Glassmen have an opportunity to reinvent the way things are done

[En929]

At least you added 'of course'.... :tongue:/>/> I know it's a different era but some of the youngin's in my day wanted to do something different in music without having to do the tour mode. Or wanted/needed to work over the Summer to make money for either college or (in a few cases) help the family out finanically. As for being with the "peers" most hung out with people their own age but a bunch did spend a lot of time with the over 21 set while on "corps time". For some it was a kick to hang with the "grown ups". For some of us it was a start to the real world where we knew not everyone around us would have the same background.... probably the best thing in doing Sr corps for my later life and careers , IOW working with and being around people who are "different".

Guess I should add... did Senior corps from age 16-22... not an age out but starting the J.O.B.

And one last thing about the DCI vs. DCA arguments is I wish that whoever came up with the labels of DCI vs. DCA would have never created the distinction and just simply called it “Drum Corps,” because making distinctions have people focused on the wrong things (i.e. the age, etc.). There are PHENOMENAL groups in both including our U.S.Marine corps, Yokomama Scouts and so forth. But anyway, this would be another thread.

[JimF-LowBari]

And one last thing about the DCI vs. DCA arguments is I wish that whoever came up with the labels of DCI vs. DCA would have never created the distinction and just simply called it “Drum Corps,” because making distinctions have people focused on the wrong things (i.e. the age, etc.). There are PHENOMENAL groups in both including our U.S.Marine corps, Yokomama Scouts and so forth. But anyway, this would be another thread.

Agreed..... there are a few groups just calling themselves "Drum Corps". Irony is they used to have "Alumni" in their name but realized that hurt in recruiting people who were not alumni of that corps.

Also spent 74-77 competing in the "not ready for DCA" Red Carpet Sr Circuit and lot of youth in some of those corps to fill the ranks. Just a hoot calling those groups "Senior" corps when they had members too young for the top Jr corps.

LOL - I just call them all different "flavors" of DC and leave it go at that...

Edited January 10, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[Stu]

And one last thing about the DCI vs. DCA arguments is I wish that whoever came up with the labels of DCI vs. DCA would have never created the distinction and just simply called it “Drum Corps,” because making distinctions have people focused on the wrong things (i.e. the age, etc.). There are PHENOMENAL groups in both including our U.S.Marine corps, Yokomama Scouts and so forth. But anyway, this would be another thread.

Really? That is like saying: I wish that whoever came up with the labels of IndyCar vs. Formula One would have never created the distinction and just simply called it "Auto Racing,”. While there are many similarities, there is one 'huge' distinction between DCI and DCA; the governing bodies!

[JimF-LowBari]

Really? That is like saying: I wish that whoever came up with the labels of IndyCar vs. Formula One would have never created the distinction and just simply called it "Auto Racing,”. While there are many similarities, there is one 'huge' distinction between DCI and DCA; the governing bodies!

(IMO) We say DCA and DCI but we're thinking the age rules differences that the two circuits have. I never heard of people choosing/not choosing to march in either circuit because of who is running the show. But.... some people have dumb ideas of what is going on (old people reliving their youth or only music majors march) and that is part of the problem hurting both.

but another issue that's off topic for here......

Edited January 10, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[Stu]

(IMO) We say DCA and DCI but we're thinking the age rules differences that the two circuits have. I never heard of people choosing/not choosing to march in either circuit because of who is running the show. But.... some people have dumb ideas of what is going on (old people reliving their youth or only music majors march) and that is part of the problem hurting both.

Also Touring differences, Time Commitment differences, Show Complexity differences, Governing Body differences,... DCI and DCA are two different entities engaging in a similar activity; again much like IndyCar vs Formula One.

[CaballarosJr.]

Many years ago a business partner said to me, "I like to hire people who work for things other than money."

What she meant is that no matter how much a person is paid, sooner or later it won't be enough. Ask yourself that question, am I being paid enough? Unless you are a CEO of some fortune 500 company I'll bet that the answer is "no".

As demostrated by the 990's thread, typical drum corps operators must raise $500,000 to $2,000,000 anually. This is a tremedous burden on any organization and it doesn't go away. It is year after year after year. Is it time to move to an all volunteer activity? Is it possible to have an all volunteer administration, an all volunteer staff...bus drivers, truck drivers, seamstresses, cooks, fund raisers, etc.? Clearly some of these positions are and have been all volunteer and some used to be. Does a competent business manager have to be paid? Can one find talented and dedicated instructional people who do not require salaries? Do administrators need 401K and health care packages along with a salary? Do bus and truck drivers need to be paid. At one time, none of these postions was paid, they all volunteered. People worked for other thngs than money. They did it for the love of the activity and for the benefit of the youth.

I encourage the Glassmen to restart the organization as an all-volunteer corps, no pay to anyone. There will be dedicated, hard working and caring people show up and they will show up because the activity and not the paycheck is most important.

Wow, did I just fall into a time machine or what. So, DC adults are actually paid and get 401K's health benefits etc. I know there are a great deal of changes on field but I had no idea they were off field also.

Drum Corps being all volunteer was how it was like for decades. I'm 48 and was in The Caballaros Drum Corps from 1969-1981 and the only people who got paid were instructors, but for like 30% of the salary they would get if they did the same thing in like a university marching band. There were no health care plans or 401K's. My mother wrote a check to each instructor for the month for about $150 merely to re-imburse them for gas and summer food travel. That was just about it. We had mostly volunteers who drove buses and my mother and others cooked food which was in the large part donated by companies. Our yearly budget, albeit in the 1970's was about $60,000. It was considered extravagant that Spirit got like $110,000 in their weekend TV telethon about 1976-ish.

So, if the Glassmen are seeking to go with all volunteers then good for them. If they weren't so far away, I might consider helping out.

Steve Bayt

-Caballaros Jr. Drum and Bugle Corps

1969-1981

[Iplaytimpani]

No disrespect meant, but clearly that model of the Caballero's junior corps wasn't sustainable as the corps is nowhere to be seen. Drum corps is a different activity than it was back then.

[ScoutMello]

Wasn't Madison entirely volunteer in the 90's? (Or darn close)

Edited January 10, 2013 by ScoutMello

[CaballarosJr.]

No disrespect meant, but clearly that model of the Caballero's junior corps wasn't sustainable as the corps is nowhere to be seen. Drum corps is a different activity than it was back then.

With the same motive of not being offensive. But there are only like 38 corps now. Drum Corps really doesn't exist much anymore. I think that going back to all volunteer corps would reduce the financial entry to barriers and take DC back to the youth model with parents actively involved. Back in my day a corps' biggest cost was the initial fund raising for the initial purchase of bugles, and percussion instruments. Most of the flags and hundreds of corps had home made rifles. Corps marched in the same uniform maybe for 5 summers. Once a corps had their start up costs, there was not much yearly costs. The more corps the more shows, the less each corps will have to compete and expensively travel to at great cost.

This is a great idea The Glassmen are trying and I intend to do whatever I can logistically do to help bring back the days of 38 corps in a state or part of a state. And the name is Caballaros (there's no E) we weren't from Hawthorne or Cambridge, MA. The A was intentional.

[Iplaytimpani]

This was just an idea someone threw out, it is not the plan of the Glassmen going forward.

One of the biggest issues I can see with that old school style with volunteers and homemade things is that while back in the day that was a good option for kids, high school programs have far exceeded this. If kids are going to pay all that money to do this activity and at a high level, it needs to give an experience they can't get at their high school.