quick question... not meant to stir the pot.

[PhantomR]

*DISCLAIMER*

This is not meant to stir a pot, offend any individuals, or to get people to hate me. I just want some answers, and I want some people to understand what young people have to go through. This "rant" is going to include the issue of amplification, and the overall evolution of DCI. Those of you easily offended, please do not read past this.

I've been on DCP for around a year and a half now, and am one of the youngest people on the site... clocking in at 15 years old. That being said, I am a fan of the evolution of drum corps, and the new age of drum corps (I dont really like amps, but dont hate them with a strong passion.) Constantly, I see threads that are dedicated to derogatory remarks against the drum corps activity.

In fact, it's become hard to find a thread where someone isn't expressing displeasure.

my question to the older folks of DCP is this...

How do you think you make people feel who march nowadays, and are going to begin marching soon?

Rarely do I find threads that are complimentary of today's drum corps. People now work just as hard as you all did when you marched. How do you think they (we) feel when you bash the show they marched JUST because the corps used amps... or because they use Bb horns?

To be honest, it's a pain in my ###, and I dont even march yet.

How would you feel if I posted in a thread about 1976, and said everything about that year sucked, because *insert reason here*? (I dont feel this way... hypothetical.) I know that if I said that about the 70's, 80's or even 90's, I would automatically get jumped on by... well, everyone on this board. Why is it any different than drum corps now? For some reason, people can just go into a thread, and just start saying "Well, you all dont use Piston Rotor bugles, so you aren't really a drum corps." or, "You all use amps, so you suck." Or my favorite, "Drum Corps is dead... It's marching band now." But I just know, that if I went into a 70's thread and said "P/R horns suck," I would probably get banned, or severly shunned. (again, hypothetical.)

That's not only being rude to people who march, but it's also just plain immature.

I'm asking why you all do it, because I just want an answer... Why can't everyone just love drum corps, and quit complaining?

and again, this is not meant to #### anyone off... it's an honest question, that I need to know the answer to.

thanks.

~>conner

[Krista]

*DISCLAIMER*

I'm asking why you all do it, because I just want an answer... Why can't everyone just love drum corps, and quit complaining?

I don't know the answer to all of that... but I just wanted to make one comment about the portion of your post I left up there.....

Somewhere in "growing up" (and I use that loosely) those rose colored glasses come off.... not just for me, but for most everyone I think. And the idea that "we can all just love each other" or "everyone can get along" etc. isn't realistic anymore.

The fact is, yes things change..... and most people don't like change, and that's ok.

Fortunately, and I know this isn't a good answer, but DCP is a place where people can vent their ideas, their congratulations, their angers etc. and they can do so freely.... just as we can post and completely disagree with them.

Unfortunately, the negative of everything just gets worse as you get older. lol

And the other thing is..... we don't ALL have to LOVE everything about drum corps (or anything for that matter). If we all just said "oh it's great" how fun or interesting would that really be? And as humans, we'd be pretty boring to be around. :)

just my 2 cents. :)

[Scout]

Human Nature.

It's not just drum corps where this happens. "Why when I was young I walked 10 miles up hill to school in waist deep snow, my brothers and sisters all had to share one pair of shoes, ...".

*DISCLAIMER*

This is not meant to stir a pot, offend any individuals, or to get people to hate me. I just want some answers, and I want some people to understand what young people have to go through. This "rant" is going to include the issue of amplification, and the overall evolution of DCI. Those of you easily offended, please do not read past this.

I've been on DCP for around a year and a half now, and am one of the youngest people on the site... clocking in at 15 years old. That being said, I am a fan of the evolution of drum corps, and the new age of drum corps (I dont really like amps, but dont hate them with a strong passion.) Constantly, I see threads that are dedicated to derogatory remarks against the drum corps activity.

In fact, it's become hard to find a thread where someone isn't expressing displeasure.

my question to the older folks of DCP is this...

How do you think you make people feel who march nowadays, and are going to begin marching soon?

Rarely do I find threads that are complimentary of today's drum corps. People now work just as hard as you all did when you marched. How do you think they (we) feel when you bash the show they marched JUST because the corps used amps... or because they use Bb horns?

To be honest, it's a pain in my ###, and I dont even march yet.

How would you feel if I posted in a thread about 1976, and said everything about that year sucked, because *insert reason here*? (I dont feel this way... hypothetical.) I know that if I said that about the 70's, 80's or even 90's, I would automatically get jumped on by... well, everyone on this board. Why is it any different than drum corps now? For some reason, people can just go into a thread, and just start saying "Well, you all dont use Piston Rotor bugles, so you aren't really a drum corps." or, "You all use amps, so you suck." Or my favorite, "Drum Corps is dead... It's marching band now." But I just know, that if I went into a 70's thread and said "P/R horns suck," I would probably get banned, or severly shunned. (again, hypothetical.)

