Drum & Bugle Corps 50 year History

[@yesorlando05]

I really miss these days, especially 1980's/90's. That was DCI's Golden era in my opinion in terms of entertainment value, quality of shows, commitment to the kids/fans/community, and respecting the balance of tradition and inovation. Because of the lack of most of these aspects, I haven't attended a DCI since 2005. Thanks for posting this. I truly enjoyed it.

[@leonply]

Before DCI, which now costs thousands and thousands of dollars each year for ONE corps member to participate, and a show which costs more than one million dollars to produce, it was a different time. Before the inception of DCI, there was practically a Drum and Bugle Corps for almost every city and town across America, where every single young person could join a corps, learn about playing music, being in a color guard, what military precision, marching and maneuvering was all about, and real, honest-to-God pride in a job well done after hours of practice. Now, there are less than 75 corps in the nation.

[@Kieran.percussion]

I do miss that in principle

[@thomasottey854]

I was in the Invaders from Norristown Pa. We were from the VFW post 1804 and Learned a lot from that wonderful experience. Was a member from 1954 until it was disbanded in about 1962 Too man aged out at 18. Went to Nationals In Miami in 1957 and also Nationals in New York city in 1959. I sure miss all of the people who worked so hard for us.

[@jackiesavignanofollett8823]

Drum corp took kids off the streets, taught them to play an instrument and gave them family they probably needed. Love my years in drum corps.

[@chrismaertzweiler4369]

Sorry to say that I cannot watch Drum Corp today soil my memories of my youth.

[@MatthewDenaro]

DCI bills itself as "America's Marching Music". Sadly, there is very little marching and almost no music. SMH.

[@yesorlando05]

@@MatthewDenaro 100% agree. The field is filled with so many props and crap that it totally clutters the field of vision for the fans and the drills can't flow properly. The drumlines are no longer precision oriented. The crab walks, head bobbing, and unnecessary movements look sloppy. The sounds of the drums are not clean. Music is no longer entertaining, seeking to add as many notes as possible to appease judges at the expense of entertaining fans. The electronics/singing/recitations is the icing on the cake of totally cheapening our once-elite activity. Please don't take me wrong. The kids today are enormously talented, just as we were back in the day (I was in Spirit of Atlanta 79-84, my wife 27th Lancers 78-83). They do an incredible job with what they're given. But all of the things mentioned above in addition to corps spending money like sailors to where fees are out of reach to so many/fewer corps in the country and placating to judges at the expense of the fans has led me to not attend a DCI show since 2005.

[@knarf714sc4]

For real a show cost an arm and a leg and you still have to finance it

[@k_zildjian4460]

"Change is inevitable, but growth is optional" - John C. Maxwell I'm not so stuck in the past that I am against change. I can live with DCI evolving, in fact I would expect it to. But not all change is "good". Drum corps, once an activity for the masses, has morphed into an outdoor version of WGI that actively excludes kids who can't afford the ridiculous costs. The end result is an ever-shrinking group of well-off (albeit every talented) kids that get to participate. I marched drum corps in the 80's and it changed my life forever. If DCI had been then like it is today, I would not have been able to afford it. DCI will never be like it used to be (not necessarily a bad thing) but if it does not make serious efforts to widen its tent so that ALL have the opportunity to participate it will continue to contract and eventually die.

[@Mark-sj3xb]

Drum Corps originally was a local civic activity. Most participants were not even trained musicians. You would sign up and they would give you a bugle and teach you to play it.

[@americanspirit8932]

I have stated hundreds of times, DCI has turned the activity into a marching band competition, superimposed on a three-ring circus. Thank you the activity as far as, drum and bugle c o r p s, a r e concerned.. please call it what it really is it's a marching band. There's nothing wrong with marching bands, but it is definitely not a drum and bugle Corps.

[@thomcarr7021]

I was in drum corps "64 -'67. It was controlled in a way by the VFW. I lost interest and never saw another performance until 2016. I had no idea what I was in for. To see 200 participants, all the pageantry and the music capabilities this had grown into put me in a state of shock. I just couldn't believe it all. The last corps was the Carolina Crown. I just never saw anything like it. It was overwhelming. I didn't want their show to end.

