Dream Theater: The Astonishing (now with moment of betrayal!)

[Pax]

JLB wrote Blind Faith lyrics, every argument against his lyrical skill is invalid

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

That is very true. (Even if i think Waters was a genious in the seventies).

I've always found Waters is kind of a miserable human being, and I also think that thanks to that he's one of the most prolific and important rock composers of the 20th century.

JP is just a nice guy who happens to have awesome guitar chops and has healthy relationships with his bandmates, his family and people around him.

I also wouldn't make the comparison at all!

[ResultsMayVary]

Let's just hope John Petrucci doesn't turn into Roger Waters.

Presenting:
The Astonishing
by
John Petrucci
performed by Dream Theater

Unlike Waters, JP has never struck me as:

a) an asshole
b) an angry person
c) a bitter person

So I wouldn't worry about that happening.

JP is extremely polite and well-mannered.

[theanalogkid7]

Let's just hope John Petrucci doesn't turn into Roger Waters.

Presenting:
The Astonishing
by
John Petrucci
performed by Dream Theater

Unlike Waters, JP has never struck me as:

a) an asshole
b) an angry person
c) a bitter person

So I wouldn't worry about that happening.

To be fair, isn't Waters a bit less assholey, angry, and bitter than he was?  I think old age and reflection have softened him up a bit.



....I'm probably wrong.

[Pragmaticcircus]

So when they're in their 60s, we'll have:

John Petrucci performing The Astonishing solo (with Russell Allen and the Boston Symphony Orchestra?)
Jordan Rudess touring a solo piano version of SFAM
And Mike Portnoy's all-star metal supergroup playing the 12 Step Suite

[RMGadelha]

All that I know is that I think this next week is bound to be good. I mean, there can't be two weeks without anything (right? right?).

I suppose a new thread will be created after the listening parties where people who attended can share their impressions?

[theanalogkid7]

I'm thinking we'll have to get the clock kid next week.  He just have to, right? RIGHT?!

[erwinrafael]

JLB wrote Blind Faith lyrics, every argument against his lyrical skill is invalid

And he wrote Disappear as well.

[TK]

From Jordan's Twitter:

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM  eastern standard time."

Could this be something Astonishing-related?

[BlobVanDam]

It's probably some awesome piano or gadget noodling. Maybe there will be something Astonishing related though.

[AboutToCrash]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

[Thematt202]

It's probably some awesome piano or gadget noodling. Maybe there will be something Astonishing related though.

He's just released an app and an album.  It's got to be DT related, last time he did a stream it was the US tour announcement.

[Panar]

More "pop corn".....meh

[Thematt202]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

Oh..  Nevermind then.

Actually, I don't think it does mention any of the apps.  That was the previous post(s).

[chego_voice]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

Oh..  Nevermind then.

Actually, I don't think it does mention any of the apps.  That was the previous post(s).

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time. Jordan will highlight and discuss his new iPad app GeoShred as well as play some keys! see you there!"

[AboutToCrash]

Yeah that's the post I was referring to!

[Thematt202]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

Oh..  Nevermind then.

Actually, I don't think it does mention any of the apps.  That was the previous post(s).

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time. Jordan will highlight and discuss his new iPad app GeoShred as well as play some keys! see you there!"

How weird...  The one I saw said:

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time."

[wolven74]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

Oh..  Nevermind then.

Actually, I don't think it does mention any of the apps.  That was the previous post(s).

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time. Jordan will highlight and discuss his new iPad app GeoShred as well as play some keys! see you there!"

How weird...  The one I saw said:

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time."

Didn't this happen like 3 weeks ago?

[ErHaO]

I for one think it is great that this is solely Petrucci's concept storywise/lyrically. He seems to have had a very clear vision of what he wants and I think having him as the sole writer increases chances for a cohesive narrative and clear musical direction for the band. Normally I agree with people wanting lyrics from the whole band, but in cases like these I prefer the idea of the person with the vision giving the story content shape, instead of having other artists work within the boundaries of someone else's imagination.

It was initially a bit of a worry for me actually, that they were just having some fun in the studio and decided to randomly take a few popular intellectual properties and mash those story elements onto some DT tunes. But that is definately not the case here, which is great. This one has been in Petrucci's mind for quite some while. I obviously cannot speak for the quality of the concept yet, however.

Also, I think Labrie is a great singer to do the task of bringing the characters to life. I remember reading Arjen Lucassen said the way Labrie prepared for his role of Me in Human Equation was impressive; he really thinks his characters trough. And the approach Petrucci/Jordan took with the writing, more melodic and many short(er) songs, is likely to allow plenty of diversity and oppertunities for the different band members to shine.  And then there are the choir and orchestra, which is awesome.

[Train of Naught]

He mentioned in the post that it was to do with Geo Shred, but hopefully he has something else to say!

Oh..  Nevermind then.

Actually, I don't think it does mention any of the apps.  That was the previous post(s).

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time. Jordan will highlight and discuss his new iPad app GeoShred as well as play some keys! see you there!"

How weird...  The one I saw said:

"Join Jordan Rudess as he STREAMS LIVE on Facebook SUNDAY at 3:00 PM eastern standard time."

