What's the obsession with Kevin Moore?

[Chrissalix]

Kevin Moore was the best keyboard player for DT in the same way that Lars Ulrich is the best drummer for Metallica. He ain't the best but he was the best for the band.

[Super Dude]

Not the first time I've said this, but he was a major creative force musically in Images and Words. Awake? Conspicuous by absence.

I've heard people mention before that KM wasn't a large part of Awake.  I don't get it.  I know the "Lifting Shadows" book says he wasn't huddled together with the guys during songwriting and was off reading a magazine.  But regardless, I hear keyboards in every song on the album, including some tasty keyboard solos in "6:00" and "Scarred," and he was the sole contributor to the final song on the album and also write lyrics to two other songs.  I'm not sure how one can say he was absent.   

I think KM was as much the keyboardist on Awake as DS was the keyboardist on ACoS. Or, more saliently, as much the keyboardist on Awake as JMX was the bassist on BCSL. Lights are on but no-one's home. Autopilot. And operating under detailed instruction.

Let's just say he wasn't the brains of the operation, and had no real influence on how the album turned out.

Wow, is that true?  'Cause I guess I always thought of 6:00 as being a very trademark KM song.

[cookienut]

All I know is that he was once open but now?

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

/oblig

[ReaPsTA]

Wow, is that true?  'Cause I guess I always thought of 6:00 as being a very trademark KM song.

On the OIALT commentary Petrucci said KM was legitimately involved with the songwriting for 6:00, Lie, Space Dye Vest (all semi-obvious) and Voices.

[Infinite Cactus]

Actually, Kevin wrote almost all of 6:00. He wrote it before they started the album and then they worked on it.

[YtseJam]

/oblig

LOL I've read many a thread and it typically becomes a debate over who is better or who is worse and why. I've never seen an interview with KM really explaining himself and his departure. Does such an interview exist?

[ACID_FOX]

/oblig

LOL I've read many a thread and it typically becomes a debate over who is better or who is worse and why. I've never seen an interview with KM really explaining himself and his departure. Does such an interview exist?

Don't think so, he pretty much dropped off the rader after DT, especially when it comes to talking about Dream Theater.

[Slain]

I love Kevin Moore's work with DT, and a lot of his work outside of the band; but I like both Rudess, and Moore for different reasons. It's unfortunate that some people still haven't gotten over the fact that he isn't with the band anymore though.

Just imagine what Metropolis Pt.2 would sound like with KM instead of JR. I bet it would be completely different.

[Super Dude]

I love Kevin Moore's work with DT, and a lot of his work outside of the band; but I like both Rudess, and Moore for different reasons. It's unfortunate that some people still haven't gotten over the fact that he isn't with the band anymore though.

Just imagine what Metropolis Pt.2 would sound like with KM instead of JR. I bet it would be completely different.

This.  I think both of them right now are where they're meant to be.

[Zook]

I'm listening to OSI right now. Not bad, not bad.

[Super Dude]

The album OSI, right?  Imo, the catalogue is best enjoyed chronologically.

[Zook]

The album OSI, right?  Imo, the catalogue is best enjoyed chronologically.

Yeah, listening on Grooveshark. But I stopped it to watch The Walking Dead trailer, so now OSI can wait lol


EDIT: Damnit Netflix doesn't have it for streaming!!!! ARGH!!!

[Super Dude]

The Walking Dead

I see your point, carry on.

[KevShmev]

I love Kevin Moore's work with DT, and a lot of his work outside of the band; but I like both Rudess, and Moore for different reasons. It's unfortunate that some people still haven't gotten over the fact that he isn't with the band anymore though.

Who hasn't gotten over it?  Just because some people like that material, or his keyboard work, the best, doesn't necessarily mean that they wish he was still in the band or that they haven't gotten over him leaving. 

[Super Dude]

The album OSI, right?  Imo, the catalogue is best enjoyed chronologically.

Yeah, listening on Grooveshark. But I stopped it to watch The Walking Dead trailer, so now OSI can wait lol


EDIT: Damnit Netflix doesn't have it for streaming!!!! ARGH!!!

Here, let me hook you up, bro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OZ0mu8Ey6A

[Zook]

That's what I just watched. I wanna watch the whole show now. GAD NABBIT!!!

[Super Dude]

Search for it on Google Video, that's how I found it.

Edit @ mods: If this sort of post is considered not kosher as per leaking and such rules, feel free to delete it.

[wammabe]

All I know is that he was once open but now?

He'll never be open again, he could never be open again

[RaiseTheKnife]

for me, I honestly like moore and sherinian a little bit better than rudess...

Not saying I dislike him, but it's more of just an overplaying issue for me.

He'll play some beautiful little passage, and then a 5 octave run just to
make sure you know he's not f'ing around...

I think Moore in particular made the band a little more cohesive and added more
of a texture than Rudess usually does...

I guess I would say;

Moore is to Rudess
as
David Gilmour is to Steve Vai

And honestly, this is one of the things I LOVE about JP - is that he
marries the needs of the song and just blistering lead work very well.

