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Dream Theater => Dream Theater => Topic started by: Indiscipline on October 23, 2010, 12:20:34 PM
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Porcupines and Trees, greetings and welcome to the second edition of Indiscipline's Already Spectacularly Failed Attempt To A Heavily Drunk, Barely Coherent, And Long Winded Listener's Story Of Dream Theater's Discography©.
Why?
Because I can, I'm bored out of my Elusive Mind©, and above all because the forum crash ate the first edition. Furthermore, my favourite band since I started growing facial hair is living a seminal moment, and I feel like celebrating by cleaning up my DT Memory Closet©.
*Crickets*
Now, dear reader, if you can't give a fock about the ramblings of an old fart, please do go back to analyse fundamental matters as “Nugget: At Minute 1:42 of Caught In A Web You Can Hear LaBrie Breaking Wind” or “Poll: JP's Legato Sensibly Better Since He Quit Waxing His Chest? Discuss”. God knows we need it. But if you are old enough to remember the last 18 years and care to revive the experience of descovering your favourite masterpieces, or are interested in the incoherent babblings of a nostalgic windbag, please grab a chair and Enjoy the Race©.
How are we doing this?
We're breaking this baby down in 12 chapters for I'm a sucker for shiny concept things with nerdage on the side. Every chapter will first encompass the musical landscape the album I'm covering has found its place in as well as my Very Very Unnecessary© point of view, expectations, and needs as an avid listener at the time. Then we'll move to this project's actual meat and potatoes, the new and improved Loser Textual Experiment©: a Vodka Fueled Second by Second Album Running Diary© which will feature my immediate reactions to the songs, headphones still warm and smoking. Focking brilliant, if you ask me.
Are you shitting me?
By all means, no. I swear I will take great pains in staying faithful to original thoughts and ramblings spawned from 1992 to 2009 because, you know, this is an internet message board, hence we all tell the truth and are blessed with large penises and gorgeous wives.
Are you doing this whole mess all alone?
You wish. I'm getting help from a trustworthy cast of characters, basically the most important people in my life. So important that they absolutely ignore I'm using them as pawns and mouthpieces for an internet message board pointless gimmick. They are:
The Drumming Dad©: Still the first person I argue about music with, although we live in different countries and he's as old as Bill Bruford. Simply my hero, and one of the finest drummers of the fertile '70's Italian Prog Scene. He has watched Led Zeppelin live, shook hands with Phil Collins and opened for Jethro Tull. He can't be wrong.
The Banging Big Bro©: Air Guitarist Extraordinaire, Metal Thrashing Mad©. Constant source of inspiration and competition as a music fan. Adamant about his idols' perceived superiority over mine. Redeeming quality: he's born on the day Deep Purple In Rock hit the shelves.
The Material Mom©: The most uninterested and superficial music listener I've ever known, therefore the only one commonsensical enough to remind me I'm just listening to a piece of vinyl, not witnessing Moses parting the Red Sea. God bless the crazy witch.
Spurious characters like Gilfriend #01, Girlfriend #02, Wife #01, Ex Wife #01, Record Store Heroin Junkie Clerk, Boy Band Sister, Techno Buddy will occasionally make their appearance.
I'm calling gobshite! A little too many women for a DT fan!
Hey, we're talking about a 18 years span, smarty pants.
Do we really need this?
No, we don't. But wether you're still mourning The Loss©, or frantically waiting for The Next One©, are you sure you can't use some humourous reminiscence of a beautiful progressive past?
Said that, I'm leaving this open for questions, comments, suggestions, mockery and insults before posting the first installment, that is Scene 01: Regression - The Wembley Tribute and The Oedipus Syndrome©
Stay classy.
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What
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:\ ©
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What
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wut
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I, uh... wha..?
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
:lol
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I'm interested :corn
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I think this thread needs to be nominated for archival. :lol
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I'm rather intrigued to say the least.
Matt
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
:tup
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now this and the unison conspiracy thread, i dont know what's wrong with dtf :lol
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Give the guy a chance....
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And how exactly are we supposed to contribute to this...mad but interesting idea of yours?
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I read it, I understood a lot of sarcastic comments about why we shouldn't do it, but I didn't understand what -it- is. What do you want to do basically o-o
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Either it will unfold as we go on, or it's spam.
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Yeah. I don't exactly understand what this means. Hopefully it's interesting. It seems to be.
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Yeah, I'm a wee bit perplexed. But! I like the way you write, so you know.
Are you like... recounting how you got into Dream Theater? Reviewing their entire discography? I'm not sure I get it, but I'm interested in whatever "it" is. "It" away. (Sooner rather than later please. I gave up wtfing as my new years' resolution, and I don't want to break it now if I can help it.)
Although, I'd prepare yourself physically and mentally for a lot of people saying "cool story bro" after the first installment. Apparently if someone recounts an anecdote, that then gives everyone carte blanche to be a smug, dismissive cunt. But hey! Keep at it. I'm already interested and you've not even started. Gonna make a lovely change from top fifties.
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(https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1605/1265509194615.png)
Please continue.
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
:lol
That's the funniest thing I've heard someone say all month. xD
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its saturday night. why are you drunk and alone, bro?
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
Instant celebrity status sir :tup
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This sooo reminds me of articles from cracked.com
I AM INTRIGUED
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
Part of me wants to sig this...
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I'll be following this thread. Also,
(https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1605/1265509194615.png)
Please continue.
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Way too tired to read that but ok.
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tl:dnr
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Before this thread drifts aimlessly into a dense, non-navigable swamp awash with aimless emoticons and dead memes from simpler days, I would just like to make my presence known in a discussion of probable long-term comedic value so as to leave my mark and thus appear to have been an indispendible contributor to the hilarity contained herein.
Just REALLY stupid meme.
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
Best first post ever.
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Can someone please explain, what the hell is this thread about?
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this is an internet message board, hence we all tell the truth and are blessed with large penises and gorgeous wives.
Not everyone here is married. And, of course, Nick.
Having said that, welcome, and this should be interesting, to say the least.
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this is an internet message board, hence we all tell the truth and are blessed with large penises and gorgeous wives.
Not everyone here is married.
Yeah, but for those of us that are, he certainly nailed it! :D
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(...)hey! Keep at it. I'm already interested and you've not even started. Gonna make a lovely change from top fifties.
This. I'm intrigued.
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this is an internet message board, hence we all tell the truth and are blessed with large penises and gorgeous wives.
Not everyone here is married.
Yeah, but for those of us that are, he certainly nailed it! :D
:metal
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Finally, something that warrants a first post here:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
Best first post ever. Welcome to DTF. :lol
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(https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs381.ash2/65981_550341888797_51602895_32186608_2115700_n.jpg)
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No lockage? No spam dumping? No Laughing Wuting Pear of Doom?
Thank you, people. Really, I'm moved. Plus, nothing says "receptive audience" as:
what the fuck are you talking about, guy?
So, without further ado, because I focking hate ado:
Scene 01: Regression - The Wembley Tribute and The Oedipus Complex
Let's Delorian© back to 1992. If you weren't born yet, feel free to mock me to Kingdom Come and back, and thank your gods you weren't given to live through those malevolent times.
All you have to know is I was fourteen. Now, if ancient Greek myths and modern science – because we're having a focking cultural discussion here - have taught us anything is that your average fourteen years old kid with all the hormones in the right places basically needs to reach three goals in order to successfully evolve into manhood:
1.Getting one-upmanship on father
2.Finding worthy musical heroes
3.Getting laid
Summing up Aristoteles' thought: you complete the trifecta, you are entitled to spend the rest of your youth as a happy insufferable dick like nature has always meant you to. You don't, you better start auditioning for a guest spot at Jerry Springer's.
Starting from the bottom, let's see what transpired in my sorry case:
Getting laid?
None of your focking business, thank you, but it eventually and legally happened.
Finding worthy musical heroes?
It sounds easier than you think, dear reader. Being born in a 24/7 hard progressive rock sounding house, I had the undeniable privilege to be exposed to a plethora of magnificent sounds, bands, albums, and songs. Magnificent, but not Mine. Like in Bought-First-Album-Followed-Whole-Career-Watched-Live-Everytime-They-Came-Around kind of Mine.
If it doesn't lose its virginity with you, it ain't Your Band.
On the other hand, The Drumming Dad had the Unreachable Pantheon© (Led Zep, Deep Purple, King Crimson, Pink Floyd): he basically witnessed the Big Bang. Even The Banging Big Bro, although severely retarded, was graced with the Second Hand Tier© (Maidens, Motorhead, Van Halen, Helloween). Of course, I could (and did) join them in the general perusal hero-worship, but it felt cheap. Metaphorically speaking, I wasn't going to prom night with Strawberry Bubble-Gum Jenny©, I was dating a tobacco chewing exhausted whore.
Honestly, who did I have? Focus on 1992, count back from ten to one, and try to come up with a great band, or a good one in its prime. Now, before the cream of the smart-ass crop starts producing data, I beg you to simmer down already. You're undeniably well-equipped with amazing internet powers and a 20/20 Hindsight©. But hold your pants, gentlemen: there was no such thing as the world wide web at that time. Al Gore hadn't invented it yet. Furthermore, records distribution and music press in the corner of the world I was living in were as efficient as Iraqi Democracy©. You could just buy what you knew, and know what the Record Shop Heroin Junkie Clerk felt to smuggle. The rest was silence.
Metallica? Sorry, just neutered on the altar of Bob Rock. Extreme/Mr.Big? Great guitarists, not much substance under the glitter. Guns 'n' Roses? Like the Lost Finale, they never happened. The Weeping Willows from Seattle? Please. And since we've gone there, I'm still feeling the whole Grunge fad was a terrible generational slight. The ultimate divine slap on the face, as if God told me: “Hey son, do you remember your mental impaired brother partying and copulating like there wasn't tomorrow in the middle 80's, basking in the glory of the Sunset Strip aphrodisiac sound? Well, now it's your turn. Here's some depressing music, emotional mascara girls submerged inside deformed cardigans and HIV paranoia. Have fun. By the way, there is no Santa”. Thank you very much, I'm not having my Bar Mitzvah.
Getting one-upmanship on father?
Ouch. Like the poet said, Tough Titties©. That fickle bitch of destiny wanted me to struggle for supremacy with The Drumming Dad. Not only he was my natural hero – In my heart he's Voltron mixed with Inigo Montoya mixed with Sgt. Slaughter – but my whole focking town's as well. Great drummer, relevant in my country, owner of thousands of records, certified waterwalker. Ok, I just made up the last one, but you got the idea. Beat that. Beat that at fourteen with only your pimples and morning erections to brag about.
Music was to be the battlefield, “My generation's bands are better than yours” the playground.
In fact, we eventually found an appropriate stage for the Freudian showdown, gracefully provided by a Fatal Tragedy©. The greatest vocalist and front-man in the history of rock music had passed away the year before. If I have to tell you whom I'm talking about, I don't want to know you. The important thing being, the international gotha of hard and not so hard music decided to pay due tribute at Wembley Stadium, London, UK, on April the 20th 1992. That lovely spring evening caught me, The Banging Big Bro, and The Drumming Dad literally glued to the TV for the live broadcast, while The Material Mom was probably asking herself what ferocious pagan divinity she had offended in a past life to deserve such a fate.
For the first time in history three generations of rockers were fencing for joyful supremacy, secretly celebrating the fact the grim reaper had already chosen its legit superstar for the decade, and I was tragically embarrassed. I mean, Under-The-Shower-With-The-Harlem-Globetrotters kind of embarrassed. My dad, the man who introduced me to Gentle Giant and to the gentle arts of tying my shoes and wiping my ass, could boast Daltrey, Iommi, Plant, Bowie, May, and several other living posters. The first failed experiment, also known as my brother, tried to defended himself with Metallica and Def Leppard. In my corner: Axl Focking Rose. Seriously, I think the following exchange of words actually occurred:
Drumming Dad: “Who's that monkey butchering Bohemian Rhapsody?”
SoilingInShame Me: “A guy chicks are digging a lot these days ...”
Banging Big Bro: “Is he wearing a skirt?”
WantingToDie Me: “Shush you. At least his drummer doesn't lack an arm.”
Game over. I wasn't meant to become a proper man. There was no kick-butt band to take me to adulthood's promised land. Or so I thought until I met destiny on a sunny July day ...
Coming Soon: Scene 02: Overture 1992 - Shirley Temple and Vindication.
Stay classy.
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Fantastic. I am no longer a skeptic. Looking forward to more. Also, I'm glad I figured out who you were talking about before you mentioned Bohemian Rhapsody.
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I like your writing style. I'll follow this. :smiley:
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I'm glad to see that this won't be the usual bullshit.
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Bizarre. Irreverent. Beautifully chaotic. Superb.
Two thumbs up.
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Yeah, funny! I like it. Good work that man.
Also pleasantly surprised by the positive reception. Still not 100% sure what to make of it, but I like it.
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I really do look forward to reading more of your posts. This is ridiculously entertaining. Good on you, sir.
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Also, this might be the highest concentration of good first post-crash posts per thread.
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That was surprisingly awesome.
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Yeah, funny! I like it. Good work that man.
Also pleasantly surprised by the positive reception. Still not 100% sure what to make of it, but I like it.
Me too. It's a little self-indulgent, but that's part of what makes it fun to read. :lol
-J
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I'm feeling a little better about this whole thread now that I read your most recent post. At first I was very confused but now I'm looking forward to more :corn
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Fock me, good reviews. Now I can only disappoint, and if it's in my power, I will.
But fear not, comrades, your kind praises haven't got to my head. I'm still the humble guy from Bethlehem you all love. So:
Scene Two: Overture 1992 - Shirley Temple And The 12 Steps.
… and destiny I met, boy.
See what I've done here? Good, if I were sober I would too.
Now, in order to go on, I need you to forsake Euclidean physical reality and bravely follow me into the realm of Science Focking Fiction©: let's pretend we're all honest citizens and we don't download music. As long as the collective disbelief stays suspended, I am asking you, dear reader, what do you, the dear reader, do when you need to buy a new album?
I will do answering, because:
1.You're still rolling on the floor at the notion of actually buying music
2.It's my thread and I can cry if I want to.
3.It was a rhetorical question, for fock's sake.
You Google it. In fractions of seconds you get videos, samples, reviews, comments, online stores and horse porn. Forget about the last one, you still get the idea. You do your homework, you know what you're buying. End of story. Why am I telling you this? For I'm a vodka soaked windbag of course, and because it's vital that those among you not old enough to drink know that it didn't work that way between Gulf War One and The Clinton Blowjob© - also known in political history textbooks as the We-Don't-Know-What-The-Fock-We-Are-Doing-But-We-Smile-And-Learn-To-Pretend Era.
In 1992, successfully buying a new album was essentially an Amazing Journey made of 12 epic quests. I did it and, like Rocky Balboa in front of a rabid USSR audience on Christmas Night, I'm here to testimony it can be done. The 12 Steps:
1. Getting Outta House.
I shit you not, it's possible. Sunlight will not hurt your skin; your arse will not complain, even if you're moving it for the first time in months without the courtesy of a warning. You are not focking vampires. It could be cool in the 70's when they were sexy, nowadays they're basically Dawson Creek without tans.
2. Walking Among People.
I mean, real people. There was a time when it was fun to guess a tit's shape under a sweater, because Jenna Jameson wasn't a click away. There was a time a smug comment got you a broken nose, not an ignore button. And the gods be praised, there were no emoticons. I focking hate emoticons. I'm sounding like a pompous self-righteous fart, please kill me. Kill me with death.
3. Reaching Record Store.
An actual room with actual customers inside, where you had to bring actual hard-stolen money. It smelled like diapers and gasoline, everybody used to smoke inside, and the average customer looked like the Count of Tuscany's brother. It was home. That, of course, when PayPal was only a moniker for the guy who got beaten for lunch money at school.
4. Browsing Through Shite.
Here's where it could get hairy. At this stage you're basically judging by covers and prices and, believe me, everything can go horribly wrong. God and I both know that, mesmerised by a glorious cleavage, I brought a Warrant album at home once. What began as laughter so soon would turn to pain.
5. Picking Up A Heavy Album.
It took guts. Back then and there, if you walked down the street with long hair and a leather jacket, Mr. and Mrs. Smith felt perfectly right to stare as if you were carrying a Mustard Gas Bomb© strapped to your chest. Asking “How much is Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth?” in the middle of a crowded store could get you tied to four horsed and medievally quartered.
6. Asking Record Store Heroin Junkie Clerk For Advice.
My favourite. Absolutely arbitrary, unpredictable, yet beautiful. You secretly despised the man because he could barely stand, but you couldn't fock with him, because he was the same guy who sold you concert tickets. You had to trust him as catholics trust their priests, only you could sometimes question his reasoning and he didn't abuse children. From the Indiscipline Vault©, here's the discussion occurred before I bought The Album:
Indiscipline: This Dream Theater one. Are they any good?
RSHJClerk: They are, man. They just changed singer and they really rock.
Indiscipline: I don't know. The cover looks so gay. Is that Shirley Focking Temple or what?
RSHJClerk: Trust me, kid. Have I ever failed you?
Indiscipline: I wouldn't know, Lester Focking Bangs. Last time you made me buy an album with a baby on the front cover, it turned out pretty shitty.
RSHJClerk: Nevermind?
Indiscipline: No, it focking minds. It was my money.
RSHJClerk: You are gonna like this, young Skywalker. I promise.
7. Getting Past Buddies.
The fact you left the store with a shopper and a regularly paid record meant Sweet Fock All©. You still had to pass your peers' judgement. Now, I don't know how to break this to you but, well, cell phones didn't exist yet but we still managed to have some kind of social life.
*Waiting for audience to have various stiff drinks to metabolise the hard notion*
It wasn't as difficult as you think. We had a gathering place – Think Kubrick's 2001's Black Monolith Glade - where sooner or later all the monkeys were showing up. You got there, waited, and once the whole court was present, you raised your baby to the air, Simba Style©. They liked it, you just had to physically defend yourself from the occasional robbery. They didn't, you were the dumb fock who bought a piss-poor record. Primitive, but not so different from the way message boards work.
8. Getting Past Material Mom.
Scary. And I mean Indiana-Jones-Rolling-Under-Amazonian-Temple's-Closing-Stone-Wall-Trap kind of scary. She had the right to question the way you spent the money you stole from her purse, and she used it. The following exchange is a pretty faithful template for hundreds of dialogues occurred between me and the crazy witch at the Drumming Dad's mansion's threshold:
Material Mom: What have you got there?
GreyMe: Nothing, mom. I gotta run. Homework.
Material Mom:Another record, innit?
YellowMe: Yeah.
Material Mom: Don't you have anything better to think about than rock music? Like, I don't know, what am I doing in life even though I basically am a waste of proteins?
OrangeMe: But, mom, I'm better than big bro at school …
Material Mom: The fact you actually go to school already makes you better than him. Anyway, listening to that racket all day won't do you any good, honey.
ScarletMe: Mom, I don't understand. You met dad while he was touring Scotland. You realise he played rock music, don't you?
Material Mom: Yessir, and the whole deal got me a house in a barbarian country and three subhuman kids. You realise I have the right to hate rock music, don't you?
