Thomas Lang about the auditions

[gzarruk]

I remember being bummed not seeing Bobby Jarzombek in the doc. At the time I thought he would've been the perfect fit.

He'd still be a pretty amazing fit, IMO. The guy's a machine

[joevaicci]

Just chiming in to leave these statements here.

Thomas Lang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q1KkuiJljQ  (not the same as OP)
Marco Minnemann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e6LwNv3jIQ&t
Derek Roddy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxg2dPikx3g
Aquiles Priester 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J41m-XiiErk  (eng subs available)
Aquiles Priester 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Ldbc1wFO8  (eng subs available)
Peter Wildoer 1: https://blabbermouth.net/news/darkane-drummer-talks-about-his-dream-theater-audition
Peter Wildoer 2: http://recordinghacks.com/2012/05/13/peter-wildoer-interview/

Jarzombek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVaIEPWnl2Y

Virgil Donati seems to never having said a word about this in public.

I would have loved to see Jarzombek, Philips and Macaluso auditioning as well as Morgenstein and Jeremy Colson.

I too think MM was their obvious first choice before everything, but considering all parameters they totally had to audition a bunch of people and meet them in person. Have a chat and feel out their approach to the potential of getting the gig.

I would love to see MP's take on the doc as well. Noone seems to have the balls to ask him    
Of course it wouldn't be the most constructive question, but still...

[Trav]

The idea of Simon Phillips auditioning for DT is just fucking wild.

[Max Kuehnau]

Just chiming in to leave these statements here.

Thomas Lang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q1KkuiJljQ  (not the same as OP)
Marco Minnemann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e6LwNv3jIQ&t
Derek Roddy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxg2dPikx3g
Aquiles Priester 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J41m-XiiErk  (eng subs available)
Aquiles Priester 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Ldbc1wFO8  (eng subs available)
Peter Wildoer 1: https://blabbermouth.net/news/darkane-drummer-talks-about-his-dream-theater-audition
Peter Wildoer 2: http://recordinghacks.com/2012/05/13/peter-wildoer-interview/

Jarzombek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVaIEPWnl2Y

Virgil Donati seems to never having said a word about this in public.

I would have loved to see Jarzombek, Philips and Macaluso auditioning as well as Morgenstein and Jeremy Colson.

I too think MM was their obvious first choice before everything, but considering all parameters they totally had to audition a bunch of people and meet them in person. Have a chat and feel out their approach to the potential of getting the gig.

I would love to see MP's take on the doc as well. Noone seems to have the balls to ask him    
Of course it wouldn't be the most constructive question, but still...

IIRC, there was a video on YT where Virgil mentioned some things, but again, I may be wrong

[Schurftkut]

yeah there's multiple sources for each drummer, with slightly more details depending on which one. Virgil definitely responded to the auditions.

[gzarruk]

I would love to see MP's take on the doc as well. Noone seems to have the balls to ask him  
Of course it wouldn't be the most constructive question, but still...

The only thing related to it I've seen from Mike P was back when Jordan was recording Wired for Madness, he posted a picture of Rod Morgenstein in the studio and IIRC MP commented the post on Instagram saying something like he was surprised they didn't get Rod for DT after he left. I don't use IG anymore, so can't go back and look for it, but I'd guess it's still out there if someone else cares to find it.

[joevaicci]

I'd love to see Virgil talk about the whole thing. Couln't find a source though...

[Herrick]

This all makes good sense, especially since I was still leaning towards it being a waste of everyone's time.  But it turns out that I've done the exact same thing: done a few interviews just to see what's out there.  I once had a company fly me to Tampa for a day of interviews and schmoozing; they even had a driver at the airport holding a sign with my name on it (probably the first and last time that's ever gonna happen)!  Anyway, after a fun day, including a pretty nice lunch, they flew me back, all on their dime.  Their best offer still couldn't beat what I was making at the time, but it was good to know.  I don't feel like I wasted my time, and if it wasted theirs, well, they should've made a better offer.

I don't have much experience with going through the interview process and none at all for band auditions. If this is simply how things are done then I take back what I said about it being a dick-move. I didn't mean to imply any of these drummers were bad dudes or anything like that.

And I must say that it was a very effective reality TV show. A group of friends of mine got really involved in the selection process and watched all the episodes, had their favorites and rooted for them, etc.

This kept them engaged and curious to know the outcome. I remember us discussing this at the time.

Detail: I was the only DT fan. The others would die of boredom if they had to listen to an entire DT album. 

I haven't watched this in a long time. I remember it being focused more on Mangini rather than the other guys, indicating that he would be the main mang. That is most likely a faulty memory implant though.

[Dedalus]

I don't have much experience with going through the interview process and none at all for band auditions. If this is simply how things are done then I take back what I said about it being a dick-move. I didn't mean to imply any of these drummers were bad dudes or anything like that.

I haven't watched this in a long time. I remember it being focused more on Mangini rather than the other guys, indicating that he would be the main mang. That is most likely a faulty memory implant though.

I don't remember rewatching the whole thing again, just a bit or two, so I'll try to pull it from memory.

I think MM had more prominence and screen time. I think if we look back with the benefit of knowing what happened, it would be even more obvious that he would be chosen. But at the time, I don't think it was that obvious, at least not to everyone.

Besides, people get involved with reality shows and even if it's obvious who's going to win, they keep rooting and watching to see. Even if it's just to be pissed off about the outcome.

[Orbert]

I don't have much experience with going through the interview process and none at all for band auditions. If this is simply how things are done then I take back what I said about it being a dick-move. I didn't mean to imply any of these drummers were bad dudes or anything like that.

