Bruckner8 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Just enjoy making your vacation plans around seeing ANY type of Drum Corps instead of those "crappy" corps that were nearby. #### glad I spent time in the "lesser" Senior circuit so I could learn to appreciate the time and effort those "crappy" corps put in. OK, let's add the "if you ain't top 3/10/12/whatever, you shouldn't be allowed to exist" mentality. I clearly said the non "top 3/10/12 whatever" had a role. I just don't want to listen to/pay for it. I'm sure others are willing to pay for it (parents/alumni/friends/etc). But this is DCP, and I don't expect objective treatment, it's cool. FWIW, I have also marched DCA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Has anyone noticed how BAD the 12th place corps of the 70s sound? And there were 380 corps WORSE than that? Hahaha, lol! I'm not coming on board to argue for better or worse. But with respect for all and malice toward none, Bruck does have a point. A lot of those 400 corps (my own class B alma mater included) were more than a little rough around the edges. Peace, Fred O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I clearly said the non "top 3/10/12 whatever" had a role. I just don't want to listen to/pay for it. I'm sure others are willing to pay for it (parents/alumni/friends/etc). But this is DCP, and I don't expect objective treatment, it's cool. FWIW, I have also marched DCA. I have no problem that non-top ain't your "cup of tea" as I have the same feelings about what is going on now with DCI WC. I was only responding to not caring if only 10 corps are left which would be bad for the entire activity, not just DCI.... Before there's any more confusion the last line was not directed mainly, it was a general gripe regarding comments I've seen in other thread. Holy Crap <$1 to Frank Barone> just remember I marched in two lesser Sr circuits (RCA/70s and ICA/80s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 This is a question/s for old timers and anyone that has a strong opinion regarding loss of corps in today's current market. why do you think there were so many corps in the early 70's compared to less than 40 today. Has the xbox/ps3 generation hindered recruitment? is touring too long/ too expensive? Has the big boys put smaller corps out of competition? Do you think too many members move to more successful corps and leave there original corps in the lurch? should there be a restriction of movement for corps members ie if your from Texas you join a Texas corps? feel free to add your reasons why it is diminishing, we all have our opinions regarding electronics and the g-7.... is there any other reasons why corps are folding and not many starting up? From people I've talked to who were involved in the activity back in the early 70's ("involved" meaning directors, staffers, board members, etc: people who have a better understanding of the situation than just fans or mm's), I've heard of MANY reasons why the majority of the corps from 1970's/80's no longer exist: 1) support from churches, VFW, boy scouts groups, and other community organizations ended. With that severed relationship that often meant uniforms, instruments and other items stayed with the church (for example) than the corps, leaving a corps without anything but members. 2) interest in eligible membership dwindled. You can't field a corps without members, and when members stop coming to auditions there's no longer a corps to field. 3) corps were run by people with good intentions and little/no business knowledge. From what I understand the men who ran corps many decades ago wanted to provide the best experience possible for the men and women who marched, but they lacked the necessary business sense to keep the corps afloat (especially when support was pulled by the larger organizations running the corps, such as a sponsoring church). From what I understand many directors ran into problems trying to fundraise, balance the financial books, pay taxes, etc. Unfortunately some corps 'beat the dead horse' so to speak, fielded a corps and toured when financially they didn't have their act together, and thus created a generation of members jaded by poor treatment/tour experiences who lost interest in the activity. 