9-11.
Well, here we are. Three years into the new reality of the post-9/11 world.
Three years ago today, I was corporate counsel for Vividence, an internet start-up in San Mateo. Shortly after I woke up that day, I received a sad phone call from Myisha, my co-worker attorney pal. She told me that Vividence salesperson Jeremy Glick died fighting terrorists on Flight 93, when the plane came crashing to the ground outside of Pittsburgh. Jeremy was on his way to a business meeting that day ... with us.
A few short weeks prior to that horrible day, I was drinking beers with Jeremy and a few other "Vividencers" on a beach in Monterey. In the atmosphere of a bunch of guys drinking beers on the beach, Jeremy mentioned how much he loved his wife.
That pretty much says it all.
10 September 2004
Football Season. Okay, here we go, the start of the 2004 NFL football season. On Sunday, I will be sitting approximately 9 rows behind the 49ers bench as they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Just in case things go awry, I may have to bring my black #7 Michael Vick jersey that I wear to DCA every year ... lol.
Dear Dallas Cowboy bandwagon -- save a seat for me. I might be jumping on around week 4.
Dear Dallas Cowboy bandwagon -- save a seat for me. I might be jumping on around week 4.
Welcome to Friday.
Let's leave the world of drum corps and talk current events today.
Russia 101. American commentators are suggesting that the Russians should negotiate with the Chechen terrorists. For those that don't know, Chechnya was once a part of the Soviet Union, and is now kinda-sorta still part of Russia. The Russians are currently in the middle of their second war there, and much of its capital, Grozny, looks like the lunar landscape as a result of the conflict.
So, we are told, there is a fundamental difference between the United States war on terror and the resulting terrorist attacks that have spilled out of Chechnya and onto the streets of Moscow. One guy on Fox News the other night said that while the Russians could and should end their conflict through negotiation and concessions, the United States does not have that opportunity with Osama Bin Laden. They should negotiate? What????
First, let's get one thing straight. We do not fully understand what the Russians have gone through during the last three hundred years or so, and we never have. Telling them to be calm and negotiate after the Breslan school massacre is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. Well, okay, maybe the 4th or 5th, but whose counting...
Most of us have a general idea that in World War II, the United States suffered horribly in our quest to defeat the Axis powers. In fact, just under 300,000 American were killed during the war, and the good news for everyone on the planet [save the Nazis and their iditioc pals], is that We won. 300,000 American deaths is a very sad thing, and the Axis powers got exactly what they deserved at the end of the day as far as I am conccerned.
However, do you know how many people the Russians lost in approximately the same time frame at the hands of the Nazis? Add TWENTY ONE MILLION to that number quoted above. Yes, the Russians had approximately 21,300,000 citizens killed in the war, which is the sum of what the United States lost AND the entire present day population of the state of New York. Take a look at the top of this map, and it will give you some idea.
The fact is that the Russians fought a few single battles in which they lost as many soldiers as the U.S. lost in the entire war on both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
My point here is not to make some wacky qualitative analysis and say that the Russians are somehow better or whatever for suffering more. Not even. We likey would have suffered roughly the same fate if Nazi Germany was located in Canada or whatever.
My point is that the Russian society was completely and totally devastated by the war. Most people do not understand that, or the effects that has had on Russian society all the way up to the present. The cold war period that followed World War II was not purely the result of meglomaniac Russian communist ambitions to control the world, but also what naturally results when you have 21,300,000 of your people killed in a few years to a ruthless German dictator bent on killing or enslaving everyone who was not in his Aryan club.
That would tend to make you a little paranoid of armies or terrorists hanging out on your borders, no?
Last week was not a good week for Russia. They had two airliners downed by suicide bombers, random bombs going off in Moscow, soldiers killed in Chechnya and a middle school in Breslan that was invaded by psycho-terrorists who thought it was a good idea to kill as many little kids as possible to make their point.
