Martybucs

I can also see MikeD on Mummer Planet arguing to throw tradition out and for them to evolve and allow brass. edit Oops, misspelled throw.

I know what you mean. Ned Baldinger and I used to joke, back in the late '70s that DCA should approve banjos. Imagine a company front of banjos and suddenly, they surge forward banjos to the press box and the crowd goes wild. We were joking, but I think MikeD would love it!

That's MikeD?

...and if the same circumstances exist today, in the same area, is there enough support locally, both membership and sponsorship to have a primarily "local member" corps now? Are there enough people willing to do drum corps where they live?

When I say that someone wouldn't understand what it was like to be in a drum and bugle corps from the eras I marched, that is all I mean. Just like I would not know what it is like or totally understand being in a drum corps now. Not that anyone from any generation, doing any demanding activity, wouldn't understand the pride of a job well done, hard work, or the thrill of competition. The forged friendships and dedication. That transcends the limitations of any one activity. However, someone with 17 years of competitive experience may have a different view of the activity than some one that has only competed 5 years or so. When I marched on the field, from 1964 - 1981, the differences between band and drum and bugle corps were more apparent and viceral. Many people that marched BITD marched for a decade or more - not one or two seasons - with the same corps. That is different from now - not necessarily better in any way, but the difference makes for a different perspective on the activity which shouldn't influence the relative worth of any era, in anyone's mind. It would be wrong for "old timers" to think they are the only ones that truly understood the experience, because of that difference, just as it would be wrong for current members to dismiss the many years of experience of those that seek merely to point out and recognize the differences as a way of understanding each era. Sort of like Little League and the difference between aluminum bats and wooden bats. Those bats don't really change the overall experience of being in Little League, but they do make some difference in the experience and that difference is where the only "lack" of understanding would be. Just my view on it. Sorry for the OT, but I just wanted to be clear that in stating my view of the differences, I'm not denegrating any era then or now.

... and who could forget the white pigeons on the field! That's innovation. I'm sorry, one of the most entertaining moments I ever had watching drum corps!

I'm not worried and I don't even have to read his posts anymore. I just know what they are going to say. It's just a purist view vs. an anything goes view. In the end, all that matters is that the greatest number of kids get a good experience, whatever activity they're involved in. I just feel that DCI is a bit exclusive to be included in that thought and drum and bugle corps didn't use to be that way. I don't believe and never will believe that school bands can replace the neighborhood drum and bugle corps experience for kids. I think that probably Little League type of local sports programs do a better job of that. Local drum and bugle corps used to be that Little League summer activity for those that wanted to march and perform in a military manner, in honor of our flag and country. That's gone. I don't think a corps could survive on local talent alone. There is no support structure or interest. Those days for drum corps are gone forever. So, yeah Mike, bring on your bands. I'm ok with that. It's just not drum corps...no way, no how, never. No matter what you say or how you say it. Here, I'll save you the trouble, "...yes, it is...it's exactly the same..."

Once again, we disagree and everyone sees that you are totally wrong. No surprise there.

My apologies. You are correct, I was responding to another poster, that said real drum and bugle corps sucks... That, dbc03, is a straw man argument, albeit a brief one. To dbc03, I respond: While I left junior corps in 1974, I marched on the field until 1981 with DCA. Ralph Pace was our drill instructor, he did top DCI drills, Tony Yaklich was our horn arranger/instructor, he did top DCI corps - corps like Cavaliers. I know more about today's DCI than you'll ever know about what drum and bugle corps were like. I do agree that you can indeed work your tail off in band too and that's not a bad thing; it's just not drum and bugle corps. It is not primarily about the kids today. Yes, kids are involved, but it is primarily about the product and the people hired to produce that product. The kids are merely there to give a presence to the product. And yes, from a musical performance stand point shows are better, but then that's all that today's shows are about. One would hope they would be better since that is the sole focus.

