audiodb Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Another factor is not just the demise of existing corps...that happened all the time...it was a lack of replacement corps. Back in the AL/VFW/CYO days, when a corps folded in one place, another would spring up nearby. That stopped happening in large numbers back in the late 60's and accelerated through the 70's for the reasons you state so well. Mike raises a good point there. I think the rate of new corps startups also decreased in the late 1970s. While there were a few very strong ones (i.e. Spirit, Memphis), there weren't nearly as many per year from that point on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Interesting question and one that has been talked about and debated on DCP and other newsgroups. Prior to DCI fire departments, American Legions, VFW's and churches supported, sponsored or ran drum and bugle corps all over the country and Canada. (How many Canadian corps had Opti in their name?) American Legion and VFW had their own sets of rules that many corps, eventually, wanted changed. These organizations felt that what they were doing was for the good of drum corps but many directors felt the opposite. I don't know the exact numbers of corps in 1971 but lets say it was probably well over 200. We all know, or should know, the story of how DCI began. From 1972 to now DCI has been the controlling entity of drum and bugle corps in North America. The year 1976 saw the most corps participate in a DCI Championships and from then it was down hill. Funding a drum corps has always been the big reason why corps have folded as well as bad management. As the years went on DCI controlled scheduling. Now as I say this we can also say that (years ago) DCM and DCE (East not Europe) also did scheduling. I would imagine that this was done in conjunction with DCI. Anyways, in order to have a contest in the past 20 years, a show sponsor would have to call DCI and request and have money. I am not blaming DCI about the demise of drum corps. DCI has been more helpful with Div II and Div III corps for many years. Now lets look at our youth of today. They want to grow up to fast and do many things at once. Can they do drum corps,play baseball, belong to other groups at the same time? NO they can't. Drum corps has to be IT! I quit baseball to do drum corps and anything else didn't matter. Kids today are not like what we were. Times have changed. I, as a teacher, cannot teach my students the way my teachers taught us. I give kudos to those young people who have made drum corps their only thing during the summer. I can imagine it is an extremely tough decision for these kids to make today. Look at gas prices, cost of purchasing buses, and all the other costs that are part of running a drum corps have gone up and if your corps is not financially sound then they have a big problem. I miss the old days when you go to the US Open (remember those days) and you go to Open class prelims ALL day long but times have changed and we only have the memories...enjoy them and talk about them like I do from time to time on DCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbg Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I think that there are two things that have resulted in the drop of how many corps are in existence. One, in my opinion, is that the legal side of running a corps has gotten in the way of things. I don't really think this is a bad thing. The amount of "legal paper work" that need to go through just to run the organization is a lot. This makes it more difficult for newer corps to start up and some of the other, maybe not so well off corps to exist. I think that in the past many corps where just local groups or maybe church sponsored groups. I think it is more of our society that has caused this to stop. Parents may not be as willing to send their children out with groups that may not be run with all of the insurance and other types of things that go along with a youth organization. I do know that in the past there were many corps that were not legitamately run....I would like my child travel across the country with a group like that. A second thing that might be contributing to this would be the increase of quality high school marching band, winter drumline, and winterguard programs. It is pretty easy to say that these groups have been progressing a lot in the past 15 years and many of these kids spend a lot of time with their high school groups and some get burned out and actually want to take the summer off. On the other side of that, and I know I may get slammed for this, but there are many high school programs out there that are better than some of the smaller corps. This is in no way me trying to slam smaller corps but it may be discouraging for some of those kids to join a smaller corps. Just my thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apoch003 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 I really can't argue that DBQ. I would just like to add that as many people on the field in a marching band... it just doesn't compare to the sound a drum corps can do. Which is really (as a musician) the only reason I go to the shows anymore. I just can't hear all the extra people playing in bands (saxaphones, flutes, clarinets) unless they break a reed or something. Then it's pure agony to hear. However, I totally agree with you about the skill. It's there in the bands nowadays as well as the corps. In fact, they're too similar. I really enjoyed my time in corps as it was so different from marching band (in my day, anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dccorpsfan Posted June 8, 2007 Author