And now, we want them to stay calm and negotiate. Sorry, but I gotta side with Putin on this one. His response was somewhere along the lines of "if you invite Osama Bin Laden to Belgium for a testamonial dinner and peace conference, we will do the same with the Chechens..." Wacky. Ask yourself this question -- what would our reaction be if, God forbid, the school that got wiped out was in Cleveland? Somehow, I don't see negotiations commencing around a round table somewhere in Geneva, if you catch my drift.
With the anniversary of 9-11 coming up, my point is that we do not have the market cornered on suffering in the War on Terror. How in the hell, or why, do you negotiate with people who make statements by killing off an entire middle school? Answer = The same way you deal with those who make statements by destroying the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
You don't.
The point. We need to not alienate other coutries of the world in the War on Terror. We must become allies with them, and win this war once and for all so that we can all live in peace. Every country does not have the same history and we cannot look at another country's actions in this war through the prism of American history if we hope to have any chance of coming out of this thing with more than just Fox News on our side. 1 + 1 = 2. Math.
Okay, enough of my rambling on current events. Today, I will hopefully finalize a recording agreement for an outerspace rockabilly band who is about to take the world by storm, and then hike up a mountain overlooking the ocean, just because.
Have a good day everyone, and thanks for reading this stupid Blog,
Lee
Let's leave the world of drum corps and talk current events today.
Russia 101. American commentators are suggesting that the Russians should negotiate with the Chechen terrorists. For those that don't know, Chechnya was once a part of the Soviet Union, and is now kinda-sorta still part of Russia. The Russians are currently in the middle of their second war there, and much of its capital, Grozny, looks like the lunar landscape as a result of the conflict.
So, we are told, there is a fundamental difference between the United States war on terror and the resulting terrorist attacks that have spilled out of Chechnya and onto the streets of Moscow. One guy on Fox News the other night said that while the Russians could and should end their conflict through negotiation and concessions, the United States does not have that opportunity with Osama Bin Laden. They should negotiate? What????
First, let's get one thing straight. We do not fully understand what the Russians have gone through during the last three hundred years or so, and we never have. Telling them to be calm and negotiate after the Breslan school massacre is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. Well, okay, maybe the 4th or 5th, but whose counting...
Most of us have a general idea that in World War II, the United States suffered horribly in our quest to defeat the Axis powers. In fact, just under 300,000 American were killed during the war, and the good news for everyone on the planet [save the Nazis and their iditioc pals], is that We won. 300,000 American deaths is a very sad thing, and the Axis powers got exactly what they deserved at the end of the day as far as I am conccerned.
However, do you know how many people the Russians lost in approximately the same time frame at the hands of the Nazis? Add TWENTY ONE MILLION to that number quoted above. Yes, the Russians had approximately 21,300,000 citizens killed in the war, which is the sum of what the United States lost AND the entire present day population of the state of New York. Take a look at the top of this map, and it will give you some idea.
The fact is that the Russians fought a few single battles in which they lost as many soldiers as the U.S. lost in the entire war on both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
My point here is not to make some wacky qualitative analysis and say that the Russians are somehow better or whatever for suffering more. Not even. We likey would have suffered roughly the same fate if Nazi Germany was located in Canada or whatever.
My point is that the Russian society was completely and totally devastated by the war. Most people do not understand that, or the effects that has had on Russian society all the way up to the present. The cold war period that followed World War II was not purely the result of meglomaniac Russian communist ambitions to control the world, but also what naturally results when you have 21,300,000 of your people killed in a few years to a ruthless German dictator bent on killing or enslaving everyone who was not in his Aryan club.
That would tend to make you a little paranoid of armies or terrorists hanging out on your borders, no?
Last week was not a good week for Russia. They had two airliners downed by suicide bombers, random bombs going off in Moscow, soldiers killed in Chechnya and a middle school in Breslan that was invaded by psycho-terrorists who thought it was a good idea to kill as many little kids as possible to make their point.
