ALLINGER PERCUSSION

If you've got a couple of free minutes go ahead and read my life's story.  Well, at least the percussion highlights, marriage, kids, that sort of thing.  I'll leave the juiciest stuff for my closest friends :) 

Where to start......Ok, the vitals.  Born 1973 in Seattle, Washington.  Don't remember much of the first five years except my biological father bailed when I was two and it was just me and my wonderful mother for the next five years.  (Side note- having two kids myself now, I am amazed at what a great Mom I had to teach full time, and still be there for her little boy all by herself.  Great lady!)  In 1977 my mother and I moved to Kelso, Washington.   She met and married the new band director at the high school where she was  PE teacher.  Soon after my mother became the color guard instructor and before I knew what was happing I was spending all my time riding my Big Wheel around the track at marching band rehearsal.

Jump to 1984.  My then new Dad had become the corps director of the Marauders Drum and Bugle Corps from Longview, Washington.  My Mother also took over as color guard caption head.  By default I became engulfed if the drum corps scene.  I was 10 years old, in the 4th grade and playing auxiliary percussion in the pit.  Wow!  I thought I was the coolest kid on Earth  touring the country and playing drums at 10.  That year DCI finals were in Atlanta, Georgia and I can still remember thinking those men in funny long yellow jackets (Bridgemen) could play the drums faster than humanly possible.

I continued to practice making the cymbal line in 85-86.  Mr. Allen Keown, the percussion director at the University of Oregon, was the drum instructor back then.  I vaguely remember Allen had this Chinese bell that sat on a little embroidered pillow.  He would have the drum line stand in ensemble position at attention and then he'd ding that little bell.  We were to stand there, straight as a board, and "focus" on the ring.  When someone in the line felt like playing a note they were to slowly prep for the attack and all the other members, if we were truly "focused as one," should be able to see and feel the vibe and attack the note together.  I don't remember it ever working, but I remember Allen standing out front with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth, palms up, telling us to "focus on the bell."  What were they on back then!

In 1987 my family relocated to Sacramento, California where my Dad became the corps director of the Sacramento Freelancers.  So of course I joined as well.  In '87' I was crashing plates again but I didn't mind one bit.  The Freelancers were a corps that had made finals and I was just happy at 13 years old to be in the line.  The next year I was adamant I was playing something that needed sticks to hit it.  Still a little small to play bass and competing for spots with high school and college kids, I opted to play auxiliary percussion in the pit once again.  I worked my tail off that summer "chopping out" anywhere I could.  I was going to "march" with a drum on or die trying.  Don Silva was and still is the percussion caption head with the Freelancers.  

The following year I was in high school.  Yea! Finally I could march with a drum.  I had been going to marching band practices since I could remember and now as a 9th grader I was in the snare line.  I had huge aspirations that fall of trying out for the Freelancer snare line but my family had a falling out with some Freelancer staff and my Mom said no way was I marching there.  I was devastated.  I tried to talk her into letting me audition for the Velvet Knights but they were 4 hours away in Southern Cal.  Besides I was playing football and on the wrestling team and we couldn't make all of that work.  Nevertheless I continued to work on my chops in hopes that she would change her mind.

So, one day that same October my Mother walks into my room and say's "come on, we're going to Concord and you're auditioning for the Blue Devils."  I said you're crazy, I can't make the Blue Devils. I had "marched" drum corps for the past 5 years but I was still only 15 years old and I really hadn't marched with a drum on.  All she said was "get your coat."  And off to Concord we went.  I decided during the hour drive that I would try out for the cymbal line.  I figured I could march pretty well and I already had experience crashing plates.  I have never been more nervous in my life than the evening my Mom and I arrived at the elementary school hosting auditions.  I walked into a room with 100 other guys all ramming on tables and pads.  I was obviously the youngest kid there and to be sure the only one that had his Mom drive him.  After a few minutes of chatting with some guys I recognized from other schools in walked Tom Float, all 6'5" of him, and he proceeded to tell the room that the Blue Devils were not going to march a cymbal line.  If anyone was there to try out for plates they were more than welcome to check out the "B" corps the following week.  You've got to be kidding me, I thought.  OK, the "B" corps would be cool.  At least I wouldn't be the youngest kid in the corps.  I walked out to the parking lot and told my Mom what happened.  She said "I drove an hour for you to come here and drum, now get back in there and play."  So I did.  I walked into a class room with Tom Float, Scott Johnson, Keith Higgins, a couple of other guys I don't remember and a snare drum.  Tom asked me to play, I said play what, he said anything.  I attempted a flam drag exercises we played in the Freelancers.  I got halfway through when he let out the loudest whistle I'd ever heard.  (I later came to hear that whistle countless times)  I'll never forget what happened next.  Float said, "how old are?"  I said, "15."  It was almost 10 o-clock by now and Float asked if it was past my bed time.  He then told me I wasn't supposed to be playing flam drags at 15 years old.  I didn't quite get the joke and I said OK, I can play something else.  Everyone in the room broke out in laughter.  Float asked me to play a few more figures then invited me to the next rehearsal.  I continued coming back day after day slowly weeding other older guys out until finally the 1989 Blue Devils drum line was set and I was playing top bass.  That year I became the youngest kid in history to march in the battery at  finals for the Blue Devils.

