For me (or you) DT is the combination of...

[chaossystem]

If you are a fan of many of the bands that came before Dream Theater, and like me you love DT's music because they combine so many different styles of music and the styles of so many different bands, which ones would it be? Who else do you HEAR when you listen to DT? What music do or did you like that they incorporated into their sound?

I've posted this before, but here again are the lists of what I think are the best prog and hard rock/metal bands that I have been listening to off and on from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, before I ever knew of the existence of Dream Theater. But it's because the use at least bits and pieces of these band's styles in what they do that I say that Dream Theater is the band that comes closest to doing everything I like.

On the other hand, there may be some (especially younger) people who heard DT first, and were turned on to some of this older music because of it.

Anyway, here's MY favorite progressive and hard rock/metal bands-

PROG:
1) Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP)
2) Genesis
3) Kansas
4) Alan Parsons (Project)
5) Pink Floyd
6) Rush
7) Yes

Hard Rock/Metal:
1) Black Sabbath (Mostly the first four albums)
2) Blue Oyster Cult (BOC)
3) Deep Purple
4) Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow/Sabbath/Dio/Heaven and Hell)
5) Iron maiden
6) Metallica
7) Queensryche

What I would like to see on here is a discussion about what lead us to DT, or how they lead some of you to other bands and other music that you might not have otherwise listened to. If you DO choose to make a list, it obviously doesn't have to match or agree with mine, and can be as long or as short as you want.

[TAC]

I'm more of a classic metal guy. (I'm almost 47).
I went to see Iron Maiden in '92 and DT opened. Within 30 seconds, I was so blown away.

But my favorite bands at the time, and still are, were Maiden, UFO, and Alice Cooper. And all things Dio of course.


But when I was a kid, I truly loved Hemispheres/Permanant Waves era Rush. Had they continued that arc, they would've been my favorite band. But of course, I became disillusioned with them in the 80's.

But I had always said that when I discovered DT, I thought that this was the kind of music Rush should be playing. It was a natural extension.
So with DT, you had the power of Maiden, the vocals ability of Helloween, and the chops of Rush.


But when describing them to people now, I basically just refer to them as the heavy metal version of Yes.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Rush meets Metallica is what I usually say and the band has said the same before.

[wolfking]

I'm metal.  Knew nothing about prog before DT, except maybe Tool being the only band remotely with a hint of prog.  I'm still metal but DT lead me into more prog territory.

[The Dark Master]

Rush meets Metallica is what I usually say and the band has said the same before.

Exactly this.  The first time I ever heard "Pull Me Under", I thought, "sounds like Rush meets Metallica," and guess what?  Turns out, those are two of the band's biggest influences.

[bl5150]

By the time I bought Images and Words in 92 I was already into bands like Queensryche , Jester's March and Savatage in the prog metal area , but to be honest I heard little in DT's music from any band I was interested in at the time .

I always find it interesting that my 2nd highest ranked album ever (I&W) is cited as heavily influenced by Rush and one of their more proggy efforts and yet I am more a metal guy, have zero interest in Rush and limited interest in prog rock.  And I can't stand DT's "metal" albums like ToT.  They just nailed a combination of metal, prog and melody on I&W that has really never been matched by them or anyone else IMO.

I can hear a little Metallica in the more riff heavy moments and more than a little in Creeping Motion .

That's about it for me................DT were the originals for me as I wasn't into any of their influences a great deal except maybe Kansas.

 

[chaossystem]

They originally that their sound is "Yes meets Metallica" or that they are "the heavy metal Yes." A little later they talked more about being influenced by Rush.
But they (especially Portnoy) also cited The Beatles, King Crimson, U2, Frank Zappa, and many others as being influential to their sound, so there's a lot more TO it than just sounding like "Yes and/or Rush mixed with Metallica."

[jjrock88]

Rush meets Metallica is what I usually say and the band has said the same before.

[Setlist Scotty]

My basic explanation to anyone who's not familiar with DT is "Rush and Yes mixed with Metallica, with bits of Radiohead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, the Beatles, U2, Muse, Slayer, Kansas and Queen thrown in".