And now, we want them to stay calm and negotiate. Sorry, but I gotta side with Putin on this one. His response was somewhere along the lines of "if you invite Osama Bin Laden to Belgium for a testamonial dinner and peace conference, we will do the same with the Chechens..." Wacky. Ask yourself this question -- what would our reaction be if, God forbid, the school that got wiped out was in Cleveland? Somehow, I don't see negotiations commencing around a round table somewhere in Geneva, if you catch my drift.
With the anniversary of 9-11 coming up, my point is that we do not have the market cornered on suffering in the War on Terror. How in the hell, or why, do you negotiate with people who make statements by killing off an entire middle school? Answer = The same way you deal with those who make statements by destroying the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
You don't.
The point. We need to not alienate other coutries of the world in the War on Terror. We must become allies with them, and win this war once and for all so that we can all live in peace. Every country does not have the same history and we cannot look at another country's actions in this war through the prism of American history if we hope to have any chance of coming out of this thing with more than just Fox News on our side. 1 + 1 = 2. Math.
Okay, enough of my rambling on current events. Today, I will hopefully finalize a recording agreement for an outerspace rockabilly band who is about to take the world by storm, and then hike up a mountain overlooking the ocean, just because.
Have a good day everyone, and thanks for reading this stupid Blog,
Lee
09 September 2004
07 September 2004
Random Comments from DCA 2004
Disclaimer: Non-drum corps fans will not get this. Come back tomorrow. Also drum corps fans take note -- nothing is held back here and I have little to no regard for what is politically correct. And I discuss Crunchy Frog ... a lot. Still here? Cool. Here we go again ...
1. The Renegades' East Coast Family Day tradition of performing with the Hanover Area band for the fans before the DCA weekend is a very cool thing. Thank you to band director Joe Baronosky and everyone at Hanover Area for being such fantastic hosts to the Renegades (again). BTW, the halftime show that Ed Teleky designed for the band is Genius, with a capital "G."
2. Congratulations to the Empire Statesmen and our pal Joey Pero for a well-deserved 2004 DCA World Championship.
3. No rain. Happy, happy, joy-joy.
4. DCA covered the bases in the stadium. Thank you. Not only was it a safer environment for the performers but the pictures and video will look much better without the random brown patches of dirt. Hoo-yah!
5. The Crunchy Frog drum and bugle corps was a success and fielded over 200 members. Like the 1960s, if you can remember Crunchy Frog, you probably weren't there.
6. So, you hated Crunchy Frog? Read this and ponder.
"... The works premiere on May 29, 1913, at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, was scandalous. In addition to the outrageous costumes, unusual choreography and bizarre story of pagan sacrifice, Stravinsky's musical innovations tested the patience of the audience to the fullest. In this edition of Milestones of the Millennium, we explore the history surrounding “The Rite of Spring,” its infamous premiere and its tremendous impact on music ever since..."
7. Seven.
8. Crunchy Frog's was announced as having received 156 points in penalties, and a score of negative 103. The DCA website now shows the score as a "13" (after the 156 points in penalties). Frankly, I don't agree with the posted score of "13." With over 200+ members, the penalty points were actually much higher than 156. Thus, Crunchy Frog did get its world record negative score.
But for sake of argument, let's assume the score that is currently posted on the DCA website is correct ... and let's take a look at your friendly neighborhood Crunchy Math.
A score of 13 + 156 points in penalties = Crunchy Frog actually had a score of 169.000 in the DCA minicorps competition. The previous highest score ever in DCA, was by the world-class Erie Thunderbirds minicorps, who scored a 105.000 The previous highest score in DCI, was by the also-green Cavaliers, who had a 98 point something or other. Accordingly, if the currently posted minicorps score is correct, not only did Crunchy Frog accidentally win the 2004 DCA minicorps competition, Crunchy Frog got the highest score ever recorded in drum and bugle corps history. Oops.
9. 4 minutes = Total time I was I was at Crunchy Frog rehearsal before a woman in Crunchy Frog exposed her breasts to me and demanded that I give her the Drum Corps is Evil medallion around my neck. Me = stunned.
