Mike Z. suggested we start a New Orleans string so here we go.

I have several distinct memories from that trip. The 1st being while we were in Memphis for the night during some sort of city-wide police strike. The national gaurd had been called out to patrol the streets as I recall.

Sometime early in the night a stolen car had crashed into a pole outside the hotel. We all ran out there and the driver was trying to crawl away but could not get very far. It took a long, long time for a National Gaurd truck to show up and help the poor guy out.

It was an interesting sight to see and was followed shortly by a Waupatooli party up in one of the rooms.

And of course, I will never forget my first walk down Bourbon Street. That was a fun night.

MIKE ZAJDEL ALSO ADDED:

I left New Orleans with:
(a) a groin pull
(b) a torn synovial capsule for my right index finger.

After arriving at our hotel, a group of us converged in a pool. Someone thought it would be good to have chicken fights with the gals on top. I think I had Andrea Tryba on my shoulders, and I hit a patch of algae and slipped a little. The next day everyone kept telling me I was walking funny. I didn't even realize I had hurt myself. Mr. Fu probably remembers taking me to the doctor and having it checked out.

After the "groin indicent", later that same evening, we were cut loose in New Orleans. I remember finding my way Bourbon Street, but I don't remember if that is where the chaperones let us out. Surely not! Anyway, while looking for some live music, we discovered Pat O'Brien's and hurricanes. I really wasn't much of a drinker, and a couple hurricanes had me feeling no pain... until the next morning when I woke up with the second hangover of my life.

I won't fully discuss my first hangover, but for your entertainment, I'll tell you that it happened at my GRADE school, working for my church's bingo parlor, and finding a bottle of V.O. in the coat check room. Long story short: I was dropped off on my parents' doorstep, drunk as a skunk, by a priest. I was never allowed to work bingo again.

Back to the torn capsule. I woke up with my head exploding, and all I wanted to do was some laps in the pool to work off the pain. When we first woke up that morning, there was a torrential New Orleans downpour that left and dried up as fast as it came. It left the pool water murky, however. In my stupor and in the murky water, I didn't see the end of the pool coming up, and my right came down with full force on the pool's ledge, somehow damaging my index finger.

I remember going onto the prelim field that day with a groin pull and damaged finger I can still feel the scar tissue in that finger to this day, and I still wonder how I didn't know I had a groin pull.
Email: michaelzajdel@gmail.com

What did you do in the Corps? Snare

What did you do in the Corps? drummer: later: Quartermaster, assistant drum instructor

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

I remember letting a bunch of kids (us) out in New Orleans and some of us (not me of course) having their first Hurricane. I also remember (not me, of course) most of us coming back a little er um hurricaned :) Karen Healy, being very stylish, in her white shirt and white painters pants walking around the fountain. Yes you guessed she would not have passed the police sobriety 'walk this line' test and fell in. Someone got her a towel to put around her waist.

Also, remember being in the hotel rooms and having the 'party police'. My mom, Mrs. R and Mrs. Felde storm all our rooms to look for items that would cause us to become teen demon spawns. I think they just did it to amuse themselves. J/K

I do remember how amazing it was to see New Orleans and how good we were that year.

What did you do in the Corps? Color Guard - Rifle

What years were you a Corps member? 1973-1979

I am truely disappointed because all these years I thought I had taken a group of angels to New Orleans. It seems I may have been mistaken.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed Cadets 1975 and A Corps 1976 thru 1979

I kind of remember Bourbon Street....at least the first hour of being there. Not much after that though. I do have a vague memory of running into the older members of the corps later on....Bob and Brad Abbott specifically, and Brad giving me the third degree about where and how I got the Hurricane I had in my hand. Not too difficult to get...I remember getting one in a styrofoam cup from a corner vendor.

The next day started off way too early. I remember the corps going to a "J.C.'s" pancake breakfast early the next morning. I swear they made those pancakes out of cotton and mortar ...ugh. My dad was with us in NO...and he didn't yell at me...but I think he enjoyed watching me suffer.

Because of how young I was, there were many important "firsts" that happened there...

What did you do in the Corps? 2nd Sop

What years were you a Corps member? 1979

Sorry Mike there were no angels with me. There were only sick Imps because in both 78 and 70 I never made Bourbon Street. Norm I am sure you are talking about 1979 while the others are talking about 1978. Katie may not know who broke the window on the bus but I do . Some secrets are better kept that way. It seems that you all forget that the parties started in Memphis on the first night out in both years. The only redeeming feature was that in both years the Corps did well on the field in spite of it all which is probably the only reason I didn,t take it home as I threatened to do. The easiest way to excuse the antics was to blame in on those who had joined from other Corps and brought there bad habits with them except that doesn,t explain Peoria in 1975 does it Pete. Another secret better kept secret.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed Cadets 1975 and A Corps 1976 thru 1979

Do we REALLY need this thread?