As a sophomore in 1990 I played top bass again.  We had the same 5 basses return from '89.'  One of the coolest memories I have from those day's took place at auditions on '90.'  I had no idea all 5 of us would be coming back that year let alone all wanting to play bass again.  But that's exactly what happened.  I walked into the audition room much less nervous than the previous year and saw a few of my fellow bass drummers.  Pretty soon all 5 of us were there reminiscing about the prior year.  Float walked in, saw the 5 of us standing together and then as straight faced as ever he promptly told the 30 or 40 kids trying out for bass drum that there were no spots available.  All 5 basses were coming back.  As it turned out 1990 was the greatest drum line I had or have been in.  That was the "Tommy" year for BD.  We didn't win.  I think we were something like 5th in drums, but that line was full of great drummers.  Guys who went on to become superstars in the activity.  Our center snare drummer and leader was the legendary Mike McIntosh.  Other guys in the snare line who went on to fame were Kevin Murphy, Brian West, Pete Sapadin, Jeff Bush, Ben Maughmer.  The quad line that year had one rookie and many of you may have heard of him, Quiyan Murphy.  The famous Mike Stevens was in the quad line as was Vern Johnson of Blast!.  And none of those guys were even the section leader, his name was Josh Beals.  Josh left the activity after his age-out that year but he was the best quad drummer I've ever met.  1990 didn't just have great players it was also the last year Tom Float taught with BD.  And I for one am extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity at 16 years old to have been there. 

In 1991 I needed to take a summer off from drum corps.  I had marched every year since '84,' I had a new girlfriend who was very high maintenance, and I also needed to take a summer school class so I could take jazz band my senior year.  Besides, the Devils were in dismay from a percussion standpoint after letting Tom and Katherine Float go.  I spent that summer in the gym gearing up for my senior year on the football team and for my last push at qualifying for the state wrestling tournament.   Although I was a starter both offensively and defensively we didn't make the playoffs my senior year.  And even as the captain of the wrestling team I didn't make it to States either. (Captain of the team sounds like a much bigger deal than it is.  I did wrestle from the 7th grade all the way through my senior year and I was pretty decent, but our team was horrible and I was the only 4 year guy my senior year.)

My senior year of high school!!  I had been the only drum set player in the jazz ensemble for four years.  I had been the center snare for four years.  Played football for four years and wrestled for four years.  But I had yet to march in the snare line with the Blue Devils.  Well that year it happened.  Dave Glyde was running the percussion program by then and his brother Shawn Glyde was teching the snare line.  I was 18, had already marched two years with BD.  The Glyde brothers were also teaching at Clovis West High School which was a percussion rival of my school, JFK.  Actually we never even came close to beating Clovis West however, I had beaten all of their snare drummers during indoor individuals.  So they knew me, I knew them and I was in.  That was the "When a Man Loves a Woman" show for BD.  I know, I know.......

Things weren't rosy for me in '92' so I decided with another BD snare drummer, Chris Worthington, to head down south and reunite with Tom Float and the Velvet Knights.  I'm not positive but I do believe Chris and I were the only two people in history to go from BD to VK.  Chris, Vern Johnson (who aged out with us from BD in '92' and joined Tom as the quad tech for VK) and myself had a great time in the beginning of that summer.  We shacked up with a mallet players family that lived in Newport Beach.  What a scene that was.  Southern Cal, beach, bikinis....we had a blast.  That family had a beautiful spread up on a hill over looking Newport with a swimming pool in the back yard.  We would take our sticks and pads right down to the beach and chop out for hours.  People actually came by and left coins in a tin can we left out.  It was hilarious.  I really miss those times.  The rest of the tour with VK was anything but easy, however.  I was used to what we affectionately called touring with BD, "Club Med."  The VK had very little operating expenses and we actually got stuck for four days in Albuquerque, New Mexico.   One would think we had a mechanical problem with one of those duct taped together busses we rode, but nope.  We had actually made it from California to New Mexico before any of the administrators realized the Corps didn't have insurance for the kids to ride the busses!  At the time I was 19 and had the mentality of "so what, let's all aboard and roll."  However, now at 30-something I understand the risks and problems.  We actually missed two performances while stuck at some dumpy high school in Albuquerque.  Fortunately there was a Hooters across the street and Float took Chris, Vern and I to lunch one afternoon.  Anyway, we finally got back on the road after Mr. Bill Cook, the founder of the Star of Indiana, paid for VK to have insurance to see us through the rest of tour and back to Cali.  Thanks Bill, may you rest in peace!  Back to the drumming.  The VK had a really good line that year, we beat the Devils at every show on the West coast.  Unfortunately when we made it back East that didn't happen.  We did end up playing very well at semi finals, placing 6th or 7th in drums, I don't remember.  What I do remember is the corps as a whole was not that good and we ended up 13th place over all at semi's.  Total bummer.  I hadn't watched finals since 1987 and this was '93.'  Oh well, it was a lot of fun, I learned a ton from Float that year, and Chris, Vern and I bonded for a life time.  I still talk to those guys.