10. My favorite corps at DCA 2004 Finals = Hurricanes.
11. I thought we won DCA Prelims. Sorry, but I did. Yow.
12. The Hilton Garden Hotel = Best hotel for Renegades, ever. Sure beats the "other hotel" from last year, where the poorly trained staff repeatedly yelled at a corps who just spent tens of thousands of dollars on hotel rooms and dealt with early evening noise complaints by calling law enforcement.
13. The magical voice. So, I met this woman named "Su" in Crunchy Frog who grew up in England and then moved to New Orleans when she was 10 years old. Somehow, Su ended up with a random hybrid English/Cajun/Southern Belle accent. I concluded that Su has the most amazing voice that I have ever heard, bar none, and I can listen to her talk for hours and hours. Everytime I ran into her over the weekend, I asked her to talk for anyone and everyone who was standing around me. And she did. Poof = instant friend.
14. One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) = Amount of the donation check written by an East Coast fan to the Renegades after he stood in the center of the horn arc for the second final parking lot concert. Domo arigato Mr. Roboto.
15. Time I got to sleep after the Renegades Pizza Orgasmica 3.0 party on Sunday Night = 7:17 a.m.
16. The longest standing ovation of the weekend was for the Yokohama Inspires as they marched off the field at retreat. Incidentally, as the Renegades applauded for the Inspires, one girl broke from their typical stoic demeanor. She smiled, waved and yelled "Thank you!" to the Renegades. I immediately broke off running after the Inspires and hung my Renegades VIP staff pass and Renegades medallion around her neck. I wish the Inspires could come to DCA every year ... a very talented and cool corps.
17. Total amount of Renegades staff passes I had this season = Four. Two DCI, one DCM and one DCA.
18. Total amount of staff passes I ended the season with = Zero. Two really long chaotic stories and one very inspiring Yokohmama Inspire.
19. Renegades souvie sales records = Shattered beyond belief. Thank you fans!
20. Chaos 101. The scene where the antagonized cop broke up the Renegades first of two "final" 2004 parking lot concerts on Sunday Night by pounding on the podium and screaming "Stop!" like a little kid was Genius. I especially liked it when he yelled that the corps had to stop playing immediately because "people with million dollar homes had complained about the noise." I guess that in this part of Pennsylvania, your complaint increases in importance with the value of your home. Or something. The cool thing was that by moving the entire concert back to the stadium, the size of the crowd doubled. Domo arigato Mr. Roboto #2.
21. Most unlikely member of Crunchy Frog 2004 = Michael Boo in a tux.
21(b). RUNNER UP, Most unlikely member of Crunchy Frog 2004 = The two professional bus drivers who wandered out into the pandemonium at their first-ever drum corps event with signs around their neck that read "Renegades Slaves."
22. David Landers = First person who I ever heard play flam drags on a baritone. Congrats dude.
23. Corps who refuse to participate in I&E = stick + mud. Hold an extra rehearsal the week before and get over it. I&E is a wonderful experience for all corps members and every DCA corps should participate. It is a shame that many members of DCA finalist corps don't get to see the amazing Ghost Riders or Thunderbirds minicorps for example. Oh yeah. And Crunchy Frog could have used another 700 members or so.
24. Renegades 2005 = The Prequel. After 2oo5, you will be able to watch the 2005, 2003 and 2004 Renegades Trilogy DVD (in that order) ... The story of Good and Evil.
25. The NFL season starts this week. Things already look really gloomy for the 49ers, so I might need another band wagon to jump on around week 4. Cowboys?
26. Crusaders performing at I&E = Genius move, and very appreciated by all of us. Next step to getting the corps back on the field is to put together a great staff and amazing show and promote it like hell. Soon.
25. Biggest Disappointment of DCA 2004 = Some friends of mine who teach another corps being so stressed out and antagonized at the Prelims warm-up that I didn't even feel comfortable being around them. Exit stage left. Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.
