My Drum Corps Autobiography
By Mark Holub
My first experience in drum and bugle corps was as a snare drummer in the Corsair Cadets, a parade/standstill corps from Brentwood, Long Island, NY. I have to start out by giving my mother, ALL the credit for starting me out on this journey through the world of Drum Corps. My mom also was completely responsible for getting me to all rehearsals in my early years.
She took me to my first big-time drum corps contest -- the 1964 World Open at Hedges Stadium in Bridgeport, Connecticut. We went to the junior prelims and then to the finals at night. That experience LAUNCHED my drum corps career. I dedicate everything I've done and will do in the future to her. My mother told me about a little blue sign she saw on a clothing closet when she went up to my sixth grade teacher on open-school night. It was put there by one of the boys in my class and told of a drum and bugle corps that was looking for members. Since my mother knew I was interested in playing a drum, she encouraged me to go to a rehearsal.
My first rehearsal was on November 29, 1963. I'll never forget it. Originally, I was scheduled to attend the first rehearsal on November 22, 1963. Unfortunately, on that fateful day, the world stopped to mourn the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As a member of the Corsair Cadets, I was very fortunate to have been instructed by Joe Biasi. Joe grew up on Long Island and was instructed by the great Eric Perrilloux. Joe marched in the Babylon Islanders in the 50’s when Mr. Perrilloux was the drum instructor. Ironically, a few years after my wonderful experience with Joe, Mr. Perilloux also instructed me. I must say that if it wasn’t for the way Joe inspired and motivated me, I’m sure I wouldn’t have had the interest to continue on in my drum corps career. I remember looking up at Joe Biasi during my second rehearsal and saying to myself: “that’s what I want to do some day.” Joe was the first person to inspire me in that way. I’ll always be grateful to Joe for his patience and encouragement, as well as his expert drum instruction that I was so very lucky to have been privileged to receive from him!
The Corsairs then merged with the Babylon Islanders in the early fall of 1964. I marched there for the ’65, ’66 and ’67 seasons. The talent in that drum line is legendary. I was very fortunate to march in the snare line next to someone who became my “shadow.” John Oddo and I drummed together as if we were one person… as if we shared the same mind. Jim Drost was in the tenor line. Jim went on to do some very significant things as an instructor and arranger. I believe if Jim were to have continued, he’d have been one of the top marching percussion arrangers in the history of the drum corps activity. Chet Doboe, of the world famous Hip Pickles, marched on the other side of me in the snare line.
Even though I was only in the activity for one short year, I knew of the man who was to be my next drum instructor. He was a legend in my mind and, in reality, a legend in his own time…Don Friesing. I knew his name from reading the backs on many of my Fleetwood Drum Corps records. His name appeared among the list of other top instructors: Hy Dreitzer, Carman Cluna, and Eric Perrilloux.
Mr. Friesing gave me confidence in myself. I came up the ranks from being a tenor drummer to being a snare drummer in a few short months. It was Mr. Friesing who recognized my ability. Even though I expressed my doubt to him regarding my being put in the snare line, Mr. Friesing sternly, firmly and encouragingly reminded me that he was the drum instructor. Not me. His message was: if he had the confidence in my ability, then so should I. Mr. Friesing gave me my first experience in being exposed to strict discipline mixed with highly technical training the art of rudimental drumming. NO ONE could have prepared me better than Mr. Friesing for my next experience. I can’t thank him enough for all that he has taught me.
After one short year marching in the Smithtown freelancers under the instruction of Don Quinn, another Eric Perrilloux ‘disciple’ who had his own teaching style and way of encouraging young talent, I finally met the person who had the most influence on my drumming… the great Eric Perrilloux. John Oddo and Jim Drost had brought me down to a rehearsal to join St. Rita’s Brassmen in the winter of ’69. The impact Mr. Perrilloux had on me was profound. He was extremely demanding. His expectations HAD to be met. His standards were either met or you weren’t an Eric Perrilloux drummer! You weren’t then a Brassman. It was just that simple. Mr. Perrilloux brought me to a higher level than I ever thought I could reach. I can’t thank him enough for that!!
I began teaching in 1972 while I was still a member of St. Rita’s Brassmen. I started with the Blue Hornets from Lindenhurst, Long Island. Don Friesing asked me if I would like to work with the new recruits. I gained invaluable experience and felt privileged to work along side of Mr. Friesing. Three years later in 1975, my two friends John Oddo and Jim Drost asked me to be on staff with them for the St. Ignatius Girls, where I taught until they became New Image, a coed junior corps in 1985 and then, in 1988, The Sound of Long Island, which was a senior corps competing in the DCA arena.
In 1982, I was contacted by the Garfield Cadets to work with their percussion section. They are now known as the Cadets of Bergen County. I was part of their first two of many DCI championship victories. Our 1983 DCI Championship marked the first time an easter corps had won a DCI championship.
In 1988, the Sunrisers had secured the services of Tom Hannum to write their percussion book. Tom was the percussion caption head for the Garfield Cadets when I was on staff. Tom had recommended that the Sunrisers hire me as the percussion caption head for the Sunrisers that year. We had a great year and won the DCA World Championship.
In the winter of 1994, I received a phone call from Keith Warfield who was the percussion caption head for the world famous Hawthorne Caballeros. Keith and I also marched together in St. Rita’s Brassmen. Keith was a part of the percussion staff of the Sunrisers in 1988 when I was there as well. In 1995, the Caballeros went undefeated and won the DCA World Championship with record-high score. I am still on the percussion staff of the Hawthorne Caballeros and hope to be for many years to come. Since 1987, I have been a judge for the Suffolk / Nassau Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps Association.