4) there are MANY other things a student interested in music can do for the summer. In the 70's (from what I understand), there wasn't much of an alternative to corps for those wishing to broaden their musical horizons. Now there are great summer workshops and camps, teaching experiences, community groups, active high school marching bands, etc that might be cheaper and more accessible time-wise. That doesn't even take into account all of the community sport leagues that are VERY active in the summer, or other endeavors viewed as necessary for college-bound kids looking to pad a resume. I'm sure there are other reasons, but I'd venture to guess that the above are the more common explanations for less corps. It basically boils down to directors dedicated to become business CEO's in order to run a solvent corps, and membership interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skewerz Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Yup, they certainly did. I don't care if God ran that hornline. Note that "sounded bad" includes the entire musical ensemble. Commodores 1973 and Pioneer 2010 are both represented on the Evil Tube Thing. Feel free to listen to them back to back, as I did just now. Commodores certainly "blasted more" than Pioneer. If that's your bag, have at it. Not one single chord is centered or balanced with Commodores. Granted, maybe Wayne and Ott deserve medals for the level they DID achieve within the limits they had! I know it's difficult to be objective when high emotions are involved. I'm not trying to p!S$ anyone off. I'm just using my ears, and asking "is this worth paying for?" you're really gonna compare recordings from the early 70's with the late 2000's? really? Do you still bemoan the fact that your Commodore Vic 20 doesn't have enough RAM to play solitaire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 To be honest Bruekner has a point. Look at Pioneer for example. This year they placed 23rd with a score that would have gotten them in the top 20 during most years in the 90s. in 1996 they had one of their highest placements and were less than a 1/2 point higher in score than their 2010 score. So yes we may have less corps now, but what we do have are a lot better than the corps back in the day. And I was in one of those corps back in the day, and let me tell you we weren't all that good, but I had a blast and wouldn't change a thing. and of those 400 corps in 1972 only 39 competed in Open (World) class at that years finals. The most to compete was in 1974 when 57 corps competed in Open (World) class that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Has anyone noticed how BAD the 12th place corps of the 70s sound? And there were 380 corps WORSE than that? IMO, I really wouldn't care if only 10 corps are left, as long as all of them are AWESOME. Sure, we can make arguments about the important role "non-competitive" corps might fill (#380,above), but don't try to tell me there's seriously any level of excellence. Again, I get it: It's desirable to maintain a certain number of corps, just to give a bunch of members/staffs/philanthropists something to do. To say that "making the top 12 meant something" in the 70s is like saying "well, at least I was Einstein's shoe-shine boy." Today's 12th (Heck maybe 23rd) place corps could probably have won in 1972. DCI's birth, with its focus on choosing one clear, universal winner is a strong cause for the 380 corps disappearing, and I thank them for that. It's like watching a pee-wee tee-ball game from a bubble, where the parents/coaches/kids are all totally invested, but in your bubble you're thinking "who can watch this garbage, but parents/coaches/kids?" It doesn't really diminish what they're doing, for themselves, but don't expect everyone else to pay for it!!! I dunno, at least I could FORGIVE it as opposed to last years winner. I suppose the other 380 could claim to be playing in-tune dissonant chords! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 (edited) OK, so.... for instance... the 73 Commodors... 12th place... horn line instructed by Jim Ott and Wayne Downey. But, yeah they really sucked, huh? The hornlines of the 1970s sounded tinny and blaring...or, it could have been the recordings, or the lack of the rehearsal time the corps have now...or it could have been the instruments and their antiquated and poor design (lack of quality) and of course, the chrome. Edited February 11, 2011 by Toby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thank you! well, get that local parade corps started. Get it going! Get those troubled yutes to practice twice a week and perform in parades for a month in the summer...maybe even a picnic for their parents at the end...with a concert! Get going. Why are you still reading this? Make your posters...talk to some kids. Buy some instruments. Those kids are waiting...and depending on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I think one of the culprits over the years has been an increasing accessibility to other corps that were no where close to you. Used to be be the notion of going a thousand miles to march a drum corps in California was absurd if there was one in your hometown, regardless of who placed where. Now location is considered but for many members is no where near the top priority in deciding where to march. People often decide which corps they're interested in and chalk it up as a loss if they don't make it and try again next year. in 1976, two kids from my area near Chicago left and moved to Concord and lived there so they could march the Blue Devils. This was 1976...not 2010. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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