So here comes the famous 1994 season.  While a senior in high school back in '92' I won a full scholarship for percussion at the University of Nevada, Reno during a jazz festival there.  I did one semester and asked the Dean of Music if I could bail for the next semester to march drum corps.  He said that was no problem.  Unfortunately I never went back to Reno.  After the '93' VK fiasco I took a lame job delivering bingo supply's and I shacked up with my then Dad in Sacramento.  My parents had since gotten a divorce in '92.'  I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going to march that summer if anywhere at all.  One day in October while I was playing "John Madden 92" (yes, it was around even back then) my Dad came in and told me Scott Johnson had just been hired as percussion caption head for the Blue Devils.  Auditions were in two weeks.  I knew right then I was going to try and come back to BD.  Scott had been on BD staff for a while way back my first year in '89' and I knew he was the Man.  My only problem was that I didn't leave BD in '92' on the greatest terms.  So I crafted a letter to BD corps director David Gibbs telling him how much I wanted to march that year under Scott.  Begrudgingly I assume, he allowed it and I was in the snare line.  You see, I was the only kid in the corps who was still around when Gibbs was a marching/visual staff member and also the only guy in the line left from the Tom Float era.  When Gibbs became the director he wanted to "clean-up" the image of the Blue Devils.  That image was exactly why I wanted to be there.  As a young, stupid, head strong kid, he and I clashed on a number of issues.   Anyway, Kevin Murry, the snare tech that year had no history with me and he told Gibbs he would take me under his wing.  Sort of take responsibility for me.  I learned about this  the following year at the '94' banquette and I thank Kevin very much for going out on a limb for me.  The '94' season turned out to be one for the history books and I am very fortunate to have been there for the ride.  We never lost a show that year.  We lost drums only three times all season and it was always by 1 tenth.  I spent the summer on the left side of center, who was the now famous Roger Carter.  Roger and I became very good friends that year.  I haven't spoke with him in ages but I've kept track of is percussion career.  I think he's still writing and teaching the Freelancers World Indoor WGI line.  The guys a monster set player as well.  

So now I'm back home after winning a World Championship and  high percussion trophy and I've got no clue what the next day will bring.  I still have one more year to march drum corps but I had already spent 10 of the last 11 years on the field and I was only 20 years old.  My Dad told me I had already won everything there is to win in DCI and that I should start looking for some new direction in my life.  He's been around drum corps since 1983 but I'm still not sure he understands that winning is just a cool bonus.  It's not nor ever been my goal at any level of the activity.  It's about the journey, the friends, the passion, the commitment to excellence.  Not winning.  But he did have a point.  I was 20 years old, no job, no school, and no real direction.  I remembered that the Marines had a drum and bugle corps so I headed over to the recruitment office.  They got me in touch with MSG Riley Rose who ran the drum line for the "Commandant's Own" The Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.  I flew to Dallas, Texas where the Marine D&B were touring to audition.  After a couple of inverted cheese chuttatas I was in.  All I had to do was enlist in the Marines and go to boot camp.  No problem I thought.  Then I watched "Full Metal Jacket"  and began second guessing..  If you've ever seen the movie, Marine basic training is exactly like it minus the fat kid shooting himself.  We'll at least not in my platoon.  I was in decent shape and I could march even better than the drill instructors so things went OK for me during boot camp.  It is definitely an experience though.  There really is something to the Marine Corps mystic.   After basic training I reported to Marine Barracks 8th and I street Washington, D.C. where I met the drum corps and began learning an immense amount of music.  It wasn't all that difficult but it was more than I had ever had to memorize in my life.  I did four years in the Marine D&B.  During my second year there me and some buddies drove up to Buffalo, New York for DCI finals.  While at finals I ran into a friend in the Cadets who was in their snare line when I marched in the '94' Devils.  His name was Ray Scott and he was the center that year for the Cadets.  Ray asked me about the Marine gig.  His girlfriend was about to have a baby and like me the year before he didn't know what he was going to do.  I told him about the job and before I realized it Ray was in the D&B with me.  Funny thing though, Ray got to the unit just as we were leaving for our annual training session in Yuma, Arizona.  We would spend 3 weeks learning a new field show every year in Yuma, then travel up and down the west coast performing the new show.  Since Ray was brand new, I mean he got there a few days before we left, the Commanding Officer said Ray could not be in the snare line.  He was to play cymbals that year.  I'm laughing as I write this....  Here we had a kid who was the lead stick for the Cadets 4 months ago and now he's holding cymbals for me as we play "When the Saints Go Marching In!!!"  How funny is that.  Ray used to make the silliest faces at me while holding his cymbals and his back to the audience.  You can imagine the Marine Corps all spit and polish, pomp and circumstance and here Ray is making obscene gestures two feet in front of me while I'm trying to play and keep a straight face.  The next year Ray was in the snare line and he and I became life friends.  That dude is now flying F-18 somewhere in Japan for the Marine Corps.  What an amazing story Ray has become.  Good luck ol' buddy and be safe up there!

