torn8o Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 (edited) 1989 - One of my favorite memories was a rehearsal somewhere in Ohio (Dayton I believe). We had been a little flat and the scores seemed to stall in the low 80's. I think the staff was starting to feel as if we had peaked, and the kids were feeling that way as well. Richie (horn tech) took the hornline out to the side of the school, and chewed are butts off. He said it was time for us to play loud, and for the next hour, we worked on nothing but making the loud portions of the show REALLY F-ING LOUD! I remember that rehersal asw ell. I got goose bumps reading your post. Richie was frickin INTENSE that day! He was the most mild mannered guy you could ever run across but that day he was a MONSTER. I remember that day. What was so amazing about that whole incident with Richie was that it was un-heard of for him to ever push for "volume". He was always "Mr. Controlthesoundandmezzofortewillbefine". When Richie used the "L" word that day, it was all that hornline could do to keep our WIDE eyes from falling out of their sockets. I remember thinking...."uhhh...did Richie just say that he actually wanted us to play loud?" I always felt that he was one of our most underrated instructors! I fully agree. Richie is great. I spoke to him not too long ago, btw. It was great to talk to him. Speaking of what I just said about him up above, I'll tell you one thing I realize now about that whole thing. Richie spent more time in front of that hornline than any brass instructor in the whole course of Freelancer history (not to take anything away from you, Chris), including John Zimney. I always was amazed that somehow our hornlines always were quite loud anyway. What I understand now (and use for reference any time I work with a hornline) is that true volume COMES FROM that "quality of sound and control". Richie would always say little phrases like "control produces good tone quality...good control and good tone quality produces better intonation...control, good tone quality and better intonation produces resonance...control, good tone quality, better intonation and resonance is what makes our sound project...control, good tone quality, better intonation, resonance and projection is what produces VOLUME". You know what? Richie was right, and the Freelancers have some loud hornlines in their history to prove it. :) Thanks Richie! I guess the short end of the story about Richie would be - he LOVED "LOUD" too much to ever tell us that he did (except for that one day mentioned above) - because if he did, we would have gone overboard and lost the projection which is what gave the hornline it's real volume. Well, except for that night. Obviously, that one day though was one exception where we just had to stop being panzy and put some air through the darn horns. Once we did, it didn't take long for Richie to go back to "ok guys, control it now". Edited May 30, 2007 by torn8o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomnoise Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I'll tell you one thing I realize now about that whole thing. Richie spent more time in front of that hornline than any brass instructor in the whole course of Freelancer history (not to take anything away from you, Chris), including John Zimney. You are absolutely correct. Richie was there for many years. I was only around for four. It was great to work with him (we knew each other from being in BD). He was always after control, I was always after loud and passionate. A good mix. Has anyone thought about the Rendering Truck lately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93Bluecoat Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I voted for 1983 but I'm not sure if I have the correct year....the one I was thinking of was the "Breaking Up is Hard To Do" Neal Sedaka year. I loved the drum major too, he was hilarious...prototypical old school drum major. He looked Tony Gwynn's rookie card. DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaritoneDM Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I voted for 1983 but I'm not sure if I have the correct year....the one I was thinking of was the "Breaking Up is Hard To Do" Neal Sedaka year. I loved the drum major too, he was hilarious...prototypical old school drum major. He looked Tony Gwynn's rookie card.DW A word from Mr. Prototypical Old School himself B) . In 83 we did play "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" Good choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93Bluecoat Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 AWESOME! I loved that show, and you were one of the reasons why! I used to watch that show over and over. Great contra section too. DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 You are absolutely correct. Richie was there for many years. I was only around for four. It was great to work with him (we knew each other from being in BD). He was always after control, I was always after loud and passionate. A good mix.Has anyone thought about the Rendering Truck lately? Oh good Lord. NOT the rendering truck!! I had totally erased that from my memory!! DN YOU CHRIS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drack1cba Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Gotta go for '91 as well. Hell of a hornline - it was an honor to stand in front of them (although I probably never told them that) what year opened with the corps doing the horn riff from "Your Still A Young Man?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonHill Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) Has anyone thought about the Rendering Truck lately? Oh, you are a cruel, cruel man. I remember that, and you burning the "Buttman" shirt in the horn arc. My best memories are from '92 and '94... though I'd have to say that my favorite Freelancers show is '91. Edit: do you remember the piece of the staff scaffolding that disappeared? Edited July 18, 2008 by MoonHill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bad Bari Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I voted for 1983 but I was mistaken... What I remember is the 1982 show! With Sunshine as the off the line... I heard this show so many times over the course of the season and I totally loved it! I do not think I ever told any of my corps mates but while we were standing waiting to go on shortly after you, this Blue Devil was snapping his fingers and tapping his toes! Loved that corps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malletphreak Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 82, 83, 85, 91 and 93 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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