Dream Theater

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You know, all the talk seems to be about "Mike Portnoy quit Dream Theater". I've been saying it too. But I just read MP's statement again, and it has finally sunk in...

Mike Portnoy did not quit Dream Theater, he was fired.

Now, MP's condition for being in DT - that DT take a long break - is really hard to meet. He was asking his 4 best friends to make a huge change in their life for his sake. And I don't blame DT for saying "no" to that. But if MP is telling the truth - and he usually does - then this is no pure "MP going solo" situation. John, John, Jordan and James share the blame/credit for this situation.
 
Forostar said:
Even if they could, they won't. Harris is more important for Maiden than any other musician for any other band.
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Sabbath can't go without Iommi, too. Metallica without Hetfield, Megadeth without Mustaine and Rush without any of the 3.
 
Two days ago, 99% of DT fans would have said DT/Portnoy are the same way. I suspect you two don't fully understand what MP meant to DT. Anything is possible, and this MP/DT thing just proves it.
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
Even better if Transatlantic got more active, since they're 100 times better. Easily.

A7X, maybe. He did play on their album, so it does make sense to do the tour.

But TA? No. Mike is an integral part of that band: a founder, not a hired gun.
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True... However, few drummers, MP being one of them, could drum A7x's old songs.

As for the mood in the band... I remember watching the making of systematic chaos and Labrie said he hadn't had this much fun making an album since Awake.... That is a LONG time.... so tension might exist for other reasons than just work load and MP being a "control freak"
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
You know, all the talk seems to be about "Mike Portnoy quit Dream Theater". I've been saying it too. But I just read MP's statement again, and it has finally sunk in...

Mike Portnoy did not quit Dream Theater, he was fired.

Now, MP's condition for being in DT - that DT take a long break - is really hard to meet. He was asking his 4 best friends to make a huge change in their life for his sake. And I don't blame DT for saying "no" to that. But if MP is telling the truth - and he usually does - then this is no pure "MP going solo" situation. John, John, Jordan and James share the blame/credit for this situation.
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Thats how I was looking at it, also.  He was looking for a 'break' and they said 'Thanks, but no, we are still going on...with someone that will work with us.'

SinisterMinisterX said:
Two days ago, 99% of DT fans would have said DT/Portnoy are the same way. I suspect you two don't fully understand what MP meant to DT. Anything is possible, and this MP/DT thing just proves it.
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Yeah, I had always thought that the 'founding three' would always be there-- almost don't know how DT can go on without a third of their foundation... but I guess we will have to see how that goes. 
 
Wasted CLV said:
Yeah, I had always thought that the 'founding three' would always be there-- almost don't know how DT can go on without a third of their foundation... but I guess we will have to see how that goes. 
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To be honest, Myung could disappear tomorrow and no-one would notice...
 
I think Myung's role will greatly increase now. First of all, there are strong rumors he's writing again (including lyrics), which he really hasn't done much of since Scenes From A Memory. Second, with MP gone, there's a "composition vaccum". All the stuff MP helped write (and that was a lot) - now someone else has to do it.

Myung's "problem" was not being in Liquid Tension Experiment with MP, JP and JR. They formed the writing core of DT back then, and Myung could never get in the club. Now the club is busted up...
I have interesting Dream Theater news.

John Petrucci has taken over Mike's role as the guy for the fans. He started a thread on his forum to answer questions. The more interesting stuff:

1. Portnoy's departure shocked Dream Theater as much as the rest of us. Petrucci thinks Portnoy is making a mistake, but wishes him nothing but the best. He also says he'd love to play with MP again.

2. No idea on a new drummer yet, but they will get one. Petrucci ruled out an acoustic, drums-less album.

3. The new album is mostly written. It will be recorded in January. Release date and more "coming soon".

Petrucci (or his web guy) locked the thread for the night, but posted that he'll be back tomorrow and answer more questions.
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
I think Myung's role will greatly increase now. First of all, there are strong rumors he's writing again (including lyrics), which he really hasn't done much of since Scenes From A Memory. Second, with MP gone, there's a "composition vaccum". All the stuff MP helped write (and that was a lot) - now someone else has to do it.
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Yeah, that's what I wrote a few posts above. I hope that his greater role in the band will result in the bass guitar being audible. I read somewhere that he wanted his bass levels low in the album mixes, basically since he stopped writing songs. Maybe this will change it.

@ Onhell - Myung's a quiet and introverted guy, but I'm sure that the lack of his bass playing live would indeed be noticed. He's a monster on that bass.
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
Two days ago, 99% of DT fans would have said DT/Portnoy are the same way. I suspect you two don't fully understand what MP meant to DT. Anything is possible, and this MP/DT thing just proves it.
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Isn't Petrucci's role at least as important? I admit that I don't know if he wrote more songs than Portnoy.

Jeffmetal said:
Sabbath can't go without Iommi, too. Metallica without Hetfield, Megadeth without Mustaine and Rush without any of the 3.
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Exactly. I can't see this happening, ever, though I admit I have my doubts about Metallica. There's another important member in that band, who might not want to sacrifice his band if Hetfield would (want to) stop suddenly for whatever reason.

Sabbath, Rush, Maiden, these are the best examples of bands who'd quit out of respect for or by the decision of one of the members we mention: Iommi, Lee, Lifeson, Peart, Harris. We can add Judas Priest to that list as well in relation to Downing and Tipton, and there might be some more acts.

We'll see if we are going to be wrong, and then we'll get back to this. :)
 
Forostar said:
Isn't Petrucci's role at least as important? I admit that I don't know if he wrote more songs than Portnoy.
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BC&SL - lyrics: Petrucci 3, Portnoy 2; plus Petrucci writing music to Wither on his own, all other music written by the whole band (minus LaBrie)

SC: lyrics Petrucci 5, Portnoy 2; "music by Dream Theater"

Octavarium: Petrucci 4, Portnoy 2 (plus one song together); "music by Dream Theater"

ToT: Petrucci 3, Portnoy 2; "music by Dream Theater"

If Myung and LaBrie chip in a little, I'm sure they can cover for Mike's absence.
 
Not to mention whoever they bring in; it's possible they bring in someone who can toss a few songs in as well.
 
When you check the link Travis provided:
Jordan Rudess did a nice thing by expressing his feelings on Portnoy's departure, by means of a piano improvisation.

But did you guys see the last moment of that clip (you have to finish it completely)?
Looked like anger (or frustration) to me.
 
I have to admit that I didn't get to the very end, nice observation. Yeah, sounds like an angry "f... you".
 
I was now checking out on a forum some names sugested for Portnoy replacement. They're mentioning the guy from Slikpnot, Joey Jordison, the Iced Earth one, Brent Smedley and Neil Peart (don't know why people are mentioning him but ok lol).

I wonder who'll they choose, I think they'll go with a not so known drummer.
 
Forostar said:
When you check the link Travis provided:
Jordan Rudess did a nice thing by expressing his feelings on Portnoy's departure, by means of a piano improvisation.

But did you guys see the last moment of that clip (you have to finish it completely)?
Looked like anger (or frustration) to me.
Click to expand...

Wow, I'll have to watch again, because I didn't finish it.

Fortunately, I subscribe to Jordan Rudess on youtube, so it's easy to find again...
And looking at his youtube channel, something interesting. Rudess usually gets a few thousand views for each video (2 or 3 or 5 thousand ish).

This video: 52 thousand and counting.
 
Does anyone know if Dream Theater's appearance at High Voltage in July will be a UK exclusive? I'd like them to do some other UK shows around then, but that is around the same time as Iron Maiden's UK tour...
 
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