DT should now reconnect with Kevin Moore, but not as a keyboardist...

[HOF]

I kind of feel you on the Steven Wilson thing. Starting with The Incident I lost interest in his stuff. Haven't even listened to the new Porcupine Tree.

KM had a similar turn toward experimental and depressive music, but I like it way more. Some of it I'm sure is just personal preference, but Wilson's stuff always felt like he was so precious about it, and it became too much. KM's electronic career more just asserts what it is and you like it or you don't.

I'm glad someone else said it, because I've been referring to PT and The Pineapple Thief style of music as "depressive metal" instead of progressive metal for years now

That is a shame because I absolutely love Gavin Harrison as a drummer, but I just can't get into any of the bands he plays with.

Gavin has played with lots of acts though. Check out Gleb Kolyadin's solo albums or Lo-Fi Resistance's Chalk Lines for a couple less depressing albums.

[pg1067]

I had forgotten that those lyrics on I&W were his.  Yeah, I have to agree with your assessment on all of those mentioned.

Musically, I don't know how to explain it. You get it or you don't.

I just don't know what to "get" though, because I have no idea what parts of any of the music on the first three albums he actually wrote.

I think Lifting Shadows covered some of this.  I'm pretty sure TOWHTSTS and OAMOT were primarily KM compositions, and I have it in the back of my head that the main riff in Ytse Jam might have been his (but I'm not at all sure about that).  Surrounded and Wait for Sleep and a good chunk of Learning to Live were primarily his.  Not at all sure about stuff on Awake other than SDV.  He also had a role in ACOS, but I'm not sure which parts.

As far as lyrics, his don't stand out to me as being any better or worse than anyone else's from back then.  Nevertheless, the Cult of Kevin Moore persists much the same as the Cult of John Myung lyrics did when the news that he'd be contributing lyrics to ADTOE came to light.

Have you listened to the OSI and Chroma Key albums? I know both bands are a departure from Dream Theater musically, but lyrically, they have some neat stuff.

I don't think I've ever heard OSI, but I heard some Chroma Key and thought it awful.  EDIT: I just listened to the song "OSI."  The main riff was pretty cool, but the rest was pretty terrible.

I did mention SDV. I didn't remember WFS being credited solely to him. I thought everything on the album was credited to the while band.

With a few exceptions, the music was always credited to "Dream Theater" back then.  The exceptions:  Ytse Jam (everyone but Charlie); WFS (KM only - "Images and Words: Moore"); The Silent Man (JP only); and SDV (KM only).  Copyright and ASCAP/BMI registrations might be different.

[gzarruk]

I kind of feel you on the Steven Wilson thing. Starting with The Incident I lost interest in his stuff. Haven't even listened to the new Porcupine Tree.

KM had a similar turn toward experimental and depressive music, but I like it way more. Some of it I'm sure is just personal preference, but Wilson's stuff always felt like he was so precious about it, and it became too much. KM's electronic career more just asserts what it is and you like it or you don't.

I'm glad someone else said it, because I've been referring to PT and The Pineapple Thief style of music as "depressive metal" instead of progressive metal for years now

That is a shame because I absolutely love Gavin Harrison as a drummer, but I just can't get into any of the bands he plays with.

Gavin has played with lots of acts though. Check out Gleb Kolyadin's solo albums or Lo-Fi Resistance's Chalk Lines for a couple less depressing albums.

Will do! Thank you

[Samsara]

For my tastes, I prefer Kevin Moore's era in DT by far more than Jordan's. And I respect Jordan greatly. But Moore's role, both as a writer/player and lyricist really brought something to the fold for DT, particularly with I&W and Awake, that really appeals to me, that has been missing.

DT moved on, Kevin moved on. And that's all fine. But for me personally, after listening to OSI and some of Kevin's post-DT work, there is a sound and vibe that is very apparent in his three albums with DT (particularly the last two) that I miss. And I always will. That takes nothing away from JR, who is amazing. But there's this ethereal quality to Kevin's work that appeals to me in the context of DT more than any other work that JR has done with DT. I can't really put a finger on it, but it's just a vibe.

[ReaPsTA]

For my tastes, I prefer Kevin Moore's era in DT by far more than Jordan's. And I respect Jordan greatly. But Moore's role, both as a writer/player and lyricist really brought something to the fold for DT, particularly with I&W and Awake, that really appeals to me, that has been missing.

DT moved on, Kevin moved on. And that's all fine. But for me personally, after listening to OSI and some of Kevin's post-DT work, there is a sound and vibe that is very apparent in his three albums with DT (particularly the last two) that I miss. And I always will. That takes nothing away from JR, who is amazing. But there's this ethereal quality to Kevin's work that appeals to me in the context of DT more than any other work that JR has done with DT. I can't really put a finger on it, but it's just a vibe.

I talk about the "sound design" in KM's Awake keyboards for a reason. Lots and lots of keyboardists in rock bands come up with electronic/virtual instruments. Rudess is excellent at it. But KM always approached what he was doing from a soundscape perspective, even on the early material, like the spacey keyboard solo in Light Fuse.

[HOF]

For my tastes, I prefer Kevin Moore's era in DT by far more than Jordan's. And I respect Jordan greatly. But Moore's role, both as a writer/player and lyricist really brought something to the fold for DT, particularly with I&W and Awake, that really appeals to me, that has been missing.

DT moved on, Kevin moved on. And that's all fine. But for me personally, after listening to OSI and some of Kevin's post-DT work, there is a sound and vibe that is very apparent in his three albums with DT (particularly the last two) that I miss. And I always will. That takes nothing away from JR, who is amazing. But there's this ethereal quality to Kevin's work that appeals to me in the context of DT more than any other work that JR has done with DT. I can't really put a finger on it, but it's just a vibe.

I talk about the "sound design" in KM's Awake keyboards for a reason. Lots and lots of keyboardists in rock bands come up with electronic/virtual instruments. Rudess is excellent at it. But KM always approached what he was doing from a soundscape perspective, even on the early material, like the spacey keyboard solo in Light Fuse.

Yep. Light Fuse and Get Away is a mess for the most part, but that instrumental section is golden and those atmospheric keys are trademark Kevin Moore.

[Trav]

Also, I just wanted to mention that the first OSI album is one my all time favorite albums.

[ytserush]

. I was gonna say, if TAC hates the music that much, it must be pretty good.

Fair assessment.

[Dedalus]

For my tastes, I prefer Kevin Moore's era in DT by far more than Jordan's. And I respect Jordan greatly. But Moore's role, both as a writer/player and lyricist really brought something to the fold for DT, particularly with I&W and Awake, that really appeals to me, that has been missing.

DT moved on, Kevin moved on. And that's all fine. But for me personally, after listening to OSI and some of Kevin's post-DT work, there is a sound and vibe that is very apparent in his three albums with DT (particularly the last two) that I miss. And I always will. That takes nothing away from JR, who is amazing. But there's this ethereal quality to Kevin's work that appeals to me in the context of DT more than any other work that JR has done with DT. I can't really put a finger on it, but it's just a vibe.

Yep.

The most significant changes in the history of Dream Theater are the departure of KM and the arrival of JR.

KM's departure meant that what you described was lost forever.

JR's arrival was the kickoff for a lot of bad things that came on albums like ToT and others.

But for the general public, just one thing matters... Is MP in the band?