DCA, The Savior of Drum and Bugle Corps

[Mick Krackin']

I agree they work hard, that isn't the issue.  The issue is this (once again):

Look at the numbers of corps that participated in DCI, US Open, A-I Open, etc back "in the day" and then look at 1977 until now and tell me that there is growth in junior corps.

By the way, my name is Keith or Mr. Hall, nowhere in my screen name do I have Dude.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keith,

First of all, the Dude reference wasn't meant as any kind of insult, just an informal way of starting my post. Sorry if it came across that way. I don't post on this site to try to #### people off.

The reason I felt compelled to respond to your post is I find it puzzling why there are so many negative posts right after DCI Finals and so many people that seem so angry about where the activity has gone over the years. I think this takes away from the achievements of the corps and any drum corps person knows how frustrating this must be to the members of those corps.

Were there more corps in the 70's and 80's? Sure there were.

Why? This is a complicated question. Band programs have come a LONG WAY over the years, to the point where many are just as good, if not better than many drum corps, especially the smaller, local corps that used to thrive. Oddly enough, I think that the bands have benefited from alot of drum corps instructors teaching band programs, so this may have been somewhat of a self inflicted problem.

Sports team schedules have become increasingly demanding in the summer. While the school team can't practice until the end of August, the Summer (Insert your favorite sport here) Camp can and if you want to be on the varsity team in the fall, you had better be at the camp, money in hand.

College tuition has skyrocketed since the 70's, much faster than inflation. Summer jobs are much more important than when I went to college.

These are three issues that I have had to deal with in trying to find members for my corps over the years. There are probably many other reasons for the decline of the number of corps that do not involve any change in the activity like Bb horns, Amps, or adding a third valve, etc.

On a side note, it would be interesting to see the number of DCI corps that existed in the 70's, 80's, 90's and today and find out why so many of them folded. Having been there first hand to see my first corps go under, I suspect that most failed for very similar reasons that had nothing to do with any changes in the activity, that being a breakdown of the foundation of the corps.

When the people that hold everything together decide that they have had enough, and no one steps forward that can put the pieces back together, the corps will fold. Most corps operate on a very slim margin and have to struggle to survive. This was true even in the 70's & 80's. Great drum corps are the ones that can weather storms and make decisions based on the long term health of the corps.

I could ramble on about lots of related topics, as this is a big issue with the activity. My original intent was to state that I think it is important for drum corps people to not let differences of opinion hurt the activity as a whole. Stay open minded about changes. Are some decisons made by the member corps wrong? Of course they are. But that is the system that is in place and I can't think of a different way of running the circuits that would be better. If something hurts the activity, corrections can be made.

Support the activity and it can and will grow. Go to (lots of) shows, buy souvies and make a donation to your favorite corps (especially the newer, smaller ones.) If everyone that loves drum corps did this, a lot more corps would be able to make it happen.

[KeithHall]

Keith,

First of all, the Dude reference wasn't meant as any kind of insult, just an informal way of starting my post.  Sorry if it came across that way.  I don't post on this site to try to #### people off.

No Problem

The reason I felt compelled to respond to your post is I find it puzzling why there are so many negative posts right after DCI Final and so many people that seem so angry about where the activity has gone over the years.  I think this takes away from the achievements of the corps and any drum corps person knows how frustrating this must be to the members of those corps. 

I know how hard they work.  The intent of this post was to say, "Where have all the juniors gone?  Long time passing..."  The growth of DCA corps is great!

Were there more corps in the 70's and 80's?  Sure there were. 

Why?  This is a complicated question.  Band programs have come a LONG WAY over the years, to the point where many are just as good, if not better than many drum corps, especially the smaller, local corps that used to thrive.  Oddly enough, I think that the bands have benefited from alot of drum corps instructors teaching band programs, so this may have been somewhat of a self inflicted problem.

Sports team schedules have become increasingly demanding in the summer.  While the school team can't practice until the end of August, the Summer (Insert your favorite sport here) Camp can and if you want to be on the varsity team in the fall, you had better be at the camp, money in hand.

College tuition has skyrocketed since the 70's, much faster than inflation.  Summer jobs are much more important than when I went to college. 

These are three issues that I have had to deal with in trying to find members for my corps over the years.  There are probably many other reasons for the decline of the number of corps that do not involve any change in the activity like Bb horns, Amps, or adding a third valve, etc.   

On a side note, it would be interesting to see the number of DCI corps that existed in the 70's, 80's, 90's and today and find out why so many of them folded.  Having been there first hand to see my first corps go under, I suspect that most failed for very similar reasons that had nothing to do with any changes in the activity, that being a breakdown of the foundation of the corps. 

When the people that hold everything together decide that they have had enough, and no one steps forward that can put the pieces back together, the corps will fold.  Most corps operate on a very slim margin and have to struggle to survive.  This was true even in the 70's & 80's.  Great drum corps are the ones that can weather storms and make decisions based on the long term health of the corps.

I could ramble on about lots of related topics, as this is a big issue with the activity.  My original intent was to state that I think it is important for drum corps people to not let differences of opinion hurt the activity as a whole.  Stay open minded about changes.  Are some decisons made by the member corps wrong?  Of course they are.  But that is the system that is in place and I can't think of a different way of running the circuits that would be better.  If something hurts the activity, corrections can be made.

Yes we can find all kinds of reasons, but as I look back to the 1970's and can name corps after corps that are now gone, I still believe that due to money, DCI sort of pushed away the "local" drum corps in favor of a  corps that tours and brings in money.  More DCI sponsored shows were put in the schedule.  Look at what happened to the US Open, A-I Open, Key to the Sea, etc.  DCI contests forced them out. 

Support the activity and it can and will grow.  Go to (lots of) shows, buy souvies and make a donation to your favorite corps (especially the newer, smaller ones.)  If everyone that loves drum corps did this, a lot more corps would be able to make it happen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Bushsop89]

this entire thread is making my stomach churn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You wanna know what makes my stomach churn............

[dukecornwell]

Same thing for corps as for people Liz.  1975 we still royally sucked as we were still at the beginning of our rebuilding program. That year we did the pre-show exhibition at the Yankee Rebels show at Memorial Stadium. As each corps went off the field, the score board would display a message for each corps. Never forget out message was: "Welcome Back Westshore - We Missed You".  Also had Skys Lefty Meyer drive down to give us a pep talk during one of our rehearsals and many other people wish us well as we regrouped. 

Not sure how it is in the DCI world but the Seniors sure seem to watch out for the smaller guyz. :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WOW! Lefty MEYER.....What a GREAT Skyliner. Thanks for thinking of him.

[JimF-LowBari]

WOW! Lefty MEYER.....What a GREAT Skyliner. Thanks for thinking of him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, Lefty drove from NYC to south central PA to give a 15 minute pep talk to a rebuilding corps that was about as bad as it gets. He did this on a week night no less so he probably got home way after midnight. Thirty years later it's still one of classiest things I can remember anyone doing in Drum Corps.

[Jeff Ream]

Keith,

First of all, the Dude reference wasn't meant as any kind of insult, just an informal way of starting my post.  Sorry if it came across that way.  I don't post on this site to try to #### people off.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he's right, but if you give him licorice schnapps, he can get quite ugly.

:P

love ya Dan and you can crash on my floor anytime

[FrankBeMe]

You wanna know what makes my stomach churn............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

w/Stp:

I wonder if DCI can be sued for medical expenses and pain and suffering for those pictures causing untold trauma in the stomach area