This week, we'll be devoting some editorial attention to drummers, drums, and other percussive discussion points.

Chris Hollenback
Top 12 drum corps drills move at a fast and furious pace. Sometimes, the judges get quite a workout. Once in a while, you can really hear them huffing and puffing on their judge's tape after the performance, especially if they were out of shape. We used to joke that one judge would finish our show and run straight into the ambulance. One time, the judge was commenting on our snare line, saying, "Nice roll, I appreciate the quality of sound." Then, the drill changed and he got a little worried. The next thing we heard on the judge's tape was, "Uh, I shouldn't be heeeere, ugh!" followed by a loud thumping noise that sounded like he was run over by the bottom base drum. After a noise that sounded like someone fumbling for the tape recorder, he said, "I'm back," and finished the commentary for the rest of the show. Chris Hollenback marched bass and snare in the Northmen from 1988-1990, and bass for the Madison Scouts from 1991-1993 and snare for the Scouts from 1994-1997.