Hawthorne Muchachos

August 17, 1975 Hershey, PA performance a day after the DCI Championship disqualification.

[@edmatera7461]

This is the next day after the disqualification. Even though they were devastated by what happened the day before they still put on an awesome performance.

[@bobgreen1236]

I REALLY miss these days! Face melting soprano solos, no freakin' ballet.....

[@davidpayne4310]

No amplifying the soloists...

[@mrpoopoohead7668]

as a former marching member of the Thunderbolts (Cedarburg, Wi.) and then the Pioneer ( that came from the merger of T-Bolts and Imperials of St. Patrick - 1973) it makes me sick to see what drum has become. I am hoping to start a corps and do it the way the '70's corps did things, we will be completely separate from DCI and their nonsense. We will be a tribute corps that will do a season long tribute to all the great corps and shows from the 1970's, including doing whole season long tribute show to these Muchachos, Phantom, etc...when drum corps was done the way it was meant to be.

[@w1bey]

@@mrpoopoohead7668 i am from the younger generation and want to achieve this for DCA and play purely for show and the audience and not for some score on a sheet. G bugles and all

[@teresaoftheandes6279]

Yeah really. I was fortunate to have competed in some of the same shows as them. They always beat us but I loved them.

[@billharker5424]

My first ever Jr show was Ithaca 1974. The pre-show buzz before they entered the field was something I had never seen. The cries of EAST were nearly deafening. By the time they finished- jr drum corps was in my blood forever!

[@americanspirit8932]

I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS FOR 66 YEARS AND IN MY OPINION THE MUCHACHOS WERE THE BEST DRUM CORPS EVER .

[@steck7927]

Another Cavalier or same one from 75 added the 2nd thumbs down!🤣

[@jasonwood3405]

Wow! I was a DCI kid in the '90s & never knew about the Muchachos. I hear these same chords more than a decade later in "Malaguena"

[@bacbariboscru3590]

one of the greatest single shows in DCI ever. would've been champions in '75 (and were IMHO)

[@wendirobbins1045]

They were robbed! They had the best horn line hands down! I’m from Jersey, marched in the Audubon Bon Bons drum corps, then ended up in the Crossmen. Drum corps was a big part of my childhood, they were the best years of my life.

[@bobconklin7159]

I was privileged to have been a Muchacho, 64-69.

[@bc82sop42]

Congratulations on this awesome achievement!

[@waltbeck8989]

As was Bob, 66-71.

[@kdkdkd4153]

Look what Jersey boys and girls could do! Excellent.

[@tomshea8382]

I like how the judge's commentary in the background sounds like baby talk.

[@DV-mq5fv]

One of the most exciting corps ever!!!

[@barryweinrich7289]

They really were something. Brass balls !

[@annlang9632]

WOWA.....We were such an exciting drum corps. So glad I marched and have so many awsome memories & friend!!!!! Happy tears watching these vidoes. DId you see those rifles. unreal..,the flag line was on spot. GOD...I loved the time I spent with all these great people. WE were the BEST!!!!! well at least we had the BEST times together!!!! Thanks to all!!

[@mattboland5221]

And those rifles were not made of balsa wood back then!

[@scott414b]

Lived in NJ in the 70's and had the chance to see the Muchachos many times over the years, One of the best performances ever!!!

[@wendirobbins1045]

Absolutely! It’s a shame they folded!

[@MikeB-wi7yu]

My dad marched in a VFW parade corps before WW II and took me to see my first drum corps show in Cleveland in 1965 where the Chicago Royalairs performed an exhibition. I was hooked. A year later he and 2 other guys started a junior corp in Pennsylvania. I was fortunate to compete through 1973 and staff for a couple of years before joining the Navy. One night while Officer of Deck on a Navy warship in the Indian Ocean I discovered that my Junior Officer of the Deck had been the roommate at the University of Miami of possibly the greatest soprano soloist ever. It's truly a small world! I agree with an earlier post that the 1974 Muchachos show was one of the best shows ever - a truly joyful drum corp performance without the need for any props or distractions . (And the rifle line was, indeed, the best ever! ) Whenever I need to lift my spirits, to this day, listening to Jeff K. and the consummate Muchachos players never fail! Pines of Rome and It Was Very Good Year take me back, even if just for a few minutes, to a time when every year was a very good year. Thank you to all Muchachos who made it so!

