What a great discussion with four leaders of the West Point Band...the famous Hellcats! We chat about what it's like to be a part of this pretigious band and what they're looking for in their upcoming auditions!
A remarkable talk about a truly remarkable organization! Enjoy!
As we move to the back side of the muster season, this fun and lively episode talks about musters and some of our favorite corps. We'll give you a Deep River recap, what we're anticipating about Westbrook..and the boys give you their "Mt. Rushmore" of fife and drum corps. So as you make your way to the 2025 Westbrook Muster give this one a listen on the way!
It has been a good part of a year since the Bottom of the Glass boys have had a discussion. There is good reason for that and this episode talks about that candidly. This episode also addresses some very recent and very painful losses to the Fife and Drum Family. But as we all get ready to travel to the Deep River Muster (if that's what you're planning to do) there are plenty of lighter topics within this discussion. We hope you enjoy it and we are SO GLAD TO BE BACK. Enjoy!
With the muster season in full swing, the boys talk musters. Deep River is upon us, the Swiss Mariners are in the Northeast...so let's talk about the changes at DRAM with Berta Armstead and let's talk about the Swiss and Ancient Mariners reunion with PJ and Gus! Enjoy!
Join us as we continue our discussions on the "State of the Artform". This episode features a discussion between three of the best bass drummers in the business. Colin Mason, Jo Nazro and our very own Dave Loyal. A great chat whether you're a seasoned bass drummer or have never picked up a mallet. And our friend Mollyanne Harding stops by to discuss the upcoming National Muster! She's a blast to talk to! Enjoy!
This episode will feature music from Bonnie Raitt, the Kentish Guards, the Grand Republic Fife and Drum Corps, the Three Cornered Hat Jam with Nick Attanasio, Duke Terreri and Jim Douglas, and a bass drum solo featuring our very own co-hosts and guests.
Join us as we continue our discussions on the "State of the Artform". In this episode we speak with a fabulous group of junior fife and drum corps directors. The discussion is lively. We cover a lot of ground talking about how junior corps survive and thrive in the current State of Fife and Drum. Enjoy!
This episode will feature music from a number of junior fife and drum corps along with popular music from Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, Louie Jordan and Eddie Cantor.
Join us as we continue our discussions on the "State of the Artform". In this episode we speak with the great Markus Estermann about fife and drum in Switzerland, how American fife and drum has influenced Swiss fife and drum...and vice versa. Markus is a treat to talk to and you're really going to enjoy this program!
This episode will feature music from the Swiss Junior Drum Show, Trommelgruppe Chriesibueb from Fasnacht 2019, the Edgar Winter Group and music from our friend Jason Malli.
Welcome to the Bottom of the Glass for the first episode of 2024 - our FIFTH SEASON! In this St. Patrick’s Day themed podcast we’ll discuss the State of our Artform. How does the current state of fife and drum compare to preceding generations, and what should we focus on for the future of our hobby.
And enjoy some great music from Greg Bacon, The Bothy Band, Planxty, Silly Wizard and Peter Hollens. ENJOY!
Take a trip with us as we dig into the drumming life of Bill Bachman. From his books to his sticks to his pads and all the award winning percussion groups he's worked with in between, Bill takes on the ride of HIS life! What a life it's been with SO MUCH MORE to go. This is a fascinating chat with the Drummers' Drummer...the Great Bill Bachman!
Our chat with Chet is a journey into the experiences, stories and anecdotes with one of the coolest rudimental drummers on the scene. He's played with some of the greats, because he IS a great! His mark on percussion is big and his work using drumming as a vehicle to make a difference in the lives of young people is even BIGGER! Enjoy this talk with Chet Doboe. You're gonna LOVE IT!
