Ahoy, Jim!

        We don't often hear from Fifers in here; Welcome to the realm of the "Ancients"!

        The MCV really "rock", don't they? We are big fans of theirs, and have had the priviledge of doing a few parades and events with them.

        By "We" I mean the
Third MAINE Volunteer Infantry
Regimental Field Music.

        My favorite MCV Album is "Banks of Allan Waters", one of the earlier ones, but have GA and I hope to add more of their work to my collection along the way.

        I might add to your commentary on the wide diversity of musical style represented on GA; a couple of my favorite tracks are the haunting slow air "General Wolfe" (we have the original lyrics to that, by the way) and the Funeral Drige, with the thunderous, rolling "Barrel" Bass. Shivers me timbers, that one does!

        A young former Co-Worker had one of those "boom-box" stereo systems in his car; after putting up with his modern, synthetic "bumping" noise for a while, I handed him a couple of my MCV CD's and said "Here; try some REAL Drumming!"   He obligingly cranked them up, and started shaking the windows around town to a whole new beat - which not only got a lot of attention, but both he and his Dad actually LIKED it!    If you're going to disturb the peace, I figure, at least do it with some CLASS!   The MCV are certainly a grand way to do that!

        If you have not already discovered some resources here on the Internet for Fifers and Drummers, click on the links at the bottom of our page for several good ones to get you started.

        One good source for Fife or Fiddle scores (since we both tend to use the keys of "D" or "G" quite a lot) is
The Company of Fifers and Drummers
*.GIF Score Collection:

        Much of this collection is standard repitoire of most Fife & Drum Corps, as well as our more popular "Jam Tunes".   If you have never attended an "Ancient Muster", I would highly reccomend that you and your Fife (as well as Family, if applicable) plan to make at least one next Summer; it is an experience that you'll not soon forget, and you might even have a chance to see, as well as hear, the MCV in action. And they are a sight to behold, beleive me! Not only that, you may well get to meet some of them; they are as fine a bunch of folks as they are Musicians, you will no doubt find.

         If your are not already a Member of a Corps, I would encourage you to find one and at least get aquainted and jam with them whnever you can, as it is a wonderful experience to play along with the drums and other Fifers.

         Much like the Great Heiland Pipes, there is something primal and wild about the Fife and Drum that just reaches right in and grabs you by the Soul, and turns you every which-way but loose!   As you probably know, these are directly related to some of Humankind's most ancient musical instruments, and I think that the sound of them has the ability to strike a mystical resonance deep within our DNA somewhere that takes us waaaaay back there!

        Once you have been on a field with 2 or 3 hundred Fifes in the high register, nearly as many Snares driving out a rudimental, syncopated backbeat and 80 or 90 big Bass Drums making the earth underfoot shudder, you will know what the "Ancients" are all about!