JP and JLB track by track Interview with RR Germany on 2011-08-16

[TL]

Looks good. 

Conan - "OH IT LOOKS GOOD!"

[pogoowner]

"Lost Not Forgotten" sounds like it could be this album's Wikipedia-style track, lyrically speaking.

[GasparXR]

"Lost Not Forgotten" sounds like it could be this album's Wikipedia-style track, lyrically speaking.

Are you referencing Beyond This Life by any chance?

I loved this interview, as someone said on the YouTube comments, it's like album foreplay.

[DetonationSequence]

There really are an unusual amount of parallels with previous songs on this upcoming album. Far From Heaven and Breaking All Illusions are directly analagous to WFS/LTL, Beneath The Surface has a similar compositional background to Space-Dye Vest, On The Backs Of Angels mirrors Pull Me Under's structure perfectly, and from the sounds of it Bridges In The Sky is going to be sort of along the lines of Home; intensely melodic, but interlaced with a certain tonal exoticism.

Ever since the track lengths were announced and the first reviews came in, I had a feeling the last four tracks would be the best. This interview has only reinforced that expectation. Pile the (sure-to-be-awesome-as-well) opening tracks on top of that and you have nothing but crushing anticipation.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Outcry sounds Dance of Eternity-ish, but it has vocals, right?

[GasparXR]

Outcry sounds Dance of Eternity-ish, but it has vocals, right?

Great comparison. I've heard it compared to Dance of Eternity, but longer and with vocals, and TDOE is of course heavily based on ideas from Metropolis Pt. 1.

EDIT: I was replying to your original post. It made sense, why'd you change it?

[FsF]

"Lost Not Forgotten" sounds like it could be this album's Wikipedia-style track, lyrically speaking.

Are you referencing Beyond This Life by any chance?

I loved this interview, as someone said on the YouTube comments, it's like album foreplay.

Think he's more getting at the by-the-numbers lyrics in 'A Rite Of Passage'.

[FiberglassMoon]

JP's arms just keep getting bigger and bigger.  He could put millions of lives in jeopardy if he continues on this path.

Also, JLB is fantastic at describing the songs, very illustrative.

[Madman Shepherd]

Anyone else get the feeling that since the JLB and JMX penned songs were explicitly stated, the rest of the songs are more than likely written by Petrucci? Pure speculation, naturally.

Unfortunately yeah.  I mean, if JP is writing lyrics like On the Back of Angels then I'm sure they'll be great, but man, let JLB be a little more involved. 

[pogoowner]

"Lost Not Forgotten" sounds like it could be this album's Wikipedia-style track, lyrically speaking.

Are you referencing Beyond This Life by any chance?

I loved this interview, as someone said on the YouTube comments, it's like album foreplay.

Think he's more getting at the by-the-numbers lyrics in 'A Rite Of Passage'.

That is indeed what I was getting at.

[Millais]

Outcry sounds Dance of Eternity-ish, but it has vocals, right?

spot on. i've seen a review/interview (possibly 2) that have directly referenced it to this. crazy time signature changes and melodies (would have to be something crazy to beat the 100+ time sig. changes in TDoE!). will try and find the source tomorrow.

[snapple]

JP's arms just keep getting bigger and bigger.  He could put billions of lives in jeopardy if he continues on this path.

Fixed.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Outcry sounds Dance of Eternity-ish, but it has vocals, right?

spot on. i've seen a review/interview (possibly 2) that have directly referenced it to this. crazy time signature changes and melodies (would have to be something crazy to beat the 100+ time sig. changes in TDoE!). will try and find the source tomorrow.

Well Mangini said something about him playing in one time sig while everyone else rapidly shifted between them, so that would seem to directly back it up.

[Scooterfruit]

Anyone else get the feeling that since the JLB and JMX penned songs were explicitly stated, the rest of the songs are more than likely written by Petrucci? Pure speculation, naturally.