24. My most Profound Emotion at DCA Finals = Extreme sadness when I realized that I would not get to see the Renegades 2004 show performed live again. Win, lose or draw, I am extremely proud of our show design and even more proud of the talented men and women who brought our designs to life on the field. It was a privilege to be associated with the men and women of the 2004 corps, who were not afraid to go in a different direction than anyone has ever taken before.
23. Drum instructor who I would hire in a hearbeat if he lived in California = "T" who teaches the Reading Buccaneers' tenor line.
22. Speaking of the Skyliners, congratulations to their pit who won the DCA I&E percussion ensemble award. Double congrats to evil pit instructor Mark Allen.
21. Renegades 2004 horn line = most talent I have ever seen assembled in one place. And I understand that most are coming back. Cool beans.
20. Some of my Favorite Crunchy Frog Characters = The shark with feet sticking out of his mouth, the French Maid, the berserker little kid snare drummer, the cute genie, Halzewood's kids, Rhonda, Tigger with a beer and cigarette in hand, the 7' tall rabbit, the kid in the fat suit, the chaotic evil Leprechaun (Cupcake?), Mazinga, Stu the monster Tweety-bird on steroids, the fencers, two transvestites, the return of the 7' tall dancing Chicken, the Czech Honorguard, Michael Boo in a tux, The Hooters Girl, Eve, the wacky Mariachi, Tom Peashey (announcer), the Blues Brothers ... and a bunch more that I won't remember until I see some more evidence ... errr ... pictures. Marching with Crunchy Frog was like being beamed back to Haight and Ashbury in 1967 ... and some of what the corps played was almost recognizable as Western music. Almost.
19. Skyliners. I want to work with the New York Skyliners a bit. Someone go tell 'em.
18. Renegades drum line = Took a major step up the ladder this year. Special thanks to new drum staff member Scott Johnson for going above and beyond the call of duty to get our drum line into shape. Our percussion section has a great deal of momentum and the incoming 2005 talent level is about to go way, way up.
17. The Reneguard = People (and judges) either loved them or hated them and there was zero middle ground. The Reneguard brought our 2004 visual program to life, and was by far the best colorguard that the Renegades ever had. Special thanks to V for somehow finding the strength to perform on a severely sprained ankle in Prelims and Finals.
16. Renegades chaos 101 = Within 48 hours of arriving at DCA, our lead drum major had food poisoning, our lead soprano soloist had fallen near the pool and injured his hip, and our colorguard captain had severely sprained her ankle. Somehow, they all came through.
15. Renegades 2004. Our mission was to make each and every section of the corps dramatically better than the 2003 corps. We succeeded. As we told the corps at the members' patch ceremony on Sunday morning, you cannot allow people who write down numbers on a piece of paper dictate whether your season was successful or not. If you meet your own performance goals, you win. Period.
14. There is no #38. Huh? Whazzat?
13. After DCA, I went to the cemetary in Hanover Township to visit my grandfather's grave for the first time. I guess his loss never really hit me, because I just sat there on the grass and cried for a long time ... the last time I saw him was when he came to see the Renegades last year.
12. There is no #12. Unless you scroll up.
11. Thank you to the Zildjian, Remo and Dynasty companies for their support of the Renegades.
10. Special shout out to Jeff Zehner, JeffsnewJetta and Catherine and Jim Verduer, Pooh Bear the amazing baritone playa, the girl Lisa from CorpsVets who I was introduced to on at least 5 occasions in 3 days.
7. Evil Plan. I will now publish the Renegades book and then take over the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Yes, I said take over. By the way, ever see a drum corps sell the movie rights to its story and use the proceeds to buy a black jet with sharks teeth?
9. Congrats to our friends at Minnesota Brass. Our mutual two-year tradition of winning every other show continues, no? In 2005, come out to California for Loud Music Symposium or some weekend drum corps shows!
