Is it too early to speculate about DT16?

[TAC]

Oh OK. I forgot about them, not that I really think about them.

[Stadler]

That wasn't my point either.  You're both inserting comments that had NOTHING to do with my original point.  JFC, don't know why I even fucking bother anymore.

How about we take a deep breath?  I'm not doing any of the things you're attributing to me. It was just an observation to be contemplated or ignored as the case may be.  I certainly did not intend to aggravate to that level.

[Kwyjibo]

To be fair, he's not really arguing anything. It's just a re-statement that the band would have to want to do it, and is merely pointing out an established band that decided not to continue. In fact, I feel like it's kind of a rarity where a band does NOT continue.
Obvious example is Led Zeppelin. But other than Nirvana, what other established band folded when a member left or passed away?

INXS.

Nope, I think they even had a tv show where they were casting new singers and according to wikipedia they were active at least till 2012.

[Adami]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

[Stadler]

To be fair, he's not really arguing anything. It's just a re-statement that the band would have to want to do it, and is merely pointing out an established band that decided not to continue. In fact, I feel like it's kind of a rarity where a band does NOT continue.
Obvious example is Led Zeppelin. But other than Nirvana, what other established band folded when a member left or passed away?

INXS.

They did not fold. They have toured with three other singers that I know of after Michael Hutchence died, and they even participated in "Rock Star: INXS" which was a reality TV show to SELECT their next singer.   

By the way, "The Stairs" is one of my favorite songs of all time.  "Storey to storey, ..."

[TAC]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

To be fair, with Motorhead, they all died!!

Actually 5 of the 8 people who ever played with them are dead, including the classic lineup.

INXS.

Nope, I think they even had a tv show where they were casting new singers

Oh that's right. I remember that.

[Adami]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

To be fair, with Motorhead, they all died!!

A minor detail! 

[Stadler]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

To be fair, with Motorhead, they all died!!

Actually 5 of the 8 people who ever played with them are dead, including the classic lineup.

And The Doors HAVE played without Jim Morrison, and Lincoln Park have not ruled out new music with a new singer.

[Adami]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

To be fair, with Motorhead, they all died!!

Actually 5 of the 8 people who ever played with them are dead, including the classic lineup.

And The Doors HAVE played without Jim Morrison, and Lincoln Park have not ruled out new music with a new singer.

We can quibble about the minor details, but the band effectively ended with the passing of Jim. The year or two afterwards doesn't really reflect The Doors continuing on as normal.

And if Linkin Park continue as a full band with a new singer, then I'll be wrong. But as of yet, they haven't.

[Stadler]

I feel like a number of bands called it quits (for the most part) if their singer/front person died. The Doors, Motorhead, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, etc.

To be fair, with Motorhead, they all died!!

Actually 5 of the 8 people who ever played with them are dead, including the classic lineup.

And The Doors HAVE played without Jim Morrison, and Lincoln Park have not ruled out new music with a new singer.

We can quibble about the minor details, but the band effectively ended with the passing of Jim. The year or two afterwards doesn't really reflect The Doors continuing on as normal.

And if Linkin Park continue as a full band with a new singer, then I'll be wrong. But as of yet, they haven't.

Maybe it's because I'm not a Morrison fan, but they did two years as a trio, and three albums. They only did six years and six albums with Morrison, so it's a full 25% of their timeline and 33% of their records.   Then, Ian Astbury sang for almost ten years with Robby Kreiger and Ray Manzarek as "The Doors", "The Doors To The 21st Century" and "Manzarek-Kreiger", depending on what lawsuits were filed at what time.

[TAC]

But I think there's a difference between "carrying on" and performing years later in a different form.

Did Queen carry on? I would say no, even they have toured with both Paul Rogers and Adam Lambert.

To me, carrying on is getting a replacement in a reasonable (short term) amount of time, and I don't equate anything happening decades later as carrying on.

[Kwyjibo]

Queen did even release a record with new material with Paul Rodgers, I would say they carried on.

[Stadler]

Queen did even release a record with new material with Paul Rodgers, I would say they carried on.

I wasn't there, so I don't know for certain, but I think the "Queen + Paul Rodgers" was at the request of Paul Rodgers, not Queen.  Paul is or can be a prickly guy when it comes to that kind of stuff.

[Mr.Mister]

Here's my DT16 wish list:
- 12 string guitars! JP writes such beautiful melodies every time he uses one.
- Another epic! DT shines when they are not limited by time. I loved AVFTTOTW and want to hear more.
- Instrumentals! It's been a while
- Violins and trumpets: Jordan has an entire orchestral sound at his disposal. I'm not talking about an opera like segment but rather integrated sounds. Think the end of PT Sleep Together.
- James to use his voice for more than lyrics. I think he can add so much more to certain parts of songs kinda like he did at the end of At Wit's End or in the middle of Sleeping Giant.

[SjundeInseglet]

Look, after John Bonham, Roger Waters, Mike Portnoy, Ric Ocasek...  there is no one that is irreplaceable.

You could easily argue that there is no Megadeth without Dave Mustaine so... 

[Awaken]

Look, after John Bonham, Roger Waters, Mike Portnoy, Ric Ocasek...  there is no one that is irreplaceable.

You could easily argue that there is no Megadeth without Dave Mustaine so... 

Along the same lines, I don't see Metallica continuing w/o Lars or James. 

[jammindude]

It seems impossible until it happens.

Look at Spock's Beard's output and songwriting credits up through Snow. When Neil announced he was leaving, it felt like SW leaving PT. But they went ahead anyway.

