From: bfhalls@vela.acs.oakland.edu (HALLS BRADLEY F)
Subject: Re: Devils' Percussion-what the #@$%*%^($# is wrong?
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 02:55:07 GMT

In article <1992Sep8.173544.1@vax1.umkc.edu> cputnam@vax1.umkc.edu writes:
>Again, I am curious as to why the Devils' percussion is one of the lowest rated
>of the top corps.  It was kind of neat to have their percussion caption read 
>"6 6 6" (for field, ensemble, and total).  I would much rather it be at least
>4's, though.
>
>Is it their battery, their pit, their arrangement, or what?
>
>Any ideas that would help me to figure out why, for the past 3 or 4 years, the
>Devils' percussion has finished so low would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Thanks!
>
>IRC nick-BlueDevil

This is a tough and rather involved question, but I'll give it a shot:

1. They probably shouldn't have finished as low as they have for the past
   several years. The main problem (IMHO) is that they have become rather
   stagnant. A big part of percussion scores the last several years has
   been the ability to push the activity. The Floats, while they produced
   great drumlines year after year, never really tried anything that would
   push the activity in a new direction. Tom's writing is masterful, but
   also is rather predictable...how many snare 24th note accell's have BD's
   done in the last 5 years? Sometimes 2 or 3 in the same show! I don't
   think that inovation should be a criteria for judging, but after awhile,
   it starts to work against you if you have the same sound year after year.
   This has also hurt Marty Hurley at Phantom. He didn't even bother to
   write new parts for most of 1812 this year.

2. I hate to say it, but POLITICS. After 4 drum titles in a row, you know
   the judges are looking for someone to beat you. The Blue Devils were
   victims of their own success. Also, the new guy working with them now
   (his name is Dave Glide, I think) is reletively unknown, and so he has
   reletively little political clout. A name behind a drumline can mean a
   lot of points and instant respect. Just ask the Blue Knights. (This is
   not to say they weren't great... they were. It's just that having Hardimon
   around gave the line instant validity and benefit of the doubt.)

3. Staff turmoil. I talked to Fred Sanford at length regarding this
   situation last summer, and it wasn't pretty. Fred definately is not
   the problem, but has had some trouble restoring stability to the
   line (for a lot of reasons I feel I should not get into here). Fred
   was never meant to be a permanent replacement for the Floats, and
   the guy they hired to replace Fred was fired last winter. So you
   can imagine why it has been difficult for them to get back on track.

4. They just aren't as good as they used to be. Give them time to 
   adjust to the new staff and build an identity for themselves without
   the Floats, and they'll be fine. GO DEVS!

--Brad



-- 
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Brad Halls                                "Still looking for witty quote."
Computer Science Grad Student              -me         
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan
bfhalls@vela.acs.oakland.edu

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