| lalaalalaa 09.09.2010 21:21 |
It's a sad day for music. link |
| *goodco* 10.09.2010 09:28 |
I read about it last night.....am still stunned and saddened. How they can replace the best drummer in the world, his antics (spent half of my time at their concerts watching him).....the founder and heart and soul and voice of the band............I could go on, but I am mostly at a loss for words. As for the band, will a new direction work? Personally, though three of their last four albums have been too heavy or good tunes turning too self indulgent and tedious at times, they are (were?) the only currently existing band I had any real interest in. Replacement? Only one I can think of is Neil Peart, but he's kinda busy with his own band. Hopefully......all will reconsider in a few months. link |
| The Real Wizard 10.09.2010 12:38 |
I'm absolutely gutted. I've followed these guys for the last ten years and have loved just about everything they've put out since then (and prior). Although they're barely visible in the mainstream, Dream Theater basically forged a new genre of music - progressive metal. Mike Portnoy is far more than a drummer. He was the PR guy, co-producer, a principle songwriter, wrote all the setlists for shows (with incredible efforts not to duplicate songs if you see them more than once on the same tour or on successive tours), and generally bent over backwards for his fans without reprieve. I was lucky enough to attend 8 concerts, and I've seen them perform about 2/3 of their catalog. They were an incredible live band - quite possibly the best rock act I've ever seen. But I can't say I'm surprised by this. He simply overworked himself in DT and various side projects for the last 20 years, and he finally burned out. Naturally the newer projects are more fresh, so if something had to go, it's DT. Let that be a lesson, kids - don't be an obsessive compulsive musical whore who has to be busy 362 days a year. It forced a world class drummer to leave the most popular and innovative progressive rock band since Yes. You can't blame the remaining members for wanting to continue on without him. They couldn't wait for him while he takes a "break", as they have mortgages and families, and they don't have 4 side projects like he does. Some fans think DT is over without him, and others are looking forward to what their new musical direction will be like. It will be interesting, to say the least. But Portnoy was the soul of the band, both on stage and off. His showmanship will be missing if they tour again without him. Unfortunately, whoever they hire next will be known as "not Mike Portnoy." It'd be like Zeppelin without Page. For the record, I think Black Clouds And Silver Linings is their best album in a decade. They pulled a complete 180 from the previous album and decided to write songs again, putting most of the technical musical wankery aside. It really is a great record - one of the best progressive rock albums ever made. It is a very high note to end the Portnoy era on. |
| lalaalalaa 10.09.2010 20:58 |
I'm sure he'll return to DT soon. I know I'd probably want a break from them after 25 years. Luckily, I got to see them live. |
| lalaalalaa 10.09.2010 20:59 |
Black Clouds and Silver Linings was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! |
| *goodco* 13.09.2010 01:30 |
After losing his father, and doing the gazillion projects he's involved in....maybe he just fell in love with a younger gal (A7X). He certainly fits in tattoo-wise. I checked out (suffered through) two of their tracks. I can certainly hear some DT influences on them. One thing they have is energy. Like 'Constant Motion' and 'As I Am'. Not every song has to be 12-15 minutes. I know the tour with Iron Maiden wasn't all that fun (a tour they did after cancelling a proposed headling NoAmerican tour to 'rest'). Maybe it was the short sets, reception, playing the same songs every night (for once). Hell, I don't know. It's odd....they finally had complete control in the studio for the last two releases, were getting more press and good numbers on the charts, a new album and tour to take advantage of the Maiden tour made sense, but.........I could go on and on and on. Sir GH...I knew you really liked BC&SL....it has its moments. It's just so emotionally dark, like 'Chaos' and most of ToT. And way too often, they needlessly turn what would be a damn good six minute track into a ten-twelve-fifteen minute track. Why? Because they can. And no one is telling, er, advising them, not to. These releases seemed more 'Petrucci & Portnoy' and their band than DT team efforts. I'm reading more than a few comments on his (their?) message boards that are similar to my opinion. Then again, the older I get, the less I enjoy the heavy stuff. Will this split result in something like 'Trick of the Tale' or '5150' or....'Calling All Stations' ? Or nothing at all. I wish them all well. It just won't be the same watching the 'Score' drummer cam DVD. |