[@LarryFinn]

The baddest drum corps I've ever seen!

[@drummerc1795]

The best drum corps performance ever!!!!!

[@alanholck7995]

I miss this kind of Drum Corps

[@americanspirit8932]

Would you believe most drum and bugle Corps fans Miss old school Drum Corps it definitely was a lot more popular throughout the country with approximately 7,000 drum and bugle Corps active at that time

[@bailoutgolf5754]

What it is today is an undescribable mess.

[@americanspirit8932]

Dci, as turn the activity into a marching band competition. We no longer have real drum and bugle c o r p s. Former member of the Long Island Sun rises, 1964 through 1968❤😂😂😢😮🎉

[@teresaoftheandes6279]

​@@americanspirit8932Then came the commie infiltration. They infiltrated everything, even drum corp.

[@teresaoftheandes6279]

​@@americanspirit8932Another legend❤.

[@jamesmccaughey1020]

Way ahead of their time. Superb!

[@Mergician]

In their prelims performance, the drumline was the first in DCI history to break 19.0 (with a 19.3). After their disqualification, the Santa Clara Vanguard topped it with a 19.4 (winning drums). Needless to say, the average placements had Muchachos over Vanguard.

[@icsa]

Muchachos also scored a 19.5 that season.

[@ronsorensen2237]

Rodney Goodheart & I Judged prelims. Our scores averaged about 19.7!

[@tomshea8382]

You know this how?

[@Mergician]

Know what?@@tomshea8382

[@steck7927]

The one thumbs down is probably a 75 cavalier!!

[@AdveturesWithSarah]

⁰

[@americanspirit8932]

Yes it was the Cavaliers who turns into Muchachos that year I was there that's a fact however they had several members over-aged that same year as did several other drum course

[@steck7927]

I was there also AND YOUR POINT IS ?? Also, check your comment before sending it to make sure it makes sence! Just saying. You should turn on your phones SPELL CHECK ! Jeez!

[@arfshesaid4325]

@@steck7927 ya that would make lots of SENCE

[@rufuscoss]

@@americanspirit8932 PA LEASE SO DID BLUE CREW IN 77-78

[@baileyquarters25]

the one squad the warriors were in awe of i was kid and went all the shows early 70s and i woulf hear the wartiors talking they were impressed by the machachos and that horn line

[@bruincs1]

Although a bigger fan of '74's show because I had the album growing up, having video of the '75 full show in this quality is fucking CHILL-WORTHY!! The Muchachos need to be thanked for being ahead of their time these two years and for the wondrous collection of talent (hello, Jeff Kievit !! ....) they assembled to really rock the audience and the activity equally!

[@americanspirit8932]

I agree with you a comment 100%.

[@Nigelrathbone1]

I was there! Wasn't aware of the disqualification scandal at that time. Thinking back, I believe DCI was too harsh in their penalty measure against Muchachos - resulting in eventual folding of the corps. As I remember many of the finalists were there, including Blue Devils. I think Troopers were too. Saw my first big Drum Corps show at Hershey.

[@arfshesaid4325]

good god man that horn line, just sickening

[@steck7927]

There 2nd thumbs down is the same cavalier watching again in envy or another 75 member!🤣

[@bc82sop42]

Thank you for sharing this. The spirit and intensity of this corps shines through even though each member had to have been broken-hearted.

[@MrSteveblue824]

“POS!” Smokin’ tune to start the show! 💪❤️🔥🥁🎺

[@tomshea8382]

The Muchachos come off the line with John LaBarbera's "Piece Of Shit."