While in the Marine corps I met a fine little hottie in college at Farmville, Virginia.  One of my roommates was from Fredericksburg, VA and his girlfriend was going to school at Longwood College in Farmville.  He convinced me to come home with him one weekend and go out with he, his girlfriend and her roommate.  Well as they say the rest is history.  Her name was/is Brandy and she had the sweetest southern drawl.  I fell in love with her and we married a year and a half later.  After 10 years, 2 kids, 2 houses and a dog we're still together and doing very well.  She's still as beautiful as the day we met (actually she even prettier, and she'll know what I mean!).

After four years in the Marines I was definitely ready for a change.  I had met a guy named Brian Pentony in the Army Fife and Drum Corps during some joint service gigs.  Turned out he lived just a couple of streets over.  He convinced me to join the Army and drum with him.  That was a real different outfit for me.  They played on 17 x 22 inch rope tensions drums and wore 1700's authentic army uniforms.  I mean right down to the tricorn hat and powdered wig.  Never could get use to that darn wig!  I had a fun time drumming with those guys though.  For what they do, their as good as any Blue Devil snare line I've played in.  And as for that guy Brian Pentony, he had and still has the most "meaty" chops of anyone I know.  The stuff that dude can play on a calfskin rope tension drum is phenomenal.  If he had grown up in the DCI world the guy would be a legend and everyone would know is name.  As it is, there isn't a fifer or drummer on the East Coast who hasn't heard of Brian Pentony.

Well, we're getting closer to today.  After four years in the Army I had had enough of the Service.  It was time to go out in the "real" world and make some "real" money.  While in the Army I used their coin to go back to school.  I got a degree in computer network engineering and landed a job with a small government contractor called Ticom, Inc.  I've been sitting at the same desk for four years now.  It's a good gig.  Steady and pay's well enough for Brandy to stay home with the kids.  The kids, by the way, one boy Regan and one girl Jolynn, are  the greatest thing in the world.  I know everyone with kids says the same thing, but they are truly amazing to watch and interact with.  They have mellowed me out quite a bit too.  I just can't express how much I love and care about those little guys.

Anyway, from a percussion standpoint I've been teaching at the same school, Urbana for 9 years now.  I've arranged for a few different programs and this year I'm very excited to be working with Allegany High School in Cumberland, Maryland.  I've also gotten heavy into the judging arena.  I'm having a real blast with it as it's something new for me.  I've judged for the Atlantic Indoor Assn. Championships, the Tournament of Bands circuit, and the USSBA circuit.  I'm thinking as my own kids get older and time becomes more of an issue with day-to-day stuff the judging gig may be my outlet to continue in the activity.  Time will tell.

That brings me up to the now.  If you made it this far you've got way to much time on your hands and you should be working on some crazy unknown 4-2-1 grid stuff.  Or at least reefing some paradiddle diddles or something.  Anyway, that's a portion of my life in a nut shell.  Like I said earlier, I'm leaving the really good stuff for my closest friends!  Be safe everyone and enjoy the process!!

Ty

UPDATE 2-14-2008

Urbana High School won the 2007 Atlantic Coast Championship High Percussion Award with a record score 19.8.  After nine years of building this program we finally won a championship.  Many thanks to the students and staff for their hard work and dedication all season long.  And a very special thank you from me to Mr. Dan Boothe for collaborating with me on the percussion book.  You are truly a genius...I can't say enough for your tutelage and friendship.  Thank you! 

Revised: February 14, 2008 .