Yes, it is now time to accept the fact that drum corps (at least, DCI) is totally in a "new era".

A lot of us had HOPED that the trends that we have seen were temporary. That "real" drum corps would return. That things like amplification, vocal support, amoeba drills, etc. would "go away".

That "community drum corps" could return.

Sorry. WON'T HAPPEN!

The "new breed" of people are in charge now. We had our turn, now they have theirs. They are "remaking" drum corps into something different. (More like bands, I think).

So... we need to admit it and accept it. That is what they want.

OUR focus will have to be on alumni corps and starting new local community corps which (might) focus on the values we loved.

Comments anyone?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963

Dave,

As I told you in an email, I agree completely. And the only problem with that is, unlike popular music, there is nowhere to see and hear "OLDIES" drum corps! Even the senior corps are moving toward that type of show, as they usually tend to follow the junior corps eventually because their membership comes from there. That's why I'm excited about the Cavaliers alumni corps and the chance to do drum corps the "right way" just one more time.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

I'm looking forward to the new times.

I can't wait to see how the DCI bands write arrangements for woodwinds. Will they follow University of Michigan and write sax and clarinet parts the same as trombones and trumpets (so one doesn't really hear them)? Or will they feature the woodwinds?

After introducing woodwinds will they go one step forward and add strings? The musicians sit in the pit and the dancers do Swan Lake or some other ballet.

Will bands that only feature percusion and brass get lower scores?

Will they introduce animals into the show? Will the Troopers be allowed to do their show on horseback? Will the Cavaliers reprise their circus show with elephants, zerbas, lions and tigers?

Will they further increase the size of the corps to 400?

New Times! Really looking forward to spending $50 to see the show.

Gee! This is starting to sound even worse than I thought!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963

Have to agree with you Dave it does sound worse

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

A new era of Drum Corps is here whether we like it
or not,just like you said Dave we just have to
accept it,but we don't have to agree with.
If some want to go the contests that's fine that's
there choice,my choice is not to.It would take a lot
for me to attend another one and I mean a lot.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Accept it, but doesn't mean I have to like it or embrace it.

If it ain't broke, then don't fix it. Drum Corps wasn't broke. But they tried to fix it anyway.

To me it is no longer drum corps. Whatever it is, it is an art form and they are good at it, but it is not drum corps.

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tenor

What years were you a Corps member? 1980-1983

And when you were in drum corps, there were people from past generations who didn't like what you were doing to drum corps as well. It's not easy getting outdated.

I'm PROUD to be an Old Fart! But even when I marched, I said I was born 10 years too late. I would have MUCH rather marched from 1960-70 instead of 1970-80.

The point is, it doesn't matter. Most everyone thinks when THEY marched is the definition of drum corps, and they're right - for them. I don't like modern drum corps either. It's musically far superior to any other time, and visually more difficult, though whether that equates to better is debateable. Let today's kids do their thing, as we did ours. I just wish they'd change the name of the activity to more accurately reflect what it has become.

That's why God invented VHS and DVD!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

Bob and Ralph both expressed valid points: to former members, drum corps "is" what THEY where a part of!

But, they also hinted at an underlying question: At which point does the activity STOP being "drum corps" and just another "marching band" activity?

What makes "drum corps" different?

- Is it music? Probably not.
- Is it precision? Not likely, competitive msrching
bands do everything the corps do in marching,
music and drumming.
- Instrumentation? Maybe. So far, drum, corps don't
have woodwinds!
- What about the "auxiliary" units with their dancing
and makeup? Is THIS a point of contention?
- How about STYLE? "Tradiional" drum corps marched
in a more MILITARY fashion, and did not use
dancing, running, backwards or sideways
movement.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963

Unfortunately, the line is getting dangerously thin between the two. Not that I enjoyed the animosity that once existed between the two, but it's tough to tell the difference now. And I think that's by design of DCI. As I've said before, Hopkins (Cadets) is on record saying there should be NO difference, and that corps should add woodwinds (which I believe will happen, because Hopkins ALWAYS gets what he wants eventually). Should drum corps simply be summer marching band?

Maybe it's all part of the politically correct, "one world" philosophy. In other words, it's all Clinton's fault!!!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79