Dream Theater's Influences and Inspirations: Love 'em or Hate 'em

[chaossystem]

Here's a new idea that hope you all will like:

Over the years DT has cited many bands, artists, musicians, and even other genres or styles of music as having molded and shaped them into what they are. So, my friends, I would ask you...What is your opinion of what has gone before? Example: Do you hate Yes and love Metallica? Or vice versa? Or do you love (or hate) both of them equally? I don't care HOW you answer the question(s), you can make a list from best to worst, or worst to best, or rank them any way you want. I don't care if your answer is two words or two pages! But I do ask that you PLEASE try to stay with bands or artists that most of us are familiar with. I don't care if you say "I hate Metallica!" or "Yes sucks!" But telling us that "I'm the world's biggest 'Between the Buried and Me' fan,' or I "I Despise Opeth" isn't going to mean that much to a lot (maybe even most) of us! I'm not saying don't mention those groups at all, but you might have to give some background on some of the newer or lesser known bands/artist.

             As for myself, I guess I'll start by saying that I don't like rap in any way, shape or form. Mike Portnoy has cited groups such as Public Enemy as being the inspiration for some of the things that he wrote, such as some parts of "Take the Time." Personally, I don't get it. The sound of rap just annoys and irritates me. It just grates on my nerve-endings.
                  Next, when it comes to "rock," I really don't like Motley Crue. Their sound is just too harsh and "Punkish" sounding, without being the amusing kind of punk, like the Ramones. I also don't care for some of the more "popular" bands from the 1970's & '80's, such as Led Zeppelin and Van Halen.   (I hate it when people say things like "But you HAVE to like them! they're the most popular group!" or "Oh my God! I can't believe you don't like that song!") I think they're rather over-rated, but I do have to admit that Eddie V.H. is a pretty good guitar player, just not one of my favorites. I don't much care for King Crimson, other than their first album, and I'm not much of a Zappa fan. It's all a matter of personal preference, I guess.

         Now, on to what I DO like (or love)- Before we get into rock, The band makes no bones about being influenced by jazz, which I think shows in a lot of their arrangements and approach to playing music. It's one of the many reasons I'm drawn to them.

          All of following bands are (or should be considered) influences on them, and these are all bands or artists) that I grew up listening to or am into now. In alphabetical order, they are: AC/DC (not sure about them, but they have been an influence on a lot of other hard rock/metal bands. I'm not saying they're the BEST band here, they just happen to be FIRST in the order! ) Black Sabbath (DT covered "Heaven and Hell") Blue Oyster Cult (another Long Island band, with a similar musical approach, so they SHOULD have drawn some inspiration from them) Deep Purple (one of many obvious ones), Dio, Emerson, Lake and Palmer Genesis, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kansas, Metallica, Megadeth, The Moody Blues, Alan Parsons Project, Pink Floyd, Queensryche, Rush, Joe Satriani and-of course-yes! I may have forgotten some, but I'm sure I'll be reminded as we go along. I Don't listen to other "prog" bands that much anymore, but I still listen to a lot of maiden, Priest, Metallica, etc.

      So, my friends, I hope you weren't too put off my my negative opinions about certain things, and I REALLY hope you enjoy pondering what I have Put forth here and coming up with some clever and creative responses!

                                                                       

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Some asshole belching and puking into a microphone while some other dick abuses a turntable should NEVER be ANYONE'S idea of art, music, or talent!

opinions, how do they work??

Also, pretty sure almost everyone on this forum is at least passingly familiar with Opeth.


With regards to the main topic, I tend to enjoy most of their prog influences, such as Yes, King Crimson, Rush, etc., but I'm more lukewarm on a lot of the metal/classic rock influences.

[rumborak]

Lol at your opinion of rap. I actually mostly listened to (German) rap all day at work today.

[King Postwhore]

Lol at your opinion of rap. I actually mostly listened to (German) rap all day at work today.

I know you sent me some.

[chaossystem]

Thank you for responding, Shadow Ninja. First of all, I didn't say NOBODY would be famiier with Opeth, I said a LOT of us MIGHT not be. Also I want to make it ABUDENTLY CLEAR that i am NOT saying that rappers or people who listen to rap should be shot or even that it should be illegal! I just meant that I am PUKING sick and DEAD tired of having DISGUSTING rap FORCED on me everywhere I turn, with no apparent choice in the matter!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I get that, but if you're trying to engage in a music discussion with people, it works a lot better if you don't crap on other people's tastes. It's not even a matter of whether you like it, it's just about how you say it. i.e., people are much more receptive to, "I don't really care for that" then they are to "That's crap, I can't believe anyone listens to that".

It's mostly about respect to other people, I suppose.

[Zook]

I used to feel the same way about rap. That bullshit gangster rap would be all I heard driving down the road with the subs rattling the trunk adding insult to injury... But then I moved to Arizona and now all I hear is mariachi music everywhere I go. That bullshit gangster rap aint so bad anymore.

[Hourglass Prison]

Rush is my second favorite band, and I like Metallica's early albums ok. Particularly Kill em All, though overall I'm not that into them, or thrash as a whole. I actually have a lot of catching up to do, because I'm not really familiar with straight up 70s prog, either. (King Crimson, Genesis, Yes) I don't know why, but I've always been aware that they influenced DT, but I never got around to checking them out.

[Outcrier]

As for myself, I guess I'll start with what I DON'T like. Number one is DISGUSTING rap! Mike Portnoy at least has Cited it as being an influence on him, but I don't even acknowledge it as BEING music! Some asshole belching and puking into a microphone while some other dick abuses a turntable should NEVER be ANYONE'S idea of art, music, or talent!

Lol, if you knew how wrong you are
Man, i will say one thing to you, if you really think that Hip Hop is disgusting, you only "listened" to one side of the coin.

[Grizz]

should NEVER be ANYONE'S idea of art, music, or talent!
                  Next, when it comes to "rock" the two groups I hate most are Motley Crue, or as I like two call them Moldy Crud (or Crude) !They are NUMBER ONE on my ShitList of worst bands EVER! Then comes THE most OVER-rated band ever Led Zeppelin, who I like to call Led BarfBag, or "The Bag'," for short!
I also think that Van Halen, or Van Horsefly is one of the most boring, one-dimensional, and again HIGHLY over-rated bands ever! Also don't much care for King Crimson, except for their first album. And I'm not a big Zappa fan, either.               

These paragraphs make me want to belch, puke, and abuse you with a turntable. Although I'm not to familiar with a lot of the discography you've covered I can still tell that you're, on the whole, wrong.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

should NEVER be ANYONE'S idea of art, music, or talent!
                  Next, when it comes to "rock" the two groups I hate most are Motley Crue, or as I like two call them Moldy Crud (or Crude) !They are NUMBER ONE on my ShitList of worst bands EVER! Then comes THE most OVER-rated band ever Led Zeppelin, who I like to call Led BarfBag, or "The Bag'," for short!
I also think that Van Halen, or Van Horsefly is one of the most boring, one-dimensional, and again HIGHLY over-rated bands ever! Also don't much care for King Crimson, except for their first album. And I'm not a big Zappa fan, either.               

These paragraphs make me want to belch, puke, and abuse you with a turntable. Although I'm not to familiar with a lot of the discography you've covered I can still tell that you're, on the whole, wrong.

[Evermind]

Then comes THE most OVER-rated band ever Led Zeppelin, who I like to call Led BarfBag, or "The Bag'," for short!

What the hell.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Yeah, even if you don't like a band, coming up with derogatory nicknames that you insist on calling them seems a bit middle-school-ish.

I mean, I technically never got past middle school, but... uh



...

    yeah


probably didn't need to say that.....

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Good thread idea. Not the most well-executed.

[Infinite Cactus]

I wrote a neat song today. Then my cat and I hung out for a bit and I called my girlfriend. She was like, "What time are we hanging out on Saturday again?" I was like. How's noonish sound?














That's all I think I'll contribute to this thread.






















P.S. Why so much puke? So much puking and barfing and belching in one post.























P.P.S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6kmOyaONbA

[Zook]

I will say that you got your overrated bands mixed up. I like to call them AC/PeePee. 

[gm5k]

Some asshole belching and puking into a microphone while some other dick abuses a turntable
             
       
       

                                                                     

Man I've been listening to the wrong kind of rap.  This sounds absolutely incredible. 

[aprilethereal]

This thread is pretty epic

[puppyonacid]

Uh huh

Bringing it back down to earth - I don't mind rap for what it is. I know its misogynistic etc but I think many rap artists are saying the things they say behind a character. There is irony in it. And I can listen to it. Not an avid fan but I see it as a viable form of art and expression.

As far as DTs influences - I was never a Metallica fan, never listen to Yes or Rush so I don't really know how DT stuck. Led Zep? Nope don't get that either. I feel like I'm missing something with all these bands as none of them struck a chord with me.

I like Opeth but only have Watershed and I don't see that they're that big an influence on DT anyway.

[?]

