Bobby L. Collins
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Posts posted by Bobby L. Collins
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10 minutes ago, xandandl said:
Now imagine if all that energy could be put to better use raising some capital to help those DCI mms in Texas who have lost homes, places of work, need shelter/food/sanitation, etc. He'd probably blame Hurricane Harvey on GH as well.
And what are you doing? Trying to use whatever headline you just read on the news as a false equivalency. Where's YOUR generous contribution to flood relief?
For that matter, where's your generous contribution to Les Stentors? At least THAT is relevant here.
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7 minutes ago, MikeD said:
Absolutely, which is why it is silly that WW are not allowed. There should be no limits on instruments. I agree with you.
So apparently you also agree that the activity should no longer be called drum corps?
Or are you a hypocrite?
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On 8/24/2017 at 9:17 PM, xandandl said:
if your supposedly liberal minded friend GH is agreeing with you Ghost (see the aforementioned video interview) and you are expressing what so many have expressed, it surely will be addressed. However, even if the protocols are changed or adjusted at this year's Rules Congress, changes will not likely be effected until the 2019 season. You know how those design teams figure everything out by Labor Day.
Which may ultimately result in even more outrageous, over-the-top abuse of A&E utilized by corps for as long as it's sanctioned. If they fail to recognize that even their staunchest fanboys are beginning to say "Um, guys, we love you and all, but.......don't you think all this A&E is starting to get out of hand?", then they risk alienating what's left of the hands that feed them. You're seeing that sentiment here, you're seeing it in r/drumcorps, you're seeing it on Facebook, and you're even seeing it peppered among the comments of YouTube videos. "I love modern drum corps, BUT....", or "I agree they need to reign in the A&E, BUT....."(each followed by meaningless words that contradict everything they typed prior to "but").
I mean, there's not that much farther to go in order to achieve Hopkins' ultimate vision for the activity. He got rid of the bugles. He got microphones and speakers approved. He got synthesizers approved. He got amplified singers and choirs approved. He got wireless mics and audio engineers approved. He even got Cesario's ballerina costumes approved. He changed the activity from "music and marching" to "CONSTANT, OVERPOWERING MOTION AND CAMPY DANCING, with a little music underneath the synths". All that's really left on his checklist is marching woodwinds, and that's coming.
How much longer are sunshine-pumping fanboys going to ignore and deflect criticism of aspects of the activity they themselves abhor? How much longer will hardcore fans and supporters of corps look the other way while a small number of individuals are sabotaging the very ethos of drum corps and ruining the longevity of the activity? And I'm not just talking about Hopkins. I know many of you consider yourselves diehard fans and supporters of drum corps. If that's true, then why don't you stop looking at the activity with the eyes of a blindingly loyal sycophant, and start looking at it objectively, with a little foresight and common sense?
And at the very least, can we also agree that a little foresight and common sense wouldn't hurt this activity? Or are we going fundamentally disagree on that as well?
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3 hours ago, Toby said:
This is all the trappings of "Old man yells at cloud."
Bobby, we get it, you don't like A&E and multi-key Going around and posting such across every dci forum thread is old already and doesn't serve to help your agenda
And yet Mssr. Francoeur chose not to lash out at a point of view that challenges the status quo, the way you just chose to. You lot challenged me to address my concerns to corps representatives directly, and I have done so. He handled it with grace and aplomb......why can't you?
If this forum truly is a place to share ideas about drum corps, then stop trying to refute or censor my ideas. If, on the other hand, this forum is solely to serve as an echo chamber for how great and wonderful and successful you THINK the activity is today, then come clean and say so, so I can stop wasting my time and energy on a lost cause. Stop suspending me for standing up to the trolls who have you on their side, and start enforcing the TOS fairly and equally. Otherwise, the whole thing is a sham, and this website deserves the horrible reputation it has received elsewhere for being a sunshine pumping love letter to WGI.
That said, this isn't the place for this particular discussion. If you truly support the activity as it exists today, and if you won't abide any expression of views, opinions or ideas that challenge said support, then put your money where your mouth is and donate to this cause. And that goes for everyone else. Prove me wrong. Prove to me that you lot are not a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites. If the activity is as healthy and successful and secure as you want to believe it is, then open your wallets and make sure this corps never has to blow another bugle ever again.