[@first-namelast-name4198]

Today’s drum corps has devolved into a competition of who can play the most spastic collection of notes under the umbrella of some “genius” theatrics. They will play maybe two measures of something recognizable and then it mutates into something seizure-inducing. I was a huge drum corps fan in high school and would always go to shows. I went to a show last year and swore it would be my last. It’s just not as enjoyable as it used to be. I believe in the activity. But it has gone a direction that I think is unfortunate.

[@EdBecnel]

I couldn’t agree with you more! I believe it has fallen prey to the LGBTQ+ nonsense which is disgusting to witness.

[@dougbrown9574]

Well-put. There was a time when the music was paramount. Now the music is #5 or #6 in consideration. 13 minutes of technical exercises, while challenging, hold no interest for me. Yes, it takes tremendous chops to do what they do, but they have lost the "entertainment" factor.

[@policeinnovationsllc1355]

Well said. 2013 was my last show. Total connection lost. It did not “evolve” into anything.

[@ralphgeigner5497]

My brother and I played with the Kenosha, WI Kingsmen for many years, sadly myself and others got called up from the Military Reserves to, active duty. Lost 1/4 of the corps, after that the Kingsmen were gone. Tried a comeback, but didn't work out. The draft during the 60's era folded many corps. My favorite corps were the Royal Airs and Vanguard My brother and I got back together in 2006 and use to get to a number of DCI shows, sadly Bruce passed away unexpected in 2016.

[@nancyjanzen5676]

Militaires and Gladiators from Milwaukee.

[@nancyjanzen5676]

Do you remember the Hamms Indians senior corps?

[@ralphgeigner5497]

@@nancyjanzen5676 Hello, Yes I do, neat corps, when the Midwest Senior corps organization came into being we competed together a number of times, seemed in 1971 many senior corps folded. In the 60's there was a number of good Midwest senior corps, the best of times

[@ralphgeigner5497]

@@nancyjanzen5676 Brother Bruce played with the Gladiators a short time and then came to the Kingsmen, he played tenor drum

[@StuG-pr9tf]

Do you remember the Imperials of St. Patricks + the Cedarburg Thunderbolts? those 2 corps merged and became The Thing...then the next year they changed the name to the Pioneer? my 2 older brothers were members of the Pioneer. I was a member of the Thunderbolt cadets...the feeder corps. Did you all know that during the 1950's + '60's there were an average of 300+ drum + bugle corps in each State?? I wanted to start another (exhibition) corps in Cedarburg, but the response from the community was very paltry. I was going to name the corps The Gladiators because we were going to do things the 1970's sort of way and rebel against the DCI nonsense...anyone could join. If you can march + play an instrument you could join

[@karylyon1132]

Why weren't the kilts involved in the founding of DCI?

[@garrettcarter6076]

The issue at hand is not talent, or hard work of the touring corps of today vs yesterday. It how success is measured on the field. There was a time when the competition season was chasing perfection, not only in music, but in execution, and appearance. How close could we get? Then, it became about innovation, the perfection scoring system limited innovation, by forcing corps to play it safe and not be penalized for attempting something new or different. This lead to the late 80’s- about 2000 scoring system. Then it simply became about progress and what could give a corp a competitive edge through taking advantage of multiples harmonics, and electronics (thanks Hopkins). Star decided that they had accomplished all they needed to on the competitive field and thus established the “brass theater” which then morphed into “Blast”. Corps directors and staff everywhere, saw what was possible with the world that Star created, and wanted to take advantage of it on the field, thus they also turned to WGI to make a new style that we see used and mimicked today by all of the top corps. None of this is necessarily bad, but, there is a bad aspect to it, raising cost in always having to push the envelope to stay relevant year after year with electronics, audio engineers, transportation, all the different brass needed, props, stages, etc. As one corps gaines success the other quickly follow suit. Ditching traditional Uniform icons of identity and their unique sounds that made each corps distinguishable from each other, to having to rely on the announcer to tell us who is who. Eventually, those that cannot pay the piper to keep up, fall by the wayside and are left behind to fold into oblivion. Thus shrinking access to the activity even greater. The progress seen in the late 60’s, into the 70,s from the creation of DCI and the piston rotor bugle, to the two valves of the 80’s to the pinnacle of three valve horns of the 90’s , going from military step two drill to curvilinear forms created and pioneered by Zingali, opened a new era, the arrangements from Jim ott, and Wayne Downey, and Jim Wren, opened up the possibility of what could be done with a matched set of G bugles, and the caviliers perfect the art of precision marching, scouts brought raw power, phantom gave us romance, and the devils gave us modern jazz just to name a few. But none of this changed the soul of the activity. But what this has become, progress just for the sake of progress has created a monster that has consumed itself, no longer recognizable to those that came before it, and I hope those that so boldly lead the charge into this new world enjoy it immensely, until the cost of that progress leaves us a world without any of the great Corps.

