BRASSO Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Wasn't the "marching band" label a much stronger insult in drum corps then than it is today? Probably so. I even alluded to as much in my comments above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) How could BAC stand to be using a marching band's theme song? Doesn't that make "Conquest" the epitome of "bando" in drum corps? I don't think BAC playing music that someone, somewhere, might have played before concerns them in the least ( unless its a copyright issue ). I don't think any other DCI Corps thinks of playing what someone else played as anything more than a mere coincidence either... including their playing of music that BAC might have previously played as well. Nor should they. Near as I can tell, this concern of apparent duplication of a song is of concern to you and to you alone. As for your final question, I suppose you'd have to define what your definition of " bando", is for me to see if what one does in DCI is " bando " or not. The term can be viewed a pjorative in some quarters, and less so in others. But playing a song that some College Band somewhere might have played before is of no issue nor concern to me in the least ( and I assume not to most all others here either ) . I don't know then why it should be of concern for you . I don't even know where you are going with all this... do you even know ? ( lol! ) Edited July 23, 2015 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 You just might have set a record here on DCP, by asking a poster 14 questions in two paragrahs (lol!). Holy Mackeral, how about one or two questions for me at a time? You used up a year's allotment for me in these two paragraphs. Answer one a day, if you want. I can wait. Or none at all: anybody can answer the questions; they're only nominally directed at you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) What songs were corps playing that no band would play in halftime and vice versa? None to my knowledge . . . and the relevancy, and where you are going with this, is what again? Well, the point of this thread (although I expect and am perfectly happy to see it take all sorts of turns along the way; such is the glory of conversation) is to determine what people mean when they say that a drum corps show feels to them more like a marching band show. Already in this thread, we've seen that different people hold very different ideas about what "drum corps" are and what "marching bands" are. As those ideas are brought forward, I'm going to query some of them, to see if we can reach any sort of consensus on the subject, or failing that, whether we can each begin to appreciate other people's ideas. So one person said that a show about the Oklahoma City bombing could only be done by a marching band and not a drum corps. I ask if that's really so, given that a drum corps just performed a show about the 9/11 bombings a few years ago. To return to your specific question here: the relevancy of whether marching bands and drum corps traditionally played different music is to find out how marching bands and drum corps are, or were, different. If it's not the music, then what is it? Maybe it's the level of execution. Early in this thread, someone said that was the difference. But if that's true, I wondered aloud: does that mean the Blue Devils are a drum corps and Racine Scouts aren't, because the former group executes so much better than the latter? Some people would say that there is not now nor has there ever been a substantive difference between the two activities. MikeD hasn't chimed in yet, but he has written many times on these forums that drum corps are marching bands and always have been. But we know that many drum corps fans, at least, vehemently disagree. It's that vehemence that led to my (admittedly tongue-in-cheek) question about BAC and "Conquest". Edited July 23, 2015 by N.E. Brigand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) And were corps repertoires and styles like and unlike those of marching bands in, say, 1950? What songs were corps playing that no band would play Not sure about 1950... but there were Music Circuits around the country in the 1960's in which with one admission price, one could see a 2 division competition on the same day, and with the same judges. One for Marching Bands, the other for Drum & Bugle Corps. Both were judged under the same judging standards, but in separate divisions.. as Marching Bands had one set of instrumentation rules, Drum & Bugle Corps, other instrumentation useage rules. Some of the instructors were on the staffs of Marching Bands, as well as sometimes found again on the staffs of the Drum & Bugle Corps. The " C", then " B " Division of the Drum & Bugle Corps ensembles went on first at these football field competition shows. Then the Marching Bands ensembles went on, then afterwards, the Drum & Bugle Corps A Class Division ensembles would come on. I think its fair to say that most people came to see the Drum & Bugle Corps " A " competition, not the School Marching Bands competition Division, as fans came in in increasing numbers for the Drum & Bugle Corps segment. Did both play similar music compositions sometimes ? Sure. Was the Marching Bands" better "? it depends upon who you ask, but its fair to