Hmm. You need to read your first link again. It pertains more to your response. You just proved your understanding of DCI has nothing in common with drum and bugle corps. Unfortunately, since you couldn't possibly understand what a real drum and bugle corps was, we can't debate this. If you think drum and bugle corps was just like high school band, then you totally miss the point of what a drum and bugle corps was. I am glad to see that DCI corps don't care about finals anymore. Again, you miss the point of what a drum and bugle corps was about. It wasn't about YOU in the stands - it was about the KIDS on the field. NOW, it is solely about the product and how much money these kids can make for DCI and the cast of thousands that populate corps staffs. Well, gee, that is true and most football team members wouldn't be caught dead belonging to a high school band. However, you prove your ignorance once again; the goal was to be the best drum and bugle corps and that, by default, means not being a high school band. However, Mr. Strawman, I mean BMROTH1, the post is about whether corps could survive locally. I addressed that question in my response and gave my opinion whereas, you only sought to discredit my post. This response is merely and attempt to get you back on topic.

This one cracks me up - the thread in general. Corps were always intended to be local and for the youth in a local area, as a yearround activity outside of school. DCI changed that and now all anyone cares about is making the top 12 and how they can get there. Who has the most and best staff, etc. I was in a local corps, way back, and we were pretty good - not top 12, but pretty good. We beat most of the corps in our area except a couple, (Blue Rock comes to mind). We went to Nationals a couple of times, but the reason for our being wasn't Nationals ( the DCI championship equivalent for BITD). We, (local corps), existed for ourselves and competed locally with corps that existed for the same reasons. It was fun, it was local, it was cheap, it was competitive, we travelled a little bit, made friends - lots of friends, and stayed in the same corps or area for our whole drum corps career, which was sometimes as much as 10 years. Were those corps as good as DCI now? Obviously, not even close and that's beyond any comparison - they were/are different animals. Drum corps now is exclusively about making the top 12 - period. It's not about giving kids in the neighborhood something fun to do in the summer months when they are out of school. Would a bunch of smaller local corps now, be as good as a top DCI corps? Who the hell cares? When we came back from Nationals, (which we knew we wouldn't win or place in the top 12), we just went about the duty of finishing our season locally against our local competition and had a blast doing it. Could corps survive locally? I think so, but only if there were a venue for it as a local activity - there is not and it will never happen. When, or if DCI, ever folds, I believe that will be the end of junior drum corps. No one will miss it. There's always that argument that school bands fill that local void now... To me, that is total and complete BS! and the thought of it turns my stomach, because it goes against almost everything a local drum and bugle corps was about, yes, "back in the day". We WEREN'T bands! old fogey rant over...carry on.

As shows changed from year to year and more stuff was added and added, corps adapted their shows accordingly. I don't think any corps has ever had monopoly on entertainment and innovation, but if you're talking "turning the tide" in DCA to a showmanship experience with audience satisfaction in mind - Matadors immediately leap to mind, for me.

Sounds like a good deal and fun too, albeit HOT! If I lived in the area, I'd check it out for sure.

We're repairing and replacing 200' of picket fence and it's slow going. Our son, who is 9, has a classmate over and we were going to see a movie, but the guest ended up having diarrhea all over the downstairs bathroom and he's a big kid for nine years old. What a mess! To top it off, the motor on our well died in the middle of cleaning it up. Why me!!!??? They're coming out tomorrow, on a Sunday, on a holiday weekend, to fix it. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ So...I'm having a blast. How's it going with you, Don?

I'm guessing insurance salesman and a Realtor®.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DONNIE SOLINGER!!!!

You mean with that uni, he's not in PAL?

I have to address something here that's making me crazy. Effect: consequence: a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon; "the magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise ... Affect: have an effect upon; "Will the new rules affect me?"

Always thought DCI was a pagan group with their own set of gods.

She's back! literally

Ron Kruzel played that? I was in Brookhaven Crusaders with him, before they tanked and I went to Reading. He played mellophone then, with Ted Brehoney and Doug Stemet. His nick name in Crusaders was Fummy. I had heard he was a minister in Florida. Small world. In fact, now as I type, I remember seeing him when he was home from the Navy and he mentioned he had marched Garfield after Brookhaven. A great guy.

Hmmmmmm. what should I do today?

Not a fan of TCE, then?

I'm performing, so I guess I'm attending, also. St. Rita's Alumni corps is awesome, BTW.

You're in.