"Corps Style," BD and ESPN

[Pete Freedman]

Just a little history question that some of you might know if it's been discussed before.

I remember in the 80's or so seeing "Corps Style" music books in the music stores which contained band arrangements that were done in the high energy style that drum corps were pioneering.

That style seemed to creep into the sports shows soon after, which had previously used military band style music in their intros and found the new style ear catching for fans. ESPN became known for it's "da-da-da, da-da-da" theme by John Colby in 1989, but to what extent was that inspired by Corps Style bands playing halftime shows sounding like BD and Madison rather than the military style?

In particular, BD seemed to end openers and finales with riffs sounding similar to the ESPN theme (though not the same). Has anyone traced this progression from corps to bands to sports shows? Or was it just corps to sports shows (i.e. was John Colby a drum corps fan?). Or is it all a coincidence?

Thanks in advance.

[Tim K]

I've been following drum corps since the mid 70's, and competed in a CYO Band in the Boston area at that time. Shows would include drum corps and drill teams as well. There were a variety of classes and categories in three different circuits. This would have been the time when corps began to innovate a bit more. 27th used double flags, lots of groups followed suit. Bridgemen put their rifles and flags in the ground and danced a chorus line, did they same. Madison tipped their hats, so did everyone else. This spread to high school programs and college programs as well and certainly had an influence on the much stronger band programs throughout the country.

Now as far as the music of military bands at sports shows being replaced by more contemporary music, such as "Da Da Da..." my guess is that it was less of a drum corps influence and more of an attempt to gain a younger audience. Even in an area such as Boston that is nicknamed Red Sox Nation and host the likes of the Patriots, Bruins, and Celtics, the folks at Fenway, Gillette, and the Garden are constantly looking at new ways to attract fans.

[ironlips]

This phenomenon is no coincidence. Many '70s & '80s drum corps folks moved into commercial music production. People like Jay Kennedy, Wayne Downey (whose "State of the Art" band arrangements you reference above) and Robert Smith began writing jingles and other music for television, radio , Broadway and film.

Muchachos soloist extraordinaire, Jeff Keivit, is heard weekly wailing on the ABC Monday Night Football Theme and ESPN signature tags, among many others.

Check this:

http://www.jeffkievit.com/frames/fs_inter.htm

[Pete Freedman]

Thanks both of you for these great responses.

It sounds like the question of where the innovation was really happening first is not really established. I have to think drum corps would be a likely place for it because the competition was breeding so much innovation in general. I mean, even clips from the 50s show an energy level in this activity that I haven't heard anywhere else. Of course it might occur on occasion, but the consistency with which drum corps expressed the kind of exuberant over-the-top emotion seems to me very different from other bands that one would have heard at sporting events. But I wasn't there, and I'm complete biased!

[ma24le]

Jim Casella is a good example.

This is from his website:

"His latest broadcast composition projects have included nationwide spots for Cadillac, ABC College Football, Regal Cinemas, and Goodwill Industries, plus several clients in the Portland area. He has scored the original music for a variety of films including the feature film "The Graves" starring Tony Todd (Candyman) and Bill Moseley (The Devil's Rejects) which had its nationwide theatrical release in 2010 as a part of After Dark Films Horrorfest 4 "8 Films to Die For."

[MikeD]

Jim Casella is a good example.

This is from his website:

"His latest broadcast composition projects have included nationwide spots for Cadillac, ABC College Football, Regal Cinemas, and Goodwill Industries, plus several clients in the Portland area. He has scored the original music for a variety of films including the feature film "The Graves" starring Tony Todd (Candyman) and Bill Moseley (The Devil's Rejects) which had its nationwide theatrical release in 2010 as a part of After Dark Films Horrorfest 4 "8 Films to Die For."

I must be getting in the Thanksgiving dinner mood...I read the name of the film as "The Gravies".

[drumno5]

This phenomenon is no coincidence. Many '70s & '80s drum corps folks moved into commercial music production. People like Jay Kennedy, Wayne Downey (whose "State of the Art" band arrangements you reference above) and Robert Smith began writing jingles and other music for television, radio , Broadway and film.

Arranger Jay Bocook first came on the scene in the late 70's, doing corps-style knock-off charts for marching bands. Thirty years later the wheel has turned full circle: he's now a big player on the DCI scene, and a generation of young writers are cutting their teeth on his style.

Fred O.