Who would you rather have return to Dream Theater?

[Seventh Son]

How the hell is KevMo winning?

The reason that he left in the first place, over fifteen years ago, is because he was a bad fit for the band. He doesn't like Dream Theater! He wouldn't collaborate well with them. He'd be atrocious. Fucking atrocious. It would be total shite. If he felt that he could collaborate with them in a meaningful way, he'd still be in the band now. But he can't. He's authentically incapable of playing in Dream Theater. That's the entire point of everything that's happened since.

Mike left simply 'cause he didn't like the pace. He could be brought back successfully (although I'd rather they just valiantly marched on), whereas I can't see how bringing Kevin Moore back could be considered anything other than a mistake. There's no way in hell it would work.

If that was the case, then how did they come up with Images and Words and Awake? He just got tired of the style DT was heading towards.

He barely contributed a thing to Awake. Kevin Moore rejoining Dream Theater would necessitate that Kevin Moore stops being Kevin Moore.

Kevin's keys add a lot to the atmosphere to Awake I think, not to mention Space-Dye Vest.

[Sixtease]

I miss the right choice: None

[?]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake.

Whaaaaat? Maybe he contributed less than on I&W but still; he wrote lyrics for 3 songs, 1 of which was also composed by him entirely, and I'm sure he wrote most (or maybe all) of the keyboard parts on the album.

[Fnejk]

Derek Sherinian

[Perpetual Change]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake. Kevin Moore rejoining Dream Theater would necessitate that Kevin Moore stops being Kevin Moore.

That's kinda what makes Kevin Moore's contributions toward Awake cool. Since, at that point, he wasn't really into being a part of the band (at least according to Portnoy), his keyboards have this total "fuck this shit, I'm just going to play some string patches here and some piano there and be done with it" on (I would argue) most of the songs on Awake.  For people who aren't into Jordan Rudess' Keith Emerson-level of Keyboard self-absorption, this is what makes Kevin's work on Awake special.

Personally, I wouldn't have Kevin back. While Awake and Images and Words are both top 3 Dream Theater albums for me, I don't make the mistake of attributing Kevin Moore to their greatness simply because he's the most obvious factor that changed about the band afterward. We have to consider that many things about the band changed, including whether they'd use producers, whether they'd try to have radio-singles, whether they'd accept certain types of lyrics, whether EVERYONE would be a part of the writing process, whether they'd try to always remain 'contemporary sounding' or stick to their established sound, and so on. Saying that those two albums are better simply because Kevin was there is a fallacy that, unfortunately,  most of the Dream Theater community has never been able to shake (especially those members of the community who, like me, agree that Images and Awake represent the band at its creative Zenith).

At any rate, to answer the question, I'd take Mike Portnoy back over Kevin Moore. The first reason is that I'm not entirely convinced Kevin's still capable of making solid contributions to a metal band. The more important reason, though, is that I'm simply more connected to Mike as a fan. He's been there through the whole thing, and will ALWAYS be a considered the drummer of Dream Theater; in the same way that when people think of the guitarist of Queensryche, the first name that likely pops into their head is Chris DeGarmo, rather than Mike Stone or Kelly Gray.

But, if I'm being honest about the keyboardists, Derek Sherinian will always be that person who's in the back of my mind as the one Dream Theater maybe should have married.

[ack44]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake. 

Yea writing the opening and closing songs of an album isn't contributing. Sup?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

I miss the right choice: None

[Mebert78]

I said Kevin Moore, for nostalgia reasons.  I've always wished I got the chance to see him perform with DT.  But on second thought I might pick Mike Portnoy, just because I like Kevin more as an independent musician jumping around to various projects when he feels like it.  He's not the type of guy that fits fulltime into a band.  He's too much of a free spirit.  Plus, I like what he's done outside of DT so much that I'd rather keep that going instead of have him return to DT for more than a reunion show. 

[robwebster]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake. 

Yea writing the opening and closing songs of an album isn't contributing. Sup?

No - as in, he genuinely didn't write anything more than he had to. Musically, he barely touched it. History's written by the winners, sure, but by all reports the album was, by and large, written without him.

[j]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake. Kevin Moore rejoining Dream Theater would necessitate that Kevin Moore stops being Kevin Moore.

That's kinda what makes Kevin Moore's contributions toward Awake cool. Since, at that point, he wasn't really into being a part of the band (at least according to Portnoy), his keyboards have this total "fuck this shit, I'm just going to play some string patches here and some piano there and be done with it" on (I would argue) most of the songs on Awake.  For people who aren't into Jordan Rudess' Keith Emerson-level of Keyboard self-absorption, this is what makes Kevin's work on Awake special.

