Russellrks

It depends on your criteria for the word "Better." If you mean quality, there is no question that the quality of the remaining drum corps is much higher now than it was in the 70's, and that's as it should be. If you look at it from the perspective of inclusiveness, giving as many kids as possible the opportunity to experience the activity and be affected by all that it has to offer to young, impressionable kids, the 70's were a much better time.

JKT90, you have hit the nail on the head. Never underestimate the value of the staff. The creative staff, the teaching staff, the management, the support staff all play a huge role in any corps success. The talent level of the kids is important too, but not nearly as important as the staff IMHO.

When I taught Spirit of Atlanta in the late 70's there were more than a few members who had marched in the Charioteers. Also, many of you might not know that Robert W. Smith marched in the Charioteers.

I saw my first preying mantis while on tour in 1975. I got those in my backyard now. But the most unusual that I ever saw was seeing fireflies or lightning bugs in 1974 on tour with the Commodores. I was like a little kid trying to catch them, and to this day I've never seen them again.

1974 Muchachos I think stepped it up a notch or two at finals.

These pics are of the Red Knights drum and bell corps from San Leandro, Ca. They were part of the "Royal Family", which also included the Royalaires drum and bugle corps.

Yeah, maybe the Troopers can give it the baritone punch that is sorely needed.

Here's some big cymbals for ya! Pic taken from the 1977 DCI yearbook, so it's probably from 1976.

Kyle was one of the local instructors whom, I believe never marched in a drum corps. He was looking for ways to be helpful and contribute and saw the cymbals being pretty much left on their own and so he adopted them and started working with them. He also helped me with teaching and cleaning the drumline's drill. He wasn't a band director, but I know he wound up being a principal or vice-principal in the Tampa Bay area somewhere. Back in the 70's I don't know how many corps, if any, had a specific instructor just for the cymbals.

I had no idea so much went into the making of a cymbal line...all these techniques and choices for certain sounds, it's all very interesting. I also wasn't aware (haven't been around the activity in a loong time) that Diaz Clark had become such a renowned name as cymbal instructors go (props to you, Diaz). If you mention Diaz though, the person who taught him must also be recognized, and that was a guy named Kyle "Plates" Johnson. Kyle took over the cymbal line from "Nobody" because "Nobody" was working the Cymbals before Kyle, that I know of. Kyle single handedly gave Suncoast's cymbal line a "Style" and an identity, a sense of pride, if you will, incorporating many different looks, positions and techniques that really made our cymbal line stand out as a unit within the corps. For Suncoast at least, Kyle created "Cymbal Hype."

Well stated, and I believe, very close to the mark. I think that one thing that is harder nowadays is holding on to one's image, history and tradition. Stable staff is one component but another is stable, continuity of the membership. It's a lot easier to maintain image, history and tradition when you have significant numbers of 3,4,and 5 year veterans always among the ranks. I don't know what that percentage is now in the Vanguard, but if it is low, combined with a somewhat new staff just makes that hill a little steeper to climb. Can it be done? Sure, but it may take longer than a year or two.

82' Spirit and Suncoast played the same Singers Unlimited arrangement of "You are my Sunshine." Well, same song, vastly different arrangements.

Spirit could have also been on this list.

Actually, field brass would be a subcaption. If you consider it a caption, then Blue Devils also lost ens. percussion, field vis. and G.E. Visual.

Of all the charts I ever played in drum corps, the weirdest key I can remember was 1975 SCV's concert of "To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof." It was in Ab.