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15 minutes ago, BDCorno said:
Yeah, people...let's listen to Bobby L. Collins, whose extensive background as member of the Tennessee Volunteer marching band, and lengthy drum corps career of one season with a corps I've never heard of, eminently qualifies him to pass judgment on all things judging as pertains to DCI. His deep connections with the drum corps activity allows him to make us aware of the insidious practice of corps directors dictating scores to the DCI judges. Since he's judged for zero years as a field music judge, he can accurately dowse the mindset, perspective and practices of a DCI level brass judge. Glad we have that cleared up.
I'm every bit as qualified as you are, bub. You see, I understand human nature. And the last time I checked, there's not a single DCI judge who isn't a human being.
And your entire premise is a wash. DCI corps directors DO set the standards for adjudication. That's not only irrefutable fact.....it's common knowledge.
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Rather than give money to a cause in which I no longer support or believe in, I would like to offer some advice. There are repair techs throughout the U.S. and Canada who would be more than willing to refurbish your bugles at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a brand new line of B-flats and Fs. But I realize you are under insurmountable pressure to ditch them for marching band gear, so I cannot begrudge you for trying to compete with the sellouts.
And as long as there is a corps representative viewing this site, allow me to say this. Despite my feelings towards what corps directors have allowed DCI to become, I wish you and your corps the very best of luck. While it's true I cannot abide the dancing and wallowing, the narration and amplification, and all the other gimmicks you've been pressured into embracing, I genuinely hope your organization survives the transition into Summer Guard. I personally won't be watching or listening, but I sincerely hope you achieve success or, at the very least, continue to survive. Good luck.
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7 minutes ago, George Dixon said:
except none of the DCI Directors want ww on the field. Well - everyone of them that I know their thoughts on the topic, which is the vast majority of the current crop
I think you're forgetting that DCI doesn't answer to the "vast majority". If George Hopkins pushes for woodwinds hard enough, there WILL be woodwinds. And he'll do it just to spite those who oppose it.
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Favorite moments from 2017;
SCV Alumni, and USMC.
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On 8/24/2017 at 0:24 PM, flammaster said:
I would love to see the return of DEMAND and reward the lines who play more challenging music with their entire line and not just rely on a small ensemble to play all the hard notes.
How though? They've only got a set number of minutes to perform, and the dance instructors and choreographers insist upon monopolizing the musicians for dancing instead of playing.
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23 hours ago, Rocketman said:
Umm, that's not really what I was referring to. My issue is, the percussion writing, a lot of the time, does a disservice to the brass arranging. It is almost as if someone told the percussion (battery) arranger, 'you have this many counts of music to write, GO!' and just stuck it with the brass charts. (slight exaggeration)
An example of this that immediately comes to mind is, early in the season the percussion parts for Regiment during the beginning of the opener. The brass line was playing a rather soft melodic section while the drummers were jamming away, a total distraction.
Exactly. It's one thing to play Ditty and F Tuning for a warm-up. But it's quite another for every corps to play stuff that sounds very much like that for 12 minutes.
I'm all for cool riffs, but not when those "cool riffs" sound like Jiffy Pop in the middle of a ballad.
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25 minutes ago, 84BDsop said:
So no response to my last post? I feel so left out!
It didn't (and still doesn't) warrant a response, because you're accusing me of something I wasn't doing.
I'm happy for Colin, and I wish him well. But I also have the sense to know that when Boston's generous benefactor(s) dry up, that's right about the time he'll be ready to "seek new challenges", along with most of the rest of the dream team. And I don't begrudge them for that, not at all. But I'm not about to sit here and wrap it up in a package labelled "money had absolutely nothing to do with this decision". I have WAY more sense than that, and so should you.