Over 10 years ago, I wrote an article for one of the last issues of Theatre of Dreams fanzine about the response from Yes fans to DT, since DT opened for them in the summer of 2004. On Yes' website, they had a section for giving concert reviews, so I scanned all of them for any comments about DT and created the article about it. One part was how they would describe DT to others or compare them to other bands. I thought I'd share that part here, seeing as I think it's pretty fitting, even if some of the descriptions are highly inaccurate! (My comments are in bold)

When you hear a new band and are telling others about it, generally you compare them to other bands/artists that you and others will already be familiar with, for better or worse. It’s almost like a recipe – 1 part band A, 2 parts band B, a mixture of band C and band D, with a little of band E thrown in for good measure. Here’s a series of the “recipes” used to describe DT by Yes fans:

I liken them to a cross between Rush, Metallica and YES.
- - - - -
First off I Would like to say dream theatre full of talent reminds me of The Flower Kings but aliitle Queensryche thrown in.
- - - - -
Dream Theater was hot! Great musicianship, and at times I felt as though I was hearing Kanstyxyes.
- - - - -
Dream Theater was awesome. I loved their sound, like a mix of Yes,Rush, Styx and Starcastle. I will be buying some CD's.
- - - - -
One final thought, Dream Theatre were ok. They are what I would call a progressive heavy metal band ( a cross between Metallica and Rush, ELP and Yes)with a lead singer that sounds like the lead singer of Triumph or Queensryche.
- - - - -
Dream Theater came on exactly at 7:30. They defintely sounded like a combination of Rush and Genesis.
- - - - -
As far as Dream Theatre - They sounded like a good cover band that played YES,Rush and others at some point and wrote their own music in those styles. Sometimes they sounded like Rush,sometimes YES and even Styx during one song.
- - - - -
My favorite “recipe” has to be this one – a slam on DT, yes, but funny nonetheless. One has to wonder what this person’s problem with DT is, since he seems like he appreciates all the artists he compares them to!

I got higher and higher [climbing up to the venue] as showtime approached, until I thought I heard Geddy Lee singing down in the amphitheater a little after 6pm. Then as I began my descent I swear I heard Queensreich playing! A couple of songs later it sounded like they had both been joined by Rick Wakeman!! Suddenly I realized this was just Dream Theater playing so I headed over to the Upper North lot to mix it up with some of the tailgaters.

[TAC]

That's awesome Scott. Thanks for digging that up.

[JediKnight1969]

Rainbow
Pink Floyd
Queen
Return to Forever
Kansas
Rush
Iron Maiden
Yes

IMHO.

[TheSilentHam]

I have described to friends as Rush + Yes meets Maiden + Metallica

[KevShmev]

A ton of friends I worked with when Pull Me Under broke through thought they sounded like Iron Maiden, mostly because of the guitar sound.

I usually sum them up as a blend of Metallica (the heaviness), Yes (song structures and keyboard sounds), Rush (the playing) and Maiden (vocals and guitars).

[Skeever]

Usually, Kansas. At their best, closer to some hybrid of Rush, Iron Maiden, and Yes. At their worst, Europe 

[RoeDent]

For me, DT is the combination of James LaBrie, Mike Mangini, John Myung, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and at other times Charlie Dominici, Kevin Moore, Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian.

[BlobVanDam]

Usually, Kansas. At their best, closer to some hybrid of Rush, Iron Maiden, and Yes. At their worst, Europe 

Hey, nothin' wrong with Europe, pal!

[chaossystem]

For me, DT is the combination of James LaBrie, Mike Mangini, John Myung, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and at other times Charlie Dominici, Kevin Moore, Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian.

I think you're missing the point. If you read the intro, I said I was asking what OTHER BANDS, SONGS and MUSIC people hear when they listen to DT...

[Kotowboy]

I think RoeDent was kidding around.

[Calvin6s]

For me, DT is the combination of James LaBrie, Mike Mangini, John Myung, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and at other times Charlie Dominici, Kevin Moore, Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian.

I don't hear that at all. 

[chaossystem]

Then who DO you hear???

[Train of Naught]

Some times I hear a little bit of Doug Pinnick aswell.

[Calvin6s]

Then who DO you hear???

Captain & Tennille.  It's blatant.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Some times I hear a little bit of Doug Pinnick aswell.

And let's not forget a little bit of Theresa Thomason.

[chaossystem]

Let's don't forget the VERY important contributions of Jay Beckenstein!

[fischermasamune]

He was from Spyro Gyra... right?

[chaossystem]

And....uh.....they recorded Images and Words at....Bear Tracks....Studio....right...?....

[TheSilentHam]

Then who DO you hear???

Captain & Tennille.  It's blatant.

No, because love didn't keep them together

[Calvin6s]

Then who DO you hear???

Captain & Tennille.  It's blatant.

No, because love didn't keep them together

Tennille filed for divorce from Dragon in the State of Arizona on January 16, 2014, after 39 years of marriage.

The similarities are just too big to ignore

[TheSilentHam]

You are right!  The marriage/divorce analogy was totally patterned after Captain & Tennille.