Things you would like to see DT do at some point in their careers

[Setlist Scotty]

Been doing some thinking of things that I would personally like to see DT do at some point in their career. I know that at times when MP was in the band, he wanted to accomplish the same things as other bands (that he respects) have done, which I think in part is why we got such things as a concept album, the live release at Budokan, performing with an orchestra, etc.

This thread isn't about what you wanna see on the next DT album, which I know has been covered in these threads:
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=30963.0
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=30684.0

What this thread is about is things that you'd like to see the band do at some point in their career, specifically things they do themselves (writing/recording/performing), not things they can't control (winning awards, etc.)

So what kinds of things would you like to see DT do at some point in the future?

For me, I'd love to see:
• an album that has songs with ethnic influences, which is something they initially planned on doing for album #6, but subsequently was dropped
• an album that has a futuristic feel/vibe - by this, I don't mean something cheesy, nor does it have to be spelled out in the lyrics, but even in just the way it feels, perhaps the album imagery, etc. (Rush's Grace Under Pressure and Iron Maiden's Somewhere in Time come to mind, as well as songs like Judas Priest's Out in the Cold and Blood Red Skies)
• an untitled album - it may sound stupid, but the idea of the album being untitled gives it a little bit of a mysterious feel, and will certainly give the fans something to discuss like what it should be called; I think it would be cool
• a new Instrumedley consisting of songs from SDoIT thru BCaSL or whatever their second to last album happens to be at the time (the 1st Instrumedley consisted of tracks from their 1st 5 albums, and was first performed on tour for their 6th album)
• an album for a movie soundtrack
• a bonus CD to be released with the deluxe version of an album consisting of songs that were reimagined by the current line-up (some songs heavily altered and some more similar to what already exists) - more or less, instead of covering other bands, they cover themselves.
• a properly remixed version of the original WDaDU album
• more non-album studio B-sides
• HD versions of all their albums
• releasing stems of all their songs
• the releasing of soundboard recordings of all shows from a specific tour, perhaps thru Ytsejam Records
• here's an odd idea - do a live "concept album" consisting of a mixture of songs from their back catalog with a few new ones that tell a story that previously did not exist (perhaps with slight lyrical alterations where needed). I recall QR performing part of Neue Regel before and Empire after Operation: Mindcrime on the Promised Land tour, and it appeared to me that they were kind of linking these 2 songs with O:M - certainly with Empire where Tater swapped "Johnny" with "Nikki". It's not the same thing I'm saying, but kind of inspired the idea.

[SeRoX]

1- Some may strongly disagree with me but I want them to make another "concept" album with a great and interesting story. SFAM, as each track is perfect its own but the whole album doesn't give me the "concept" feel. So, they should give a try.

2- Seems impossible but I'd like to see WDADU with re-vocal and re-product.

3- An acoustic shows and live DVD, only including acustic versions.

4- That's really a dream for me but I'd like to see some tracks get performed live by LaBrie which he has done it in studio on other projects, like Shaping The Invisible.

[cyberdrummer]

1. Experiment with electronic elements. A development of the kind of sounds you hear at the beginning of BMUBMD, for example.

2. Film a dvd at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It's such an incredible venue.

3. As mentioned above, soundboard recordings of each live show, at least for one tour.

4. A Neverender series (a la Coheed) - maybe not 11/12 nights in a row, but in the space of three weeks perhaps.

[snapple]

Redo a studio version of WDADU with James at the helm. Give James all the time he needs to do it in his old style without hurting his voice.

Other than that, I loved a lot of your suggestions, Scotty.

[TheGreatPretender]

Yeah, I'd love to hear a remade from scratch WDADU too. Also, maybe even expanded and improved upon. Like, more elaborate vocal melodies fit for JLB, and things of that nature.

I'd also like to hear a remixed and remastered version of I&W, so that it sounds closer to the quality of Six Degrees album.