| The Real Wizard 13.09.2010 17:31 |
The other guys in the band seem to be looking forward with optimism, so I'll follow their lead. It'll be very interesting to see what the band sounds like without Mike's musical direction. They're all masters of their craft, so it's a matter of how well they can pick themselves up after the fall. |
| *goodco* 14.09.2010 21:01 |
Just to keep the topic near the front...............almost a 1/4 million views of the topic on mikeportnoy.com since the announcement. So much activity that his facebook shut down last week. Anyhoo............ My wife and I went to see Queensryche in 2003 at Pier Six (an outdoor pavillion at the Baltimore Inner Harbor), with DT as warmup. As it was, it was a split headliner tour, and were unaware of the band order. We suffered through Opeth?, and then Qryche took the stage for 75 minutes (great show, but seeing Geoff Tate in shades and a shaved head was......well, ............) And then, a band takes the stage for five minutes, with the drum kit front and center, the dude standing and egging on the crowd...........we didn't know what to make of it. We stuck around, and were awestruck. I want to thank the Qzoners past and present who commented on the band then. I respected their opinions, went to the store, and the first two disks I purchased on the same day were 'Images and Words' and 'Six Degrees'. Holy sh*t !!!!! Except for the annoying radio voices on 'Great Debate'............I was blown away. So was my wife. Disk 2 of Six Degrees has been a constant listen (for us) ever since. And then it was 'Awake', 'Falling Into Infinity', 'Octavarium' , watched them open for Yes...........traded and purchased about 50 boots of LTE, Transatlantic, Platypus, Hammer of the Gods, Yellow Matter Custard, etc..... Saw them again in Balto 2007(wife can be seen jumping up during the crowd shots of various venues of the Chaos vid)....DC in 2008.............top five concert alltime. The 'Psycho/Ant Oddysey' intro to 'Enemies Pt 1' was the ultimate best (all Queen concerts are #1, U2 in '87, the Boss in '81, Harry Chapin solo in 81............yes....Harry Chapin, and Simon & Garfunkel round it out) ..........Philly with friends from Tennessee last year, and then Balto/DC with friends the next night. My most enjoyable five albums for the past decade would be : Six Degrees (Disk 2), Octavarium, Live Scenes, Score, and.........well, I guess, parts of 'Return of the Champions'. 'Live at Budakon' would merit #6. I know the (ex) members are not dead. The mourning is somewhat different. Once again, thank you Qzone. Thank you, DT. Thanks, Mike. |
| Saif 17.09.2010 02:27 |
A7X is irredemably crappy. I think they're worse now than when they used harsh vocals. Maybe Mike Portnoy will join DT for one-off reunions a few years later |
| The Real Wizard 17.09.2010 11:34 |
I actually think the latest A7X record is great. I thoroughly enjoyed it. |
| Saif 17.09.2010 11:58 |
Well, to each his own I guess. I will hate them forever. :P EDIT: Though, I admit, I haven't heard their latest album. |
| The Real Wizard 17.09.2010 12:50 |
Why? It's not like he left DT to join A7X. He has made that perfectly clear over the past week or so. After 25 intense years of DT, he simply burned out and needed a break. In fact, he was burning out on DT long before he got involved with A7X. He hasn't burned out on playing music as a whole. It's a great record. It's progressive metal, but with a completely different approach than DT. His drumming is monstrous. Give it a try. As for Dream Theater, without a doubt their next record will be the most anticipated since Scenes. For the first time in over 10 years, they have something to prove. |
| Saif 18.09.2010 00:31 |
Sir GH wrote: Why? It's not like he left DT to join A7X. He has made that perfectly clear over the past week or so. After 25 intense years of DT, he simply burned out and needed a break. In fact, he was burning out on DT long before he got involved with A7X. He hasn't burned out on playing music as a whole. It's a great record. It's progressive metal, but with a completely different approach than DT. His drumming is monstrous. Give it a try. As for Dream Theater, without a doubt their next record will be the most anticipated since Scenes. For the first time in over 10 years, they have something to prove. You misunderstood me, I won't hate them for "stealing" Portnoy. I hate them because of their metalcore roots. I listened to the lead single off the latest album just now and didn't like it. "Nightmare" still has hints of their screaming buffoneery during every other lyric. |