Space-Dye Vest Live from 2011

[visitor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms7YbfHePZE

Just wanted to put my two cents on this and comment how I think Jordan shouldnt have put his own flair on it.  I don't think it's fair after saying in the Spirit Carries On documentary that the drummer needed to play the DT songs the way they were written live because thats what the fans expect to hear.  This was Space-Dye Vest the Jordan edition, still good, but I felt it was a slap in the face to kevin moore, sorry if I offended anyone, and I still love jordans playing, but seriously leave the song alone, especially if playing it is so rare!
Its awesome as it is.

[namgalsipsclar]

What was this show for? Did JR and JLB do just one song?

[TAC]

It was a common complaint at the time, but this was a Jordan Rudess solo show, not a tribute to Kevin Moore. It was great just to hear it in any form. It was very cool of them to play it, and the fact that Jordan was even open to it speaks highly of him.
It's my #5 DT song so I wish they'd work it in a future set.

[Marion Crane]

Also....Jordan wasn't auditioning for anyone.....

[Implode]

I don't understand why people were angry with his performance on this song. I especially don't understand how it's supposed to be a "slap in the face" to KM. They have nothing but the utmost respect for him.

[wasteland]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms7YbfHePZE

Just wanted to put my two cents on this and comment how I think Jordan shouldnt have put his own flair on it.  I don't think it's fair after saying in the Spirit Carries On documentary that the drummer needed to play the DT songs the way they were written live because thats what the fans expect to hear. 

That bit of Jordan's speech was further clarified in later interviews. They didn't want the drummer to play the song as they wanted them to be played to please the fans but to better understand whether the auditionées were musically on the same page the band is.

Furthermore, I'm quite confident that, if you wanted, there would be plenty of way to see how every DT keyboard player was given an almost absolute freedom to interpretate any song written before their coming into the band. So, there would be no reason to change the state of things with MM.

This was Space-Dye Vest the Jordan edition, still good, but I felt it was a slap in the face to kevin moore, sorry if I offended anyone, and I still love jordans playing, but seriously leave the song alone, especially if playing it is so rare!
Its awesome as it is.

I'm sorry if I come as harsh, I don't mean to, but by saying this you seem to imply that every covered song which does not come as a carbon copy of the original is a slap in the face of the artist who wrote it. And this sounds a bit of an extreme musical conservatism to me...

Anyway, no offence taken and (I hope) no offence dealt.

[theseoafs]

If anybody, including KM himself, had performed this piece on piano exactly as the piano part was done in studio, it would've sounded ridiculous. When playing this song solo and live, you can't get away with not taking any creative liberties; here, Rudess is basically playing for the whole band.

Having said that, I don't find anything at all offensive about Rudess's interpretation. SDV is an emotional song and Rudess plays it emotionally with his own spin: a classical lilt that in fact complements the piece, which normally has an almost mechanical electronic beat.

[Elite]

If anybody, including KM himself, had performed this piece on piano exactly as the piano part was done in studio, it would've sounded ridiculous. When playing this song solo and live, you can't get away with not taking any creative liberties; here, Rudess is basically playing for the whole band.

Having said that, I don't find anything at all offensive about Rudess's interpretation. SDV is an emotional song and Rudess plays it emotionally with his own spin: a classical lilt that in fact complements the piece, which normally has an almost mechanical electronic beat.

Thank You. Just what I wanted to post.
But, then I want to say that I love the recorded version of Space-Dye Vest and this didn't do nearly as much to me, unfortunately.

[Marion Crane]

And he obviously had to improvise something over the parts with the talking samples.  I'm just surprised that after all these years that it was finally performed in such an intimate and unpublicized setting. 

[gentaishinigami]

I loved it and he did the best he could with the song in that environment.  It loses a lot of its impact for me without the samples and the creepy little noises in the background that sound like drops of water or something (if he was playing those I couldn't hear them).  I really don't think anyone should see it as an insult.  I mean it is a DT song, and how many years did they leave that song untouched?  Besides, it was a one off special event and probably won't be played again. 

[Dublagent66]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

[The Letter M]

Indeed, this was a show by Jordan Rudess, not Dream Theater, and although James sang with him, it wasn't a DT show, so there shouldn't be any expectations for JR to play the song as DT recorded it.

-Marc.

[ishak540m]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

[reneranucci]

but I felt it was a slap in the face to kevin moore

So it's a good thing Kevin Moore doesn't give a damn.

[MetropolisxPt1]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

Neither could KM thats why he never played it he just instead cluttered it with a bunch of boring samples that take any momentum the song has and ruins it.

[Metrovarium]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

Neither could KM thats why he never played it he just instead cluttered it with a bunch of boring samples that take any momentum the song has and ruins it.

You do know when KM left the band, right?

[Hoppipolla]

I thought Jordan did a fantastic interpretation. I like it.   

[reneranucci]

I thought Jordan did a fantastic interpretation. I like it.   

It was a good version, although many more people would be happy hearing it with the full band and the samples like in the album.