This thread is pretty epic

[Skeever]

Wow, some awful opinions in the OP

[TheGreatPretender]

Bringing it back down to earth - I don't mind rap for what it is. I know its misogynistic etc but I think many rap artists are saying the things they say behind a character. There is irony in it. And I can listen to it. Not an avid fan but I see it as a viable form of art and expression.

Not to mention that not EVERY rapper has misogynistic lyrics. Sad as it may be that Lil' Wayne got popular on such verbal diarrhea, that's not all there is to the genre. To say that all rap is like that, is the same as saying that all Metal is about devil worshipping. (Or, if you lived in the 80s, that all Metal is about sex, drugs and hair spray.) If you don't actively listen to a genre, that's all you're going to think it is.

[mirko_metal_88]

I'm pretty surprised that no one said "fates warning", 'cause it's the first thing that came into my mind while i was listening to their early demos & first album

[TheGreatPretender]

I'm pretty surprised that no one said "fates warning", 'cause it's the first thing that came into my mind while i was listening to their early demos & first album

I'm pretty sure even MP admitted that they were an influence. In FW's 2005 edition of Awaken the Guardian liner notes, he mentioned something of the sort.

[gm5k]

Uh huh

Bringing it back down to earth - I don't mind rap for what it is. I know its misogynistic etc but I think many rap artists are saying the things they say behind a character.

That's of course fine, creating a character.  Does anyone think Ozzy was talking about his personal experiences on "Mr Tinkertrain"?   (which is an amazing song btw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vi6viYMvMw)

[TheGreatPretender]

Uh huh

Bringing it back down to earth - I don't mind rap for what it is. I know its misogynistic etc but I think many rap artists are saying the things they say behind a character.

That's of course fine, creating a character.  Does anyone think Ozzy was talking about his personal experiences on "Mr Tinkertrain"?   (which is an amazing song btw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vi6viYMvMw)

Yeah, but we all know that Alice Cooper actually does decapitate himself on stage... Right? 

[senecadawg2]

I've never enjoyed rap all that much myself, but that's just me.

I used to feel the same way about rap. That bullshit gangster rap would be all I heard driving down the road with the subs rattling the trunk adding insult to injury... But then I moved to Arizona and now all I hear is mariachi music everywhere I go. That bullshit gangster rap aint so bad anymore.

I don't know why, exactly, but this post really got to me 


As for the question, I seem to enjoy most of DT's largest influences. Rush is one of my all time favorites, and Iron Maiden is fantastic as well. Metallica doesn't get me super excited any more, but Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning, and Kill 'em All are still enjoyable enough for me. Other classic progressive rock bands have been a little harder for me to get into, but that's mainly just lack of effort on my part. The handful of albums that I have heard from Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis, collectively, have all ranged between good and excellent for me.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think the more interesting question is, did you discover these influences BECAUSE of DT, or were you a fan of them before you heard DT for the first time?

Personally, everything from Iron Maiden to Rush to Metallica, etc, I discovered after hearing about it from DT. I was aware of the bands, of course, but I never really bothered listening to them until after DT brought them up.

[senecadawg2]

^^ same for me. The exception being Metallica, which I probably started listening to around the same time as DT.

[King Postwhore]

when bands like DT last 25 years, your bound to be influenced with the style of recordings of the time.  Look at Rush and how they adapted to the different era's being influenced by the long songs of the 70's, the shorter songs into the 80's and influenced by rock reggae of the Police ect..., The keyboard and electronic drums of the mid 80's, to the raw, dry vocal sounds of the 90's to the lack of guitar solo's in the 2000's.


Bands that last decades always get influenced by the times.

[mikeyd23]

Wow, some awful opinions in the OP

My thoughts exactly...  Trying to keep the conversation on track though, the bands that are always referenced as DT's "main" influences have always been hit or miss with me.  I like Metallica, Iron Maiden has always just been okay to me.  I love Pink Floyd, but a band like Yes has been tough for me to get into.   And so on and so on...

I will say that I discovered bands like Rush, Iron Maiden, Yes, Genesis, etc after I had discovered DT.  Bands like Metallica, Floyd, Zep, etc I knew before DT.

[hefdaddy42]

I want to make it ABUDENTLY CLEAR that i am NOT saying that rappers or people who listen to rap should be shot

Well, that's good.

[King Postwhore]

 

He doesn't want them shot but if they east coast/west cost anyway, it's all good?

[senecadawg2]

I want to make it ABUDENTLY CLEAR that i am NOT saying that rappers or people who listen to rap should be shot

...

or even that it should be illegal!

Well that's where I'm going to have to disagree with you 

[me7]

I always figured that rap appeals to people who like song lyrics and poetry.
Me, I hardly care for lyrics at all. What I want from music are varied melodies and rhythms.