[snapple]

Yeah, I'd love to hear a remade from scratch WDADU too. Also, maybe even expanded and improved upon. Like, more elaborate vocal melodies fit for JLB, and things of that nature.

I'd also like to hear a remixed and remastered version of I&W, so that it sounds closer to the quality of Six Degrees album.

While some would agree, I'd caution that most would find this to be sacrilege. Part of what makes I&W so iconic is the sound of the album. There are dozens and dozens of boots of all of the songs from I&W with similar mixed versions. However, I don't really see the harm in it. It would, to me, feel like wasted time if they did that over redoing WDADU

[TheGreatPretender]

While some would agree, I'd caution that most would find this to be sacrilege. Part of what makes I&W so iconic is the sound of the album. There are dozens and dozens of boots of all of the songs from I&W with similar mixed versions. However, I don't really see the harm in it. It would, to me, feel like wasted time if they did that over redoing WDADU

It's not like I'm saying the original version should be abolished. But to me, personally, it's the songs themselves that make the album, not when it was mixed or how the overall sound is. Either way, that's just my opinion and if people don't like it, makes no difference to me.

But the thing is, redoing WDADU is like... Re-recording a whole album, and would take a LOT more time than simply remixing Images and Words. So between the two, the latter is more likely to happen, IMO.

[Pockets17red]

5.1 mixes by a qualified engineer, (hopefully Steven Wilson, even though he said he doesn't really like DT), of all Dream Theater albums.
I will be asking Jordan about this at the Meet & Greet in Columbus and I hope to convince him and the band. Will have information typed up just in case there isn't enough time to discuss. SFAM or SDOIT in 5.1? 

[TheGreatPretender]

5.1 would be awesome.

Actually, I'd love to see a 180gram Vinyl release for I&W, Six Degrees, Octavarium, and a proper pressing for Systematic Chaos.

[Super Dude]

They should do America. Y'know, like Beevis 'n' Butthead.

[krands85]

• a properly remixed version of the original WDaDU album
• HD versions of all their albums
• releasing stems of all their songs
• the releasing of soundboard recordings of all shows from a specific tour, perhaps thru Ytsejam Records

I like all of these ideas. A remixed WDaDU would be cool, even better if it was totally redone and with LaBrie vocals as others have suggested.

I had quite a bit of fun messing around with the OtBoA stems in Audacity, I'd LOVE to be able to do that with their other songs. Would also be very handy for the talented folks who post things like individual instrument covers of songs. eg. A guitarist can cover a certain song, mute Petrucci's stem and replace it with his own recording.

Can't see any of that happening, unfortunately.

I'd also like blurays of any future live albums and previous ones like Score if possible. More behind the scenes footage from the studio as well as seeing Mangini's full audition too.

The one thing I really want them to do though, is play Metropolis and/or LtL the next time they're in Glasgow!

[TheGreatPretender]

They should do America. Y'know, like Beevis 'n' Butthead.

A Dream Theater feature length cartoon would be pretty interesting.

[Super Dude]

They should do America. Y'know, like Beevis 'n' Butthead.

A Dream Theater feature length cartoon would be pretty interesting.

Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea either. Like even one where they're basically just making fun of themselves, like a spoof of the old Beatles cartoon.

Doing a movie soundtrack album, a la Pink Floyd, also sounds pretty cool.

[ZirconBlue]

High quality versions of the Majesty Demos, a la "Another Won" from Score.  Also, bring out some of the B-Sides, live, especially "The Way it Used to Be" and "You Or Me".

[Tis BOOLsheet]

I'd like to see them willing to experiment a little more in the direction of more dissonance. I'd also like to see them with a different vocalist before it's all said and done.

[TAC]

I'd be happy if I could buy a white tour shirt! Or a blue one, anything but black!

[jcmistat]

I'd be happy if I could buy a white tour shirt! Or a blue one, anything but black!

Yeah screw black, blue or white are way better.

Stems for all songs would be awesome.

I would love for DT to do more covers.

Really liked JR's renditions of DT songs on Notes On a Dream. Something about only piano is really relaxing and combine that with DT =
JP acoustic renditions of DT would be awesome too. Pipo + Elo stopped making songs They were the closest and best thing to DT in a unique way (Acoustic + Female vocals)

[TheGreatPretender]

I'd be happy if I could buy a white tour shirt! Or a blue one, anything but black!

The free T-Shirts that came with the VIP package were kind of dark green. Also, I think I saw some grey ones for sale.

[BlobVanDam]

-Record a DVD in Australia (ok, this is never going to happen considering it's apparently not even viable to play here at all this tour, but dammit one can dream!)

-Remastered versions of all recent albums with less compression.

[energythief]

I'd also like to see them with a different vocalist before it's all said and done.

Oh. Oh god, no.

[Aythesryche]

All of DTs catalog be remixed/remastered by Andy Wallace, please.

[Gadough]

A dubstep mashup album.

[BlobVanDam]

All of DTs catalog be remixed/remastered by Andy Wallace, please.

After hearing ADTOE, GOD NO. I'd like to hear the last 3 albums remixed by Kevin Shirley though, especially ADTOE.

[Kotowboy]

A dubstep mashup album.

The Count of Tuscanity.

[Kotowboy]

I'd also like to see them with a different vocalist before it's all said and done.

Oh. Oh god, no.

No.

[Aythesryche]

All of DTs catalog be remixed/remastered by Andy Wallace, please.

After hearing ADTOE, GOD NO. I'd like to hear the last 3 albums remixed by Kevin Shirley though, especially ADTOE.

I'm not gonna lie. At first, I was mad. Then, I was calm and considerate after laying waste to all the valuable things in my living room, and headbutting a portion of my toilet bowl off. I came to realize, "Hey! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion". After I got off the phone, begging my girlfriend to come back to me and not be terrified any longer, I became more thoughtful and decided on something. How about we wish for a double feature disc box set of remasters from both Andy Wallace and Kevin Shirley?

Please agree to this, I'd like to stay best friends with you and not have to throw a bag of burning feces at your door step.

[BlobVanDam]

All of DTs catalog be remixed/remastered by Andy Wallace, please.

After hearing ADTOE, GOD NO. I'd like to hear the last 3 albums remixed by Kevin Shirley though, especially ADTOE.

I'm not gonna lie. At first, I was mad. Then, I was calm and considerate after laying waste to all the valuable things in my living room, and headbutting a portion of my toilet bowl off. I came to realize, "Hey! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion". After I got off the phone, begging my girlfriend to come back to me and not be terrified any longer, I became more thoughtful and decided on something. How about we wish for a double feature disc box set of remasters from both Andy Wallace and Kevin Shirley?

Please agree to this, I'd like to stay best friends with you and not have to throw a bag of burning feces at your door step.

Gosh, this is all moving so fast. I usually don't become "friends" until at least the 500th post. What kind of dog poo stomping hussy do you take me for? However, I will accept your arrangement. Perhaps we could even go halves in the boxset, since we'd only want one disc each anyway.

Your girlfriend was right to take you back.

[gborland]

A kick-ass stage show with pyrotechnics and flying drumkits.

[Woodworker1]

I would like to see another album similar to "An Evening with John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess".

[robwebster]

I'd be happy if I could buy a white tour shirt! Or a blue one, anything but black!

They definitely used to, they had a whole bunch on the Octavarium tour. Don't know about blue, but I got a white one and my brother got a grey one.



Pow!

I'm pretty sure my brother got a green one at some point, too. He must've, 'cos I've seen him wearing it. Think that might've been Chaos in Motion?

