“The Memories Remain the Same”

I was taking a trip back in history (on my computer) when I came to the realization that while the faces have changed, the memories remain the same.
With the prospect of losing our alumni website, this morning I spent a few moments reading the history of the corps and looking at the pictures from “the glory days” (and for some those of you from the late ‘60s early ‘70s “daze”), and whether you marched in those “glory days” or during those final struggles of the 1980’s, which no one likes to talk about, it was the memories that remained the same.
Technology has grown vastly over the years and it seems as of late, no one can keep up with this high pace of change. Titanium has taken the place of the leather sling but the drums still weigh the same in the middle of a 2.5 mile parade. The evolution to three valves from no valves has added a whole new range of notes to be explored, but the look on the judge’s face when those new notes are “Fracked” are still pained. And while the poles are shorter and the rifles are lighter and some newer equipment is not even recognizable to most, they still hurt just as much when you miss that toss.
While clarity and color in the photographs only got better through the years, the subjects changed leaving the memories the same. A black and white photo of a pyramid of corps members matched up with a colored photo, same corps, same pyramid only taken decades apart. Different faces, same Memories.
It doesn’t stop there. Pictures of members having fun on the buses, or of lifelong friends arm in arm, along with shots of grueling rehearsals on the field that should have been evidence in a class action abuse case, and memories clipped from the local newspaper by mom and dad who were proud to see their little boy or girl made it in the newspaper and not in “police beat”. The “Corps Photos” taken after every big show are almost identical except for the changing of uniforms and the declining numbers.
Now I don’t want to sound like I am complaining, far from it but, I went to one of our alumni get-togethers last year and being a product of the ’80 s I didn’t feel all that welcomed. Whenever someone asked “what year did you march?” My response was met with an “oh.” and then a polite nod and a quick exit. I found a few members from that era and we told stories and shared some lies but since the numbers were small there are very few of us. The most interesting thing that I learned by listening in on other conversations which brings me to my point, was that no matter how successful the corps once was, and no matter what decade you actually marched, the memories remained the same.
I have kept involved in drum corps as well as watched my sons participate and no matter what corps they we were with, what uniform they wore, or what division they performed in. their memories remained the same.
I know that I am a better person for having experienced life in drum corps and I know the same holds true for my sons. I would like to believe that each and every person who received the same experiences from their time in the Imperials did so too.
So, thank you to the founders of the Imperials and thanks to all those who work to keep those memories alive.
Memories:
Rehearsals, Bus rides, Pushing the bus, Breaking a head just before going on, Uniform malfunctions, Friends, “Family”, Long Parades, Camps, Hot Gymnasiums, Cold Showers, That feeling after a show “well done”, and the long wait until next season.

What did you do in the Corps? Percussion

What years were you a Corps member? 1982-83

Good reminders Gary. We DO share a lot of the same memories.

I would hope, though, that corps alums from ALL eras are welcomed at alumni gatherings! We need to share all of our memories and develop new friendships.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-83

Now I don't want people to think that I was complaining about the get together. I had a great time. That part was just an observation I made that I wanted to put into the letter which emphasized the point that all drum corps experiences are very much similar and it doesn't matter if you were a champion or not. A Cavie or a Hornet (Remember them?)the only experience that was different was at retreat and where you finished. Getting there was all the same process and that is what made the drum corps activity great.

What did you do in the Corps? Percussion

What years were you a Corps member? 1982-83

Gary, thanks for this provocative post! Just returned to it and decided to reply in more detail.

Yes, you are absoluteluy correct! The corps changed over the years and the world changed too. But, the corps memories remain remarkably the same!

Bus rides! (I HATED them).
Parades .. fun, if not too hot or long. Then.. boo!
Pride in getting suited up for the contest and
marching out.. great!

Some other thoughts:

1958 VFW at Ebbetts Field ... a great stadium with a great bunch of corps. Remember seeing Blessed Sacrament and Reilly Raiders for the first time! Wow!

1958 AL Nationals at Minneapolis. On the field after Cavaliers and before Garfield Cadets. Did a fine show but ended up 7th. Later that day, at Stillwater, we were 3rd beating many of the corps we saw earlier!

1960: marched at Janesville with our drum instructor!
We had only two snare dummers that year (me and Bill Strautys). Bill left the corps after Nationals to attend school. So, we had only ME for Janeville on Labor Day. BUT, our great instructor Dick Brown, decided to march with the drum line. IT WAS A HOOT FOR US.

Of course, the judges had a field day with him .. he was also a CSJA judge and they all knew him! They teased him throughout the show .. which we also won!

Overnight trips: while I was in the corps, we didn't stay overnight very often. Most trips were local. But ... I remember:

Springfield ... usually staying at the National Guard camp in bug filled and hot huts.

Madison, where we stayed at a school but were fed by the local Shriners (in fact ALL corps would join there for dinner!)

1962 VFW Nationals: Placed 5th in prelims! Beat corps like St. Kevis and Cambridge Cabelleros.. but were 7th at night

1963: who could ever forget the thrill of being in Roosevelt Stadium (Bayonne, NJ) before a crowd of about 20,000 pure drum corps fans? AND, being on the same field with corps like St. kevins, Garfield Cadets and Blessed Sacrament? Awesome!

1964-66: Teaching a great drum line with a good friend, Bill Strauts

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I HATED parades! And inspections. I remember the VFW Nationals parade in 1973 in New Orleans. It was at night, so we thought it would be cooler - but it wasn't. And then there's the famous Milk Day parade, with the all-white street.

