Tristan Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 You're the only person I've seen mention the '85 incident. I thought that going with Yamaha the next year was disgraceful. It had to have been tough for Bill to see the '86 Blue Devils juggernaut tear through the season on someone else's drums. Yamaha purchased Premier and owned them for a time, so I believe the '89 free floaters were a legitimate hybrid. When I heard the story, there was more to it...something about the office getting a bill for the replacement set shortly after the season ended.... I could be wrong though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmfootworks Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 When I heard the story, there was more to it...something about the office getting a bill for the replacement set shortly after the season ended....I could be wrong though. And I don't know. But the stuff ain't cheap, and Ludwig wasn't this really big company. I think it was commendable that Ludwig got them the goods as quick as they did. I'm not saying that BD should have stayed with Ludwig indefinitely. It just appeared sort of crass to do it the next season after the fire. I would love to know what really drove the decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmfootworks Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 wow, im impressed, you are really up on it...for me, i always enjoyed hearing the stories and getting the extra edition news flashes about some of the product lines....we totally see eye to eye on the dynastys...and no, their asthetics do not do much for me....even if you can get by that "cardboard" sound.when i was helping start carolina crown...we received "used" ludwigs from florida wave (think they last used them in 88)...they were in such poor condition...unusable...on the upside, Ludwig just recently moved their manufacturing HQ to a local town in NC, right outside charlotte...a represenative gave me a personal tour thru the plant and even showed me the drums they were specially making for spirit that year. After they had "refurbished/renovated" the Florida wave drums for us, we were convinced, although ludwig officially denied it, that we received a completely new set of drums for our upcoming season - i know they were all new shells, hardware, snares, rims, etc...which make them brand new. Although, i went to another corps to staff, crown continued using ludwigs for the next 3 or 4 seasons. kudos to ludwig and their interest in a small, new, "i think i can" local starter corps...they were there went they didnt have to be... I always enjoyed the sound from spirit's line and their ludwig line...tenors were just awesome! Mike Back, ex-spirit caption head, is now the head band director at walton high school in atlanta and still endorses ludwig...his school enjoys the newest products made available from ludwig/selmer. thank you for your comment dmfootworks, interesting to chat about the "behind-the-scenes" trivia of the 80's drum wars. Thanks. I thought that Crown's use of Ludwig had something to do with the Monroe factory. I also noticed a few years ago that Notre Dame was (is?) using Ludwig -- maybe because of Selmer being in Indiana? It must have been cool to have the experience you did. I thought Mike Back wrote good stuff and did a great job at Atlanta. I remember the Ludwig ads that used to feature him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaKman Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 (edited) Thanks. I thought that Crown's use of Ludwig had something to do with the Monroe factory. I also noticed a few years ago that Notre Dame was (is?) using Ludwig -- maybe because of Selmer being in Indiana? It must have been cool to have the experience you did. I thought Mike Back wrote good stuff and did a great job at Atlanta. I remember the Ludwig ads that used to feature him. No, the crown-ludwig association was purely coincidental...they just happend to be local and we just happend to get the used ludwig drums....if we were to get Cadet's old drums, then we would have been a Pearl line...had nothing to do with our choice, our choice was necessity. Mike Back was always a good all around writer-both front and battery...his stuff in 1983, 84, 85 was just brilliant (you really hear the Float influence in him)...for some reason, it didnt really progress beyond that, it sort of stayed in a time capsule. 83 was just a hot show-great music! really interesting concept with the hi hats, and 3 stick toss (perhaps that was 84)...the late great Bumgardner "Blues in the Night" ala "god bless the child" was simply one of my all time favourite DCI arrangements (BTW, I am looking for this arrangement)...would love to see a corps (perhaps spirit) do this note for note retro...but they are going to really need to recruit some good soloist. The stuff from 88-90 Spirit, i really thought was lacking....M. Back, being a formally trained symphonic percussionist with an old school drum corps influence, was trying too hard to make his former arranging style work with Petroushka and Interstellar Suite...it just didnt work....but hey, he always had really good drum solos with much audience appeal. One could say up until then, still think the hold the record, Spirit held the record for the most Bass drums on the field...in 1981: 7 bass drums, then in 88 and 89: 9 basses. Im sure i still have some old editions of "Modern Percussionist" that used to feature in every issue a Drum Corps line/caption head that have some of those old Ludwig/Spirit Ads...also Float/Ludwig ads. What I always liked about Float was that he was so down to earth and a straight shooter...somewhat very simple...at times, I dont think he even realized his contribution to the activity, which in my opinion is huge. He just really enjoyed doing it and always claimed, with a wink, it was his way to see free drum corps shows. I have some recordings I have made with Finale and high end marching percussion soundfonts that exemplify Float's style...i really learned a lot from him long back and has inspired my writing (i dont tour with corps anymore as caption head or staff, but i do a lot of arranging-both full band and percussion)...although for current trends, the Float method it is a bit too busy...but none-the-less, still influencial....Im thinking of using some of my server space to put a page up with arrangements (both battery, battery + front and full corps/band)...with mp3 or wav quality recordings....let me know if some of you would like this or like to contribute...i could get you some cool soundfonts to use (only the free stuff, obviously...we have to stay legal)...right now, i have Madison's 93 Strawberry Soup arrangement i am still completing percussion parts for, complete with drum solo and the full version of Malaguena, with solo also. Im also working on Rutter's Gloria-all 3 movements (one of my favourites)...but including some passages that cavies cut out...I have the jim ott/tom float complete "Georgia" intro, which sounds really cool, especially with the soprano trills, etc. i also have some street beats, ensemble type stuff...let me know, i could email one of the demos to you. Edited November 2, 2005 by DaKman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmfootworks Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 No, the crown-ludwig association was purely coincidental...they just happend to be local and we just happend to get the used ludwig drums....if we were to get Cadet's old drums, then we would have been a Pearl line...had nothing to do with our choice, our choice was necessity. Okay, then -- interesting coincidence with Monroe being near Charlotte. I'm going to check out the Mike Back arrangements from the early 80's. I always liked their bass drum stuff. Good luck with your projects and especially Gloria. Sounds like a great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaKman Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Okay, then -- interesting coincidence with Monroe being near Charlotte. I'm going to check out the Mike Back arrangements from the early 80's. I always liked their bass drum stuff. Good luck with your projects and especially Gloria. Sounds like a great time! coincidence? perhaps, but more like a saving grace! we would have not afforded the price tag on battery percussion instruments otherwise. Most of the front came from some local schools and contributions by staff and members. It was make-shift, but we survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJS53 Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 As an aside and reference to the old Ludwig days. During the time that Ludwig was self owned and based in Chicago they had significant input from top marching/corps guys both within the company and as clinicians. Both Rogers and Slingerland took a bite out of them in the late 60's to early 70's with their improved marching lines (Dynasonic series for Rogers and Slingy TDR). After the buyout by Selmer and subsequent move to NC coupled with the introduction of the import companies they have been playing catch up ever since. I think that because they have maintained good market share in the scholastic areas the incentive to be more creative and do better marketing in both the marching and drumset areas has suffered signigicantly. If they want to get back in the game (which I would love to see) they need to take a close look at product development and get serious about marketing to the big boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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