PurpleMe:Love you, mom.
9. Getting Past Drumming Dad.
No need to explain this after Scene One. But that particular time he wasn't at home to humiliate my choice. Maybe destiny was at work?
10. Getting Past Banging Big Bro.
He definitely was this whole 12 steps thing Final Boss, without a reset button. Although born lobotomised, the ape was still 8 years my major, and still able to overpower me in any way, shape, or form. Let's just say that I rarely could make it to the record player unscathed. That magical time, the lumbering idiot was too busy air-guitaring to Anthrax, and he never heard me strolling through the hall. Now I knew. Destiny was really at work.
11. Getting Past Record Collection.
If you got to this point, dear reader, I suspect you already steadily believe I'm a focking delusional moron, I strongly do. Therefore this paragraph shouldn't surprise you. Much. Wanna try? Fine, I've always believed that albums – and specifically album covers – had their own independent lives. I'm not focking animist, I swear on a tree's soul, but I grew up spending so many hours watching, touching, losing myself into, and talking to record covers while listening to my dad's music that I felt like they were friends of sort.
I know, it's pretty bizarre and pathetic - considering I didn't drink or use drugs yet – but I felt that those historical covers were alive, and they were judging every newcomer in its rite of passage from the door to the plate. Well, dear reader, now that I drink and use drugs, I like to think that, on that fateful day, The Crimson King winked and The Four Guys Crossing Abbey Road gave four thumbs up to little Shirley Temple.
12. Getting Past First Listen.
If you are still with me and promise to never ever forget I'm a rambling idiot, we'll find out together, later …
Coming Next: Images And Words: The Running Diary.
Stay classy.
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MOAR
I'm watching score alone in hong kong, getting drunk of cheap chinese rice wine right now, and am sorely disappointed there's no more to be had.
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Sir, you are a god.
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This is really captivating. Eagerly looking forward to the remaining scenes.
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11. Getting Past Record Collection.
If you got to this point, dear reader, I suspect you already steadily believe I'm a focking delusional moron, I strongly do. Therefore this paragraph shouldn't surprise you. Much. Wanna try? Fine, I've always believed that albums – and specifically album covers – had their own independent lives. I'm not focking animist, I swear on a tree's soul, but I grew up spending so many hours watching, touching, losing myself into, and talking to record covers while listening to my dad's music that I felt like they were friends of sort.
The thought of someone talking to album covers is quite funny.
This is really captivating. Eagerly looking forward to the remaining scenes.
I'm with RoeDent.
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but you couldn't fock with him, because he was the same guy who sold you concert tickets.
How true! Talk about a position that screamed ABUSE OF POWER!
Nothing can replace going to The Record Store and browsing. Sure, there are some great CD stores like Newbury Comics here in Massachusetts, but with the internet, we're constantly browsing. Going to The Record Store was an event, usually weekly. But the Holy Grail of The Record Store was the IMPORT BIN! Flicking through albums, smelling them, and Idiscipline is right..they DO talk!
CDs do as well. Like picking a puppy from the pound, each CD waits to be chosen. It's especially heavy when there's a major release..Dream Theater or Iron Maiden for me, because those CDs will be given a great life in my house, and as I reach for The One, you can hear them screaming Pick ME! Pick ME!!
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Sir, you are a god.
-J
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I usually don't have the patience to read forum posts this long, but you manage to grasp my attention and not let go. You're quite the writer. :clap:
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That. Was. Amazing.
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Now that I've finally assassinated my thread's momentum with a whole week of absence, we can quietly proceed with the first series of running diaries, but first a little Q&A with my treasured audience, because I live to serve. I really focking do.
Six Degrees writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
Hero!
You made it so far through that inebriated drivel of mine, you are.
Perpetual Change writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
I'm watching score alone in hong kong, getting drunk of cheap chinese rice wine right now, and am sorely disappointed there's no more to be had.
The lesson, as always: you can't ever have enough cheap Chinese rice wine.
hefdaddy42 and J write:
Dear Indiscipline,
Sir, you are a god.
I feel fuzzy now. But rest assured gentlemen, once I start touching the actual songs, we're going from god to god help me.
TAC writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
Nothing can replace going to The Record Store and browsing. Sure, there are some great CD stores like Newbury Comics here in Massachusetts, but with the internet, we're constantly browsing. Going to The Record Store was an event, usually weekly. But the Holy Grail of The Record Store was the IMPORT BIN! Flicking through albums, smelling them, and Idiscipline is right..they DO talk!
CDs do as well. Like picking a puppy from the pound, each CD waits to be chosen. It's especially heavy when there's a major release..Dream Theater or Iron Maiden for me, because those CDs will be given a great life in my house, and as I reach for The One, you can hear them screaming Pick ME! Pick ME!!
Love the puppies analogy. Love it on acid.
RoeDent writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
This is really captivating. Eagerly looking forward to the remaining scenes.
Masochism, it can be cured.
pmahoney writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
The thought of someone talking to album covers is quite funny.
I swear, it's way funnier when they talk back.
LieLowTheWantedMan writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
I usually don't have the patience to read forum posts this long, but you manage to grasp my attention and not let go. You're quite the writer. :clap:
As much as I'd like to take all the credit, 90% goes to Smirnoff.
BrotherH writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
That. Was. Amazing.
Thank. You. Bro.
Everybody, a big round of thanks for the positive reception. It won't last.
Stay Classy.
Images and Words: The Running Diary
01. Pull Me Under
0:00 – 0:09 There's a certain sound quality I already dig. Like somebody kidnapped Steve Hackett, smacked him on the head, stuffed him in a space suit with a Rickenbaker and catapulted him in orbit to ad lib. Does it make sense for you? Then quit the Smirnoff, pal.
0:09 – 0:18 What the fock with the snare? Is this Duran Duran?
0:18 – 0:38 Welcome keyboards. Smooth, but sad.
0:38 – 0:56 And enter the bass. Smart band introduction cakewalk. Young but consummate showmen, it would seem.
0:56 – 1:14 I like a good clean icy arpeggio upon a distorted carpet, but I'm still worried. Phoney drums ... not heavy enough ... I'd hate to return poor Shirley Temple.
1:14 – 1:34 All right, it's heavy.
1:34 – 1:52 Thriller keys synched on double bass. Somebody knows his drama here. Furthermore, I instinctively trust any song confident enough to wait at least two minutes before vocals. From now on we're calling it Progressive Heavy Petting.
1:52 – 2:00 Great. The record player is jammed …
2:00 – 2:18 … Or not. Nice voice. A little bit on the Sunset Strip side so far, but nice.
2:18 – 2:37 It's official: I really like the way this Petrucci guy deals with the open chord arpeggio. From now on we're calling it the Space Soda.
2:37 – 2:57 A Farfisa Organ is playing Venice Rondo upon a Megadeth Riff. Is it already Drumming Dad summoning time? Not so fast, little Shirley.
2:57 – 3:15 Ok, I will ask. Has Sebastian Bach two bands?
3:15 – 3:33 Wrong question, let's try again. Has this band two drummers?
3:33 – 3:43 Uh-oh. Pretty fast, Johnny. First Tier fast.
3:43 – 4:03 It keeps repeating the title hence it should be the chorus. Well, focking epic and pounding, if you ask me. Plus, it seems Roger Taylor has been hired for backing vocals.
4:03 – 4:12 And we're back to the frisky keys running with the thrashing palm muting. From now on we'll calling it the Hardcastle&McCormick.
4:12 – 4:30 Queensryche moment, and right on cue the Banging Big Bro barges in with his patented I-Am-The-Heavy-Metal-Pope-Thou-Shall-Not-Listen-To-Heavy-Riffage-Without-My-Holy-Permission attitude.
Banging Big Bro: Sounds cool, let me see.
Indiscipline: Buzz off. You have your stuff, this is my revolution calling.
Banging Big Bro: Are you serious or just suicidal?
Indiscipline: Shirley Temple is mine, dammit! MIIIIIIIIIINE!
4:30 – 5:28 Not available, mainly due to the Banging Big Bro beating the images and the words out of me.
5:28 – 6:05 Cool patch for a cool relaxed solo. Quick tangent while rearranging my bones: this record sounds amazing. It's like Phil Spector stealing precision from And Justice For All, atmosphere from Violator, crispiness from The Real Thing in order to concoct a new breed of sound machine. And this, kids, is what a whole infancy spent obsessing over music does to your brain. Go out and play soccer, for fock's sake.
6:05 – 6:24 Killer solo. Six minutes in and the guy is already in Nuno/Paul territory. What next?
6:24 – 6:34 We, the listeners, feel very respected when a band bothers to write such a nice transition instead of just juxtaposing and super-gluing bits and pieces. I feel strongly about this.
6:34 – 7:11 I have to say this James LaBrie is very gifted. I still can't figure him out. He makes me think of Joey Belladonna after a steroid throat treatment and a five years opera training.
7:11 – 7:31 Yet another potent riff. This song alone features more ideas than three Whitesnake albums. Banging Big Bro, kiss my sparrow falling. And, Shirley, make yourself at home. You ain't gonna see the Record Shop Heroin Junkie Clerk any time soon.
7:31 – 8:10 Are we allowed to describe a section as Ravel meets Testament?
8:11 Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm proud to introduce the very first instance of Heavy Metal Coitus Interruptus.
Coming next: Another Day
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:lol that one was funny. I'm sure Another Day is gonna be a great one.
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absolutely gagging for the next installment! I listened along with you man, and I heard Pull Me Under in such a way that gave it a certain quality that I had been blinded to any other time I had listened to it. You really directed my attention to all the elements that make it the incredible song that it is, and how much of an incredible band these guys were, especially considering this was 1992. My appreciation for Dream Theater (along with your awesome, humorous, anecdotal writing style) has increased immensely. Cheers
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I'm still not sure precisely how a big bro can be "banging."
Other than that, good job. Bit pretentious, which would usually annoy me in such doses, but somehow the heavy lashings of humour make it thoroughly palatable. Completely wonderful.
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I never believed a DT song could get better than it already was, but after reading this, you made me a believer! Once again I am really looking forward to more.
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Somehow I like Pull Me Under better now than before.
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absolutely gagging for the next installment! I listened along with you man, and I heard Pull Me Under in such a way that gave it a certain quality that I had been blinded to any other time I had listened to it. You really directed my attention to all the elements that make it the incredible song that it is, and how much of an incredible band these guys were, especially considering this was 1992. My appreciation for Dream Theater (along with your awesome, humorous, anecdotal writing style) has increased immensely. Cheers
This. I'm a pretty casual music listener, so I rarely notice the stuff you brought up like the keys in sync with the double bass in the intro. Somehow made the song so much better.
Also, do you happen to write comedic articles for a website or anything, like cracked.com?
If you don't, you should consider doing so. In fact, cracked.com gives $50 for any good articles by amateurs.
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After reading through the comments I forced myself to go back and read this outrageous tale. I am captivated.
Do more please, friend.
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This is getting weird. Anyway, Q&A time, because I live to serve. I really focking do.
LieLowTheWantedMan writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
:lol that one was funny. I'm sure Another Day is gonna be a great one.
Glad to hear that. Happy expectations will kill me faster than a bullet.
Atmyne writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
My appreciation for Dream Theater (along with your awesome, humorous, anecdotal writing style) has increased immensely. Cheers
Typhoid Indiscipline. Spreading the disease since 1978.
robwester writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
I'm still not sure precisely how a big bro can be "banging."
It seems the Material Mom never quit smoking during her first pregnancy.
pmahoney1337 writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
you made me a believer!
Mullah Indiscipline. Look Material Mom, I'm being inspirational!
Kartmaze2 writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
Somehow I like Pull Me Under better now than before.
And it gets even better with a couple of Mojitos, believe me.
Laddenvore writes:
Dear Indiscipline:
Also, do you happen to write comedic articles for a website or anything, like cracked.com?
If you don't, you should consider doing so. In fact, cracked.com gives $50 for any good articles by amateurs.
Thanks pal, but I'm doing it for free. Like Live Tyler, this is basically a product of love, drugs and alcohol.
Sneakyblueberry writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
Do more please, friend.
Sure. Stay classy and suit yourself:
02. Another Day
0:00 – 0:14 Fock me on a park bench and call me Aqualung, I'm so sold. I'm a sucker for geometrical intercourse between acoustic piano and acoustic guitar. It's reason 346 for Jethro Tull getting their own lounge inside Indiscipline's Rock Pantheon. Yet, that southpaw sexy moan is worrying me ...
0:14 – 0:56 … There, I knew it. No one is immune to the Power Ballad Virus, not even you, Shirley. And what happens when my musical soul is exposed to large amounts of cheese and sugar? I feel compelled to unleash my BAD, that is Boring Autistic Digressions.
[BAD] Let's try to trace a morbid history of humanity on a black line going from the Black Plague, passing through Smallpox, and spectacularly reaching HIV. Still with me? You've got a serious problem, but fine. Now let's do the same with Rock Music. We go from Punk Rock, coast the New Waves, and finally face the Power Ballad. It's focking inevitable. Let's stare at the problem right in the eye and try a little diagnosis:
1.It usually happens when a band is shooting for the big bucks (Nothing Else Matters), sobering up (Under The Bridge), having a midlife crisis (Wasting Love) or all of the above (Crazy/Crying).
2.It usually forecasts the end. Exhibit A: All of My Love. Why do you think Bonzo went through two dozen shots of vodka on that fateful morning? He knew.
3.Dear Shirley, you better not pull this stunt on the first album's second song. I'm trying to find my generation's first mythological band here. The stakes have never been higher.[/BAD]
0:56 – 1:10 The return of the Space Soda. This time with double sugar. Fock.
1:10 – 1:23 Nonetheless, that Surprising Supertrampish Sax manages to keep things interesting enough for me to not overdose on saccharine. Let's just pray the Drumming Dad isn't coming back from work yet. It would feel like being caught masturbating, only 800 times worse.
1:23 – 1:50 Still searching for something redeeming while Mr. LaBrie gives a world class lesson in Power Crooning.
1:50 – 2:18 Found. And on the bridge, usually the dumber place inside a Power Ballad. You think I'm crazy? Well, technically you're right, but the point is: without drawing attention, this Myung guy has just grabbed the song by the ear and taken it where all the cheese doesn't nauseate you but actually makes sense. It's something fermenting in the back of my mind since the previous song, and I can feel another BAD coming. Feel free to skip.
[BAD] To the two sorry losers who have made it to this point, let me introduce Indiscipline's Three Ways Bass Crossroads. You know that magnificent place where harmony, melody and rhythm meet for a fat circle jerk? Some people call it rock bass, and I love to divide its playing style into three paths. Laugh at me.
1.The Melody Maker. Doesn't shy from the gritty mundane rhythmic duty, but focuses on creating beautiful music under the surface. It's the McCartney-Lake-Burton Way.
2.The Selfish Soloist. Literally another lead guitarist, kindly lent to the rhythm section when he doesn't fell like focking around. The Entwhistle-Squire-Sheehan Street.
3.The Concrete Cage. My favourite. Settles the course and keeps the house together with beautiful ideas, enabling the virtuosos to do the flashy thing. It's John Paul Jones-Michael Anthony Avenue, and it lacks a generation X exponent. Until now.[/BAD]
2:18 – 2:32 Mother of God, James, was that singable? I mean, with such a perfect balance of power, theatrics, vibrato, seduction, and high notes control? I guess yes. Proof of that? The Material Mom not barging in with her patented “Is someone raping a baby seal?”
2:32 – 2:58 Beautiful change of pace. We're leaving Power Ballad land through Jones-Anthony-Myung Avenue. Fasten seatbelts and prepare for the future.
2:58 – 3:26 Perfect solo spot and execution according to the contest. Something Slash is looking for – failing – since 1987. Don't cry, it's just like that.
3:26 – 3.44 Fine, I'll do it. Bruce, Ronnie, Michael, Eric, please make room and welcome the noob into the Heavy Metal Vocal Pantheon. First round is on Eric because he still into fantasy cosplaying.
3:44 – 4.12 And here comes the sax solo in its best impression of the cigarette after sex.
4:12 – 4:20 Classy harmonics, open finale, wet pants. I'm positive we've got Track 01 for the next Clumsy Sex Attempt Spring Break Mix Tape.
Coming next: Take The Time.
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3:26 – 3.44 Fine, I'll do it. Bruce, Ronnie, Michael, Eric, please make room and welcome the noob into the Heavy Metal Vocal Pantheon. First round is on Eric because he still into fantasy cosplaying.
The first two are obvious, I'm assuming the next two are Kiske and Adams. When I first heard I&W, I made the Helloween/Kiske connection. As for Kiske, for my money, there's still no one better.
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Dear Indiscipline,
You forgot to add Steve Harris to your 'Three Ways Bass Crossroads' list. This saddens me. I'm sure he deserves a mention in the Concrete Cage section, perhaps with a dash of Melody Maker.
Yours, sans pants,
sneakyblueberry
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I have an urge to listen to I&W now.
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I have an urge to listen to I&W now.
I ALWAYS have an urge to listen to I&W.
Oh and Sneak..please put your pants back on. Now we know why you're called Blueberry.. :P
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:blush
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This thread is amazing. Indiscipline is becoming one of my favorite posters here, keep it up bro :tup
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I remember someone posting in a very similar style a year or 2 ago. I wonder if it was Indiscipline back then.
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Am I the only one apprehensive in welcoming this "Indiscipline" user into the forum with open arms and bestowing upon him our undying love, worship, and adoration? Does it not seem strange, that in these darkest of times on the forum, we encounter among us a man who so quickly sweeps us off our feet and makes us tremble at the eloquence in which he describes his first encounter with a masterpiece?
We must tread carefully. Is this man who he says he is? Perhaps he is genuine and merely wishes to amuse us while taking us on a journey that we all can relate to. Or perhaps he is Mike Portnoy in disguise who, in a last ditch attempt, is trying to deceive us into accepting him with open arms again by re-awakening us to the time when we first fell in love with him. Once he has our support, he can continue his plan to be but a keystroke away from taking over this forum and re-branding it as DTFU.org.
We must tread carefully indeed.
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DTFU.org
Uhhh..."Dream Theater **** You"?
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Just roasting in a septic shed for future notification purposes
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Fantastic, again.
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Does it not seem strange, that in these darkest of times on the forum, we encounter among us a man who so quickly sweeps us off our feet and makes us tremble at the eloquence in which he describes his first encounter with a masterpiece?
I think you could possibly be the only one who considers these to be 'dark times'. I (and probably others, judging by their posts) am excited and optimistic about DTs future.
And what's wrong with someone with a low post-count 'sweeping us off our feet'? All of us had to start somewhere. I'm sure quite a few of us are embarrassed by our first few posts now. It is strange, yes, but it's not wrong.
Great work so far, Indiscipline! Keep it up. :tup
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Tell you what, this round of Q&A deserves its own post.
TAC writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
The first two are obvious, I'm assuming the next two are Kiske and Adams. When I first heard I&W, I made the Helloween/Kiske connection. As for Kiske, for my money, there's still no one better.
