DCI story on CNN.com

[DeanInChicago]

Calgon, take me away.

[cowtown]

I write this as I’m getting ready to head to finals. Yes, I caved, but I’m only going for tonight. It’s too close and easy to pass up; I can make it through one night in the dome

The Bob Jacobs quote in the CNN piece really bothered me, so did Hopkins saying the Cadets will be in DCI next year on his blog

DCI needs to block the G-7 from DCI entirely if the G-7 is going to do their own shows, it’s the only why they can survive this and it will make DCI stronger, eventuality

Many of the G-7 folks are the ones that are driving DCI into the ground, unchecked; they’ll drive the G-7 into the ground much faster. Cut the cancer out.

If blocked from DCI, the woodwind issue is forced immediately with in the G-7. They can either fight with Hopkins, not a good start to their new circuit or pass them. DCI (without woodwinds) would benefit hugely if the G-7 passed and used woodwinds.

I still don’t get how they would do woodwind without shedding a lot of brass; only so many folks can fit on the field. But maybe Hopkins is lying again and his bringing more kids to the activity means a few woodwinds amped in the pit

Give the G-7 enough rope and take away their safety net

There is a lot of brainwashing from the G-7 that has to be un-done. The draw of drum corps is drum corps, and not G-7 excellence. The most excellent world class corps has gotten booed the past 2 years and not for being excellent, but for the product they are pushing. Yes, we’ve all seen excellence killed by bad design, how’d the Red Violin work out for you? Besides the excellence really isn’t’ so excellent anymore.

The past 2 years, the corps have been weaker, the shows have been less excellent by finals. I don’t think Blue Devils have the magic formula and are that much better than everyone else, I think they are the only ones that can recruit and cherry pick 150 members. If excellence sells, they watered down their own product and its far less excellent. This ‘less excellence’ hasn’t hit the lower placing corps much because we are use to seeing them a little less excellent; it’s brought the top corps down.

The non-G-7 corps really need to look at what the G-7 would be without DCI. 7 corps doing 10 shows, with woodwinds? How would that effect the G-7 base and fans, they’d lose more than they’d gain. How would that sell to the marchers? $3k to go on the semi-pro circus tour with 6 other corps or a more traditional DCI summer. I think a DCI summer would draw and keep more of the kids than a Hopkinpalooza, bet it’d keep more fans too.

DCI itself would have to adjust in transition and may look a little different itself. It may want to un-do some of the damage the G-7 has already done. I’d suggest roll back a few of the recent, more polarizing changes. Throw some of the fans a bone and baseline the activity towards it roots with a re-set a la Madison this year. It’d also further differentiate DCI from the G-7

It was so disappointing reading that director imply that they couldn’t stand on their within DCI without the G-7 when in fact it’s the G-7 that can’t go it alone.

DCI would also have to pull its infrastructure from the G-7. I’m guessing a fan network would be too expensive to produce and too light on content for just 7 corps. DCI would also have to make their judges exclusive, and renegotiate their commitments from other vendors, which brings us to the dome. Naw, I’ll save that for another time but I do have some ideas, comprises that I bet the city would be receptive too

I need more coffee now

Edited August 14, 2010 by cowtown

[Michael Boo]

No, Mike, Jim was instrumental in destroying a drum corps I gave my ageout year to help start for his own selfish reasons. I, along with many others who had marched the Bloomington show for several years with other corps, believed the area was ripe for a corps of its own and Bill dangled the possibility of doing just that and we jumped at it. As ageouts and veterans of other corps, we truly believed we were starting something that would be enduring and wonderful and would give so many kids the opportunity to march that we had enjoyed.

We had the same dreams as many long time drum corps members: to see our corps grow and improve, and to see generations of kids take it to new and different levels. You know, the stuff you got to do with the Cavaliers. We would love to be sitting in the stands year after year, comparing our thoughts on how the new crops of "kids" are doing and pointing out whose youngster was finally old enough and talented enough to march this year. We never got that opportunity.

I think you are well aware of just how "Indiana-centric" Star was for all of its years. Many other top corps are now benefiting from the deep pool of talent that school music systems produces, but parents (including many of my friends) now have to decide if they are comfortable with their kids going to BD, PR, or the Blue Stars, for example, rather than sending them just down the road to Star.

