Upcoming Rich Wilson DT interview in Classic Rock magazine

[KevShmev]

Yeah, things like that can often take time to slowly disintegrate.  I have mentioned this before, but remember the moment on the making of SC when JLB is talking about making that album was the most fun he had had since the making of Awake, and in the middle of him talking about it, Portnoy, who was handling the camera, basically interrupted him to talk about the hair or something about the sound engineer's (or someone like that) hair or something, and JLB had this look on his face like, "Um, I was f'ing talking here."  That kind of disrespect can only be laughed at or ignored for so long.

[rumborak]

In the same vein, I found that BCSL songwriting video where he cut off JP half-sentence pretty rude.

rumborak

[Bertielee]

Everything you've noticed so far is interesting. When everything is fine, we kinda tend to ignore such things, but when some stuff goes wrong, we pay a lot more attention. I find that funny.

B.Lee

[rumborak]

Nah, not really. The rumors had been going for years that not all was rosy, but it's only now that they were actually confirmed.

rumborak

[Perpetual Change]

Besides, even if everything were rosy, things that've been long pushed down can creep back up when situations change. That's just a fact of life. A break-up can cause you to remember a slew of old things. How many people have been in fights with significant others or otherwise where things that happened 2 or 3 years ago get brought up like they're current issues?

That's why I wouldn't find it hard to believe that if anyone's got any deeper issues with Mike, it'd be James. Sure, there may have not been any noticeable problems between the two while Mike was in the band, because as is true in any relationship a regular routine seems to be able to mask a lot of issues.  But almost being canned, being publicly called out by your drummer about your vocals several times, being uninvited to writing the latest album by your dummer, having all those interviews you used to do taken over by your drummer-- those are really the kinds of issues that can come out of the woodwork when your drummer quits. Especially if your drummer decides to lash-out at you for no reason, publicly, over the internet.

Regardless, I'd expect James is too much of a class act to admit there's any issues. Plus, he doesn't seem to be a guy that really cares too much for conflict. That kind of statement Mike made earlier in Prog magazine-- that little side jab against Myung-- that's just simply the kind of thing that I'd never expect to hear from someone with James' level of professionalism and maturity.

But does James LaBrie even like Mike Portnoy? Does Mike Portnoy even like James LaBrie? I would not be surprised at all if the answer to both of those questions is "No, not really," and I'd be equally unsurprised if that's the way things have been at least for awhile.

[Lowdz]

Regardless, I'd expect James is too much of a class act to admit there's any issues. Plus, he doesn't seem to be a guy that really cares too much for conflict.

I thought from reading Lifting Shadows that JLB was a bit of a fighter? Not doubting the class act part as he seems genuine and a gent to me. And MP is a boxing fan... get it on I say! lol

[Perpetual Change]

Regardless, I'd expect James is too much of a class act to admit there's any issues. Plus, he doesn't seem to be a guy that really cares too much for conflict.

I thought from reading Lifting Shadows that JLB was a bit of a fighter?

Forgot about that! 

[lucky7]

Rich Wilson Thanks so much for posting the link (on page 4 of this thread) to order the back issue.

God knows when it would have reached Australia otherwise! 

[nikostheater]

I just read it.
Rich,excellent work.
Thank you so much.
Very interesting article.
I think Jordan's response and comments were VERY interesting.

[lucky7]

My copy arrived Friday afternoon....at work! It was very hard not to stop work and read it.

Great interview Rich. now we all wait for the new drummer announcement! 

[DreamerTV]

https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=149975&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blabbermouth+%28Blabbermouth.net%27s+Daily+Headlines%29


Excerpts from the other guys interviews.

[TAC]

Thanks for the link DTV. I haven't had a chance to see this yet.

[ReaPsTA]

I could be wrong, but Rudess seems the most emotionally conflicted by all this.  On one hand the idea of the hiatus and Mike trying to control the band from afar seems almost offensive.  On the other hand, the idea of moving on seems toughest to him.

[hefdaddy42]

Thanks for the link.

[Perpetual Change]

Jordan also seems the most direct, though，which I actually like. We're so used to seeing him be reserved and not really having much of a say. But you can tell that he's really speaking up now. I'm even sensing a bit of ego from him, which I like.

I remember awhile ago when Mike acted like he didn't know what Jordan was talking about when Jordan told some people at a keyboard convention that DT were "exploring the gothic domain" on the new album (a comment entirely justified). Jordan has a strong personality, though, and I suspect he'll be a driving force in band decisions from now on.

