Tim K Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Many of your points are correct. As I looked at “the list” I couldn’t help but think about some of the so called casualties from Massachusetts. Most never had dreams of winning DCI or even competing at that level. Circuit championships and perhaps an out of state competition or two were sufficient. I won’t mention specific names just in case I have corps mixed up but I knew one was formed due to a dispute between managers and it was not long lived. Another prided itself on how its graduates that wanted to continue in drum corps marched with 27th, BAC, or North Star. Some folded due to mismanagement, others due to lack of interest. Some folded with a minimum of tears; of course others are still sorely missed. Perhaps a few corps in Massachusetts were “DCI causalities,” but I would argue that it was more a casualty of competition for funding. While I would have loved to see 27th, North Star, and Defenders, Sancians, Pembroke Imperials, etc. still compete, realistically this would not have happened. The corps were from the same general area, all would have been hitting up the same donors, and there’s no way all the corps could have survived. Now unless DCI controls the world economy, I’m not sure DCI can be blamed. However, as I read some of the posts that blame DCI for the demise of so many corps, I am reminded of criticisms that date back to 1977-80 when DCI was held in Denver and Birmingham. Western corps believe did was only fair that a championship be held in California, but Denver and Birmingham were selected to boost the activity in those areas, at least if my memory serves me correctly (people with old copies of “Drum Corps News” may be able to find examples of these debates in articles). So, if DCI held championships in areas where they wanted to boost the activity, why would they want so many causalities? I am offended by "the list" or the insinuation that this is DCI's fault. 99.9999% of those corps folded because of several reasons: 1) lack of interest by members - who moved on to other activities 2) lack of interest by members - who were more ambitious and moved to more competitive corps 3) lack of interest by parents - as their own kids lost interest 4) lack of interest by church or other sponsoring groups (AL, VFW, etc) 5) lack of funds - less parents being forced to raise more funds to dwindling membership 6) lack of vision by remaining management to seek other funding sources 7) corps went by the wayside when they refused to offer some touring opportunities - to keep pace with other local units 8) failure by all involved to realize the energy it takes to simply co-exist with other youth activities Fill in the percentages to the above.....or add other reasons why corps have disappeared. On the flip side, would there be any corps remaining, or would the junior corps activity have survived, if 13 leaders did not take the initiative to control its own destiny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Maybe it was a typo and supposed to be picnic; so that means we can pick our noses, pick our seats, and pick our underwear out of our seats, all the while enjoying ourselves at a picnic! Nit is the technical term for the egg of a louse. The female louse glues a nit them to the hair of the host mammal during ovipositioning. Picking nits refers to the meticulous examination of each hair, and removing ('picking') the nits. Come to think of it, perhaps some corps could use parasitism as a show theme. Or maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Um...many of those corps folded well before DCI even existed. Good point, Mike. Also: The junior corps where I marched... Sacred Heart Crusaders of Manville, NJ... is on this "casualties" list. Except the corps was not a casualty of DCI. The corps was never affiliated with DCI, nor did it ever compete at a DCI championship event. DCI had nothing to do with the corps' demise after the 1980 season. Did a number of corps overextend themselves trying to keep up with the "big guns" in DCI? Absolutely. But a bunch of corps on this list were never DCI corps, per se. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindap Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 1st Canadian Regiment is first on the list. They came in first 1980 :D see page 31 ... they were the last first *sigh* http://www.optimists-alumni.org/downloads/acrobat_downloads/cdca_50th.pdf OP's thread title reminds me of Monty Python ha! My work collegue said "I'd like to get into your mind". I said "You won't be able to get out" lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 (edited) Corps from that list that could actually play in tune: * 27th Lancers, Revere, Massachusetts * Anaheim Kingsmen, Anaheim, California * Bayonne Bridgemen, Bayonne, New Jersey * Magic of Orlando, Orlando, Florida * Marauders, Longview/Kelso, Washington * Sky Ryders, Hutchinson, Kansas * Star of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana * Suncoast Sound, Tampa Bay, Florida * Velvet Knights, Anaheim/Buena Park/Santa Ana, California Since the demise of those corps above... other corps have been created of have stepped up to actually be able to play on the same level. Regardless of the number of active corps, there has never been the number of high-quality corps that there is now. Quality > Quantity I see no reason to insult any corps to make a point about the original "non-accurate" list. Stop being a chest poker and just stick to topic. While your at it, you might want to read a little about sound engineering from 30 years ago and see the strides they have made there as well. Also, If you don't think show design doesn't make a difference in sound,,well maybe you aren't as knowlegable as you seem to be Edited February 13, 2012 by BariBrian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 While your at it, you might want to read a little about sound engineering from 30 years ago and see the strides they have made there as well. Also, If you don't think show design doesn't make a difference in sound,,well maybe you aren't as knowlegable as you seem to be You mean Auto-Tune? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 You mean Auto-Tune? How disappointing. Guess I will have to go with "Not as intellegent as you seem. I was of course speaking of the recording industry and how the systems in place back then and the placement of the microphones could really make corps sound bad. coupled with a show designed that constantly exposed weak players or weak sections. To generalize as you have without any REAL knowlege or experience of the past really shows a lack of thought in your statements, which gives your comments no real Legitimacy. Don't you think? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 How disappointing. Guess I will have to go with "Not as intellegent as you seem. I was of course speaking of the recording industry and how the systems in place back then and the placement of the microphones could really make corps sound bad. coupled with a show designed that constantly exposed weak players or weak sections. To generalize as you have without any REAL knowlege or experience of the past really shows a lack of thought in your statements, which gives your comments no real Legitimacy. Don't you think? Let's not forget the limitiations of the horns in the past. I played P/R and very willing to admit that todays horns are better designed as far as being musical. But... if people want to ignore what they don't want to know and blame everything on the people playing the horns that's their problem. And the further back you go, the more amazing it is that very good musical sounds came out of those "modified signaling devices". IMO, it shows the talent that was availible BITD. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BariBrian Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Let's not forget the limitiations of the horns in the past. I played P/R and very willing to admit that todays horns are better designed as far as being musical. But... if people want to ignore what they don't want to know and blame everything on the people playing the horns that's their problem. And the further back you go, the more amazing it is that very good musical sounds came out of those "modified signaling devices". IMO, it shows the talent that was availible BITD. Absolutly !! Right on the Money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Absolutly !! Right on the Money Thanks, and as background... I competed with P/R 6 years, paraded with 2V 2 years and did parades/standstills with 3V Kanstul. Also own and play (around with) some one valve horns going back to pre-WWII.. All in G.... So have a little experience here... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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