Is ADTOE what DT5 would have been?

[WildeSilas]

...if all the B. S. with the record label and management hadn't happened with FII? Think about it:

1) Pressure from the label somewhat forced an outside writer on the band, and they ended up with a producer that MP was initially unhappy with. His critisicm of the album and that whole era of DT is well documented, down to hating the haircuts. MP was the main member to have serious resistance to the label's interference, the other guys seemed either compliant or indifferent about it. That, plus the band being split two ways between which manager to stay with (when their management team split) ended with MP threatening to quit, and subsequentlty becoming the de facto leader. From that point it was his vision that led the band away from the more balanced sound evident on ADTOE (something he touches on in this latest interview when he talks about DT needing to keep up with the times and not repeat I&W).

2) Jordan Rudess likely would have been hired anyway, but in the current situation, we hear a more logical amd smooth continuation of the way KM and DS played, rather than the more radical change evident on SFAM. This is possibly owed to the more open creative environment that now exists, and a consious attempt to return to the I&W sound. But without the more commercial attempt of FII, would the band have felt the need for JR to play in such an overtly busy fashion, or would we have heard more straight on piano and patches ala KM and ADTOE?

3) SFAM was a purposeful over the top prog record, partly in response to fan reaction over FII, but partly as a middle finger in the face of the label (much like Rush's 2112). If not for the conflicts of FII, DT may well have returned to the studio and written something very much like ADTOE, because they would have had nothing to prove to anyone. Without MP feeling the need to direct and protect the band's sound, input from JLB qnd JM may have remained much what it was during the first 3 albums.

So, given that MP's role change was a necessary evil at the time to keep the band on track, is it possible they would have never made albums like ToT or SC simply because the dynamic would have been more diplomatic?

This occured to me becaus the last DT album I listened to before hearing ADTOE last Tuesday was FII and I swear they could be consecutive albums, as if everything in between never happened.

[Blu]

I've had one rough listen through and I can tell Mike is not there....this is definately more like DT from before SFAM.  I can see what you say and perhaps we would not have had those types of albums.  SFAM and BCSL are probably my two favs so I'm glad I have them...

[aXygnus]

No.

Hell, half the members aren't even the same as the ones who played back then.

[WildeSilas]

Oh yeah, I wanted to make it clear that I love SFAM, SDoiT, ToT, and 8VM (SC and BCSL not so much), and I'm glad things went the way they did for awhile. I just wonder in some ways if the circus surrounding FII caused the band to go down a completely different track musically. It feels to me like they've been living in the shadow of those events for a very long time. There was really no more need for MP to be the "DT Police" anymore, but they were continuing on with the arrangements made during FII in terms of MP having the final say, no outside producers, etc. They are out from under that now in every possible way, I just think we're now hearing the reality of DT being free of all that old baggage.

[ACID_FOX]

FII is my favourite DT album.

[WildeSilas]

No.

Hell, half the members aren't even the same as the ones who played back then.

Er...Jordan is technically the only new member involved in the writing of ADTOE that wasn't involved with FII. MP is gone, sure, but he had a much smaller role in the writing back then too.

[aXygnus]

No.

Hell, half the members aren't even the same as the ones who played back then.

Er...Jordan is technically the only new member involved in the writing of ADTOE that wasn't involved with FII. MP is gone, sure, but he had a much smaller role in the writing back then too.

Eh, I just don't see any connection other than the heavier prog-style being present in both pre-SFAM albums and ADTOE.