I just got my copy of the restoration of Jim Jones Video tapes with sound from 1972 DCI. The first DCI Championship in Whitewater. It seems that the people from Troopers found a few boxes of 1/2 video tape that was taken by Trooper Corps Director and Instructor Jim Jones. Steve Vickers found out about the tapes and contacted the people who had them and worked a deal with them, DCI, and the copyright people so he has been able to put out a two DVD set from the championships. The tapes had been in storage and a guy in California spent several months restoring them. They are in black and white, but the sound is surprisingly good for video tapes from that era and from machines that no longer exist. They are available from Steve Vickers by calling the Drum Corp World order phone, which is available on their web site.

I have to say that even though the tapes are a bit fuzzy at times, it was GREAT to see Anaheim, Blue Star, Santa Clara, 27th Lancers, Kilts, Argonne and all of the corps that they could restore from the tapes. It just made me remember how much I miss how drum corps used to be. It was well worth the expense to buy the DVDs and I watched them all day long and into the night.

GOD, I MISS DRUM CORPS A IT USED TO BE!!!!!!!!

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

This is not put out by DCI. The money for the project was fronted by Steve Vickers and only he is selling the DVDs through Drum Corps World. Not all of the top 12 are on the DVDs as they are still searching for the final 2 tapes (2 corps a tape).

However, the DVDs are well worth the investment for their historical value. They spent months restoring these tapes and are the only known tapes of that show. They are available through Drum Corps World. You can find info on their web site.
I own the DVDs and am very glad I bought them. It shows you how good the horn and drum lines were back in the early 70s. The top 4 places were especially entertaining. I know that they will eventually find the other two tapes and release a third DVD to complete the set. For now, what they released is excellent and a grand reminder of the type of fantastic activity DCI took over and systematically destroyed through greed and arrogance. They seem to have chosen to forget WHY the drum and bugle corps activity was formed to begin with, and what purpose it really served. It is high time to get back to our roots and reestablish regional organizations that foster the start of new corps across the nation.

Please someone clear up this rumor. I heard through a good source that DCI has cancelled it's annual rules congress, hall of fame dinner and other gatherings because of money problems. Is this true? If so, we may be witnessing the downfall of DCI as an organization and the dawn of some new form of the activity.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Steve Vickers asked me to post this info. Sorry, it will be a very long post.

Release date – Friday, October 24, 2008
For information call Steve Vickers at 1-800-554-9630



1972 Drum Corps International
Championships released on DVD

For drum corps fans who were there and those who weren’t, Drum Corps World has produced a new set of DVDs containing eight of the August 18, 1972 performances, a show by the Troopers from 1971 and a short documentary on the restoration of this historic video.

DCW Publisher Steve Vickers became aware that Troopers Director Jim Jones had an extensive collection of videos he had filmed when he stayed at Jones’ house in 1973. The weekend occurred after he was hired by Jones and Don Whiteley, owners of Drum Corps World, as the editor. He has been inquiring about the tapes for a number of years and finally tracked them down in an unlikely place.

They were in Haverhill, MA, at the home of DCW photographer Pat Chagnon, who is webmaster the Troopers where she marched. After receiving permission from current Corps Director Fred Morris and Executive Director Mike Ottoes, Vickers arranged for the collection to be shipped to video and film restorer Scott Gordon in California. Gordon has been recommended for this task by Frank Dorritie and had previously been doing audio work for DCI’s Webcasts and APDs. He also restores historic video, film and audio.

The reel-to-reel videotapes were not in great shape after being stored for more than three decades. Gordon was able to locate a like-new EIAJ tape deck and began the process of transferring the material to digital files. He has included a nine-minute documentary on how the task of preserving the priceless shows captured so long ago was accomplished.

The first DVD includes eight of the 12 finalists from the first DCI Championship, held at Wisconsin State University in Whitewater, WI, on that incredible night in 1972. The two-disc set includes: Anaheim Kingsmen (DCI Champion), First Federal Blue Stars (2nd), Santa Clara Vanguard (3rd), 27th Lancers (4th), Argonne Rebels (5th), Kilties (8th), St. Andrew’s Bridgemen (11th) and the Bleu Raeders (12th).