I was actually in New Orleans four times (1973, 78, 79 with Norwood and 1980 with Spirit). Here are a few things I remember (I'm sure there are MANY more I DON'T remember):

* I was only 13 in 1973, so I didn't drink anything (although I could have, because nobody was paying attention). I bought a t-shirt that looked like a priest's collar (had a lot of fun with that one back home). My only real memory is Dad waiting for us at the hotel with the truck parked out front (because nobody thought it would make it) and hanging a dummy in a Belleville uniform at the hotel (I actually had the head for many years). And watching flies bite holes in the tenor lines' ankles during rehearsal (Bob, Steve, and Dave).

* I don't remember much about 1978's trip, or it combines with 1979. But I remember having several hurricanes both years, then trying to act sober when we returned to the hotel because I was, after all, not only the drum instructor but the drum major (I set a GREAT example, right?). I also remember hugging a horse at one point.

* This one I KNOW was 1979, because it involved Arnie Dolan. I had drank 14 hurricanes so far (no, I am NOT exaggerating). Obviously feeling no pain, I ran into Arnie, who dared me to chug a Mad Dog 20/20, which of course I did (he bought). THAT was a mistake...

* One of the years I got into an argument with a drum instructor from 1st Canadian Regiment (I think that's right). He had marched Blue Devils when I was in Cavaliers, and he was claiming their show was tougher to play (Dave Borck BETTER admit I was right). George pulled me away from that one.

* There was a picture somewhere of me getting sick in a bag on the bus coming back to the hotel in 1979...

* The next morning, our hotel room door opened and SOMEONE (Mrs. Fu) threw in a pile of aspirin. Prelims was VERY early in the morning (I had forgotten about the pancakes). We did do well (HOW? Maybe we should have drank all year?). And it was the one and only time in 11 years of marching that I passed out. We trooped the stands after the performance, saluting all the way, and then rounded the corner into the parking lot and down I went! But I made it through the show.

More as I remember them...

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

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

Oops! Forgot one important postscript. When I returned in 1980 with Spirit, the guy mixing hurricanes at that little hole in the wall (where they give them to you in a styrofoam cup without the cover charge) actually REMEMBERED me from the previous two years. THAT'S scary, considering how many he must serve in a 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

Mike, Don't let dad get your riled. He enjoyed every minute of the 'kids' and says so often. He really understood us and saw the good in everyones' characters. He also remembers EVERY place we went, where we stayed, how we did and what happened to whom. We will be traveling somewhere and he will say, 'Remember that school or this street or town.. this is where...I remember when Pete or Mike (just kidding)'. Half the time, I just look at him like, 'Dad, I remember friends, buses, gyms, long practices, cold showers, corp songs, great friends, etc...' Someone should really 'pick his brain' for details as he remembers all of the reality and not the fantasy.

What did you do in the Corps? Color Guard - Rifle

What years were you a Corps member? 1973-1979

Seems like some things didn't change as each new group of kids came into Norwood. The adventures off the field on road trips were generally more memorable than the actual contests. At least the mid-70s bunch didn't get involved in any fights with New York City street gangs.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

What years were you a Corps member? 1959 thru 1961 Cadets 1962 thru 1966 Imperials

Cathy, Bobby said that he has a picture of you guys at dinner in New Orleans. Then he went on about the Police strike in Memphis.

Marching in drum corp made some great memories. I wish there was a drum corp for girls a little closer than Rockford. When we would go to the shows when my daughter was younger, she wanted to join so bad, but the closest was Rockford and at that time she was to young.

I still love going and watching the dci shows. Never losing my love for colorguard I've instructed a high school marching band colorguard. Currently instructing a winterguard (which my daughter is participating) with Jean who marched in the drum line 1979 & 1980.

What did you do in the Corps? Colorguard

What years were you a Corps member? 76 - 83

I remember walking down Bourbon Street for the first time in my life and will never forget it. I was 17 and we stopped by a little stand where you could buy beer in a cup the size of a dixie cup or in a cup the size of a bucket, and that was on the 1st block. As we neared the end of the street near some of the "clubs" there was one with a scantly young lady swinging out of a window on a swing. For a 17 year old the whole thing was pretty amazing.

Mr. Faducia. God bless you for putting up with us. I apologize for everything but really do not recall what happened in Peoria. Please remind me.

Sounds like you had a great time there. Would have liked to have been on that trip, but not as a manager or in any official capacity. LOL

I learned well from drum corps trips to keep a real tight schedule with my bands when we went on tour. I can only imagine how much trouble my 180 piece band would have gotten into on Bourbon Street. I think that is why I always took them to Disney World. LOL

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

I don't say this to bust anyone's bubble, but that "scantily [clad] young lady swinging out of a window on a swing" is [and as far as I know has always been] a mannequin.

