Stu

Thank you, may I have another!

Speaking of the judging training system, it needs to be revamped also. We now have a system the trains clones. I understand the desire for competitive consistency; but the current training system is one in which would tell accomplished jazz professionals that they know nothing about jazz if they disagreed with the current drum corps defined interpretation of general effect in that genera. And it is the closed minded fear of their own apple cart tumping over which drives the marching arts establishment into hating the opinions of music professionals outside the activity.

My Grams used to roll her eyes when I used poor grammer. And when I said that content is what really counts she would whack me with a ruler! 😏

If that is your opinion of my idea, fine, no problem, disagreement makes for good banter. But instead of resopnding to the actual facts within my idea what you did was mis-characteroze, mis-state, mis-quote, mis-represent, and outright type falsehoods about my idea. 'That' is what sparked my bs response.

BULL$#*%!!!!!

I never said a known Name for the sake of a known Name. I said Professional, Highly Qualified eyes and ears from outside in order to counter the perpetual inbread cycle; where the elite snobery thinking has been that only drum corps trained/experienced were/are considered worthy. And as for your New Faces are in with drum corps, I am reminded of the lyrics penned by The Who: "Meet the new boss; same as the old boss."

To all who have commented about my adjudication idea. What I suggest is to break out of the inbread snob mold that only drum corps experienced professionals are qualified to judge drum corps. Still use the specific rubric criteria, but open up to the fact that there are plenty of qualified professionals outside of drum corps who would bring a fresh set of eyes while keeping a high quality direction to this activity. Secure a Tony award winning choeographer to judge Visual GE; secure a Grammy award winning music producer to judge Music GE; etc... This would likely upset the apple cart for those who believe only those in the circle of drum corps life are qualified, but it definity would bring a new professional dynamic to drum corps; and possibly greater credibility for the activity.

1) Independent governing/sanctioning body. 2) Adjudication by music/artistic professionals who are independent of drum corps.

This is one of the main reasons why I am losing intetest in the activity. Not just the lack of ballance between all design elements, but that music has become really nothing more than mere underlying sound to enhance the visual communication and/or story telling within many show designs.

Hey y'all. Here is the 21st century solution. If the staff and performers 'identify' as female with the 'perception' that the composers are 'in reality' female, then this whole gender debate should be moot!!!! Or... is the 'identity/perception is reality' claims of folks in this modern world actually a farce?

In this insane pc culture of today comedians can't even practice their craft without being thrown off of university campuses. We need to channel Don Rickles and have Mel Brooks become a DCI designer. As the Joker (Jack Nicholson) once said, "This town needs an enema!"

Placate, Appease, Pacify, Mollify, and/or Apologize.... If this is how design choices are going to be made in the new era of drum corps I would rather be at the dentist getting a tooth extracted.

Let's say that in 1973, the first year BD was scored in DCI, I placed $10,000 down for any corps to beat the Blue Devils, and did that each year to the present. While I would have been sitting at $0 in the years of 1980 and 1982, never would I have gone into the negative. And here in 2019 I would be showing a $100.000 profit. (and if I had increased my bet each year to match the inflation rate I would be over a million). So with that info, put me down to take the field against BD every year going forward.

And that is correct. The DCI tour structure has always been and still is about paid competitive performance directly targeted at an audience which pays for admission; not about education.

Ultimately, if this really is a situation where the students are paying for 'education', the activity certainly can survive without an audience. Have you ever been associated with a high school concert band performing at a district or state contest? It is the band, the judges, and a huge empty auditorium. That has been the case for many many decades.

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The most successful drum corps organization in DCI history is ran as a business which in turn facilitates performing ensembles. They figured out long ago that excellent business people, those who succeed at running a multi-million dollar per-year business, see the necessity in staying far away from creativity; and that excellent creative people are horrible at running a business. They know that the ED should be strictly an adminitrative business position; one who not only hires the best creative staff, but also stays out of their creative way. The thousands of failed corps never learned that lesson.

A few months ago I found out 'goat' is a text acronym the youth use for the phrase 'greatest of all time'. For years my grandkids, neices, nephews, etc have called me an old-goat. I now smile and say thanks!!

Got what? Milk. What's got?

If you are not familiar with it do a little research on the philosophical conundrum called 'The Ship of Theseus'. It deals with the subject of identity just like the following two examples: 1) Nobody and no items from the original Cadets are part of the performing corps today, and they are based in a different location than the original. So are they really the Cadets? 2) When Art Modell took everything except the tradename from Clevland to Baltimore, which group was at that point the real Browns; the Ravens or the new incarnation of Browns in Clevland?

This is not about copying a name and a product like a poor version knock-off; but about something going through various incarnations or even a rebirth via acquiring the legal name and developing a quality product. I had the pleasure of seeing the final tour of Rush. They are, of course, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Could any other three performers become Rush? Maybe, but likely not. However... I also recently attended a Blood Sweat and Tears concert. Original band? Nope; not even close. In fact they have been through many incarnations, with over 180 different members, including a different group formed after a two-year absence in the early eighties, and even a newer formed group today. But is the current new incarnation BS&T? Yep! Oh my yep! They own the name and are just as stellar as the first incarnation. So here is my question for you: Are drum corps more like Rush or Blood Sweat and Tears?

Boo Boo Stu. Thanks. I can hear the roar of laughter from here as Jeff yells, "Ya got that right!!" 😋

Old fart brain fart on my part!

The original actual real Cleveland Browns 1944-1995 became the Baltimore Colts. The owner took everything except the tradename and trademark to Baltimore. The current Cleveland Browns are an expansion team created in 1999 and are not the original team but are the Browns in name only. Check out the history and you will find out why a name is that important even if transfered to an entirely new entity.

Although it was many many moons ago I can still close my eyes and enjoy the feeilngs of playing those well-written notes with the audience exploding in appreciation. And while I do have a ring, it collects dust sitting in a curio cabinet; a cabinet that has needed the light bulb replaced for a while. This indicates to me what I really see as the true deepest value in performing within DCI.