Grenadier

We were not performing art majors. We may have learned to play an instrument in elementary and junior high school. But, we caught the drum corps bug. We wanted to march with a corps in a parade or M&M drill. We love the music and the corps spirit. For all except the major corps, we didn't have to try out for. All we had to do was try hard. As a member of a corps you grew with the corps. You practiced and rehearsed. I like the line from the movie "Drumline". One band on sound". When one sounds bad you all sound bad. There was nothing like it. And for most of the kids today it has disappeared. Corps used to sound like the Roman legion entering a city. Now they sound like a Broadway musical. We use to march. Now they dance. So now a days you need to be a music major or dance major to get a spot in a big name corp. Look around at what we lost. Thousands of corps small and big have disappeared. Only to be replace by performing art groups.

What bugles. are the Alumni corps playing. Do different corps use different instruments. I was a child of the 60's an played a single valve with rotary. Just curious. Grenadier

I wonder even if they had a show would anyone come. I know I would and several other old timers. I think the Sunrisers are just about the last remaining corps on the island.

How many of you will be going to a 4th of July Parade? I know I won't. Who wants to sit and listen to a row of million dollar fire trucks sounding their sirens. There may be a bag pipe band, or perhaps one old timers drum corps. But, nothing else. In the 60's there were dozens of corps and bands marching in the Patchogue Parade. There was us the Medford FD Golden Grenadiers, the Selden Cadets, West Sayville Golden Eagles and others at times including the Bohemia Checkmates, Skylarks, and of course the state champion North Patchogue Fire Department Band. Almost all Volunteer Fire Departments had a band or corp. But, alas the music has died here on Long Island. Remembering the good ole days, Grenadier

It's not the fact that the music teachers got involved, it's a matter of taste in music and marching style. I particularly like precision, not the modern dance style of today's corps. I enjoy marches by John Philips Sousa. I like the sound of the old time corps and I hate the sound of the modern corps. It's just a matter of taste, and you'll probably say I have none. But, it's my taste. I'll give you that the new corps are comprised of more talented individuals. But, in my opinion they lack soul. Grenadier

Most of members were loyal to our local corps in 1965. One year our soloist left our corps to join the Selden Cadets. He found out the being a small fish in a bigger pond wasn't as much fun as playing with his friends, and being the big fish. He had to get voted back in. We each cast a white or black ball. Luckily, for him he wasn't black balled out of the corps. Grenadier

I had never heard of them either. Just curious if any one did. But, apparently they won the 1956 Senior VFW Championship listing them right up there with Lt. Norman Prince and Reilly Raiders

As the subject states has anyone heard of the Tiago ThunderBirds?

As the subject states has anyone heard of the Tiago ThunderBirds?

I wonder if it is lack of participation or sponsorship? Years ago organization like the Catholic Church, VFW, and local fire departments would sponsor corps.

Any other forum members march with a Long Island Drum and Bugle Corps. If so, what corps and era did you march with the corps. I marched with the Medford Golden Grenadiers in the 60's. We went from a fire department parade corps with drums, horns and glocks to an M&M corps. Grenadier.

Hanging out at home with the stomach flu, I've had some time to do a little research. Bored as hell. But, further on this topic, I check out corpsreps page and it listed over 1400 junior corps and 700 senior corps. And checking into a sampling of them a lot of these corps existed in the 50's, 60's and 70's. A lot of them were local corps. Some large some small. Drum and Bugle Corps were a live and well. Does any on have any stats on the number of today's corps? Locally, on Long Island, NY there used to be dozens. Now there is only the Sunrisers. Heck the NY Skyliners even moved to Pennsylvania. And don't give the line about high school bands. They don't keep the kids off the street in the summer. Grenadier

I'm going to say 1970. Not only due to changes in rules and instruments. But, the attitude of the nation. There was the Vietnam War and kids didn't want to march with the local corps. Many of the children of fellow corps members including myself never wanted to participate. I guess it wasn't cool anymore. Corps was more then marching and music. It was being part of a team. With the loss of the smaller feeder corps, the larger corps also died off on Long Island. We know have the larger regional corps, with a more band sound and professional choreography.

Fran, Big W, I realize the talent level of today's corps far exceed that of the old time drum corps. And yes we did have mallet percussion, glockenspiels, but we got rid of them. You say the sound of the piston rotor is inferior to today's trumpet. But, I played both and the sound from the bugle had a great brass sound. And, there was nothing like coming off the line in military like formation. The sound of today's corps do not thrill me like the sound of the old time corps. The hornline of the Cambridge Caballeros, Blessed Sacrament, Skyliners and the rest was sharp and crisp. I guess it a matter of taste and "age". It seems like now members of the corps are all music majors and dance majors off for the summer. Back in the day we were just a bunch of kids staying out of trouble and having a great time. Thanks for letting an old timer rant. Grenadier

I must say that after listening and watching youtube videos of the Selden Cadets, Cambridge Caballeros, Skyliners and Hawthorn Caballeros from the 60's there is no comparison to the old time drum corps. Today's drum corps basically sucks. Today's drum corps don't have the soul that the old time drum corps have, and the M&M is more dance than marching. And get rid of the xylophones. They really such. And learn to march. Just a rant from an old timer.

