When are corps going to come back to their roots?

[MikeD]

Why fight about personal opinions? If somebody doesn't like "whatever" about the activity, why should anyone else really want to "fight" about it? I just don't get it...help me understand why people fight on here, please.

The purpose of a discussion group is to talk about the things that makeup the focal point of the group...in this case drum corps. That comes across as 'fighting' when strongly held views raise the temperature of that discussion, sad to say. Sometimes it boils over.

[Opti-Burr]

The purpose of a discussion group is to talk about the things that makeup the focal point of the group...in this case drum corps. That comes across as 'fighting' when strongly held views raise the temperature of that discussion, sad to say. Sometimes it boils over.

Well, it looks to me as some people are taking this Drum Corps thing way, WAY too seriously, when in actuality, it's just a passtime and there are many other things in "real" life that should be getting higher attention. Back in the late 90's, I volunteered for a few years with a WC Drum Corps and saw the degree of seriousness this activity has gotten to. Many of the instructional staff actually looked and talked down to me and the other volunteers because they were taking the whole thing way too seriously. This lack of respect was very instrumental in my decision to turn and walk away from the activity all together.

[Jim Nevermann]

One of, if not the biggest reason there are fewer corps today [picking up on an earlier response] than in the past is the astronomical costs in supplying, maintaining and transporting the Pit's instruments and --within the last couple of years-- the additional costs of electronics. Because of these two sections alone, Drum Corps has very thoroughly shot itself in its collective, financial foot.

So because of the crushingly expensive costs each corps necessarily must assume if they want to be competitive, OF COURSE there aren't as many corps as there used to be, and OF COURSE not as many kids can participate as once could! This is a surprise? This is debatable?

Edited August 2, 2010 by Jim Nevermann

[Opti-Burr]

trust me, i don't understand it either... but, if u look around at our country (ESPECIALLY in politics) u have a really similar situation: both sides do nothing but insult and complain bitterly about the other... it's just the American way, apparently

Sorry, I live in Canada and don't really see what you're saying is happening in the US up here... I honestly think that we have a totally different perspective on life.

[Rifuarian]

I'm all about respecting and understanding the history and tradition of drum and bugle corps. But there's always a hint of hypocrisy when this subject comes up, because many of the people berating today's marchers for not knowing the ins and outs of drum corps 30-40 years before their time could only give you the barest scraps of information on drum and bugle corps in the 1920s and 1930s. If that. The lack of knowledge we have about the early days of competitive D&BC is proof enough that marchers in the 60s and 70s were no more interested in learning about their predecessors than today's members.

Inevitably, it boils to down to "Well, when I marched . . ." and little to do with "roots".

[MrBud]

Just saying: IF someone did a color pre, they would probably get hurt with it. The judges would say: The American Flag is a distraction to the flag work during the piece"

The Military precision is gone. I PREDICT, that if G7 exists, it might come back again like this:

ps...I would go pay to see this!!!

[drumno5]

WTF is a color pre.

Serious question, or just funnin' ?

Fred O.

[Maestro1]

I marched from 1972-75. I carried marching timpani 2 of those years.

My back is horrible, and back in the day, I sweated my @** off with that

drum! I NEVER want to see us go back to our "ROOTS" or early years...

sometimes it's downright embarassing!

[jwillis35]

I'm all about respecting and understanding the history and tradition of drum and bugle corps. But there's always a hint of hypocrisy when this subject comes up, because many of the people berating today's marchers for not knowing the ins and outs of drum corps 30-40 years before their time could only give you the barest scraps of information on drum and bugle corps in the 1920s and 1930s. If that. The lack of knowledge we have about the early days of competitive D&BC is proof enough that marchers in the 60s and 70s were no more interested in learning about their predecessors than today's members.

Inevitably, it boils to down to "Well, when I marched . . ." and little to do with "roots".

This is right on! Great Post!

I am 45, have been going to shows live since 1979, watched my first finals on TV in 1978. I have loved the activity ever since.

I do have some beefs with the activity today. They are:

1. Corps that can't seem to manage their money or staff/management in order to stay healthy and viable.

2. Corps that play copycat too much, therefore they have no identity or unique style of presentation, and often times do not have the staff to copy the various styles they wish to. Many of them try to create and teach something that is often times beyond their teaching capabilities and beyond their members.

3. I believe the sheer speed of the shows, the construction of musical and visual elements, needs to be looked into. I believe the eye and ear cannot fully digest what many corps try to present because the element comes and goes faster than a speeding bullet in some cases, and, in particular, music is an art form that requires time (phrasing) and a mix of musical elements in order to fully reach an impact or drawn conclusion that makes any sense.

Having said all this, these are clearly things that if fixed would not harm the MODERN activity. I definitely believe in change and the power to move forward in life. I would not want to watch drum corps if they were going to continue in the style of the 70s or 80s. That era is over and done with. Time to move on. Some people can live their lives in the past, but I prefer to live in the moment and to move forward with my goals, just as I move onward in age.

I wouldn't mind hearing G bugles again, but I am perfectly fine with the modern brass instruments used now. I think they sound great if perhaps not as powerful or bright.

Drum & Bugle Corps cannot live in the past! It, too, must evolve. How it does this is what will be debated, which is good. Today's youth deserve to have an activity that connects with their interests, their music, and their culture, just as we did.

Edited August 2, 2010 by jwillis35

[drumno5]

What is a Color pre? If someone could explain this for us that are not in the know.

Yikes, I didn't realize so many folks were unfamiliar with the term. Color Pre = Color Presentation: American Flag (or national colors of whatever country the corps is from) "presented" front and center in a quasi formal display of patriotism/respect. The visual presentation was performed to typically patriotic or otherwise appropriate music. It was de rigueur, a standard (probably required in VFW and American Legion sanctioned shows , though I 'm not completely familar with the rules from back then) part of every show up through the early/mid seventies.

Fred O.