Personally, I wouldn't have Kevin back. While Awake and Images and Words are both top 3 Dream Theater albums for me, I don't make the mistake of attributing Kevin Moore to their greatness simply because he's the most obvious factor that changed about the band afterward. We have to consider that many things about the band changed, including whether they'd use producers, whether they'd try to have radio-singles, whether they'd accept certain types of lyrics, whether EVERYONE would be a part of the writing process, whether they'd try to always remain 'contemporary sounding' or stick to their established sound, and so on. Saying that those two albums are better simply because Kevin was there is a fallacy that, unfortunately,  most of the Dream Theater community has never been able to shake (especially those members of the community who, like me, agree that Images and Awake represent the band at its creative Zenith).

At any rate, to answer the question, I'd take Mike Portnoy back over Kevin Moore. The first reason is that I'm not entirely convinced Kevin's still capable of making solid contributions to a metal band. The more important reason, though, is that I'm simply more connected to Mike as a fan. He's been there through the whole thing, and will ALWAYS be a considered the drummer of Dream Theater; in the same way that when people think of the guitarist of Queensryche, the first name that likely pops into their head is Chris DeGarmo, rather than Mike Stone or Kelly Gray.

But, if I'm being honest about the keyboardists, Derek Sherinian will always be that person who's in the back of my mind as the one Dream Theater maybe should have married.

Wow, this is an excellent post.

-J

[Mebert78]

He barely contributed a thing to Awake.  

Yea writing the opening and closing songs of an album isn't contributing. Sup?

No - as in, he genuinely didn't write anything more than he had to. Musically, he barely touched it. History's written by the winners, sure, but by all reports the album was, by and large, written without him.

I recall reading in Lifting Shadows that JLB said KM was distancing himself from the band emotionally.  Also, I'll admit the part about him not contributing to the music as much sounds vaguely familiar, but who said that?  Did Portnoy say it?  I'm a little hesitant to take MP's views at face value after seeing how he can misinterpret things like JLB's "not sad at all" comments, etc.  If the other band members said KM didn't contribute more than he had to, then I'll be more inclined to believe it.

Regardless, KM keyboard parts and work on the album is amazing -- even if he was distancing himself and contributed less than usual.  Maybe it was his distant state-of-mind that played a role in him creating such breathtaking keyboard parts on Awake.

[Fjubb]

I'm kind of shocked to see KM leading the poll. I really don't see what's so special about him, especially compared to Jordan. Mike has been the face of the band for 25 years, and I'm pretty sure his input when writing songs would be way more valuable to DT than Kevin's.

[Seventh Son]

I'm kind of shocked to see KM leading the poll. I really don't see what's so special about him, especially compared to Jordan. Mike has been the face of the band for 25 years, and I'm pretty sure his input when writing songs would be way more valuable to DT than Kevin's.

If you asked me to choose between Images and Words/Awake and Train of Thought - Black Clouds and Silver Linings I'd take the first two in a heartbeat.

Not to mention that Kevin's keyboard parts in those two albums created a lot of the character that those albums have. Sure, Jordan is technically superior but I don't really give a damn about technicality at the end of the day, it just doesn't impress me.

[moffatt]

How the hell is KevMo winning?

The reason that he left in the first place, over fifteen years ago, is because he was a bad fit for the band. He doesn't like Dream Theater! He wouldn't collaborate well with them. He'd be atrocious. Fucking atrocious. It would be total shite. If he felt that he could collaborate with them in a meaningful way, he'd still be in the band now. But he can't. He's authentically incapable of playing in Dream Theater. That's the entire point of everything that's happened since.

Mike left simply 'cause he didn't like the pace. He could be brought back successfully (although I'd rather they just valiantly marched on), whereas I can't see how bringing Kevin Moore back could be considered anything other than a mistake. There's no way in hell it would work.

Well said as usual, and as usual I completely agree

[Mebert78]

I'm kind of shocked to see KM leading the poll. I really don't see what's so special about him, especially compared to Jordan. Mike has been the face of the band for 25 years, and I'm pretty sure his input when writing songs would be way more valuable to DT than Kevin's.

The special thing about Kevin, in my opinion, is that he was a pioneer and used keyboards to shred and solo and duel guitars in a way that wasn't being done before.  Sure, 20 years later we can look back and say Jordan is technically superior.  Some will even say that Jordan has gone above and beyond what Kevin has done in terms of prog keyboarding.  But Kevin broke down the door and mainstreamed a sound that wasn't popular before him.  It's easier to walk through the door once someone else has opened it.  Kevin is also a part of the magical DT lineup that created the #1 rated prog metal album of all-time: Images and Words.  That can never be taken away from him.