As Jay suggested, I did check out the bands sites and noted that in many parts of the country, like New Jersey the band circuit seems alive and well. But, there seems to be no activity on Long Island, New York. In the past Long Island was more rural and perhaps more community oriented, maybe that is why it died. In the summer, local fire departments would have a parade and fair or carnival. There were at least one or two parades a week. In those parades local corps would march. Either for the sponsoring fire department or paid by another department or group. Out of these corps evolved local M&M circuits. I joined my corps when I was twelve. Yes there were and are school bands, but nothing like the drum and bugle corps back then. I'm glad to see in other parts of the country, music is still alive. But, as you all know corps is more then music. I have a 9 year old grandson who is aspiring drummer who I would like to see experience it too. Grenadier

HBD, On Long Island, New York schools have marching bands, and yes there is a once a year competition. But, the ones I know of march only during the school year and only in the town they are located in . It just seems that small corps have disappeared. I'm not sure if it is lack of interest by the organizations or the youth of today. Corps was a big part of my youth growing up. It was a positive influence on a lot of young people growing up. Thanks for your input. Grenadier

When I was in drum corps back in the "good ole days", the 1960's, there were dozens of corps in a 10 mile radius. There were the Blue Point Blue Jays, Holbrook Skylarks, Medford Golden Grenadiers, Selden Cadets, Smithtown Freelancers and Plebes, West Sayville Golden Eagles, Port Jeff Portsman and Bohemia Czechmates to some. Now there are none. What happened to the interest in drum corp. This is not a rant about the corps of today versus the golden age of drum corps. But, it is a question of why interest died and we lost a great activity for the youth to be involved in. Is it that drum corps is just not cool? Is it the fact that it has just got to complicated? Did the evolution into a three valve bugle make it harder to teach kids to play the bugle. I remember instructing the junior members who never played how to play a bugle. Is it the fact the American Legion, VFW, Churches and Fire Departments stop sponsoring? The instrument companies should be interested in promoting local corps. More corps more sales. It is a shame we lost a big part of drum corps, the local corps. Ever go to a parade lately. There used to be dozens of bands and corps. Now it's just fire trucks. Or is a fact that we just lost the feeling of "community"? But it would be nice if we could bring back the small local corps.

Just watched a youtube video of the 1963 Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, one of my favorite corps when I was in drum corp. Our corps would make an outing to watch the Dream every year in the mid sixties. My favorites were BSGK, Princemen, and the Skyliners. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd pay to see corps like that again, and would even go to a DCI show today, even if you paid me. I loved the precision, and the sound of the old time corps, and can't stand the xylophones and M&M of todays corps. It's just my opinion. What's yours?

Just listened to the Southern University Marching Band, and musically I think the college bands have a better sound then drum corps. With all the changes in the drum corps rules, like allowing xylophones, amplification, and who knows what. Why don't they just allow college bands to compete. Maybe, they don't have the marching down as good, but they could.

​There were two local corps that got me interested in drum corp. They had a great sound. The Smithtown Freelancers and the Selden Cadets. Selden made it a little further then Smithtown, But both were great. Well not the Skyiners or Blessed Sacrament great, but still good.

As a member of a drum corp in the sixties, did your children have an interest or ever join a drum and bugle corp. I had two girls and the had no interest in drum corps. What was your experience?

Keith, I had read you post, but I had it on my mind today to post a question on how you got involved in a corp. I posted it and now I see it's almost a duplicate. I got involved because my family was involved with volunteer fire departments on long island and almost all fire departments had a band or a drum corps. It's something that happened in the 60's. Thanks,

All, Thank you for sharing. It's been a great ride and I'm looking forward to the rest of the story.

How did you get involved in drum corps? What was your corps like? I became interested in drum corps indirectly through my parents. My farther and mother were part of the greatest generation. My father fought in WWII. Drove a tank through France into Germany. Came home. Didn't talk about it much. He and my mother settle back on Long Island, NY and he joined the local volunteer fire department. Our home town fire department had one of the best bands (not drum corps) in the state. As a kid, I went to all the local fire department parades and fairs. In the summer, there must have been at least two a week. The left me by the fire department finish line as the marched in the parade. I got to hear the local corps like the Selden Cadets, and Smithtown Freelancers. From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to march with a drum corp. I joined a local corps sponsored by a fire department, in the next town. I joined because I wanted to march and play bugle. But, the bonus was being a part of the corps. Sure, there were the clicks, and the corps politics. The inner circle versus the members from out of the district. But, still we were a part of the whole. It wasn't a big corps like the Skyliners or Sunrisers. Not even like the Selden Cadets. But, we tried our best. It was one of the best memories I have. But, when it came to my children, they never had any interest. Maybe, it was the time, maybe it was the fact that we were the children of the greatest generations. Also, maybe it was the fact that each town had a corps and all it took was desire to join. You didn't have to audition. Grenadier