Yeah if this was centered around the new album I think Dream Theater would announce the stream themselves, thinking this will be just about the GeoShred

[RMGadelha]

Which is useless to me because I don't have an iPad. Neeeeext! 

[Train of Naught]

 

[porcacultor]

I for one think it is great that this is solely Petrucci's concept storywise/lyrically. He seems to have had a very clear vision of what he wants and I think having him as the sole writer increases chances for a cohesive narrative and clear musical direction for the band. Normally I agree with people wanting lyrics from the whole band, but in cases like these I prefer the idea of the person with the vision giving the story content shape, instead of having other artists work within the boundaries of someone else's imagination.

It was initially a bit of a worry for me actually, that they were just having some fun in the studio and decided to randomly take a few popular intellectual properties and mash those story elements onto some DT tunes. But that is definately not the case here, which is great. This one has been in Petrucci's mind for quite some while. I obviously cannot speak for the quality of the concept yet, however.

Also, I think Labrie is a great singer to do the task of bringing the characters to life. I remember reading Arjen Lucassen said the way Labrie prepared for his role of Me in Human Equation was impressive; he really thinks his characters trough. And the approach Petrucci/Jordan took with the writing, more melodic and many short(er) songs, is likely to allow plenty of diversity and oppertunities for the different band members to shine.  And then there are the choir and orchestra, which is awesome.

Yes!! I was trying to speak my mind on the fact that petrucci wrote all the lyrics (and how that isn't necessarily a bad thing), but you summed it all up well. I also thought of Ayreon regarding James' ability of bringing other people's characters to life. I've got a great feeling about the whole thing, for sure!

[Thematt202]

How are you supposed to view this stream?!

[Train of Naught]

https://www.facebook.com/jordanrudessofficial/videos/vb.8717682988/10153448134877989/?type=2&theater&notif_t=live_video

There you go, he's already been live for half an hour though so if you don't want to miss it I guess it will be uploaded afterwards.

[RMGadelha]

https://www.facebook.com/jordanrudessofficial/videos/vb.8717682988/10153448134877989/?type=2&theater&notif_t=live_video

There you go, he's already been live for half an hour though so if you don't want to miss it I guess it will be uploaded afterwards.

So far, he has teased the new album twice with words, but didn't play anything xD

[Train of Naught]

I really like the groovy dirty organs he just played, hope there will be something along those lines on the album!

[Thematt202]

Ah, looks like you need a FB account to view it.  I kept refreshing the main JR FB page (the part anyone can see without logging in) and wondering why nothing was happening.

[Mladen]

This is some really cool stuff he's doing.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

He told in the stream there's a Montreal-based visual company that's doing all the visuals for the tour. Any ideas what company might that be?

[JMSE]

I for one think it is great that this is solely Petrucci's concept storywise/lyrically. He seems to have had a very clear vision of what he wants and I think having him as the sole writer increases chances for a cohesive narrative and clear musical direction for the band. Normally I agree with people wanting lyrics from the whole band, but in cases like these I prefer the idea of the person with the vision giving the story content shape, instead of having other artists work within the boundaries of someone else's imagination.

It was initially a bit of a worry for me actually, that they were just having some fun in the studio and decided to randomly take a few popular intellectual properties and mash those story elements onto some DT tunes. But that is definately not the case here, which is great. This one has been in Petrucci's mind for quite some while. I obviously cannot speak for the quality of the concept yet, however.

Also, I think Labrie is a great singer to do the task of bringing the characters to life. I remember reading Arjen Lucassen said the way Labrie prepared for his role of Me in Human Equation was impressive; he really thinks his characters trough. And the approach Petrucci/Jordan took with the writing, more melodic and many short(er) songs, is likely to allow plenty of diversity and oppertunities for the different band members to shine.  And then there are the choir and orchestra, which is awesome.

Yes!! I was trying to speak my mind on the fact that petrucci wrote all the lyrics (and how that isn't necessarily a bad thing), but you summed it all up well. I also thought of Ayreon regarding James' ability of bringing other people's characters to life. I've got a great feeling about the whole thing, for sure!

I agree. I've been in the camp of people wanting DT to break their formula for a while. I still have to listen to the album to fully see if they did so, but something like the way they wrote the album  seems very different than the jamming process they usually do. I remember from the RS interview JP saying that he brought the idea to the team fully developed in terms of the story, the characters, and his vision of how it'd work and everybody was on board with it.

I'm thinking MM and JM had freedom to insert their vision on how their instruments should sound throughout the album; which is no different than JP striking a cool chord or melody in a jam session and MM going "that's cool let me try this groove over that riff". 

I cannot wait to hear the final result 

[noxon]

I don't think DT could've broken the formula more than by this album without going to play an entirely different class of music...

[the keyboard wizard]

Here's the recording of today's streaming : https://www.facebook.com/JRfanclubTheWheel/posts/1120029388008310

[RMGadelha]

Monday will be a good day.






Because I will eat Lasagna.
But maybe we get something album related too?

[thosava]

Monday marks two weeks since the last update. It will surprise me if don't get anything tomorrow