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1 minute ago, DawsonBurnes said:
I'm not completely sure of how I view this. On one side, I do think that scores should judge the performance accurately and that if there was an A&E malfunction, it could ruin a moment. But on the other side, I can't help but feel sympathetic for corps going through something like that. Yes, A&E in a show is certainly risky, but not all accidents are their faults. For example, I was watching a show this past year after I had just performed where SCVC had no props due to their equipment trailer being destroyed (or something of that nature. Can't remember the details). It was pretty weird for members to stand around during the performance when they were obviously supposed to be behind props. Same thing with Bluecoats' electronic malfunction in 2016 semis. So I'm not completely sure whether or not judges' leniency towards this issue is a good or bad thing
Try to look at it this way. Amping up is a risk. Something CAN go wrong. It's no different than a soloist aiming for ledger lines above the staff. The rest of the corps has no control over whether that soloist flubs or not. And if a soloist stops a show dead in its tracks (and I'm sure I don't have to refer to the most obvious example of this in the history of DCI), that's gonna hurt the scores. But today, when it happens with microphones and electronic equipment, it's being totally ignored. That's just not right. You can't objectively judge a corps' performance when the technology drowning out the corps' actual performance is malfunctioning to the point where it affects the quality of the performance (I was going to captialize and bold-print performance throughout, but it's probably not necessary). Crown's finals run will almost certainly not be on the commemorative DVD. Because of a technical difficulty. So in years to come, Crown 17 will be represented by their semis run instead. All because of a microphone that didn't affect their finals score one bit. That MUST be reflected in the scores, or else the scores are beyond meaningless, and it truly does boil down to who can get away with the most deception through the electronics and not lose a signal in the process.
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1 minute ago, Lead said:
Apparently you know a lot of other things - like what consumers of the activity want, how ticket sales are reported, how much electronics are necessary, what motivates corps directors to do things, visual and dance instructors teaching jazz hands, why staff changes happen, and pretty much anything else you find you want to throw your $0.02 in on.
Either that or you're just another troll.
Pretty clear that the entire site has figured you out.
Well now I wouldn't say the entire site. Just the contrarians who are simply here to argue. They've got me figured out, because they know I won't put up with that. I get the tangible sense you've figured that out, as well.
I bring insight. All you bring is attacks aimed at me rather than said insight. It is my hope that the "entire site" can see that.
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1 minute ago, garfield said:
What if the power supply at the stadium shorts out?
DCI is now requiring electrical outlets on all four sides of the football field. What if that request overloads the system at a smaller TEP show?
What if ALL of the corps' A&E is fried for the evening?
When then with scoring?
12 minutes ago, Bobby L. Collins said:Can we at last agree on SOMETHING? Or is this community bound and determined to be contrary for the sake of contrariness, despite all pretenses of rational thought and reason?
mmmmm hmmmmm
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Can we all agree on this at the very least? Can we all agree that when a corps' electronics and amplifcation malfunctions in the middle of a performance, that the G.E. scores SHOULD acknowledge and reflect that? Can we all agree that if A&E is going to be allowed, that it needs to be proportionately weighted into the scoring system?
Can we at last agree on SOMETHING? Or is this community bound and determined to be contrary for the sake of contrariness, despite all pretenses of rational thought and reason?
EDIT: Don't get me wrong, I emphatically maintain that A&E should be banned entirely from the activity. But if it's not going away and, more importantly, if it's going to continue to escalate, and to monopolize performances in the manner it does today, should it not be adjudicated and weighted into the scoring system accordingly?
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5 minutes ago, BDCorno said:
Come on, it's DCP. You should know better.
It's like watching a blind and deaf cat chase its tail. You want to step in and calm the cat down, but then you realize that this is really all the cat has to do in life to entertain itself, besides grooming......
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1 minute ago, BRASSO said:
I can almost see the sheer ignorance in the typing of your posts regarding what primarily motivates Colin McNutt too.
Again, I know what motivates human beings. I understand it's our propensity to try to deify names in this activity, but the last time I checked, Colin McNutt is a human being that has to eat and put a roof over his head, the same as you and me. Quit treating him like he's any different than any other human being. And jeez, quit being so personally offended. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all, but I'm also sure he likes the checks he receives from BAC. I mean, who wouldn't?
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Just now, BRASSO said:
I guess in your view he's lying then as to why he returned to teach a Corps he once marched and once taught with ? He is on video and audio recordings explaining the reasons why he decided to accept Boston's offer. He does not mention " money " as the lure. Why should any of us here believe YOU on why Colin McNutt ( a Massachusetts native ) decided to come back to Boston, than the explanations of Colin McNutt himself on the reasons for his move ?
You can see the dollar signs in his eyes while he's saying it.
