If It Were Like it Used To Be?

[reallyoldfrt]

Let's strive for a little accuracy here. Yes. Drum corps began with the veterans groups. Yes. They formulated the rules for competition. No. The AL and VFW rules, while similar, were not the same. But! While admitting the activity's origin, by the 1950s the vast majority of corps were not directly affiliated with the veterans groups. They were CYO units, Masonic units, or completely independent, self supporting units. Local circuits were the primary area where drum corps competed. Each circuit had it's own rules, which were only slight variations of the veteran's rules.

Corps would hook up a temporary "sponsorship" with a VFW or AL Post solely for the purpose of competing in a state or national championship. Most corps would not attend a National unless it was being held in a locale that was geographically convenient for them to travel to. Other than that, most corps had no direct contact with the veterans whatsoever. e.g. In 1958 the VFW Nationals were at Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn NY. That's about 200 miles from Boston. Of the 25 major corps from Boston only 3 went to the Nationals, St Kevin Emerald Knights, Hyde Park Crusaders, and Cambridge Caballeros. St Vincent's Cadets of Bayonne NJ, about 15 miles from Ebbet's Field, did not attend.

Other than the basic Rules of Competition, the State or National Championship, and possibly a Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Armistice Day (now Veteran's Day) parade, and in some cases, the use of the Post hall for rehearsals, most corps had no contact with the veterans. Local circuits, none of whom were affiliated with any veteran's groups, were the main focus for competitive drum corps.

If a corps' all volunteer management team could raise $10,000.00 annually, (a considerable sum at the the time, but doable), the corps could go on with reasonable security. We are talking 50 to 60 kids, 4 instructors working for gas money, no trucks, no buses, no props, no stagehands, no electronics, cheap bugles and drums, competing within 50 miles of their community against a large number of other competent local units, and having no national ambitions.

Change, except for the megalomaniacal few, was not needed. Let's have a big round of applause for the few.

Edited September 18, 2015 by reallyoldfrt

[Northern Thunder]

The corps may not have been directly affiliated with the veterans organizations, but the rules of the day (and judges sheets) certainly were.

[Northern Thunder]

The corps may not have been directly affiliated with the veterans organizations, but the rules of the day (and judges sheets) certainly were.

And the design of the shows had to incorporate the color presentation. And the corps had to have a national colors section.

[GUARDLING]

Let's strive for a little accuracy here. Yes. Drum corps began with the veterans groups. Yes. They formulated the rules for competition. No. The AL and VFW rules, while similar, were not the same. But! While admitting the activity's origin, by the 1950s the vast majority of corps were not directly affiliated with the veterans groups. They were CYO units, Masonic units, or completely independent, self supporting units. Local circuits were the primary area where drum corps competed. Each circuit had it's own rules, which were only slight variations of the veteran's rules.

Corps would hook up a temporary "sponsorship" with a VFW or AL Post solely for the purpose of competing in a state or national championship. Most corps would not attend a National unless it was being held in a locale that was geographically convenient for them to travel to. Other than that, most corps had no direct contact with the veterans whatsoever. e.g. In 1958 the VFW Nationals were at Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn NY. That's about 200 miles from Boston. Of the 25 major corps from Boston only 3 went to the Nationals, St Kevin Emerald Knights, Hyde Park Crusaders, and Cambridge Caballeros. St Vincent's Cadets of Bayonne NJ, about 15 miles from Ebbet's Field, did not attend.

Other than the basic Rules of Competition, the State or National Championship, and possibly a Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Armistice Day (now Veteran's Day) parade, and in some cases, the use of the Post hall for rehearsals, most corps had no contact with the veterans. Local circuits, none of whom were affiliated with any veteran's groups, were the main focus for competitive drum corps.

If a corps' all volunteer management team could raise $10,000.00 annually, (a considerable sum at the the time, but doable), the corps could go on with reasonable security. We are talking 50 to 60 kids, 4 instructors working for gas money, no trucks, no buses, no props, no stagehands, no electronics, cheap bugles and drums, competing within 50 miles of their community against a large number of other competent local units, and having no national ambitions.

Change, except for the megalomaniacal few, was not needed. Let's have a big round of applause for the few.

Not only was change needed it was vital to the survival to the drum corps activity. One can say ( and they have ) that corps did die off, MANY and that would be true BUT that had nothing to do with the formation of dCI, The local thing was dying a slow death as it was, just like many youth groups. If not for the " Change " there would be nothing today IMO

Edited September 18, 2015 by GUARDLING

[GUARDLING]

And the design of the shows had to incorporate the color presentation. And the corps had to have a national colors section.

Yup, ask cadets of the time how much crap they got from a peace sign. there were plenty of silly rules BUT above that corps just decided thet THEY would decide what they would do, how THEY would be judged and where they wanted to go in the future. Not some archaic process of the past. which was also dying.

It is true though, not all corps had to be part of the " VFW or Legion Nationals".

Edited September 18, 2015 by GUARDLING

[MikeD]

Yup, ask cadets of the time how much crap they got from a peace sign. there were plenty of silly rules BUT above that corps just decided thet THEY would decide what they would do, how THEY would be judged and where they wanted to go in the future. Not some archaic process of the past. which was also dying.

It is true though, not all corps had to be part of the " VFW or Legion Nationals".

Especially in 1970,. the first year we formed it, while playing "White Rabbit". Tony "hic" Schlechta of the VFW publically stated at VFW Nats in Miami that we did not belong in the show.

However, the rank and file members at finals gave us a HUGE applause as we hit the stands in the form...with thousands of flash cubes flashing away..that was amazing to see for me, being a member in the form.

[GUARDLING]

Especially in 1970,. the first year we formed it, while playing "White Rabbit". Tony "hic" Schlechta of the VFW publically stated at VFW Nats in Miami that we did not belong in the show.

However, the rank and file members at finals gave us a HUGE applause as we hit the stands in the form...with thousands of flash cubes flashing away..that was amazing to see for me, being a member in the form.

Very cool and certainly a part of the defiant times. coming from the Cadets made it sweeter...lol

[Northern Thunder]

Tony "hic" Schlechta of the VFW publically stated at VFW Nats in Miami that we did not belong in the show.

I still have a letter from Tony that he sent me in the spring of 1972. I had asked him about doing some publicity for that year's VFW Nationals, in Minneapolis. He wrote that I should be sure to let everybody know that there would be no ridiculous costumes, or any corps "shenanigans" allowed.

Needless to say, I didn't broadcast any such info to the general public.

[MikeD]

Very cool and certainly a part of the defiant times. coming from the Cadets made it sweeter...lol

In 1970 we marched in the Princeton U P-rade, billed as the "biggest sloppy parade in the world". You can just imagine the political bent of the students at an Ivy League school like that in 1970. When we got off the busses and formed up to rehearse, you would have thought we were the Hitler Jugend from the looks we got from students on campus. Our wise DM started us up doing "White Rabbit", and it was like a bright light turning on in a dark room. The stiudents started grooving and smiling, and we ended up having a great time.

Flash forward to the 90's and early 2000's...the HS band I started to work with that year.did the P-rade EVERY year, so I got to be with both my son and daughter as we marched the same parade I did in 1970.

[ironlips]

I have fond memories of Garfield's "White Rabbit", as the last 16 bars or so constitute the first bit of arranging I ever did for the Cadets.

I was John Sasso's assistant, and we were discussing the fairly nondescript coda of the Jefferson Airplane original. I remarked that we needed a "drum corps" ending, and began describing, rather vaguely, what I meant by that. "Don't tell me about it", he replied, "just write it."

Listening years later, anyone will find it quite musically naive and sophomoric, and it has no real logical connection to the actual tune. Still, it was "louder, faster and higher", the formula for a "drum corps" ending, at least in my book at the time.

Some things never change, and that makes me smile.