You have been a consistent Mason supporter and apologist, so I suppose this response is to be expected, but the "kick your puppy" comment was truly uncalled for and beneath someone of your ability. If you don't realize how many people were adversely affected by his decision years ago, then I'm certainly not going to convince you otherwise. Who knows; maybe we could have seen a 300 person Star Alumni performing last night next to their wonderful, enduring, active DCI corps? I think you and your fellow alum got to do that just a few years ago. It would have been nice if we had the same opportunity.

I'm not wrong, Michael, and I think you're honest enough at heart to know that. But you and I will never see eye to eye on this issue for a myriad of other reasons, so I'll end my comments here. I think perhaps that anti-G7 team could come up with a better, more credible flag waver for preserving DCI than Jim, but that's not my fight to fight.

I hope you and the rest of the gang enjoy the performances tonight,

Karen

Karen:

I didn't realize you were a Star alum. You may know I've had friendships with a number of people from the organization for a long time, and I always come to the defense of my friends when possible. I am aware there is still some hurt from a certain percentage of alumni over Star's morphing into what it eventually became, but I choose to relish the fond memories I've got of the corps' all-to-brief time with us on the competition field, memories I was able to put to use in writing the extensive liner notes for the corps' DVD retrospective collection.

I've never thought of myself as a Jim Mason apologist. Friend, yes, but not an apologist. I personally don't think, some 17 years after Star left the field to eventually take its drum corps heritage to millions in America, Europe and Japan, that that's nothing that needs me or anyone else to offer up apologies. It was what it was and it is what it is.

Many, many friends I first got to know when I marched were in corps that no longer exist, for a variety of reasons. They still go to shows and we get together and share our mutual memories. I hope some day you are able to enjoy that same experience, but you've got to allow yourself the privilege of reminiscing about the good stuff. There's a lot to it and as a member of Star, you've got stories that need to be shared with others you would meet at shows, folks who would eat it up and beg to hear more.

Some people (like Nancy Brown) have been able to embrace the opportunities of the present. I hope you will able to do so. It sounds like you've got too much passion to be lost to the future generations of those who are carrying on the drum corps dream.

[kstein]

Karen:

I didn't realize you were a Star alum. You may know I've had friendships with a number of people from the organization for a long time, and I always come to the defense of my friends when possible. I am aware there is still some hurt from a certain percentage of alumni over Star's morphing into what it eventually became, but I choose to relish the fond memories I've got of the corps' all-to-brief time with us on the competition field, memories I was able to put to use in writing the extensive liner notes for the corps' DVD retrospective collection.

I've never thought of myself as a Jim Mason apologist. Friend, yes, but not an apologist. I personally don't think, some 17 years after Star left the field to eventually take its drum corps heritage to millions in America, Europe and Japan, that that's nothing that needs me or anyone else to offer up apologies. It was what it was and it is what it is.

Many, many friends I first got to know when I marched were in corps that no longer exist, for a variety of reasons. They still go to shows and we get together and share our mutual memories. I hope some day you are able to enjoy that same experience, but you've got to allow yourself the privilege of reminiscing about the good stuff. There's a lot to it and as a member of Star, you've got stories that need to be shared with others you would meet at shows, folks who would eat it up and beg to hear more.

Some people (like Nancy Brown) have been able to embrace the opportunities of the present. I hope you will able to do so. It sounds like you've got too much passion to be lost to the future generations of those who are carrying on the drum corps dream.

And it seems like only yesterday that Trudy and Alan Denton were introducing us!

Sorry, Mike. I realize I don't load up my sig with details. Just an old arm waver you've known for too many years to count.

Apologist was a lousy word choice from a woman up too early and not yet fully caffeinated, so for that lazy word selection you do have my sincere apology.

Enjoy the show,

Karen

[Michael Boo]

And it seems like only yesterday that Trudy and Alan Denton were introducing us!

Sorry, Mike. I realize I don't load up my sig with details. Just an old arm waver you've known for too many years to count.

Apologist was a lousy word choice from a woman up too early and not yet fully caffeinated, so for that lazy word selection you do have my sincere apology.

Enjoy the show,

Karen

Karen:

Thanks, but I'd enjoy it more if I knew I might some day be able to enjoy a show with you while we share our enthusiasm with each other for the activity.

[oldschooldbc]

Yes its true BUT there are a few in that top 10 I know of that kids owe money to other places....those kids need to be rid of!

Well, that's outrageous.

