MP on YTSEJAM releases

[Orbert]

Jordan has actually stated in interviews that he is interested in writing lyrics and singing background vocals. The band just does not want him to, that is the problem.

Ah, but "the band" is not the same guys anymore.

Also, that's pretty lame of "the band" to say.  Every band I've been in, anyone contributes any way he can, be it writing, singing, whatever.  Apparently "the band" thought that having two writers and two singers was all they needed.  Or maybe they did check out his singing and lyrics during rehearsals and there was a consensus.  I'm hoping that that will change now that they're down to one writer and one singer, otherwise it's just stupid.

[ariich]

Jordan has actually stated in interviews that he is interested in writing lyrics and singing background vocals. The band just does not want him to, that is the problem.

Ah, but "the band" is not the same guys anymore.

Also, that's pretty lame of "the band" to say.  Every band I've been in, anyone contributes any way he can, be it writing, singing, whatever.  Apparently "the band" thought that having two writers and two singers was all they needed.  Or maybe they did check out his singing and lyrics during rehearsals and there was a consensus.  I'm hoping that that will change now that they're down to one writer and one singer, otherwise it's just stupid.

I don't believe "the band" ever said anything of the sort. i remember reading something that JR said about him preferring NOT to do backing vocals, and not sure about lyrics but I'm fairly certain he would have been allowed to contribute if he had wished to. Unless some evidence is provided otherwise, I'm going to assume that zukuduku is mistaken (or lying).

[Perpetual Change]

So I say close YTSE down, burn Mikes recordings so he can't release anymore..........and lets get

Hey, I'm sure you're a cool guy, and we haven't met yet, but I think this is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever read on this forum

[robwebster]

Hahaha, I did recoil in horror at the "burn Mike's recordings" part.

The rest is pretty interesting, though! I quite like it, as a perspective. They have totally spoiled us. It used to be such a sacred commodity.

I'd rather have the Ytse Jam Records than the sense of awe, myself, but yeah. I quite like where you're coming from, Carson. Quite a jaunty wee angle.

[ReaPsTA]

I don't believe "the band" ever said anything of the sort. i remember reading something that JR said about him preferring NOT to do backing vocals, and not sure about lyrics but I'm fairly certain he would have been allowed to contribute if he had wished to. Unless some evidence is provided otherwise, I'm going to assume that zukuduku is mistaken (or lying).

Rudess didn't think it was his place in DT to write lyrics.  He's actually written a lot of them for his solo albums.

One thing I'd say, implicit pressure on people matters.  If you don't feel comfortable doing something or feel pressure to be a certain way, you'll settle into those routines and try to mentally justify them.  Maybe now Rudess will say "Hey John, I'd like to give writing lyrics a try" because things are changing and Rudess would like to define his role differently in the new version of the band.

[emtee]

I remember seeing a vid interview of JR being asked something about writting lyrics and I can't remember his
exact quote but he gave a look like...'yeah right' and his retort was something like...I don't think I
want to go down that road. Like it would be way too much effort or drama to have to bypass the
ingrained process that MP and JP had set up. I'll search and see if I can find it.

[Orbert]

The band dynamics will definitely be different going forward, and if that leads to more of the guys contributing music and/or lyrics, I see that as a good thing.  It seems like bands in general would do better when everyone's contributing.  Each member feels more like they're playing "the band's" music and they are part of that band; they're not just playing songs that these other guys wrote.

[Dream Team]

I hope he feels free to do so. Anything he puts to paper will automatically be better than anything on the past 2 albums, save for TMOLS, Repentance, & Wither.

[glaurung]

Jordan has actually stated in interviews that he is interested in writing lyrics and singing background vocals. The band just does not want him to, that is the problem.

That's strange, because I remember him saying the exact opposite. He prefers to focus on his keys.

Edit: just read further and Ariich already said the same thing.

[Moonchild]

To be honest, I have no real interest in buying YtseJam stuff, because most of what's in there isn't at all worth buying with the exception of demos.