[@garrettcarter6076]

What it has become is an unsustainable model, in costs alone, the tour season has been shrunk, the size of the corps increased, making the financial impact to the members and their respective communities detrimental.

[@robertpdoyle3124]

And there are fewer and fewer corps. DCA is gone, and DCI has less corps in all categories combined than in any single category 15 years ago.

[@tperk]

A top to bottom reorganization is probably necessary at this point. Ultimately there will probably be just 7 top tier drum corps, with another 20 looking to break into that top tier. The "G7" will be the only ones undertaking a national tour and the others will compete regionally. The name "drum corps" will be dropped in favor of whatever can be made marketable from the phrase "live field arts & entertainment ensemble."

[@GDS1981]

​@garrettcarter6076 Fewer shows now, less exposure, which will lead to fewer corps until there are only 8 or so traveling together. No shows now in states like Florida and Kentucky.

[@garrettcarter6076]

@@GDS1981 you are correct. The season used to start in early June, but now waits til the last few days of June or even July

[@CorneliusB-z7i]

Drum corp today does not look like my experiences. I was fortunate to be a part of Blessed Sacrament. Great people and great times.

[@garys.674]

From Newark NJ.

[@ThatIsJustCrazyTalk]

Drum corps only had a 28 year history under DCI. Since 2000, I have no idea what it actually is, but it’s for damned sure it is NOT drum corps.

[@robertpdoyle3124]

It is top notch entertainment, with a skill level that is off the charts, but I agree we can’t really call it drum corps.

[@GDS1981]

​@robertpdoyle3124 No doubt talent is different, but mostly in the drumline including pit. But the activity resembles more of BOA than drumcorps today.

[@ClergetMusic]

There are some shows I've seen where the brass hardly play at all. There's a lot of battery and front ensemble now.

[@marial8235]

@@robertpdoyle3124 I find DCI since 2000 pretentious, sloppy, and unwatchable or listenable. It’s a real clown show three rig circus these days.

[@robertpdoyle3124]

@@marial8235 I like a few from the 2000s, all before 2014. I can name the Cavies Bond show, Madison's Lone Survivor show in 2013 and Cadets Angels and Demons. Pretty much nothing since. At shows, I don't buy tickets, I just watch the horn and percussion warmups, which are unbelievable!

[@robparry-n7w]

Drum corps golden age was the 1980's. Today , nothing like Santa Clara '74 , Madison '75 , Bridgmen '79 , Blue Devils '80 , Garfield '83.... nothing like it today. Gail Royer , Jerry Seawright ,and other directors always made it an activity about the kids and helping them get involved. Now it seems to be entertainment and business instead of a youth activity. So sad.

[@danielmacdonald4805]

I remember when my brother Kevin and I where listening to sweet George brown by Sprit of Atlant and my dad said Lieutenant Norman Prince played it better that was back in 1956 me and my brother just laughed

[@Drums-yz4ss]

Of course now, without an announcer, you would not know the Cavaliers from any other corps.

[@rifle2563]

They wear aussies, it's pretty obvious.

[@RCPercussion]

​@rifle2563 I can't think of a single time that the cavaliers have not worn aussie slouch hats at least once in ALL of their shows.

