We have had a lot of recent posts about DCI, community drum corps, local marching bands, etc.

Maybe there is a place for all of these, but it is clear that there is now a DIFFERENT relationship.

The TOP level ("World Class" - what a self serving title!) DCI corps no longer fill any community based needs. They exist for themselves.

There are some "open class" (or Division II and III) corps which might fall into a community corps class.
Maybe.

But, it seems that most "community" needs are being served ONLY by the local high school bands.

As many have mentioned on the Forum, our participation in drum corps (community based) allowed "kids off the street" to learn. to participate and to grow.

Maybe this is no longer a mission of drum corps?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Dave,

I think you are right that the drum corps activity, as it pertains to DCI in these references, no longer follows the traditions that were set down by the founding fathers of the activity so long ago. You are right, they serve themselves, not the average youth of America and many times still at the expense of the lesser competitors in the activity.

Back in our eras (50s, 60s, 70s), there were literally thousands of drum corps throughout the United States and Canada. The activity was flourishing with the local contests, regional circuits, VFW and American Legion. When one of the "power house" corps were in need of members to fill out their ranks, they could take a member here and there from lesser corps and not really damage those corps by targeting them as there were rules that protected all corps and governed when a kid could switch corps and a time limit on movement without obtaining a written release from the corps they were leaving. This was a more natural and limited way of switching corps when a kid wanted to experience the big time. A way for a kid to move up, yet protect the unit he/she was leaving so that they could maintain enough members to be competitive. Then along the way during the mid 70s, DCI's inception as well as the gas shortage, many of the smaller corps folded because of an attempt to grow, keep up with the size requirements to get a score, newer instrument trends, as well as touring right along with the larger corps. This was the start, in my opinion, of the fatal spiral downhill for the activity. No longer would corps lose maybe one or two members, but now entire chunks of horn lines, color guards and drum lines were swallowed up by DCI corps, leaving the smaller corps with less bodies to function with and making it difficult and some times impossible to compete and remain viable as an organization. I really believe this is what happened to Imperials in 80 and 81. We were sitting with over 35 horns in the winter, got raided by the two local DCI corps, and ended up hitting the field with 18-20 brass. They did well, but we were on our way to making a major leap before the raiding went on. Then it was downhill from there.

Now I feel that the DCI corps are feeding on themselves because they failed to see the value of keeping a feeder system healthy. That feeder system was all of the small corps. The ones that took the kids off the street and taught them how to play an instrument or spin a flag or rifle. Now kids move up from the bottom corps of DCI to the top corps, IF they can pass the audition. These auditions are not only a way for them to gain membership, but an organized fund raiser for some. (One will remember the local corps that had an audition, charged $50.00 person to audition and drew 200 kids, all for ONE SPOT! That is not servicing anybody but themselves. But the top groups are now making it increasingly difficult for the lesser DCI units to gain in quality because they are always raiding the top kids from those corps. It is an endless circle that ultimately leads to oblivion! ALL OF THE ABOVE is why drum corp no longer is a viable youth activity to get kids off the street and give them a worthwhile activity that teaches them skills and character. There simply are not enough units left to service that need. The only ones the take in kids off the street that I know of are Blue Devils and Santa Clara because they have B, C and beginning units. They are probably the only corps that could survive if corps had to field only members that were taught within their own system.

I know this was a LONG post, but all of the above reasons and histrionics that I spelled out are exactly the reason that drum & bugle corps is no longer relevant as a viable youth activity. DCI, if it survives during the next few years is an example of how arrogance and greed can destroy an activity that had the type of strong roots that drum corps did. The only way for drum corps to be viable again is to build from the bottom up. Start independent circuits, new corps, and begin to network with the civic leaders in communities that need activities for their youth.

To answer your question, I think DCI is on it's last legs and drum corps should start again at the grass roots level.

Sorry for the long post and the spelling or typos.

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

To be honest - and I never thought I'd say this - I just don't care anymore. I haven't been entertained by a drum corps (and, sadly more and more, a high school band) in so long that I just stopped going to shows and staying current. I guess the next step is not caring about what happens anymore. Drum corps, as always, is what the members, management, and fans want it to be at this point. That doesn't mean everyone wanted it to be this way when it happened, but now it is what it is, and it's not going back. It stopped being an activity for youths in trouble LONG ago and became an activity for professional or at least semi-professional musicians and dancers.