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

Larry,

I was thinking the same thing! But Pete did say he was only 17 at the time...

And we really were a very well behaved bunch of kids for the most part - VERY few troublemakers. In my two years as DM, I don't remember having to get on to very many people for discipline reasons. Bourbon Street just brings the really fun side out in people.

And I do remember Karen falling in the fountain.

But I don't remember Peoria either, although it may have been before I returned in 1978. We went there for State in 1973, which was the start of trouble the rest of the year and into the next year (in my opinion), but that was before the time of the people in the later corps.

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

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

1973, one of the Chaparones Mrs Johnson bought us Hurricanes. Amy Johnson (Mike's from Cavies little sister), and Val Korman were my room mates. We went to the pool during off hours and jumped in. It had many frogs in it, we got caught due to our loud noises. Plus I remember it was hot and we practiced in some field with no shade. Opps, some of us missed the bus and started walking to the practice field. Don't remember much after that.

Bob you wouldn,t remember the incident in Peoria because it happened in 1975 with the cadets and only Pete and I knew what it entailed. I am surprised Pete that you don,t recall coming off the bus and me confiscating a brown bag with your medicine in it and throwing it a light post. I missed by about three feet and you told me, the next day, you thought I would have been smarter to use the medicine. There were many times that I thought how right you were.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed Cadets 1975 and A Corps 1976 thru 1979

I forgot alot of what happened in New Orleans but with what everyone is writing, I am remembering alot now! I remember Duke getting the voodoo dust. I think it back fired being that we went from a great prelims to a bad finals. Wasn't that the same year that we went to Dallas after New Orleans?

What did you do in the Corps? Drums

What years were you a Corps member? 78

John Anderson was probably correct when he said (in an earlier reply) that the off the field memories from such trips were often the most memorable part of corps trips.

While I had some very great memories of the competitive scene, the "other" experiences were also great. It was great fun to travel with your corps friends.

But, we never went to "New Orleans" when I was in the corps. That sounds like a whole new level of experience, from the comments posted to date!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer: later: Quartermaster, assistant drum instructor

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Vince, we definitely went to Dallas that year. The finals were in the Cotton Bowl and we finished fourth. As for New Orleans, finals weren't that bad even though we dropped from third in prelims to fourth in finals.

What years were you a Corps member? A Corps manager 76-79

We went to New Orleans? I seem to vaguely recall heading there, somehow surviving and returning. And then do it all over again a year later!

Nothing much to add to the Bourbon Street or Memphis stories. Quite an experience for a 16 & 17 year old. I think it was the 1978 trip when the Goff brothers were fighting(?) in a hotel room. They each had the other locked up and you would have thought that their heads were going to explode with the force that they were using to not let up on the other.

Away from all of the antics I just remember practicing in what must have been 100% humidity.

Bob, didn't you and Jim Baron return from Bourbon Street with t-shirts? Something about Linda Lovelace?

I was 15 in 1978 and I'll never forget the sign posted next to the scantily clad mannequin on a swing on Bourbon Street. Maybe the best marketing line ever: "Topless, Bottomless, Reasonable Prices"!

Dave, if you knew the troubles that caused when we got home, you should be glad you weren't there. It seems amazing that every time the Corps went to New Orleans, the manager ended up resigning after coming back.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed the Cadets in 1975 and the Imperials from 1976 to 1979

In 73 the manager resigned BEFORE we went to New Orleans. And Jim didn't resign the first time. Why did we go back if you had trouble after 78?

In all, I went to New Orleans 4 times in my 11 drum corps seasons (73,78,79 with Norwood, 80 with Spirit). I later went back with a high school band for the World's Fair, and the staff spent a night on Bourbon Street - then snuck in a back door at the hotel to avoid the students (but I was NOT the director, because I wouldn't have allowed it; I was the drum instructor).

I wonder if the experience would be the same today?

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

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

Sorry to differ with you Bob, but I did quit, in 1978, after we returned from New Orleans. Wally Felde replaced me until around the first of the year, when I returned. If you think back you may remember coming to our house the night of the banquet to bring a present because Diane and I did not attend. You and Jan Warren came, along with a few other Imps
and I have always been grateful to know our efforts had been appreciated by the marching members of the Corps. I have always felt quilty because in that interim period, Pete, Teddy, Joey Snyder, and Mike McKenna quit and joined the Cavaliers, though Joey did return before the start of the season. I have always felt that, except for my temper, that was the year that we lost momentum, that we never seemed to regain. Since I am covering these events as part of 70's Imperial history, for now I'll just leave it as is.

