So, Dream Theater break up...

[Perpetual Change]

Hypothetically, of course.  

Anyway, what's the best possible aftermath-scenario?  What would the other members do to make the loss the least heavy for you? For me:

Petrucci starts regularly releasing all-star solo albums, with a few songs featuring his old DT crew of course.
Mike Portnoy and the other guys in TA make Transatlantic a full time gig.
LaBrie starts performing on a Broadway production, and makes regular special appearances on prog metal albums (As he often does anyway).
(Long shot) Jordan joins Scale the Summit, and the band put out album after album of spectacular instrumental soundscapes OR joins a special project with Steve Wilson and Adkerfeldt.
For Myung, I'm not sure. Jellyjam isn't something I'm particularly fond of. I guess I'd just like to see him continue to do something with music.

Have fun. If you can stomach the idea of DT breaking up, that is!

[Adami]

Portnoy does 10000 projects till he explodes on stage.
Petrucci releases a few solo albums, few guest spots, few all star band jam things. Remains kinda quiet.
LaBrie does some solo stuff and lots and lots of guest spots. No new non solo act bands.
Ruddess released 10000 solo albums.........................a month.
Myung retires.



Despite the obvious exagerations, that seems to be the most realistic outcome.

[Zook]

They realize the error of their ways and get back together.

[ScioPath]

Despite the obvious exagerations, that seems to be the most realistic outcome.

I didn't detect any exaggerations ...

[Perpetual Change]

They realize the error of their ways and get back together.

[Adami]

Despite the obvious exagerations, that seems to be the most realistic outcome.

I didn't detect any exaggerations ...

[KevShmev]

I don't think TA would ever be a full-time gig.  They are too much of a niche band, and Portnoy wouldn't make nearly as much money doing that full-time as he could working almost as a session and occasional live drummer for various bands and projects.  TA might be a more constant thing, but I couldn't see that ever being Portnoy's main project, simple because of the money aspect of it. 

[black_biff_stadler]

JLB-Winter Rose reunion
JP-video game soundtracks for games developed by Sega
JR-Speedway Boulevard world tour culminating in their own Rock Band game that finally involves keys
JM-female Asian model
MP-Boxing career

[The Letter M]

I think Portnoy would go about trying to record or perform with all of his musical/musician friends and idols, and seek out new projects and bands to work with. He would also probably set up more Progressive Nation tours and drum for one or two bands who would need a drummer at the time.

I can see LaBrie doing stuff with Opera, and some more dramatic opera-rock things, probably work with Lucassen a few more times on whatever projects he'd have coming up.

I would LOVE to see Rudess team up with Wilson on something tasty, with or without Akerfeldt or anyone else... I think those two could churn out an awesome, melodic yet atmospheric album.

Petrucci would probably end up doing more solo albums, and guest-spotting on a lot of band's albums, doing a solo here or there, and probably set up another G3 tour or two.

Myung? Hmmm.... tough one to crack, but I'd like to see him join another band full-time, where he could explore more of his lyrics and music, whether or not it was The Jelly Jam.

-Marc.

[Setlist Scotty]

They realize the error of their ways and get back together.

Exactly.

But if they didn't, then I see MP joining Geddy and Alex in a new band since Neil will also decide he's done drumming at around the same time.  

[Nick]

Portnoy joins Transatlantic full time (my favorite DT side project). Of course this has to be hypothetical because that would hinge on Neal Morse more than anything.

James LaBrie guests on album regularly, does another solo album or two. He is always FANTASTIC when he goes on other people's stuff, just last year he was amazing on both the Redemption album and the Roswell Six album. And of course his deeper resume documents an amazing job on The Human Equation.

John Petrucci made my favorite instrumental album of all time, so basically I want him in the studio as much as possible.

Jordan... hmm... while I like a lot of different stuff he's done, outside of Dream Theater I'm not super crazy about any of it. I'd honestly probably like it best if he kept reinventing old classics as he did on The Road Home.

Not sure about Myung.

[contest_sanity]

Portnoy joins Transatlantic full time (my favorite DT side project). Of course this has to be hypothetical because that would hinge on Neal Morse more than anything.

How could God object to full-time Transatlantic?  He's probably in the midst of breaking up their day-job bands right now.

[dedSurroun]

I don't care what anyone else does, as long as Myung does something. And if it sucks well at least he did it and then we know.

[El JoNNo]

JLB will become a nurse

[antigoon]

MP: Joins A7X
JP: Solo albums
JR: Experimental stuff
JLB: Guest spots galore?
JM: Until he proves he's not musically celibate, I couldn't care less.

[reneranucci]

(Long shot) Jordan joins Scale the Summit, and the band put out album after album of spectacular instrumental soundscapes

Hehe this made laugh because it´s so crazy.


Although I can see it working 

[reneranucci]

I think MP would like to pursue a career in the music industry but not as a drummer, but as a director/producer/promoter/big ideas guy or wathever. He enjoys that and invests a lot of his time doing that type of thing, maybe more time than actually playing drums. I can see him doing lots of things in the prog world, promoting new bands and events and basically playing a major role in shaping the future of the genre´s industry, as he actually has being doing in the last few years.

And I definitely would like Jordan to join another band as a full-time member. Maybe create his own or joining some guys that need a keyboardist. I think it would allow his fans to discover much more of his playing than if he does solo stuff.

[ScioPath]

JLB will become a nurse

well in chaos in motion, he did say that he wanted to pursue a medical career...

