things I learned from Portnoy's Score commentary

[erasiel]

First - you may be wondering "WUT? There is no commentary on Score." Right, there isn't on the official DT release, but the drumcam version of the DVD has a full 2.5 hour commentary from MP.

This is now discontinued but I finally was able to track down a copy. Since many of you probably haven't heard this and never will, I thought it was worth sharing some of the tidbits.

It is a great commentary and while I was expecting a lot of really technical info about time signatures and high hats or whatever, in fact it is just MP saying whatever is on mind about all aspects of the performance, and with his typical candor. Lots of pointing out errors made by himself and others. If you can get your hands on this, highly recommended.

I'm sharing just a smattering of tidbits from it, there is a lot I am not including here. I'll include HALF of my notes in this post. If you want me to post the rest of them, just ask.

- MP left SDOIT as a single track on the DVD, even though its split up into segments on the studio CD, so the band could still say they had a 42 minute song.

- He considers Score among the top 3 of Dream Theater's career performances to that point.

- MP is very proud of having coming up with the title "Score" as it has three meanings - the orchestra score, 20 years, and "SCORE!" ie, an achievement.

- It is in the band's rider that MP gets a locally themed basketball or baseball jersey, waiting in the dressing room, for each city he is in. He doesn't like hockey jerseys because it is difficult to play in sleeves. In this case he was given a Knicks Jersey with a 1 on the back, but he regrets this and thinks it makes him seem egotistical. Would have preferred a 20 for the 20th Anniversary or 8 for Octavarium.

- MP hated the visible cameramen on stage in LSFNY so he insisted on cameras mounted on the drums for this video. There were technical problems setting up the cameras and it almost didn't happen but they got it working minutes before the show began.

- He has a number 23 on the tom drum, as a tribute to one of Hurley's numbers on Lost.

- MP added rear view mirrors to the kit for the first time in this show, so he could see the conductor and orchestra, but kept them for future shows as they turned out to be useful to see the video screens behind him. (this commentary was recorded a couple of years after the performance).

- The first section of Raise the Knive is about one of DT's managers pre FII that the band voted to fire. MP was outvoted. Hence, "once again outnumbered." The rest of the song, of course, is about MP's resentment over Kevin Moore leaving. "Reading through all the digests" and "doubting my future" is a reference to the YTSEJAM mailing list and the fans doubting over the future of the band post-KM. MP is surprised he hasn't been called out for the lyrics being so mean to KM. During the track he actually spoke at great length about KM (including the OSI experience).

- During Goodnight Kiss and Vacant there are no drums. Yet, MP was still working. He was sitting on the stage floor behind the drums, and is using the cowbell, which has an electronic trigger that JLB can hear, to help him keep tempo with the orchestra. This is actually shown for GK although Vacant is not on this DVD at all.

- MP wished he had cut the sleeves off the tuxedo t-shirt that he wore for the second act because it would have been "more metal." 

That's it for now. If you want me to post the rest of the tidbits just ask. (topics covered include how the setlist was chosen, why there is no full band commentary on the official DVD, and some other good stuff).

Ethan

[Zydar]

Interesting stuff! Thanks

[Kotowboy]

- MP is very proud of having coming up with the title "Score" as it has three meanings - the orchestra score, 20 years, and "SCORE!" ie, an achievement.

This is the best thing about Score. I obviously knew this already but still.

[jammindude]

I think I have a pretty good idea of why there was no band commentary.   In all the commentaries, I always got the feel like this was MP's "thing" and the rest of the band just sounded like they were along for the ride.   By the last commentary (WDADRU I believe) I *really* began to hear things that I felt were "snippy" between the band members.   And I really got the feeling like the rest of the band didn't want to do it, but were trying to make the best of something they were not into as much as MP was.   I felt my suspicions were confirmed when a commentary track for LaB was promised...but then never delivered. 

I would LOVE to see all of your notes posted, and I would especially like hearing as much detail as possible about the KM-MP relationship and working with OSI.   I've heard him say a few things in radio interviews...but I'm curious to see if anything more in depth turns up here.

[TAC]

Yeah, it's a great commentary.

He also says that the Innocence Faded outro was Journeyish and that "our fans would never let us get away with" doing another one like it.

I'm thinking..WUT?

[TheGreatPretender]

Yeah, I'd love to hear more tidbits and stuff.