Hopefully Myung will step up as well. I remember during the WDADR commentary, where Mike repremands John for wishing they could "jam together like a band again."

Honestly, things are going to be better without one member being able to just tell the others to "shut up" from now on.

[emindead]

Petrucci: "You know, I've played with Mike for so long and we have done so many things together that at some point we will play together again, and we told each other that. It would be ridiculous to think that we won't play together again. That's kind of silly.

Ha! So they tried to mislead us while promoting this picture! It wasn't MP who said it but JP! A-HA!

[Mebert78]

Jordan also seems the most direct, though，which I actually like. We're so used to seeing him be reserved and not really having much of a say. But you can tell that he's really speaking up now. I'm even sensing a bit of ego from him, which I like.

I remember awhile ago when Mike acted like he didn't know what Jordan was talking about when Jordan told some people at a keyboard convention that DT were "exploring the gothic domain" on the new album (a comment entirely justified). Jordan has a strong personality, though, and I suspect he'll be a driving force in band decisions from now on.

Hopefully Myung will step up as well. I remember during the WDADR commentary, where Mike repremands John for wishing they could "jam together like a band again."

Honestly, things are going to be better without one member being able to just tell the others to "shut up" from now on.

I agree, PC.  I like seeing Jordan more outspoken.  Perhaps he was always that way to some degree but it was overshadowed by Mike.  As for Myung, I'd love to see him more outspoken too.  Unfortunately, he had his first chance at the Hall of Fame induction and remained silent.  Kinda disappointing.  But I'm liking what I'm seeing (and hearing) from JR

[tri.ad]

Those are some very interesting excerpts. I enjoyed reading them a lot, especially what JR had to say.

[?]

Thanks for the link! It was interesting to read those excerpts.

[rumborak]

What's interesting is how close our own assessment of the situation actually was to the real thing. That is, JP confirming that the band felt "over-controlled" by MP at that point.

rumborak

[robwebster]

I'm most surprised that we were right about John Myung. That's kind of the one where we all went "haha, yeah, he never says a word, always practicing, what a character" and only ever half believed that he might've been like that for real.

[rumborak]

I was not surprised by that at all. I can't remember where it was said, but years ago already MP said in some video that JM shows up at the gig, sits in his practice room, does the show, and disappears. What my guess is that JM might have tried to stay out of MP's face. That's what I would do if I want to keep my sanity in a group but can't get along with one very vocal member.

rumborak

[Ħ]

In Lifting Shadows, when MP first bought a house, his first housemate was JM.  MP says that it didn't work out so well due to "very different lifestyles," so JM ending up leaving.  That said, they are extraordinarily different and I'm sure each one has their strengths and flaws.

[floppa]

Just going to chime in....first of all great article Rich. Thank you for the hard work, and revelations that a lot of fans were looking for.

Second of all, for me personally I was always bothered by Mike's interviews in the past. When he would say DT is MY band, and I do so much for DT....ETC. I always felt like it was a huge slight to the other 4 members of the band. I mean personally if I was there, and I continued reading that it would eventually start to piss me off. There is no denying that Mike worked his ass off. But he would have saved himself a lot of headaches by having the other members of the band take on more duties.

Also I cannot remember when this was....but does anyone remember when Mike basically slammed JLB by stating he would love to have "XXX" singer sing for DT? Then Mike came back a few days later basically stating he did not mean what he said and JLB was the singer for DT. After reading that I just knew something was amiss between Mike and the "other guys", and I thought it was very disrespectful on MP's part.

On one final note after reading all of this over the last month my mind keeps going back to the movie Almost Famous. And there is that scene when the band just gets done with a great gig, and the manager brings back Stillwaters new t-shirts. So you see Russell Hammond (Mike Portnoy) on the front of the shirt, with all the other band members "fuzzed" out. The rest of the band gets very vocal, while Russell (MP) tells them that this t-shirt gives the band a reason to say what they want to say. Jeff Bebe (Petrucci) says, "Why should I say anything at all? I am one of the out-of-focus guy's". Russell then storms off and says he quits.

Any ways, I think this article can put the whole thing to rest, all five of them can now move on. Everything that has needed to be said has been said. I am looking forward to a new chapter of DT.

[Raziel666]

The Almost Famous situation is apparent in a handful of bands. Nice interpretation there with the DT-MP situation!

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I really wasn't expecting JR's response to this, which was pretty good. I think it's great that JR spoke his true feelings about the situation and by that, give us a little glimpse in how the relationships "behind-the-scenes" are working out between the members of DT. I think his points are pretty much direct and reasonable, you can't be the captain if you're not even standing on the ship.