Westlake Village

[Ryan H. Turner]

actually, i did - in so many words.  i'd really like to see you (who "bleeds drum corps") play a little defense.

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Actually you're right...I got flummoxed on the thread and got a little sideways. Sorry....

Marc summed up my feelings perfectly.

[Marc66]

believe me, i realize that a few bad apples aren't indicative of the whole bunch.  it's just that these comments get under my skin a bit because when you look at the big picture (the entire activity) - everybody is out there doing the same thing regardless of size and the level of achievement. 

i also know that the SCV organization is one of the classiest in the business.  in fact, i understand from an SCV alum friend that Mystikal is playing on some of Vanguard's old G bugles this season.

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Yep...the graciousness of SCV (Rick Valenzuela & Dan Vanetta) is allowing Mystikal to use the old G bugles until the corps is able to secure newer ones...

[jwscv87]

believe me, i realize that a few bad apples aren't indicative of the whole bunch.  it's just that these comments get under my skin a bit because when you look at the big picture (the entire activity) - everybody is out there doing the same thing regardless of size and the level of achievement. 

i also know that the SCV organization is one of the classiest in the business.  in fact, i understand from an SCV alum friend that Mystikal is playing on some of Vanguard's old G bugles this season.

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This whole thing is ridiculous IMHO. Harry is not a "bad apple". He is a man with a set of opinions. He marched with SCV 20 years ago (as did I). At this point it is safe to say his opinions are his and his alone. To even begin to extrapolate what he says across an entire organization of several generations is just silly. I marched in a corps that "only a mother could enjoy" and I had a great time. If someone wasn't in the stands - big deal - their loss. I don't think the kids are nearly as fragile as some of you imply.

Harry has set a very high bar in his definition of quality drum corps. He readily admits that and his definition is his own. It is his criteria and his opinion - not a big deal.

[Ryan H. Turner]

So then...we can now just move on?

Oh come on...let's argue some more. I'm feeling frisky!!!

KIDDING...let's DO move on. Everyone's had their say. As the kids of today say...."IT'S ALLLLLLLLLLLLL GOOD!"

I'm down with that jive...

[hsreed]

This whole thing is ridiculous IMHO.  Harry is not a "bad apple".  He is a man with a set of opinions.  He marched with SCV 20 years ago (as did I).  At this point it is safe to say his opinions are his and his alone.  To even begin to extrapolate what he says across an entire organization of several generations is just silly.  I marched in a corps that "only a mother could enjoy" and I had a great time.  If someone wasn't in the stands - big deal - their loss.  I don't think the kids are nearly as fragile as some of you imply. 

Harry has set a very high bar in his definition of quality drum corps.  He readily admits that and his definition is his own.  It is his criteria and his opinion - not a big deal.

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I agree. I marched SCV 20 years ago. That's 20 years ago for the visually impaired. I don't wear a uniform and I don't work in the organization. I don't think they would even ask me to be part of the organization. As such, my opinions are my own. There was a day when I wanted to be part of the best drum corps on the planet and that time has passed. My opinions have been influenced by drum corps, Freelancers, SCV, the dean at UCLA that rode my ###, the boss I hated and made him loads of cash, the huge lady who shows up at the gym every day and rocks, and my mom amongst other things. Personally I really don't enjoy drum corps much anymore. I rarely see a show I truly enjoy. SCV 04 was on of those shows. I also think amps and Bb horns give larger corps a significant advantage and I absolutely can't stand hearing an amplified voice or instrument coming from the field. I don' know why I go to so many shows or why I go to any shows at all. I simply don't like so much of what the activity has become. There are so many little and less talented corps trying to do what one or two big corps are doing. Entertainment is limited to the corps that can perform modern shows at a very high level, but sometimes they fail, Cadets 04 for example. There is hardly any difference between the corps, although that seems to be changing a little. If I don't like what the biggies are doing, and BD is at or near the top of my list, any reasonable person would conclude I wouldn't like less talented corps trying to do the same thing. Having said that, I've probably spent more money in tickets and donated more money to drum corps over the past ten years than all of you combined. I've always bought eight tickets to the PC show and four to every other LA-ish show. Last year was the first year I didn't buy tickets to all the shows in a very long time. This year my best friend, a drum corps buddy, refuses to go to shows. He's just not interested because the level of performance is low as well as the lack of entertainment. I decided drum corps needs to be more entertaining for me to but tickets to all the shows like I have in the past.