There are a million bootlegs out there and dvd bootlegs from every band and with the event of youtube and downloaders it's not lucrative either.

I also think that most of the "must have stuff" with some quality has already been released. I prefer to have a Score DVD than a bootleg dvd unproduced from the "MP" band. I also loved to have a Awake Tour DVD (pre-food poisoning) with prime quality but that isn't happening.

I kind of agree with the Bill Carson dude, DT should buy the stuff from Portnoy and slowly shut down YtseJam, while making a shift towards to a more centralized Fan Club like Iron Maiden.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=154516&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blabbermouth+(Blabbermouth.net's+Daily+Headlines)&utm_content=Twitter

[KevShmev]

https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=154516&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blabbermouth+(Blabbermouth.net's+Daily+Headlines)&utm_content=Twitter

That is why it is dumb for him to continuously say things like that.  He can say, "That was written for members of my forum only," but that is a crock of shit.  Portnoy is not stupid.  He knows that anything put out there is gonna get out and become a story, especially when expressed on a public forum that anyone can read.  Like I said before, the current members of Dream Theater would be wise to continue to not take the bait and not respond.

[jonny108]

From Portnoy:
Ugh...I just saw that my post has now ended up on Blabbermouth as well as some DT news sites and Forums and I am now getting ripped to shreds...
 
I was simply trying to address a fan question that seems to keep popping up about the future of Ytsejam Records...
 
I was not at all "bad mouthing" the DT guys, nor was I whining, crying or complaining...and this was surely NOT meant to be some sort of "press release"!!!! 
 
I simply wanted to set the record straight here on my personal Forum....
 
I have always had an open relationship with you fans and never BS'ed or gave the "politically correct", sugar coated answer....I've always tryed to be very up front, open and in direct contact with mine & DT's fan base...unfortunately, I guess I REALLY need to watch everything I say these days for fear of misinterpretation and I apologize if I cannot address certain areas dealing with DT past or future....
 
MP

[Ben_Jamin]

See, its the way he words what he says. I know he wasn't badmouthing the guys. Its the way he worded it that made it seem that way.

[Ħ]

I do respect him for being upfront and transparent about things.  I don't think that he mentioned the fact that DT doesn't respond to him in order to "badmouth" them, but rather to convey to the fans that he is interested in resolving a couple issues.

Maybe releasing these types of things over the internet in a text-based form is a bad idea.  It doesn't seem to work for Mike or any of the other guys.  Videos seem to be much more accurate at purveying tone and limiting misunderstandings.

Mike, if you're reading this, thanks for your honesty!

[Lowdz]

Mike, are you really that naive? You did not simply answer a fan's question. You went beyond that into bashing your old band mates and playing the "it's them not me" card.
A simple "it's not likely at the moment until things are resolved" would have sufficed.

[Bone_Daddy]

Some people just learn the hard way. In Mike's case regarding press, he doesn't seem to be learning at all.

[Mebert78]

Mike, are you really that naive? You did not simply answer a fan's question. You went beyond that into bashing your old band mates and playing the "it's them not me" card.
A simple "it's not likely at the moment until things are resolved" would have sufficed.

I couldn't agree more.

[jonny108]

Plus is also looks like Ytse Jam will be carrying on:

portnoydrumgod


Would this mean that, there is only a limited supply of these recordings left? 


mabrown: No, we are still keeping the current titles stock levels up, like Mike said JP handles that side of it & so far he has ordered everything I've asked for.

[ReaPsTA]

Plus is also looks like Ytse Jam will be carrying on:

The old stuff will be fine.  But it seems like we're a long way away from MP and DT being at a place where they can work together to make new ones.

[Gorille85]

I've read somwwhere that lyrics aren't really important to JR.

[ariich]

See, its the way he words what he says. I know he wasn't badmouthing the guys.

You know, and I know, but a lot of people don't seem to get it.

Its the way he worded it that made it seem that way.

