James LaBrie Interview (Oct. 15th)

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I'm saying that he can't be too bad off financially if he voted to not tour. Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that James may be living tour to tour.

I have no clue either way, but I wonder to what extent the wives of the guys also have jobs that bring in cash. I know JP's wife Rena has a gig as a guitarist in a all-female Judas Priest tribute band (Judas Priestess), altho I doubt she's bringing in anywhere near as much as JP. I know JR's wife has worked as a director at a theater in the past - not sure if she still does. Maybe JL's wife also works, which helps, too.
 
 

I'm pretty sure everything the band earns, album royalties, tour revenue, merch is all out into the company. And they pay themselves a salary. That keeps them earning a paycheck when they're not working. Obviously when they haven't toured in nearly two years, those funds may be depleting.

All of this, which is why Portnoy's "wonderful" idea of stopping for 5-ish years was even crazier than it actually sounds.

Agreed. He was intending to have a bunch of side projects to keep him occupied, which is fine, but for some of these guys it's the equivalent of saying quit your job, go on holiday for 5 years and ask for your job back in the future...if you're even on peoples' minds anymore.

Ummmmm....no.

For starters, let's not forget that 5 years was a number that MP threw out there when pressed for what he could have meant about taking an indefinite hiatus. But it wasn't like that was a hard number, and I wouldn't be surprised if he started high so that he thought he'd have some bargaining room, although that's just speculation.

Regardless, it wasn't as if MP was expecting the rest of the guys to simply go on vacation until the hiatus was over. He suggested that the other 4 guys could all work on their respective side/solo projects during this time period - if I'm not mistaken, most of them had put off working on those albums because of DT. JP, JL and JR could have each worked on solo albums and JM could have done another Jelly Jam album. Plus each of them could tour behind those albums. And in the case of JP and JR, they could have worked on their additional interests (instrument promotion, apps, etc.) So there were possibilities for each of the guys to still make money if they would have agreed to the hiatus.

the only band member who would have been able to bring in any meaningful amount of cash during that time period would have been JP. Without the big DT tours, you're essentially looking at a break from your day job. I actually think it worked out perfectly for some fans of MP. His projects have been numerous since his departure and some are really great. And as for DT, there were some who thought there was no way the band could survive without MP or that MP would be back in a year for sure....those sentiments didn't age well.

[KevShmev]

Yep, it worked out great for both sides.

We likely do not get Flying Colors if Portnoy had stayed in DT, and it is very possible that Neal Morse's solo band does not mushroom into the Neal Morse Band if Portnoy still had DT as a full time gig, so on the strength of those bands alone, it is a major win.

And while business was good for DT at the turn of the decade 11 years ago, the band needed a change, and the best change was the one they got.  For all of the good Portnoy did for the band, his iron grip on the band had gotten too tight, and the music was starting to suffer a bit as a result (the last two albums with him were good, but the cracks were showing).  The band sounded totally energized again with A Dramatic Turn of Events, which featured some of their best collective songwriting in years, even if I find it a frustrating listen all these years later because of the mix/production.  You gotta take the good with the band, and the good has far outweighed the band since the fall of 2010.

So yeah, both sides have come out winners since.  And so have the fans. 

[TAC]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, but you are weird like that. 

[TAC]

Yeah, but you are weird like that. 

And you know, I knew the moment I read MP's statement when he left the band that it would be this way.

[sfam2112]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Same. I remember thinking when I bought Terminal Velocity, "This is the first thing I've bought with MP's name on it in 10-12 years".

[TAC]

I bought the first A-Mob album, and I think I enjoyed the TWO times I listened to it.

[erwinrafael]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Same. I remember thinking when I bought Terminal Velocity, "This is the first thing I've bought with MP's name on it in 10-12 years".

For me it is a case of "Thank you for Spotify!" The only post-DT MP project I bought is a Neal Morse project that is not on Spotify.

[Cool Chris]

You guys keep talking about the financial side of things (which is important, of course) but we can't overlook that for these guys, playing music is what they do, it is what they love.  Maybe they just wanted to continue to work together as DT, writing, recording, and touring, and not work on other projects. 

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

You guys keep talking about the financial side of things (which is important, of course) but we can't overlook that for these guys, playing music is what they do, it is what they love.  Maybe they just wanted to continue to work together as DT, writing, recording, and touring, and not work on other projects.

I am sure they did. It's not all financial. But when you're in your 40s with a family and this is how you pay rent, pay for college and save for your golden years, financial is damn important to most people.

I agree there are other equally important things. For example I am sure these guys know they are living a one in one billion dream. There are so few bands that achieve their level of success and prestige. I am sure they are keenly aware of this special opportunity they've earned to make music for a comfortable living and wanted to keep the party going.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Also wanted to say, I have seen Flying Colors and Winery Dogs live and own all their albums. I LOVE those MP projects and those are essentially super groups. His ability now suits those styles far more than it does DT. There were certainly some duds like Adrenaline Mob, which I also saw live. But overall MPs output since leaving has been way more satisfying to me than BCSL, SC or 8VM.

[MoraWintersoul]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Same goes for me. Whenever people say "ah but we wouldn't have gotten THIS if it wasn't for MP leaving", it's always something I listened to once

[Skeever]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Totally agree with this. The first Flying Colors album was okay but nothing special. Adrenaline Mob and The Winery Dogs might as well not exist for me. And I used to enjoy Neal from time to time, but I've gotten tired of him, even though I am myself a Christian, the way that he approaches his faith as a commercial enterprise is something I'm not comfortable with.

[gzarruk]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Totally agree with this. The first Flying Colors album was okay but nothing special. Adrenaline Mob and The Winery Dogs might as well not exist for me. And I used to enjoy Neal from time to time, but I've gotten tired of him, even though I am myself a Christian, the way that he approaches his faith as a commercial enterprise is something I'm not comfortable with.

Whoa, sorry to derail the thread but could you please elaborate more on this? As a Christian myself too, I find this quite shocking (not saying it's wrong, just asking ).

[geeeemo]

Both sides? I'm happy with MM Era DT, but MP has basically disappeared for me. There's nothing he's done that I find even remotely interesting.

Totally agree with this. The first Flying Colors album was okay but nothing special. Adrenaline Mob and The Winery Dogs might as well not exist for me. And I used to enjoy Neal from time to time, but I've gotten tired of him, even though I am myself a Christian, the way that he approaches his faith as a commercial enterprise is something I'm not comfortable with.

Whoa, sorry to derail the thread but could you please elaborate more on this? As a Christian myself too, I find this quite shocking (not saying it's wrong, just asking ).

I am a Christian as well. I don't care for NMB's music just because it isn't my style. My question is: Is God minimized or Glorified? Can people be led toward God by listening? Does the music promote anti-Christian values while, but labeling as Christian?