Unfortunately yeah.  I mean, if JP is writing lyrics like On the Back of Angels then I'm sure they'll be great, but man, let JLB be a little more involved. 

What makes you think anyone is STOPPING him from being more involved?

[Jamesman42]

Anyone else get the feeling that since the JLB and JMX penned songs were explicitly stated, the rest of the songs are more than likely written by Petrucci? Pure speculation, naturally.

Unfortunately yeah.  I mean, if JP is writing lyrics like On the Back of Angels then I'm sure they'll be great, but man, let JLB be a little more involved. 

What makes you think anyone is STOPPING him from being more involved?

With MP in the band, it seemed like JLB was an afterthought to MP. Something like that

[fibreoptix]

Anyone else get the feeling that since the JLB and JMX penned songs were explicitly stated, the rest of the songs are more than likely written by Petrucci? Pure speculation, naturally.

Unfortunately yeah.  I mean, if JP is writing lyrics like On the Back of Angels then I'm sure they'll be great, but man, let JLB be a little more involved. 

What makes you think anyone is STOPPING him from being more involved?

With MP in the band, it seemed like JLB was an afterthought to MP. Something like that

Plus, I seem to remember reading in a thread here recently that when it came to divvying out the lyrics, JP would take the moodier pieces, MP would take the more aggressive pieces and JLB would get what was left. If I find the thread in question, I'll post a link.

[Jamesman42]

Whoa, really?

[Madman Shepherd]

With MP in the band, it seemed like JLB was an afterthought to MP. Something like that

Plus, I seem to remember reading in a thread here recently that when it came to divvying out the lyrics, JP would take the moodier pieces, MP would take the more aggressive pieces and JLB would get what was left. If I find the thread in question, I'll post a link.

I distinctly remember that quote...I think it was from a video interview.  Mike laughed afterwards but I also thought, I wonder if there is some truth to this. 

Unfortunately yeah.  I mean, if JP is writing lyrics like On the Back of Angels then I'm sure they'll be great, but man, let JLB be a little more involved. 

What makes you think anyone is STOPPING him from being more involved?

Well, JP has always been the musical leader so I'm sure he gets first dibs on music to write lyrics to.  I know JLB is perfectly capable as a lyricist so I can't see JLB being like "Dude, only give me one song to write lyrics to"

I also don't think JLB is that pushy so I can't imagine he is too upset he doesn't get more but man, would ONE more of really rocked the boat.  I love the dudes lyrics.

[Aniland]

It is sad to me that LaBrie only gets about three minutes of lyrics on this 77 minute album, but oh well.

[Scooterfruit]

All points are valid, but the whole thing of "JLB gets what's left" was from Portnoy's mouth. He's no longer in the band. Things are being done differently now. John Myung wrote lyrics which he hasn't done in a decade. They wrote without a drummer. Etc...

My point is there's nothing out-right pointing to the fact that JLB is being stopped from being involved. I can't imagine Petrucci going "well I'm going to write aaaalll these songs, I GUESS you can have one."

I just don't want to see more rumours spread fueled off nothing.

[ReaPsTA]

Didn't JLB specifically say in some interview that JP did a very good job listening to what everyone wanted and tried to acknowledge everyone's thoughts on the material?  I'm not saying everything people say in interviews is true, but I think we can give JP the benefit of the doubt here.

[Ben_Jamin]

Now the song titles make a whole lot of sense, excellent descriptions. Makes me excited for Outcry, Bridges In The Sky, Lost Not Forgotten and Far From Heaven the most.

[yeshaberto]

listening now...getting excited

[Mosh]

Now the song titles make a whole lot of sense, excellent descriptions. Makes me excited for Outcry, Bridges In The Sky, Lost Not Forgotten and Far From Heaven the most.

What about Breaking All Illusions?

[wammabe]

Why is everyone relating Beneath The Surface with Space Dye Vest? The only similarities I've heard of are that they are both made by a single member of the band and that they are both ballads. In fact, I've seen reviews of it as "hopeful" and more positive. Plus, I remember hearing that they "Dream-Theaterized" it; Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Anyways, Lost Not Forgotten/Breaking All Illusions are by far the songs I look forward to the most, especially after this interview.

