Who will do Mike's live vocals on the next tour?

[The Letter M]

So I am sitting here listening to "Beyond This Life" and there's that part with John and Mike doing the response-vocals, "What we have been is what we are" part, and it got me wondering - if the band does this song live again, how will they handle the vocals?

Of course, there are plenty of songs with Mike doing background vocals, and probably just as many with Mike AND John doing background vocals, so how will the band figure that out? Of course, there are songs with just Mike-vocals, so it's plausible that John would handle those parts, having been the other background vocalist in the band, but what about the 2-part harmonies like the aforementioned BTL section?

Jordan has shown us his "ability" to sing on recent YouTube uploads, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that Jordan could do some background vocals. It's also likely that whoever they've chosen as the new drummer could do some vocals, but without knowing who it is makes the poll option a bit hard to choose.

Then again, they could get no one to cover them and just go ahead with the song. Or they (likely JR) could trigger vocal samples where needed for whatever song they're playing. Or perhaps they could avoid songs that require more than 2 vocalists altogether! What do you guys think?

-Marc.

[Fuzzboy]

Peter Wildoer

[Adami]

Petrucci can handle all of the melodic stuff. The tough guy crap songs will probably just not be played, unless JLB does it.


But songs with a lot of call/response tough guy vocals will probably be dropped.

[Dcrupi]

Honestly, I think Jordan would be the most likely candidate...he's obviously more than capable of singing and playing simultaneously, plus he's had the most experience with the songs.

The new drummer I find unlikely.  First of all, we're not sure he even CAN sing.  Second, even if he can, he's got enough on his plate--he needs to learn 2 hours of DT music, and doesn't need to be worrying about vocal harmonies (not even melodies but HARMONIES) in addition to it all.  Jordan knows these songs so well by now and has a good enough ear that he can figure them out better than anyone.

As far as tough guy vocals...they might just drop those.  Not sure on that front.

[JayOctavarium]

is it wrong I want to hear TGP with JP doing all of Portnoy's vox? Honestly I think JP can pull of a better death growl than Portnoy.

With that said. its not like I want more of it on future albums

[hefdaddy42]

Hopefully, no one.

[ZKX-2099]

I would like to hear more Petrucci.

[ZBomber]

Hopefully, no one.

[Gadough]

Hopefully, no one.

This is what I said out loud when I read the thread title.

[Adami]

Wait, is Nicky still available?

[Jamariquay]

Jordan and Petrucci on backup vox should be fine. I honestly don't think any of the harsher vocals that have appeared here and there really add anything worthwhile to any of those songs. Outside of ANTR, I don't truly mind them per se, but I won't miss them either.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I think that 1 of the qualities they're looking for in the new drummer is background vox, therefore I think the new guy will do all of MP's parts, minus the 'tough guy' vox or whatever you guys call it lol. They might just drop those parts or find a new way to do them.

[tri.ad]

Wait, is Nicky still available?

Ouch.

JP would be a nice choice for the trade-off vocal sections (also, maybe JR with a vocoder?), but otherwise, I wouldn't mind if they omitted them.

[Progmetty]

Similar situation Metallica was in after Newsted left, he was the only back vox so it was REALLY problem and they kinda improvised for a while between Hammet and Hetfield trying to cover for Newsted parts, Hammet's voice was just an emotionally scarring experience, now Trujillo is helping but he's awful as well.
In DT's case JP is the obvious solution and lucky for us he doesn't sound like Kirk.

[DJF]

Honestly, I think Jordan would be the most likely candidate...he's obviously more than capable of singing and playing simultaneously, plus he's had the most experience with the songs.

This is true, but the timbre of his voice doesn't really suit Mike's parts, and short of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPKjj4putLg I can't see him pulling it off somehow.

[rumborak]

Frankly, anybody could cover them. IMHO his backing vox never exceeded average.

rumborak

[Raziel666]

First of all, we're not sure he even CAN sing.

Personally, I think that MP can't sing as well. But he did. Or at least he tried. With whatever effect. Oh well...

P.S. Not trying to bash MP here, but it's not like he's Nick D'Virgilio or sth...

[Jalis]

First of all, we're not sure he even CAN sing.

Personally, I think that MP can't sing as well. But he did. Or at least he tried. With whatever effect. Oh well...

P.S. Not trying to bash MP here, but it's not like he's Nick D'Virgilio or sth...

Or the guy from Journey...

Deen Castronovo... 

