Disturbing DCI rumors

[Jurassic Lancer]

8 hours ago, Glenn426 said:

And finally should that day happen and you old Dinos want to leave, I'll be the one holding the door for you. This activity like it did for many of you was intended for the Youth. It is for their enjoyment and achievement. When you all marched you couldn't give a rats-azz about what the people in the stands thought about what you where doing. And DCI position is that they are currently alienating 50% of their potential membership base to "satisfy" the history that a small minority of its fan-base are hanging on too. 

I can guarantee you that we all gave a rats-azz what the people in the stands thought about what we were doing. I became a Lancer because I wanted to pull the fans out of their seats. We all did. I cared more about that than what the judges thought.

Edited December 24, 2019 by Jurassic Lancer

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/19/2019 at 5:13 PM, FlamMan said:

Much like the Madison scouts with CK, DCI should have canned DA many years ago. There is way too much bando influence in drum corps these days and what used to be a clear distinction between drum corps and band will be completely gone. Who the heck wants to hear flutes and clarinets in a drum corps show? No thanks.

yeah cause ya know, Dan has Palpatine like powers and bends them all to his will

[Glenn426]

2 minutes ago, LabMaster said:

Wow.  Simply wow.  You could learn a lot of lessons from your "elders".  You could learn class, diplomacy, tact, and history of the activity, that has been brought to YOU by the "elders".  What is your "elder" starting point?  Take a look around at a show and really see who is there supporting the activity.  The "elders".  They support the activity with their children, their experiences, their education and their $$$.   Look back at your favorite orgs and see where they'd be without the "elders".  I don't want "dino's" to go away anymore than I want young MM's to not like DC.  I do want people with crappy attitudes to go away if they can't generate a more positive outlook on the activity.

I like the activity to be very much like it is.  I'm not a fan of woodwinds because  IMO it would require more amplification and I think we have a sufficient amount of amplification.  I like some things to be what they are;  I like coffee flavored coffee.    Be what you are and be what you are good at and leave it at that.  Here is an idea, stop in to Gate 10 in Indy this year and explain to that "elder" crowd what you think of them.  I am sure you would find a number of elders who would challenge your position.

And here is a thought for this upcoming year:  "In a world where you can be anything...be kind".  I'm giving it a try.

This is the core of my argument. If the rules are changed and all that you will see are sour people complaining about the activity while still supporting it and going to shows, it will be a toxic landscape and one where the appreciative fan will be drowned out by the very vocal minority and that's not fun for anyone.

And to your Amplification argument, There was very much a wide array of amplification this year, but it is being so well by the designers of these corps that many didn't even notice it. They are that good. So to think that they would "Screw Up Wood wind amplification simply because it is Wood Winds is a stretch. 

And For me Respect goes both ways. Elders Respect the Marching Members (Thank you for continuation the tradition and keeping my corps alive) and the Marching members respect the Elders (Thank you for paving the way and allowing me to enjoy the changes in this activity as you did when you went from 2 valve to 3 valves, from Marching percussion to Pit Percussion. From G Bugles to Bb horns.)

 

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/19/2019 at 6:06 PM, garfield said:

The DA ship sailed long ago.  He's staying.  Get used to it.  That doesn't speak to anyone else and the contention has been since the G7 days that the DCI offices need a good fat-trimming at least, or "...let's let the corps run the DCI functions and we'll be Board and Executive at once" at worst.  DA is STILL not the correct recipient of your fire and venom for the activity turning toward band.  He is, by his own admission, the very best ED that his Board wants him to be.  If you'd finally get the structure of DCI through your head, you'd see your ire should be directed at the voting membership of the activity.  The activity votes these decisions and DA sets off to implement them and market the shows and promote the activity.  The corps make the decisions not the ED of DCI.

So, another one bites the dust with you then?  Drum corps can certainly be the "Major League" and still be bound to the only other sizable participant in the Marching Music For Kids activity.  It's not like when you don't want your food touching on your dinner plate.  We won't DIE if the filet mignon is touching the cheesy scalloped potatoes (I'll leave you to decide which idiom of marching music is which).

