Does Anyone Else Feel Like Me?

[El Barto]

But not Dream Theater without one of the original members, Mike Portnoy. A great drummer, but he's not the greatest. His replacement Mike Mangini is technically a better and more skilled player. But when Mike left, Dream Theater lost a piece of them that wasn't replaced. Mike Portnoy's chemistry, which was the heart and soul of Dream Theater, is not there anymore. They may still play great and release good albums, but there is something missing. Particularly on stage when they perform. Something is missing that has changed how I feel inside emotionally when I see them.

I know Mike Portnoy left the band by his own decision. He wasn't fired or traded. Dream Theater still exists. But Dream Theater was never the same ever since the day Mike left. Am I the only person that feels this way?[/size]

When Portnoy left they lost all that made them unique. While most here have moved on with Mangini some of us simply moved away. So no, you're not the only one that feels this way, though you won't find many on this forum.

Not true whatsoever. MP was unique but only 1 of 5 important pieces of the puzzle. The band is still uniquely Dream Theater.

Not if your interest in them was as a live band. Though even in the studio he was always pushing them in different directions. While they may be uniquely Dream Theater, Dream Theater is a pretty generic band at this point.

[bosk1]

You know, you are starting to sound a lot like Kowtowboy.  How do we know you are really El Barto and not merely Kowtow posting from his account?

[El Barto]

You know, you are starting to sound a lot like Kowtowboy.  How do we know you are really El Barto and not merely Kowtow posting from his account?

Nah, KTB hated everything. I actually like old DT.

[bosk1]

Nah, KTB hated everything.

Exactly.  Have you looked at your posting history lately? 

[The Walrus]

But not Dream Theater without one of the original members, Mike Portnoy. A great drummer, but he's not the greatest. His replacement Mike Mangini is technically a better and more skilled player. But when Mike left, Dream Theater lost a piece of them that wasn't replaced. Mike Portnoy's chemistry, which was the heart and soul of Dream Theater, is not there anymore. They may still play great and release good albums, but there is something missing. Particularly on stage when they perform. Something is missing that has changed how I feel inside emotionally when I see them.

I know Mike Portnoy left the band by his own decision. He wasn't fired or traded. Dream Theater still exists. But Dream Theater was never the same ever since the day Mike left. Am I the only person that feels this way?[/size]

When Portnoy left they lost all that made them unique. While most here have moved on with Mangini some of us simply moved away. So no, you're not the only one that feels this way, though you won't find many on this forum.

Not true whatsoever. MP was unique but only 1 of 5 important pieces of the puzzle. The band is still uniquely Dream Theater.

Not if your interest in them was as a live band. Though even in the studio he was always pushing them in different directions. While they may be uniquely Dream Theater, Dream Theater is a pretty generic band at this point.

Again, strongly disagree. Black Clouds was generic. Systematic Chaos was generic. The Astonishing was anything but generic.

[El Barto]

Nah, KTB hated everything.

Exactly.  Have you looked at your posting history lately? 

Sure. Seems like only a couple of days since I described how much I love antagonizing you. 

[bosk1]

Off topic, but since we've never actually met in real life, I have no idea:  Do you sound at all like Sam Elliot?  Because when I read your posts, I hear them in my head as being in Sam Elliot's voice.

[Adami]

Off topic, but since we've never actually met in real life, I have no idea:  Do you sound at all like Sam Elliot?  Because when I read your posts, I hear them in my head as being in Sam Elliot's voice.

See, I hear them as Jeff Bridges from any one of his western(ish) movies.

[bosk1]

Off topic, but since we've never actually met in real life, I have no idea:  Do you sound at all like Sam Elliot?  Because when I read your posts, I hear them in my head as being in Sam Elliot's voice.

See, I hear them as Jeff Bridges from any one of his western(ish) movies.

Interesting that you mention him, because I always hear your posts as Jeff Bridges and Gwen Stefani fighting over who will get to voice your posts.

[Adami]

Off topic, but since we've never actually met in real life, I have no idea:  Do you sound at all like Sam Elliot?  Because when I read your posts, I hear them in my head as being in Sam Elliot's voice.

See, I hear them as Jeff Bridges from any one of his western(ish) movies.

Interesting that you mention him, because I always hear your posts as Jeff Bridges and Gwen Stefani fighting over who will get to voice your posts.

The fact that I've been posting on a version of this forum for like 15 years or something, and you're the first person to finally hear my posts as I write them......it just warms the area where my heart is supposed to be.

