Who were the Innovators?

[Paul Milano]

Actually, we did the first full-show asymetrical drill in 1973. Unfortunately the drill designers didn't write it that way . . . :P

[xrifle]

I'm thinking that was '77, Bob.........but there was no step-over. The guard kneeled down and the hornline went in between them.

I remember seeing that move with Regiment in '76 during An American in Paris. They played An American in Paris in '75 too, so I'm wondering if they did it then as well.

[xrifle]

That move actually first appeared in PR's 75 show in "American in Paris". And Z's right, it was a pass through, of sorts, not a stepover.

Oops. Didn't get far enough through the thread.

[uncle z]

I remember seeing that move with Regiment in '76 during An American in Paris. They played An American in Paris in '75 too, so I'm wondering if they did it then as well.

All I can remember from '75 "An American in Paris" is the traffic cop. The "pass-through" would have occurred during "Pilgrim's Chorus", in the closer.

What I wanna know is who had the first drum line to sport the vistalites!!!!! :sshh:

[uncle z]

That move actually first appeared in PR's 75 show in "American in Paris". And Z's right, it was a pass through, of sorts, not a step over.

Oops. Didn't get far enough through the thread.

Don't mess with old Cavies, Kelly...........that is, unless you wanna meet us by the buses after the show!!! ^0^

[elphaba01]

One junior corps that I always thought was ahead of its time was the St. Rita's Brassmen from Brooklyn, NY, late 1960's through 1973. (The corps folded after the '73 season.)

I remember the Brassmen's drill included what was called "suicide wheels"...... fast-paced squad wheels, whipping segments of the horn line around in eight counts or so. I don't know for sure, but this very well might have been the first extensive use of high-speed visuals of any type.

The corps also featured some great brass charts from Hy Dreitzer...some "off the beaten path" stuff, like an outstanding concert tune of variations on the theme of "Three Blind Mice".... an opener of "Sorcerer's Apprentice" complete with smoke effects (basically unheard of back then)... a tribute to fallen U.S. presidents which included use of "Ruffles and Flourishes" and the "Hail to the Chief" theme, the only time I've ever heard a drum corps play that during their field show.... and a fun "Perils of Pauline" production, with the "fair maiden" being "rescued."

Great cutting-edge stuff for that era.... and always entertaining!

Fran

"Inovators":

Talk about "Inovators my pretties": Going WAY back, some people that we can truly credit for bringing 'drum corps' out of the "Dark Ages" include Scotty Chappelle (Of the legendary Lt Norman Prince "Princemen" seniors) Jim Donnelly and Mickey "A Michael" Petrone of the St Vincents Cadets "Hy" Drietzer of St Josephs Cadets, and Earl Stutze of the Connecticut Yankees.

All these 'Names' are very well know to drum corps dinosaurs such as myself, but to the "New Age" DCI crowd, the above named folks were among those who, back in the 1950s made revolutionary (By the standards of that era) changes in therir specialties.

Scotty Chapelle was to "GE Drill" and showmanship as Pete Emmons and George Zingali were to the drill changes that took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Jim Donnelly can be called the "Father of the Modern Bugle Section" as his arrangements for the St Vincents Cadets were benchmarks in the world of "Marching Music".

Mickey Petrone was to drill, as Jim Donnelly and Scotty Chappelle were to their areas of expetise. He taught the style of drill that took the activity away from the "Basic Parade Block" and into such "revolutionary" marching movements as "Company Fronts", "Echelons", and 'High Mark Time".

Earl Sturtze set the standard for rudimental drumming that carried well into the 1970s. His "Students" included Frank Arsenault (Who relocated to Chicago and made the Skokie Indians senior Natioanl Champs in the mid 1950s), Gary Pagnozzi (A "Three Peat" snare Natioanl titleist 1964-66) and Ray Ludee, the "Guru" of the Connecticut Hurricanes drum line of the 1960s and early 1970s).

Hy Drietzer really needs no "Bio" from me. It is safe to say that Mr. "D" was and is one of the greatest arrangers of DRUM CORPS music that ever put pen to paper.

Elphaba

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Edited October 27, 2005 by elphaba01

[KeithHall]

Bill McGrath Sr.....he wrote our drill in...hmmmm...1970 or 71. He was doing Yankee Rebels then and I believe he was an innovator in "the day."

[DAvery]

I believe the year in question for SCV's asymetrical drill was 1980, not 81. That was also the year they did"The Planets" with the pseudo "moonwalk". Really cool effect at the time. The show was ahead of it's time and the scores reflected it.........dropping out of the top 3 for the first time to 7th place.

They came back with a vengeance in 81 however to win. Hmmmm.....................could history repeat itself?? :)

Of course they were all asymetrical before 1973. But didn't 27th have alot of asymetrical drill in 77?

[DAvery]

You are so right, Mr. Craiga!

Also in1979, Boston had 25 brass players

and an amazing asymmetrical visual design,

top performance visually at the cyo nationals in 79.

Didn't they end the season with 24? I heard they kicked one out during July tour in Canada.

[DAvery]

All I can remember from '75 "An American in Paris" is the traffic cop. The "pass-through" would have occurred during "Pilgrim's Chorus", in the closer.

What I wanna know is who had the first drum line to sport the vistalites!!!!! :sshh:

75 Blue Stars?