I think I have a pretty good idea of why there was no band commentary.   In all the commentaries, I always got the feel like this was MP's "thing" and the rest of the band just sounded like they were along for the ride.   By the last commentary (WDADRU I believe) I *really* began to hear things that I felt were "snippy" between the band members.   And I really got the feeling like the rest of the band didn't want to do it, but were trying to make the best of something they were not into as much as MP was.   I felt my suspicions were confirmed when a commentary track for LaB was promised...but then never delivered. 

Yeah, but even if that was the case, I don't see a problem with MP doing the commentary on the official DVD by himself, if he was so compelled to do so. Which he clearly was, since he released a commentary on his version, right?

[Xanadu]

I think I have a pretty good idea of why there was no band commentary.   In all the commentaries, I always got the feel like this was MP's "thing" and the rest of the band just sounded like they were along for the ride. 

Nugget!

[Elite]

Cool stuff!

[chrisbDTM]

i think he has all the lost numbers on his toms

4 8 15 16 23 42

[Red_Queen]

- He has a number 23 on the tom drum, as a tribute to one of Hurley's numbers on Lost. 

That is new for me ..uhh we are miss you MP !

[?]

Some of the tidbits are interesting and new for me, thanks for sharing!

[TheAtliator]

Some of the tidbits are very interesting and new for me, thanks for sharing!

[perfey]

Some of the tidbits are very interesting and new for me, thanks for sharing!

[Sycsa]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this down. Looking forward to the rest. 

[jonnybaxy]

Moar Protnoy Drum God pls

[aprilethereal]

- During Goodnight Kiss and Vacant there are no drums. Yet, MP was still working. He was sitting on the stage floor behind the drums, and is using the cowbell, which has an electronic trigger that JLB can hear, to help him keep tempo with the orchestra. This is actually shown for GK although Vacant is not on this DVD at all.

This one is really interesting

Thanks for sharing!

[Sketchy]

Moar Protnoy Durm God pls

Fixed it for Jakarta.

But, I knew about the score thing and that he had electronic trigger things of some sort to keep time for the band even when there is no drumming, but other than that that's pretty cool largely.

[Mosh]

Yeah, it's a great commentary.

He also says that the Innocence Faded outro was Journeyish and that "our fans would never let us get away with" doing another one like it.

I'm thinking..WUT?

I get that, actually. Awake was my first album, so I didn't have much to compare to and that outro always seemed a bit odd to me. Like something you'd hear from Journey. I think it's great though.

I think I have a pretty good idea of why there was no band commentary.   In all the commentaries, I always got the feel like this was MP's "thing" and the rest of the band just sounded like they were along for the ride.   By the last commentary (WDADRU I believe) I *really* began to hear things that I felt were "snippy" between the band members.   And I really got the feeling like the rest of the band didn't want to do it, but were trying to make the best of something they were not into as much as MP was.   I felt my suspicions were confirmed when a commentary track for LaB was promised...but then never delivered.

Yea, I felt the same way. There are some snippy moments on all commentaries, I think. When I saw I&W in Tokyo and 5YIAL I just thought that they were incredibly tired, but it's the same thing on Met 2000 too.

Love those commentaries though.

[Madman Shepherd]

I think people really overinflate the significance of those "snippy" moments. 

Sure there was a few times when it seemed passive aggressive or maybe even snippy but I don't think anyone should really read into it.

Except of course the infamous exchange with JM in the WDADRU commentary.  Even that is way overblown but it really did show some insight into how much JM's ideas were valued.  Just my opinion. 

[Mosh]

I don't think too much of them, but it feels awkward listening during those moments. For me at least.

I keep hearing about this; what this JM thing people keep talking about? I don't have WDADR yet.

[BlobVanDam]

I think people really overinflate the significance of those "snippy" moments. 

Sure there was a few times when it seemed passive aggressive or maybe even snippy but I don't think anyone should really read into it.

Except of course the infamous exchange with JM in the WDADRU commentary.  Even that is way overblown but it really did show some insight into how much JM's ideas were valued.  Just my opinion. 

I'm still amazed that anyone took that JM thing as anything. It seems 100% benign to me.

Thanks to erasiel for the facts! I have a few of the earlier drum DVDs, but not this one, so that's interesting stuff.

[Bolsters]

I keep hearing about this; what this JM thing people keep talking about? I don't have WDADR yet.

[SystematicThought]

Didn't JM say something like he wished they took time to demo out songs like they did on WDADU and take some more time on each song and MP shoots that down?

