Someone emailed me after reading this blog and asked about "Group Therapy."  No, the person was not seeking emotional support....those needing that don't like this blog..heheheheh.

"Group Therapy" was a small corps created in the late 1980's to fill a void for us old drum corps folks that wanted to play and had no venue.  The driving force behind this corps was, of course, Chris Ferrara.  The corps folded because our lone drummer, Steve Fagiano, moved to Arizona.

Initially, the corps had about 24 horn players and a trap set player (Steve, who could play any corps' charts.).  We rode on a large flat-bed trailer and played music from Royal Airs, Cavaliers, Kilties and Caballeros.  Johnny Zimny even sent us some charts he used with Sacramento, but we never played them.

For the most part, however, we only had a dozen horn players who regularly showed for parades.  The corps earned from $500-900 per parade....we were pretty popular and sounded pretty good.

We purchased horns from the defunct Scarlet Knights and a struggling Guardsmen.  I think we spent a total of $800 for about 25 bugles...some of which were later used by RA in the early days and then donated to Jim Grothman and Keith Harper for a corps they were trying to start (I think).

Some of the corps members were:  Dennis Evans, Don Sonne, Jeff Helgeson, Terry Doran, Ed Violett, Chris Ferrara, Steve Fagiano, Bob Doran, Wayne Kemp, Jim Angarola and Mike Hagland...I'll have to find a photo to get more names.

When we folded in 1995, we distributed the treasury and five of us used our money to pay our dues to the Kilties.

Slainte'

Well I'm back so let's get Therapy going again. It was a blast doing it and I've gotten better with drumline stuff on the set. etc. etc. My only problem is my drumline, but my 2nd in comand can take over and get us by in a parade. We're really having a ball. Steve

Bob adds: Steve did a great job on his trap set at the Ghildardi fundraiser

Steve was fantastic on drums at the fundraiser, especially considering we were just winging it! Our horn ensemble wouldn't have sounded the same on Watermelon Man without him. Also thanks to Gene Vanderbosch (sp?) for coming in & sight-reading the mellophone parts. Anyone who knows W-m Man knows the piece would not really work without them.