Scerpella Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 <_< I realize you're being flip here, but... I'm not trying to step on any toes here with Scouts former or present with what I posted...just an outside perspective as a fan through the years. I know you guys have much, much more insight into than most do. :) ...and use "You Can Call Me Al" as an opener. :P Youve read too much into my reply it was just a silly joke, no hidden jab at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scerpella Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 People don't get banned for posting an opinion here. People DO get banned for having multiple anonymous accounts. That'll teach em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scerpella Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Thankfully, it's not 1964. If those of you who are pusing for the Madison Scouts to look and sound like the 240 old guys who performed had your way, the Madison Scouts would become an All-Age corps and would basically cease to exist in two years. Oh sure, they may still be around, but they would not be of any value to the City of Madison or the DC community as a whole. Not that I think Madison should become all age, but if you go 100 miles down the road you have evidence to the contrary. Kilties Sr. becoming All Age brought something back to the City of Racine that had been missing for 10 years, and continue to keep the name and tradition alive, although certainly not in the exact way the juniors did. And given the way corps are now there would probably be more people from the Madison area in a Madison All Age corps than there are now. Again I am not making an argument for the All Age route but I think your point lacks foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 There are a lot of people that dig that sort of thing. Wondering if there is a good middle ground. I thought 2003 was GREAT middle ground. Great drill and great tunes (let's not forget that Bluecoats didn't actually introduce us to jazzy Benoit Jutras stuff) that blended just enough of old Madison with perhaps the "heady" stuff that judges might be looking for... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrangerx Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Chris Tomsa for Scouts DirectorHis blood runs green, he knows the Scout Story, and lived a big part of it himself. He will bring back the "ELVORD VIBE" ALL NEW BRASS STAFF with strong jazz/latin jazz backgrounds (no Corps Heads!) No more senseless shows with meaningless notes, PLEASE!!! The music of the Count Basie Orchestra, would work just fine. If you feel the Count didn't play enough notes to feed the judges, please refer to "Whirlybird", "Wind Machine" etc.............. Thank You Please play jazz. Please. Please. Pretty please. Not deconstructed jazz(y) music. Jazz. Please. Chuck Naffier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahamay Oton Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 (edited) I thought 2003 was GREAT middle ground.Great drill and great tunes (let's not forget that Bluecoats didn't actually introduce us to jazzy Benoit Jutras stuff) that blended just enough of old Madison with perhaps the "heady" stuff that judges might be looking for... 2003: on *G* bugles. Edited August 23, 2006 by Ahamay Oton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 The 2006 Madison show was a design failure. Plain and simple. The students played and marched excellent. Another year with that type of design would not yield success. I support the Board's decision. The same director was also at the helm for my own favorite Scouts show ever (going back to 1970)..2005. I have a feelig there was more than show design behind the move, though I have NO evidence either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gantang Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Again I am not making an argument for the All Age route but I think your point lacks foundation. Would DCI come to Madison if the Scouts weren't around (there is talk of using Madison when Indy is unavailable)? How many tickets do the Scouts sell at every show they attend? How many high school band programs benefit because the Madison Scouts inspire kids to become musicians? How was DCI impacted when the Kilties folded compared to how it would be if Madison ws no longer junior corps? You're comparing apples to oranges, which make your argument moot. The Scouts are a highly marketable product in marching music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funcorpsagain Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Madison Scouts announce new direction for organization "New direction." Love the euphemism. My old company never fired anyone, either. They were "out-counselled." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguernsey Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 When the Cavaliers decided they wanted to start winning again (rather than finishing 11th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 9th....), they brought in Jim Campbell to run the percussion section, Tim Salzman to write the horn charts, and Steve Brubaker to write the visual program. None of the three were alums (though Brubaker had been on staff as a guard instructor for a few seasons). Within 3 years, the Cavaliers were back as a top 3 corps, and they haven't looked back in the 20 years since. Being part of the fraternity is important for the members, but to an extent, that exists outside of the drum corps part of things. For the onfield product, putting out the best , most-competitive corps you can should be the focus. If that means bringing in management and staff who didnt march there but can give the members access to the best program, then that's what should happen. BTW, Pete Weber did a great job for MS last year and SCV this year; and HE wasn't an alum of either corps, but a Cavaliers FMM, who'd learned how to do things while part of a very successful program. Success begets success. Good post. This was indeed the case with the resurgence of the Scouts in the early-mid 1970s. After the "dark years" of the 1960s, Bill Howard decided in 1969-1970 it was time to get the Scouts back on top. And that he did by bring in the best instructional staff available at the time. Most of them were NOT Scout alumni. They included Ray Baumgardt (brass), Gary Czapinski (M&M)--Gary also did drill for SCV in the early 70s. In '70 and '71, we had Cavalier drum god Larry McCormick and, from 1973-1977, we had Bruce Lages as main drum writer. We also had ex-Cavaliers Bob Winderski and Paul Lataou (sp?) on M&M. Jeff Knupp was head guard instructor. The only main in-house instructor was Jim Elvord (brass), the man mostly responsible for creating the Madison sound and image in the mid-1970s. Those guys produced the next generation of exceptional Scout instructional talent the blossomed around 1980 and beyond. Many of those guys (Todd Ryan and Chris Tomsa, for instance) went on to have great success with other top corps. Yep, "success begets success" and it doesn't have to be a purely in-house practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.