But, your vote is registered now as you intended and you should wait until the Rules Congress is over, and even until you actually see the end product, before you condemn it.  There are reasons to be optimistic even as you shoo change off your lawn.  

 

way to kill a rant with facts

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/19/2019 at 6:29 PM, keystone3ply said:

Then there's the other rumor.  The rumor that George Hopkins has gained 200+ pounds and he is actually running DCI from his basement somewhere in Pennsylvania.  After all, he does seem to have a direct line to the "Supreme Being", the "Creator Deity", and the "Principal Object of Faith".  😂😇😎

Moderators: Please delete if deemed inappropriate.  

spoiler alert!

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/19/2019 at 7:37 PM, FlamMan said:

Thanks for your condascention, but I disagree with the direction that this activity took the last decade and it continues to destroy everything that was unique about drum corps. I hate to see traditions trampled on.

you do realize drum corps has been changing traditions since day 2 right?

 

i break my wrist and go away for a few days, but like my pain meds, you never fail to amaze me

[JimF-LowBari]

1 minute ago, Glenn426 said:

And For me Respect goes both ways. Elders Respect the Marching Members (Thank you for continuation the tradition and keeping my corps alive) and the Marching members respect the Elders (Thank you for paving the way and allowing me to enjoy the changes in this activity as you did when you went from 2 valve to 3 valves, from Marching percussion to Pit Percussion. From G Bugles to Bb horns.)

 

Have yet to see or hear anyone disrespect the marching members.... complain about changes yes, but no dissing the members. 

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/20/2019 at 7:44 AM, Slingerland said:

The woodwinds proposal this year doesn't take into account any of the myriad of changes that going full marching band in the traditional sense would cause.

If and when the DCI members are ready to go there, you'd hope they'd do it knowing full well that it will lose them a significant chunk of their legacy fan base (probably including myself) and create a raft of problems in terms of budgets and sustainability for the member corps, since adding 50 new woodwinds players would only jack up the costs of the summer tour (each member on the field is a money-losing proposition for the corps as it is - throwing another tour bus and another 10 to 20 techs and staffers into the equation will only make it worse), and cutting 30 horn spots (if they decided to keep the 154 member limit) to put out a few flutes or saxophones on the field would dilute the sound that people like now.

The most likely proposal that could pass would be to treat woodwinds the way they do string instruments now; as soloists or small ensembles attached to the pit. If someone really wants an oboe solo in their show, fine, whatever, give them that and then tell them to feel proud of their "inclusion." 😎

 

sadly it seems revenue to them that is considered is membership fees only. definitely not expenses

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/20/2019 at 10:16 AM, Slingerland said:

The financial aspects of the concept haven't been explored in any meaningful way to address the central issue of sustainability. Bands with 200-250 performers have most of the infrastructural expenses of operations covered by their school districts. The band directors are paid for through tax dollars, their rehearsal facilities, etc, etc, are also covered by their school districts. If the average BOA program had to be self-sustaining, they'd never hit the field. 

Drum corps have to eat all of the expense of putting the product out there, and adding more members actually makes it more expensive to run their operations, not cheaper. As far as the central 'product' element of the discussion,  I'd like to see the study that shows that DCI would sell another 10,000 seats on Finals night because BD all of sudden had a flute section. 

this is drum corps, there's no place for fiscal responsibility

[Jeff Ream]

On 12/20/2019 at 11:32 AM, inbetween said:

1. I have no access to indoor facilities other than my small room(auditorium, music labs lol. what are those). 2. I get no janitors to clean anything outside of sweeping my room once a day. Anything that occurs after school or weekend I am responsible for cleaning and taking care. 3. I get no budget for instrument repairs or maintenance. If something breaks I either fix it or booster club pays to fix it. My school has not purchased a new instrument in at least ten years.  4. I receive no supplements for anything thing I do after school. We also aren't allowed to charge our students fees to participate. All monies have to come from fundraising and donations.

 

This is the same for the strings and chorus that I teach. As far as salary goes, As I stated this is in reference to marching band. So "super-sleuth" all you want, buddy. 

 

 

 

 

there's more of this in the world than people want to think