Share Posted June 8, 2007 Interesting question and one that has been talked about and debated on DCP and other newsgroups. Prior to DCI fire departments, American Legions, VFW's and churches supported, sponsored or ran drum and bugle corps all over the country and Canada. (How many Canadian corps had Opti in their name?) American Legion and VFW had their own sets of rules that many corps, eventually, wanted changed. These organizations felt that what they were doing was for the good of drum corps but many directors felt the opposite. I don't know the exact numbers of corps in 1971 but lets say it was probably well over 200. We all know, or should know, the story of how DCI began. From 1972 to now DCI has been the controlling entity of drum and bugle corps in North America. The year 1976 saw the most corps participate in a DCI Championships and from then it was down hill.Funding a drum corps has always been the big reason why corps have folded as well as bad management. As the years went on DCI controlled scheduling. Now as I say this we can also say that (years ago) DCM and DCE (East not Europe) also did scheduling. I would imagine that this was done in conjunction with DCI. Anyways, in order to have a contest in the past 20 years, a show sponsor would have to call DCI and request and have money. I am not blaming DCI about the demise of drum corps. DCI has been more helpful with Div II and Div III corps for many years. Now lets look at our youth of today. They want to grow up to fast and do many things at once. Can they do drum corps,play baseball, belong to other groups at the same time? NO they can't. Drum corps has to be IT! I quit baseball to do drum corps and anything else didn't matter. Kids today are not like what we were. Times have changed. I, as a teacher, cannot teach my students the way my teachers taught us. I give kudos to those young people who have made drum corps their only thing during the summer. I can imagine it is an extremely tough decision for these kids to make today. Look at gas prices, cost of purchasing buses, and all the other costs that are part of running a drum corps have gone up and if your corps is not financially sound then they have a big problem. I miss the old days when you go to the US Open (remember those days) and you go to Open class prelims ALL day long but times have changed and we only have the memories...enjoy them and talk about them like I do from time to time on DCP. Thank you for your response, Keith. The thing about drum corps is this: I would join one with out any hesistation. The only problem is that it's so expensive. I mean, it's like choosing between your first year of college or a year of drum corps. Also, the nearest junior corps is Crown in Ft. Mill, SC which is a long, long way from where I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHall Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yes it is expensive nowadays! It's worth the money though because of the educational aspect and also the socialization point of view. I learned some in my junior days but now the level of instruction is much more advanced. You can go to ANY corps and get a great education and that includes the All-Age corps. That's one thing that Junior corps members don't know...You get the same education at the DCA level. After all the years I still cherish my friendships of all my former peers from 1970 to the present. Thank you for your response, Keith.The thing about drum corps is this: I would join one with out any hesistation. The only problem is that it's so expensive. I mean, it's like choosing between your first year of college or a year of drum corps. Also, the nearest junior corps is Crown in Ft. Mill, SC which is a long, long way from where I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 [quote name='dbg' date='Jun 7 2007, 07:40 AM' post='1866438' A second thing that might be contributing to this would be the increase of quality high school marching band, winter drumline, and winterguard programs. It is pretty easy to say that these groups have been progressing a lot in the past 15 years and many of these kids spend a lot of time with their high school groups and some get burned out and actually want to take the summer off. So in a sense, we're the victims of our own success.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dccorpsfan Posted June 8, 2007 Author Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yes it is expensive nowadays! It's worth the money though because of the educational aspect and also the socialization point of view. I learned some in my junior days but now the level of instruction is much more advanced. You can go to ANY corps and get a great education and that includes the All-Age corps. That's one thing that Junior corps members don't know...You get the same education at the DCA level. After all the years I still cherish my friendships of all my former peers from 1970 to the present. I am thinking about joining a DCA corps, actually. Gold is the nearest corps, but I really want to join the Kilties or the Cabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 You see, it's funny because he's trying to mock me. Except an NFL team hasn't become defunct since 1952. I think the Detroit Lions stopped functioning many years ago. :P Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dccorpsfan Posted June 8, 2007 Author Share Posted June 8, 2007 I think the Detroit Lions stopped functioning many years ago. :P Fran So did the Arizona Cardinals and my beloved Washington Redskins. Oh, I made myself sad :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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