This Will Return Drum Corps to Glory

[Orpheus]

IMHO, the original poster's point is well made, but it was a lot more applicable, like, five or six years ago than it is today. I find that while the music played by the top corps went thru a <*bleah*> period in the late 90s, it's been gradually turning around in recent seasons. Just look at SCV's and PR's recent programming choices. Besides, it's about how the music is arranged, if you ask me, and not necessarily what actual pieces they pick to play. Original music can be very accessible while familiar music can be so over-arranged or re-composed that it loses any real ability to connect with the "casual fan."

[Orpheus]

IMHO, the original poster's point is well made, but it was a lot more applicable, like, five or six years ago than it is today. I find that while the music played by the top corps went thru a <*bleah*> period in the late 90s, it's been gradually turning around in recent seasons. Just look at SCV's and PR's recent programming choices. Besides, it's about how the music is arranged, if you ask me, and not necessarily what actual pieces they pick to play. Original music can be very accessible while familiar music can be so over-arranged or re-composed that it loses any real ability to connect with the "casual fan."

[ChicagoFan]

Interesting angle.....one way to gauge what is deemed popular, or "great" is to look at sales in mainstream life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let us pray that mainstream sales figures don't dictate or qualify what is great, lest Brittney Spears and Nick and Jessica garner any more undue respect.

[Rocketman]

Why can't it be both art and education? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mr. "Old School" here. If I want art, I'll go to a gallery, if I want education, I'll go to school. I want entertainment, and thats what we USE to get from drum corps.

Rocketman - old

ampssuck

[Long Time Fan]

I agree that the shows I like the best, or at least often turn over in my memory are those that have the most memorable music. That said, think we have a classic right now that stands up to any of the great shows of the past, and that is Phantom's show for this year. Memorable music is not enough, if that were true, then Boston's show from this year would be another classic. The show is good, but it is not a classic. Phantom has wrapped their show in the whole package and performed it in a manner that will be remembered for years to come. It is my favorite this year.

[Lance]

I would begin by saying that your perceived state of "glory," as you defined it, is not the same as mine. Very few corps will ever have a show that blends music and visual in a way that every fan will like all of the time. I'm lucky to get that out of 4 or 5 corps per year, and that's the way it's always been for me, and I've been a fan since '87. So, while the points you emphasized may very well return drum corps to glory in your eyes, in my eyes, "glory" is achieved every year by drum corps.

[bbass74]

Both types of shows can be "gotten into" by the audience, one just takes a little more thinking

(I'm with you all the way though. I'm sick of cut&paste stuff for now)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm gonna respond to these as I come to them but here, I agree and disagree. Yes the more intricate and complex shows could be appealing if one thinks about them long enough but the problem is, it's only a10-11 minute show. When they're done, there's a 10 minute change over and then another show. Not much time to go into deep thoughts about it.

I can watch a movie that's very well made and thought provoking but you'll get a much more of an instant response from me with just an action flick or something hilariously funny but may not be as well made, not get an academy award or be well liked by the critics. If movies were made to win awards... Will Smith would be broke!

[Lance]

Mr. "Old School" here. If I want art, I'll go to a gallery, if I want education, I'll go to school. I want entertainment, and thats what we USE to get from drum corps.

Rocketman - old

ampssuck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And I do get entertainment today, whereas if drum corps looked and sounded like it did 20 years ago, I would not be entertained very much at all. Not because I don't like 70s and 80s drum corps (lots of legacy DVDs from that time :)), but because it would get boring, for me, seeing the same dull round over and over and over. So, what to do?

