From: allen@Aardvark.Rain.Com (Allen Warren)
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
Subject: Re: A proposal (Re: flame)
Date: 10 Apr 92 00:15:50 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Steve's UNIX System, Portland, OR

Krista Lyn Haggert writes:

>There is a tremendous difference between drumcorps and marching
>bands.  I was in the Illiana Lancers the fall winter and spring
>before they folded.  (What a strong drumcorps.  If anyone has heard
>of the Lancers I'd love to hear it.)  Anyway, I marched GUARDSMEN
> '86 and '87.  I was in marching band those same years.  Unless you
>marched in both you DO NOT know the difference.  Most marching
>bands lack the discipline that drumcorps have.  The drills, the
>music, even the style of marching is different.  The dedication, the
>sweat, the work.  Don't get me wrong, I know that there are some
>marching bands out there that work hard too, but not as hard, in my
>opinion, as drumcorps.  I would do anything to be able to march in
>A Class drumcorps again.

Okay, I know I'll get flamed on this, being in a group called
alt.drumcorps, but I think that attacking one style over another is
petty.  I don't want to start another rathole of corps vs. marching/
military bands, but the statements you make Krista are blatantly
wrong.  So I didn't march in a drum corps.  Then why was I hounded
every summer while in college at Ohio State to march in a couple of
different A Class corps groups?  Krista, why can't you simply enjoy
that EACH style has its own merit and is enjoyable to watch?  I
NEVER marched corps, but still enjoyed the pageantry and splendor.
I'd NEVER put down a fellow musician.  And like I said a couple of
sentences ago, if corps and marching band are so different, then WHY
was I hounded to be a percussionist (EGAD! a drummer who reads
musics!!)/snare drummer in a couple of corps groups??!!

As far as working hard, I auditioned for Ohio State's Marching Band
for the three days of auditioning where usually 350+ people try out
for only 225 slots, of which only 192 march and the rest are 
alternates.  In those three days, I lost over 5 pounds in the humid
days of August while gaining numerous blisters and bruises from 
"snapping" my turns with my snare.  Every day started at 8:00 and
ended at 8:00.  Then, after making the band, we STILL had two weeks
of drill prior to the first game.  Every weeknight we would practice
2+ hours or until it became dark, whichever came last.  I personally
remember one practice that was 4 hours!  We had the football stadium
lights turned on just so we could go so late.

Did I also mention that we memorized the music for each new show?

If we had back-to-back home games, which was common in the beginning
of the football season, we learned two new shows from scratch.

And you know the Script Ohio that the OSU band performs?  Have you
ever noticed how people must cross through each other going from the
middle of the Big O to the script of the h?  I'll never forget my
buddy Tom who played slide trombone and how he lost 3 teeth to a
sousa player who brought their horn up to fast after the crossover.
Tom kept marching and when we stopped, blood was dripping down his
horn.  He fainted after coming off the field and had to be carried
away on a stretcher.  Not a joke!

There are numerous stories I could tell, but the bottom line is,
whereas corps and marching bands are definitely different, one is no
better than the other.  Both can be a joy to watch AND listen to.

BA