Yeah it definitely wasn't worded well, but still.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Some people just learn the hard way. In Mike's case regarding press, he doesn't seem to be learning at all.

Also man, give Portnoy a break. This ain't easy for him and it has never been. He's just human and has mistakes, like any one of us.

[robwebster]

From Portnoy:
Ugh...I just saw that my post has now ended up on Blabbermouth as well as some DT news sites and Forums

I was not at all "bad mouthing" the DT guys, nor was I whining, crying or complaining...and this was surely NOT meant to be some sort of "press release"!!!!

This kinda thing looks like an overreaction without the context, but I just had a look at the Blabbermouth comments... jesus christ.

"how many phone calls and emails is he sending per day ?"
"and press releases. Don't forget the press releases. MP seems to love to send a press release. did I mention the press releases?"

I hope the second guy there knows Portnoy's comment was probably targetted directly at him.

While we're at it...

"What a fucking douche. You left the band to play with a bunch of children, Mike. It is YOUR fault that nobody wants to talk to you, and publicly announcing that you'll be holding recordings hostage until someone answers your e-mails is just as fucking childish. You're starting to sound like Dolving and Mustaine. Grow the fuck up."

Man. Just when I was beginning to forget that people on the internet are dicks. If anyone gave half a crap what "enarkrad" had to say, and that post wound up on blabbermouth news, the headline would be along the lines of "ENARKRAD: MIKE PORTNOY is a "fucking douche."" And he'd look exponentially stupider, and get the exact same crap in the comments, only multiplied by powers of ten.

I don't think public figures are beyond reproach, and if someone puts themself in the public eye, they're absolutely accountable for what they say. But I do think it's totally ironic for that particular moron to be complaining about how a man presents himself on the internet, given that Enarkrad apparently has all the tact and intelligence of a shard of coral.

Or, in short, don't call someone a "fucking douche" if you're twenty times douchier. It only emphasises that douche quotient.



Man, douche is a rubbish word.

[dongringo]

Yeah, 'bag' should never be dropped from 'douche.' 

[Perpetual Change]

I can't believe someone at Blabbermouth actually gets paid to aggragate information to their forums.

[The Dark Master]

As this question seems to come up every few weeks, I may as well go on the record:

"I have no idea why JP would have said Ytsejam Records wouldn't be effected...

I was the one that hand picked and decided on every title, compiled the music and videos for the CD's and DVD's and oversaw the artwork and liner notes.

John's side of the YJR Production team consisted of dealing with the manufacturing factory and staying on top of the payments and deliverys after I produced all of the titles...

Being I have the entire 25 year archive of every studio and live recording from 1985 to 2010 in my home, and being the band currently refuse to answer my emails or calls, I honestly cant see any upcoming releases...

It's a shame too....I was already working on another batch before all of this went down.... "

Seems fairly straight forward and honest to me, and I'm not really getting much ego from this one.  Yeah, he does say "I was the one that picked every titles, etc", but that should be common knowledge to anyone familiar with Ytsejam records since, after all, it all comes from Mike's personal stash of DT boots.  I always figured the rest of the band didn't really mind that Mike picked out what would be released on YJR because I always assumed that none of the other guys really cared that much about it.  Most bands don't do this sort of thing because most musicians don't care to open their vaults this way to the public.  Mike did it because he is a lover of obscure bootlegs and demos, so he thought it would be cool to make collecting a bit easier and more legit for DT fans.  I never got any indication from the other guys that any of them really cared about Ytsejam Records, and it's not like picking setlists or planning an album where it actually affects the daily workings of the band.  It was just something Mike did out of his personal interest, and it's as simple as that.

Normally, I would be inclined to become a bit irritated when Mike starts taking sole credit for a certain thing, but in the case of YJR, it really was his creation, so I don't really see anything wrong with what he said.  I'm not sure if he needed to make the current conditions of his relationship (or lack thereof) with the remaining members of DT public, but once again, I thought after he said that he couldn't even talk to the band personally when he made one last ditch attempt to get back in (he talked to the band's laywer, btw), it should be obvious he and DT aren't talking right now.  That really isn't news, and I don't see why anyone should be be put off by Mike's "attitude" in this statement.  He was answering a question is his own forum, for godssakes!  What's wrong with that?