We’re all amped, ramped and vamped for the 64th Annual Westbrook Muster. If you’re making your way to the Connecticut Shoreline, or if you can’t make it this year and plan on the future…enjoy this discussion with a fife and drum friend who has attended SO MANY Westbrook Musters. Kathy Brennan has been our friend, colleague, corps mate, and inspiration for decades. She has also been highly involved in so many levels of fife and drum organization. This is a beautiful chat with a beautiful person!
This is a tough one. A dear friend and important member of our community has left us. Pete Emerick was a musician, teacher, educator, historian and friend to so many of us in ancient, historical and military fife and drum. His knowledge was unsurpassed and although he shared so much with so many of us over so many years, we'll never again be able to access that depth of knowledge and history that he took with him.
We're going to miss him. There will never be another like Pete Emerick. Please enjoy this interview we did with him a few years ago. We sure enjoyed it.
With the USARD Convention right around the corner, we're chatting with three essential and indispensable members of the convention that will be held in Seekonk, MA on April 14th and 15th! Gary Covitz, Artie Shannon and Larry Finn have had uniquely independent and different journeys in rudimental drumming. But like many drumming compadres, they have a bonding connection. This chat covers their commonality with the 27th Lancers and so much more! Enjoy folks, this is a good one!
“Great Day in the Mornin’ To Ya!” (You have to imagine all this with an Irish accent.) You’ll feel the Luck ‘O the Irish when you listen to our St. Patrick’s Day Episode of the Bottom of the Glass. Today your hosts “Dirty” Dave O’Loyal, Brendan McMason and Brian “Blarney Stone” Watkinson will be sittin’ down over a pint or two with Jeff Prosperie, currently Group Leader of the United State’s Army’s West Point Hellcats. Jeff’s a wee bit of a drummer to say the least, and he serves up a pot of gold in this interview about drumming, judging and the future of our craft. We’ll also visit with Michael Eagle, the Mad Irishman, and “Lucky” Charley O’Poole as they talk about an upcoming live project featuring music from the famous Connecticut Yanks Fife and Drum Corps! Enjoy all you lads and lasses, “May you be in Heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you’re dead!” Sláinte!
Dr. John Wooton...Dr. Throwdown...whatever you want to call him, just know he's a rudimental specialist. Funny as hell with so much talent, and a blast to talk to. John even brought along his friend Clarence Boudreaux. We chatted with both of them and had some fun. You will too! Just give this a listen. An interview with the great John Wooton!
How do you nail an Old Guard vacancy? Let's hear it from the men and women who decide whether you're in or out. We did it with the fifes in Part 1 of this podcast and here on Part 2 we're talking to the drummers. This should give you what you need to know to get into the Old Guard drum line.
You ever wonder about the audition process to get in to the Old Guard? We did too! So we asked them. This is the first of a two-part podcast about how to nail an Old Guard vacancy. This one's for fife. Drum will be Part 2. Enjoy!
As you’re heading to the National Muster this weekend, spend some time with this crazy podcast! It features the great snare drumming champion, composer and drum instructor Paul Cormier in an in-person chat inside the legendary Old Bar at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA! We talked to Paul about EVERYTHING! His life, his drumming, the corps he’s played in, the great drummers he’s known. It’s a candid, honest look into his involvement and legacy in fife and drum.
This interview dropped in our laps as Brendan, Dave and Brian had an opportunity to spend some time together while on vacation up in Maine the week after the Deep River Muster. So we’ve included some behind the scenes conversation between the boys while on vacation!
We even had a quick conversation with the ghost of Bill Pace as Bill finally settled an age-old question about his drumming ablilty! How many podcasts can claim that?!?
So pour yourself a cup of Uncle Jer’s famous greasy soup and enjoy this podcast.
Enjoy,
The Boys
Hey folks, pack your cars and trucks with your fifes, drums and all your crap for the Deep River Muster, and as you head to DRAM listen to this great talk with Jim and Sarah MacConduibh and Michael Godin of the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums. It is some fascinating discussion. Have a great Deep River!
Sincerely,
Brendan, Dave and Brian