You do assume right. I can concede no one is able to pull another Live in the UK. Vocally, really one for the ages
sneakyblueberry writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
You forgot to add Steve Harris to your 'Three Ways Bass Crossroads' list.
Well, let Paul DiAnno come out of retirement and make me sweet sweet love if I dare to forget West Ham Steve. Never fret, he currently resides in the Amazing Creatures Who Actually Play Drums, Bass and Rhythm Guitar At Once wing, in company of Geezer, Flea, and Billy Gould. Deal?
LieLowTheWantedMan writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
I have an urge to listen to I&W now.
Indiscipline: The Musical Laxative
Elsydeon writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
This thread is amazing. Indiscipline is becoming one of my favorite posters here, keep it up bro :tup
You might want to see a specialist. A good one.
LudwigVan writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
I remember someone posting in a very similar style a year or 2 ago. I wonder if it was Indiscipline back then.
It was me, I guess. I remember attempting this same thing a couple a years ago, but it ended up wrong. I mean MartyMacFly-Playing-JohnnyBGood-In-1955 kind of wrong. Anyway, forum crash destroyed every evidence.
Fiery Winds writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
We must tread carefully. Is this man who he says he is? Perhaps he is genuine and merely wishes to amuse us while taking us on a journey that we all can relate to. Or perhaps he is Mike Portnoy in disguise who, in a last ditch attempt, is trying to deceive us into accepting him with open arms again by re-awakening us to the time when we first fell in love with him. Once he has our support, he can continue his plan to be but a keystroke away from taking over this forum and re-branding it as DTFU.org.
I don't know who this Mike Portnoy you are talking about is. I strongly deny any accusation. I am the man I say I am. I swear. Eat my ass and balls. Never enough.
RoeDent writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
And what's wrong with someone with a low post-count 'sweeping us off our feet'? All of us had to start somewhere. I'm sure quite a few of us are embarrassed by our first few posts now. It is strange, yes, but it's not wrong.
Just like the Material Mom does with her spawn, I am proudly embarassed by every post I craft. I feel very strongly about this.
Perpetual Change writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
Fantastic, again.
I live to serve, I really focking do.
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This needs to be archived.
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I now have a sudden desire to insert the word "fock" into my everyday vocabulary.
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Woah, this thread is powerful. It seems to be giving everyone sudden urges and desires, whether that be to listen to albums, or insert modified swears into everyday vocabulary. :omg:
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RSHJClerk: Trust me, kid. Have I ever failed you?
Indiscipline: I wouldn't know, Lester Focking Bangs. Last time you made me buy an album with a baby on the front cover, it turned out pretty shitty.
RSHJClerk: Nevermind?
Indiscipline: No, it focking minds. It was my money.
I'm still laughing at this part :rollin
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This needs to be archived.
Agreed. I wonder how much he'll do. :)
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I love you, guys. I've always thought people in internet message boards were all focking degenerates. I still think that, but I love you. So:
03. Take The Time
0:00 – 0:16 ”One dream, one soul. One prize, one goal ...” Sorry, couldn't help it.
0:16 – 0:32 It may be the lack of chromosomes speaking, but the only way I can describe this is Electric Executioner March.
0:32 – 1:02 And we've got a rocker! Meanwhile, somewhere in Canada …
“… … Hallo?”
“Hey there, mate. It's Geddy ...”
“What's up, pal?”
“Alex, please sit down.”
“What the ...”
“Please. Listen to this.”
“… … ...”
“Thought so. We're done, aren't we?”
“... Ehm … Does Neal know?
“You tell him.”
1:02 – 1:30 What have we learnt in 30 seconds? You can exploit samples as efficiently as Anthrax or funky grooves as sexily as Extreme without the need to stop the presses and cry Crossover to your heart content. Furthermore, James LaBrie can surf the odd meter like a prince.
1:30 – 1:42 Have you ever asked yourself what would happen if Parliament and Kansas started jamming together after a freebasing marathon?
1:42 – 2:05 All right. These people know way more than your average metal hero is supposed to know. These are, I dare say with my nipples turgid, Musicians. Drumming Dad, come home when you like. We're ready to rumble.
2:05 – 2:10 That wasn't a transition. That was a statement. A Robocop-JudgeDredd-Kurrgan kind of statement. Plus, two minutes in and I still can't fathom where the fock this song is going.
2:10 – 2:32 Ok, now I know. It's going places.
2:32 – 2:59 What a cavalcade. Plus, Freddie is dead, but we could have the next big thing in our hands. Too bad there's no time to elaborate.
2:59 – 3:24 Wait, same chorus. We have time. Let's take a stroll through Indiscipline Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Vocalists Hall Of Fame's last three floors:
Floor 10: The Sexy Beasts Lounge. On your right, busy in gruesome acts of groupie debauchery, you can spot the Classics: Gillian, Coverdale, Rodgers. They could sing it all, but would never shed that You-Are-So-Blowing-Me-Right-Now-Babe aura. On your left, smashing furnitures and pissing on the carpets, the Moderns: Cornell, Patton, Bach. Powerful and colourful, but won't ever let us forget that One-Of-These-Days-I'm-Gonna-Kill-You-Or-Myself attitude.
Floor 11: The Epic Storytellers Den. On your right, dressed as bondage Hobbits, you can spot the Classics: Dio, Anderson (Ian), Halford. Utterly mesmerising, but constantly faulted with the I-Am-So-Evil-And-Mysterious staple. On your left, playing Dungeons & Dragons, the Moderns: Dickinson, Adams, Kiske. Awe inspiring, but limited by the I-Am-Moses-Laying-Down-The-Law pose.
Floor 12: The All-Powerful-Without-Limitations-Of-Sort Loft. There, sitting on a throne, resides the Classic Queen. It may be a little soon, but I suspect she's waiting for the Modern Pirate King.
The point being? How I will manage to have an actual life when I grow up is beyond me.
3:24 – 3:46 Depeche Mode mood ... and it speaks Italian! The Material Mom is pure limey, but the Drumming Dad is all wop. I think I'm in love.
3:46 – 4:02 Somewhere in Canada a telephone keeps ringing … and ringing ...
4:02 – 4:33 Funny happy guitar build-up. Since we're here, the tone is quite unique. John Petrucci, please just give me another excuse to crank Indiscipline One Touch Immediately Recognisable Guitarists Pantheon open.
4:33 – 4:49 Sega Mega Drive Unison: Sonic in the temple of metal!
4:49 – 5:18 Sorry, Nuno. Really.
5:18 – 6:03 Switch Kevin Moore with Roddy Bottum, and Faith No More would be Favourite Band #5 instead of #11. I should start a Heavy Metal roto league.
6:03 – 6:30 Same chorus, another digression. These guys have an incredible chemistry. All gifted beyond belief yet everyone in his place. A kind of supernatural chemistry unheard of after 1975. Think Who, Zeps, Ozzy's Sabbath, Bruford's Yes, Queen.
6:30 – 7:12 Johnny, I warned you. You are so knocking on Indiscipline One Touch Immediately Recognisable Guitarists Pantheon's door. Waiting inside: Carlos, Fripp, David, Eddie, Vernon.
7:12 – 7:50 In a perfect world this would be the ultimate stadium anthem. In fact, in a perfect world I shouldn't even be here typing.
7:50 – 8:18 Joe, Steve, do you like Italian American Threesomes?
Coming next: Sorrounded
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I have an urge to listen to I&W now.
I always have that urge :lol. And Indiscipline, these initial reactions of yours mirror some of my own since I & W was also the first DT record I heard. Looking forward to the next 3 songs as they are all top 10 for me.
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3:46 – 4:02 Somewhere in Canada a telephone keeps ringing … and ringing ...
While Rush was light years ahead of their time, they really lost it somewhgere around 1983. When they tried to get it back in the 90's they were embarrassed by bands like Dream Theater. When I got I&W, I always said that THIS was the music that Rush should be making.
Coming next: Sorrounded
I will be very disappointed if there's not a Flock Of Seagulls reference at 3:39!
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*can't wait to read about Sorrounded*
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Fiery Winds writes:
Dear Indiscipline,
We must tread carefully. Is this man who he says he is? Perhaps he is genuine and merely wishes to amuse us while taking us on a journey that we all can relate to. Or perhaps he is Mike Portnoy in disguise who, in a last ditch attempt, is trying to deceive us into accepting him with open arms again by re-awakening us to the time when we first fell in love with him. Once he has our support, he can continue his plan to be but a keystroke away from taking over this forum and re-branding it as DTFU.org.
I don't know who this Mike Portnoy you are talking about is. I strongly deny any accusation. I am the man I say I am. I swear. Eat my ass and balls. Never enough.
*spits coffee on monitor*
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The word, "focking" should be banned from the universe.
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The word, "focking" should be added to the dictionary.
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WTF
(that's, "what the fock," by the way)
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Surrounded commentary should be interesting.
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Did Indiscpline quit on us?
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Did Indiscpline quit on us?
Thats what I'm wondering. :(
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Hope not. It was getting interesting. And it's not the sort of thing that someone else can just come in and take over, like a Survivor poll.
:huh:
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The Hip Version:
You thought I had died, didn't you? I did. Sobriety is a bitch. It can turn musicians to jokes or compel chiefs of state to obliterate exotic countries.
The Official Version:
After weeks of furiously busting my ass 24/7 for you, the fans, I needed a break from the vodka/running-diary/Q&A cycle which was burning me out.
The Truth Version:
Jobs have a way to interfere with pointless internet antics. Funny.
Anyway, I spare you the Q&A, mainly because half the readers who have submitted comments have probably died of age since my last entry. So, without further ado, because we still focking hate ado, let's take care of business.
04 Surrounded
0:00 – 0:19 “I was flicking through the channels on the TV ...”. Sorry, couldn't help it.
0:19 – 0:32 Airy, softy and soothing as fock. Such a vocal equivalent of rape drugs induces me to expect another slow ride. Of course, given this guys' level of predictability so far, this can go Slayer on me in a handful of seconds.
0:32 – 0:48No, it didn't. It went Neil Diamond.
0:48 – 1:23 If I had diabetes, I'd be rolling on the floor fighting for my life, the Material Mom would barge in with garlic and crucifix in tow trying to remove the Assirian demon she has always known possessing me, and this whole commentary would be way more interesting.
1:23 – 1:48 I feel like I am witnessing the birth of a new genre: The Metal Calypso.
1:48 – 2:02 As representative of a lineage of air-drummers, I would like to mail Mr Mike Portnoy a gift box full of faeces, with the following message: “When the fock am I supposed to beat my air-snare now, you drumming freak?”
2:02 – 2:57 This is so happy. Happy birthday happy. We can never have enough metal bands with an actual happy vibe to them. Now, my imaginary reader, ask yourself what makes Van Halen and Helloween so unique. Do it. Do it now.
Imaginary reader #1: The thought of Alex's and Eddie's sheer proficiency compels me to touch myself at night.
Imaginary reader #2: Hearing Ingo stomping the crap out of his double bass and Archangel Michael's call to arms makes me wish to unsheathe my willy and bring justice into this world.
Imaginary reader #3: You are my imaginary writer. Do your focking work by yourself.
Fine and dandy. But, maybe you want your music to bring a smile to your face. Maybe, just maybe, in a metal scene monopolised by the corpse-eaters from Florida and the wrist-slitters from Washington, you find yourself appreciating aggressive yet positive music. Maybe I should shut the fock up and go behead a chicken or something.
2:57 – 3:10 Wait a minute, let me understand how does it work. Drums and guitar interlocked, keys on the upbeat, and bass … well, the bass is constantly soloing from the moment I put on this beauty. For you, in my living room, the rhythmic section for the 90's.
Considering everything until today was foreshadowing a decade of Novoselic/Grohl, we can safely say I feel like Marcellus Wallace right after being rescued from Zack's basement, only 224 times more grateful.
3:10 – 3:39 Holy fock and iron lungs, James. Twenty seconds up there, with short breaths and crescent power, never “on the cords”, never faking it, never switching voices. In a word, the Anti Geoff Tate.
3:39 – 4:03 This gem needs the resident guitar expert's opinion because I honestly can't understand how it was played. A quick visit to Super Sloth Den, also known as my brother's bedroom.
The Banging Big Bro says: “Whoa. Dunno. A delay thing. Dunno. Whoa.”
Thank you very much, Leo Fender. God, sometimes I feel like Tom Cruise on Rain Man, only without the casino options and the looks. Anyway, this utterly elegant piece of solo I just heard is something I'd expect from The Edge, if he actually were a guitar player and not just a focking genius of sound.
4:03 – 4:42 This Portnoy guy has just managed to dwarf the whole Ulrich opus, with a ballad. I still don't know what does this say about Mike Portnoy, but I sure as fock know what it says about Lars Ulrich.
4:42 – 5:25 What a classy way to end a side. Old school a and I dare say theatrical. In the age of Let's-Cram-A-Couple-Of-Singles-On-Top-And-Unleash-The-Filler-Brigade-With-No-Regard-To-The-Album-Flow, this first slice of images and words felt like a perfect coherent dramatic narration. It's demanding an intermission and legit expectations for the second act. This is huge. Floyd-Yes-King Crimson kind of huge.
This was definitely an important moment in my life, and as had always happened in such moments, dear reader, I had to go to the bathroom.
Coming next: Metropolis Pt.1: The Miracle and The Sleeper.
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Welcome back! Another fine analysis there. :tup
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Very good. Can't wait to see Metropolis, since that's one's just crazy.
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I think I have found my new hero. ;D
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Just listened to the solo. I wonder how he does that? Anyone actually know?
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I think I have found my new hero. ;D
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Glad to see you back. :tup Metropolis is gonna be a great one for sure.
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Surrounded is an incredible song. Third best on the album IMO. It's my favorite JLB song, and has one of my favorite DT riffs is at 2:58.
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Give the guy a chance....
We gave you a chance, look what happened. :rollin :P
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Imaginary reader #2: Hearing Ingo stomping the crap out of his double bass and Archangel Michael's call to arms makes me wish to unsheathe my willy and bring justice into this world.
Thought many times of Helloween when I got I&W. Glad I'm not the only one.
Considering everything until today was foreshadowing a decade of Novoselic/Grohl,
Very true. It seems as if DT came out of nowhere. The music scene looked very bleak. Even my favorite bands from the 80's released albums that seemed like huge steps back..Metallica's The Black Album, Helloween's Pink Bubbles, Megadeth's CtE, and Dio's Wolves. It's funny how great these albums have aged though, considering how I felt about them originally..but I digress..
3:39 – 4:03 This gem needs the resident guitar expert's opinion because I honestly can't understand how it was played.
Two words.."I Ran"..C'mon, I focking gave you that one.....
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Dear Indicscipline,
Still not sure if great success, but you do make me laugh. Any chance you will continue with another album after this one?
Regrettably Sober,
THED6
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Very well put but many great Majestic band's where around in the 80's and early 90's. It was bleak compared to 60's and 70's which I think is the greatest decade In Rock.
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It moves like a glacier yet you people are still here. What's wrong with you? No, wait, I mean … Thank you guys. My eyes are misty while typing this, and it's not because of my uncontrollable flatulence. At least I think. Anyways, let me show some gratitude with a little Q&A, because I live to serve. I really focking do.
johnny108 writes:
Dear Indiscipline,I think I have found my new hero. ;D
Crack is not good. Crack is bad.
Samsära writes:
Dear Indiscipline,We gave you a chance, look what happened. :rollin :P
Wait a minute man. I promised you a vast adventure. Next thing that you know ...
TAC writes:
Dear Indiscipline,Very true. It seems as if DT came out of nowhere. The music scene looked very bleak. Even my favorite bands from the 80's released albums that seemed like huge steps back..Metallica's The Black Album, Helloween's Pink Bubbles, Megadeth's CtE, and Dio's Wolves. It's funny how great these albums have aged though, considering how I felt about them originally..but I digress..
You are a prince, but be a man about it and include No Prayer For The Dying. Do it.
Double TAC, because I focking like him:
Dear Indiscipline,Two words.."I Ran"..C'mon, I focking gave you that one.....
Sir TAC, I am not stealing someone else's brilliant intuition. Secondly, never, ever forget I am an unmitigated cretin. Not even for a second.
ThroughHerEyesDude6 writes:
Still not sure if great success, but you do make me laugh. Any chance you will continue with another album after this one?
Rest assured, it's gonna be a jolly good failure. The plan is covering the whole discography until the next album hits the shelves. World peace and a cure for cancer being the following goals, of course.
05. Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle and The Sleeper.
Eventually I came back from the bathroom, feeling more peaceful and refreshed. I warmly suggest you, my treasured audience essentially consisting of three musical perverts still following this thread, to take a piss break as well. This is going to be insanely long, even by my focked up standards. Blame it on fate, Tuesdays, and Ryanair Airlines' sadistic delays. As always, people who are sober, have a strong appreciation of life, or belong to Generation Whatever need not apply.
0:00 – 0:39: Let's play How To Build Landscapes With Music. Pick a drummer with a noble grasp of percussions' cinematic potential (and, God Almighty, the Epic Bongo. You know, the one that sucker punches you at the 0:25 mark), a Zen keyboardist, and two axemen who know when you need to play and when you don't. There, you instantly find yourself into The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. I actually feel like shooting the Banging Big Bro in the arse and retrieve the bounty. I am not kidding.
0:39 – 1:21: And I was here slightly fearing a side B stuffed with weak filler. Let's see. There are Kick-Ass Introductions (Locomotive Breath), there are Great Majestic Openings (Baba O'Riley), and there are Really Kick-Ass Great Majestic Opening Introductions (Epitaph), and yet I can't classify this. I think Conan-The-Barbarian-Riding-The-Millennium-Falcon-Into-Skeletor's-Castle-Focking-Princess-Buttercup might temporarily do it justice.
1:21 – 1:40: This is the riff I want to lose virginity to, I will not argue this. And before you can realise you are currently reading the work of a sick sick focker, I would like to point out how clever that keys counterpoint rings. If the other guys mainly strike me as virtuosos, Kevin Moore sounds the smartest. Of course, do what you want with this information.
1:40 – 2:36: This is the absolute pinnacle of what we have agreed to call The Hardcastle&McCormick (Remember?). I mean if Heaven and Hell's intro and verse are epic, what the fock is this? Mithologic? And while my inner loser is losing itself into such urgent matters, the Banging Big Bro steps inside the room. Now, dear readers, don't So-Focking-What me. This is a very important moment and deserves its own DOPE, that is Digression Over Personal Experience.
[DOPE]Do you know all those wonderful and sexy heavy rock records gracing humanity during the eighties? Just ask Sir TAC, he knows. Well, some lucky people listened to them on release, others enlightened enough bought 'em after years in order to study or enjoy the past. Me? I watched them getting in the house under the ape's armpit and that's it. The dimwit my parents insinuate is sharing my blood has never, ever allowed me to listen to the goods. Only exceptions: when he publicly offered them to the Drumming Dad's Judgement, or when I could muster the balls to penetrate his room, even knowing he usually pisses on the floor to mark territory and can smell other forms of life. [/DOPE]
And now the pathetic monkey, drawn by the awesomeness pouring from the stereo, is implicitly asking ME to share MY music. You know, from MY band. Sure, I could go the Mwahahahaha Way and unleash the Middle Finger of Spite, but what do I gain? I mean, besides several broken ribs? No, I am playing the magnanimous gentleman here and let him bask in my discovery's glory, hoping that mockery of a shrunken brain will eventually acknowledge Dream Theater's superiority over his idols. This, and I'm focking crapping myself.