One of the best crowd responses I got in all of my marching years was the State Fair in 1973, when the guard disappeared into the black corner of the endzone to change to all-American flags (appropriately altered - don't get Bill started) for the finale of "John Brown's Body." The mostly-veteran crowd went nuts!

But one of my favorite places for a show was Momence for the Gladiola Festival, where I performed with the Cadets, the Imperials, and the Cavaliers. The crowd would sit right up to the sideline (no pit in those days), so you could actually see their faces when you came to the front of the field. And there was always a carnival at the show site, too.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

You did WHAT to flags, Bob???!!!!! ha ha ha... fun thread....

Parades were usually FUN, if not too long. The crowds was always appreciative and the kids were fun. There was NO stress involved, you just marched and played.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Everytime I go on our website to read what was
posted,"I always take a trip back in time"whether
it was during the time I was in Norwood or someone
who was in after I left.

And it really dosen't matter what"Drum Corp"you
were in whether it was Norwood,the Cavaliers or
some of the other Corps that were around,whether
you left one Corp to go to another,or whatever
choices were made,it's like Gary said "The Memories
Remain The Same".

I would enjoy meeting the Alumni who came after I
left,and have that opportunity to talk to them
and here what it was like for them during the time
they spent in Norwood.Especially those that were
in at the end.To hear what there feelings were
during that period.

I can remember reading about it,and I must say it
wasn't very pleasant for me.

I can make a long list of things I liked and the
another list of dislikes,but one thing is for sure
the positive list definitely outnumbers the
negative.It's some of the best "Memories" I have.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

I believe it was 1972, just before the closer (Frank Zappa song) the color guard had the bangers and the holders. The flag poles were aluminum conduit, the bangers used the bottom of their flag poles against the middle of the holders poles which were held at head level with our arms extended. I had Terry (Smith) Pyrek banging my flag pole. I do believe I had my pole replaced several times. One of my favorite songs!!!! (I had heard the song many times at the Tomaszek's} Don't know how to spell it but it was Peaches in Regalia?

Donna,

I forgot about that! It was part of the drum solo, which was a Santana piece - pretty eclectic for its time. And you got the name of the Zappa piece right. I actually programmed that piece with my jazz band in the 90s, when I was a band director. And the kids loved it! Funny that you heard it at Tomascek's house, because he actually wrote the drum parts for that song.

Much of my early interest in drum corps history came from staying overnight at John's house during that 1972 season and hearing his stories from the 60s. I really hated to see him and Bill Strauts go at the end of the year.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Bob:

1. That "drumming on the flag poles" stuff sounds like what I saw on the video of the "Top Secret Drum Corps" from Switzerland. I don't remember seeing the corps doing that, but that was "a few" years ago.

2. Good to hear that you connected with John T and Bill Strauts, both good friends of mine from my 60s corps days. In fact, Bill worked at Grainger with me from 1979-1995!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Dave I know of your name because of my mother who worked at Granger. She talked about someone who was a drum corp judge.

Yes, Donna. I knew your mother when I was there. Great lady. Didn't she and your dad go to Florida a lot?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Parades?


Well, I was never a fan of parades for several reasons. The first parade I ever marched in was the St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1980, it was mid 30's and sleeting. it was one of those wet cold damps days where the chill goes right through you to the bone.

Then when 4th of July came around, we would march as many parades as we possibly could. We'd march 3 parades on the 3rd and 1 contest, do 4 parades on the 4th and try to squeeze in a contest, then march another 2 parades on the 5th.

But I do have some fantastic Parade stories.

1983 - This year we rotated Drum Majors during parades just to have some fun. We'd give random people chances to do it for fun. In 1983 Vince Vacala was selected to be the Drum Major for the DCI Midwest parade in Dekalb. This was an evening parade.

Vince did a pretty good job, but the color guard got way ahead of us. They got so far ahead of us it looked like we were a separate unit. They were so far ahead of us that you could drive a freight train between the guard and the drum line. In fact, that is exactly what happened. As we were approached the train crossing gates, they went down, and a freight train came through. We decided to do a standstill while the train passed, we had a great time.

After the gates went up, the guard was so far down the street we could barely see them.


Then there was Manitowoc 1980. This was one of those weekends from hell. Right before we were about to step off the line, Duke Minogue dropped his bass drum mallet. When he bent down to pick it up, his pants ripped right up his rear end. Ma Lurch came over right away to safety pin his behind. We then stepped off and were marching down the street while she continued to pin his behind.

Then one of the horn players stepped right out of their shoe. Jim Snyder bent down and grabbed it while we marched by. He was really quick and smooth. He swooped down in one fast and graceful motion. Then he held the shoe up while we marched and one of the chaperone's grabbed it.

Finally, one of the girls in the color guard passed out during the parade as well.

Fun times

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tenor

What years were you a Corps member? 1980 - 1983

Jim, the train passing between the corps story was a hoot. Always wondered if that could really happen!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I laughed hardest at the Duke part of the story. Anybody know whatever happened to him? What a character!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Duke! What a guy.
Don't know what happened to him. But I remember we named our streetbeat "The Joe Migno Twist."

Also, in the 70's, the Harvard Milk Days parade was the only parade that management let us wear sunglasses.

Bob's comment about the Momence crowd reminded me of the Calumet Park shows. This was usually the last show of the year on Labor day weekend. The crowd was right up to the front line also. I think we won the show in '81. And this was the last show I marched.

What did you do in the Corps? Drums

What years were you a Corps member? 77-81