[Quadrochosis]

A Rudess / Wilson project would indeed be orgasmic.

[Perpetual Change]

A Rudess / Wilson project would indeed be orgasmic.

I'm glad people seem to agree with me so much. Given listeners' usual complaints about Jordan, and PT fans reasons for liking SW projects, JR and SW are an unlikely match.  However, JR is utilized so well on Insurgentes and the two seem to have a good professional relationship. A project involving both of them seems like it'd be really cool, and not that much of a stretch.

[ZKX-2099]

Portnoy: A7X full time.
Petrucci: Ascends to the heavens and the sound of wind is replaced by 11,000 NPS shred sequences.
Rudess: No clue.
LaBrie: Prime Minister of Canada.
Myung: Learns to live.

[tri.ad]

MP: A7X or a career as a producer. His skills at intervening in the bands' creativity (singing, drumming, writing lyrics) will seriously battle Steven Wilson's.
JP: Will release several solo albums and hold guitar clinics; apart from that, he'll open a gym.
JLB: Some solo albums, a lot of guest spots.
JR: Not too sure, but he might teach Anthony Banks how to play the piano again.
JM: Will found another band with Derek Sherinian and a respected drummer to finally live out his creativity. Freeport Jam will be on their first release, many of the other songs will be very bass-driven. JP will sneak in as a guest for a few songs, of course.

[Gadough]

Portnoy does 10000 projects till he explodes on stage.

This made me laugh way harder than was necessary.

[Sigz]

Portnoy does 10000 projects till he explodes on stage.

This made me laugh way harder than was necessary.

I'm amazed no one's made a Spinal Tap reference actually.

A Rudess / Wilson project would indeed be orgasmic.

I'm glad people seem to agree with me so much. Given listeners' usual complaints about Jordan, and PT fans reasons for liking SW projects, JR and SW are an unlikely match.  However, JR is utilized so well on Insurgentes and the two seem to have a good professional relationship. A project involving both of them seems like it'd be really cool, and not that much of a stretch.

In case no one's seen this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGk5aUDntwY

I'd love to see them collaborate on something. Rudess's work on Insurgentes is some of his best piano work ever.

[RoeDent]

The way he's been going (on recent DT albums), Mike Portnoy could wind up becoming a freelance death-growler. 

[FlashCE]

JP and JLB release solo albums and JR hopefully doesn't play anymore music.

[fsh3702]

i rather like to presume they will absorb new style and change their genre when their landmark progressive creativity were drained. i prefer the scenario they grow older and decay than a sudden weird dismiss.

[Aniland]

Mike Portnoy begins the long-awaited him/Akerfeldt/Wilson project that fans have been dying for. He also does regular appearances and recordings with A7X, and occasionally does something with Transatlantic if Neal is up to it.

Jordan Rudess joins a technical band (probably one that we haven't heard of yet, but whose popularity will spike with the inclusion of ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess)

James LaBrie and John Myung get some guys together and form a new band. Their style may or may not be close to the vein that Dream Theater has done (though it may be more like their experimental tracks).

John Petrucci...solo albums?

[robwebster]

John Petrucci's got years of G3 ahead of him. I assume he'd amass a small solo band, too. Maybe not even solo, just another band. Continue writing music, tour the world, just do his own thing with some different people on board.

Mike Portnoy will occasionally moan about it on his website (KIDDING) and do a hell of a load of collaborations. He seems like the kind of person who would want to work with as many artists as possible.

John Myung will briefly join Pain of Salvation, before inevitably leaving again (as all PoS bassists do). Then I could imagine him going into something less ostentatious. Tutoring, perhaps. (Specifically bass tutoring.) A couple of quiet sideprojects but he'd mainly fade into obscurity.

Ol' Jimbo will try and join Broadway. Musical theatre, I reckon. He's said he'd be interested in it, and I figure he'd probably take that opportunity and do something theatrical. He'd maintain a healthy and open relationship with the Dream Theater fans and be more than happy to reunite and do interviews and such, and possibly do the odd sideproject or join in with one of Mike's collaborations perhaps, but by and large we'd be talking about "James's Broadway Career."

Jordan Rudess will be heartbroken, and found dead in a hotel room, having drowned himself in a vase of flowers. His iPhone was also found in the vase.

Derek Sherinian will be involved in the reunion tour, circa 10 years later.

[black_biff_stadler]

Mike Portnoy begins the long-awaited him/Akerfeldt/Wilson project that fans have been dying for. He also does regular appearances and recordings with A7X, and occasionally does something with Transatlantic if Neal is up to it.

Jordan Rudess joins a technical band (probably one that we haven't heard of yet, but whose popularity will spike with the inclusion of ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess)

James LaBrie and John Myung get some guys together and form a new band. Their style may or may not be close to the vein that Dream Theater has done (though it may be more like their experimental tracks).

John Petrucci...solo albums?

Forgive me but I keep cracking up every time every time I look at your name since it looks like it'd be pronounced "Anal Land" like an amusement park for well...ya know

[cowboymafia]

petrucci returns to the alaskan wilderness

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

petrucci returns to the alaskan wilderness

Nice first post!

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Jordan Rudess will be heartbroken, and found dead in a hotel room, having drowned himself in a vase of flowers. His iPhone was also found in the vase.

This made me crack up real loud 

[ScioPath]

JR hopefully doesn't play anymore music.

[Gadough]

Not sure about Myung.

Is anyone?