2:36 – 3:07: The Return of The Space Soda! (Again, remember?) This time with olives and an ounce of Holdsworth.
3:07 – 3:34: Six degrees of Banging Big Bro's Faces:
1.The Beef Tannen Let's See Your Balls Face
2.The Judge Smails Kid You Could Be Actually Good But Still Beneath Me Face
3.The Apollo Creed You Are Actually a Little Too Good For My Good Face
4.The Vizzini You Are Definitely Too Good For Me Face
5.The Cobra Kai You Can't Be That Good Face
6.The Kid In Ranch Neverland Now I'm Seriously Frightened Face
3:34 – 4:16: Two Morons Still and Speechless into a Living Room. Sounds like a pop art painting's title, but it's actually a pretty accurate description of yours truly and his alleged sibling. And, prodigiously right on cue, the Third Arrives. The Drumming Dad is in the house. Noise of keys dropped on the shelf? Check. Tired footsteps through the hall? Double Check. Stench of tobacco. Whoo-pe-dy Check. Indiscipline on the verge of the Freudian slugfest? Focking Check, mate.
4:16 – 4:29: The Drumming Dad stops by. It must have been the crazy 13/8 thing. Air instantaneously sucked off the room.
Indiscipline: clutching at straws, still drowning.
Big Banging Bro: nose bleeding (can't count past 8).
4:29 – 4:42: Mike Oldfield on magic mushrooms writing Tetris music.
Drumming Dad: Clears throat, lights cigar. He's interested. Last recorded occurrence: Innuendo.
4:42 – 4:54: For the first time in my life, I need slow motion to understand what the fock I've just heard.
Drumming Dad: Sits on the couch. We must be at the end of days. It never happens unless:
A) There's soccer on TV
B) He's listening to his stuff.
C) He's having a heart attack.
4:54 – 5:24: Mike Portnoy, wherever you are, you have single-handedly raised The Drumming Dad's left eyebrow. You might like to know that only the following freaks have successfully performed such a feat on my watch: Peart Neal, Porcaro Jeff, Van Halen Alex.
5:24 – 5:49: Fock me in the Stanley and call me Clarke. Now I'm finally starting to get this. Every band member is allowed 30 seconds to show off and obliterate the competition. This is not a song, it's a Blitzkrieg.
5:49 – 6:19: Super Nintendo Galore, now available with a Steve Morse memory card!
Drumming Dad: Intensely staring at me.
Translation: There's a remote possibility I haven't wasted my swimmers and I could actually have a son.
6:19 – 7:08: Eh. It beggars the question: Will they ever be able to do THAT live? Or better: Dear God, can I be there when they do THAT live?
Drumming Dad: Intensely staring at his first mistake (Banging Big Bro).
Translation: I warmly suggest you come to me with something better than Slayer next time if you care to keep my surname.
7:08 – 7:22: Fripp? Zappa? Zipp? Frippa?
Drumming Dad: “You got yourself your own Yes, boy.”
Indiscipline: Openly pissing in shoes.
Banging Big Bro: Technical Knock-out.
7:22 – 8:02: Hanon for whole Rock Band. Seriously, this record should be sold at musical instruments stores.
Drumming Dad: Puffing on cigar, in his best impression of Don Vito Corleone figuring out the proper heir to the Family.
8:02 – 8:28: What a progression. I am officially feeling like Han Solo, Clint Eastwood, and Kaiser Soze all wrapped in one.
8:28 – 9:12: Priceless moment: The Material Mom steps in to announce dinner, gets frozen on her tracks at the sight of her family collectively drooling before the stereo in zombie-like stupor.
Actual comment: Hmmmmmrpffffff.
Translation: Somewhere there must be a jury willing to justify me pouring anti-freeze into the three Stooges' dinner. Fock it, a life sentence is still worth it.
9:12 – 9:32: The Drumming Dad asks for the cover. It's the last judgement.
Listen, you CAN judge a record by its cover. With the notable exceptions of Queen (abysmal, but kitsch was their aesthetic raison d'etre) and Iron Maiden (you really have to play along the Eddie joke), great covers=great albums. Case in point? Floyds, Yes, King Crimson, Steely Dan, Jethro Tull, Supertramp. I could go on forever.
Now, I am feeling pretty confident about little Shirley Temple. It's pretentious and baroque enough to give the right intellectual what the fock does this picture mean vibe. In a word, or two, pretty solid.
The Drumming Dad smiles, nods. I may have won.
The Drumming Dad flips the cover, broad smile.
“They look quite the gay undertakers, though.”
Classic Drumming Dad backhanded put-down. I won
Coming Next: Under A Glass Moon
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I lol'd at 8:28. Amazing job yet again. I hope you do continue with more albums. I'll be with you for the long haul.
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Holy fucking tap dancing christ, how have I missed this thread. My hat is off to you good sir, your writing style is such a mix of off the cuff humor and dry rhetorical banter, it had me pissing myself, not to mention probably reinjuring my ribs I seperated two weeks ago from laughing. As someone 9 years your senior(I believe you stated 1978), one who has four older brothers, and one who at one time owned Rainbow Rising on 8-track, I closeley relate to many things you stated thus far, especially the jaunt through the record store, too fucking much. It is ironic that I put I&W on before I opened this thread, and was able to experience the songs in a new light for the first time since I first heard it on the radio way back when, and I thank you for that, sincerely. Though there are so many quotable moments, I will only quote this one...
Fock me in the Stanley and call me Clarke. Now I'm finally starting to get this. Every band member is allowed 30 seconds to show off and obliterate the competition. This is not a song, it's a Blitzkrieg.
I felt this was an excellent description of what DT is. Also, your reference to Drumming Dad saying,"I guess you found your own Yes, son" struck a chord with me as well, for Yes is my favorite band, DT being a firm number two. Now that I know of this threads existance, I will follow faithfully, and look forward to mor instalments. Thank you.
@Bosky and the Mods, if this thing doesn't end up in the archives, I'm taking my bacon and leaving.
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Amazing as always! And as Implode says, if you do write about more albums I'll definitely stay along for the ride.
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Excellent as always..Keep it up!
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Taking what I said back, gotta quote this one too...
Drumming Dad: Intensely staring at me.
Translation: There's a remote possibility I haven't wasted my swimmers and I could actually have a son.
:rollin
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Thank you, for this thread dude. Either tho, I haven't commented - I followed it from day one... You're a really interesting dude. Not that I'm trying to get in your ass or something, but you really made me re-discover Images and Words in a way. Thank you again.
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I can't remember spending so long reading a thread since MP left. Could this be the new drummer!!!! I will log on everyday and look out for this one. :smiley:
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"This is not a song, this is a Blitzkrieg"
That is the single most awesome statement ever posted on this side of the forum. Ever.
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.
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TAC writes:
Dear Indiscipline,Very true. It seems as if DT came out of nowhere. The music scene looked very bleak. Even my favorite bands from the 80's released albums that seemed like huge steps back..Metallica's The Black Album, Helloween's Pink Bubbles, Megadeth's CtE, and Dio's Wolves. It's funny how great these albums have aged though, considering how I felt about them originally..but I digress..
You are a prince, but be a man about it and include No Prayer For The Dying. Do it.
Oh, absolutely! But I think my point was that while they "felt" like steps back in quality, Time has been very good to these albums. Sadly No Prayer is still a black eye on Maiden. I'd throw in Gary Moore's Still Got The Blues too, to my original point. who saw THAT coming??
Big Banging Bro: nose bleeding (can't count past 8).
That's funny!
“They look quite the gay undertakers, though.”
Good thing you didn't show him the WDADU pic! You'd still be changing the bandages on your ass!
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This is a very fun and interesting read. Keep up the crazy work!
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Hah, this is awesome, more please! :laugh:
I think you're going to be one of my favorite members. :tup
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Great work again! Oh, and congratulations on the victory! :tup
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So...
:bump:
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So...
:bump:
This, I've been waiting very patiently.
(Way to tease me, Bosk :getoffmylawn: )
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Sorry. Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly...
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this thread reminds me how i highly appreciated I&W the first time i heard it.
waiting impatiently for Under a Glass Moon, especially the lead guitar section :metal
-tumbok-
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This thread reminds me how awesome I&W is and it gave me a new way to listen to it actually..
I am waiting for the next song..
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I think Banging Bro beat the fock out of him.
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<breezes into thread guilty as fock>
Gals and ghouls, I haven't forgotten this thing. There are still so many utterly ludicrous and pointless anecdotes I owe you. It's just that holidays are the proverbial bitch with my kind of job.
I promise I'm going to update this soon. Also, I never had sex with that woman, and we have proof Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction.
Stay classy.
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Yay, he's not dead!
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Somehow I missed this thread all this time but I've read through it all and I'm blown away by how funny and interesting it is. I love the Drumming Dad character. Please keep this going!
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in fact i have printed all the post about the songs and i always read it while listening to corresponding song.
so from the first i red this thread until now, i haven't listened to UAGM, WFS, and LTL....
i need indiscipline to continue this, or i will never listen to the last 3 songs of IAW again.
:facepalm:
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When are you coming back Indiscipline, we need you! ;D
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Gals and ghouls, I haven't forgotten this thing. There are still so many utterly ludicrous and pointless anecdotes I owe you. It's just that holidays are the proverbial bitch with my kind of job.
I knew it. You're Santa Claus.
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:omg: Then I think we need to ask him some hard questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp19qiash2U
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Gals and ghouls, I haven't forgotten this thing. There are still so many utterly ludicrous and pointless anecdotes I owe you. It's just that holidays are the proverbial bitch with my kind of job.
I knew it. You're Santa Claus.
Yeah, and since easter is right around the corner, we're probably not getting anything else here until he's done delivering Easter eggs!
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(https://i53.tinypic.com/2ylrbm8.jpg)
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Edit: dfdfdf
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stop bumping this thread!!! I always get my hopes up that indiscipline has written a new piece.. but it never happens :sadpanda:
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I think people bump the thread hoping to remind him to keep writing.
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:bump:
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And herein lies the problem of starting a thread like this and not having the time to continue/finish it, especially when the only person who can continue it is Indiscipline. It's not like a survivor, where, if the OP can't continue, he/she can let someone else take over.
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:bump:
lol, that's a good one!
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I am going to be very old before he gets to BC&SL :(
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stop bumping this thread!!! I always get my hopes up that indiscipline has written a new piece.. but it never happens :sadpanda:
This.
I am going to be very old before he gets to BC&SL :(
I'll be dead before he gets to SFAM.
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UAGM NAO!!!! PLOX
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Sup Indiscipline
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It really shouldn't take this long to cover "Under a Glass Moon". IT'S SEVEN MINUTES LONG! We're not covering Octavarium here.
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:sad:
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:sad:
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:'( Where is he? :sadpanda:
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He's gone. The Dream Theater guys sued him for lifting lines from their work.
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.
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Sorry for the bump, but do you think he planned this? Purposely got our hopes up about something potentially epic and leave us to the wolves?
This might reinforce the idea that he's Portnoy.
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Clearly he doesn't have the time and dedication to this fine Forum to continue this. It should be locked and placed in the archive as an Unfinished Masterpiece.
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As my buddy Treebeard likes to say, "don't be too hasty."
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I would assume that a thread like this might be a work in progress as it goes along, but I would also assume that a thread like this wouldn't be started without at least the first 3 or 4 albums' material already written.
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Maybe we could invite other talented wordsmiths to pick up the slack? Or would that be too disrespectful?
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Nah, I don't think anyone else can't write "focking" and make it sound right (not like he can either).
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Ahhh, another bump'n'tease of the ol indiciplined thread. Thanks guys.
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Ahhh, another bump'n'tease of the ol indiciplined thread. Thanks guys.
Would you like a slap and tickle instead? I promise to make bacon in the morning.
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Ahhh, another bump'n'tease of the ol indiciplined thread. Thanks guys.
Would you like a slap and tickle instead? I promise to make bacon in the morning.
It's gotten to the point where even bacon cannot remedy the dissapointment I feel when I realise it was only a bump :angry:
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As my buddy Treebeard likes to say, "don't be too hasty."
Is Treebeard the new drummer?
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Only if all the songs are in 120 bpm or slower (and the "m" in bpm stands for "millenium").
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I guess it will be a doom metal album.
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Great. Dr. Doom will kick ass as the new drummer. Though, the other guys will feel like it's another drummer taking over everything again. ;)
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I guess it will be a funeral doom album.
FTFM
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PLEASE COME BACK INDISCIPLINE!!!!!! :sadpanda: :sadpanda: :sadpanda: :sadpanda:
Just bumping to get everyones hopes up, then they can all be sad like me :(
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Every time I see this thread I get super excited. Every time I realize someone just bumped it, I lose the game.
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After two attempts to read this, I want to inject heroin in my eyeballs... But first I´m going to start smoking crack like this guy...
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John Petrucci
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Locking the thread would prevent further bumpage . . . just a suggestion . . .
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after reading this, and trying to understand what it's all about the only thing i can say is...
bleewaarrrgghhhweareburp. :o
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Just reliving the greatest unfinished thread in DTF history. BUMP!!!
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FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU That's karma
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I got enough bad karma to last me a lifetime, a touch more won't make any fucking difference. Besides, I hate suffering alone, tis better to have company, that's why we have bars, right?
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Ah wise guy! :tup
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:tup
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Bump because WANT MOAR.
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:sadpanda:
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WHAT THE FOCK???? I REFUSED TO LOOK AT THIS THREAD WHEN IT WAS STARTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS STUPID (I never opened it... it just seemed like it would be annoying) AND NOW I GOT THROUGH IT AND GET LEFT HANGING ON AT UNDER A GLASS MOTHERFUCKING MOON?
FOCK FOCK FOCK SOCK LOCK COCK!!!!!
:sadpenguin:
(https://piktures.deadjournal.com/mood/harlequin/tuxedo_t._penguin/sad.gif)
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Its 'FOOK' you moran :neverusethis:
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Time for another hopelessly optomistic bump
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Hey guys, Indiscipline here
Next up:
Under a Glass Moon
00.01-7.05: Fooking hell, good as.
The end
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:lol
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:lol :lol
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I can remember reading through this thread before I started posting. I miss this, it was awesome :(
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Hey guys, Indiscipline here
Next up:
Under a Glass Moon
00.01-7.05: Fooking hell, good as.
The end
It's fawk, not fook.
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It's FOCK...where is he? I'm so sad :sadpanda:
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Hey guys, Indiscipline here
Next up:
Under a Glass Moon
00.01-7.05: Fooking hell, good as.
The end
It's fawk, not fook.
WRONG
It's FOCK...where is he? I'm so sad :sadpanda:
WRONGER
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Actually it IS fock. I misspelled it :P
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PSYCH!
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PSYCH!
Hilarious show
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Wow!! :eek I just blew the last 45 minutes reading this. I wonder what happened to this dude? Such potential. (https://www.kirksnosehair.com/Portals/0/images/smilies/bsmoke.gif)
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Since it's pretty likely that he's not going to finish, I vote for archives.
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Since it's pretty likely that he's not going to finish, I vote for archives.
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Moved and un-archived by request.
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Many many grateful thanks, mate. My soul is yours, Dark Bosker.
*Tap .. tap …* (Is this focking thing on? … )
… And after a brief intermission – brief enough to allow you to witness a couple of drive-bies by the Halley Comet© - we're back with our regularly scheduled journey into a pompous windbag's discovery of DT, life and Smirnoff-soaked self ridicule, strong emphasis on the latter one. Why? Because I love you, I really focking do, and – beware – nothing says I love you like a seven years Martin Guerre Sized disappearing act.
So, since George RR Martin can finally claim he's a faster writer than me, where were we? Fock me if I remember, I'm just lucky I got the password right*, otherwise I would be rambling alone and your lives and minds would be instantly 150% smarter due to reverse osmosys. Just peruse the previous chapters liberally and hop on for the ride.
*FULL DISCLOSURE: I succeeded in loggin in because I actually typed “Fock me if I remember” in the bar. Sometimes being an unmitigated cretin helps.
And now, without further ado, because we still focking hate ado, let's go back to that Fateful Night© of 1992.
06. Under a Glass Moon
The Drumming Dad and the Big Banging Bro, tails between their legs (Dad metaphorically, Bro anatomically), leave the premises lured by an Italian dinner and a semi-homicidal Material Mom. Ah, miserable mortal creatures! I don't need food anymore, I feed myself on The Awesome Sound of The Gay Undertakers! EDITOR NOTE: The last sentence was added in order to nicely tie the present chapter to the previous one and to remind the audience that the author was already a hopeless bumbling buffoon at the tender age of 14.
Now, dear little arsonist of creepy suspended hearts Shirley, what have you got for me? So far you pumped out (in order) a stunning opener featuring the mother of all cliff-hangers, a sexy saxy pants extractor, an epic funky pegasus ride against time, the happiest motherfocking hymn to solipsism in the history of motherfocks and a sociosoundopathical display of instrumental omnipotence. EDITOR NOTE: You can and should appreciate how the ever crafty author managed to summarise seven years past of postage, because he lives to serve. He really focking does. Would you give me a break before – in a Dramatic Turn of Fluids© - my ears start quite inconveniently to ejaculate on the carpet? Can you give me some focking filler, little Shirley? Is it normal to pray for filler on track 6 in 1992? Will I ever stop using question marks?
0.00 – 0.26: I take it as a no. Let's add to the list a spacey reinterpretation of Lawrence of Arabia's score, turning the table on every logical approach to the proper roles inside a guitar-keyboards duet. Close your eyes and begin to relax … EDITOR NOTE: No, fock, time paradox! Time Paradox! I was saying, close your eyes and tell me you don't find yourself stranded on a red desert, under a purple sky and – wait for it – a glass moon? You don't? Well, fock it.
0.26 – 0.52: Mr Myung, Mr Portnoy, would you please explain me why, while I try to anticipate the 10 most impossible things you are going to bring to the riff, you pull an 11th more impossible one out of your arses? I care for those things, you know.
0.52 – 1.19: Ooooh, the band is finally showing a nasty streak with an eeeeeeevil melody. And that sweep! Do you think I didn't notice? It sticks out like a goddess suddenly coming alive and flashing her nipples inside an ancient painting. EDITOR NOTE: The author and his delicate narrative touch are also available for children books, by the way.
1.19 – 2.08: Let me get this straight. A Pantera groove running under a Yasunori Mitsuda atmosphere before bonding into a no-nonsense hypervitaminised Queensryche verse. That's something I'm definitley writing about on a message board 26 years from now, Doc Emmett Brown.
2.08 – 2.33: Mother of Fock, James. Your hair looks like a tree full of monkeys, but you're born to part thundery clouds with your voice.
