Spirit Announces 2009 Program

[trptjock]

It is absolutely fascinating to see the varied responses posted here on this thread. Some of you have brought about your likes and dislikes for the show. Some have also posted on the likes and dislikes of the corps previous shows. Some have also brought about their own experiences with similar music but in a different corps to varied success (or failure). Many of you who are curious to know why the corps has chosen to use the music of Kansas is to delve into something that is on many peoples mind. Establishing (or re-establishing) the corps identity. Now will this mean that Spirit will become a corps that plays nothing but Rock music? I have read on here that many people would like for the corps to return to its southern roots (southern jazz, blues, etc.). The corps has produced many memorable shows in its early years and was incredibly competitive. The shows that were produced in the recent decade have been equally as memorable but not as widely accepted by those who yearn for the Spirit of old...the Jim Ott years.

Drum corps has changed over the past few years to include music of a less popular (non-rock, rap or outwardly accepted) nature, or that is less recognized (to some degree) by the general public. When Phantom Regiment did Spartacus this past year, was there a marked increase in sales of any of this music off of the shelves at your local music store or music site? Probably not. When the Blue Devils did "Tommy" in 1990, was this the downfall of the corps? When the Cavaliers did Billy Joel in 2007 was this the show that sent the masses away from the souvenir booths and successive audition camps? NO. Because the music of Kansas is not a type of music that some people are familiar with (other than the popular hits) doesn't mean that the corps can not do justice to what has been given to the music community to this point. You must also understand that Drum Corps is really "Souped up Marching Band". I don't know if there is any real market for Drum Corps recordings other than within the small market of people that have marched in one or are fans of the activity. I mean no disrespect to those that have marched in the activity. I enjoy the activity and the many challenges it brings to the corps on a year to year basis, but lets face it. The activity is not going to be winning any Grammy nominations or being recognized as a viable music making ensemble with any sense of longevity. Sure there will be those that buy the recordings to relive some fond memories, but this music does not endure like say...anything that gets continued radio air-play.

That being said, the corps is going to produce a show that will be memorable, recognizable and enjoyable to all that will see the corps in 2009. Will this show bring the corps back from the brink of folding because of the "failure" of 2008, that is left to be seen. Know this, the corps will continue to produce shows that will reach members of the audience in one way, shape or form.

Was there this much controversy or "Nay" saying when the Cavaliers performed completely original music during the early part of this decade? I would imagine so. Was this the downfall of the corps and its eventual return to the Cavaliers Roots? NO. They continued producing successful shows to a specific formula that worked for them over the decade to become the only other corps to "Three-peat" for a Championship and a powerhouse of the 2000's.

People feel the same way about any corps that is struggling. Staff changes, vet return rate, show design/concept, uniform changes, "new" musical direction are all reasons why a specific corps does well or not. The corps does what it can to bring the best experience to its members year after year. With that message also comes people that believe in that message and continue to return to the corps that gave them an opportunity to grow as people and as musicians (to some degree). You leave the corps (not just Spirit) a different person than when you came into it.

As a staff member, you see the corps struggle and succeed on a day to day basis while on tour. You do what you can to make the product better in any way you can. You try new things, you experiment with other things, but you are never stagnant on what it is you want the membership to come away with at the end of the season. You see vets leave for the top 5 because of the corps placement from the season previous...it happens. In many ways this can be a good thing or a bad thing. Return rate is always an issue for any "Non top 5" corps. Being located in Jacksonville Alabama does not mean that there is a wealth of JSU students knocking down the doors to come march with Spirit. It may have been there when the corps initially moved there in the early part of the decade. Over time, the novelty of having a corps in your backyard rubbed off. Members went to "The top 5" and began to speak ill about the corps and its product over the years. Some vets used the corps as a stepping stone (a training ground, if you will) for the "Top 5". And many strong multiple year vets left. Is this a bad thing, for retention...yes. You don't want to have to reinvent the wheel each year AND you want to potentially build on the success of the previous year. Is it a good thing, for some people YES. You want some of the "power vets" that think they walk on water to go to another corps and get taken down a peg or two. Those attitude problems in the past with Spirit wind up becoming model citizens for other corps. (funny how that all works, no longer a big fish in a small pond). Inevitably those same members will come back and say, "You know what, the stuff they taught us at the corps I moved to was the same as what I learned at Spirit".