[@davidwarner3326]

Hey, there I am at 6:48.

[@garys.674]

I remember when the Boston Crusaders marched with the first double base and a golk. It was something. They made them get rid of the golk.

[@americanspirit8932]

I was fortunate to compete against the Garfield Cadets the golden knights, and many other great drum and bugle Corps. I was a member of the Floyd Bennett golden eagles 1960 and 1961, also a member of the Long Island sunrises 1964 through 1968. John Dowling, and I started the American Spirit senior alumni drum and bugle Corps in 1992 in Tampa Bay Florida area. John darling is a person who developed, backsticking, still use today in all these marching bands. It was the only person in Drum Corps history that won four national championships in a single day. Individual snare, drum quartet, soprano, bugle, brass quartet. No other, person in the history of the activity has ever accomplished that. He was also a drum judge for many years and in instructor for many years. He arranged the Fanfare for the reading Buccaneers in their first public appearance. Roosevelt Stadium, preview what champions. May he rest in peace.

[@nostalgia6578]

I'm gonna go on a limb here: I marched drum corps in three eras - 1960s, 1990s, and 2000s. Creativity and crowd appeal had to progress and evolve, but to an extent where the roots of drum corps would never be erased. DCI has allowed some things that I have a problem with, and they are guitars, some brass instruments that belong in concert band or orchestra, and string instruments. Now a "corps style" BOA field band can get away with it, but a drum corps should be closer to its roots and have bell front brass (no sousaphones) and percussion, marching and the "pit". Not taking anything away from the teenagers and college students who perform in such marching arts, but I think that drum corps should stay closer to its roots. VFW and American Legion was still stuck in the psuedo-military 1940s and 1950s, and as a senior citizen now, even I don't want that, sorry!

[@samuelt8602]

Awesome. When was this made? 2000ish?

[@larrymccormickvideos]

It was produced in 1998 Celebrating the 50 year history of the Cavaliers Drum Corps by Sharper Video Productions and is only 2 parts of the 4 hour series.

[@thomashelm6931]

Marching from 63-68, with two different Corps, the Cavaliers were my heroes. Being in the Northwest, we didn't really travel a lot. My 2nd Corps, the Shamrocks, were a replica of the Cavies, down to the drum parts written by Larry McCormick. As a snare drummer, the most challenging that I had come across. Loved the videos of them. If I wasn't 16-17 at the oldest, I would have loved to audition, in any position, just to march with them. But many of us had to join the Military to avoid the draft, then. So aging out was a little difficult, then.

[@culversofgallatin3933]

There’s one caption head trophy at DCI that they just refuse to create, but the high caption award for “who destroyed DRUM CORPS” should be shared equally by George Hopkins, Wayne Downey, and the idiotic Boards of Directors who led many a fine corps straight into bankruptcy. It has never been easier to win the DCI trophy or to make finals and this very moment, and what do we have - crappy skits; faux artistry.

[@rifle2563]

The previous generations, your peers, created this situation. Hopefully the new generations can bring it around.

[@marial8235]

@@rifle2563 not likely. Headed in the wrong direction.

[@marial8235]

DCI today is marching band. They march in parades in band formation, band culture, band instruments, band costumes, band directors. Sad how our once great activity was hijacked and destroyed.😢

[@RCPercussion]

What's wrong with marching in parades in band formatuon, band culture, band instruments, and band directors? It only makes drum corps more popular, open to the public, and accessible to teens who want to march drum corps but want to stick with their instrument and take their skills to the next level! (Except for woodwinds)

[@marial8235]

@ Drum Corps is not band. It is a distinct activity with its own traditions. Band is band. Drum corps is drum corps. DCI needs to relearn that concept.

[@Llyrin]

Now wait a minute. DCI was ALWAYS better than DCA, because the juniors were able to practice more than the seniors. We had jobs and once-a-week practice. Shaun: Baltimore Yankee-Rebels, 75-76 (Truman was our horn instructor, but he was only a warrant officer back then).

