MikeD Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 By this line of argument, the major pop acts would be even MORE popular if only they'd drop those #### electronics, right? Bill nailed it; the audience for drum corps always HAS been families of the members, for the same reason that the audience for Pee Wee league soccer, high school show choirs, and ballroom dancing is primarily the friends and families of the participants. We care about it because most of us did it (or did marching band, which is a related form). But many of us who have married outside 'the faith' can attest that for lots of other people who have pretty sophisticated musical and artistic taste, drum corps still just doesn't do much for them. Trying to argue that more people would love drum corps if they just knew about drum corps is a position worthy of a true marching band nerd. Most people have seen it, or something close to it, and they're not that crazy about it. Folks need to stop looking to others for affirmation of their own taste, and just go with what they like. My non-corps friends has NO idea why I'd want to waste my summers marching around a field playing lame-o arrangements of recent pop tunes (Herman's Hermits "Kind of Hush" and Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" are two we played in the small local corps I marched with in 68 and 69. Or playing such un-cool "old" music like "Orange Colored Skies" and "String of Pearls", two big-band charts we did. or even worse, patriotic music like "Battle Hymn"...this stuff was just so alien to them. Bill made some good points about the past...we did a lot of shows tied to a Fireman's day or other community event...the locals who attended those shows were not really drum corps fans, they were participating in their communities activities. Others at the shows were friends, parents and corps members from other corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Why not send an email to Jay Bocook and Wayne Downey, to pick a couple of creators of 'immature musical arrangements' at random, and let them know they don't know how to properly arrange music for drum corps and/or marching band. I'm sure they'd appreciate the feedback. Bocook's arrangements (along with Michael Klesch's) are some of my favorites. And I'm not sure whether Wayne Downey or David Glyde has the bigger arranging role at the Blue Devils. I did express my disappointment to Aaron Guidry from the Crossmen personally about his arrangements; thankfully he's no longer with the corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Lack of uniqueness.The further DCI distances itself from marching band, the easier it would be for the public to swallow. Who specifically is this "public"? A case is easily made that familiarity makes things easier to swallow. I love both activities and I've found it's easier on the psyche to accept and enjoy however each one evolves, because I'm sure not going to change the things I might not like. Life is just too short... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 i wonder what downey would do with such an email. lololololololololol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Who specifically is this "public"? The people who could be spending their money to see DCI shows, but aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The people who could be spending their money to see DCI shows, but aren't. I think it's funny when anybody, including me, thinks they have any clue what the "public" wants. I know what I like, I know what my friends like, that's pretty much it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 ...HOWEVER.... if Joe Blowhard ever sat down and watched some of the documentaries out there on how hard these kids work all summer long, he might actually get it. The show and the placement is not the ultimate goal of a drum corps season - it's the journey of sweat and hard work, and most every Joe Blowhard would probably grok that aspect of it. I was hanging around an evening Blue Devils' rehearsal during World Championships week in Birmingham in 1979 when a man from across the street from the school came over to the rehearsal absolutely fuming about the "noise." He was about as livid as I think I've ever seen anyone in the manner he expressed himself to the corps' staff, telling them that they had to stop ruining his evening NOW or else he would call the police. I remember him getting in an argument with Wayne Downey. Of course the corps wasn't going to stop before they were required to do so, especially considering what week it was. Wayne Downey tried reasoning with him and begged him to just stand there for a few minutes and watch the corps rehearse. The man, perhaps sensing he wasn't going to win and probably realizing the corps had a permit to rehearse to a certain time, did stay around for a few minutes and watched the corps run through its paces. He then turned around and walked home. I was wondering what was going to happen next when I realized he was back at the rehearsal, this time with his family. And he didn't bring them to bolster his earlier case...he brought them to witness something incredible going on...and they stayed there until the end of the rehearsal. The transformative power of drum corps really hit me in the face that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbevillekid26 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 I'd also like to just put some thoughts out there that you all might not agree with but just some things I've noticed. A lot of us whine/question the lack of "public" recognition or ask for a larger fan base but is that really what "we" want? There seems to be an abundance of snarkiness when it comes to the activity especially in discounting peoples' opinions that didn't march or that are new to the activity or are old. People on this site get downright ###### with newcomers for asking questions or stating a simple opinion. There was that article this summer by whats-his-face about how "dark" DCI is and was blasted on here a lot about how he doesn't know anything and things of that nature. Of course a typical blogger/reporter doesn't and ####-talking one of the few people who gave a #### enough to go out and watch it isn't helping. To sum things up, for us wanting to be more recognized among people "we" do a great job at making new fans feel welcome. Not saying this is THE reason why DCI isn't widely recognized, I'm just saying it's funny that sometimes corps vets like to have their own exclusive club and then the next day cry no one recognizes the differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The people who could be spending their money to see DCI shows, but aren't. Like your immediate neighbors? Most of your friends? The students walking your college grounds? Warren Buffett? We are a niche activity that tremendously appeals to people like you and I, but most people driving past the stadium during the World Championships Finals are thinking more about getting home on time to see their favorite television program than about what is going on in the stadium. That's one reason I cherish the folks who love the activity so much that it's the one thing they want to talk about the most, and that includes you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 (edited) I'd also like to just put some thoughts out there that you all might not agree with but just some things I've noticed.A lot of us whine/question the lack of "public" recognition or ask for a larger fan base but is that really what "we" want? There seems to be an abundance of snarkiness when it comes to the activity especially in discounting peoples' opinions that didn't march or that are new to the activity or are old. People on this site get downright ###### with newcomers for asking questions or stating a simple opinion. There was that article this summer by whats-his-face about how "dark" DCI is and was blasted on here a lot about how he doesn't know anything and things of that nature. Of course a typical blogger/reporter doesn't and ####-talking one of the few people who gave a #### enough to go out and watch it isn't helping. To sum things up, for us wanting to be more recognized among people "we" do a great job at making new fans feel welcome. Not saying this is THE reason why DCI isn't widely recognized, I'm just saying it's funny that sometimes corps vets like to have their own exclusive club and then the next day cry no one recognizes the differences. One word sums up a drum corps fan's attitude: Bando. We even have elitism to people in our OWN field of interest. Makes absolutely no sense. Edited September 27, 2010 by WOOHOO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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