Portnoy left DT
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Well in my eyes and many other fans it was a great way for us to see how things can go in a bands process in trying out a new player, found it very interesting and was great to see how humble most of the drummers were .
And it was dam fun to watch!
They may have stretched out the news and all but im willing to bet there was a lot of legal issues involved.
This got a lot of DT fan base excited to see what will happen next
DoomsdayZach
The Professor was right
nckissfan
Civil War reenactor
I liked the videos. I think it is cool when a band can put out stuff like this. In studio footage, backstage footage, why not here are our drummer auditions? The reason most of you think the videos are cheesy is because you think DT is no longer DT. So, move on.
I bet if this were something Symphony X had put out, you might think differently. Oh wait, probably not, everyone here are musical genius, I forgot.
I bet if this were something Symphony X had put out, you might think differently. Oh wait, probably not, everyone here are musical genius, I forgot.
Then how come they're acting like it's all Portnoy's decision to be out of the band? He's kinda acting like a teenager here, but still, why not be honest with the fans and just say "we don't want him back" instead of the "we were so shocked, this is hard for us but it was his decision, it's what he wants and we have to move on, the spirit carries on, blah blah blah"?
Wait a second...
I don't care.
I did find the auditions entertaining; it was great to see some of the best drummers in the world in action. However, how they came to the decision of Mangini was puzzling. He was probably the 4th or 5th most interesting pick of the lot. I found it peculiar that Jordan said something to the effect, "we've played these songs thousands of times, and need them to sound a certain way." If I hear something a thousand times, I would want to alter it to keep it fresh. Makes no sense to me, DT really needed a stylistic change to compete with the newcomers in the genre (in terms of making art, not selling records which they'll continue to do fine with).
Also, I agree it was unfair to bring in drummers who had no chance of being picked. Why bring in Virgil if you already know you want someone who sounds exactly like Portnoy? Even after he killed the audition (from what I observed) he wasn't even mentioned during the final deliberation.
Virgil or a couple others really could have breathed new life into the dying beast, but I guess DT wants to wallow in mediocrity and play it safe for the rest of their careers. Lazy and sad, imo.
Also, I agree it was unfair to bring in drummers who had no chance of being picked. Why bring in Virgil if you already know you want someone who sounds exactly like Portnoy? Even after he killed the audition (from what I observed) he wasn't even mentioned during the final deliberation.
Virgil or a couple others really could have breathed new life into the dying beast, but I guess DT wants to wallow in mediocrity and play it safe for the rest of their careers. Lazy and sad, imo.
DoomsdayZach
The Professor was right
Then how come they're acting like it's all Portnoy's decision to be out of the band? He's kinda acting like a teenager here, but still, why not be honest with the fans and just say "we don't want him back" instead of the "we were so shocked, this is hard for us but it was his decision, it's what he wants and we have to move on, the spirit carries on, blah blah blah"?
Wait a second...
I don't care.
Well, portnoy was the one who called for a break. they said they didn't want to and the decision to part ways came about. But, like any relationship, sometimes it's right to "take someone back" and sometimes it's best to realize the same shit'll happen again when the next opportunity arises. I mean, there have been many times where i go "Shit, i wish that person hadn't chosen to act that way and I wish it could go back the way it was, but we're past the point where this can happen".
Plus Dream Theater is a bunch of dudes who always go on about feelings and stuff, which is totally lame.
RuRoRul
Member
- Mar 21, 2010
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Remember that when he tried to get back in it was after all that stuff in the documentary had happened. Mike Mangini was in the band. They couldn't really just say at that point "Sorry Mike Portnoy's coming back." As well as that just being a terrible thing to do, Mangini probably had a contract with the band at that point.
And yeah on the whole "There was only interest because they made videos and people love videos", I think we all know that's not true. Off the top of my head, Seventh Wonder just announced a new drummer recently as well... do you think they could have created buzz just by releasing their drummer auditions and decisions as a video? No, because not enough people cared.
Obviously it gathered more interest because everyone knew exactly when the announcement was going to happen, and it was going to happen with more than just a blog update or whatever. But it's not like the videos created a hype out of nothing - they were only possible because loads of people wanted to know, and because the drummer auditions were interesting enough (e.g. had some of the best drummers in the world).
It's good marketing, and it is giving the fans (or people who actually are interested) something extra. That's all it is, and in there is no way deliberately choosing to use bad marketing and give their fans less could be better. Obviously if you don't care then you don't care video or no video, so it doesn't really matter.
CantoX
Member
I watched the videos and found it entertaining.
Kind of sad that they decided to go with a drummer who sounded just like Mike and would be the same, instead of picking some of the more interesting and unique styled drummers. Maybe it could've changed their music.
I quite enjoyed Myung. He only had about 3 lines in the whole show, and that one part in episode 3 where they're all watching the videos of the drummers and they were watching Marco play, and it shows Labrie smiling, and the keyboardist and Petrucci smiling and laughing, then it cuts to Myung and there is not a single emotion going on in that Man's face. I laughed so hard for so long. He is unintentionally hilarious and I love it.
Kind of sad that they decided to go with a drummer who sounded just like Mike and would be the same, instead of picking some of the more interesting and unique styled drummers. Maybe it could've changed their music.
I quite enjoyed Myung. He only had about 3 lines in the whole show, and that one part in episode 3 where they're all watching the videos of the drummers and they were watching Marco play, and it shows Labrie smiling, and the keyboardist and Petrucci smiling and laughing, then it cuts to Myung and there is not a single emotion going on in that Man's face. I laughed so hard for so long. He is unintentionally hilarious and I love it.
