JimF-LowBari

Actually who ever holds the rights to the original version. And for a while that would have been Michael Jackson (not kidding).

Awk Donner Vetter Lee, Hain't Ve gut enuff problems Nawh????? PS - I needed the smile Thank You

Have yet to see or hear of a judged corps that doesn't try to do their best every time on the field. They may not be competative based on the scores but they are busting their ### none the less. Don't mistake lack of good score for lack of heart or desire. Been there, done that, even when we set a record for low DCA score and were 30 points behind the next corps. Finished my playing career with a 6th place DCA placement. Desire was there both times, what was missing was experience and better instructors.

We started a last place streak from week before 1974 DCA until week before 1975 DCA when we beat two corps (both folded that year). How did our Bus Mang Larry Hershman keep it real during that mess. #1 - "#### what the other corps are doing, just beat last weeks score". #2 - "Of course the (big DCA) corps beat our ###. They've been around a lot longer than we have (translation: we had a lot of rookies). We're not going to beat them..... YET!!!"

How about keeping a corps alive knowing #### well you'll get your brains kicked in on the sheets? Some of us put welfare of our corps (and drum corps in general) above our personal desires. There is nothing worse than an defunct corps.

Question might actually be when did corps lose their individual identity or style? Da Bananas and VKs style was the humorous side of things while 70s/80s corps like Kilties, 27th, BD, SCV, Muchachos, etc, etc, ad nasium had styles that if not totally unique were identifiable. Today appears almost all of that has been pushed aside for various reasons. IOW - when did the phrase "Cookie Cutter" start to appear in the DC world.

C'mon folks gotta have someone stupid.... errr brave enought to take my Bari spot since I had to drop out. Now I have 13 months to go over my 75 years music with my 65 year old, 1 valve Tenor Bari. ^0^ Ain't gonne be pretty but at least I'll beat Dorritte for playing oldest horn. B) By then I'll be 50 and really won't give a #### about my score. :P

to you Barb for saying this out loud. I'd just say Hop is an expert at getting the corps placed in the public eye. And if it's bad postings about him, then T.S. GH got what he wanted for the corps.

Have to answer that question with another question. What has changed in the last three years that did not involved amplification in some way? This includes control of sound board rule questions, greatly increased used of vocals (singing and narration) and amps in pit itself. Of course the controversy over electronics has probably overshadowed any other changes. s/ Guy who started with marching guard, piston/rotor horns and poor bastichs carrying tymps and bells around. All done with only the mid-field stripe (50 yard marker) placed on the field, no yard lines.

Thought this happened year or two ago with a another Div II/III corps. Think a family emergency came up late in the season and spot was not filled due to respect for the DM. Edit: Jim Wolf posted while I was typing and answered the question..... More power to Raiders..............

Sorry for not being clear, I think having it geared to non DC people is a great way to expose our activity to the public. However doing a 180 degrees turn around in the target audience after 30 years of showing to the same group of people does involve a boat load (can't say #### load) of changes. Just bringing up some items that appear to have been missed on the first try. For the last 20+ years I do an experiment were I pretend to know nothing about corps except what I hear on the telecasts (no matter how stupid it sounds). Most years I get the impression that there are only 12 drum corps in existence and the most of the members just about kill themselves for a one time chance to perform. (IMO) To put it in a sound bite that are a few areas where DCI needs to be more precise HOW they explain drum corps to the (non drm corps) audience. Think the announcers still assume that the audience knows more about corps than is reasonible in the new target audience. Huh, huh I said "exposed" <$1 to Beavis and Butthead>

