The Alien Listening Party ! ALL SPOILERS !

[geeeemo]

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the lyrics. I think the whole song is one big metaphor about us as people.
We see others as "alien" because they are different. In any way. Our judgements - ..not just the biggie popular ones of say sexuality, but politics, music  - anything that causes us to see others as not right..but Alien. But this judging has turned us into the "alien" . Our holy grail of (arguing, anger, cancel) needs redefining. He's inviting us to climb aboard - to search until we find a new way to treat one another, a different scale of consciousness. 

I couldn't stop thinking in this vein, because of a couple of conversations I have had with James and listening to him in interviews etc.

Anyway, just my thoughts.

One of the many things I love about DT. Not only can we take their music and have different ideas from it, but it isn't rude or profane either.

[Ben_Jamin]

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the lyrics. I think the whole song is one big metaphor about us as people.
We see others as "alien" because they are different. In any way. Our judgements - ..not just the biggie popular ones of say sexuality, but politics, music  - anything that causes us to see others as not right..but Alien. But this judging has turned us into the "alien" . Our holy grail of (arguing, anger, cancel) needs redefining. He's inviting us to climb aboard - to search until we find a new way to treat one another, a different scale of consciousness. 

I couldn't stop thinking in this vein, because of a couple of conversations I have had with James and listening to him in interviews etc.

Anyway, just my thoughts.

One of the many things I love about DT. Not only can we take their music and have different ideas from it, but it isn't rude or profane either.

It's like the colonization of the Americas. That lifestyle and culture is/was Alien to the Native People and their lifestyle and culture.

Only this time, The astronaut is the colonizer of another world and comes to find that out there in that other world, he is The Alien. Just as if another being were to come into our world as an Alien.

I like your description because it gives a different perspective on the ending lyrics...I am the Alien, out here discovering, for our human race and beyond. Almost like how being here in the Earth, you are still an Alien as we do not know everything there is to know about the Earth, and a connection to the Earth that keeps us grounded as Earthlings and not an Alien to the world itself. 

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I just re-watched MM's playthrough of the Alien @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFx19PMxGTc

Such a sick drum track and it really makes the song for me. The craziest part is how easy he makes it look. He possesses a level of limb coordination that is rare. I hope the rest of the album has drums like this.

[Kotowboy]

How hilarious it would be if the remaining 60 minutes of the new album were all 4/4 Phil Rudd backbeats... 

[gzarruk]

How hilarious it would be if the remaining 60 minutes of the new album were all 4/4 Phil Rudd backbeats... 

Apparently, he used to play Back In Black for his students the first time they had classes with him at Berklee

[TAC]

How hilarious it would be if the remaining 60 minutes of the new album were all 4/4 Phil Rudd backbeats... 

Apparently, he used to play Back In Black for his students the first time they had classes with him at Berklee

Is that right? Wow!

[Kotowboy]

" And over the next 3 semesters i'm gonna teach you all 10,746 ways you can play the bass drum in the first measure of that song. "

[nikatapi]

" And over the next 3 semesters i'm gonna teach you all 10,746 ways you can play the bass drum in the first measure of that song. "

 

[erwinrafael]

How hilarious it would be if the remaining 60 minutes of the new album were all 4/4 Phil Rudd backbeats... 

Apparently, he used to play Back In Black for his students the first time they had classes with him at Berklee

Is that right? Wow!

I think this traces back to his experience playing the first time with Annihilator. Jeff Waters was a stickler of playing exactly on the beat and what happened was when Mangini was playing the fills and the complex stuff, he was hitting it but when he was doing the basic 4/4 AC/DC style, he was hitting a few milliseconds off and Jeff can hear it. Mangini was made to repeat it over and over again and he was hospitalized afterwards.

[WilliamMunny]

How hilarious it would be if the remaining 60 minutes of the new album were all 4/4 Phil Rudd backbeats... 

Apparently, he used to play Back In Black for his students the first time they had classes with him at Berklee

Is that right? Wow!

I think this traces back to his experience playing the first time with Annihilator. Jeff Waters was a stickler of playing exactly on the beat and what happened was when Mangini was playing the fills and the complex stuff, he was hitting it but when he was doing the basic 4/4 AC/DC style, he was hitting a few milliseconds off and Jeff can hear it. Mangini was made to repeat it over and over again and he was hospitalized afterwards.

I remember him talking about that experience in-depth on a recent podcast (Breaking Absolutes) and I was taken aback by how candid he was regarding his percieved flaws and the work he has put in over the years to make himself the best drummer he can be.

[hefdaddy42]

Really cool drum breakdown video from a fan here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC3tiQqyICQ

This guy knows his stuff, and it's cool how, with various passages, he kind of breaks down different ways of annotating the time signatures and how they "feel" to a drummer (and the rest of the band).

Crowder is great.  His videos are fantastic, and I love the music he makes with Adam Neely as well (Sungazer).

[DoctorAction]

Side note: Jeff Waters is a fantastic guitar player. Kind of a shame that Annihilator never quite hit the potential that Alice In Hell showed.

[Kotowboy]

Speaking of Alice... Alice Cooper is touring again. I can't imagine being 73 and still touring. I know they still want to and love it etc etc.

But i'm really healthy and 42 and I still ache after a long day. I can't imagine how he feels the next day after a gig or after a tour.

Same with the Stones or the AC/DC guys.

Mind you it's only 90 - 120 mins actually on stage and the rest of the day is probably spent getting as much rest / leisure time as they can...

[hunnus2000]

Speaking of Alice... Alice Cooper is touring again. I can't imagine being 73 and still touring. I know they still want to and love it etc etc.

But i'm really healthy and 42 and I still ache after a long day. I can't imagine how he feels the next day after a gig or after a tour.

Same with the Stones or the AC/DC guys.

Mind you it's only 90 - 120 mins actually on stage and the rest of the day is probably spent getting as much rest / leisure time as they can...

I can imagine being retired and boating on a lake.

But where some of these musicians are concerned, maybe Alice needs the money? He grew up in the era where musical acts got royally (literally speaking) fucked. It happened to a lot of these acts back in the day. And to top this, a lot of musicians squandered their money. Look at Guns and Roses. They squandered tons of money because of Axel's ridiculous antics during their tours causing them to extend tours. So maybe Alice has to work to live the lifestyle he wants because let's face it, the only way most people will care, is when he is not longer with us.

[bosk1]

Speaking of Alice... Alice Cooper is touring again. I can't imagine being 73 and still touring. I know they still want to and love it etc etc.

But i'm really healthy and 42 and I still ache after a long day. I can't imagine how he feels the next day after a gig or after a tour.

Same with the Stones or the AC/DC guys.

Mind you it's only 90 - 120 mins actually on stage and the rest of the day is probably spent getting as much rest / leisure time as they can...

I can imagine being retired and boating on a lake.

But where some of these musicians are concerned, maybe Alice needs the money? He grew up in the era where musical acts got royally (literally speaking) fucked. It happened to a lot of these acts back in the day. And to top this, a lot of musicians squandered their money. Look at Guns and Roses. They squandered tons of money because of Axel's ridiculous antics during their tours causing them to extend tours. So maybe Alice has to work to live the lifestyle he wants because let's face it, the only way most people will care, is when he is not longer with us.

That's a great point to raise.  But I would guess that that doesn't fit Alice, given that he just seems to be so together and has been known for giving financial and other advice to other musicians.  But I could be wrong. 

[Trav86]

Speaking of Alice... Alice Cooper is touring again. I can't imagine being 73 and still touring. I know they still want to and love it etc etc.

But i'm really healthy and 42 and I still ache after a long day. I can't imagine how he feels the next day after a gig or after a tour.

Same with the Stones or the AC/DC guys.

Mind you it's only 90 - 120 mins actually on stage and the rest of the day is probably spent getting as much rest / leisure time as they can...

I think touring at 73 is different for him (or rockstars in general) than us. They have personal trainers, nutritionists and probably a masseuse working for them. All the stuff to help you survive a lot easier.

[TAC]

Speaking of Alice... Alice Cooper is touring again. I can't imagine being 73 and still touring. I know they still want to and love it etc etc.

But i'm really healthy and 42 and I still ache after a long day. I can't imagine how he feels the next day after a gig or after a tour.

Same with the Stones or the AC/DC guys.

Mind you it's only 90 - 120 mins actually on stage and the rest of the day is probably spent getting as much rest / leisure time as they can...

I think touring at 73 is different for him (or rockstars in general) than us. They have personal trainers, nutritionists and probably a masseuse working for them. All the stuff to help you survive a lot easier.

I think there are way too many people that STILL don't appreciate him.

[Dedalus]

Paul McCartney doesn't need the money and was on tour until COVID got in the way.
It's his life. That simple.

[Stadler]

Joe Paterno (legendary Penn State football coach) famously said he would coach as long as he could, because he believed if he stopped it would be like dying for him.   He was forced out (scandal) on November 9, 2011 at age 84, and died not even three months later on January 22, 2012 at age 85. 

[Pax]

Just realized how similar the first two minutes of this song are to ITPOE... If this means that the title track will be similar to ITPOE, then I'm as hyped as possible for the album

[Kotowboy]

I knew it sounded familiar but it's a touch more upbeat than In The Presence Part 1.

[darkshade]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

[erwinrafael]

5 year break for guys pushing into their 60s? JR would almost be 70 by then? Just stop listening if you don't like their music anymore.

[jayvee3]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

For you or the band?

[Kotowboy]

Lolz their music would have to be seriously verging on unlistenable for me to stop caring about the band.

A more run-of-the-mill Dream Theater album is still vastly preferable to The Offspring's new album or Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold where they're borderline unlistenable.

[ZirconBlue]

5 year break for guys pushing into their 60s? JR would almost be 70 by then? Just stop listening if you don't like their music anymore.

Seriously.

[darkshade]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

For you or the band?

I've taken multiple breaks from the band since I first got into them nearly 20 years ago, but I nearly gave up on them after DT12, and then The Astonishing came out and besides a few solid cuts, the bloat of it all really soured my mood on the band and the fall out of MP leaving, the band's reaction to him leaving, all that drama, has left a lingering bitter taste in my mouth. My expectations for their new material has been at an all time low. I enjoyed DoT when it first came out because of that, but after the honeymoon period I realized DoT was just a slightly better DT12 but without a side-long epic. I still keep up because they DO put out a cool song here and there, and I respect their musicianship. I stick around here because I like the discussion of other bands with members of this forum.

[darkshade]

5 year break for guys pushing into their 60s? JR would almost be 70 by then? Just stop listening if you don't like their music anymore.

Seriously.

Well, doing it 11 years ago would have made more sense from that standpoint.

[Stadler]

5 year break for guys pushing into their 60s? JR would almost be 70 by then? Just stop listening if you don't like their music anymore.

The two points are not directly related.  I can list the number of bands that either admitted they needed a break, or in hindsight wished they had taken a break and I'll be here through dinner time. For me, there is almost no correlation between "if the band needed a break" and "whether I like their music anymore".

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I am not seeing any indication anyone in the band is unhappy, letting his musicianship or technique slip, or slacking in any way. Not sure why they should take a break because of one single which is getting a lukewarm reception.

[gzarruk]

I am not seeing any indication anyone in the band is unhappy, letting his musicianship or technique slip, or slacking in any way. Not sure why they should take a break because of one single which is getting a lukewarm reception.

Because fans always know what's better for the band's health.

[jayvee3]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

For you or the band?

I've taken multiple breaks from the band since I first got into them nearly 20 years ago, but I nearly gave up on them after DT12, and then The Astonishing came out and besides a few solid cuts, the bloat of it all really soured my mood on the band and the fall out of MP leaving, the band's reaction to him leaving, all that drama, has left a lingering bitter taste in my mouth. My expectations for their new material has been at an all time low. I enjoyed DoT when it first came out because of that, but after the honeymoon period I realized DoT was just a slightly better DT12 but without a side-long epic. I still keep up because they DO put out a cool song here and there, and I respect their musicianship. I stick around here because I like the discussion of other bands with members of this forum.

Look mate, to each his own, I just don’t really find I need to take breaks from bands I enjoy. I will absolutely have periods where I listen to other stuff a bunch, or bits and pieces as I go, but I never felt the need to actively take a break from listening to the band (or any band for that matter).

I can comfortably say that the period from TOT - BCASL is my least favourite of the band, however, there are still some songs I love on those albums, so I just listen to those. Occasionally there will be a track from that period I haven’t heard for a while and if it randomly comes up I’ll be like “that actually sounds better than I remember. But overall, there is stuff on every album I enjoy.

The only thing that does seem evident from your post, is that it seems like you are almost going into their new stuff almost not wanting to like it, or going in with a negative vibe. In my experience, that will almost always result in not enjoying something as much, because even if there is stuff that you like the sound of, the things that you don’t like as much will be highlighted, to almost “prove it to yourself” if you will. It absolutely could be that you flat out just don’t like it and that’s also fair however. But from what you’ve said in terms of the Astonishing and the Mike Portnoy thing, it appears deeper than that. In any case, all due respect, I hope you find something to enjoy with the new album 

[erwinrafael]

5 year break for guys pushing into their 60s? JR would almost be 70 by then? Just stop listening if you don't like their music anymore.

The two points are not directly related.  I can list the number of bands that either admitted they needed a break, or in hindsight wished they had taken a break and I'll be here through dinner time. For me, there is almost no correlation between "if the band needed a break" and "whether I like their music anymore".

Oh there is for a lot of people here,  because it almost always felt like "I don't like their music now, so I think they should take a break so they can make music I like again."

In the end, it is really just about not liking their music and projecting it as something the band "needs."

[Dedalus]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

I don't like your recent posts. Maybe it's time for 5 year break.

 

[darkshade]

There were ITPOE bits on LTE3 as well.

Maybe it's time for that 1-5 year break.

For you or the band?

I've taken multiple breaks from the band since I first got into them nearly 20 years ago, but I nearly gave up on them after DT12, and then The Astonishing came out and besides a few solid cuts, the bloat of it all really soured my mood on the band and the fall out of MP leaving, the band's reaction to him leaving, all that drama, has left a lingering bitter taste in my mouth. My expectations for their new material has been at an all time low. I enjoyed DoT when it first came out because of that, but after the honeymoon period I realized DoT was just a slightly better DT12 but without a side-long epic. I still keep up because they DO put out a cool song here and there, and I respect their musicianship. I stick around here because I like the discussion of other bands with members of this forum.

Look mate, to each his own, I just don’t really find I need to take breaks from bands I enjoy. I will absolutely have periods where I listen to other stuff a bunch, or bits and pieces as I go, but I never felt the need to actively take a break from listening to the band (or any band for that matter).

I can comfortably say that the period from TOT - BCASL is my least favourite of the band, however, there are still some songs I love on those albums, so I just listen to those. Occasionally there will be a track from that period I haven’t heard for a while and if it randomly comes up I’ll be like “that actually sounds better than I remember. But overall, there is stuff on every album I enjoy.

The only thing that does seem evident from your post, is that it seems like you are almost going into their new stuff almost not wanting to like it, or going in with a negative vibe. In my experience, that will almost always result in not enjoying something as much, because even if there is stuff that you like the sound of, the things that you don’t like as much will be highlighted, to almost “prove it to yourself” if you will. It absolutely could be that you flat out just don’t like it and that’s also fair however. But from what you’ve said in terms of the Astonishing and the Mike Portnoy thing, it appears deeper than that. In any case, all due respect, I hope you find something to enjoy with the new album 

Not only have I taken a break from DT in the past, I've taken breaks from all prog rock related music for years at a time. There's too much music out there to stick to listening to only prog rock/metal, or rock/metal in general, for me at least. I totally enjoy ADTOE, and went into DT12 with a positive attitude before it came out. I just get a cold, clinical feeling from the newer material, and also sense a lack of compositional chops from the band, who come up with tons of interesting ideas, but don't seem totally sure how to put it all together since MP left, unless it involves arrangements that were already done in the past with greater results, with rare exceptions.