Also, the reason he's leading the poll is because we've had so much access to MP through the years.  We know him intimately by now.  Been there, done that.  KM left when the band was on top and kinda left fans wanting more.  

[Pyroph]

MP, dunno why Kevin Moore is winning. For one, he'd never join and two, the music that resulted would not be Dream Theater.

[PlaysLikeMyung]

MP, dunno why Kevin Moore is winning. For one, he'd never join and two, the music that resulted would not be Dream Theater.

Dream Theater didn't exist from 1986 to 1994

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I wouldn't have either return.

The impression I get about Moore's contributions to Awake is that he didn't compose jack shit except for "Space-Dye Vest" and a couple of other things.

Instead of doing what most guys in DT do - contribute to the actual writing of every song - his role was more conventional: He had control over his own instrument, and nothing else, and even then he was probably being monitored closely.

Sure, JP and co. probably told him the exact kind of stuff he needed to write, but that doesn't mean he didn't contribute to the album.

By that logic, everyone in Opeth besides Akerfeldt contributed nothing to any of their albums, everyone in Porcupine Tree besides Wilson contributed nothing to any of their albums, etc.

At the end of the day, he still had to actually write what he was told to. And at the end of the day, what he wrote was amazing.

[Dublagent66]

After all that's happened?  Neither.

[KevShmev]

MP, dunno why Kevin Moore is winning. For one, he'd never join and two, the music that resulted would not be Dream Theater.

That doesn't make any sense.  Music made by Dream Theater IS Dream Theater.  Whatever music is made by Dream Theater is therefore Dream Theater, regardless of how much it sounds like the bulk of what they have done previously.

[MuumiPeikko]

Of course Mike. But he may replay "Iron Maiden scenario" and take Kevin or Derek with him 

[ack44]

Chris Collins.

[Perpetual Change]

MP, dunno why Kevin Moore is winning. For one, he'd never join and two, the music that resulted would not be Dream Theater.

That doesn't make any sense.  Music made by Dream Theater IS Dream Theater.  Whatever music is made by Dream Theater is therefore Dream Theater, regardless of how much it sounds like the bulk of what they have done previously.

I think Dream Theater sounding like OSI is scarier to me than an album where Mike Portnoy is the primary vocalist. But, then again, I haven't really considered how OSI might sound with someone who can sing at the helm. And LaBrie's softer voice might actually lend itself well to that kinda music. So who knows?

[Tick]

I want Mike back!

[orcus116]

I think Dream Theater sounding like OSI is scarier to me than an album where Mike Portnoy is the primary vocalist.

That's pretty much assuming the other 4 guys in the band would just let Kevin write stuff and go along with it. Don't think that would ever happen.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

MP, dunno why Kevin Moore is winning. For one, he'd never join and two, the music that resulted would not be Dream Theater.

That doesn't make any sense.  Music made by Dream Theater IS Dream Theater.  Whatever music is made by Dream Theater is therefore Dream Theater, regardless of how much it sounds like the bulk of what they have done previously.

I think Dream Theater sounding like OSI is scarier to me than an album where Mike Portnoy is the primary vocalist. But, then again, I haven't really considered how OSI might sound with someone who can sing at the helm. And LaBrie's softer voice might actually lend itself well to that kinda music. So who knows?

OSI would not sound like OSI if someone else sang at the helm. The vocals don't sound austere and impersonal because Moore cannot sing. They sound austere and impersonal because that is what Moore wants. He wants the vocals to give the music an aberrant vibe, like how lots of indie bands sing a certain way to give the music an indie vibe or lots of pop singers sing a certain way to give a poppy vibe.

[Perpetual Change]

And you know what? It works. Kev's monotone drone is GREAT on some songs. I just can't take an entire album full of it. I don't see why I should enjoy Kev's vocals more just because he's aesthetically justified why he sings every song the same way.

[pmahoney1337]

Charlie Dominici FTW

[Jarlaxle]

They should bring back Kevin, but only as a lyric writer who doesn't ever touch a keyboard on stage with Dream Theater.   

[ack44]

KM needs to rejoin and write Raise the Knife pt. 2. Set history straight or something.

[blackngold29]

First show without MP, Kevin Moore comes out of a trapdoor under the stage, there is smoke all over. "And I'll be open once again..."


Really though, Mike.

[Nando]

D T was never the same to me after the departure of Kevin Moore.

Hard to surpass that era.

Nando

[YtseBitsySpider]

I wonder how many new fake accounts Blob opened to vote for Kevin

[YtseBitsySpider]

Derek Sherinian

oh
and FUCKING THIS!
x1000000

[Mebert78]

First show without MP, Kevin Moore comes out of a trapdoor under the stage, there is smoke all over. "And I'll be open once again..."