How would it have played out if MP and DS had left simultaneously?

[Max Kuehnau]

OK here's one question that is of course purely hypothetical but anyway: How would you think things would have turned out in DT's history if MP and DS had left simultaneously? (edit: with regard to the albums mainly, how they had happened, or not) Go everyone.

[pg1067]

Did Wild Ranger hack Max Kuehnau's account?!

[MirrorMask]

JP would have taken over and they would have found another drummer and keyboard player.

[Max Kuehnau]

Did Wild Ranger hack Max Kuehnau's account?!

No I monitor it myself.

[Adami]

Hm, no idea.

Maybe the band would have broken up? It feels like it was a pretty low point in their career. Their big highs came after it. Maybe they would have gone about different projects instead? Right now they have to keep the machine going, but back then....that wasn't really the case.

[pcs90]

Well we may have gotten more LTE albums...

[evilasiojr]

Well we may have gotten more LTE albums...

I bet on this as well and a later DT reunion with the SFaM line up, but maybe only in 2002-03, maybe later.

The thing is, we'd a have a total different album in the reunion I guess, not SFaM. It would not happen, or it'd be delayed to mid-2000s.

[cramx3]

I think the band would have stopped.  Seems they were already dealing with enough after Awake and then a not so hot FII and a founding member leaving might have just been enough to end DT.  Now what would they guys have done at that point might have been interesting, not that I would have wanted that path instead.

[Cool Chris]

I think the band would have stopped.  Seems they were already dealing with enough after Awake and then a not so hot FII and a founding member leaving might have just been enough to end DT. 

Not sure I agree. If the remaining 3 had a unifying vision and the drive to move forward, and I firmly believe that would have been the case, I see no reason they couldn't have found new members and plowed ahead.

I can't even imagine the number of mediocre "supergroup" bands MP would have started. Though realisitically 1997 MP isn't 2011 MP in terms of stature so I doubt he could on a whim pull a bunch of top notch musicians together as often as he was able to later in his career.

[cramx3]

I think the band would have stopped.  Seems they were already dealing with enough after Awake and then a not so hot FII and a founding member leaving might have just been enough to end DT. 

Not sure I agree. If the remaining 3 had a unifying vision and the drive to move forward, and I firmly believe that would have been the case, I see no reason they couldn't have found new members and plowed ahead.

I can't even imagine the number of mediocre "supergroup" bands MP would have started. Though realisitically 1997 MP isn't 2011 MP in terms of stature so I doubt he could on a whim pull a bunch of top notch musicians together as often as he was able to later in his career.

Yea sure that's totally possible and only my own speculation just thinking about that time period for the band (but I also wasn't a fan living that era so my thoughts may be off).

[Indiscipline]

I strongly feel that the two Johnnies would have kept the band together.

[Setlist Scotty]

I think the band would have stopped.  Seems they were already dealing with enough after Awake and then a not so hot FII and a founding member leaving might have just been enough to end DT. 

Not sure I agree. If the remaining 3 had a unifying vision and the drive to move forward, and I firmly believe that would have been the case, I see no reason they couldn't have found new members and plowed ahead.

While that is always possible, I agree with cramx3. Not only was it a low point in their career, but in Lifting Shadows, even JP himself hypothesized that had MP left back in 1998, that the band would have probably tried to continue, but probably would not have gotten very far before folding. Factor in DS leaving at the same time, and it probably would've been too much for the others to take on at that moment in time.

[erwinrafael]

If MP left at that time (circa 1998-1999), I am not sure who could have ably filled his shoes. I don't think they would have the clout to call for drummer auditions like they did in 2011. I think the only prog drummer on the "free agent market" at the time was Virgil Donati and Rod Morgenstein.

Hmmm...if MP partnered with DS to become Planet X, and DT ended up with Donati... 

[KevShmev]

I think the band would have stopped.  Seems they were already dealing with enough after Awake and then a not so hot FII and a founding member leaving might have just been enough to end DT. 

Not sure I agree. If the remaining 3 had a unifying vision and the drive to move forward, and I firmly believe that would have been the case, I see no reason they couldn't have found new members and plowed ahead.

Agreed.  Portnoy was pretty vocal in his annoyance with a variety of factors in 1997-1998, but Petrucci did not seem to share that annoyance, IIRC.  It would have been jarring, but I think they would have found a way to move on.

Also, it is worth noting that this scenario is odd to consider since Sherinian only left because he was fired due to Portnoy and Petrucci asking Rudess to replace him.  I doubt Sherinian would have left the band at the time had Portnoy left (although I am sure he'd say otherwise now).