[Mladen]

I wish I had that commentary, everybody's talking about it...

[Madman Shepherd]

Didn't JM say something like he wished they took time to demo out songs like they did on WDADU and take some more time on each song and MP shoots that down?

Yes, it's true somewhat. 

John said that he missed the old way of writing and wishes they could try that again, just getting together to jam type of thing and specifically mentions everyone is wearing headphones and one person can speak at a time.  Mike said that it basically wouldn't work because they all have families and whatnot, and just kind of blows it off. 

Sure, it did seem like JM's idea was shot down without consideration but at the same time, JM might not have even been serious about it and was just mentioning he missed it and it would be fun to try again.

After that, JM still talks the same amount which is sparingly but he doesn't mine chiming in occasionally in other words, the usual. 

The other commentaries have snippy comments but 99-100% of the time they are made in jest and the five of them crack each other up. 

[hefdaddy42]

I've never gotten a Journey vibe from the end of Innocence Faded.  If I would compare it to any other band, it would definitely be the Dixie Dregs.

[BlobVanDam]

I've never gotten a Journey vibe from the end of Innocence Faded.  If I would compare it to any other band, it would definitely be the Dixie Dregs.

I think there's a bit of a Journey vibe when it first goes into the outro section, when it's just the chords, but as soon as the guitar starts playing lead, then not at all.

There's a section of BAI that was marked out as the Journey section, if I recall. It was one of the slow guitar leads, I think.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Thanks for sharing, Erasiel, and I´m looking forward for the rest.

About those commentaries, I also have the same feeling that Mike (and maybe Petrucci, although to a lesser extent) were into doing them, but not the rest of the band. In the WDADR commentary, Jordan seems a bit lost and out of place, as he was not a part of the original record. And the weirdest moment of all those commentaries was when Lifting Shadows was being played - from memory, I think it´s on the Once In a Livetime DVD - and Mike asks JM to explain the lyrics, to which he responds "It´s too complicated", and Mike replies "we have four hours!". Like the other weird moments, it may not have meant anything at the time, but when MP left, it all made sense...

[Ħ]

Yeah, we're gonna need a complete transcript on Portnoy's diatribe about Kevin.

[KevShmev]

About those commentaries, I also have the same feeling that Mike (and maybe Petrucci, although to a lesser extent) were into doing them, but not the rest of the band. In the WDADR commentary, Jordan seems a bit lost and out of place, as he was not a part of the original record. And the weirdest moment of all those commentaries was when Lifting Shadows was being played - from memory, I think it´s on the Once In a Livetime DVD - and Mike asks JM to explain the lyrics, to which he responds "It´s too complicated", and Mike replies "we have four hours!". Like the other weird moments, it may not have meant anything at the time, but when MP left, it all made sense...

Can you imagine if Portnoy did a Sopranos commentary with David Chase for the final episode?  He would insist that Chase explain what every little thing means in that scene.   I like when artists leave it to our imagination instead of explaining every little thing.

[erasiel]

Yeah, we're gonna need a complete transcript on Portnoy's diatribe about Kevin.

Ok - I'll put up a transcript of MP's comments about KM this afternoon along with the rest of the notes i took. Regarding why there is no more band commentary, MP said there are three reasons.

1) The live DVDs are done after the tours are over and the band has scattered, so it would be expensive to fly everyone back to the studio (particularly JLB from Canada) and in general something the label didn't want to pay for (ie, studio time for the recording).

2) There were so many extra features on the DVDs already that there wasn't room.

3) Hey, you're getting a commentary from ME, Mike Portnoy, right here and this is good enough!

Obviously as others have said it is clear that the rest of the band just isn't as into them and MP just seems to loves commentaries. Looking at the rest of the Portnoy archives he does them on tons of his releases, even his Rush and Beatles tribute recordings for instance. (The latter along with his father Howard Portnoy!)

Outside of DT, commentaries on live recordings are pretty rare aren't they? Certainly in my collection I don't think any other artists offer them - not counting the social commentary on Marvin Gaye albums Maybe documentaries are just a more efficient way to deliver behind the scenes info.

[Grizz]

I swore that I saw numbers on the toms. I knew I wasn't crazy!
I want to know why the ride cymbal for the intro to About to Crash was pre-recorded/added later.

[erasiel]

Yeah, we're gonna need a complete transcript on Portnoy's diatribe about Kevin.

Done. Thought it deserved its own thread so:

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=38264.0