That's not only being rude to people who march, but it's also just plain immature.

I'm asking why you all do it, because I just want an answer... Why can't everyone just love drum corps, and quit complaining?

and again, this is not meant to #### anyone off... it's an honest question, that I need to know the answer to.

thanks.

~>conner

[joeb]

well said.......my answer is this

Wait til your fourty, see what the activity has become at that age, and answer your own question.

IOW.......your question will be answered in alot of different ways, but none of them really matter to YOU. Your young, fresh, ancious, and excited. People will love, follow, hate, despise for all of time. Were human.

Go march and have a good time dont sweat the little stuff.

Things will change, or not weather we like it or not.

It is what it is

joeB

[PhantomR]

I know it's human nature, and I dont disagree with that.

What I do disagree with is hurting people's feelings because people decide since amps are present, the show automatically sucks. It's not a matter of age, it's just ridiculous. It'd be a lot more pracitcal, and a lot more "Friendly" to just say "Well, I think I liked what they did, but I just dont like amps," instead of "They suck, because they use amps."

get it?

~>conner

[Krista]

maybe it's just a matter of how some people say things vs. how others approach it?

dunno...

[joeb]

I thought you were just looking for answers?

relax my friend youll understand some day.

joeB

[Wanderer]

I'm asking why you all do it, because I just want an answer... Why can't everyone just love drum corps, and quit complaining?

and again, this is not meant to #### anyone off... it's an honest question, that I need to know the answer to.

thanks.

~>conner

As adults, we're use to being able to express our opinions both positive and negative about things. Politics, religion, movies or sports, adults in America love to express ourselves. I suppose we assume others on the board are at the same level, but that may not always be the case.

Being able to express your opinion openly and honestly is exciting. I've travelled and this isn't guaranteed everywhere. At your age it may seem like a bad thing, but I promise you that it's beats the alternative.

[RobH]

Hey Connor - thanks for posting and for your honesty!

Not sure where you're seeing this but I can't read all the threads here - I'm a REAL old guy, from before DCI was invented, and can only give you my own perspective.

I think drum corps has evolved a great deal in the past 35+ years since I did it, some like it, some don't, and some may not care one way or the other.

The marching now is different - less military, more "running/dancing/moving" at a faster speed, the music is I think more complex and less "understandable" to the "older drum corps phan" and the guard has changed as well - more dancing/"emotive expressive" stuff with changes in outfits and "stuff" they carry.

There are far LESS corps nationwide, and just a handful of "championship" level corps that everyone knows - Cavaliers, Cadets, Scouts, Phantom, BD, SCV, Bluecoats, Boston, Xmen at the junior level, so there's less of a "community" feel to most corps since there are so few competitive ones left these days.

So many really good corps have folded over the years and haven't been replaced due to financial reasons mostly.

I don't think it's necessarily bad or worse, it's just different from the way it used to be a long, long time ago. And the fan today has to be more musically sophisticated, more of a "student" of drum corps, and has to "get" lots of things that the general fan of the past didn't have to - in the Stone Age, there were Color Presentations, there was a heavy emphasis on Marching and maneuvering and a "tick" system of judging that took tenths of a point off for little things the average fan didn't even catch, a starting gun, more involvement by organizations like CYO, VFW, American Legion, the YMCA, and I think it's more of a "business" or at least NEEDS to be because of the cost of running a drum corps today.

It's also less of a "way to get the kids off the streets and out of trouble" and more of a "show" thing that kids want to participate in for different reasons than they did in the past.

Anyone who doesn't "like" drum corps today can think whatever they want, but all I can say to you is that it's just very different in many ways, yet the participants are doing what they've always done - worked hard, sweated out practices, given up their summers, performed their hearts out, felt like they accomplished something very unique and special with their young lives that will be with them for the rest of their lives,

and THAT will NEVER change!

[PhantomR]

let me try it like this:

this is a little snippet of a conversation me and a friend were having on AIM.

let me try it like this...

this is a snip of a conversation that I had with a friend of mine.

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:28:41 PM): it's just... really aggravating

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:28:48 PM): because it's hard to find anything good said abotu nowadays

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:28:54 PM): and me being 15, and not marched yet

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:28:59 PM): but in love with drum corps for what it is

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:29:33 PM): it just kind of hurts a little bit, to know that when I step onto the field, I'm going to have an automatic bias, because chances are, my corps is going to use Bb horns, or my corps is going to have amps

ConnerSaysHaloo (6:29:51 PM): and that people are not going to be able to get past that, and enjoy what I do on the field

I'm not sure what questions I want answered... I guess I'm just to hard headed to accept the statement "it's just how it is... people just express opinions."

not good enough for me, I guess.

~>conner