Unfortunately I haven't given as much time as I would have liked to drum corps, but that's not form a lack of effort. I'm not going to be an instructor or designer. Incompetence and ruling by committee frustrate me to no end and I don't deal with it. Since you can't cut all the bad people in a corps, you're stuck. Since I'm pretty knowledgeable about financial matters, I hired a consultant and paid for his trip to Orlando several years ago to give a presentation to the Top 25 corps directors or their representatives about how drum corps needs to diversify their income and giving them an option. Bingo is dying as fast as WWII veterans and their wives. That trip cost me about two thousand dollars plus about 10 days preparing for the event. Unfortunately I don't think any directors implemented anything we discussed. In fact, the guy from Cadets (not sure it was George) wasn't there and didn't he write propose something about super-corps a couple years ago and how it will help better utilize DCI "resources" (aka money)? This presentation was well before Indian Casinos started popping up next to every 7-11. I gave a presentation about the same topic at a workshop for private schools and they're doing pretty well financially. I've also concentrated more on my family. I coach my daughter's soccer team, help with cheerleading, video tape all the ballet recitals (with 5 year olds-talk about bad technique) and burn to DVD for the parents, and run a descent financial planning firm.

Blah blah blah blah-who really cares. Your favorite corps, and drum corps in general, needs money. They don't need happy atta-boys and girls and pats on the back. They need less time working to earn money to pay for tour, less time at bingo and more time learning their craft. If you like what they're doing, buy something and many of them. If you don't like what they're doing, but something from them. I have about 30 useless T- shirts in a drawer, all covered with dirt or PVC pipe or blue pipe glue or grass stains and stuff that just won't come out. I bought two more shirts and a gym bag this weekend in addition to four premium seats. I'll be at the PC show in some great seats because I support them financially and always buy tickets. I'm also bringing an old Freelancer buddy, and a pair of SCV/UCLA friends. All three of them are coming to the show because I brought them last year or called them in December and talked it up. One of them even took his family of three to the BD show a couple weeks ago and bought the Blue Club (whatever the expensive ones are called). So this year I will have been the reason why seven additional people attend shows. Add it all up, that's about $500 toward drumcorps, not to mention any DVDs or CDs or the season pass or the movie theater showing.

I may talk smack, but deep down inside I love the activity. The sound and power of a solid horn line combined with the beauty of a well designed and entertaining show is the most addicting creation ever on the face of the planet. I truly believe that. I have space for 12 CDs in my car. Every day of the year you will find no less than 10 DCI CDs in my car. I like what the activity teaches kids. In the real world, everything is not all smiles and friendly pats on the back. If you put in a hard day's work, you may be rewarded. If you don't put in a hard day's work, you will be fired and broke (although there are those rare exceptions). Drum corps offers participants the opportunity to learn every tool it takes to be successful in any career they choose, and honesty is one of those lessons.

Ever had the boss that told you that you're not very good, maybe you should brush off the dust on that resume? Even if they didn't say it, you knew they were thinking it. To many people, that as me. I had a nickname of Hack'em Harry because I could weed out a staff faster than most. I was effective because I was kind to people. Being kind requires telling the truth. So their choice was to crawl back into a hole and cry or gather themselves and come out fighting harder than ever. If you can't be honest in discussing what is happening on the field, you're lying to the very people you're trying to help. How do you, in one line and for review purposes, say they need to work on intonation, technique, tuning, learning their parts, playing their parts, march in step, use the same marching technique as the person next to you, interval control is lacking, etc. I think "only a mother could enjoy" or thereabouts pretty much sums it up. Everyone who read it knew what I was saying. Sorry to offend those that think it's harsh. I also think creativity and diversity are severely lacking on the judging sheets, but that's another topic.

[byline]

I may talk smack, but deep down inside I love the activity.  The sound and power of a solid horn line combined with the beauty of a well designed and entertaining show is the most addicting creation ever on the face of the planet.  I truly believe that.  I have space for 12 CDs in my car.  Every day of the year you will find no less than 10 DCI CDs in my car.  I like what the activity teaches kids.  In the real world, everything is not all smiles and friendly pats on the back.  If you put in a hard day's work, you may be rewarded.  If you don't put in a hard day's work, you will be fired and broke (although there are those rare exceptions).  Drum corps offers participants the opportunity to learn every tool it takes to be successful in any career they choose, and honesty is one of those lessons.

Good post. Thanks for explaining your point of view. Lots of food for thought there. . . .

And yeah, I have a trunk full of "useless" T-shirts, also. But that's because I understand all too well the necessity of providing financial support to corps. I learned that lesson the hard way through my own marching experience.