2.33 – 2.52: And I miss this bit because our new character prances on the stage. The Boy Band Sister, back home from her social life, and for social life I naturally mean ovulating in front of frothing jocks. I could describe the feeling between us as Mutual Focking Hate, but I'll settle for Deep Disgust. The following exchange actually took place:
PissedMe – Where have you been? Everybody's having dinner.
UnredeemableSlut – Are you my focking father?
FuriousMe – Am I focking Satan Spawner of Whores?
ViolentFemme – *Slap* Bear this honour in my name.
2.52 – 3.32 Remember paragraph two? Well, so much for the carpet.
3.32 – 3.59 Repeating chorus, time for some deep rambling. An album so busy, baroque, deliberately proud in its exhibitionism must have been – even unconsciusly – at least ten years in the making. It's not a recorded performance, it's a whole baggage of musical experiences, claims and frustrations.
3.59 – 4.37: I like this Kevin Moore sod. While the cool kids puff their chests he steals the girlfriends. What begins as an undercover variation of the opening theme fragmented in a Mediterranean dance becomes the driving force that brings five musical ideas into a powerful fist. He's the heart of the Voltron©.
4.37 – 5.36: No no no no no, what the fock was that. Let's do it again ...
4.37 – 5.36 redux: I'm speechless. I lack speech. All I can do is updating the starting five for The Most Important Minutes in Guitar History team. Proceeding:
1) The minute the Davies bros took to slash through a Marshall cone with a knife.
2) The minute Jimi Hendrix took to accept the notion that human-guitar sexual intercourse was not only possible, but sometimes mandatory.
3) The minute that Violet (nèe Short) Blackmore's womb quickened.
4) The minute Steve Lukather stopped giving a fock about recording room rules.
5) 4.37 to 5.36, Under a Glass Moon.
Every guitar possibility on display, yet composing a beautiful and perfectly coherent story. A fascinating hall full of doors to different futures of the instrument echoing back pleasure and amazement. The only mundane example I can come up with is the whole Kamasutra experienced at once in a minute. John Petrucci is the Kamaxeman. It's the first time in my life that a solo makes me crave to learn and to quit guitar at the same time.
5.36 – 6.11: So how do you follow that? In the smartest way, with its nemesis. While John suspended the song (and reality and belief) forcing the band to fall in line with his delirium, Kevin retrieved all the notes and energy into an arpeggiating black hole, spitting them out in the shape of a melody which we can call a solo only including the other instruments' contributions, except the guitar. Kevin Moore is the Socialist Keyboardist.
6.11 – 6.21: The song desperately needed these 10 seconds in order to become a song again, after the previous onslaught. It's a concept Frank Zappa masters 100%, Dave Mustaine 6%. EDITOR NOTE: Now the author is pretending he could grasp such details when he was still masturbating watching Charlie's Angels. Actually, he still is.
6.21 – 6.48: And he sings again. It's gonna be a long journey of off-stage loneliness while the kids play, buddy.
6.48 – 7.03: And the circle closes. At gunpoint, it's the only song so far I could sing back immediately. A trick of the mind? Something more spiritual embedded in the song's mood? The ear fluid loss? EDITOR NOTE: Bosk, are you sure this was a good idea? Fock this drivel, fock Indiscipline and the Editor he rode in on.
Coming Soon (at this point a presidential term could be soon): Wait for Sleep.
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This is amazing, I am honestly left speechless (might have something to do with working about 15 hours today and feeling ridiculously tired - both physically and mentally). I gotta read that thing again tomorrow morning - but it’s already tomorrow, in fact it has been for two hours. My bed is calling, I’ll soon be in there. Oh, I bet ai’m gonna sleep very well indeed.
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I know, I know. It's an acquired taste. In the immortal words of guitar god Marty McFly: I g-guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your your kids are gonna love it.
07. Wait for Sleep.
Never a tile was more appropriate. This little focker of a stool ballad squeezed between progressive juggernauts managed to keep me Awake all night long. See what I've done? Pushing the envelope further, it made me fall into infinity like a scene form a memory causing inner turbulence. It's a case study train of thought which Dr. Octavarium, in his seminal essay on systematic chaos, used to call a black cloud. The silver lining is, after such a dramatic turn of events, you are able (wether you live in Budokan or in a Luna Park) to confidently self title yourself. Astonishing, really.
Jokes aside (EDITOR NOTE: jokes aside this whole thread would consist of a title and a timestamp.), there was something in that little jewel which prevented me to liquidate it as filler or breather. Six masterpieces in it was clear the guys weren't wired like that. If it's true that some god or universe created the human mind as a way to know itself then: 1) some god or universe is seriously focked, 2) we, as human race, bear the responsabilty to make sense of a Michael Nyman meets Billy Joel focking interludio.
Long story short, I had to spin this baby half a dozen times before calling truce with my musical autism. And you wonder how I manage to function inside a sane social human contest. Hint: I focking don't.
I. 0.00 – 2.32
What: a beautiful soothing minimal piece of music and storytelling.
Where: I'm going out on a limb and say the recording studio.
Who: Kevin and James, always the bridesmaids so far.
How: sneaking away in Spyro Gira camouflage.
When: while the three beasts were distracted planning The Rush Overthrowing.
Why: focking beats me. Let's spin it again.
II. 0.00 – 2.32 It doesn't make any sense this tragic ending. Too short to let me catch a breath, too lovingly crafted to be a running time adjuster. What the fock. Again.
III. 0.00 – 2.32 In spite of the evidence there's something still missing. This is not an innocent tune. If you pick the piano insistito at the beginning and put it through a Prophet 5 you've got yourself the average score for a cult horror movie from the seventies. There's an anguish disguised as surrender screaming to be discovered. Focking again.
IV. 0.00 – 2.32 Heard some of the rumours told ... Dinner time is over at the Indiscipline Mansion and, willing or not, this treasure hunt will feature our cast of characters' invaluable contribution. I disconnect the headphones and ask for guidance from the elders.
Drumming Dad - Macca did that shit al the time. When he was tired of playing ball with the boys he went to the smoking room and came back with focking Yesterday.
Material Mom – Ooooh sweet. You finally listen to sensible music. Maybe eight hours of labour spent shitting you upon the planet weren't entirely wasted.
Boy Band Sister – Turn this on at the right time and you could even get laid. At two minutes and half it should be plenty of time.
Big Banging Bro - Hihihi. U fag.
Rikki – New entry, the Family Cat, antisocial albino furball we all believe is going to kill us in our sleep if we don't keep feeding it. We call him Rikki because A) We really don't want it to Lose That Number, B) Although completely deaf, it has a penchant for urinating in the living room's corner whenever a Steely Dan record is on. I'm sure Donald Fegan is still quoting the fact as the pinnacle of a career. Anyway, no fluids from Rikki. Again.
V. 0.00 – 2.32 Here I am inside his home, it holds the many clues to my suspicions ... I don't understand, it must hold some vital meaning. Everything in this album is too much overthought at every corner. You don't build a cathedral and just leave a hole in the wall without a reason. Tell me, Shirley, you little focking gown wearing goblin, where am I supposed to look? Please, Shirley … Wait a focking moment. Shirley! Let's grab the cover and listen to the lyrics.
Window, moon, bed, images and words (just, you know, the focking title), surreal ceiling, water (probably inside the flowers pot), cold metal frame in Shirley's hands, ashes and flames courtesy of myheartortheheartoftheworld staring at me in flames from the beginning of the focking afternoon. This is the most important song of the album, the instructions to handle it all. Let's hear it again and discover why.
VI. 0.00 – 2.32 And as I'm standing here right now, I'm finally shown what I have always known. Do you remember Disney's Beauty and the Beast? Don't pretend you don't, you fake tough guys. I do, and I certainly did in 1992 since it focking opened the year before. We can safely fock the wonderful tunes and the singing pottery because my point is elsewhere. The movie showed us an irrealistically magnificent and complex castle full of wonders. You could stroll through halls and rooms experiencing impossible sounds and sights, images and words, and you could do it for a lifetime, never ceasing to find something new or never noticed before. At the heart of the spell was a little flower under a glass … case. It held the meaning of the story, the reason for such wonders, the guidelines to enjoy beauty without losing your bearings falling into arrogance and self-indulgence.
I yelled “I got it!” and, while my parents were contemplating selling my organs on the black market and Rikki was waiting for Aja to have a well deserved piss, I knew. Coincidence I don't believe, as my childhood dreams slowly come true. You can't navigate intricate perfection without a compass made of a humble and movingly honest two minutes lullaby. Image and Words is the castle and Wait for Sleep its rose.
Coming Soon: Learning to Live (with message board rightful indifference)
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That was... transcendental.
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Huh. I guess I've changed.
Before, I thought that this was wildly funny; now.......nothing.
The closest I can come to describing how I feel about it is: It's like my friend went out to an awesome dinner and kept calling me EVERY day for two weeks -- no, THREE weeks -- to rave about it for hours on end.
I think I'm sorta sad about this since I'm a very silly person. My loss I guess.
Makes me realize that I'm changing about DT itself. After Every DT album release day being my own personal holiday for over 20 years, I have never even bought The Astonishing. This after DT13 was the perfect album I've been waiting for since Awake came out. I hope the next one gives me that sense of wonder back.
Carry on Bro, or whatever.
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I find it absolutely mind-blowingly amazing how you manage to type out such extreme incoherence and make it read like it's some sort of neo-Shakespearian novel. Outstanding!
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Hold it now...this thing is nearly EIGHT years old?! Wowee!
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I'm not sure if I should be impressed, or else deeply concerned that Indiscipline's narrative voice is unchanged over eight years.
Also, do you repeat yourself when under stress? Repeat yourself when under stress? Repeat?
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It lives! Let's Q&A a bit then, because: A) I love you all, I really focking do. B) Shameless Bump, Thy Name Is Indiscipline C) Learning to Live is gonna be a bitch to pull off and the homonymous song is hard to recap too.
Mladen writes: Dear Indiscipline,
That was... transcendental.
I wish my wife told me that more often.
commanderbob writes: Dear Indiscipline,
Before, I thought that this was wildly funny; now.......nothing.
THAT's what my wife tells me.
Elite writes: Dear Indiscipline,
I find it absolutely mind-blowingly amazing how you manage to type out such extreme incoherence and make it read like it's some sort of neo-Shakespearian novel. Outstanding!
Shakespeare is in the eye of the reader. In mine mostly tears due to self-inflicted flautulence.
RoeDent writes: Dear Indiscipline,
Hold it now...this thing is nearly EIGHT years old?! Wowee!
I swear, it's the exact thing I told the woman knocking at my door carrying a child and a DNA exam injunction.
millahh writes: Dear Indiscipine,
I'm not sure if I should be impressed, or else deeply concerned that Indiscipline's narrative voice is unchanged over eight years.
Also, do you repeat yourself when under stress? Repeat yourself when under stress? Repeat?
Deep concern is always the answer with me. Deep concern. Deep concern. Deep concern. Deep concern. Number 9 ... Number 9 ...
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LHK posting on the same week Indiscipline makes his triumphant return? Coincidence? I think we should be told.
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LHK posting on the same week Indiscipline makes his triumphant return? Coincidence? I think we should be told.
Wait what? LHK is back????
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I don't know about back, but he made a few posts last week in the "Scenes from a hat" and "Random Caption Game" threads.
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Fock-a-Spock, it's like bycicle. You never unlearn and your scrotum hurts. Anyway,
Scenes From My Memory©, the thread wherein we learn that drunkenly stumbling through the door mumbling “I lost the focking keys” and immediately tripping on the carpet and falling face first on the glass managerie table is considered a triumphant return, is proud to present:
08. Learning to Live
Like Whiterun by night, the living room – also known as the History of Human and Super-Human Music Awesometeque© – becomes once again my dark beautiful playground devoid of problematic forms of life. That's what the radar tells:
Drumming Dad, Material Mom: Bedroom, working on disappointment #4 apparently.
Banging Big Bro: Bedroom, increasing the potential population wasted on socks.
Boy Band Sister: On the phone. And I mean THE phone. No mobiles, dumb or smartphones then, which meant total monopoly of the house in-out communication by the skank. My grandparents could have died years ago in a fire as far as we telephonically knew.
Indiscipline: Alone in the dark waiting for the Grand Finale. (EDITOR NOTE: Look better, you focking moron.) Ok, Rikki is there too waiting for me to fall asleep, ready to feast on my flesh, but we're not counting demonic familiars here, only demonic family.
Dear reader (because I assume only the Mod is left tolerating this drivel due to message board work ethics), put your headphones on and follow me inside My Favourite Song of the 90's© (and hold that thought, because you should know I focking love lists and charts by now.)
0.00 – 0.12: It waited to sleep, and while asleep it dreamt of electric sheep on a martial pace. If it doesn't make sense to you, please sock a Phillip K Dick.
0.12 – 0.25: Let's play Pass The Downbeat Like It's Hot!
0.25 – 0.51: From the Book of Prog©, Emerson 2:15. Thou shall not only play intricate passages. Thou shall be effortlessly able to impress sudden torque, stall and stop on a dime at will. In doubt, think Metallica tempo management and act the diametrical opposite.
0.51 – 1.12: What a focking unpretentious keyboard treat. You don't need flash and speed to make a statement. It is said a simple viola II part in Mozart's orchestrations held the simple beauty of a symphony and obviously Kevin Moore was listening.
1.12 – 1.57: Mr Myung makes a mathematical bass line groovy and Charlie Mingus proud. He hides math inside groove the same way Material Mom hid peas inside meat in order to make me swallow greens. He gives peas a chance.
1.57 – 2.20: Marillion similitudes. Simil-Marillion. Silmarillion. I told you, no life.
2.20 – 2.41: I hear a voice, but I can't shake the feeling the drums are actually singing.
2.41 – 3.10: Classy, with utter respect for micro empty spaces which enable the details to shine. I strongly believe Toto could have evolved into something similar if they only happened to be collectively allergic to cocaine.
3.10 – 3.40: Lest we forget it's still supposed to be heavy metal. Yet James can deliver the message in counterpoint to the riff weight. You have a future in musical theatre, LaBrie.
3.40 – 4.12 And we respectfully and gratefully relegate rock rythm by power chords and straight backbeat into the room on the left, joining telegraphs, bloodlettings and gaslight.
4.12 – 4.45: Thou shall also be able to cram as many notes as you can inside a bar and still keep a sense of feathery blue-sky lightness. If you succeed, thou shall explain the proceedings to Peter Hammill before he loses his mind.
4.45 – 4.57: The Lamb May Lay Down on Broadway, But It Thrives on The Andes.
4.57 – 5.11: Ticking away the moments that make up a great song
5.11 – 5.30: If it wouldn't mean certain and instant death by Mom's slipper contusion I would run to call the Drumming Dad. I've just heard a PFM analog synth lick. Let's just say we're quite, ehm, familiar with PFM here at the Indiscipline Mansion.
5.30 – 6.00: No need to go all DiMeola on me, I'm already sold, John.
6.00 – 6.30: It escalates to Pat Metheny Caught Somewhere in Time. I'm officially on musical overloading and loving it.
6.30 – 6.57: We reached a point where we can't talk about arrangement anymore. This is musical coreography. Or Twister©. It would be nice to have some vocal contribution on top.
6.57 – 7.10: Focking careful what you wish for, it belts back. I Only Want to Say, we're in Ted Neely's Gethsemane range here. And the journey is even more impressive than the destination.
7.10 – 7.41: Perfect perfect focking brilliantly perfect. A super shreddy solo would have ruined everything, killing momentum with the backlash and betraying the whole premises of the structure. The right ingredient was a sorta Comfortably Numb bendy cry to heavens. And never forget, the more your technical means are unlimited, the more it is difficult to make the right choice. (EDITOR NOTE: Master Splinter is obviously possessing the author, nothing serious.)
7.41 – 8.10: And once again it's up to Mr Moore to bring the cows back to the farm.
8.10 – 8.40: I knew it, little Shirley. Track 07 IS the core of the machine, as eloquently showed in all its naked and skeletrical glory.
8.40 – 8.54: Scroll up two paragraphs, the same applies to this one. This song is amazing for a million reasons, one of them being it features the easiest individual performances of the record while being the most difficult track to pull off as a band. In other terms, what Honest Progressive Rock should be.
8.54 – 9.07: Someone must have really loved some Seventh Son here.
9.07 – 9.21: Scroll up four paragraphs, the same applies to this one. This song is amazing for a million reasons, one of them being it features the easiest individual performances of the record while being the most difficult track to pull off as a band. In other terms, what Honest Progressive Rock should be. And yes, I do repeat under stress.
9.21 – 9.35: I'm pretty confident Atreyu was listening to this while riding Falkor.
9.35 – 10.09: And James seals the deal. (EDITOR NOTE: I fear another Master Splinter moment coming) Never forget, he's got the toughest job of all. You can hide behind an instrument but you must bare your soul when singing. And I dare say it's quite the bitch to bare your soul negotiating 11/8.
10.09 – Olympus: If you know a more focking epic way to ride out of a dream, please tell me. Now, for narrative comfort, I'll skip the part where I spin this song 13 times before going to bed dodging Rikki's ritual ninja ambush on my way. Let's just say that I fell asleep KNOWING this tune belonged to The Sacred Eminently Mockable Very Subjective Pantheon of Long Songs Where Every Second, Pause and Note Is Irreplaceable in Making Magic© which, the morning after, looked like this:
Alphabetical order, because these songs have climbed Mount Everest, and you can't and shouldn't determine which one climbed it “more”.
A Day in the Life – The Beatles
Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
Burn – Deep Purple
Goodnight Saigon – Billy Joel
Hocus Pocus – Focus
In the Court of the Crimson King – King Crimson
In the Light – Led Zeppelin
Learning to Live – Dream Theater
Maggot Brain – Funkadelic
Peaches en Regalia – The Mothers of Invention
Revelations – Iron Maiden
Wind Up – Jethro Tull
And just like that I knew (and so do you if you were here from Scene 01) I had only one step left to manhood. The gory details will be generously featured in:
Coming Next (by not so popular demand): Scene 03: Fetal Threnody Strange Rendez-vous – High Education and Basic Instincts (featuring Awake Running Diary).
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I'm giving you the :clap: because, dammit, you earned it. Nearly eight years is a long time to tell your story, but I think it was worth the wait.
BTW, I thought this was completely hilarious:
1.57 – 2.20: Marillion similitudes. Simil-Marillion. Silmarillion. I told you, no life.
Looking forward to Awake.
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2.41 – 3.10: Classy, with utter respect for micro empty spaces which enable the details to shine. I strongly believe Toto could have evolved into something similar if they only happened to be collectively allergic to cocaine.
Not to mention the fact that Toto were pussies.
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I'm giving you the :clap: because, dammit, you earned it. Nearly eight years is a long time to tell your story, but I think it was worth the wait.
Thank you, man, it's my pleasure. About the eight years, I feel I owe a honest explanation to the wild bunch who invested precious time reading my ludicrous story years ago and might have felt let down or slightly fooled. I owe it to myself anyway. I waited for it because I wanted to come back pumping out content and not excuses.
We switch to serious (urgh) mode for the first - and hopefully last - time in here. No bullshite.