8. Renegades record for standing ovations in one show = 6 (this happened twice this year). Thank you Fans x 2!!
6. PO3. Enough said.
5. Item of note. I just heard from Cecile, my French attorney friend who lives in Belgium. She just had a baby. Congrats Cecile! Cecile may never fully realize this, but the dinner conversation that she and I had at the Globe in Prague in 1997 had a profound effect on my life. Leave it to the French to put things into perspective ... lol.
4. What is up with this wacky numbering system? Answer = I dunno. Math?
3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Okay, that is all for now.
Thank you for reading this bunch of nonsense posing as a Blog.
Lee
http://www.drumlaw80.com
p.s. As of noon on September 8, I still have no luggage. Hoo-yah!!
Disclaimer: Non-drum corps fans will not get this. Come back tomorrow. Also drum corps fans take note -- nothing is held back here and I have little to no regard for what is politically correct. And I discuss Crunchy Frog ... a lot. Still here? Cool. Here we go again ...
1. The Renegades' East Coast Family Day tradition of performing with the Hanover Area band for the fans before the DCA weekend is a very cool thing. Thank you to band director Joe Baronosky and everyone at Hanover Area for being such fantastic hosts to the Renegades (again). BTW, the halftime show that Ed Teleky designed for the band is Genius, with a capital "G."
2. Congratulations to the Empire Statesmen and our pal Joey Pero for a well-deserved 2004 DCA World Championship.
3. No rain. Happy, happy, joy-joy.
4. DCA covered the bases in the stadium. Thank you. Not only was it a safer environment for the performers but the pictures and video will look much better without the random brown patches of dirt. Hoo-yah!
5. The Crunchy Frog drum and bugle corps was a success and fielded over 200 members. Like the 1960s, if you can remember Crunchy Frog, you probably weren't there.
6. So, you hated Crunchy Frog? Read this and ponder.
"... The works premiere on May 29, 1913, at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, was scandalous. In addition to the outrageous costumes, unusual choreography and bizarre story of pagan sacrifice, Stravinsky's musical innovations tested the patience of the audience to the fullest. In this edition of Milestones of the Millennium, we explore the history surrounding “The Rite of Spring,” its infamous premiere and its tremendous impact on music ever since..."
7. Seven.
8. Crunchy Frog's was announced as having received 156 points in penalties, and a score of negative 103. The DCA website now shows the score as a "13" (after the 156 points in penalties). Frankly, I don't agree with the posted score of "13." With over 200+ members, the penalty points were actually much higher than 156. Thus, Crunchy Frog did get its world record negative score.
But for sake of argument, let's assume the score that is currently posted on the DCA website is correct ... and let's take a look at your friendly neighborhood Crunchy Math.
A score of 13 + 156 points in penalties = Crunchy Frog actually had a score of 169.000 in the DCA minicorps competition. The previous highest score ever in DCA, was by the world-class Erie Thunderbirds minicorps, who scored a 105.000 The previous highest score in DCI, was by the also-green Cavaliers, who had a 98 point something or other. Accordingly, if the currently posted minicorps score is correct, not only did Crunchy Frog accidentally win the 2004 DCA minicorps competition, Crunchy Frog got the highest score ever recorded in drum and bugle corps history. Oops.
9. 4 minutes = Total time I was I was at Crunchy Frog rehearsal before a woman in Crunchy Frog exposed her breasts to me and demanded that I give her the Drum Corps is Evil medallion around my neck. Me = stunned.
10. My favorite corps at DCA 2004 Finals = Hurricanes.
11. I thought we won DCA Prelims. Sorry, but I did. Yow.
12. The Hilton Garden Hotel = Best hotel for Renegades, ever. Sure beats the "other hotel" from last year, where the poorly trained staff repeatedly yelled at a corps who just spent tens of thousands of dollars on hotel rooms and dealt with early evening noise complaints by calling law enforcement.