But what's even more outrageous is this.....You try out for a lower divison WC corps, or an OC corps......you learn to march on an instrument.....then you bolt and leave for a top-tier WC corps. I could see how WW musicians can learn to play a brass instrument, and then bolt. Or a tuba player learns to march with a contra, and then bolt.

The top-tier WC corps benefits from the instruction that the lower division corps gave..... and the gap between the haves and have-nots just gets bigger and bigger.

If you sign a contract with a corps, then you should honor it. You should march a spot with them for a year. Otherwise, you are wasting that corps' time and money. And many of the lower-tier coprs don't have anything to waste. Many of them are barely hanging on.

That is so unjust, that it is disgraceful. I will stop typing now, before I type something I am going to regret.

Edited August 14, 2010 by oldschooldbc

[WOOHOO]

Well, that's outrageous.

But what's even more outrageous is this.....You try out for a lower divison WC corps, or an OC corps......you learn to march on an instrument.....then you bolt and leave for a top-tier WC corps. I could see how WW musicians can learn to play a brass instrument, and then bolt. Or a tuba player learns to march with a contra, and then bolt.

The top-tier WC corps benefits from the instruction that the lower division corps gave..... and the gap between the haves and have-nots just gets bigger and bigger.

If you sign a contract with a corps, then you should honor it. You should march a spot with them for a year. Otherwise, you are wasting that corps' time and money. And many of the lower-tier coprs don't have anything to waste. Many of them are barely hanging on.

That is so unjust, that it is disgraceful. I will stop typing now, before I type something I am going to regret.

So, you would rather people stuck around for the sake of the corps? These kids pay a lot of money to do drum corps, they have the right to go wherever they want to. That really doesn't make any sense.

[jetman1287]

This is a great article. I can't remember reading something from an outside source that finally doesn't go "Now the halftime show is the game!" or some other cheesy marching arts reference.

I'm all for the G7 and expanding ways to market the activity. IMO, corps need to be closer to the HS scene to attract more potential marching members. These are the people you can make fans for life. I would also argue that HS bands have overtaken DCI as the premier marching ensembles in the country from an involvement perspective. We all pay for high quality DCI but the large majority of people involved in the activity do HS bands and that's it. That's why there are a lot fewer corps. DCI should attempt to either get these kids marching into their college years OR attract them to a show once a summer, and I think they can do this by merging with BOA or USSBA and possibly expanding the instrumentation as they've done the past few decades.

I feel DCI suffers from a lack of awareness in music ed. Many HS performers have never heard of it. These are our biggest potential fans and corps members, and ignoring those people at the expense of someone who prefers G bugles from "Back when I marched" isn't doing anything to grow the number of people involved in the activity. So while I personally may love a certain brand of show, I think the ultimate goal should be let as many people as possible be involved, even if it may offend my artistic taste. At the end of the day, my preference for a type of show is not as important as giving more kids the opportunity.

[WOOHOO]

This is a great article. I can't remember reading something from an outside source that finally doesn't go "Now the halftime show is the game!" or some other cheesy marching arts reference.

I'm all for the G7 and expanding ways to market the activity. IMO, corps need to be closer to the HS scene to attract more potential marching members. These are the people you can make fans for life. I would also argue that HS bands have overtaken DCI as the premier marching ensembles in the country from an involvement perspective. We all pay for high quality DCI but the large majority of people involved in the activity do HS bands and that's it. That's why there are a lot fewer corps. DCI should attempt to either get these kids marching into their college years OR attract them to a show once a summer, and I think they can do this by merging with BOA or USSBA and possibly expanding the instrumentation as they've done the past few decades.

I feel DCI suffers from a lack of awareness in music ed. Many HS performers have never heard of it. These are our biggest potential fans and corps members, and ignoring those people at the expense of someone who prefers G bugles from "Back when I marched" isn't doing anything to grow the number of people involved in the activity. So while I personally may love a certain brand of show, I think the ultimate goal should be let as many people as possible be involved, even if it may offend my artistic taste. At the end of the day, my preference for a type of show is not as important as giving more kids the opportunity.

100% agree with everything you said

[FredinAtlanta]

What a horrible idea. I love woodwinds, but they don't belong on the field in a corps. I disagree with Hopkins here, and I admire him. Some of the changes have been good, some bad. This would change corps in a negative way. It's Drum and Bugle corps. That's what it is. Woodwinds should be a no go.

FredinAtlanta