Through a special arrangement with the Troopers to make this material available to drum corps fans, Vickers agreed to include a performance of the Casper corps on each of the releases and, since four of the performances are missing (Troopers, Cavaliers, Des Plaines Vanguard and Muchachos), a performance of the Troopers has been included from the 1971 World Open, also restored from the same video collection.

Proceeds from this series will benefit the Troopers and DCI. All of the copyright clearance and video synchronization rights have been secured with the help of CopyCat Music Licensing LLC, the same service that works with DCI to acquire permission for corps appearing in their events each summer.

The quality of these black and white shows is excellent, as is the audio soundtrack. Gordon spent several hundred hours restoring the look and sound of the performances through the judicious use of a variety of vintage and modern hardware, as well as specialized computer software, as described in the documentary.

To place an order for the 1972 DCI Championships DVD set, visit the Drum Corps World Web site at www.drumcorpsworld.com (click on “Historic DVDs” among the store icons in the middle of the front page), download a PDF of the accompanying order blank or call Steve Vickers anytime between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM Central time, seven days a week, at 1-800-554-9630.

The DCW Web site address for the order form is . . .

http://www.drumcorpsworld.com/ocstore/site/department.cfm?id=0D93E68A-1284-4446-AD9DDAF069989709

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Fellow Alumni,

I know that this might not be the DVD set that many Imperial alums would find particularly appealing, with the exception of those that were connected to a particular corps from that show or for looking at it from it's historical significance.

However, I ask that if any of you have connections with other alumni websites, could you please pass the information regarding these DVDs to them. Steve Vickers has many sets of video tapes from our eras and wants to make them available in the near future. This all takes a lot of front money and he is funding the restoration of films from the 50s, 60s and 70s with the proceeds from the sales of this set of DVDs. He also has 1971 VFW nationals for sale on his website for considerably less than the 72 DCI DVDs. All this money is reinvested in future DVD releases through Drum Corps World from many different shows from other eras. As he discovers what is in Jim Jones and the libraries of other people who filmed the shows back then, he plans to restore and make those films available to people who marched during those years.

Please pass it along. The best way to reach people from our time that would be interested is by word of mouth, email and contact with other alumni sites. It is a great way to preserve the history of drum corps that we have been talking about for so long on this website.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Bob,

For those of us who were in the show and finally found a video of the corps when we marched in, the DVDs are well worth the money. I have been looking for a video of Kilts when I marched in them for over 35 years, I finally have one. I cried when I saw it the first time and could see myself on the field. 36 years ago, 60 pounds lighter, and with all my hair. LOL It was like reliving that era. I Must have watched it 10 times already.

There may not be a complete lineup, but the corps represented in the DVDs were putting on classic performances. There is Anaheim which put on the best show in their history. Santa Clara Vanguard with their tremendous drum line and show that opened with Fanfare and Allegro. 27th Lancers and Blue Stars at their very best, they were never better! Argonne Rebels performing probably the most difficult horn book of that era with the incredibly moving full version of Jesus Christ Superstar. Kilts doing their Emerson, Lake & Palmer Pictures At An Exhibition show. St. Andrews Bridgemen and their sensational triple tonguing soprano section that we haven't seen the likes of since. 1971 Troopers at World Open, when Troopers were still a major force in drum corps.

All the drum lines were unique and not mired down by overloaded pits to drown out the purity of rudimental drumming at it's best. The drills were different and the marching styles were totally unique and different than today's version of drum corps. The thing is, this is drum corps history and the very first DCI championship. It was before DCI had a chance to screw up the activity. Drum corps at it's traditional best. The quality great for how old the tapes are and is well worth the expense if it falls within your budget. I have the set and would highly recommend it to anyone who marched during that era or past eras.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager