Yeah. I can totally see Jordan giving Marco a call some weeks after the audition and go something like: "Sorry you didn't get the DT gig, but i love your style, let's do something together".
I think thats much more plausible than Marco being the guy, than Jordan talking so openly about how he love Marcos playing and that he auditioned, when this whole DT-drummer-thing is such a big secret.
This is what I thought as soon as I heard about the Musical Mind Meld gig. On the other hand, it could have also been like a form of bonding activity. Who knows?
I still hope it's minnemann. I won't be too dissapointed if it isn't him, or at least I have accepted that it may not be him, but I don't think he has been completely written off until Minnemann or DT say so. The statement from the band member Minnemann is supposed to be playing with is not entirely valid simply because I think Minnemann, or whoever the selected drummer is, has an obligation to not tell a soul about it until he is
authorized to do so.
Unless he is touring with this band as well as recording, then I would definitely not rule him out entirely.
I have noticed that Jordan does like to talk him up a bit too. For instance, during Jordans break in the band crashers thing, he was posting how amazing he was and mentioned his ability to do blast beats. I know it is in Jordans nature to talk up other musicians, but it was almost like he was trying to sell him to the audience, beyond just saying it was a pleasure or simply that they are great to play with.
And why Minnemann for that particular gig? relaxing the notion that the other drummers may have had other stuff going on, why was Jordan so keen to play with him over the others? perhaps there is a chance that Jordan's vote was for Minnemann, but the rest of the guys did not agree. And as Jordan said in his most recent interview (or something along these lines): "we really see eye to eye on alot of things [musically]". So would DT pick a drummer that wouldn't strike the same chemistry than one that would do with an integral song writer of the band?
(/over speculation)