There are numerous reasons why the corps did not place where I (as a staff member) would have wanted the corps to be. The list is too long to write here and is too late to do anything about it now anyway. With the new additions to the strong core of staff members in place at Spirit, the addition of Mark Waymire to the design team and as Program Coordinator, the corps will do well for years to come. Spirit will do well this year, as it has every year. Sometimes that is given to you in terms of placement, sometimes it is given to you in other ways. You choose the corps because you love what Spirit does and what it continues to do. If you come to Spirit to win a championship, then you are probably in the wrong corps. Does the corps want to win a championship, at some point? YES. But that will happen in due time. Will it happen in the near future? Who can tell. Who knows if even the activity will last another 10 years. With the economy in the state it is in, will the number of marching units diminish? These are the questions we should be asking.

Suffice it to say that the 2009 show based on the music of the group KANSAS will be a memorable one.

In Spirit

Ray V.

Co-Brass Caption Head

Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps

[MikeD]

Last year. And the year before that.

Basically, every time they "reinvent" themselves.

My comment was about the assertion that Spirit played..."quaint, esoteric composition to satisfy the pseudo-intelligencia"

Their music the past five years has hardly been that.

[skewerz]

Hmm...when is the last time Spirit did this? I see popular music, movie music and Broadway music a lot in their recent show choices.

I was actually referring to drum corps as a whole, not Spirit. I'm sick to death of boring, transmorgrified ($ to Calvin and Hobbes) music. I'm looking forward to hearing a drum corps show that will have music I've actually heard before, and I won't have to study they composer/composition to understand what the show is about.

[JohnZ]

It is absolutely fascinating to see the varied responses posted here on this thread.

<snip>

Suffice it to say that the 2009 show based on the music of the group KANSAS will be a memorable one.

In Spirit

Ray V.

Co-Brass Caption Head

Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps

since no one else is going to acknowledge your response, Ray - well said, and I will look forward to sitting in front of this show and getting a good dose of quality, ENTERTAINING music, Spirit style!

Edited November 21, 2008 by lipsprain

[Hrothgar15]

As of yet, this is my most anticipated show of 2009 and is pretty much the exact thing I'm looking for for a Spirit show.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Hrothgar15

[bawker]

Suffice it to say that the 2009 show based on the music of the group KANSAS will be a memorable one.

Thanks for that post.

Also, thanks for putting me back a few rows with Phantom 1991. . .that solo of yours still kicks ###.

[MikeD]

I was actually referring to drum corps as a whole, not Spirit. I'm sick to death of boring, transmorgrified ($ to Calvin and Hobbes) music. I'm looking forward to hearing a drum corps show that will have music I've actually heard before, and I won't have to study they composer/composition to understand what the show is about.

Oh, I didn't get that...not a prob.

Personally, I want to hear music that is "good" regardless of genre. I hope they do a bang-up job with the Kansas show, as most of the popular music used in the recent past just has not cut it for me...Crown's "Bohemian Rhapsody" a notable exception.

[Newseditor44]

This actually sounds like a fun show. Don't we like fun?

And the issues I have with most of the responses is this: Most of you that are trashing the idea have never heard a Kansas tune in your life.

I have most of the albums and will be breaking them out tonight. This should be cool.

[MikeD]

And the issues I have with most of the responses is this: Most of you that are trashing the idea have never heard a Kansas tune in your life.

To be fair, liking or not liking the music of Kansas as they perform it does not really translate into how well Spirit will adapt that music, for good or bad. I hope they come out with a great "Kansas" show, as I like a lot of their recent shows that people seem to be dismissing here.

However, I am a huge fan of Jethro Tull and really disliked the Cadets 2004 take on their music,. One of my all time favorite groups is The Moody Blues, esp the Days of Future Passed album (it's in my car's CD player right now), yet I was underwhelmed with the Glassmen's 1994 show using that music. Those plus other recent pop tunes played the Crossmen makes me leery...though Crown's amazing take on Bohemian Rhapsody balances that off.

Here is to waiting to see what the great staff Spirit has can create with the music of Kansas!

[RsD]

Jamie,

I want a copy of that paper when you write it. I was a dumb little 15 year old that summer, and never got the story of what in the world happened from '93 to '94. That said, I marched nowhere in '94, but if I had it would have been NOT with NA, opting for doing another 'rock' show down in Toledo.

Yet, however, this was a different era in corps repetoire from what seems to work today. I make so statement about what I think about that, either way.