@JessOnTheRun...I marched SS'88 and I believe our horn line was the weak part. I think the problem was the GE part of our scores in the brass department because the show was very unique musically for that era. I'm basing my opinions on the scores we received for the Finals show.
@plormitch Are there any youtube videos of Spyder or music online. I'd love to see it. Also, didn't Micky Hartzog march Suncoast in 1988? He was my instructor at Northern Aurora in 1994.
yeah I wanted to watch the drum solo, the producer wanted me to watch the rather uninteresting flags and contras, didnt remember the machine like cymbal visuals
I've often viewed Suncoast's percussion as having been somewhat of a drag on the corps musically (the writing often sounded stiff and "thwacky", like a college section, and didn't really have the smooth sophistication of the brass arrangements), but there's no criticizing their showmanship. They were fun to watch, and this was a very cool feature!
That depends on the year (percussion wise 87 -89 their percussion was handled by inexperienced amateurs, for the most part)...but like in 85, 86 and 88, the brass was scoring overall 2nd or 3rd. It was the forte of their corps and yes Robert W Smith's genius compositions and arranging style was very innovative.
@ikshields I respectfully disagree. IMHO, these guys were playing very different stuff than the other east coast lines of the time (Garfield, Crossmen, Two Seven), the mid west guys (Phantom, Cavaliers, Madison) and the west coast cats (BD, Santa Clara). The Bass drum break in 85-86 was the first time I'd ever heard an extended roll on bass drum now jr. high lines do them.
Although I am not expert on the current state of the activity it seems like most lines today incorporate "Split Syncopation", as jessontherun calls it, in their books and, particularly in warm-ups and Spyder has got to be one of THE funkiest grooves ever (When played correctly!!!). Just my opinion.
Truly one of the coolest solo's...and a trend starter...Al Murray (who used to march with Float and Hardimon in Anaheim) was the one who first implemented split syncopation throughout the rhythmic elements, giving us this funky contrapuntal "monkey beat"...the split stereophonic cymbal parts are extremely effective.
I remember hearing that big funky break right at the end of the drum feature in 85; that was the first time I (or anyone, I guess) had heard anything like it. Every show on that tour, the audience would go nuts for it. Suncoast always had the funkiest drums at that time!
actually the concept comes from an excercise that was popular from early 80's. But Murray took it a step further... the cymbal punches that float around the front ensemble are just awesome.
@JessOnTheRun...I marched SS'88 and I believe our horn line was the weak part. I think the problem was the GE part of our scores in the brass department because the show was very unique musically for that era. I'm basing my opinions on the scores we received for the Finals show.
plormitch 2 years ago
I marched Suncoast '88 and I remember playing Spyder and people going nuts everytime. Spyder is one of the classic cadences in Drum Corps history.
plormitch 2 years ago
@plormitch Are there any youtube videos of Spyder or music online. I'd love to see it. Also, didn't Micky Hartzog march Suncoast in 1988? He was my instructor at Northern Aurora in 1994.
neilyvanneily 1 year ago
@neilyvanneily Mickey marched Sky Ryders in 88, he did Suncoast 86 and 87.
banjotire 11 months ago
I watched this line many times having gone on before them in the Sky Ryders, favorite corps that year!
trumpetg7059 2 years ago
Who the hell watches guard during a drum solo? wtf?
flammaster 2 years ago
seriously do they not edit these things.
drums4life24 2 years ago
@flammaster No kidding!!!
freud113 10 months ago
Boy do I miss that kind of Drum Corps. Those days are sure long gone.
longfade 3 years ago
Richie V. and the baddest basses ever.
EarpVangorden 3 years ago
Always enjoy the camera change to the Color Guard in the heart of the drum feature!
edrin951 3 years ago
LOL look at the snare plumes bobbing at the end!
VaughnWa 3 years ago
yeah I wanted to watch the drum solo, the producer wanted me to watch the rather uninteresting flags and contras, didnt remember the machine like cymbal visuals
VaughnWa 3 years ago
I've often viewed Suncoast's percussion as having been somewhat of a drag on the corps musically (the writing often sounded stiff and "thwacky", like a college section, and didn't really have the smooth sophistication of the brass arrangements), but there's no criticizing their showmanship. They were fun to watch, and this was a very cool feature!
ikshields 3 years ago
That depends on the year (percussion wise 87 -89 their percussion was handled by inexperienced amateurs, for the most part)...but like in 85, 86 and 88, the brass was scoring overall 2nd or 3rd. It was the forte of their corps and yes Robert W Smith's genius compositions and arranging style was very innovative.
JessOnTheRun 3 years ago
@ikshields I respectfully disagree. IMHO, these guys were playing very different stuff than the other east coast lines of the time (Garfield, Crossmen, Two Seven), the mid west guys (Phantom, Cavaliers, Madison) and the west coast cats (BD, Santa Clara). The Bass drum break in 85-86 was the first time I'd ever heard an extended roll on bass drum now jr. high lines do them.
leftoftyrone87 2 years ago
Although I am not expert on the current state of the activity it seems like most lines today incorporate "Split Syncopation", as jessontherun calls it, in their books and, particularly in warm-ups and Spyder has got to be one of THE funkiest grooves ever (When played correctly!!!). Just my opinion.
leftoftyrone87 2 years ago
Truly one of the coolest solo's...and a trend starter...Al Murray (who used to march with Float and Hardimon in Anaheim) was the one who first implemented split syncopation throughout the rhythmic elements, giving us this funky contrapuntal "monkey beat"...the split stereophonic cymbal parts are extremely effective.
JessOnTheRun 3 years ago
Is that also called "hoc it" or something along those lines.
88Drumline 3 years ago
yep, many names for it.
JessOnTheRun 3 years ago
I remember hearing that big funky break right at the end of the drum feature in 85; that was the first time I (or anyone, I guess) had heard anything like it. Every show on that tour, the audience would go nuts for it. Suncoast always had the funkiest drums at that time!
longfade 3 years ago
actually the concept comes from an excercise that was popular from early 80's. But Murray took it a step further... the cymbal punches that float around the front ensemble are just awesome.
JessOnTheRun 3 years ago
One of my all time favorite solos when I discovered what drum corps was at that time.
88SCV89 3 years ago