I have no idea how it's normally done, or if there is even a "normal" way at all.  With bands, I'm sure each situation is a bit different, so each band is going to handle things differently.  The idea of documenting the entire process, I remember thinking it was kinda ridiculous.  But it was also different, and brought some attention and PR to the band and to the individuals involved, and in the music biz, that's more often a good thing than a bad thing.  And as Milena pointed out, everyone involved could have different reasons for wanting to do it, things we hadn't thought about.

[hefdaddy42]

At the time of the auditions, the only one I hadn't heard of/knew NOTHING about was Derek Roddy.

I had heard of Priester, but I hadn't actually heard him play at that time.

I was familiar with everyone else.  And I thought then (and still do) that the only two of the bunch that wouldn't work on any level were Roddy and Priester.

Any of the others would have been extremely interesting in one way or another.  But for everything involved, I still think they made the correct choice with Mangini.

[TAC]

I think he was the perfect choice.

[Dedalus]

At the time of the auditions, the only one I hadn't heard of/knew NOTHING about was Derek Roddy.

Me too.
I only knew Wildoer from JLB's two albums (and that remains the same). It's incredible that I've never heard anything else from him.

I had heard of Priester, but I hadn't actually heard him play at that time.

I knew Angra very well, and therefore Aquiles too.

I was familiar with everyone else.  And I thought then (and still do) that the only two of the bunch that wouldn't work on any level were Roddy and Priester.

I completely agree.

Any of the others would have been extremely interesting in one way or another.  But for everything involved, I still think they made the correct choice with Mangini.

I agree once again.
I just have a little doubt that Virgil wouldn't be too much. 

[devieira73]

I think Mangini was a GREAT choice, but I must admit that musically (so, not considering the other 20 factors that involve to pick a band member) I would have prefered Marco or Thomas Lang instead. In case of wondering if Marco and Thomas would be a great fit for DT, I strongly recommend 2 excellent prog metal albums, very much in LTE/DT vein: Syrek - Story and Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal (Thomas's songs: Vermilion Moons, Solitary Man, Pitch Black Prism).

[ytserush]

I think he was the perfect choice.

As much as I would have wanted to see what Marco, Donati or Thomas Lang would have done with the band, it's pretty obvious that Mike was the guy was the right fit for the band. (That's pretty much what they were after at that point anyway.) Didn't take long to see it either.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

As much as I would have wanted to see what Marco, Donati or Thomas Lang would have done with the band, it's pretty obvious that Mike was the guy was the right fit for the band. (That's pretty much what they were after at that point anyway.) Didn't take long to see it either.

I also think that after seeing how the integration took place over 13 years, the hypothetical end product with TL, VD, MMi would probably have been a lot more reigned in than some are imagining. I love Virgil's work but had he joined DT his musical scope would have been vastly narrowed relative to the things he is free to do on his solo albums or at drum clinics.

[ytserush]

I also think that after seeing how the integration took place over 13 years, the hypothetical end product with TL, VD, MMi would probably have been a lot more reigned in than some are imagining. I love Virgil's work but had he joined DT his musical scope would have been vastly narrowed relative to the things he is free to do on his solo albums or at drum clinics.

I'm convinced that's the reason Marco wouldn't have taken that on if he was asked.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I just listened to Bobby's interview about it. That's actually a great interview - particularly when he starts talking about musical fit in DT but also more broadly. Starts at 5:00 on MM in DT and 6:40 hits the nail on the head in my opinion.

https://youtu.be/wVaIEPWnl2Y?si=E0LczYYwTMZhB5hm

[ganpondorodf]

Thomas Lang and Marco were the ones that really jumped out at me back then, but obviously there's a lot more to being in a full-time touring band than just being able to play the material. They didn't seem like great fits on a personality level, and Marco would almost certainly feel trapped if he had to play in one band with that kind of schedule long-term.

[PetFish]

I'd bet that the whole thing was orchestrated by the label.

I'm sure the guys would have just preferred to bring Mangini in without any hype but the execs wanted a silly reality show.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I'd bet that the whole thing was orchestrated by the label.

I'm sure the guys would have just preferred to bring Mangini in without any hype but the execs wanted a silly reality show.

Well, again, if you think the pick was made before the audition you're kind of saying there was an audition of sorts that we do not know about (I know that isn't what you said but others on the web have promoted this idea). To hire a guy blind without trying him out for a job this important to the band would be the definition of insanity. Not even the local band at the bar would just say 'done' to someone they never played with -again, you did not say this but it's a theory out there. And if like you're saying they just preferred Mangini - presumably without hearing the others - to not try out others wouldn't be much less insane. You have the opportunity to try out the best drummers available. Why would you not just see how they do instead of lasering in on one guy that you have not played with as a band? I don't know who would do that. Also, JP seems to have liked the idea of filming the entire thing. He said something to the effect of 'we can't just do this and not have any record of it.' I don't think they were necessarily opposed to the idea.

[Setlist Scotty]

I'd bet that the whole thing was orchestrated by the label.

I'm sure the guys would have just preferred to bring Mangini in without any hype but the execs wanted a silly reality show.

I beg to differ. The band knew they were behind the 8-ball and recognized that their biggest PR person was no longer in the band, so they needed to capitalize on this change and hype it up, making as much out of it as they could. Don't forget that JP is very business-minded, and if he wasn't the one who came up with the idea, I'm sure he was on board right from the getgo; maybe some of the others might not have been, but came around to the idea.