Portnoy without all the psychological baggage. The Glass Prison is a great tune, but c'mon.
Mangini was simply the best fit for the band. No doubt in my mind. Like Jordan Rudess said: "He played Portnoy's parts, but ... he was accenting different things." I was extremely happy when he was announced, and I can't wait to hear him with the band.
(And you've got to LOL when you see him play the snare rolls in the intro of The Dance of Eternity with one hand! [A little after 15:00 of Episode 1.])
I hope like crazy that they release the audio and/or video of these auditions. (Including the new tune Rudess wrote!) My favorite non-Mangini audition was possibly Thomas Lang's, for example. But I'm not sure I would have enjoyed hearing any of the others as their ongoing drummer.
progmetaldan
Member
_Gentleman of_the Snow_
Prog' Drummer
Kenneth R.
Cináed
No. Just the opposite. I wasn't going to post this, but you asked for it.
Those DT videos received hundreds of thousands of views. As of this writing, the three episodes have received 650,000; 680,000 and 530,000 views each.
DT has one gold record and three platinum DVDs. (Source: RIAA Searchable Database page). Paradise Lost had sold 60,000 units in four years. (Source: SYMPHONY X Singer Interviewed By Germany's ROCKVOICE HQ on Blabbermouth).
DT is releasing big concert videos. SX is playing small clubs in remote locations. (I live in an enormous metro area. Around here they're playing a club I'd never heard of, a few miles outside the city).
Paradise Lost is a masterpiece of song-writing, musicianship and singing. Symphony X's entire catalog is brilliant. SX deserves success in a big way. Few things would please me more than seeing SX obtain that success.
But saying that SX "has the right" to do something is meaningless. They have the right to eat month-old egg salad and drive their cars into a wall, too.
Either SX gives out info, or they don't. Either they connect with their fans (more frequently than every five years), or they don't. Either they make me connect with them, or they don't. Either they live in 20-room mansions, or they don't. It's not my call.
I'm not saying that facebook sells albums. I'm not saying that releasing more videos (or any videos whatsoever) will lead to more sales (or any sales whatsoever). I'm not even saying that they need to do anything whatsoever. "They have the right," right?
I'm only saying that being a hermit probably doesn't help. I'm also saying that it's possible that success is related to outreach. If that's true, then people need to be okay when the failure to perform one leads to the failure to obtain the other.
Or maybe all the guys in Symphony X are out there practising and trying to be even more awesome, and simply see selling albums as a side-effect of doing what they love?
I like that Mike Mangini is the new drummer for Dream Theater.
I like that Mike Mangini is the new drummer for Dream Theater.
That's a very good thought. But I have some counter-thoughts.
First, I think you should explain how it helps the band become awesome when people like Jax are specifically instructed to keep silent. What do Jax's information flows have to do with practice and awesomeness?
You may also need to explain how it takes anything away from the band's becoming awesome to put up a few video cameras and record a live show here and there. Doesn't it add to a band's awesomeness and practice when they can review their performances and make sure they are good enough to release in public?
Second, I hope I can be allowed to point out that the band with all the platinum records for their DVDs -- the one I mentioned above -- is not lacking for either practice or awesomeness. You may already know, for example, that in the Portnoy era, they had a different play list every night. This means that they have to practice dozens of songs for every tour. Whereas Symphony X has only a dozen songs on its play list, full stop.
For example, Michael Romeo mentioned the other day that they had to scramble to rehearse The Odyssey from scratch a few times before going on tour this year, because they had to fill time when their supporting bands dropped out. The interview was already linked from this other thread: Interview with Michael Romeo talking Iconoclast.
But more to the point of this debate, pay attention to the way Romeo answers the question he receives at the time point 9:12 of that video: "It took four years for Symphony X to release a new album. How is it hard to keep the fan base with such delays between albums?"
I realize that this is not the question you and I are debating. The time between albums is not an issue. I'm glad to wait for years between albums if I receive a better product at the end, and I hope Symphony X continues their careful and methodical approach to making records.
The issue that I think you and are are debating is the time between information flows, and the lack of "extras" like video releases and news items. But one question is not far from the other. Note, for example, how well he understands the popularity of live videos on YouTube.
But in the end, I have to admit that you might be right. And by the way, I think I already said as much in my original post above. If their prime concern is for practice and awesomeness, and not for sales and recognition, then they "have the right" to do as they please, as long as everyone understands the link.
In which sense, I think you are actually agreeing with me.
I'm not trying to really argue any points, just expressing a sort of vague hypothetical situation based off my own experience with the music industry .
I don't understand or know why they are doing things the way they are (I keep forgetting to watch those interview videos, I can't right now as I'm at work).
I just have the mindset that they are entitled to do what they wish with their musical careers. Personally, I never want to be in a big-name touring band - being in the small-time was bad enough, but that's just me - it's not my thing.
I am of course, open to reasonable explanations for things, and will definitely try to remember to watch the videos later today
.I don't understand or know why they are doing things the way they are (I keep forgetting to watch those interview videos, I can't right now as I'm at work).
I just have the mindset that they are entitled to do what they wish with their musical careers. Personally, I never want to be in a big-name touring band - being in the small-time was bad enough, but that's just me - it's not my thing.
I am of course, open to reasonable explanations for things, and will definitely try to remember to watch the videos later today