He's kindof like David Gilmour, Steve Morse, and Paul Gilbert's love child.

Wow. what a spot on post.  kudos.

[Mosh]

His solo work isn't that bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0663NDuG_Ew

[Zook]

His solo work isn't that bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0663NDuG_Ew

He sure has changed a lot since leaving DT.

[jeebustrain]

His solo work isn't that bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0663NDuG_Ew

yea, he went in a much darker direction after leaving the band...

[JediKnight1969]

His songwriting on I&W and Awake made those albums classics. His tasteful sound is all over those records. Brilliant, musician. Miss him very much.

[Mosh]

I also love his lyrics on those records.

[Daso]

Who is usually quoted as saying Moore was more aloof and didn't really contribute on Awake? I could definitely see that being something Portnoy would say since he'd usually consider anyone that's not 100% excited and full-on with everyone to be distant and not as involved, regardless of whether or not they actually are.

Looking at how, for once, we recently saw both sides of an event we would only ever see the Portnoy perspective of otherwise, I am now viewing a lot of past statements of his with big suspicion.

I've viewed just about everything he said with big suspicion for about 10 years now.

This said, I prefer Jordan over Moore because Jordan is... He's Jordan Rudess. Enough said

I, on the other hand, prefer Moore over Rudess because Moore is... He's Kevin Moore.  Enough said.

You know, it's kind of a hard choice to me. When I listen to Moore I prefer Moree, when I listen to Rudess I prefer him. It's odd that whenever I talk about Rudess I say he overdoes stuff but when I listen to him playing I don't find it overdone or annoying in any sense and I enjoy it a lot. But Moore was just so balanced, atmospheric, great lead player... It's confusing for me, to be honest.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

His solo work isn't that bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0663NDuG_Ew

Isn't that bad? It's fucking brilliant. Polar opposite of DT, though.

[orcus116]

It's definitely very satisfying, especially from a serious musical standpoint.

[Fiery Winds]

for me, I honestly like moore and sherinian a little bit better than rudess...

Not saying I dislike him, but it's more of just an overplaying issue for me.

He'll play some beautiful little passage, and then a 5 octave run just to
make sure you know he's not f'ing around...

I think Moore in particular made the band a little more cohesive and added more
of a texture than Rudess usually does...

I guess I would say;

Moore is to Rudess
as
David Gilmour is to Steve Vai

And honestly, this is one of the things I LOVE about JP - is that he
marries the needs of the song and just blistering lead work very well.

He's kindof like David Gilmour, Steve Morse, and Paul Gilbert's love child.

I agree, though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say JR doesn't add as much texture as KM.  Listen to the keyboard stems on BC&SL and you'll hear a lot of atmosphere that isn't as upfront in the mix as I would like it to be. 

[KevShmev]

You know, it's kind of a hard choice to me. When I listen to Moore I prefer Moree, when I listen to Rudess I prefer him. It's odd that whenever I talk about Rudess I say he overdoes stuff but when I listen to him playing I don't find it overdone or annoying in any sense and I enjoy it a lot. But Moore was just so balanced, atmospheric, great lead player... It's confusing for me, to be honest.

Well, both are great players, so it is easy to find a lot to like in both guys' playing.

I agree, though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say JR doesn't add as much texture as KM.  Listen to the keyboard stems on BC&SL and you'll hear a lot of atmosphere that isn't as upfront in the mix as I would like it to be. 

Rudess can definitely do the atmospheric stuff well, but it sometimes get lost among his over the top solos and crazy sounds.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Rudess can definitely do the atmospheric stuff well, but it sometimes get lost among his over the top solos and crazy sounds.

Exactly this.

[?]

2.) The real restraint in his songwriting and playing really served as a big "check" on the whole band's wankery that's really been missing with Rudess. Moore provided great atmosphere, and while his solos weren't as technically monstrous as Rudess', they also never descended to the point where they became just blurs of notes. The final keyboard solo in LtL, right before the unison, for example, is a pretty easy bit technically, but it's got a really cool groove to it that most Rudess solos just never capture (Beyond This Life's comes close, though).

Therefore, with Moore, DT's songs never really ran the risk of collapsing under their own weight. You could have a four-minute instrumental section like in LtL and not worry about pointlessly overreapeated riffs (a la The Reckoning) or out-of-place soloing.

To me, in that sense, Moore was really perfect for Dream Theater, because he gave every single song he played on a great grounding that kept it from falling off the tracks in the way that, say, TMOLS does with the overlong instrumental section.

All of this.

[Magikernandy]

 Kevin Moore left and DS replaced him and it was indeed the most negative moment for the band yet  I think.

Sad that they didn´t pick Jens Johansson instead when JR couldn´t join. 

He would do a much better job. His solos and improvisations would bring a new dimension to the band.   

[chrisbDTM]

derek was better for the band than jens... johansson is all solos

[wammabe]

I like Derek a lot more than Johansson, especially for Dream Theater.