[@MrSteveblue824]

“Pictures Of Spain!”

[@edmatera7461]

I am still good friends with some of the members from the Muchachos. I t is very rare that we discuss what happened in 1975.

[@fnloud]

Was Dennis Delucia their head percussion instructor this year? Also, I'm a CA boy but my son just graduated from William Paterson and I'm amazed at how many corp used to be in that small area.

[@rufuscoss]

Freaking drum Corps right here ,....none of this prancing panzy sh*&^ going on here

[@teresaoftheandes6279]

Seriously. What a farce.

[@johnstrommer824]

Can only wonder what they would have become if only they didn't get disqualified for 2 years.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

I was in the corps. We got DQ in 1975 only.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

we actually got booed by the crowd coming into the stadium.......took my uniform off for the last time at that exhibition

[@timstambaugh7154]

Say it simply. Iconic Hawthorne Muchachoes. My all time favorite corps. To bad for those kids that the directors of this let that happen to them... BLATANTLY DESTROYED THIS CORPS AND ANY CORPS MANAGER OR DIRECTOR AND DCI SHOULD STILL BE TO THIS DAY ASHAMED OF THE MISS TREATMENT THESE INNOCENT KIDS GOT SHAFTED. PATHETIC.THE DIRECTOR KNEW ALL ALONG AND DID NOTHING TO STOP IT

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

Back in those days several dci standouts had overage. Mucs were targeted from beginning of season. Dci could have asked director to remove player early on when they had proof but didnt. Waited till finals. Thats the slimy part of it. Dci big shots doing that

[@bc82sop42]

@@Mrtellitlikeitis - Amazing visual too ... considering Muchachos may not have had state of the art practice facilities and towers to get up high and see - am I correct?

[@mrl3129]

Unknown

[@mrl3129]

Revenge performance.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

No wasnt a revenge performance. Actually, couldnt wait for it to end Considering we were booed coming onto the field. My last performance. Dci prelims was much better

[@americanspirit8932]

@@Mrtellitlikeitis did you see lipo lemon Larry show was outrageous Wichita chose will by far the best Corps of the day I've been in the activity since 1958 I've seen many course but by far the more Chacho's they should have won the prelims and the finals I apologize for voice recognition sorry about that

[@rogerdombroske2399]

@@Mrtellitlikeitis , DCI prelims was better thanTHIS?!?! HO-LY $#!+!! 😲

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

@@rogerdombroske2399 Yup. World Open was worse performance of year. CYO 2nd best of year. DCI prelims, thought everything clicked This exhibition was the last for many of us Couldnt wait for the uni to be off given our DQ and getting booed. Up until that point we were like the Beatles. The crowds were so loud we couldnt think on the field! Although our music show was better in 74, we were so much stronger in all categories in 75. Especially drumming

[@bc82sop42]

@@Mrtellitlikeitis - I understand how hard it is if you are getting booed or in a traumatic state to go out and perform... speaking from being in Spirit of Atlanta and being required to perform the day we lost our horn instructor Jim Ott in a car accident... when I watch that video I have no recollection of getting a 5 minute standing ovation after Concert or even that in my opinion we were better at that performance than even prelims... I can only recall thinking "please God get me off this field ... I can't even breath much less perform" I felt I'd pass out any second but somehow kept on doing what I was taught and trained so well to do ... many members that night actually did pass out with one requiring an ambulance that came during the performance.... so thank you for sharing your post as based on the crowd's reaction and the high level of performance it appears Muchachos had the heart of champions... you too rose to the occasion and performed how you had been taught and with all your soul despite your feelings and the crowd's response. Congratulations on being a member of my favorite corps ever and this comes from a former DCI World Champion ( BD 82) and Spirit of Atlanta member (79-81).

[@baileyquarters25]

the one squad the warriors were in awe of i was kid and went all the shows early 70s and i woulf hear the wartiors talking they were impressed by the machachos and that horn line