don't understand this.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Cabs and their alumni, always have.  It's a great organization and I've gotten my share of goosebumps.  But, "who cares?" Maybe it wasn't meant in the way I'm getting it.  Do we need to be judged to "care?"  Is the alumni thing just self indulgence?  Doesn't the audience care if it's well done?  I'm sure everyone out there does their best, but I'm just surprised to see that statement.

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This is why I try to steer away from responding to posts because someone is always attempting to twist the context of what you are trying to say.

Jeff, you have it right. The point I was trying to address were to the people who think alumni are "crap" . We all have that competetive edge when we go on the field and want to do our best. In the Cabs Alumni, we are our own worst critics during the show and when we review recordings of our performances. When we make misakes, we hope it is not obvious on the recording and cringe when we know the point of error is coming up but feel relief when it is not as obvious on the recording. My point was we are not being judged so who cares because the errors are usually not obvious. I was hoping this thread was dead already!

[cabalumsw]

Thank you cabsalumsw, ech2os, cabsalumnidrummer!!!

My signature should give a clue as to my background. When I aged-out of junior corps in '73 I had a secret arrogance toward DCA corps and had to be talked into going to a Cabs rehearsal in '74. After a few weeks, I finally "got it". My first "magic suit" (uniformed) performance experience was awesome. People forget that we didn't have "trumpets" so music was arranged very differently. No "hash marks" for sets. No 5 or 10 yd. markers for sets. We carried all equipment including revolutionary equipment. 1 1/2 octave bass marimbas, double congas, steel drums. The organization was (and I assume still is) first class from top to bottom. Costello had us in a luxury hotel in Miami where we rehearsed "ON THE BEACH". We changed our complete opening drill that week before DCA championships. What a coup!                                                           

No, we weren't students from Julliard. We were St. Lucy's, Blessed Sac, OLC Ramblers, Polish Falcons and dozens of local circuit age-outs who considered this to be a step UP not down. I had to move geographically in '77 and miss the corps. I am still a fan of all drum corps and have relatives and friends involved in DCI. I do have some issues regarding the changes in drum and bugle corps over the years but there is still enough to like in all drum corps circles. I wonder if some of the elitists "mocking" old-style corps realize the demands of that era. (Instrumentation, show length, no video recorders early-on, etc.) My experience was that although we didn't match DCI in show design, etc. there were always 2 or 3 corps that became VERY serious in EXECUTION the last 2 or 3 weeks of the DCA season. In my era, it was Cabs, Sky, Reading, Yankee Rebs. We had a huge segment of Madison Scouts hornline applauding us at rehearsal at DCA one year. That intergenerational respect and admiration was very heartfelt.

I only wish we had more of that today and less brain-washing that "drum corps after DCI" is all "harsh, nasty, and lame". I also hope that the Cabs competitive unit is able to recruit and build the corps to the awesome size that I was able to be a part of. Junior age-outs need to be open-minded and give it a shot. You won't regret it. I imagine that a large segment of the Alumni corps are my peers. Keep up the good work! I'd be with you if I lived there. Thanks for having the "cajones" to appear at DCI Semis!

PS John Smith, I miss Butch Carroll. Down to earth work ethic personified. Sorry I missed you by one year.

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John T.:

I remember you from the snare line in 1974-1975. Sadly, Butch Carroll and Rich Muchen have passed away as did Rick Mohrmann, from the double conga section and Joe "Biggie" Cowen from the cymbal section. Chris Sortino, myself and briefly Joe Eglow were the only original double congas to play with the Alumni corps.

I remember Miami in 1974 and having music rehearsal on the beach and Ralph Silverbrand leading us with Flamenco. I also remember the drill change and getting bit by fire ants and the drum line standing in their cases so they would not get bitten. All great memories.

I happened to run into Bob "Neon" Aquaviva a couple of years ago. He was working as an assistant for a local optometrist.

Chris Sortino and I opted to play steel drums in 1975, a big mistake in retrospect.

[cabalumnidrummer]

Hello, John T.

Nice to hear from you here. I'm sorry we never got to play in the line together. After my marriage in '74, I had every intention of re-joining the Cabs, but work and family responsibilities took precedence. I came to several rehearsals to watch in those years, convinced I'd be back to join, but unfortunately, it never happened. When the Alumni Corps formed n March of '94, I was ready to return to playing on a limited, part-time, but no less intense basis. Bob Peterson and Danny Raymond (and the rest of us) wouldn't have it any other way!

Losing Butch so tragically was a shock. He was a great guy and a great drummer. I have a terrific photo of the drumline from the 1973 undefeated corps that's one of my favorites: Jim Mallen, Tom Munier, me, Butch, Richie Muchen, and Ray Rodriguez on snare. You can also see Chris Sortino and Steve Williams on the double congas. I believe they all played in your first year in '74.

The OLPH Ridgemen also have a small Alumni Corps which Jim Mallen instructs, and I assisted him with briefly this past year. You may know Bob Corbino and Bob Steinhilber ("Steinie") who instruct them and play in the line also, from your OLC Rambler and OLPH days. All great drum corps people to know and be associated with, believe me. If DCA is proof that there is life after DCI, I guess you'd have to say that the Alumni corps are proof that there is life even after DCA!

If you are interested in exchanging more info about Butch, the Cabs, and mutual corps friends, I love to hear from you. You can reach me directly at my e-mail address: cabalumnidrummer@yahoo.com.

John Smith

[MikeD]

John T.:

I remember you from the snare line in 1974-1975. Sadly, Butch Carroll and Rich Muchen have passed away

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Rich was a nice guy and an excellent drummer...he worked with my marching band when I was a band director in 1978.

Mike

[Eggbert]

This is why I try to steer away from responding to posts because someone is always attempting to twist the context of what you are trying to say.

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Not trying to twist anything. Just noting what appeared to be an unusual statement which others may have noticed too. Maybe it should have been stated differently. It was particularly notable in the context of the thread. If nothing else, I bring it up to allow for refutal and clarification. Go Cabs!