[kiltiekemo]

It's funny that most of the references to what GREAT corps is seems to be centered around the "90's" and the idea that the audience has to be schooled. I believe that ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT is what makes drum corps cool. I don't care if the show was in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or NOW. Every decade had corps shows that were putting across a performance that just floored the crowd. You don't have to know the music, predict the drill move or count how many flammadiddles in a row the drumline played to enjoy the show. But you do have to like the show enough to say wow that was cool. But it does seem as if the show designers are more interested in getting their "theme" across to the judges rather than get the crowd tapping their feet or humming whatever tune was played by a corps. Are there still corps that get ya to say WOW? Yes, but out of the top 12 it used to be at least 10 now it seems like only 1 or 2. The main thing is if a corps can't do the basics (stay in step with the music, flag work with the music, horn angles etc) who cares about the overall "theme" of the show. Why is it that the U.S. Marine D&B can put on a show that gets standing ovations EVERY SINGLE SHOW and not have to run a million miles a hour or play off the wall music? If drum corps as a whole can understand that question than Drum Corps will return to Glory. Nuff said.

[BD2Rings]

I confess, I have not read this entire thread, so if this a a duplicate thought, forgive me.

My first year was '74. This was still before Blue Devils had defined their image. We were very much the new kids on the block, searching for something to call our own. What was special about this year was 'Legend of the One Eyed Sailor'. This was when BD started their drift into jazz. Granted this was still mixed with Chant and Jubilo, and some Porgy and Bess, but this was when we started a direction that began our identity.

In '74, how many people even knew who Chuck Mangione was? Answer is few to none. I'd never heard of him until Jim Ott passed out the music charts. I learned about him pretty quick after that.

In '75 we followed 'Legend' with 'Chase the Clouds Away'. Within a year or two, the Freelancers were doing Bellevia. Mangione seemed to find some degree of acceptance from the drum corps activity. To this day I wonder how much influence drum corps has had on his fan base. In any event, both 'Legend' and 'Clouds' largely became signature pieces of the Blue Devils. It seemed these were the pieces that identified us as much as 'Send in the Clowns' did for SCV, and 'Danny Boy' did for 27th Lancers.

So what is my point? In '74, 'Legend' was truly something new, played by the new kids on the block. Look what it has become, both within the Drum Corps activity, and for Chuck Mangione. It was new then. As an associated feeling, I therefore have no problems with any corps of today trying something new, but there is a huge risk, taken every year by the folks who choose the repertoire. How many times have people said that the show played by corps X did nothing for me? There are a world of reasons one could be dissappointed by the musical selection of a corps.

It is truly rare for a corps to have a performance like the '75 Madison Scouts, or the '89 Vanguard. I was pleased that the '76 Blue Devils were chosen to be shown in the movie theatres a few months back, but how many people can connect with 'Channel One Suite', even after all these years? I am familiar with it now, but back when we were first performing this, did the crowd connect with it? My first answer to my own question would be that yes, they did seem to connect, as I was on the field to witness their response, but why did this happen? I can't say that this chart was part of the popular musical selections of the time.

So after all these years, it is my humble opinion, that Blue Devils took some music, that was not neccessarily part of the mainstream knowledge base. That is not an extreme statement simply because we were looking into jazz. We took this music that was not part of the Pop Charts top 40, and proceeded to make something from it. And even after all these years, many look back on this now with fondness.

It is with this in mind that I find acceptance with corps trying something new. Without that attitude, the Blue Devils never would have done what they did in fact do.

But I will also agree with the original tilt of this thread, in that the original compositions could be a big risk. Whatever repertoire a corps chooses must have the abiltiy to connect, not just with the judges, but with the paying audience. I myself have felt like I have been left flat, after many drum corps performances. I too can be dissappointed.

I can also be quite pleased. I would be quite jazzed to hear Madison perform a show similar to the '75 show, and oh, to hear 2-7 again, or the Muchachoes. Now I am not requesting that this activity goes back 30 years. That is not my point. I'm trying to say that the musical book of every corps should offer something to the audience that the audience will thoroughly connect with and enjoy. Those words are easy to say, and I imagine quite a challenge to live up to. Blow my face off, and make my ears bleed. Go ahead, you have my permission. And I want to remember the music of all the shows, to not be required to listen to a recording to be reminded of what I just heard.

Now if I were choosing the book for any corps for next year, what would I choose? I don't have a clue.

Edited August 3, 2005 by BD2Rings