say the Marching Bands were " better " in musicianship quality on the whole. But did that matter to most in attendance ? Not really. Most appeared to like the style of shows of the Drum & Bugle Corps " better ". So the answer to this question of yours then is that there was never any music genre considered off limits to either of these once separate and distinct Musical groups in these local circuits that I am familar with. Edited July 23, 2015 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) To return to your specific question here: the relevancy of whether marching bands and drum corps traditionally played different music is to find out how marching bands and drum corps are, or were, different. If it's not the music, then what is it? ? Instrumentation. Instrumentation was how it once was defined ( just prior to DCI formation, and then into the 70's ). " Marching Bands " had one set of instrumentation rules... " Drum & Bugle Corps" entirely separate instrumentation rules. It was not complicated. Everyone knew that was a member of one or the other, knew what they were in. Even judges knew the difference. Groups decided themselves which division they wanted to compete in... The " Marching Band Division " or the " Drum & Bugle Corps Division. There was no confusion then. Not in the least. But once the separate divisions came down, during the DCI years, naturally confusion filled that void. So today, you are correct, talk to 8 people today, and you might get 8 different versions of what now constitutes both. Edited July 23, 2015 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) s. MikeD hasn't chimed in yet, but he has written many times on these forums that drum corps are marching bands and always have been. Well, with all due respect to MIkeD ( whom I like appreciate his insights, humor as a long time DCP poster) he must know that a St. Williams High School Marching Band ( MA)was not allowed to compete with St. Kevin's Emerald Knights ( Ma ) Drum & Bugle Corps ( or vice versa) because they are both " Marching Bands ". This is like saying that Baseball and Softball are the same sport because they both are " Roundball Sports ". Sure, technically they are both Roundball Sports, we get that but we don't then extrapolate from that that both baseball and softball are really the same sport because they both use a round ball on a diamond shaped field of play. Edited July 23, 2015 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) So one person said that a show about the Oklahoma City bombing could only be done by a marching band and not a drum corps. I ask if that's really so, given that a drum corps just performed a show about the 9/11 bombings a few years ago.I never said the OKC Bombing could "only" be tackled by a BOA band, just that it would be difficult to program into a DCI show.Also, Madison's 2011 show isn't really "about" 9/11 in the same way Lake Park's show is about the OKC bombing ... or, at least, they're presented in two completely different ways. "April 19, 1995: To Bind The Nation's Wounds" is a show that lets you know that it's serious from the get-go. There's an overwhelming sense of dread through pretty much all of it. There are no real applause moments, just a single piece of music. "New York Morning" is a show about modern New York that doesn't really acknowledge what happened on 9/11 until the second half of the show (the newspaper thing is way too subtle to be picked up by the audience). Even then, the show has all the usual beats in a drum corps program: brass features, drum features, fun visual moments. Edited July 23, 2015 by ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTrumpetMan13 Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) Crossmen 2015. Colts 2015. Crown 2014 is borderline, but their brass made up for it. Blue Stars 2014. Really any show that overdoes GE and uses gimmicky props as a way to buy a GE higher score to fall back on due to weaknesses in other sections. Edited July 23, 2015 by TheTrumpetMan13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Crossmen 2015. Colts 2015. Crown 2014 is borderline, but their brass made up for it. Blue Stars 2014. Really any show that overdoes GE and uses gimmicky props as a way to buy a GE higher score to fall back on due to weaknesses in other sections. I can recall a certain corps from Bayonne, NJ who, at the time had lots of gimmicks and props, and introduced things such as the Bridgemen shuffle. Lots of people claimed they did all of this to hide weaknesses and sloppy shows. Keep in mind too that this was during the tic system days, but not when everyone else was what we might consider stiff and militaristic. Blue Devils had their classic jazz sound, Phantom was playing music most never thought a drum corps could do successfully, 27th's color guard ruled, Madison blasted everyone to Kingdom Come, and North Star and Garfield entertained. Today when I watch the Bridgemen on DVD, I see clean shows, a strong horn line, some years amazing percussion, and shows that captivated the audience. In their day some said they were not drum corps, and perhaps today would earn the title "bando." Today they are classic old school icons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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