13. The magical voice. So, I met this woman named "Su" in Crunchy Frog who grew up in England and then moved to New Orleans when she was 10 years old. Somehow, Su ended up with a random hybrid English/Cajun/Southern Belle accent. I concluded that Su has the most amazing voice that I have ever heard, bar none, and I can listen to her talk for hours and hours. Everytime I ran into her over the weekend, I asked her to talk for anyone and everyone who was standing around me. And she did. Poof = instant friend.
14. One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) = Amount of the donation check written by an East Coast fan to the Renegades after he stood in the center of the horn arc for the second final parking lot concert. Domo arigato Mr. Roboto.
15. Time I got to sleep after the Renegades Pizza Orgasmica 3.0 party on Sunday Night = 7:17 a.m.
16. The longest standing ovation of the weekend was for the Yokohama Inspires as they marched off the field at retreat. Incidentally, as the Renegades applauded for the Inspires, one girl broke from their typical stoic demeanor. She smiled, waved and yelled "Thank you!" to the Renegades. I immediately broke off running after the Inspires and hung my Renegades VIP staff pass and Renegades medallion around her neck. I wish the Inspires could come to DCA every year ... a very talented and cool corps.
17. Total amount of Renegades staff passes I had this season = Four. Two DCI, one DCM and one DCA.
18. Total amount of staff passes I ended the season with = Zero. Two really long chaotic stories and one very inspiring Yokohmama Inspire.
19. Renegades souvie sales records = Shattered beyond belief. Thank you fans!
20. Chaos 101. The scene where the antagonized cop broke up the Renegades first of two "final" 2004 parking lot concerts on Sunday Night by pounding on the podium and screaming "Stop!" like a little kid was Genius. I especially liked it when he yelled that the corps had to stop playing immediately because "people with million dollar homes had complained about the noise." I guess that in this part of Pennsylvania, your complaint increases in importance with the value of your home. Or something. The cool thing was that by moving the entire concert back to the stadium, the size of the crowd doubled. Domo arigato Mr. Roboto #2.
21. Most unlikely member of Crunchy Frog 2004 = Michael Boo in a tux.
21(b). RUNNER UP, Most unlikely member of Crunchy Frog 2004 = The two professional bus drivers who wandered out into the pandemonium at their first-ever drum corps event with signs around their neck that read "Renegades Slaves."
22. David Landers = First person who I ever heard play flam drags on a baritone. Congrats dude.
23. Corps who refuse to participate in I&E = stick + mud. Hold an extra rehearsal the week before and get over it. I&E is a wonderful experience for all corps members and every DCA corps should participate. It is a shame that many members of DCA finalist corps don't get to see the amazing Ghost Riders or Thunderbirds minicorps for example. Oh yeah. And Crunchy Frog could have used another 700 members or so.
24. Renegades 2005 = The Prequel. After 2oo5, you will be able to watch the 2005, 2003 and 2004 Renegades Trilogy DVD (in that order) ... The story of Good and Evil.
25. The NFL season starts this week. Things already look really gloomy for the 49ers, so I might need another band wagon to jump on around week 4. Cowboys?
26. Crusaders performing at I&E = Genius move, and very appreciated by all of us. Next step to getting the corps back on the field is to put together a great staff and amazing show and promote it like hell. Soon.
25. Biggest Disappointment of DCA 2004 = Some friends of mine who teach another corps being so stressed out and antagonized at the Prelims warm-up that I didn't even feel comfortable being around them. Exit stage left. Zoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.
24. My most Profound Emotion at DCA Finals = Extreme sadness when I realized that I would not get to see the Renegades 2004 show performed live again. Win, lose or draw, I am extremely proud of our show design and even more proud of the talented men and women who brought our designs to life on the field. It was a privilege to be associated with the men and women of the 2004 corps, who were not afraid to go in a different direction than anyone has ever taken before.
23. Drum instructor who I would hire in a hearbeat if he lived in California = "T" who teaches the Reading Buccaneers' tenor line.
22. Speaking of the Skyliners, congratulations to their pit who won the DCA I&E percussion ensemble award. Double congrats to evil pit instructor Mark Allen.