As for 1973, you certainly are more knowledgeable, regarding that year than me. My misconception is based on a conversation, with Jack Hausheer, in which I understood him to say that Buddy had left the Corps in New Orleans. Obviously, I misunderstood , but you know how it gets when you obtain the age to be one of those things that you're always talking about.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed the Cadets in 1975 and the Imperials from 1976 to 1979

Bob, I completely agree that coming out of 1978, there was tremendous momentum going into 1979. The loss of momentum, a bad choice of a word, was concerned with a loss of focus, by
the Board of Directors, on what was important to continue the forward progression that had been so evident in the previous two years. I accept my responsibility for the disagreements which caused this loss of focus, but I found it extemely difficult to accept criticism from individuals, who were not present at the time of certain occurrences and yet had no compunction about placing blame. I found no problem with them pointing the finger at me, but I did when that same finger was pointed at marching members and/or instructors. I found that completely and totally unacceptable, and never being a politician, I am sure that I made the situation much worse in the way I expressed my displeasure.

I do feel that the loss of experienced members, from the horn line and the guard, did leave the Corps weaker, not only in numbers, but in talent. I in no way mean to imply that the Corps lost it's ability to compete, because nothing could be further from the truth, as evidenced by the 1979
results. However, if we had been able to retain the members we lost, those results could have been substantially better with the addition of the personnel that we gained from the Scarlett Knights. I would like to place the blame on DCI, but that would be totally erroneous, as the total responsibility remained internal. I guess, at this point in time, it has now become one of those "What ifs".

What did you do in the Corps? Managed the Cadets in 1975 and the Imperials from 1976 to 1979

No, Dave - both of those trips were great! To be in the money situation we were in at the time, and still be able to give our members that kind of experience, says a lot about how hard management (and the kids) worked. And we were competitive at all the Nationals we attended on those two trips. Bourbon Street was just a small part of it (but obviously an important part).

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

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

Couldn't agree more with Bob's comments. For the group that I came up from the Cadets with it was our first tour out of the Midwest and something that we all looked forward to throughout the year. Everyone pitched in and when it was time to work we worked and when it was time to have fun we had fun.

Pete makes a great point (it had to happen sometime). When I think of my years in Cavaliers and Spirit, and then realize how young those Norwood corps were in 78-79, our accomplishments seem even more amazing. Those kids (and most of them really were kids) worked very hard, and despite some of the stories here, they were actually very well behaved (especially compared to the early 70s corps). It was mostly us older ones who caused trouble.

But they somehow knew, despite their inexperience, how to work hard and get the job done, and both seasons saw steady improvement over the course of the year, resulting in a state title in 79 and what should have also been a win at the State Fair that year. And making finals at all of the Nationals we attended both years.

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

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

Jim,I know this is getting a little off topic, but lets not forget the real accomplishments we made.
To this day I carry the confidants,character,self-reliance... that was developed in the Imperials.With limited resorces You were able to consistentley lead the way from one great season after another.Paving the way for members like me to grow into a adult.For that I thank you.
And yes... then Why did I leave @ the end of the 79 season ? Looking back I would have done things differently.

What did you do in the Corps? horn line

What years were you a Corps member? 75 to 79

Jim Anderson -well said!! Looking back, I can't thank enough all of the parents who volunteered their time and energy to guide, lead and keep an eye on us. It was a small dedicated group who were trying to keep things together in a difficult time.

Jim, when you left did you go march with another corp or did you just stop marching altogether?

Jim, I thank you for your comment, but it was truely a two way street in that we got back alot more than we gave. I have often seen posted, on various threads, the dedication of those who marched in the 50,s and 60,s in Norwood and I can truely understand their loyalty. I would be less than truthful to claim the same loyalty, probably because I never had the experience of marching with Norwood or the Imperials. My total devotion was to a group of youngsters, who involved me in an activity with which I had no intention of ever being involved. It never really mattered to me what the name of the Corps was or where it was based, but rather that it's members got the full benefit out of the time they spent doing it. It is indeed gratifying to see that seems to be the case. I would truly hope, that you, Pete, and any others that went the DCI route NEVER regret doing it. You all earned the right and though I always thought you had the talent to accomplish it as Imperials, the lack of money made that impossible. As Bob pointed out, I am not sure any of us realized just how much the Corps accomplished against all the odds. I,ve got off the theme of the thread, but I think the trip to Bourbon Street was a valuable learning experience. Thanks again, it is truly gratifying to realize how much more we got out of the experience than just winning or losing.

Dave, I think the last few posts do truly validate your feelings about the Corps being a true youth organization. There is no doubt that the attitudes and sentiments expressed could and would not have existed in the present drum corps environment.

What did you do in the Corps? Managed the Cadets in 1975 and the Imperials from 1976 to 1979