WGASC Restricted Music List

[Ryan H. Turner]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh THANK THE LORD that Bjork is on that list. During my announcing HAY DAY with WGASC, her "Shhhhhhhhh....Quiet" song used to freaking

DRIVE

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

UP A

WALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and....

That STUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPID "Kiss Like a Rose". For the LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!

However, kudos to WGASC for putting out that restricted list. I'm surprised. Because, well, I don't know, call me crazy, but I was yapping years ago about the fact that Carmina Burana wasn't ever going to be released for arranging for bands or drum lines, yet, gosh, people were STILL DOING IT ANYWAY. Glad they're going to release something soon--LEGALLY. Sheeeeeeeeeeesh. A few other surprises on that list--GLORIA BY JOHN RUTTER? What's his beef? What...Cavaliers didn't do it well enough in 1990???

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh I could go on. Some of these composers, like Maslanka for instance, who I know first-hand is quite concerned about the "spirit" of his compositions being hacked to death for the sake of a marching show. And I've talked to Eric Whitacre personally and he's aware of his popularity in the drum corps/marching band world, but that one song by him maybe something that he just doesn't want touched, so to speak.

But John Williams. I guess he's still steaming about that Meco disco version of the Star Wars Main Theme. He needs to power down. MUCH of his music is JUST MOVIE MUSIC. Relax. Apparently he's got too many Oscars on the brain. Well, at least I'll never here that nerve-grating, never-ending, repetitive crap that he wrote for Jurassic Park or Hook. EEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee gads.

[BttrDrummerThanU]

I have another thing to add....I better not hear any Gwen Stefani music. That is an automatic disqualification!!

[yellow]

Can we just ban the pop chart top 40?

[sabrebatgirl]

Can we just ban the pop chart top 40?

That's quite possibly the best idea on this thread. It's not that every top 40 song is bad, but they tend to be way overdone and most of them are just not good guard songs.

[totherescue]

i dont know....there are some top 40 songs that would make a good guard show!
i know that for one of my guards we are going to be useing a top 40 song....and i dont see anything wrong with it....and i dont think it will be over-used this year either, but i know where you are coming from!

[SabreSpinner]

I've been following this thread for a while now, and I've come to put a different perspective on it.

First and formost, very few people in the colorguard world actually talk to each other about thier show music choices. That is done mostly because we have this over whelming fear of someone stealing our ideas. Plus I don't know every single Regional AA instructor in the circuit. So How could I find out what people are or are not doing. (my kids compete in reg aa) So thats part of the reason we have a lot of the same music in a lot of different shows. Like Josh Groban this last year. I KNOW not ONE of those groups talked ot the other groups before the year started and said "I'm going to do oceano." "oh me too!!" and then left it alone. Things liek this just happen. I can completely understand not wanting to hear the same song over and over again, but how about when you do hear the same music from a different guard, see how the person that wrote it did it differently from the other. Don't focus on the music focus on the performers and the staging. Thats what colorguard is for.

As for the top 40 list, sometimes for the younger guards, it's better to do something the kids are listening to. If they like the music they are more likely to perform better to it. Also when and if they do a pep rally at their school, they are more likely to get more new members by doing shows like that.

So there it is. I understand that not everyone wants to hear the same song over and over again, or songs that have been done well, done differently, but at least think of it as a learning experience for the people writing and performing the show and respect them. even if you don't like it.

[BttrDrummerThanU]

I can say that my guard will NEVER do a TOP 40 POP TUNE. If I wanted to hear that stuff..i'd turn to 102.7FM

[totherescue]

as posted before.....sometimes its a good thing for some of the "smaller" units to use these songs

[BttrDrummerThanU]

as posted before.....sometimes its a good thing for some of the "smaller" units to use these songs

for a simple one time only exhibition throw-together-show....yes. For a competition winter guard piece...eh....it would have to really impress me.

I think it is essential for us to expose our students to music they would not ordinarily listen to and then teach them how to express themselves through this music.

[totherescue]

that is true! and i have tried that, and it doesnt exactly always work out the way people intend!
so sometimes for the better being of the guard...you have to use songs that they can relate to on any level...sometimes that means useing a top 40 song!
believe me...i know my kids... and i would never try to use a top 40 song! in fact i try every year to be different from everyone else, but this year the song that i picked suits them well....and i know its what they need....it just so happens that it is a top 40 song!

[BttrDrummerThanU]

good luck with that...maybe i'll get a chance to see your show sometime.

[totherescue]

maybe...who knows!
each year things change...maybe the judges will like it , maybe they wont!
as long as my kids feel good about thier show thats all i care about...and they all seem to like this show!

[MusicCoach]

that is true! and i have tried that, and it doesnt exactly always work out the way people intend!
so sometimes for the better being of the guard...you have to use songs that they can relate to on any level...sometimes that means useing a top 40 song!
believe me...i know my kids... and i would never try to use a top 40 song! in fact i try every year to be different from everyone else, but this year the song that i picked suits them well....and i know its what they need....it just so happens that it is a top 40 song!

I have to totally agree with totherescue about that. Only used Top 40 if you are barely starting the group and dont have alot of members with guarad experience.

[sabrebatgirl]

I've been following this thread for a while now, and I've come to put a different perspective on it.

First and formost, very few people in the colorguard world actually talk to each other about thier show music choices. That is done mostly because we have this over whelming fear of someone stealing our ideas. Plus I don't know every single Regional AA instructor in the circuit. So How could I find out what people are or are not doing. (my kids compete in reg aa) So thats part of the reason we have a lot of the same music in a lot of different shows. Like Josh Groban this last year. I KNOW not ONE of those groups talked ot the other groups before the year started and said "I'm going to do oceano." "oh me too!!" and then left it alone. Things liek this just happen. I can completely understand not wanting to hear the same song over and over again, but how about when you do hear the same music from a different guard, see how the person that wrote it did it differently from the other. Don't focus on the music focus on the performers and the staging. Thats what colorguard is for.

As for the top 40 list, sometimes for the younger guards, it's better to do something the kids are listening to. If they like the music they are more likely to perform better to it. Also when and if they do a pep rally at their school, they are more likely to get more new members by doing shows like that.

So there it is. I understand that not everyone wants to hear the same song over and over again, or songs that have been done well, done differently, but at least think of it as a learning experience for the people writing and performing the show and respect them. even if you don't like it.

Most of this thread isn't really meant to be taken seriously, I think. At least my posts were kind of tongue-in-cheek. These songs will be done before and they will be done again, and some of the shows will be good and some will be bad. I just think it's harder to impress the judges and audience with a song everyone else is doing; why would you want to handicap yourself like that? Of course there are going to be people doing the same song, but when 3 or 4 or 5 guards in the same class are doing it is when it becomes excessive and detrimental to the succes of the program.

[JenKozy]

Soooo... here is my question. I was under the impression that you could not use these songs because of copy write issues. Arranging being a big no no (sorry to my percussion buddies) but that guards can use the songs, but if their show is placed on a DVD/VHS/CD that is being sold for profit, the guard using restricted music will not be on there or silent... for example, The Light Brigade and Logan this past winter.

Is this right?

PS- I am using something completley different this winter that I have not seen on the NCBA floors for as long as I have been doing guard. (NOT to say it hasn't been done, but I haven't seen it.) We shall see...