21. Renegades 2004 horn line = most talent I have ever seen assembled in one place. And I understand that most are coming back. Cool beans.
20. Some of my Favorite Crunchy Frog Characters = The shark with feet sticking out of his mouth, the French Maid, the berserker little kid snare drummer, the cute genie, Halzewood's kids, Rhonda, Tigger with a beer and cigarette in hand, the 7' tall rabbit, the kid in the fat suit, the chaotic evil Leprechaun (Cupcake?), Mazinga, Stu the monster Tweety-bird on steroids, the fencers, two transvestites, the return of the 7' tall dancing Chicken, the Czech Honorguard, Michael Boo in a tux, The Hooters Girl, Eve, the wacky Mariachi, Tom Peashey (announcer), the Blues Brothers ... and a bunch more that I won't remember until I see some more evidence ... errr ... pictures. Marching with Crunchy Frog was like being beamed back to Haight and Ashbury in 1967 ... and some of what the corps played was almost recognizable as Western music. Almost.
19. Skyliners. I want to work with the New York Skyliners a bit. Someone go tell 'em.
18. Renegades drum line = Took a major step up the ladder this year. Special thanks to new drum staff member Scott Johnson for going above and beyond the call of duty to get our drum line into shape. Our percussion section has a great deal of momentum and the incoming 2005 talent level is about to go way, way up.
17. The Reneguard = People (and judges) either loved them or hated them and there was zero middle ground. The Reneguard brought our 2004 visual program to life, and was by far the best colorguard that the Renegades ever had. Special thanks to V for somehow finding the strength to perform on a severely sprained ankle in Prelims and Finals.
16. Renegades chaos 101 = Within 48 hours of arriving at DCA, our lead drum major had food poisoning, our lead soprano soloist had fallen near the pool and injured his hip, and our colorguard captain had severely sprained her ankle. Somehow, they all came through.
15. Renegades 2004. Our mission was to make each and every section of the corps dramatically better than the 2003 corps. We succeeded. As we told the corps at the members' patch ceremony on Sunday morning, you cannot allow people who write down numbers on a piece of paper dictate whether your season was successful or not. If you meet your own performance goals, you win. Period.
14. There is no #38. Huh? Whazzat?
13. After DCA, I went to the cemetary in Hanover Township to visit my grandfather's grave for the first time. I guess his loss never really hit me, because I just sat there on the grass and cried for a long time ... the last time I saw him was when he came to see the Renegades last year.
12. There is no #12. Unless you scroll up.
11. Thank you to the Zildjian, Remo and Dynasty companies for their support of the Renegades.
10. Special shout out to Jeff Zehner, JeffsnewJetta and Catherine and Jim Verduer, Pooh Bear the amazing baritone playa, the girl Lisa from CorpsVets who I was introduced to on at least 5 occasions in 3 days.
7. Evil Plan. I will now publish the Renegades book and then take over the Los Angeles entertainment industry. Yes, I said take over. By the way, ever see a drum corps sell the movie rights to its story and use the proceeds to buy a black jet with sharks teeth?
9. Congrats to our friends at Minnesota Brass. Our mutual two-year tradition of winning every other show continues, no? In 2005, come out to California for Loud Music Symposium or some weekend drum corps shows!
8. Renegades record for standing ovations in one show = 6 (this happened twice this year). Thank you Fans x 2!!
6. PO3. Enough said.
5. Item of note. I just heard from Cecile, my French attorney friend who lives in Belgium. She just had a baby. Congrats Cecile! Cecile may never fully realize this, but the dinner conversation that she and I had at the Globe in Prague in 1997 had a profound effect on my life. Leave it to the French to put things into perspective ... lol.
4. What is up with this wacky numbering system? Answer = I dunno. Math?
3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Okay, that is all for now.
Thank you for reading this bunch of nonsense posing as a Blog.
Lee
http://www.drumlaw80.com
p.s. As of noon on September 8, I still have no luggage. Hoo-yah!!
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