[ReaPsTA]

Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Not true.  KM's original demo had no guitar and a very different electronic drum beat.

[wammabe]

Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Not true.  KM's original demo had no guitar and a very different electronic drum beat.

Well... but Dreamtheaterize is a bit more dramatic than just adding the other instruments...

[ResultsMayVary]

Why is everyone relating Breaking All Illusions with Space Dye Vest? The only similarities I've heard of are that they are both made by a single member of the band and that they are both ballads. In fact, I've seen reviews of it as "hopeful" and more positive. Plus, I remember hearing that they "Dream-Theaterized" it; Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Anyways, Lost Not Forgotten/Breaking All Illusions are by far the songs I look forward to the most, especially after this interview.

Do you mean Beneath The Surface, not Breaking All Illusions?

[wammabe]

Why is everyone relating Breaking All Illusions with Space Dye Vest? The only similarities I've heard of are that they are both made by a single member of the band and that they are both ballads. In fact, I've seen reviews of it as "hopeful" and more positive. Plus, I remember hearing that they "Dream-Theaterized" it; Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Anyways, Lost Not Forgotten/Breaking All Illusions are by far the songs I look forward to the most, especially after this interview.

Do you mean Beneath The Surface, not Breaking All Illusions?

F^%K!!! Ima edit now. -.-

[Ħ]

I wish John Petrucci was my dad.

[ReaPsTA]

Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Not true.  KM's original demo had no guitar and a very different electronic drum beat.

Well... but Dreamtheaterize is a bit more dramatic than just adding the other instruments...

The song feels fundamentally different though.  More dark/emotionally in the void/epic.  The original Space-Dye-Vest feels like a Chroma Key song.  The DT version feels like a DT song.

[ResultsMayVary]

Why is everyone relating Breaking All Illusions with Space Dye Vest? The only similarities I've heard of are that they are both made by a single member of the band and that they are both ballads. In fact, I've seen reviews of it as "hopeful" and more positive. Plus, I remember hearing that they "Dream-Theaterized" it; Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Anyways, Lost Not Forgotten/Breaking All Illusions are by far the songs I look forward to the most, especially after this interview.

Do you mean Beneath The Surface, not Breaking All Illusions?

F^%K!!! Ima edit now. -.-

I'm sure most knew what you meant! No big deal. 

[wammabe]

Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

Not true.  KM's original demo had no guitar and a very different electronic drum beat.

Well... but Dreamtheaterize is a bit more dramatic than just adding the other instruments...

The song feels fundamentally different though.  More dark/emotionally in the void/epic.  The original Space-Dye-Vest feels like a Chroma Key song.  The DT version feels like a DT song.

Ok, but still. It may be created by one DT member, but I still doubt that it will sound anything like Space Dye Vest.

[Jaffa]

Why is everyone relating Beneath The Surface with Space Dye Vest? The only similarities I've heard of are that they are both made by a single member of the band and that they are both ballads. In fact, I've seen reviews of it as "hopeful" and more positive. Plus, I remember hearing that they "Dream-Theaterized" it; Spaced Dye Vast was exactly as Kevin Moore wrote it.

I don't know if anyone is saying they are going to sound alike, exactly.  I just see people pointing out similarities between SDV and what we know about Beneath the Surface - both were written by a single member, both are closers, both are songs which were not originally intended to be on the album. 

And I don't think these similarities would seem like much if it weren't for some other similarities between the other songs on ADToE and older DT songs - notably the structural similarities of PMU and OtBoA, and the fact that tracks 7 is a (predominantly) piano-and-vocal ballad which segues into track 8, a 12-minute-plus Myung epic. 

I mean, I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I've found it pretty easy to notice certain parallels between the older songs and what they've said about ADToE.

[ReaPsTA]

Does this mean Petrucci's gonna leave Dream Theater?