Jump to content

Old Man DCI was cool...


Recommended Posts

13 hours ago, PopcornEater1963 said:

But you guys just don’t seem to be able to come to grips with the fact that modern DCI players are better musicians, in better physical shape, and put on superior productions than the geezers did.

On average, drum corps used to be more musical. There are still some very musical shows! But when modern drum corps fails, a large part of the failure is that the show just isn't worth listening to.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, stevedci said:

Nostalgia is never as good as it used to be.

 

 haha.. funny and accurate phrase. That said, it should be noted as well, that lots of wealthy folks ( even those under age 45 ) will oftentimes be willing to pay a LOT of money for " nostalgia ".. ie... Classic Cars, Homes with old wraparound porches, Paintings, Sculpture, Music recordings,  Artifacts, , Pictures,  Memorabilia, etc.. and a hundred other antiques preserved, valued, and cherished from long ago eras that are no longer but simply... " nostalgia ".

Edited by BRASSO
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This. I don't think the "no longer support" page was intended as a jab at today's talent and the show styles. It was more about DCI and member safety, sexual misconduct and hazing, etc.

Also, we should always refrain from saying things like "kids were more talented then, or are more talented today." Is there really proof either way? 

Edited by jwillis35
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

On average, drum corps used to be more musical. There are still some very musical shows! But when modern drum corps fails, a large part of the failure is that the show just isn't worth listening to.

Absolutely disagreed, NE; if you mean musical in the strictest sense, then I would pit current drum corps musicality demands against any other era and bet on this one coming out near or close to the top. Brass tone quality and attention to dynamic fluctuation and overall musical shaping is terrific —- as opposed to the 00s, when the original music trend saw phrases beginning and ending with the front ensemble, or as opposed to the 80s when tone quality took a backseat to volume (as much as I love & frequently listen to SCV ‘89, I will always shudder at the soprano soloist on “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. The same is true for many, many soloists of the era trying to fill up a giant stadium with sound.) I have no empirical evidence for this, but it is my experience that drum corps is now more blended with music majors than ever before, growing far from a youth-focused activity that didn’t always attract a ton of serious musicians. 

If you mean musicality as in the music book itself — also disagreed, although I will admit that Phantom playing New World as a whole, for example, was certainly the pinnacle of listenable music books. But today the pendulum is swinging squarely back to full melodies and outstanding source music, and I couldn’t be happier. I listen to the 2018 cds all the way through the ranks and find very little to complain about —- almost every group had a music book that’s great to listen to when divorced of all visual aspects. Our two “dark days” in this activity for listenable music books were back to back, and both trends have mostly passed: the all original music books of the early 00s, and the Blue Devils-driven chop & bop of the late 00s. We’re still seeing remnants of a few designers thinking chop & bop is still current —- Cavies ‘17 comes to mind —- but the original music books have all but faded, thank god. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, PopcornEater1963 said:

But you guys just don’t seem to be able to come to grips with the fact that modern DCI players are better musicians, in better physical shape, and put on superior productions than the geezers did. I figure if I have to look at that thread title every day about “I’m no longer supporting DCI ... who’s with me” it’s high time a counter argument was made, Fine .,, leave! Let the rest of us enjoy talent that is far superior to yours. 

I’ve read through that  31-page ************* of a thread and while I understand there are some admin concerns, the obvious pokes taken at today’s productions are laughable. 

It’s probably no wonder that current MM’s don’t get near this site. 

So... in short... I’ve been going to live DCI shows since 1978 and will continue to until I’m no longer here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My good sir, I hope I am able to have a cold one with ya this Summer. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jwillis35 said:

This. I don't think the "no longer support" page was intended as a jab at today's talent and the show styles. It was more about DCI and member safety, sexual misconduct and hazing, etc.

Also, we should always refrain from saying things like "kids were more talented then, or are more talented today." Is there really proof either way? 

My guess is the amount of Music Degrees and those studying for them would be a barometer. Perhaps as well, the backgrounds are deeper before many of them get there to DCI WC level or once they get there. How many of the Guard members and Percussion people are busting it year-round in WGI units now? All these things make a difference, and I reiterate- would that 13-14 year old lad in the McCormick's Video that was cast as the average rookie at SCV circa 1975 make it into the Vanguard now?

 

Yes, there was a lot of talent BITD, but seriously, the talent level of the typical what used to be called the "Line guys" has risen noticeably.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BigW said:

My guess is the amount of Music Degrees and those studying for them would be a barometer. Perhaps as well, the backgrounds are deeper before many of them get there to DCI WC level or once they get there. How many of the Guard members and Percussion people are busting it year-round in WGI units now? All these things make a difference, and I reiterate- would that 13-14 year old lad in the McCormick's Video that was cast as the average rookie at SCV circa 1975 make it into the Vanguard now?

 

Yes, there was a lot of talent BITD, but seriously, the talent level of the typical what used to be called the "Line guys" has risen noticeably.

(a) Are the brass musicians in the current Harry Conick Jr. Band, Here Come the Mummies, The Smoking Section, The Airmen of Note, and the few other current jazz-funk based ensembles actually better than the great jazz musicians back in the 1970's or 1980's; or (b) were there just as many great players back then, but they were spread out amongst a pletheora of jazz-funk ensembles along with good players instead of all of them being conentrated in a select few ensembles? My belief is (b)

Edited by Stu
Link to comment
Share on other sites

if you like it, go pay to see it. if you don't like it, don't pay to go see it.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Jake W. said:

Absolutely disagreed, NE; if you mean musical in the strictest sense, then I would pit current drum corps musicality demands against any other era and bet on this one coming out near or close to the top. Brass tone quality and attention to dynamic fluctuation and overall musical shaping is terrific —- as opposed to the 00s, when the original music trend saw phrases beginning and ending with the front ensemble, or as opposed to the 80s when tone quality took a backseat to volume (as much as I love & frequently listen to SCV ‘89, I will always shudder at the soprano soloist on “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”. The same is true for many, many soloists of the era trying to fill up a giant stadium with sound.) I have no empirical evidence for this, but it is my experience that drum corps is now more blended with music majors than ever before, growing far from a youth-focused activity that didn’t always attract a ton of serious musicians. 

If you mean musicality as in the music book itself — also disagreed, although I will admit that Phantom playing New World as a whole, for example, was certainly the pinnacle of listenable music books. But today the pendulum is swinging squarely back to full melodies and outstanding source music, and I couldn’t be happier. I listen to the 2018 cds all the way through the ranks and find very little to complain about —- almost every group had a music book that’s great to listen to when divorced of all visual aspects. Our two “dark days” in this activity for listenable music books were back to back, and both trends have mostly passed: the all original music books of the early 00s, and the Blue Devils-driven chop & bop of the late 00s. We’re still seeing remnants of a few designers thinking chop & bop is still current —- Cavies ‘17 comes to mind —- but the original music books have all but faded, thank god. 

I mean the latter. Tell me that I'm going to listen to six random semifinalist performances from the 1980s or six random semifinalist performances from the 2010s and I'd pick the former every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

On average, drum corps used to be more musical. There are still some very musical shows! But when modern drum corps fails, a large part of the failure is that the show just isn't worth listening to.

Or in some classic cases, the dialogue and message dominating the musical presentation or overriding it too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...