Not many people are going to say on record "The money was just too good to pass up". It's far easier on the ego to talk about "passion" and "loyalty" and "educational opportunitie$". We can over-romanticize about how passionate these educators are, but at the end of the day, they are motivated by the same things every other human being in every other discipline is motivated by. Bottom line, he simply would not have made the move had BAC not made it well worth his while.
I'm not questioning his character or morals or ethics (nor those of any other BAC instructor). I'm sure those are all of the highest standard. All I'm saying is what is as plain as day; Boston PURCHASED a top-tier staff in order to stay in the top 12. And it's working. But they're going to have to keep shelling out the bucks to keep that staff in place, just like any other corps....but their ceiling is higher, because that's what it took to get them there. Now I definitely expect BAC to keep rising, just like I expect for their costs to keep rising, along with the salaries of the top-shelf staff they've assembled. And when the bubble finally bursts, you think that staff is going to take a pay cut and continue on out of passion and loyalty? No, they'll go wherever the next corps who spends a boatload of money to lure them away pops up. And so the cycle continues, until all the money runs out.
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1 minute ago, LabMaster said:
Check out the interview. Again, you know nothing.
If your one note is going to be "you know nothing", then we're done.
For all my faults (and I do have plenty), I DO know a considerable amount about this activity. And I also DO know that human beings are motivated first and foremost by money. Yes, even music educators.
Seems to me like all you really know is how to type "you know nothing".
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1 minute ago, LabMaster said:
You don't have a clue about what you are talking about. You know nothing at all about the Boston Crusaders bubba. You crow about telling it like it is. but the reality is you are a troll and a factless clueless one at that. Keep being a crank, other posters hear know you for what you are. Maybe check out on Flo the interview with Colin McNutt to get a sense of why staff that are with Boston, made the changes from where they were. And if you are in the accusatory mood, why don't you find out what BD pays and SCV pays staff then start in on them.
Oh don't think for a second I'm only picking on your favorite corps. They ALL spend entirely too much money today, and yes, when you have staffs that are nearly 1/2 the size of the corps on the field......that's TOO MANY staff members (granted most of that bloat is dance instructors and visual techs to teach brass and percussion how to jazz hands). They're all going to overspend themselves right out of viability and sustainability. Then NO ONE wins a medal.
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1 minute ago, LabMaster said:
Work more on getting your story straight. Do some research.
Buddy, Colin McNutt has to put food on his table just like the rest of us. He doesn't live off Vic Firth stick endorsements. And it would have taken more than loyalty to his first corps to lure him away from the man whose credo is "How can we make this more innovative?". Money is what brought him to Boston, and money is what will keep him from picking up stakes and moving to Santa Clara.
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2 hours ago, Ghost said:
The hands of the BD staff must really be cold then. I don't know what any staff gets paid, but I imagine Boston's new staff appreciates the security of their non Walter Alston type contracts, and the freedom to design and teach with little interference from their boss.
That's the real issue though. Someone NEEDS to interfere and tell these corps "Knock off these high-concept mind trips you keep designing, before your vision and innovation bankrupts our entire organization".
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1 hour ago, Ediker said:
I get what you mean. It's definitely a challenge to integrate a strong, full percussion line, while giving them worthy parts, and keeping it all musical. They either need to be featured properly or expertly integrated. 86 BD, 87 SCV, and 87 Phantom had memorable features. 87 Cadets were great in that the percussion writing provided the "hook" into many of the big brass hits. Cadets' 88 drumline won top marks with an almost understated presence. 91 SCV wowed everyone by designing great GE presence for their percussionists
It's a huge challenge to make the brass and percussion enhance each other, and come off well musically. What a treat when the designers get it right.
They haven't gotten it right in a long time. Sounds like tennis shoes in a dryer today.
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Wrong. Dead wrong.
My entire premise is that the judges are at the complete mercy of the corps directors who dictate to them how to adjudicate. And right now, they're being instructed to judge hornlines upon the merits of their the audio equipment rather than upon the merits of the warm bodies holding the horns. Now quit being a pedantic contrarian simply because you don't like me rocking the boat, and open your eyes, ears, and mind to rational thought.
How About Some Common Ground?
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
As I suspected.
You dishonor the spirit of the activity, and the memories of those who built everything you have helped destroy. And it sickens me that you are complicit in the suppression of criticism of said dishonor by abusing your moderation powers in order to make this an echo chamber for the George Hopkins fan club.