Eight years ago I started this thing between work flights, in order to kill time and to entertain (my raison d'etre). The particular nature of my job and its unpredictable schedules makes free time crunch and expand at will. A crunch came, and for a couple of months I couldn't relax before a laptop and I left this thread on the back of my mind until - never forget I'm a focking moron - I almost forgot it.
After a year - I guess - the spark came back as well as the will to revive the thing. But when I read the messages of disappointment left in my wake I asked myself wether it was fair to once again write a check my arse couldn't cash. My arse said no and after a while - remember, focking moron here - I forgot once again.
Another year passed and the urge came back. While I was waiting for a work break to put on the work, the man behind the stage persona you know as Drumming Dad left the planet. Not mentioning the bitch it was dealing with the mundane implications being my family scattered across four different countries at the time, I just couldn't fock around on the internet with the memory of the man who gave me the gifts of music and laughter, that is not only my life but also my livelihood in a nutshell.
The years after have been kinder and full of surprises and joy, the greatest being the opportunity to be a wonderful young lady's Music Dad, passing on those gifts. Since I'm redescovering Dream Theatre with my step-daughter it seems absolutely appropriate to come back here and finish the business with all the focks I can't use with her. I believe the Drumming Dad would approve, and it doesn't hurt to write about him anymore.
Thank God there is Sir TAC, the Dean Martin to my Jerry Lewis, lightening the mood:
Not to mention the fact that Toto were pussies.
It happens when you're not in Kansas anymore. Or into Kansas, just pick one.
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Sorry about your Dad. Amazing blokes, Fathers. I've been missing mine these 16 years.
As someone who's raised a few step-children, and even adopted a few, I feel your joy. Not long ago, I went to Mastodon with my youngest (who isn't really young anymore) and her husband. After the show, as we were walking nervously back to our car (it's a rough neighborhood) she blurted out, "Thanks, Daddy. Without you, I don't think I would have ever heard of Mastodon. That was the funnest concert ever!"
Enjoy!
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I find it absolutely amazing that after eight years I had no trouble remembering all the characters here, from Shirley to Drumming Dad (may he rest -or drum- in peace) to your wonderful and caring Banging Bro. It's a testament to the lasting impression these posts make, so hats off for that.
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I believe the Drumming Dad would approve, and it doesn't hurt to write about him anymore.
Well glad you're back and able to continue.
Thank God there is Sir TAC
I feel the same way!
It happens when you're not in Kansas anymore. Or into Kansas, just pick one.
I actually prefer Missouri. I'll take 4-5 Shooting Star songs over anything Kansas ever did.
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And that's why you fail my friend. :lol
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(https://magazine.happeningsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/gary-coleman.png)
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Way too much love and compassion, fellas. I really liked it more when you thought I was a horrible person making you feel horribler for laughing at my horriblest jokes. (EDITOR NOTE: and deliberate grammar rape apparently.)
As always, Sir TAC gives me the perfect assist to right the ship as Ancient Mariners should.
Perfect Arnold picture, mate. That's exactly what hit the Drumming Dad, Bonzo bless his soul and kindly hit the drumroll for the punchline that will get me a cottage in hell:
(EDITOR NOTE:Don't you dare, you sick focker ...)
Different strokes.
(EDITOR NOTE: .................... I focking quit ….........................................................)
Now that I have the contempt of the class once again, can't focking find a reasonable reason not to jump two years forward into days of future past and unleash:
Scene 03: Strange Rendez-vous – High Education and Basic Instincts.
First things first, let's recap two seasons of Being Teenager Indiscipline© between Scenes:
Highs:
1. The lumbering villain we all love to hate and future GTA character Big Banging Bro fumbled his way into a glorious shotgun wedding, said shotgun happily held by my parents naturally. My focking luck kept on giving when the insufferable vapid banshee we have agreed to call Boy Band Sister went to college, persuing her personal quest for manmeat. Bottom line, the Mansion was mine. Tyrion Lannister finally got the focking throne.
2. Got permission to enroll in conservatory while in high school, part of my diabolic scheme to totally eschew regular education focusing on the only language and math I've always innately understood. It helped that – due to nazi forced studies since infancy and continous ambiental ear solicitation - I could sing anything I read on sheet and trascribe any interval I heard by the age of 12. (EDITOR NOTE: Since the author is focking bragging about what is essentially genetic luck, it's my duty to balance the scales making known he's still incapable of operating a washing machine at 40, so there.) (WIFE#2 NOTE: True focking story.)
Lows:
1. Solitary Shell status in high school. Despite a charmingly morbid sense of humor I couldn't exactly relate with my peers. Strangely enough, conversation starters as A) Isn't it funny how Steve Vai goes Lydian whenever he plays romantic licks? B) Why the wheelchair guy must cut the line entering class? He's already sitting. C) This basketball thing you rave about, is it some kind of rare manufact? didn't seem to work. Thank God, I found myself at least one lifelong friend: enter Techno Buddy. Completely open to every musical stimulation and conversation because instinctively curious and constantly stoned out of his focking mind.
2. Despite mildly good looks (EDITOR NOTE: Bah. Look on the left, the author is the one without boobs.) I still hadn't found a viable device to successfully give purpose to my dick. Or girlfriend, as you may like to call it. (EDITOR NOTE: I give up.) (WIFE#2 NOTE: Me too.) In my defense I could mention the family advice on the matter consisted of:
Big Banging Bro - Club. Drag. Den.
Material Mom – Mention the possibility of another woman in your life and I'm gonna stab you in the eye with a dull spoon. How was school by the way, dear?
Boy Band Sister – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No, you mean, really?
Drumming Dad – Listen to the old man. The first chance you've got, look her straight in the eye and produce the loudest and most vicious fart you can muster. If she doesn't kick you in the balls or call the police, she has accepted your real nature. She's the right one.
Rikki – Stay the fock away from me, you maniac. I'm castrated.
You may not believe it, but eventually I found a poor feminine soul who happened to like me. I managed to keep her around, mainly thanks to Techno Buddy's wise counseling: Buddy, I know you as the pipe of my bong, don't fock this up. No matter what, never EVER talk about music with the poor girl. Following such gems of wisdom, in a bunch of months we completed the various stages of sex without actually focking, also known as Trial of Tears.
Then the perfect storm came. Saturday afternoon, parents out of town, Indiscipline breaking every olympic record in tedious begging. It was set for the evening, after the hateful mandatory stroll downtown (I was raised in a mall-free environment). We were walking, Girlfriend#1 watching shop windows, me pushing space-time forward with the sheer power of mind and hormones. We were having the following conversation when the tragically inevitable disaster struck:
Girlfriend#1 – … Anyway, I don't understand this fixation with oral sex.
Me – For starters, it's fifteen minutes of you being silent.
Girlfriend#1 – You focking pig, I'm gonna …
Me – Stop. Wait.
On the left, the record store. In the window, a strange dark squared object never seen before sporting a well too familiar logo. It was the focking newborn album, looking for its daddy.
Girlfriend#1 – Darling, are you pissing in your shoes?
Me – Follow me. Trust me. It won't be long.
I grabbed the girl supposed to make a man out of me and dragged her inside.
Record Store Heroin Junkie Clerk – Hello, sweety. Looking great.
Me – I am so glad to see you, I couldn't wait for you to finally come here and do your job.
Record Store Heroin Junkie Clerk – I was talking to her.
Me – And I was talking to the elegant black-caped eternal entity who's standing behind you with a scythe in her hands. Now focking give me the new Dream Theater cd.
Record Store Heroin Junkie Clerk – Awake?
Me – No, sleepwalking, you focking pincushion.
Eventually we made it to my house, and it was sweet and beautiful.
(EDITOR NOTE: Oooooooh, you so cute.)
Obviously, I'm talking about listening to Awake after sex.
Sex was like playing Parkinson Jenga on a plane driven by Stevie Wonder.
Coming Next (if not permabanned): 6:00.
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Drumming Dad – Listen to the old man. The first chance you've got, look her straight in the eye and produce the loudest and most vicious fart you can muster. If she doesn't kick you in the balls or call the police, she has accepted your real nature. She's the right one.
Girlfriend#1 – … Anyway, I don't understand this fixation with oral sex.
I see you skipped right over farting and went straight for the blowjob. Good man.
Eventually we made it to my house, and it was sweet and beautiful.
Your house was sweet and beautiful??
Sex was like playing Parkinson Jenga on a plane driven by Stevie Wonder.
Well I heard that kind of thing can make you blind...
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Amazing. This is worse than eating Tide Pods. Keep on going, please!
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Ok, that installment was less like peeling a scab off the inside of your eye-lid, and much more like pinching an ingrown hair on the inside of your thigh (just below the taint).
No. Praise.
Happy now?
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Yeah, that’s the best Podaar. I swear I once popped a sunflower seed out of one of those.
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:lol
Nice visual, Tim.
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Q&A! Because my readers are the best, they really focking are.
Double TAC, because we obviously have a Frankie Blue Eyes and Sammy Davis Jr thing going:
Your house was sweet and beautiful??
Safe house. 22 Acacia Avenue.
Well I heard that kind of thing can make you blind...
Ora che ho perso la vista, ci vedo di più.
Then the newcomer to this corner of insanity. Welcome, dark pilgrim.
Amazing. This is worse than eating Tide Pods. Keep on going, please!
Close. We are in range. Let's try with my pal Podaar:
Ok, that installment was less like peeling a scab off the inside of your eye-lid, and much more like pinching an ingrown hair on the inside of your thigh (just below the taint).
There. Now I'm wet.
I love you guys, I really focking do.
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(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/04/17/article-2607068-1D2A5AC500000578-183_634x591.jpg)
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I still have no fucking clue what the fuck is happening here.
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I still have no fucking clue what the fuck is happening here.
Epicness, of an alcohol fueled nature. You may need to be tipsy to appreciate it (or loathe it in equal measure). Old Indiscipline is recounting his Oxy washed days of music discovery with Dream Theater and a cast of characters that... well just read it from the beginning. :)
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It weird that I understood all of this? :lol
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This thread is a focking dream come true.
I still have no fucking clue what the fuck is happening here.
No worries, it means you're pretty sane. We're using this little campy Lagavulin-soaked retrospective as cover-up for our real project, that is our imminent debut in Vegas as the New Rat Pack. I am obviously Frankie since I'm blue-eyed, basically italian and this is my focking thread. Podaar glides in with panache and classy barbs as only Dean could and TAC is the only one capable of pulling off a Sammy, given his legal ownership of SIT Cyborg Eddie's bionic eye. Bosk1 is our benevolent JFK, tolerating our inanities in this den of prog debauchery as long as we provide broads and booze. He's going to pull the plug the moment he bothers to actually read the focking bollocks we're soiling his message board with.
It weird that I understood all of this? :lol
No sir, it's splendid news, welcome aboard.
Guys, we've got Peter Lawford.
Now, still smelling of first time sex and panic, let's half-nakedly face the sequel to a focking hard to follow masterpiece:
6:00
0:00 – 0:11: John opened the previous album, now it Mike's turn, in flying focking colours I might add. And if you suspect such a wonderful drum intro is gonna make me open the Drum Intros Pantheon to visitors, you know me too focking well. Which one (no particular order) is gonna lose its place to this beauty?
Fireball – Ian Paice
The Rover – John Bonham
Rosanna – Jeff Porcaro
Stargazer – Cozy Powell
Hor for Teacher – Alex Van Halen
Run to the Hills – Clive Burr
50 Ways to Leave your Lover – Steve Gadd
Where Eagles Dare – Nicko McBrain
We're Not Gonna Take It – AJ Pero
Blood Sugar Sex Magic – Chad Smith
Walk This Way – Joey Kramer
Superstition – Carmine Appice
0:11 – 0:20: Atonal, frantic and gritty. What a difference two years make.
0:20 – 0:30: A dirty heavy elaborate Vanilla Fudge Metal, but it may be just me.
0:30 – 0:44: Wait a minute. Did they focking hire a second guitarist? If so, is he Scott focking Ian?
0:44 – 0:54: Ok, ok. I think I get it. It's 6 o'clock on a Christmas morning. Jeez.
0:54 – 1:04: Great grimy bass riff. Propably impossible without the emergence of Rage Against the Machine.
1:04 – 2:11: Thank you, James. I thought I had bought another band's release until I heard your (worringly growly) voice. Anyway, stunning rocker. It's like Space Truckin' raped Take the Time's verse and kept the resulting offspring on a proteins only diet.
2:11 – 2:25: James, you dare to push-belt out live that way and that growl is going to bite you in the winter rose before you hit 40.
2:25 – 3:14: What a powerful mess. I'm officially afraid some cupcake at the record label told the guys I&W had a pussy sound and they reacted wearing the Symbionte Costume.
3:14 – 3:52: Ok, maybe not. The Space Soda triumphantly returns, but way darker. I don't know, is losing verginity making me perceive every tone in a grimmer way?
3:52 – 4:12: It wasn't Scott Ian. It was Tom Morello.
4:12 – 5:10: What the fock happened in two years? Comparing openers, we went from Hamlet lost in the sky to a dude smoking marlboros inside a truck, from not being afraid despite worlds crumbling and sparrows falling to Yuletide midlife crisis because my weekend warrior Journey cover band sucks and my wife is fat. I focking blame grunge.
5:10 – 5:30: And here we go again with Santa's alarm clock and the contractual obligation to leave every album opener's finale on the editing room's floor. I focked a human being for the first time in my life fifteen minutes ago and I'm pissed. By the way, let me check on the undeserved beautiful poor girl sleeping in Material Mom's bedroom before Rikki slashes her open in order to sacrifice her life essence to some Egyptian Feline Deity.
Nonetheless, we have a Joey Bishop vacant spot still available.
Coming Next (with a premature shitstorm from Awake lovers): Caught in a Web.
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Agreed! Awake was a huge letdown for me.
-
Now, still smelling of first time sex and panic, let's half-nakedly face the sequel to a focking hard to follow masterpiece:
First off, I'm going to keep my clothes on.
Second, please tell me this wasn't you:
(https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/jqfeNDPkf_bKnkEfVNUgUQjS678/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2016/03/22/056/n/3019466/5e828b61_MCDFOYE_EC037_H/i/Andy-Stitzer-40-Year-Old-Virgin.JPG)
and TAC is the only one capable of pulling off a Sammy, given his legal ownership of SIT Cyborg Eddie's bionic eye.
Well, I did have this when I was a kid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxuzRxqW7mM
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0:00 – 0:11: John opened the previous album, now it Mike's turn, in flying focking colours I might add. And if you suspect such a wonderful drum intro is gonna make me open the Drum Intros Pantheon to visitors, you know me too focking well. Which one (no particular order) is gonna lose its place to this beauty?
Fireball – Ian Paice
The Rover – John Bonham
Rosanna – Jeff Porcaro
Stargazer – Cozy Powell
Hor for Teacher – Alex Van Halen
Run to the Hills – Clive Burr
50 Ways to Leave your Lover – Steve Gadd
Where Eagles Dare – Nicko McBrain
We're Not Gonna Take It – AJ Pero
Blood Sugar Sex Magic – Chad Smith
Walk This Way – Joey Kramer
Superstition – Carmine Appice
#DaveHollandmetoo
#PhilRuddlaughsatDaveHolland
0:30 – 0:44: Wait a minute. Did they focking hire a second guitarist? If so, is he Scott focking Ian?
3:52 – 4:12: It wasn't Scott Ian. It was Tom Morello.
Great focking calls on both.
BTW, is it me or am I the only one that enjoys Tom Morello talking about Metal more than actually playing it.
undeserved beautiful poor girl sleeping in Material Mom's bedroom
Um..OK..
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No worries, it means you're pretty sane. We're using this little campy Lagavulin-soaked retrospective as cover-up for our real project, that is our imminent debut in Vegas as the New Rat Pack.
Switching from cheap vodka to classy and delicious single malt scotch is clearly a cheap, sad, and cynical attempt to ingratiate yourself to your audience.
Good work. Keep it up.
It weird that I understood all of this? :lol
No sir, it's splendid news, welcome aboard.
Guys, we've got Peter Lawford.
King's more like Gleason, really.
@ King: What's weird is that you nearly spelled that sentence correctly. :)
--------------------------------
As for your first impressions/running commentary: I can already tell we're going to get a heavy dose of, <whinging voice> It's too heavy. It's too dark. It too different from I&W. I wish I had bigger balls and better taste so I could enjoy this.</whinging voice>
If you think I'm going to sit here and read along for ten more songs while you cringe, whimper and tear down one of the greatest rock achievements of the band who this entire forum is dedicated to, mister, well... you're right.
Carry on.
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:lol
King is definitely Gleason!
To me, Awake never really started until Erotomania.
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:lol
To the moon with you two!
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undeserved beautiful poor girl sleeping in Material Mom's bedroom
Um..OK..
I agree, Tim. Having Girlfriend#1 sleep off her disappointment in his Mom's bed strains his credibility too much.
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undeserved beautiful poor girl sleeping in Material Mom's bedroom
Um..OK..
I agree, Tim. Having Girlfriend#1 sleep off her disappointment in his Mom's bed strains his credibility too much.
And here I thought Tim was the momma's boy.......
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undeserved beautiful poor girl sleeping in Material Mom's bedroom
Um..OK..
I agree, Tim. Having Girlfriend#1 sleep off her disappointment in his Mom's bed strains his credibility too much.
But it does enhance his creepibility!
And here I thought Tim was the momma's boy.......
Nope, but I am a bosom buddy.
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Hey, gang.
It was the only bed in the house you could luminol without discovering vast crispy lost civilizations.
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/9HkNfhYEJBLtm/giphy.gif)
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I know, I'm focking disgusting. And probably getting worse.
Nonetheless, Q&A! Because you're a funny bunch and I don't do recaps until midnight, like a reverse Gremlin.
To the moon with you two!
Fly me to the moon, King.
To me, Awake never really started until Erotomania.
Thank you TACleaks for almost spoiling next episodes.
For my home-minted money, from track 3 to 11 it's on par with I&W.
BTW, is it me or am I the only one that enjoys Tom Morello talking about Metal more than actually playing it
Yep, he's got a funny enthusiastic nerdy fan side about his views. He can get a tad annoying when pontificating about heavy riffage like he's Iommi's heir or something.
Spoken by the flailng spastic nobody who makes pantheons and charts in a surreal thread, naturally.
Switching from cheap vodka to classy and delicious single malt scotch is clearly a cheap, sad, and cynical attempt to ingratiate yourself to your audience.
I live to serve, I really focking do. Oban 14?
As for your first impressions/running commentary: I can already tell we're going to get a heavy dose of, <whinging voice> It's too heavy. It's too dark. It too different from I&W. I wish I had bigger balls and better taste so I could enjoy this.</whinging voice>
Controversy! And you've seen nothing yet. Stick with me until The Astonishing, in approximatively 67 years.
I loved Awake's hairy and angsty balls but - like King Lear's Fool - I have the privilege to say what sane or socially conscious fans aren't allowed to confess: 6:00 made you go whattafock in 1994, assuming your ears were still ringing with Learning to Outro.
Agreed!
