Unleash your ideas for a CONCEPT ALBUM!

[Octavarious]

I try to help Bosk by explicitly copying from DTF rules:


Definitions
Note: These definitions are provided to improve discussions within the forum by using standardized terms with which to discuss music. We are not asking that you agree with these definitions, and we are not saying that they are technically "right". We are however saying that for reasons of clarity inside this forum you are to use the following terms as they are defined below.

Concept Album - This is an album that follows a storyline or a narrative.

Rock Opera - This is a concept album in which most or all of the lyrics are pieces of dialogue.

Themed or Thematic Album - An album which sees a common theme, either musical, lyrical, or both, running throughout the entire album.


Not that I agree, but let's stick to these for future developements of this topic.

Another idea for a "concept" under the above definition would the Odissey. Great theme.   I think JP could do grat things with it.

[Zantera]

I can't come up with something from the top of my head, but a Metropolis Part 3 would get me interested.

[Zook]

In order to bring his father back to life, Nicolas's's's son must travel to 1928 to stop the murder of Victoria.


COMING SOON IN 3D!

[TheGreatPretender]

Rock Opera - This is a concept album in which most or all of the lyrics are pieces of dialogue.

I really don't mean to keep dwelling on this, but I actually thought about this yesterday, and this is exactly why I think SFAM does NOT qualify as a Rock Opera. As soon as you mentioned Phantom of the Opera.
SFAM might follow a story, but it's not written like dialogue (or like an Opera) at all. It's written like narration, usually from the perspective of only one person, and even when he's dealing with someone else, as in Fatal Tragedy. He has to mention that he did this and did that, and he met an older man, and if we were to actually have it be like an Opera, let's say, "Scenes From A Memory The Musical" it would be awful. You'd have the Nicholas character standing there singing about what happened, rather than actually showing that it happened.

It works for the album, because you can listen to it and know exactly who the character is talking to, or what is happening (assuming you understand what JLB is singing  ), but if you were to try and turn it into an actual opera, it would come off more like a one man show, or a bunch of miming with narration over it.

I've heard some albums that are actually advertised as "Rock Operas" and they've always involved a number of guest singers, and everyone was always singing their own dialogue. Think Ayreon.

That being said, I'd love to see DT tackle an actual Rock Opera. To have not only a concept album, but one made up entirely of dialogue where they invited some guest vocalists to do different characters. Give me some time, and I'll come up with an idea for a DT Rock Opera, and pick some artists I wouldn't mind hearing on it.

[Kotowboy]

In order to bring his father back to life, Nicolas's's's son must travel to 1928 to stop the murder of Victoria.


COMING SOON IN 3D!

Starring Nicolas Cage & Victoria Beckham.

[King Postwhore]

In order to bring his father back to life, Nicolas's's's son must travel to 1928 to stop the murder of Victoria.


COMING SOON IN 3D!

Starring Nicolas Cage & Victoria Beckham.

You just have to shoot wind at Victoria to kill her.

[?]

I don't care whether there's a concept or not, as long as the music is good. However, even though I don't like Six Degrees as a song, it'd be interesting if DT took that kind of thematic approach and made a full album with multiple stories revolving around the same concept. I'd prefer that to a straightforward storyline in vein of Scenes.

[Kotowboy]

In order to bring his father back to life, Nicolas's's's son must travel to 1928 to stop the murder of Victoria.


COMING SOON IN 3D!

Starring Nicolas Cage & Victoria Beckham.

You just have to shoot wind at Victoria to kill her.

Or feed her.

Or turn off Melodyne.

[TheGreatPretender]

I don't care whether there's a concept or not, as long as the music is good. However, even though I don't like Six Degrees as a song, it'd be interesting if DT took that kind of thematic approach and made a full album with multiple stories revolving around the same concept. I'd prefer that to a straightforward storyline in vein of Scenes.

Well. The one good thing about that is if you want to play a song for someone, you don't need to explain to them the storyline, because even though they're thematically linked, all the songs would still be their own self contained pieces of music.

[Dublagent66]

[chaossystem]

BAD kitty!

[Randaran]

*snip*

Their next album could have 13 tracks; the first 12 emulate the general style of the corresponding album while incorporating themes that are reprised in the closer. Lyrically, it could tell a coming of age story in which the main character learns to stop pondering the past and decides to move forward.

[chaossystem]

How about the band doing a concept album about itself?

[hefdaddy42]

How about the band doing a concept album about itself?

Sounds pretentious.

[BlobVanDam]

How about the band doing a concept album about itself?

Sounds pretentious.

As if doing a concept album at all wasn't pretentious enough.

[hefdaddy42]

How about the band doing a concept album about itself?

Sounds pretentious.

As if doing a concept album at all wasn't pretentious enough.

Well, that goes without saying.  It's a common criticism of prog in general, and of concept albums in particular.  Throw in the idea of doing a concept album about yourself and you are verging on heretofore unknown levels of conceit and ego explosion.

[BlobVanDam]

How about the band doing a concept album about itself?

Sounds pretentious.

As if doing a concept album at all wasn't pretentious enough.

Well, that goes without saying.  It's a common criticism of prog in general, and of concept albums in particular.  Throw in the idea of doing a concept album about yourself and you are verging on heretofore unknown levels of conceit and ego explosion.

And there's the album name!

[chaossystem]

Are you saying they've NEVER done ANYTHING that was pretentious BEFORE?

oh PLEASE!!!

What I MEANT to say was: An album that would chronicle their musical AND personal history.

Like maybe each ONE of them, including Mike M., Jordan, and John M. could write some lyrics about how they got started, why each of them is there now, and how they feel about it, that sort of thing.

And maybe they could do a song--or songs-about what happened with Chris Collins, Charlie, Kevin M., Derek and Mike P.

I'm also sure they could easily tie it together with two or three instrumentals that would reflect their musical influences.

[Dublagent66]

And maybe they could do a song--or songs-about what happened with Chris Collins, Charlie, Kevin M., Derek and Mike P.

Not sure why they would want to rehash all that.  Most of what happened is already in the book "Lifting Shadows" anyway.  Doesn't seem like good song writing material.

[chaossystem]

Haven't had the pleasure of reading the book yet.

They could just as easily leave that part out.

[hefdaddy42]

Are you saying they've NEVER done ANYTHING that was pretentious BEFORE?

I don't know, let me look back and check to see if that was what I said.

*reads post*

No, I didn't say that.  But certainly nothing to the level you are suggesting.

[chaossystem]

Is it REALLY such a TERRIBLE idea?

There's no doubt in my mind that a LOT of people would love it!

But that doesn't mean it would be universally recieved.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think if DT were to make an autobiographical album, it would be better if it was done in a more vague and personal way, about the key moments in their career, rather than just "Here's what happened, and here's what happened next."
For example, with JLB joining the band, they could basically write a song about being off to a rocky start, with a lot of unfulfilled promises, but finding new light with a sort of a new beginning accompanied by a new 'brother' within the band.

With KM's departure, the song could be about reaching a wonderful point in one's life, being on top of the world, only to have someone who's important to you reveal that they don't see it the same way, and don't want to be a part of this dream anymore, and maybe their departure becoming a premonition of dark times ahead.

Things like that, general concepts that express the feelings and events of what happened within the band, without outright saying, "Then Kevin left and we were all upset," kind of thing.

[chaossystem]

All good points "Pretender."

It ALSO just occurred to me that "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple and "Kid Gloves" by Rush are good examples of songs about the difficulties that bands face when putting an album together. Maybe something like that could be worked into it.

[TheGreatPretender]

Well, the interesting thing about Smoke On The Water is that in spite of the subject matter of the song, it's still very groovy and fun, and has a sense of playfulness about it. Which, now that I think about it, a lot of DT songs share that sentiment. I mean, look at The Enemy Inside and its instrumental breakdown, or the ragtime solo in The Dance Of Eternity.

So yeah, I suppose it could work for some of the songs.

[Randaran]

I think if DT were to make an autobiographical album[...]

Then they could call it "Dream Theater"! Why stop with one self titled album?

On a more serious note, I would not mind that. It could work out really well musically. As long as the lyrics are less explicit and narrative than much of, let's say, SFaM and BC&SL, it would not come across as pretentious.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think if DT were to make an autobiographical album[...]

Then they could call it "Dream Theater"! Why stop with one self titled album?

Hey, if Duran Duran can release 2 self-titled albums, why not DT? 

They could be just like Duran Duran and call the second one "The Wedding Album" because having a band is like a marriage. 

[BlobVanDam]

It ALSO just occurred to me that "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple and "Kid Gloves" by Rush are good examples of songs about the difficulties that bands face when putting an album together. Maybe something like that could be worked into it.

There are a lot of songs based on personal experiences, even many by DT (including but not at all limited to Another Day, Space Dye Vest, Take Away My Pain, The 12SS, A Nightmare to Remember, The Count of Tuscany), but to have an entire album on themselves goes beyond simply drawing on real life experience to the point of self indulgence.
Some of their songs are more direct than others with their subject matter, but to base a song or album on something like that now would be a big ol' can of worms, to say the least.

[hefdaddy42]

Is it REALLY such a TERRIBLE idea?

I certainly think so.  But your opinions are your opinions.

[RaiseTheKnife]

I suppose my suggestion below is not a concept album, since it does not have a singular narrative -- but i still group themed albums and concept albums together in a general sense, so I'll submit the following in any case.   Just wrote it as i thought it up, so it is not vetted against any ideas already existing out there:

Shades of Futures Past

Each song represents an album from DT's catalog.  What if DT revisited their musical mindset and approach used on each album and tried to recapture that same spirit in NEW songs.  The goal is to create a retrospective of DT's career set in the present tense – captures the span of DT's career in one listening experience, a 13 track album transitioning the past into the future.   TRACKLIST:

Bonus Track:

Impulse Control: What if DT attempted to write a song like "Another Won" in 2015-- a short overtly progressive song that throws many expected twists.   The brash playfulness and unapologetic daring of Majesty interpreted by the current lineup.

1.   Particle Syndrome: Demonstrates DT's signature Metallica meets Rush sound – as hinted in WDADU.   Mostly in a major key.

2.   Parallax Prism - Part 1:  JLB soars and JP blazes new guitar riffs in the I&W tradition.

3.   Colossus:  Seven string wickedness – reminiscent of the dark frontiers explored on Awake.  Stomping, straightforward and catchy. 

4.   Retroscopic:  Composition very forward thinking (sc-fi sounding) but the track is recorded on vintage instruments.  JP and JR step out of their comfort zone by experimenting with Wurlitzers and Gibsons – and surely JM can reprise the Chapman Stick.

5.   Parallax Prism - Part 2:  A 15 minute track that expands the ideas presented in Part 1. Verses split amongst 3 lyricists (sound familiar?)

6.   Living in Latitude:  Themes touch on recognizing and overcoming one's inner struggles.

7.   Trepanning the Brain:  JP and JR take another stab at the twin metal guitar approach.  Metal on metal (yes, an Anvil reference).

8.   The Symmetry Imperfect:  This song will end where it began.  Obviously.

9.   Here There Be Monsters:  Fanciful lyrics of some strange and imagined world.  A short tale of the beyond.

10.   Stage Fright:  Cool name for a song, but also could describe a real life incident.     

11.   Racing The Horizon:  Song is upbeat, uptempo, but sort of sounds like track 2.  Just kidding.  It's a Mangini showstopper. 

12.   Foreshadow:  A personal introspective song about the DT experience and looking ahead.

13.   Futurum Inexplorata:  The future is unknown (Latin translation)  – but the sound is now.  Learning from the past to be better prepared to embrace the future.  Takes us to new heights and the next phase of DT's sonic story.   

The bonus track is part of a LIMITED special edition, and yes, it appears as the first song on these discs because its placement represents the Majesty demo.

The theme would be readily apparent to us hardcore fans as a special treat, but the casual listener would just consider it DT's next record.

[Randaran]

*snip*

That is like my suggestion, but much more thought out and detailed. I like it. 

[Kotowboy]

Pretty sure every time we do a " name the next DT album & songs " - someone will always postulate it will be a concept album about their career

[RaiseTheKnife]

*snip*

That is like my suggestion, but much more thought out and detailed. I like it. 

Aha, so it is!  I posted my suggestion before bothering to read the thread, so that is a funny coincidence.  Or is it?  Like Kowtow said, I guess a lot of fans gravitate toward a "retrospective" theme.

[chaossystem]

Something this complex, detailed and involved would almost CERTAINLY have to be another DOUBLE album.

Not that I'm complaining.

I would also hope that some-preferably three-of the tracks would be instrumentals.

[Randaran]

Something this complex, detailed and involved would almost CERTAINLY have to be another DOUBLE album.

Not that I'm complaining.

Certainly; to continue the I&W/ADToE and Awake/DT12 comparisons, DT13 would be the double album that FII was meant to be.