One story that really comes to mind is the bonfire of 1989. It was the year after the redpots marched over the drillfield during elephant march (1988) I stationed the BQ Juniors all around the field with orders to keep the people OFF (no blood just a solid push or two, I know, what a drag). That caused a fuss when the redpots tried it again, we got cussed at and had a few fights until we got them to march between the drillfield and the Bandroom. That was what started it, that evening, after the band marched around bonfire the deadpot (old redpots) and redpots tried to take the Drummajors torches away to get back at the band for being such asses about the drillfield. Well you can imagine how that was recieved, Troy Yocom tossed his torch onto that pile of fuel-soaked wood and WHOOSE there it went! (on the video you can tell that the torches went on in a very ragged order) At that the deadpots took after the Bugle rank with their axehandles and the next thing we know it was a general melee. (On the official bonfire picture you can faintly see the fighting at the base) I got hit by an axe handle and really lost it. I'm told that I caught the next swing on my bugle (bending it) and tore into some folks, I really don't remember much until a couple of basses were dragging me off out of the fight. By the time I got control back and wasn't trying to rip someones heart out, it was over. The aftermath was that we (BQ leadership) had to sweettalk and work everything out with the redpots. You would know how all that worked out in 1990. But the class of '90 considered it the very best bonfire ever! The only thing I wish I knew was who was the poor fool I smashed my bugle on. Captain Brewer was Very busy getting all the horns fixed before the tu game.

And that is Alan's story. I recall this incident quite well. My favorite memory about it is that, at the time, Billy Joel had just come out with a song, "We didn't start the fire!" We made this song the red pot theme song for 1989 (unofficially of course).

Rumor was in 1988 the band added dynamite to the RedPot rest station (while confirming nobody was inside) and blew it off the face of the earth. And yet they tried again in 1989. And the Aggie Band lit the Bonfire that year.

Also, as a side note, the drum majors carried long glow sticks instead of torches to the other Bonfires I witnessed in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.