[Mladen]

Peter Wildoer

This is exactly what went through my mind when I thought about Peter becoming new DT drummer, we could hear A Nightmare to remember and some other tracks with more decent vocals. I'm not a fan of that vocal style, but it would sound bad ass live.

So, yeah, the new drummer, I guess...

[jsem]

Peter Wildoer

Would be hilarious

[Metabog]

Kevin Moore. 

[Jalis]

Myung must be a candidate ! 

[bloop]

Myung is the only possibility.

[TL]

Chris Collins.

[tjanuranus]

Nicky lemons gets my vote for sure.

[rumborak]

First of all, we're not sure he even CAN sing.

Personally, I think that MP can't sing as well. But he did. Or at least he tried. With whatever effect. Oh well...

P.S. Not trying to bash MP here, but it's not like he's Nick D'Virgilio or sth...

Or the guy from Journey...

Deen Castronovo... 

Or Phil Collins. Or Roger Taylor. Or Dave Grohl. Lots of drummers sing very well.

rumborak

[bosk1]

First of all, we're not sure he even CAN sing.

Personally, I think that MP can't sing as well. But he did. Or at least he tried. With whatever effect. Oh well...

P.S. Not trying to bash MP here, but it's not like he's Nick D'Virgilio or sth...

Or the guy from Journey...

Deen Castronovo... 

Deen is amazing.  They should fire him and Arnel immediately.  Then get somebody else on drums.  Then re-hire Deen to take Arnel's spot.

[2Timer]

I almost went for the triggering of MP's recorded parts, but it's too possible that he'll attend a show, see them doing that, then there will be an ugly lawsuit. 

[IdoSC]

No one, I fucking hope so.

[Adami]

I almost went for the triggering of MP's recorded parts, but it's too possible that he'll attend a show, see them doing that, then there will be an ugly lawsuit. 

I highly doubt they'll trigger a band member who's not in the band anymore.

[rumborak]

I would think they´ll just stay away from songs that would showcase the lack of their former drummer. Simple as that. Which also means,. I would think, quite little of the AA suite.

rumborak

[Perpetual Change]

I can't lie: I get a little bit more excited every time I think about the fact that Mike Portnoy's lead vocals in DT are a thing of the past. I REALLY hope they don't try and replicate them in the future. That's so not necessary.

Oddly enough, I was talking to my brother (who's not a big DT fan AT ALL) today about this topic. At some point he asked me what Dream Theater were going to do about Mike's singing and I explained to him that while I didn't know, the majority of the DT fanbase have always been pretty lukewarm about his vox. He then said something like, "yeah, from what you've showed me, Mike's vocal parts have always seemed to be some of DT's shakier ideas."

I tend to agree. Us fans merely tolerate Mike's vocals, but the brutal truth is there's at an embarassingly bad level. At any rate, I really don't think there's any need to carry on Mike's vocal legacy at all, so I vote for "no one."

[Nick]

the majority of the DT fanbase have always been pretty lukewarm about his vox. He then said something like, "yeah, from what you've showed me, Mike's vocal parts have always seemed to be some of DT's shakier ideas."

I tend to agree. Us fans merely tolerate Mike's vocals, but the brutal truth is there's at an embarassingly bad level.

You state for fact what is mere opinion, and if that's not enough the last part especially is quite insulting. I suggest you re-think before posting anything like this in the future.

[The Letter M]

I think you guys are missing the point - this isn't just about Mike more prominent vocals, or lead spots, or things where it's mostly just him (like call-and-response, or things like in "The Mirror"), but more about Mike's harmonies with John and/or James. Those harmonies fill out a lot of songs from many albums.

I think it's obvious we won't hear songs like "The Glass Prison" or "A Nightmare To Remember" due to the prominence of Mike's vocals from those songs, but other songs that require background harmonies are still up in the air, and in my opinion, could still be played.

-Marc.

[Adami]

I think you guys are missing the point - this isn't just about Mike more prominent vocals, or lead spots, or things where it's mostly just him (like call-and-response, or things like in "The Mirror"), but more about Mike's harmonies with John and/or James. Those harmonies fill out a lot of songs from many albums.

I think it's obvious we won't hear songs like "The Glass Prison" or "A Nightmare To Remember" due to the prominence of Mike's vocals from those songs, but other songs that require background harmonies are still up in the air, and in my opinion, could still be played.

-Marc.

Live? They don't matter very much.