Greetings! Would you like to be our Joey Bishop?
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I loved Awake's hairy and angsty balls but - like King Lear's Fool - I have the privilege to say what sane or socially conscious fans aren't allowed to confess: 6:00 made you go whattafock in 1994, assuming your ears were still ringing with Learning to Outro.
You know, it's kinda funny, and I chalk it up to me being a dense "metal-head", but at the time I didn't find Awake to be a huge departure from I&W. Over the years I've heard folks say that they were sure DT had a new singer, that the album was depressing, that they blamed Grunge (ahem), but I liked it from the start. 6:00 didn't make me go whattafock in 1994. I was 33 and blissfully married to my second mistake and was pretty much happy that I had another DT record.
Listening to the song, while reading along with your running commentary does give me a different perspective, though. I see the concern better in retrospect than I ever would have, at the time, on my own.
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You make me feel so young … You make me feel so spring has sprung ...
Caught in a Web
0:00 – 0.12: Fock, you startled me Old Moses (that's this album's name according to my Cover Animist Affliction). And while we are appreciating the five semitones guitar bonus down low, it appears Kevin is manouvering the anti-aircraft siren
0:12 – 0:22: Heaven on Their Minds played by SOD. How the fock did I manage to get laid is beyond me.
0:22 – 1:04: Now I get it. They're not floating away from I&W. In fact, this section has the same mechanics of Pull Me Under's verse. The only difference is Shirley waited for sleep, eventually fell into a dreamy epic slumber full of images and words, then she woke up as Old Moses and discovered:
A) The little cold metal frame has grown up a big ass mirror.
B) The big ass mirror is apparently inhabitated by Agent 47.
C) The dream was fine, dandy and snare-triggered. Reality is harsh.
C'mon, Old Moses. Show me which limb of the Voltron is aching.
1:04 – 1:12: Or delight me with a furious Kansas transition, fine by me anyway.
1:12 – 1:30: Doctor Doctor please acknowledge the limbs seem all right and packing a punch. John P having a ball with the extra string, James defiantly mocking Goddess Edema, Mike on a wonderfully sounding lead instrument played with sticks, John M on his usual Monster Hockey Goalie impression, Kevin in a Faith No More mood. Still, this is Pull Me Under's chorus after a cynical awakening.
1:30 – 1:40: Nothing after That Slide matters. That Slide should be sampled and used as sound effect for meaningful pelvic thrusts. Speaking of which, we need to check the bedroom …
1:40 – 2:16: One hour later, (EDITOR NOTE: Oh, for fock's sake.) Right, twenty minutes later, (WIFE #2 NOTE: Tee-hee.) Ok, simmer down already. Ninety seconds later,
we come back to witness Mr LaBrie trying to close a verse like Zach DeLaRocha.
2:16 – 2:35: That was a magnficently sounding ride cymbal, almost McBrain magnificent.
2:35 – 3:33: A cloud of flies gathering around a corpse, almost sounding like an exercise. The last time we met, under Pull Me Under's bridge, you looked different.
3:33 – 4:12: Epic Cowbell and Woodpeckers from Mars feel. This section would have shined inside Metropolis.
4:12 – 4:31: Holy larynx. We're approaching John Lennon at the end of Twist and Shout recording session territory. Guys, you're running the Paris-Dakar with a Ferrari GTO.
4:31 – 5:14: I'm still undecided wether this is the heavy evolution of Kashmir or the exorcism of King Diamond. If it makes sense to you, I suggest quitting the paint thinner.
5:14 – 5:27: This I liked, but you're not fooling me, Old Rock Spider Moses. The chase for the aching limb rages on.
Coming Next: Innocence Faded (and faith restored).
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I've attempted this installment sober, and now tipsy, and I still don't get the references. I'm going to down a few G&T's and fire up Google to see if I can get something out of it.
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Oh my god. I haven't caught up yet because I haven't been around in a couple weeks, but I saw this thread active and thought I was dreaming.
Looks like it's time to listen along and catch up again. :hefdaddy
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Nope, drunk googling didn't help either. But I did wake up in striped pants face down in a guitar case, so it wasn't a total loss.
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Silence disguised I watch you. Show me the post that that :lol you
Long time listener, first time caller..... this stuff is amazing. Keep up the great work and don't Disappear again.....
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She gets too hungry, for dinner at eight
She loves dream theater, but she never comes late
She never bothers when I procrastinate
That' why the lady's Q&A.
I've attempted this installment sober
That's the bravest deed I've ever heard of.
Oh my god. I haven't caught up yet because I haven't been around in a couple weeks, but I saw this thread active and thought I was dreaming.
Looks like it's time to listen along and catch up again. :hefdaddy
Joey, that you?
Silence disguised I watch you. Show me the post that that :lol you
Long time listener, first time caller..... this stuff is amazing. Keep up the great work and don't Disappear again.....
Try to push me 'round the world some more and make me post in fear.
Not going anywhere. I've just signed with Inside Out a new contract worth 13 Running Diaries, 350000 Focks, and 7820 Idiotic References. Furthermore ...
Nope, drunk googling didn't help either. But I did wake up in striped pants face down in a guitar case, so it wasn't a total loss.
... With such readers, where would i rather want to be?
Now onward, per aspera ad astra.
Innocence Faded
0:00 – 0:21: Finally a focking ray of light, carried by the most harmless cadence since Shirley had only habits left to break.
0:21 – 0:30: John M, If You Want Me To Stay just keep smuggling great groovy bass lines while no one's looking.
0:30 – 1:05: Can we safely state that the Lifeson Chords are to modern soft prog what baby oil is to modern soft porn? Can we? Anyway, where is Kevin?
1:05 – 1:22: Petrucci Ostinato and LaBrie Airy Caress, sitting on a Joshua Tree. I can see what they're are doing, can UToo?.
1:22 – 1:37: Welcome back, Kevin, you amazing Prince of The Prog One Liner.
1:37 – 1:54: I could write at least ten paragraphs about this gorgeous shameless whore of a chorus, but those Zombies backing vocals are too much focking hysterical, hence eating up all of my processing power.
1:54 – 2:11: Morricone moment with Kevin on trumpet and Mike reinventing the wheel. Never heard a more beautifully random middle-eight since The Liddypool Chaps basically wrote the book.
2:11 – 2:52: Ok guys, keep jamming. You think I'm just a focking simple towering powerhouse belter with a huge focking face full of resonators, don't you? You think I can't see you're half-arsing this shot to the charts while your minds are elsewhere? Ok, maybe not John M. His mind is everywhere all the time, like the focking Beyonder. Well, there's my opening. Let me show you superdupertechnical conts how you carry a whole focking song with the power of voice and pride. Ha.
2:52 – 3:09: Again, where oh where is Kevin?
3:09 – 3:41: We're proud to announce our Intercontinental DreamLines can fly you from UK to Asia in twenty seconds tops.
3:41 – 4:16: Fock me in the Bono, James. They can't live with or without you. Any other singer trying to pull such a pop staple stunt in a prog album is gonna stick out like the guy farting in church, yet you shine. By the way, can you see kevin? KEVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN? Is he home alone? At 6:00 on a Christmas morning?
4:16 – 4:52: Stop. Stop the presses. Stop everything. Dammit, Rikki, you too stop focking harassing Girlfriend #1, her eyes are not edible. Now I really like what Old Moses's cooking. Let a I-V-IIIb slide up the fretboard three times like a chord positional excersise, make it sound like some metalhead Alan Parson applied basically the Coltrane Changes to Pinball Wizard chorus, shake it with epicness, sense of drama and a little bit of John Miles, et voilà: The Progressive Progression to End All Previous Progressions.
4:52 – 5:25: Wait. Is this Decadence Dance Solo after massive plastic surgery or am I going defcon orange stupid? (EDITOR NOTE: Ahem ...) Shut the fock up, it's obviously rhetorical and I am on a mind to fire you. (EDITOR NOTE: ...)
5:25 – 5:40: Turn it on … Turn it on, turn it on again ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
I see a suite on the horizon, a three piece suite. I'm ready, Moses. Lay down the law.
Coming Next: A Mind Beside Itself: Erotomania (week-end friendly bumps appreciated).
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Sorry, Frankie, I'm still not tracking. Did you like the song or not?
Oh, and remind us. Where's Drummer Dad and the Material Mom through all this noise and adolescent debauchery?
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Oh, and remind us. Where's Drummer Dad and the Material Mom through all this noise and adolescent debauchery?
Trying to figure out how some skank ended up in their bed.
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Sorry, Frankie, I'm still not tracking. Did you like the song or not?
No sorries, it's natural. I was still struggling to build a connection with a complex album, still not "getting" it. Maybe, in a wonderful occurrence of narrative osmosys, this is tickling down to the reader. Or I'm just plain sucking, which I believe being the most plausible case.
Oh, and remind us. Where's Drummer Dad and the Material Mom through all this noise and adolescent debauchery?
I love the support for the supporting cast, but:
Then the perfect storm came. Saturday afternoon, parents out of town, Indiscipline breaking every olympic record in tedious begging. It was set for the evening, after the hateful mandatory stroll downtown
Trying to figure out how some skank ended up in their bed.
That would be a magnificent scene, and it might turn out you're quite The Clairvoyant ...
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I focked a human being for the first time in my life fifteen minutes ago and I'm pissed.
:lol :lol :lol
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Sorry, Frankie, I'm still not tracking. Did you like the song or not?
No sorries, it's natural. I was still struggling to build a connection with a complex album, still not "getting" it. Maybe, in a wonderful occurrence of narrative osmosys, this is tickling down to the reader. Or I'm just plain sucking, which I believe being the most plausible case.
And in a delightful instance of political obfuscation, you managed to say a plethora of syllables without actually saying anything relevant to the question at hand. Did you like the focking song?! *pant* *pant*
Pardon me.
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Did you order the code red, Col. Jessup?
Focking liked it. "So far" the best track on Moses.
STILL, I wasn't getting the album yet.
I could look straight into the camera and state: "I never had sex with that woman", if it wouldn't destroy the chapter prerequisite.
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I focked a human being for the first time in my life fifteen minutes ago and I'm pissed.
:lol :lol :lol
You'll notice he qualified that sentence with "human being". :eyebrows:
@Indiscipline. Thanks for the clarification, Sahib.
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One of my Memory Scenes was trying to figure out how Dream Theater was going to follow up the greatest album I've ever heard.
I literally remember my first listen to Awake.
6:00...meh
CiaW...Double meh
IF...ooh I like that ending for sure
But all in all, I&W was filled with epic greatness, and here we start off with 3 um..songs. At this point, I'm thinking I&W was a one hit wonder. Still I bought the CD, so I am committed to listening to the rest, but at this point, I'm pretty bummed out.
It wouldn't be until the very end of the album that I would truly find something unique about the album, but more on that later, I'm sure.
But Innocence Faded has really turned into a beautiful woman. I think it's sneaky one of the best songs they've ever done. It might be the single best vocal I've ever heard. Thank God for Score and the fantastic live version.
OK, back to you, Indiscipline, for the real start of DT's I&W follow up.
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But Innocence Faded has really turned into a beautiful woman.
lol wut?
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So voluptuous.
I just meant that it has grown I to something amazing. It didn't hit me right away.
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So voluptuous.
I just meant that it has grown I to something amazing. It didn't hit me right away.
I remember the first three songs of Awake being diefintely different but I think I knew right away it would be a classic to my ears. Awake is definitely like a nice big set of tits.
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:lol
Sure is!
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Innocence Faded has apparently ascended to Milf Prog status.
I focking love you so much, guys.
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Milf..I know what that is. Just learned the term a couple of months ago, thanks to my DTF pals.
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Milf..I know what that is. Just learned the term a couple of months ago, thanks to my DTF pals.
:rollin
Which song is going to be the racatac of the bunch, do you suppose?
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Oh Gregg, speaking of the racatac, I meant to mention this this past week. I joined our church softball team, and I literally haven't played in ages. Anyway, on Tuesday, I was playing second base and I wish I had a racatac to get down for the ground balls. Holy shit, was my back killing me.
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Innocence Faded has apparently ascended to Milf Prog status.
Talk about faded innocence.
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So voluptuous.
I just meant that it has grown I to something amazing. It didn't hit me right away.
Oh, so what you mean is, Innocence Faded is the girl in high school who was kinda plain, but emerged into a really pretty lady once she reached adulthood, right? ;)
Which leads to the question: which DT songs are the girl who was hot in high school, but whose looks faded quite a bit once she hit 30? :P
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Easy. The Glass Prison.
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Easy. The Glass Prison.
Totally.
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Innocence Faded is a 'focking' top 10 DT song and easily the best on Awake, but that's just me. I'm all with TAC on this one.
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Finally got a chance to actually listen through the first few Awake songs with your commentary. It's just as amazing as I remember so many years ago. Your words bring certain aspects in the songs to light that I still haven't noticed. Thanks for writing all this!
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Tits! Milfs! Voluptous Women! It's Live at Budoir.
Impressive work, gentlemen, as always.
Warm greetings to the newcomers, stiff drinks and canapès naturally on the house
Now we're definitely in the naughty mood for:
Erotomania
0:00 – 0:07: There you were, Kevin my boy. Lurking benind a Farfisa at the gates of the underworld.
0:07 – 0.23: Arnold Schonberg would be mildly proud. I figure the same could be said about a character we're going to meet later: the Classical Grandpa. Foreshadowing!
0:23 – 0:40: What a focking tight unit. Meanwhile, the following pub conversation is happening somewhere in Maidenshire:
“Jolly good knaves. That's quality, innit?”
“Aye. Wouldn't it be lovely with a bit o' Tennyson on top?”
“Wouldn't it be lovely in our next album?”
“Well, that's undoubtedly the instrumental we've been gunning for since forevah.”
“That wasn't my sogging point, old chap.”
“...”
“...”
“You mean, a full instrumental album would be lovely with bloody Blaze aboard?”
“...”
“Bottoms up!”
0:40 – 1:13: Beating the previous narrative gimmick to death, somewhere in Canada, in the bowels of the IllumiNealti Temple, the following cerimonial formula was uttered:
“Mike Portnoy, you kneeled as a drummer. Now you rise as Knight of the Hey Look at Me Use of Cymbals. The world is your Splash.”
1:13 – 1:41: This is the kind of arrangement that gives you musical boners. Keyboards droning like an evil bug around the riff, then sharing the triplet, and finally establishing Hammondish Lordish dominion over the phrase. Would it be terribly wrong to masturbate after your first complete sexual intercourse? Am I flirting with a permaban?
1:41 – 1:57: Lifeson Idiosincracies with a grain of Gambale Phrasing and a hint of Kerry King Chaos. You know, if Kerry King could actually play guitar. And you wonder why people are tempted to punch me in the face when talking about music.
1:57 – 2:10: Decades from now, lost in an ocean of DT intricate musical architecture, we'll criminally forget these glorious riffs worth a focking whole discography by your average '90's rock ensembles.
2:10 – 2:37: How anatomically generous of you, Mr Portnoy. Lower limbs locked with Kevin, upper ones with John P. John M is locked with everything. He's Voltron's Black Lion and I won't argue this. Also, this transition is focking magic despite I'm ignoring the destination.
2:37 – 3:05: This is the Dream Theater I fell in love with. Wonderful apparently unassuming key melody upon the glorious Space Soda (remember?) while the rythm section performs the equivalent of a perfect applause-worthy plane landing. Should my future message board readers be still in doubt about me absolutely loving this tune, just picture me pirouette-spraying musical semen on the ceiling.
3:05 – 3:43: The perfect climax. (GIRLFRIEND#1 NOTE: At least you got one tonight.) So you guys still do like pumping out beautiful melodies. Would you give your great singer one to sing, or are you planning to focking waste his talents with raspy nonsense? You got Freddie's heir, use Freddie's heir.
Rant aside, do I detect a touch of Neal Schon in that solo?
3:43 – 4:23: Talk about a silent leader. When Kevin gives a fock and takes the reins, you forget about techniques, signatures and virtuosisms. You're left with simple pure unadulterated ensemble music. Wax on, wax off.
4:23 – 5:06: Fock me in the Rimskij and call me Korsakov. That's some impossible elite cello game-changing shit. If nothing else, only by virtue of the tasty register choice, Johnny P is leaving Yngwie in the rearview mirror.
5:08 – 5:24: I was wrong. Johnny P is leaving every mortal guitarist in said rearview mirror. Paganini is riding shotgun.
5:24 – 5:29: Textbook case of invidia penis. You're great too, buddy. It's alright.
5:29 – 5:44: If ever there were doubts about Dream Theater's headbangability, you've focking been sonned.
5:44 – 6:18: Same same, hence some considerations. This piece is amazing. Complex and elaborate yet it flies away so smoothly I could swear its running time doesn't exceed the 3:00 mark. (GIRLFRIEND#1 NOTE: Neither does yours, dear.) Never a title for an instrumental was more accurate and spot on. You can hear the chromatic dissonant concitation of dirty desire, the odd-metered sweaty thrusts, the increasing paradox of orgasmic tension and release and the deep inner renewal of lust.
You can hear some focking amazing music too, of course. Or call the cops on my arse.
6:18 – 6:44: Johnny M sprinkles stardust on the tale's ending. He knows the secret ingredient of the Secret Ingredient Soup.
Fock my self-imposed recap rules. Hitting a pause button was never more painful.
Coming Next: Voices
Instant Q&A loose ends:
TAC steals the Glass Prison thing from my mind verbatim.
Implode brings tears to my eyes. I thank you.
Podaar, what the fock is a racatac now?
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A racatac is knee and back saving device for manual labor (or extended sessions of cunnilingus, keeping in theme with the current thread) that requires one to be crouched or kneeling for any length of time. See also, the "DTF Old As Mold Club" thread where we compare aches, pains, prescriptions, and [edit]information on[/edit] Milfs.
I enjoyed listening along with your running commentary for Erotomania. This one was particularly eye opening.
4:23 – 5:06: Fock me in the Rimskij and call me Korsakov. That's some impossible elite cello game-changing shit. If nothing else, only by virtue of the tasty register choice, Johnny P is leaving Yngwie in the rearview mirror.
I never noticed that passage having so much in common with early Yngwie. Like you said, so much better though.
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We don't share Milfs.
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My bad, Tim. Edited for accuracy.
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My bad, Tim. Edited for accuracy.
:lol
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So I was just listening along and I was thinking, "WTF is Indiscipline talking about?"
But then I realized I was listening to Voices by accident.
So I put it back to Erotomania. And I started thinking "WTF is Indiscipline talking about?"
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/37Ez5CZ8P0jSM/giphy.gif)
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I...I just realized that I voluntarily unlocked this thread. Voluntarily. I...
If I weren't at work, I would proceed directly to the shower. And not the cold kind either. The kind that is so hot, it kills everything on contact and leaves your skin bright red.
I'm going to wander around the office and mumble incoherently.
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JFK has spoken. We better clean things up, gents.
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If JFK ever attended a GWAR concert, maybe.