Be careful what you wish for...

So, thank God for CDs, albums, and videos! The Beatles aren't around anymore either. I enjoy being an Old Fart, and luckily I can continue to hear music that I like, which includes popular AND drum corps. I just have to accept that I'm never going to hear it on a football field again.

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

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

Last night my friend (a current band director and Phantom grad) brought over the tape from this past summer's Phantom show. I was offended by the brutality of it. Yes, it was emotional and well-done technically, but was it all really necessary?

It reinforced my earlier point - if this is what they want drum corps to be, then I just don't care what happens anymore. Someone compared it to the Des Plaines Vanguard acting out West Side Story in the 70s. Anyone who could compare those two never saw Des Plaines, because there is NO comparison in the level of violence portrayed. My wife was horrified, and she went through many marching seasons with me and has seen many drum corps shows - and is usually more accepting than I am.

And I completely understand Bill's point about taking his grandchildren. As a new member of that club, I certainly wouldn't take Samantha to see something like that as a child.

Now I'm even less interested than before. If this is drum corps, they can have it - I'll keep my memories.

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,
I have to agree with your point, and probably the reason I haven't been to a major show in a bunch of years. I can't see spending the money on being bored or offended. The sad thing is that bands are starting to emulate that crap in their shows too. If you reach into the bottom of the barrel to find stuff that is new, well as Ray Baumgardt told me one time, there is a reason that stuff is at the bottom of the barrel to begin with.

Must be just like hollywood. They have everyone so desensitized with violence and 'action' that they have to go way over the top to get any kind of response at all. Makes one wonder what is next, which is why so few of us really gives a **** about 'modern' drum corps. I would rather save the money that I would spend on a ticket, parking, gas etc. and spend it on a couple DVDs of shows from the past.

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

I watched a couple more shows last night on the tape - Blue Devils and Cavaliers. Cavaliers were ok. They're still visually miles ahead of everyone else, and the last couple minutes of their show were great (especially the slow-motion, "Matrix" move). But the rest was just ok. The horns seemed weak compared to the others, and I was surprised that with a Samurai show, none of the music sounded Oriental to me.

Blue Devils, on the other hand, were very entertaining to me! They had a loud horn line (I can't imagine how it was live), a very inventive drum line (loved the rotating bass drums), and actually played a MELODY (Sinatra's "I Will Wait For You"). I can't even remember the last time I heard a FULL melody in a drum corps. Yes, it was modern, but it was also recognizable and not so esoteric. But they dropped to second place, so they won't do THAT again...

And the pits have really taken over drum corps. Half the time I could barely hear the horn line over the constant scale patterns in the pit. I think you just have to play 3 or 5-note scales very fast to be in ANYONE'S pit these days.

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 suspect that, after seeing all of these posts, many of our alums are just getting ready to "let go" of drum corps.

I know that I do not like the new approach to programming (especially the unrecognizable music and the horrible percussion pits.)

DCI has NEVER met it's stated goal of "helping the local corps". Rather, they have been totally focused on helping the TOP corps.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Dave,

A slight course correction if you don't mind. It's my opinion that you are half right with your last post. It does sound like many are giving up, but not giving up on drum corps as an activity, just giving up on DCI. DCI is the source of all consternation here, not the activity. The activity has gone where it was led by the self-serving individuals who happen to be in charge at DCI or soon to be DCE..Drum Corps Extinction.

I do hang on to my memories and my hopes that once DCI fails, which it will, that good people in the activity will reorganize regionally under different banners and redefine where the activity as a whole will go. I really feel in my heart that the people who are left with the cause of rebuilding the activity will understand why DCI is/was destined to fail. My belief is that there are still people out of the "golden age" who are still young enough to get involved and help guide the activity back to it's roots. It will never be the same as it was, and maybe shouldn't be, but it will be more open to being a for real youth activity in a more current form. I know people will disagree with me, but I still think it is possible to rebuild on a regional basis and someday corps will be reformed on the state level. Not like it was and far fewer corps, but the grassroots movement will have a resurgence. Hopefully they will learn from past mistakes and not let one major organization control the entire activity.

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