alankarls

Well, my point was that it was a benign post discussing our attitudes 40 years ago. It did not offend or imply negativity to anyone. For someone to give a negative to that, then negative my question of why is ridiculous. I'll call out ridiculous whenever it rears its head. And if it makes the day of some insecure people to negative me, then so be it. If it makes someone's day to negative someone in a discussion board, I'm glad to give people a reason to live.

We can keep this up all day. If you have a problem with my comment, tell me. Your cowardly negatives just show that you are, indeed, a coward with self-worth issues. Go ahead an give me another negative. I'm glad I could make your day.

To get a negative for this, someone out there must be paranoid. Do you also boo good landings at the airport? Geez, get a life.

I find it amusing that people would be upset and give me negative ratings for this comment. Who did I demean? All I said was that we used to value loud and that quiet meant you weren't any good. Why would anyone be upset with that, unless that person is extremely defensive about today vs. yesterday? Come on, I didn't say anything at all about today's activity. Why would anyone be upset?

I would like drum and bugle corps today, but there are no drum and bugle corps. There are b flat trumpet bands, but no one has played a bugle in years. The difference to me, is that it used to be an activity for kids. Now it is an activity for "designers" and "artists" who failed to achieve their broadway and hollywood dreams and are determined to realize their "artistic visions" in an activity that cannot portray such "visions" on a stage the size of a football field. On a football field, only two things work: volume and mass. No designer today understands that. They continue to see things on broadway and in musical videos and try to make those things work on a football field. The only place it works is between their ears, augmented by their ego. The only part that kids play in the activity today is as an easily replaceable moving part in someone's "artistic vision." They are chattel, secondary elements. Drum corps used to work with and for the kids that they had. Now kids have to work with and for the trumpet bands that exist. Now, I very much appreciate the hard work, talent, and effort of the performers. But I don't like the product they are putting out.

We all had great performances and stinkers. There were good audiences and dead ones. What was your favorite all time audience and favorite all time crowd reaction? I'll always remember the standing ovation my corps got in Roosevelt Stadium at 1966 VFW finals. Nothing like 30,000 people screaming under covered stands. I get chills to this day.

I personally find it amusing that one would speak of "complete crowd silence" as a good thing. In our day, we spoke of how loud the audience got. If the crowd was quiet, it usually meant you stunk.

As Rodney Dangerfield said, I went to a boxing match....a hockey game broke out.

well, today, they are bands.

In those days, drum majors were peacocks who strutted bending over almost backward. The further back, the more impressive. If it rained, they'd drown.

Racine's drum and bugle corps in 1939 . Racine Journal Times 9-5-1939

Racine Journal Times, May 8, 1950 Just a note to remind people that Racine, WI was once the hotbed of drum corps.

I'd love to hear those tapes. Here are the corps and places from the two shows. July 5 Marinette WI Drums in the North 1 Madison Scouts 2 Kilties 3 Northernaires, Menominee, MI July 11 Madison 1 Belleville Black Knights 2 Cavaliers 3 Norwood Park Imperials 4 Kilties 5 Northernaires 6 Appleton Americanos 7 Mercury Thunderbolts