For me, I'd love to see:
• an album that has songs with ethnic influences, which is something they initially planned on doing for album #6, but subsequently was dropped
• a new Instrumedley consisting of songs from SDoIT thru BCaSL or whatever their second to last album happens to be at the time (the 1st Instrumedley consisted of tracks from their 1st 5 albums, and was first performed on tour for their 6th album)
• a bonus CD to be released with the deluxe version of an album consisting of songs that were reimagined by the current line-up (some songs heavily altered and some more similar to what already exists) - more or less, instead of covering other bands, they cover themselves.
• a properly remixed version of the original WDaDU album
• more non-album studio B-sides
• releasing stems of all their songs
• the releasing of soundboard recordings of all shows from a specific tour, perhaps thru Ytsejam Records

Bloody love all of these. Particularly the B-sides. I'm a sucker for a B-side. I love them, they're almost little secrets; the "what-ifs," they're like songs from a parallel universe. I quite liked the idea - Mike Portnoy used to say that if they weren't allowed to bump Six Degrees up to a two-disc set, they'd probably have ended up cutting... Blind Faith and Misunderstood, was it? Which would have been absolutely brutal, Blind Faith's my favourite song on Six Degrees and it's the song that made me really fall in love with the band. There's every chance that if it were a B-side I wouldn't be here, so I'm very happy Mike got his way, but an irrational part of me thinks "Ooh! That'd be their best ever secret!!"

The other good thing about B-sides, of course, is that you might sometimes only find them years after the album was released, so you can spend ages thinking "I know these guys' catalogue inside out," then all of a sudden -- "ooh! Don't Look Past Me, you say?" New lease of life.

1. Experiment with electronic elements. A development of the kind of sounds you hear at the beginning of BMUBMD, for example.

2. Film a dvd at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It's such an incredible venue.

For 1., there was a sort of era where a lot of bands were completely breaking with their normal styles. Muse released Supermassive Black Hole, Pain of Salvation released Disco Queen, there were all these weird little forays into different genres popping up... and then Dream Theater released Prophets of War, which I think was their own little voyage across the pop bridge. Which I liked, but I didn't think it really went far enough. There was the thick electronic stuff for two minutes or so, and then it sort of drops the style and pace entirely for the rest of the song. I think there's still room for a one-off. Doesn't have to be electronic, (though with Jordan in the hot seat I don't see why it shouldn't be,) just unique and brilliant.

Also agreed with 2., but that's mainly 'cos it's my own country and so I might be able to pop down.



Another thing, my own choice would probably be a spot of counterpoint! Which is, to the best of my understanding, (and do stop me if I'm using the wrong word!) two different vocal parts going at the same time, like in Don't Look Past Me. Absolutely gorgeous in that song. I know they were planning on doing something along those lines in A Nightmare to Remember, but it didn't quite come off right. There's got to be space for it in a more melodic song, though. They've proven they can do it well.

[KevShmev]

A stripped back, laid back album where Rudess plays nothing but piano and mellotron (no synths), there is no double bass stuff and JP plays all acoustic and clean electric guitar lines (no heavy riffs or anything).  Basically, them doing an Opeth's Damnation of sorts. 

[Nick]

A stripped back, laid back album where Rudess plays nothing but piano and mellotron (no synths), there is no double bass stuff and JP plays all acoustic and clean electric guitar lines (no heavy riffs or anything).  Basically, them doing an Opeth's Damnation of sorts. 

Would love to see this.

[goo-goo]

Would love them to release the 98 Fan Club show (video and audio).

And I'll second that Damnation-like album. Would be awesome!

[wolfandwolfandwolf]

A stripped back, laid back album where Rudess plays nothing but piano and mellotron (no synths), there is no double bass stuff and JP plays all acoustic and clean electric guitar lines (no heavy riffs or anything).  Basically, them doing an Opeth's Damnation of sorts.

I could go for an EP of this, maybe not a whole record.

[crazyaga]

i want them to do something which is not progressive -  instead, it will be honest, emotional and just beautiful :>
i want them to do that album for themselves, and not for their fans.