[black_biff_stadler]

So did KM okay this or what?

[senecadawg2]

I like the original SDV. I also like this version with JR's own interpretation being considered. I also don't see how this could be viewed as insulting in any way to KM. As James says, they have nothing but the utmost respect for KM and obviously this doesn't bother him. Why should it bother you?

[hefdaddy42]

So did KM okay this or what?

Why would he need to?

[tjanuranus]

my video makes a return! 

[Cranky]

I don't see anything wrong with this...
I agree with what everyone has said thus far.

[Schleppy]

So did KM okay this or what?

Why would he need to?

I always got the impression that he couldn't care less whether or not the band plays SDV. His behavior towards it and the band would suggest that he considers it a Dream Theater song. It was the band's decision not to play it, not Kevin's.

[Orion1967]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

Whatever you are smoking ....  it must be pretty good.    I can PROMISE you that Jordan could play anything KM wrote and COULD emulate it exactly.   The point is why would you do that?  SDV, yes it's a classic, did I like it when the album first came out? Yep.   Did I like it every time I listened to it between then and now? Yup.   Did I like Jordan's version of it with JLB even better than the original KM iteration of it? ABSO_FUCKING_LUTELY! 

[Slain]

Love the song, and I love JR's take on it too. That was a great performance of it.

[visitor]

Let's face it.  Even virtuosos like JR can't play that song like KM did.  Pretty much a given.

Whatever you are smoking ....  it must be pretty good.    I can PROMISE you that Jordan could play anything KM wrote and COULD emulate it exactly.   The point is why would you do that?  SDV, yes it's a classic, did I like it when the album first came out? Yep.   Did I like it every time I listened to it between then and now? Yup.   Did I like Jordan's version of it with JLB even better than the original KM iteration of it? ABSO_FUCKING_LUTELY! 

I think what he meant was that amazing players like Jordan are so talented that they refuse to "lower" themselves to play simple music like space-dye vest.  We all know Jordan can play circles around Moore, so no surprise there.  But with this song specifically it's so beautifully written that it kinda hurts a little to see it played this way.  If this was "Wait for Sleep" for example then I wouldnt mind because I know they are down to play it whenever, but this song is NEVER played, so it would be great to hear it as it was, obviously it wont sound like the cd, there were lots of effects and ambiance going on, but at least the piano. 

I've noticed people on this forum are very quick to get upset when someone talks favorably about Moore and not favorably about Jordan in the same sentence.  These are opinions, people are trying to express them politely(those who do) and I think comments like this are annoying.

[Hprog]

I love Space-Dye Vest, I love the fact that James proposed Jordan to play it, and I love the fact that he agreed! (Yes, I'm full of love hehehe). I think he's completely entitled to adding his own flavor to the song and I really like the way he does it. One knows it is Jordan playing a KM's song, so I wouldn't expect him to make it sound exactly like it was recorded.

[Implode]

they refuse to "lower" themselves to play simple music like space-dye vest.

It can't be that at all. It's not like Jordan consciously decided, "Man, this song is too easy. I can't be heard playing this easy shit." That way he plays is just his style. It's what he hears in his head when goes to play the song.

[KevShmev]

I've noticed people on this forum are very quick to get upset when someone talks favorably about Moore and not favorably about Jordan in the same sentence.  These are opinions, people are trying to express them politely(those who do) and I think comments like this are annoying.

Agreed.  And it is often backed up by, "But Jordan can play anything Moore can play," or "Jordan can play circles around Moore," as if either of those things really matter, especially when discussing a moody song like Space Dye Vest that is not about technical skill or anything like that.

[WildeSilas]

ITT SDV = Serious Business

[Mebert78]

I think Jordan did a very good job playing the song.  I was thrilled to be there, because it's my favorite song of all-time.  Obviously, the studio version of the song has a eeriness and hauntin gquality to it that Jordan wasn't able to entirely capture, but his performance was very solid and respectable for a piano/voice performance.  And JLB made it a special moment with his little speech beforehand about the song and about Kevin.  Great job by him.

[theseoafs]

What a lot of people don't realize about SDV is that not only does Kevin Moore seem not to care about it (as was mentioned above), but DT's refusal not to play the song on the grounds that it's Kevin's is quite unusual for a band. When KM submitted that song to DT, it became DT's song, and nothing's keeping them from playing it.

[Cool Chris]

What a lot of people don't realize about SDV is that not only does Kevin Moore seem not to care about it (as was mentioned above), but DT's MP's refusal not to play the song on the grounds that it's Kevin's is quite unusual for a band. When KM submitted that song to DT, it became DT's song, and nothing's keeping them from playing it... except MP

[lyfeternl]

I found JR's performance of the song to be great as well as JLB's speech regarding KM (which he didn't have to do but did so out of respect). Can't we just leave it at that? I, personally, am glad JR didn't play it as a complete carbon copy to the album. That is part of the reason why we go to see live performances anyway because we just might get the chance to hear a possibly unique version or impression of a song that is unlike the recorded version (i.e. Hollow Years for Live at Budokan).