[Adami]

Stu, Jake, Luke, and Brent don't seem too busy doing Iced Earth tours at the moment.

[MirrorMask]

Look, after John Bonham, Roger Waters, Mike Portnoy, Ric Ocasek...  there is no one that is irreplaceable.

You could easily argue that there is no Megadeth without Dave Mustaine so... 

Along the same lines, I don't see Metallica continuing w/o Lars or James.

Everyone can be replaced.

The only difference is how much the replacement makes sense in the context of a band.

John Petrucci is not the only person in the world that can play what he does. Steve Harris is not the only bassist in the world that can play what he does. Dave Mustaine is not the only guitarist in the world that can play what he does, and there are arguably scores of singers better than him to begin with. But, what's the point in replacing them and still pretend the band is the same without the leader / main songwriter?

[Stadler]

It seems impossible until it happens.

Look at Spock's Beard's output and songwriting credits up through Snow. When Neil announced he was leaving, it felt like SW leaving PT. But they went ahead anyway.

This.   I think I'll repeat what I said above:  there's a difference between "can't" and "won't".  It depends on who owns the name, who takes the initiative...  I can see no Megadeth without Dave, since he's the guy that plans things, but if a Dave Ellefson or someone wants to take that on, I see no reason why they can't.  Pantera (no matter how much Zakk and Charlie deny it's something more than a tribute).

[Kwyjibo]

Look at bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, I think there's no original member left.

There's a lot of bands like Megadeth, but also Opeth (Mikael Akerfeldt), Pain Of Salvation (Daniel Gildenlöw), Porcupine Tree (Steven Wilson) and others where one man calls the shots and one can't really imagine that they could exist without them. But the Spock's Beard example shows that it can happen and even work to some degree.

Doesn't mean that it always makes sense or that the outcome is always good, but never say never when it comes to replacing band members.

[WilliamMunny]

There's also the issue of ownership—in some of these scenarios, the 'band' is actually a moniker that is owned by an individual. In that case, the whole thing goes as the controlling party goes.

[Setlist Scotty]

But the Spock's Beard example shows that it can happen and even work to some degree.

Doesn't mean that it always makes sense or that the outcome is always good, but never say never when it comes to replacing band members.

Another example not unlike SB is Timo Tolkki leaving Stratovarius.

[Stadler]

There's also the issue of ownership—in some of these scenarios, the 'band' is actually a moniker that is owned by an individual. In that case, the whole thing goes as the controlling party goes.

Steve Howe, I think.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

not sure if anyone posted this interview with JLB, but now sounds like DT16 will be recorded no earlier than 1H 2024, if his estimates are correct. I believe that prior, JP estimated fall 2023.


https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/james-labrie-dream-theater-new-music/

[wolfking]

I think WASP and Blackie classify in this discussion too.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Bump because this is likely the next DT event on the horizon.

[gzarruk]

If they start working on it around September/October we can expect it early next year, can't we?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

If they start working on it around September/October we can expect it early next year, can't we?

Yep - last year both JP confirmed they were aiming to record after the tour. JP has his guitar camp in a week and then I bet they'll start thinking about it. The cool thing is that they have the studio space all set up so whenever they're ready they can just show up and let it rip.

[Wim Kruithof]

I was zo hardly hoping for a live release of last tour. But since that's not gonna happen, I constantly long for that teaser, that they're back in DTHQ for album #16. Because Distance Over Time and A View are so alike - and since there's 'prog' writting all over them, next album could be a total different one. Really can't wait...

[gzarruk]

I'm hoping for LNFA releases of the past tour(s) whenever they resume activities with those

As for the new album, it'll be extra special since by then both longest running lineups of the band will have 6 studio albums each to compare.

[Zantera]

Ever since BTBAM put out Colors 2 which in my opinion managed to live up to the amazing level of the original (which I still prefer but possibly due to nostalgia), I've just thought more and more about the hype I would feel if DT made Metropolis 3 as their next album. However I would look at it like a big risk big reward type situation. If they're just gonna put out 'another' new DT album on the level of DoT or A View (both perfectly fine albums) then naming it Metropolis 3 just to hype it up would feel like a cheap marketing ploy and it wouldn't be worth doing it. But maybe on some level, setting out to make Metropolis 3 to begin with would push everyone in the band to their limits (and beyond) and everyone would put in 110% effort to make sure it's something special.

Few bands who are this many albums in their career still put out fantastic albums in my experience. Whether it's Maiden or Metallica, or DT in this case, it feels like at best you get something that's like a very serviceable 7/10. I feel like myself and some other fans have written off DT as being capable of ever making another truly great album and I would love to be proven wrong. Give me another album with the creativity of Images, the great melodic hooks of Awake and the interesting concept and structure of Scenes and I'm all in.

[Schurftkut]

a concept album might be on the horizon again?

[Skeever]

I think, after the response to Astonishing, it might be unlikely the band do another concept album. DT put a lot of extra work into that, only to have it almost all of it received poorly.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I think we are going get something a little different from the last 2 albums. Not drastically different and out of left field like the Astonishing but I predict there will be something more subtle that makes it unique.

My guesses:
1. No epic track that is over 20m long
2. May 2024 release
3. One ballad
4. More djenty than prior DT albums (this is what I think will make it stand out)
5. Not a concept album
6. There will be an acoustic guitar song
7. There will be an 8 string song
8. It will be totally awesome

It's so great and reassuring that they're going right back into the studio this year. You can tell they love what they're doing and have no plans to slow down any time soon.