[King Postwhore]

I'm picturing this conversation as Lenny & Squiggy from L&S.

BTW, I could Tweet Kotow a screenshot if you want a response from him.

[Cool Chris]

Not if your interest in them was as a live band. Though even in the studio he was always pushing them in different directions. While they may be uniquely Dream Theater, Dream Theater is a pretty generic band at this point.

Interesting point re: them as a live band. I never think of bands on those terms, since the odds of me seeing them live are small (based on their touring and my funds) but I can see how it would be more important to someone else.

Re: The different directions... I think some of them weren't good, though I am not going to pinpoint that on anyone since I am not in the studio with them. And I'll take good generic over bad unique any day.

In my mind, Barto is William Holden circa The Wild Bunch. Maybe not in terms of voice timbre and inflection but general personality.

[El Barto]

Not if your interest in them was as a live band. Though even in the studio he was always pushing them in different directions. While they may be uniquely Dream Theater, Dream Theater is a pretty generic band at this point.

Interesting point re: them as a live band. I never think of bands on those terms, since the odds of me seeing them live are small (based on their touring and my funds) but I can see how it would be more important to someone else.

Re: The different directions... I think some of them weren't good, though I am not going to pinpoint that on anyone since I am not in the studio with them. And I'll take good generic over bad unique any day.

In my mind, Barto is William Holden circa The Wild Bunch. Maybe not in terms of voice timbre and inflection but general personality.

Live has always been where it's at for me. There's something organic about hearing the real deal vs how a band in the studio wants something to sound. Don't get me wrong, you need to have the idealized version, but that's not what I generally want to listen to. To that end, if I feel like listening to DT I'm much more likely to put in Budokan or Bucharest than one of the albums.

As a live band I really don't have much use for modern DT. It's cool that they all like each other and are happier playing now, but from my perspective it was a poor deal. They were much better when they resented Portnoy but still played a good, "live" show.


I have no idea who I sound like. Plenty here have met me. Ask them. Sadly, it isn't Sam Elliot. Damn, that dude's got a helluva voice.

It's funny you brought up Holden, though. He's been an inspiration, if not hero, of mine since I was a kid. Since the first time I saw S.O.B. I always wanted to be Culley+Finegarten. That's where the armadillo breeder that occasionally adorns my profile pic comes from. Those two were cool AF. Between that, River Kwai, and The Wild Bunch he always demonstrated a willingness to do what needed to be done even if it sucks, a quality I deeply admire, but also a tendency to find the most enjoyable way to go about it. Also admirable in my book. It'd be surprising to me if I didn't have some of his qualities.

[King Postwhore]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

[TAC]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

That would be interesting.

[King Postwhore]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

That would be interesting.

[Podaar]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

That would be interesting.

Indeed.

[TAC]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

That would be interesting.

Indeed.

Definitely.

[King Postwhore]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

That would be interesting.

Indeed.

Definitely.

No joke.

[El Barto]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

Well, since I've already got Sam Elliot, The Dude, and William Fucking Holden, I say knock yourself out, Mr. Deluise.

[bosk1]

[TAC]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

Well, since I've already got Sam Elliot, The Dude, and William Fucking Holden, I say knock yourself out, Mr. Deluise.

[King Postwhore]

That would be an interesting topic. Post a DTF'er thread and who they remind you of.  That would be fun.

Well, since I've already got Sam Elliot, The Dude, and William Fucking Holden, I say knock yourself out, Mr. Deluise.

🤣🤣🤣

That's the start of the thread El Barto.

I'm thinking though Leland Sklar.  Lol

[TAC]

Who's Leland Sklar?

[Cool Chris]

Who's Leland Sklar?

I swear you and I have the exact same mental database of all living (and probably dead) people. I thought the same thing.

Wikipedia says: Leland Bruce Sklar is an American musician. A prominent electric bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to over 2,000 albums as a session musician.

Goddang son, take some time off from the studio every now and then.

[King Postwhore]

You can always click on the pictures when you Google Chris. 

Tim you lazy mother fucker. 

[TAC]

Hey, usually when there are guys talking about something and I'm not getting it, I just ask. Most of them are nice enough to tell me.

It makes so much more sense to run home and google it, no?

[bl5150]

Especially now that you're a death metaller

[TAC]

The book is the manual on how to flip two birds without actually flipping them.

[King Postwhore]

Run home to Google it?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😋🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