GeorgiaGirl Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Just curious: is it true that no Lassiter band members are allowed to march drum corps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylogan Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Well, it's his site. Although his original response may have been somewhat curt (and slightly surprising, while at the same time not unexpected in my opinion; given the flack the corps is receiving on this site, I'd be defensive too), there are much worse things to say than that. I don't think that those reviews are reflective of the general public, though. But how would I know? I liked last year's show. I found some of it weird, but I still liked it. I'll probably like this season's show as well (although I'm wary of the singing portion of it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 Just curious: is it true that no Lassiter band members are allowed to march drum corps? Just one of the many completely untrue rumors about the band. Many members go on to march drum corps each year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanOwenSullivan Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Drama Queen, party of 1. Cheers, Sean w/Stp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ampfan Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Exactly. I think this is being blown out of proportion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsMom Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 I've never met George, and have not been historically a big Cadets fan, although there are some years that I absolutely love. Last year was not one of them and I have not seen this year's. I think George is probably looking for some positive feedback to share with the kids to boost morale. I know last year there were posts on how Phantom posted copies of all of the positive feedback on DCP on their food truck & the kids got really charged up because of it. My kids would always ask when they were on tour about what was posted and what reviews said. If they were really down, I would skip over the negatives and give them some positive reinforcement. It might not be 100% honest, but it kept their spirits up and I think that that is more important. I don't think George Hopkins is unprofessional fishing for a positive review. From everything I have heard, the corps this year is everybit as talented, if not more so than last year. They have thrown some real challenges at the corps, including the singer, the characters and the props. If they overcome these challenges and use them in a way that does not distract, but add to the show, then I am all for it. I am just as glad though that I won't see them until later in the season.... hopefully by then they will have worked out the kinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Drama Queen, party of 1.Cheers, Sean w/Stp: Spoken like a good B.I.T. !! Well done ! ~G~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
festive Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 His "prove your identity" game notwithstanding, I don't see his response as "extremely unprofessional." He's a busy guy, no doubt about that, and what goes on yea's website is his deal to figure out. Reading his blog, sometimes he gets overwhelmed (don't we all?), and he's human. We all have our days, some better than others. As for being appalled, there's better things to burn outrage on. I can think of a few hundred. B) True that criticism is important, but compliment is important too. He probably gets a lot of both, but maybe more of one than the other that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 Here's the latest...actually I overreacted, of course he can post whatever he wants on his website. "Our website is our website.. We do get to control what is posted - don't ya think" "True enough. Again, no hard feelings. Looking forward to seeing the Cadets in Atlanta with all of the vocals removed. "History Repeating" can simply be played by the pit (the corps proper is marching at a different tempo than the song, correct?) Any background information that the audience needs to know about show (in this case, that it's a sequel to last year's) can be placed inside the event program so it is unobtrusive. Instead of vocal interludes during the percussion feature, have the four do a solo rifle toss, or some other guard trick (1999 Big Apple show with the "toss-hug-catch," anyone?) At least that actually belongs in drum corps and falls within the idiom. And the audience can applaud it...every single millisecond performed on the field should be able to be applauded by the audience. A member speaking a line into a microphone, however, cannot be applauded. The solution for the ballad is simple: give Amy Hernandez a mellophone and teach her how to play. An amplified voice, unfortunately, will never blend within the brass ensemble. Isn't the point of drum corps instrumentation the homogenized sound the full corps makes? Her voice adds something foreign to this sound and practically covers up the entire brass sound. If anything else, at least reduce her volume to half the amount. Remember in 1995 when the corps told a beautiful story without the use of voice and relied on their instruments, and in doing this were able to provide a purely musical program? By the way, I understood that story a lot easier than this one, and it was very tastefully done. One of the best shows of all time! I cried the first time I watched it on DVD, with the guard member posing with the rifle at the end...I just lost it! Hope to see more shows like this in the future. Music's main selling point, though, is that its limitations force the performers to communicate not in conventional ways but through their instruments. This is the exact reason so many fans love drum corps and the Cadets. With this years show, this limitation is gone and it's no longer "music." I'm telling you, with all the vocals removed this WOULD be one of my favorite shows of all of it. Seriously. The opener that Jay wrote is simply amazing. Spectacular. I loved any minute of it. Unfortunately, the more and more I start to like this piece, the sadder I become because I know I'll never be able to enjoy it in its current form. The ballad is...scratch that, would be the most beautiful one I've ever heard on the field. I also witnessed the most talented percussion section I've ever seen, but the audience reaction was nowhere near what it could have been because people were so put off by the vocals. In fact, the man in front of me kept shaking his head the entire time. What do the vocals really add to the show? In the opinion of most, nothing, but they take away a LOT. The comments simply made a mockery out of the percussion's performance. Look at it this way. Consider the 1984 show after Barbara Moroney holds that high G in "I Have a Love" for close to 25 seconds. What if a guard member portraying Maria had yelled through a microphone in a Spanish accent, "Does-a she have to do that everrry time?" It would be ridiculous and would remove any form of integrity the show would have. People love that show because the members found an amazing way to tell the story of West Side Story THROUGH THEIR MUSIC. Please take my thoughts into consideration when tweaking the show and realize that I'm in the majority. Thanks, Jordan" "When did you see the 1995 show? You would have been 6.- And I hate to say - the voice is not going - sorry" "On DVD and on my iPod (audio portion) literally hundreds of times. Keep in mind I've seen and pretty much memorized from beginning to end (music-wise) every Cadets show since 1983. Some of the greatest shows in the world. Also, I was wondering, do you plan on featuring voice extensively in every upcoming Cadets show as long as you're director? The Cadets are known for having so many styles of shows...compare the over-the-top, theatrical, prop-heavy shows of '95 and '96 to the more traditional, less thematic, purely marching and music productions of '97 and '98. With changes in styles will voice (which in this year and last adds to the "weird" and "silly" aspects associated with the Zone) still be used? What if you choose to a showcase a composer's most famous work in an upcoming show with no real "theme" or "story"...will voice be included? If so, I'm worried." We'll see what he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoFan Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Jordan, I think you're only digging a deeper hole. Know when to cut your losses and get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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