I think we all have gotten a bit used to jumping at every chance to accuse Mike of narcissism because a) he is rather well documented as having a bit of an ego, and b) he has handled the PR side of his split with DT rather poorly, going on record with a lot of comments that have annoyed and angered the prog community.  But in this instance, he was just giving an honest answer to a question concerning current events.  I do find it rather ironic that someone who is so well versed in the world of internet press would be surprised when a certain disreputable rock "news" website (ahem!) takes something he says out of context just to stir up trouble, especially when it happened to him and LaBrie a scant few months ago on that same pathetic excuse for a news site, but that is just the reality of press in the information age, I guess.

Bottom line:  Blabbermouth took a "story" and blew it all out of proportion to enrage the fans and create drama...... again.  *Yawn*  We should all just get over it and concern ourselves with things that actually matter.

[hefdaddy42]

Plus is also looks like Ytse Jam will be carrying on:

The old stuff will be fine.  But it seems like we're a long way away from MP and DT being at a place where they can work together to make new ones.

Well, other than issuing live performances, I would imagine that the Ytsejam Records well is mostly dry, anyway.  Almost all of the unreleased songs have been issued through there (with the exception, I think, of Eve), and so have all of the demos that I remember.

[Progmetty]

What puzzles me is that every time MP posts something on his forums it gets turned into a controversy that makes the situation worse between him and DT so why does he keep doing it? didn't he say he'll stop going on the internet for a while earlier?
I love you Mike but I think your best medicine for the next few month is

[7thHanyou]

This kinda thing looks like an overreaction without the context, but I just had a look at the Blabbermouth comments... jesus christ.

Blabbermouth commenters, in general, have never really displayed intelligence, nuance, sensitivity, or anything resembling basic decency in their comments.  It seems to be as much of a forum for intelligent discussion as youtube.  Mike would be wise to ignore them entirely.

That said, Mike would also be wise to keep his mouth shut about certain things.  I appreciate his honesty, and hope this sort of backlash doesn't cut him off from his fanbase entirely, but some of the things he writes really do look like digs at his former bandmates.  He's not innocent in this whole ordeal, even if his intentions were good.  Suffice to say, no one can really read his intentions, especially in text format, which is why it's better not to broach some subjects.

[FretMuppet]

Its funny how some fans are like "omgzz Mike plz tell us about your situation!" and when he finally does, they always end up being like "Argh that's so rude how could you say this! Hurr durr!!"

It seems he's trying to purposefully avoid controversy, but it still manages to be taken the wrong way. I mean, if he is to answer people's questions about this topic then he sort of has to mention his position in YtseJam in relation to the other members, so they see where he's at. Its not like he would consciously try to say that he has a more demanding role and the others have it easy. He just wanted to state how much effort he put into YtseJam, which he did.

He could either be open and truthful about it, and satisfy the demanding fans, or he could say nothing which would wind up the fans more. Blabbermouth didn't help to make it easier either.

[7thHanyou]

Fair enough, but he doesn't express himself very well in writing if he's not trying to stir up controversy.  I think that's part of the problem.

[FretMuppet]

I suppose.
I have a feeling this will be the last MP post in quite a while...

[RaiseTheKnife]

I would love to know more about the batch MP was working on.  As I understand it, there are no further demo sessions to be released.  Perhaps writing sessions?

[jmbeat]

I would love to know more about the batch MP was working on.  As I understand it, there are no further demo sessions to be released.  Perhaps writing sessions?

I think he might have thrown that in to fuel the fire, do you really think that after all that has happend and his busy schedule he was sifting through the archives.  That doesnt seem like the thing to do if you are in that situation.  IMO, it was said to get the reaction like "oh man, DT isnt letting Mike put out any more YJ releases.