[@Spacerockrider72755ibmb]

Back to old school😮 heck old school was like the 1st day of school,Who knew what to expect🤔 drum corp has become some of the greatest shows on earth🙂

[@CorneliusB-z7i]

Drum corp today does not look like my experiences. I was fortunate to be a part of Blessed Sacrament. Great people and great times. Bobby Thompson

[@mikeconklin1567]

I’m Mike Conklin. Marched with BSGK from 1970-1972, 2nd Barotone. John Demko was the real deal. Those were the Good Ole days.

[@patrickpaluga3724]

Lt. Col Truman Crawford was a truly great man and a pioneer in drum corps. He believed in tradition and his passing is a huge loss. Unfortunately we suffered a second loss with the establishment of DCI. It's no Drum and Bugle Corps, but what I refer to as twinky bands.

[@jackiesavignanofollett8823]

What kid can afford drum corps today

[@donnyslader9025]

Why does Drum Corp think they are...Singers? Broadway dancers? Electronic specialists? Dress-up actors not specializing in uniforms? All artforms grow and develop, but when do artforms completely change what they set out to do?

[@BayleeO-30]

What do you feel that they set out to do?

[@Ryan-dz7mg]

I’m fairly confident DCI was founded to provide an educational experience for the members and an entertaining experience for the crowds They still do that

[@donnyslader9025]

@@Ryan-dz7mg What artform steals from just about every other artform and calls it their own...singing (which is always poor)...electronics/amplification (which means less breathe support/technique required)...dance...sets...costumes not uniforms...etc. etc. etc...I know...DCI...the actual playing of music is secondary...one that isn't strong enough to sustain itself on drum and bugle principles alone. No wonder the artform is dying and is pricing itself out as an elite sport. If you call the amount of sexual abuse found in drum corps "educational" please give your head a shake. And as for the "entertaining" of crowds...they get smaller and smaller every single year. DCI should be honest with itself...the winners are US Champions...not World Champions...but the USA is so full of itself it makes sense. After all since 1776 Americans have perfected spin-doctoring and fake news.

[@desertcoliseum]

I'm pretty sure DCI corps have been singing the entire time. You sound like a boring old man who watched 60's drum corps.

[@americanspirit8932]

Back when we had Real Drum and bugle Corps, more of people attended competitions than Major League Baseball. Then DC I came along and little by little they destroyed the activity they turned it into a marching band competition. There's nothing wrong with marching bands but it's definitely not a real drum and bugle Corps. They price themselves out of business not obtainable by the average local neighborhood kid any longer. That's why very few people attend these band competitions. There were approximately 7,000 drum and bugle Corps in North America at one time. Today you have less than 20 of these marching bands. The handwriting is on the wall read it

[@johncarfello7618]

1961 Hawthorne caballeros 😊best ever

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

Lol

[@AzrealMaximus]

​@@Mrtellitlikeitis Bum deal for the muchachos

[@EdBecnel]

The musicianship is top notch but I DESPISE the frooty tooty costumes and gay looking antics. I miss the old corps… military precision and style.

[@rcomo520]

Gay looking? Really??

[@RCPercussion]

It's still about military precision and style. It's just that the instrumentation, looks, and overall sound have changed. They still strive for perfection

[@marial8235]

@@RCPercussion It is a hot mess now. Dancing and prancing and emoting. Drum lines mincing around. I thought I’d never see the day…

[@JeremiahChampion-fs6vh]

No one is forcing you to watch now days. It the face that yall wanna trash another groups performance is distasteful considering most of these kids today do continue to look up to yall. Sad

[@StuG-pr9tf]

Have you been a marching member of any drum + bugle corps before?? I marched in the mid - late 1970's and recently tried to start a drum corps in my hometown. No one was interested. I wanted it to be an exhibition corps. anyone that can march and play an instrument or twirl a rifle or a flag would be able to join. we would do things the way it was done back in the day. Until you sit in the stands and watch a 1970's style drum and bugle corps show, you will not understand how drastically things have changed. Drum Corps was the #1 youth activity in the country between 1945 and 1980 or so. Now the #1 youth activity is swiping left or right on their cell phone or maybe doing drugs.