How come I never see this?

[Abbevillekid26]

Cavies '07 and Cadets '04 are two examples of shows using popular music that pretty much flopped. Both shows were not very good, and the shows the year before and the year after were far superior.

I totally misread that as Cavies '07 (which I agree wasn't that great) and Cavies '04. I think Cavies '04 is a great example of a show with popular music doing well. Same with BD '06. No offense to spirit but I think with the right design team and talent, popular music (as much as I don't want to hear Headbussas or other popular tunes) can be pulled off well. Cavies '07 still got 3rd place and Cadets '04...could've been worse.

[Gaddabout]

I enjoy the complexity of drum corps and everything and always will, but I was looking through youtube at some university marching bands (for example, Michigan State University, particularly their video called “2004 SMB - "Beatles" Halftime” – I’am not sure if I could post it here, but if you go there and type the name above you will see it). They played a lot of popular music and I loved it. And you know what? Watching university bands is what got me interested in drum corps. I remember watching Mizzou play a lot of popular music on the field and that’s what got me into it.

Thus, I kind of wonder why drum corps hardly play as much recognizable and popular music? People like that kind of stuff (and I do too). That would add another dimension to their shows along with the complexities that they already exhibit on the field. Wouldn’t that attract a lot more people? I think if I ran a drum corps (which I plan to after I finish my Masters), I’am going to try to get it so that we can play as much popular music and catchy tunes as possible.I grant that Blue Devils this year seemed to go down that road. Thus, what do you all think of this?

A couple of major issues:

1. Licensing. DCI doesn't come equipped with an ASCAP license, so directors can't go roaming through their pop CDs to find nuanced songs to perform. They have to secure the legal rights to the music. Pop charts = not cheap! Especially if you have to pay per performance, which is standard. Marching bands etc. buy packages of pre-arranged pop songs, but they're not allowed to mess with it. They bought the arrangement and a limited use license.

2. Melody and harmony. There's not a lot of it unless you go back a few years. There are some songs that could benefit from a strong brass arranger, but most of it would be like trying to put glitter on poop. When you're competing against, say, Phantom Regiment who are blowing hard on the classics with built in technical pluses, you don't want to handicap yourself with a lesser score.

3. Perception. Even with a challenging arrangement of a pop song, there's a general perception problem that it's not high art. Maybe even more damning is the fact that college marching bands already unload these tunes with regularity, and drum corps officianados typically like to think of drum corps as elevated above marching band (please let's not start that discussion again ... and just agree that perception/bias is there). You never know the point of view a judge might be coming from, but you can be relatively sure they're more familiar with classical than pop music. You stand a great likelihood coming across judges who prefer classical over pop and see pop as a sub-level art form. It's a risk a competitive corps probably shouldn't take.

[JamMan]

I prefer listening to shows where I don't already know every song. Just seems like the corps aren't trying; like they're trying to copy marching bands. Crown '08 is a good example. Good corps, great brass scoring but just boring, boring, basic music.

[shaners]

to the OP...

i hear you man, this question has been asked time and time again. In the end, you just gotta stick to what you like, in whatever manifestation it is in.

Personally, my favorite marching ensemble of ANY type is the Riverside Community College Marching Tigers. A group no bigger then 200 people, playing FUN and popular music set to a straight forward approach of show design... i.e. music + drill = show. Last year they did an entire beatles show and it was amazing.

the year before moulin rouge... I think this year they are doing a show called "dance" feature music by the late Michael Jackson.

Their shows are simple, loud, and just make you feel good. It may not be drum corps, but DANG they get my juices flowing!

[shaners]

to see/hear what i am talking about.... 2008 Riverside Community College Marching Tigers..... give that a try...

[HockeyDad]

Popular music doesn't have enough snobbery in it to satisfy the music majors who have taken over the activity.

[MelloMike]

Thus, I kind of wonder why drum corps hardly play as much recognizable and popular music?

Recognizable and popular music seems vague to me. Most of the replies here have been in regard to "pop" and that may have been what you meant but when I first read this, my first thought was Carolina Crown 2008.

Carolina Crown's whole show was recognizable music like Beethoven 9, Somewhere over the rainbow, and of course the 1812 overture. Sure there were some classical pieces that might only be recognizable and popular among those who have studied music extensively but who hasn't heard and doesn't like the 1812 overture?

On a side note to the music major comment, first off I disagree with the perception that music majors are snobs who don't appreciate popular music. Being a music major myself I can say I've seen that snobbery in and out of the activity but I don't believe that it has "taken over." I'm in favor of more music majors (with good attitudes) because I feel that it raises the bar in the musical performance on the field. That's not to say you have to be a music major to be a great musician or that all music majors are great musicians. All I'm saying is that studying music typically improves one's understanding of a) the music itself and b) how to play the music better. This could easily develop into another thread however, so I will end my comments there.

[En929]

Recognizable and popular music seems vague to me. Most of the replies here have been in regard to "pop" and that may have been what you meant but when I first read this, my first thought was Carolina Crown 2008.

Thanks for your responses. By recognizable music and popular music, I meant the kind of music that makes one want to get up and boogie. DCI should want people dancing, rocking, moving to some of these drum corps show. I mean, that’s the kind of stuff that draws people to concerts whether it’s rock band, rap, you name it. I mean, if they play some dynamite rocking music, word will get around; people who see their shows would be like “hey, did you hear what Blue Devils played? They played some Tina Turner, they played Michael Jackson and ohhhh their drumline was off the chain and they did this and that on the field.” I would think such would draw more people and I that would make drum corps even more cool. Afterall, us fans are the ones that pays their bills and keep DCI alive. Not the judges.

And um, I’ve heard the College band vs. DCI argument. But we CANNOT underestimate some of them university marching bands. Nooo, we cannot. Some of them can be off the chain too. I mean Marching Bands actually plays a lot of the type of music that I’m talking about (did you see the link)? They found a way to do it. I sure wish that drum corps could (or would find a way) to do that. If they’re having problems with copyright issues, then they should make their own grooves. But of all things, put them in there. I mean, they can still have all of their cool complex drills, show designs, music, the drumline that plays 150 notes per second, etc. and I wouldn’t change that, because that is what makes drum corps what it is, but how about more bopity bop.

I remember when I attended my first drum corps show, I guess I’m like most people, I went there expecting to hear some of that because I was used to listening to drum corps from the 80s, but there were no grooves being played when I went. You know, such can disappoint a lot of people and can turn a lot of people off. It’s what people want to hear and frankly, I do too (and I would bet that even some of them so-called judges would rather hear that, but they wouldn’t say it lol).

I mean drum corps should find a way to mix it up a little. Plays some grooves with some ballads, classical, etc in between. For, isn’t that what they did in the 80s?

[Baritone13]

Because Star of Indiana made esoteric music cool?

[liebot]

to see/hear what i am talking about.... 2008 Riverside Community College Marching Tigers..... give that a try...

If all drum corps shows were like that, I would not pay to see a DCI show.

And I'm not a music major, so don't accuse me of being snobbish. I just don't want to see that. Did see a kind of cool Radiohead show awhile back, though. Actually, the only real cool part of it was "The National Anthem," but whatever.