This DCUK Thing
It has come to my attention that my post regarding the DCUK show I attended in Aldershot nearly a month ago has, unbeknownst to me, created quite a stir in the DCUK community. Why my blog entry has been singled out of the thousands and thousands of other comments about drum corps that get spewed out onto the landscape of the Internet every day is, frankly, baffling, especially since I have no connection to DCUK (or even much of one to DCI anymore, apart from being a drum corps fan) or interest in the success or failure of any corps connected with it. It is truly unfortunate that individuals unknown to me have chosen to take the remarks I made on my blog -- remarks intended for family and friends back home -- and irresponsibly distributed them on Tim Robson's public DCUK forum with which (again) I have no connection. I did not go to Tim's website to share my views on the show in question, nor have I even shared my blog with other online drum corps-related communities such as Drum Corps Planet, the Sound Machine, or RAMD. If I had, I could understand the outrage, but that is not the case. I am truly sorry that there are those who have taken offense at my comments, and it should be stated that nothing I wrote was meant to be malicious, insulting, or even negative, but merely my honest thoughts and opinions. I have no agenda or ulterior motive. I am not an evil man, nor do I thirst for chaos in the DCUK ranks, and it is regrettable that I have been portrayed otherwise by a community of strangers who have chosen to cast me in the worst light possible. I don't necessarily blame them, as I see myself as an easy target at this point, but it is nevertheless regrettable. There is probably nothing I could say now to sway anyone's opinion in my favor, or even closer to it, and it saddens me to know that there is essentially an entire continent of drum corps fans among whom I am not welcome.
For the record, from what I saw the Black Knights are a fine organization, and director Emma Weir and her staff do a fantastic job with them. There has been the suggestion that what I wrote about Eoin was somehow insulting, but certainly it wasn't meant to be. In the short time I knew him, I found Eoin to be knowledgeable, talented, and about the nicest guy I've met in the past two months. What's really made me sick to my stomach the past two days is that these people now see me as an enemy, which I am not.
I maintain my right to say what I like on my own blog. If you find it inaccurate, offensive, or even just boring, I encourage you to not read it. If I don't know you, it's not really meant for you anyway.
For the record, from what I saw the Black Knights are a fine organization, and director Emma Weir and her staff do a fantastic job with them. There has been the suggestion that what I wrote about Eoin was somehow insulting, but certainly it wasn't meant to be. In the short time I knew him, I found Eoin to be knowledgeable, talented, and about the nicest guy I've met in the past two months. What's really made me sick to my stomach the past two days is that these people now see me as an enemy, which I am not.
I maintain my right to say what I like on my own blog. If you find it inaccurate, offensive, or even just boring, I encourage you to not read it. If I don't know you, it's not really meant for you anyway.
12 Comments:
Wow... sorry about this whole DCUK thing...! I sent you (emailed) the utterly classic image of you and Charles in Raffi's backyard, by the way. Hope you got it. Good luck with the rest of your travels; I remember you mentioned you'd be meeting up with your girlfriend after classes ended.
Hey, I am a member of a dcuk corps. I dont want to leave my name for fear of the backlash lol! But you shouldnt have to apologise for your opinions! The forum you have seen the backlash on is not a nice place for outsiders to dcuk. You said what you really thought and you have every right!
Hope it didnt ruin your time in the uk! xxxx
Fair play for stating what you saw at the Aldershot DCUK show and fair play for apoligising for the comments that did offend. Hope this won't dampen you enthusiasum for attending futher shows in the UK
Hi, wanted to take time to say thanks for the review.
Unfortunatly in the UK scene there are a lot of wonderful people that have never done anything to help the activity and just want to slag off any others and stir as much crap as possible.
Just as a point on your view the Stateside show has no theme and indeed is a set of logically random music based around music from Broadway shows.
Good luck with the rest of your time in the UK.
Thanks for this Mike. I think that alot of what you wrote was fair. I think probably the comments about squires were a little unfair but im guessing you dont know their background.
But glad to see you apologised. Thats all that was needed really and youll probably find the thread disappear down the discussion oage now.
M
thanks for writing apology. i dont think any of what you wrote was meant to offend anyone but probably did anyway. but thanks for writing the apology. it shows you do have a heart. ;)
The response is surprising--don't they allow for personal opinions in the DCUK?
Having known you for a long time, you are the least likely person I know to speak harshly of any group or their performance. These are a few people who having nothing better to do-unlike you!
Have you pottered on up to Wild Park (on the right as you go from the University into Brighton) on a Sunday? A super drum corps rehearse up there (6th Hove Scouts) but they don't compete in DCUK, they compete in BYBA (British Youth Band Association). Check them out at www.6th-hove.org.uk. I'm sure their staff and members will be more than happy to say hi and will be more than happy to receive an honest opinion from someone who knows their stuff. Which is (IMHO) what you provided in your blog. Beware the discussion forum sharks, they just need to get out more. Take care!
Wow, I guess it's viewer mail time.
"Wow... sorry about this whole DCUK thing...!"
This was all your fault, Lori.
"Hope it didnt ruin your time in the uk!"
It has a bit.
"Hope this won't dampen you enthusiasum for attending futher shows in the UK"
It has a bit.
"I think probably the comments about squires were a little unfair but im guessing you dont know their background."
I didn't before, but now that I do I have a whole other set of concerns about them -- like why their design staff didn't design a show that would let them shine.
"But glad to see you apologised. Thats all that was needed really and youll probably find the thread disappear down the discussion oage now."
Actually, I won't, because the only time I've visited Tim's DCUK website was to verify that the thread existed. I haven't read it and don't intend to.
"thanks for writing apology. i dont think any of what you wrote was meant to offend anyone but probably did anyway. but thanks for writing the apology. it shows you do have a heart. ;)"
I do indeed have a heart. Again, I'm not apologizing for what I wrote, but I do regret any unintended offence it may have caused.
"Having known you for a long time, you are the least likely person I know to speak harshly of any group or their performance."
Thanks for your continued support, Mom.
"Check them out at www.6th-hove.org.uk. I'm sure their staff and members will be more than happy to say hi and will be more than happy to receive an honest opinion from someone who knows their stuff."
If I were spending another Sunday in Brighton, I definitely would. I didn't find out about them until well after the Aldershot show. Oh well. Would've been fun.
Thanks all for your comments. I'm pleasantly surprised they're all so positive. I feared much worse....
Thanks for the apology. Just want to point oiut one thing. You say that you think the 9 point margin Black Knights won by was not realistic. While I think Black Knights deserved to win, you might like to know that the reason for such a large gap was that Kingswood received penalty points (I’m not sure what for). Just to let you know. :)
37th recieved only one penalty point, and that was for the DM throwing his shako on the floor, and the timings & penalties judge must've decided it was too close to the judges or something :/
So make that an 8 point gap not taking into account the penalty. Still a very large gap.
All i can say is watch for 37th in the second half. The DCUK title is still up for grabs.
You can't travel without causing a scandal can you.
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