Two things that I feel were overlooked when the target audience for the telecasts changed. Back when DCI started being shown on PBS (I first watched 1975) the target audience was people who already were Drum Corps fans. Now the target audience is young people who know nothing about Drum Corps but might be interested in joining or at least look into following DCI. Very cool idea but the ESPN telecast is not quite 100% geared to this "know nothing about DC" audience and DCI might lose some interested people because of this. Disclaimer: I've complained about #1 before but someone finally reminded me (slap, slap :P ) that I should do something more constructive than complain. #1) The old hold over from the DCI/DCA "Cold Wars" that "once they hit 22 they can no longer do Drum Corps". OK, WE know that ain't quite right but the target audience whoe knows nothing about corps doesn't. And if a young person googles "drum corps" both DCI and DCA sites come up. Possibly lose: new people who will be age outs and figure it's not worth the effort to try out if they only have one year to do any corps. Possibly lose: Youngsters and parents who Google Drum Corps and find you can do corps after 22. Kids might think "WTF" and parents might be suspicious that Rondo might be less than 100% on some of the other things he said. A small credibility issue but a credibility issue none the less. #2) Where the #### are the Div II/III corps info during the telecast? Can't remember if Div II/III was mentioned last year but think the following line would help. "Don't feel like you're ready yet for a corps like Cadets or Cavaliers? Here's a way to be able to join a corps and get some experience." Just two things that I felt have fallen thru the cracks.

Figures, I just emailed to drop out of the Bari I&E and now Lee might show up. :(

Forgot before - Chops Inc 2005 closed with "Freebird". (Get the lighters out...) :)

Guilty #2 - But at least I sw the "Tribute Tour" live. Back to to topic: Have a crap load of Chuck Mangione and other artists vinyl thanks to exposure to the music in the 70s when I marched. Now if my record player only friggin' worked. (Or more Jazz re-releases in CD :( )

Also Maines Marching Ambassadors (aka Pine Tree Warriors) - small Sr corps from Lewiston(?) that went to DCA prelims a few times in the 1980s. Appeared to have a mix of ages in teh corps. Have no idea if theye are still around but doubt it.

Related question: Where do the instructors for drum corps come from today? Back in my day a lot of the Senior corps instructors were actually from High Schools and DC was big sized "side job". Looks like big time Div I corps hire people outside of schools but what about Div II/III?

Would like to send an email to the folks that handle the DCI telecast this year. There is a small long living issue I that think they should be aware of. Checked dci.org and worried if I email to the basic email addie it will never get to the right place. Does anyone on DCP know of a good address to use? Don't worry this will be a respectful email from someone who does care about the activty. Edit: Can't type tooooo weeellll toodaye.

Thanks for the sponsorship info, didn't even notice the spelling :P Just noticed Phoenix (but not the Dunkirk Patriots) in your sig....

Small enough it really wasn't noticed from the stands. Didn't even know about it until I read about it after SCA was no more. (Needed DCP back then so I wouldn't miss anything). Also thinking about "corporate Drum Corps" that have existed over the years and were they used as advertising???? Answer not really.... Hershey Chocolatiers - played the Hersheys jingle one year Commonwealth Edison Knights of Light (Chicago Electric Company corps) - played "Light" themed songs (can't remember any right now) but unis looked like Canadian Mounties Ballentine Brewers - can't see any company logos (3 rings for us old pharts) and their 1964 show is just like other corps except for a great concert number (have he recording on CD) Commonwealth Edison (NYC corps) - no idea but their late 1940s show I have has no Electric company themes that I can tell. Hamms/Schmidts Indians (beer companies) - great Native American unis and that's all I know Grain Belt (beer) Diamonds - :P no friggin' idea but it later became Minnesota Brass Inc

I was unlucky enough to have to wait until I was almost 17 to see my first corps. :( Weird part was I saw my first corps 7 months after I first joined one. Our school district had to do the flutophones sometime before 4th grade as that when the company selling band instruments showed up :) :) :) :) . Still remember my first trombone cost $150 in 1966 dollars which worked out to $7 a month. Next year the slushpumps went up to $159 and $8 a month *gasp*. And jwillis, think I remember reading the fifes were phased out of drum, fife and bugle corps when bugles started getting enough valves to make recognizible (or melodic) music.

Piston/Rotor horns can make dogs in the next county howl???? Nevermind.... having a flashback..... PS - Cavaliers copied Sheherazade from Archer Epler. ^0^ Archie just didn't frame or spin it. :P

Drawing a mental picture of you waking up screaming is a scarey ###ed thought in itself. :P

Ditto... Actually walked away from all DC from 1992-2003 (except for DCA albums). Got so bored I walked out in the middle of a corps performance and drove home.

Thought they were sponsored by Ballentines? Have a pic of them in front of the brewery. Steel City Ambassadors had Wendys patchs on their unis in the 1980s or 1990s.