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(https://media2.giphy.com/media/VIJTtcIY6A6Ws/giphy.gif)
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A racatac is knee and back saving device for manual labor (or extended sessions of cunnilingus, keeping in theme with the current thread) that requires one to be crouched or kneeling for any length of time. See also, the "DTF Old As Mold Club" thread where we compare aches, pains, prescriptions, and [edit]information on[/edit] Milfs.
Thanks, gotcha. Cunnilingus for aching old men. The Racatac song would be LSoaD. Without the shadow of a doubt.
We don't share Milfs.
Ouch. So much for the Rat Pack.
So I was just listening along and I was thinking, "WTF is Indiscipline talking about?"
But then I realized I was listening to Voices by accident.
So I put it back to Erotomania. And I started thinking "WTF is Indiscipline talking about?"
The Silent Man obviously.
I...I just realized that I voluntarily unlocked this thread. Voluntarily. I...
If I weren't at work, I would proceed directly to the shower. And not the cold kind either. The kind that is so hot, it kills everything on contact and leaves your skin bright red.
I'm going to wander around the office and mumble incoherently.
Guys, trouble. Meeting at the Bellagio, usual damage control.
As usual, retinal scan not mandatory for Sammy.
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Until they started playing Innocence Faded on the 8V tour, my Awake CD always started on Erotomania. On my first listen to Awake, after 3 lackluster tunes, Erotomania basically told me to hang in there.
1:41 – 1:57: Lifeson Idiosincracies with a grain of Gambale Phrasing and a hint of Kerry King Chaos. You know, if Kerry King could actually play guitar.
I like the Kerry King reference. Now that you mention it, I can totally hear it. But now that you mention it, I'll be unable to totally not hear it. Gee thanks!
2:10 – 2:37: How anatomically generous of you, Mr Portnoy. Lower limbs locked with Kevin, upper ones with John P. John M is locked with everything. He's Voltron's Black Lion and I won't argue this. Also, this transition is focking magic despite I'm ignoring the destination.
Pretty sure Mangini recorded this section.
4:23 – 5:06: Fock me in the Rimskij and call me Korsakov. That's some impossible elite cello game-changing shit. If nothing else, only by virtue of the tasty register choice, Johnny P is leaving Yngwie in the rearview mirror.
Total Yngwie. But not just Yngwie, but the entire Rising Force band. Heard it on the first listen and on every one after.
Really the one and only time I've ever heard Yngwie in JP's playing.
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1:57 – 2:10: Decades from now, lost in an ocean of DT intricate musical architecture, we'll criminally forget these glorious riffs worth a fucking whole discography by your average '90's rock ensembles.
This really resonated with me.
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Did Indiscipline just misspelled 'focking' on purpose?
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Did Indiscipline just misspelled 'focking' on purpose?
Ooopsie, my bad.
Edited for the sake of your workplace filters.
Let's keep this act squeaky clean.
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Guys, we live to croon another day.
Jack is distracted with the blonde bombshell, the Cubans are still with us. The Five Families suggest to stay under the radar though.
New secret forum almost ready. Password is CabernetSauvignon14%.
Voices
0:00 – 0:26: Sabbath Atmosphere on Speedball would be my first response, if I weren't completely mesmerised by Myung's impression of a spider climbing down its web.
0:26 – 1:09: I'd wager Evil Queensryche Empire Rollercoaster Ride at Mercyful Fate Theme Park has briefly been this section's working title.
1:09 – 1:40: Nice brakes. Piano minimalist droplets, a sideways ray of overdriven tremolo light. This is turning into first class musical scenery, at least on Ancient Mariner Adrift Section's level.
1:40 – 1:56: Mmmmm. I'm considering a Listener Free Agency move. From Team Albatross to Team Spider. Let's hear the qualifying offer ...
1:56 – 2:43: James, you're quite the focking neverending source of amazement. I've never heard a rock vocalist perform such a one minute West End worthy masterclass in introspective interpretation seamlessly switching 17 different colours. Please, don't make me crank my Totally Arbitrary Vocal Pantheon open, if only for the readers' sake.
2:43 – 3:18: Epic music at its primitive core level. The heavy metal orchestration is just a cloak imposed by times and vogues, but the underlying pulse and harmonic progression are the same giving young Beethoven furious sleepless nights.
3:18 – 3:26: Focking Megadeth? Admirable reference spectrum, Tricky Moses.
3:26 – 3:55: Now i REALLY have to go for the booklet 'cause I KNOW I just heard Fock This Whore. Are you directly talking to me, Moses? Are we pulling a Better By You Better Than Me case in sexual terms here? Oh, nevermind. Thought Disorder it is. Indeed.
3:55 – 4:30: Don't get fooled by the incredible vocals here. Kevin is the man at the rudder with that majestic background theme, wether he likes it or not.
4:30 – 5:06: The spoken samples inside the opener sounded gimmicky and trying too hard to be hip, this one focking matters in the tune's emotional economy. A cruel pied piper for the screaming whirpool of souls you can hear from 4:44 on.
5:06 – 5:45: Finally you are showing your true Floyd colours, on the Waters side I'd say. Glad you came out.
5:45 – 6:14: That Snare. That Snare is obsession's percussive portrait. I need help, of Blue Sapphire quality if possible.
6:14 – 7:17: Delicious irony. The less technical segment heard between two albums is the one coming at you with the kitchen sink and ripping your heart out.
7:17 – 8:06: So focking much for the cold impersonal technical monster. This is pure brilliant guitar instinct guided by trascendental knowledge. By the way, on a Wah Wah Emotional Efficiency Scale where 0 is Kirk Hammett and 10 is Eddie Hazel, Johnny P scores a fat 9. You see? That's why you need me here, for pointless silly info like that.
8:06 – 8:20: Well, I said so focking much for the cold impersonal technical monster. Technical monster still applies obviously.
8:20 – 8:55: Of course James had to go there, be marvellous and push me:
(first tier, no paricular order, as gods should be worshipped)
Freddie Mercury
Michael Ball
Michael Kiske
Paul Rodgers
Ted Neely
Chris Cornell
Eric Adams
Mike Patton
Colm Wilkinson
David Coverdale
Ronnie James Dio
Tommy Korberg
Who's going to make room for Big James?
8:55 – 9:36: You notice how the keyb …
“hey”
Heart attack save throw barely made
“What the fock you almost killed me.”
God she's beautiful
“What are you doing here?”
And curiosity killed the arousal. Rikki still alive though.
“Well, it's my focking house, petal. Having some sounds. Can't sleep?”
“I hear voices”
“We share quite the same loving pulsating heart, my pet. I'm listening to Voices too.”
“I hear voices downstairs, you clit-ignorant dumbfock”
9:36 – 9:53: Fock. Fock. Fock. I'm focked. Focked is me.
Coming Next: The Silent Man (featuring parents ragnarok)
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Loving it. I would like to apply to become an In-disciple, is there an online application? I have references....
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Done. Rat Pack Signature Habana Montecristo and Membership Ostrich Feathers Boa on their way.
The latter is gonna go splendidly with the mesmerising avatar.
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Very nice installment, Frankie! I'm looking forward to the return of Drumming Dad and the sit com entanglement that is about to ensue.
[edit]
Heart attack save throw barely made
I laughed at this. Quite a lot, actually.
[\edit]
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And sit-com it is, by kind request.
Growing Pains – Season 02, Episode 06: “Friday Evening, The Blood Still on Mom's Bed.”
Or
The Silent Man
A question well served …
… “What are we doing now? You said free house!”
“Please calm down, honeybun. I'm considering knocking you out and tell Mom you're a burglar. Brilliant, innit?”
A voice never heard …
… (From downstairs, Drumming Dad) “ALESSANDRO!” (My focking name, feel free to mock me liberally and call me Alex if spelling-challenged.)
“Go make the bed, ladybug. I'm going down to stall 'em.”
“How?”
“Well, I'm still undecided between naked tap-dancing and projectile vomit pretending a possession. Any thoughts? GO MAKE THE FOCKING BED! Pretty please.”
Pray they won't ask ...
(Downstairs) “Who's upstairs, son?”
“A friend, girl, friend girl, girl friend. Where's Mom?”
“Hehe. She's parking. You have exactly 30 seconds to live. Maybe 40 because she had some wine.”
The Drumming Dad, the focking best.
Has a man been a victim …
“Weren't you supposed to stay at the beach house?”
“Aye.”
“Did Mom fight with Grampa?”
“Aye.”
“Is she mad?”
“Aye.”
“Are we ...”
“... Both focked? Aye aye, son.”
(Cratacratracrashhhhhhhhhh, from driveway.)
If he elects not to bother …
(Enter Material Mom, 50 Shades of Pissed) “Nico (Drumming Dad Slave Name), I TOLD you the driveway lights were in the way. Now YOU have to repair two of them. And the car's left headlight too.”
Running Dad: “Well, I'm going upstairs to meet the guest.” (Screeeeeech Vrooooom.)
“Hi Mom”
“Hi son. How are you …. (Crisis on Infinite Earths) … Guessssssssst?”
“Yeah, she's upst … (Mom Warp Speed Stairs) … Fock.”
Desperate to fall …
(Everybody Upstairs)
“Hello, young lady.”
“Hello, Mr. B. (Can't give you his/my surname)”
“Lovely friend you've got here, son.”
“She's delightful. By the way, Dad, could you kindly muzzle Mom? She's baring fangs and spraying territorial pheromones.”
When there is reason …
“Hello, Mrs. B.”
“Grrrrrrrrrrrryglfhwlkjlksdhfòlkhòflkhlàkhslkhskjgdjkdhgshdggliugilgliughjhk”
Oh joy, they're bonding.
When there's no answer …
“GRGRFGHHRFHHFGFGFHWhat were you two doing HERE?”
(Beethoven 5th: G G G Eb)
If there is balance …
“We were listening to some music.”
“What music?”
“Dream Theater.”
“What theater?”
“Mom, you ok?”
(Mom - Expression: Mia Farrow by the mirror in Rosemary's Baby – taps into the Speed Force and sprints towards the bedrooms.)
If they have to suffer …
“Guys, any last wishes?”
“I can assure you, Mr. B, nothing major happened.”
Fock, I'm afraid she might mean it.
Sin without deceivers …
(Mom – Expression: Michael Douglas at the end of The Game – back)
“You were listening to music.”
Good Efficient Girlfriend#1
Smug Dad: “You were?”
Bad Drumming Dad.
I could sail by on the winds of silence ...
“Yeah! Isn't it wonderful? We were listening to music!. Can we keep listening now?”
“No, it's late. I'm driving the young lady home. And we're having some women talk.”
Goodbye forever, Girlfriend #1. We barely focked you.
But this time I think …
(Indiscipline and Drumming Dad, alone)
“Nice piece of pie, son.”
“C'mon Dad, we were just listening to the new album ...”
Do you remember the iconic movie beginning with the dog carrying a human hand in its jaws?
Enter Rikki, Kurosawa style. Same scene, a used condom instead of the hand.
“Sure. Is it any good?”
I told you, Drumming Dad, the focking best.
Oh shoot, I was forgetting the actual song.
0:00 – 0:36: Let's hear Johnny P on the acoustic, definitely a night of first times. Nice and compact, unexpectedly restrained.
0:36 – 1:11: We already know Big James can sing a parking ticket and still melt a room, but the real winner here is the eerie synth. It's moving a strumming ballad from the beach campfire to the space station.
1:11 – 1:52: And here comes the call back to the glorious climax inside Erotomania. I have almost forgotten the first two tracks by now, thank God.
1:52 – 2:16: Some serious cello and serious late acoustic Jimmy Page nuances. I knew there must have been a little bit of Zep in the guys' trunk.
2:16 – 2:26: Johnny P and the major pentatonic scale. Van Gogh and crayons.
2:26 – 2:53: Well, he can also do the Renbourn, so there. And that “swimmmmmm” is reason 568 why I love Kevin James LaBrie.
2:53 – 3:48: Splendid little tune and great relaxing ending to the suite. By the way, lyrics ARE important. Change this song's words with generic heart/love drivel and you find yourself in More Than Words / To Be With You territory.
Coming Next (after commercials): The Mirror
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“Mom, you ok?”
(Mom - Expression: Mia Farrow by the mirror in Rosemary's Baby – taps into the Speed Force and sprints towards the bedrooms.)
If they have to suffer …
“Guys, any last wishes?”
“I can assure you, Mr. B, nothing major happened.”
Fock, I'm afraid she might mean it.
Very nicely done, sir! :clap:
2:26 – 2:53: Well, he can also do the Renbourn, so there. And that “swimmmmmm” is reason 568 why I love Kevin James LaBrie.
I've always loved that bit, too. Glad I'm not the only one.
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“Hehe. She's parking. You have exactly 30 seconds to live. Maybe 40 because she had some wine.”
:lol This made me laugh.
I can assure you, Mr. B, nothing major happened.”
Fock, I'm afraid she might mean it.
As did this.
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It's nice to see how supportive were Drumming Dad and GF#1 in this extremely tense situation... Did she ever return? :biggrin:
Always loved The Silent Man, it settles a nice mood and it's certainly the calm before the storm over the next tracks. Personally, I prefer the live arrangement with full band, but in the album's context it makes sense.
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I know, I know, beloved In-Disciples (Copyright AngelBack). A 16 years old brat's sexual inadequacies are the epitome of funny. Of course, subsequent girlfriends, occasional lust recipients and wives strongly beg to disagree.
A nice caring soul asks:
It's nice to see how supportive were Drumming Dad and GF#1 in this extremely tense situation... Did she ever return? :biggrin:
Drumming Dad was undoubtedly the evening's MVParent. He even bothered to give me The Talk, which we can roughly articulate through the following points:
A) The career and life I loved died when I had your brother. Control your leaks accordingly.
B) Take a good look to her mother. If the lady's bangable, the daughter has mileage.
C) She wants to snuggle after sex, you haven't finished your focking job.
D) Many years from now a man named Bosk will ban your arse.
Girlfriend#1 quite surprisingly lasted a couple of years, maybe longer if I hadn't left town purchasing my dreams, but she was never the same after that car trip. I'm convinced to this day that Material Mom someway changed the poor girl's brain motherboard. But that's a tale for another recap, now we prepare to look into:
The Mirror
The day after, I'm ready to resume the discovery and eager to listen to an obviously very deep and pivotal tune bearing the main object on the cover as title. I'm expecting a multilayered epic introspective piece, I'm expecting ...
0:00 – 0:14: … Focking Pantera? Tell me, Moshing Moses, what are you using the mirror for? Checking pimples or snorting blow?
0:14 – 0:37: One of the heaviest grooves ever heard tied to a haunting ethereal Elfmanish lullaby. Translating, a face and its reflection in strident opposition.
0:37 – 1:00: There! Alas too late. That Horror B-Movie Pipe Organ should have been Material Mom's Wrestling Entrance Music last night.
1:00 – 1:22: Hint#2 this song is gonna deal with the subconscious. That's the rule when you go Guitar Wah Lydian on the Low Register, or at least Steve Vai said so.
1:22 – 1:40: And three hints a proof make. The reflection has its own Lee Marvin voice.
1:40 – 1:58: Ok, I'm gonna launch a petition to save Big James' throat from this focking travesty. Can you guys please stop driving a Ducati Desmo like a dirt bike?
1:58 – 2:20: I am more than ready to acknowledge there's something horribly twisted in the way I process music, but as far as I'm concerned this section will always be Tunnel of Love Intro's Dark Twin. There I said it.
2:20 – 2:59: The level of aggression in this track is almost unbearable. I don't mean heavy musical aggression which I dig when properly executed, I mean sheer aggression to the listener's emotive balance. It's focking unsettling on Roger Waters' singing or Adrian Belew's playing levels.
2:59 – 3:21: John Lennon could materialise raging self-contempt with his voice, James Hetfield can materialise raging self-hate with his voice. Big James apparently can do both, and he can actually sing too.
3:21 – 3:44: Musicians capable of such precise oneric visualization just had to call themselves Dream Theater. The keyboards draw frightened footsteps into the mind, the spoken samples paint the crowd of disposable superficial thoughts, the guitar swells play the id's roaring rebellion, the bass depicts a heart hungry for truth, the drums ARE relentless spiritual hands peeling veils from the subconscious. I focking love music when it's focking music.
3:44 – 4:54: Recapping this beautiful segment would be cheating since my focking Awake cd invariably used to jam on “reflections of reality” forcing me to fastskip a whole minute forward. It took me twenty years to buy a new copy, mainly because I loved to live the technical interruption as some sort of psychological node embedded in the song.
4:54 – 5:16: These can't be the same authors who composed track 3. Well, they are, but there must be some sort of conflictual creative tension after two years. If I&W was Lennon/McCartney, Awake seems to be Waters/Gilmour.
5:16 – 5:39: Erotomania had a beautiful climax section feeling like a spirit taking flight. This beautiful climax section feels like said spirit hitting the ground from 20000 feet.
5:39 – 6:16: After the crash, we resume the journey at center of a mirror image mind.
6:16 – 6:30: It seems the id won.
6:30 – 6:45: And it celebrates with Darrell low pinched harmonics and Cobain violent bends.
To this day, I still don't know whether I like(d) this song. I know it hit(s) me harder than almost anything I ever heard. I seldom listen to it, and only when I want to feel hit.
Coming Next: Lie
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Reading these installments, while listening to the song, is a bit like brushing your teeth first thing in the morning, isn't it? You're continually on the verge of gagging, but somehow you feel better when your done.
At least your ol' man had some good sense, Alice-hand-row.
Predictably, our blue-eyed crooner couldn't handle the heavy, even at an angsty 16 years of age. You should have been sixteen in the 70's bucko, we were lucky to find such heavy fair...and damned glad to get it. :getoffmylawn:
1:58 – 2:20: I am more than ready to acknowledge there's something horribly twisted in the way I process music, but as far as I'm concerned this section will always be Tunnel of Love Intro's Dark Twin. There I said it.
At least here you make perfect sense.
4:54 – 5:16: If I&W was Lennon/McCartney, Awake seems to be Waters/Gilmour.
What the actual fock is this supposed to mean? Is that gentle put-down or a backhanded compliment?
I predict tears for our next installment...and you can tell your step-father I said so.
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Predictably, our blue-eyed crooner couldn't handle the heavy, even at an angsty 16 years of age. You should have been sixteen in the 70's bucko, we were lucky to find such heavy fair...and damned glad to get it. :getoffmylawn:
Since we're time travelling,
Whoa. This is heavy.
There's that word again. "Heavy". Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?
I loved and love heavy. I draw the line to the (real) big four - Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Overkill - but still. It's the song's heavy mood that kills me and fascinates me at the same time. By the way, being 16 between 1969 and 1975, also known as the best seven years stretch in band music history? Sign me up. Even if the price is eventually witnessing the birth of Punk and Disco.
What the actual fock is this supposed to mean? Is that gentle put-down or a backhanded compliment?
It was genuine surprise in genuine admiration (in what planet comparisons with Waters/Gilmour have negative nuances?). This album seemed to feature at least two separate compositional tensions without losing consistence, whereas I&W sounded more cohesive. Ironically, in hindsight, Awake is more "album-like" than I&W, which remains a majestic unrepeatable showcase.
I love this conversation, it reminds me of great ones I used to have with my brother. (Don't take offense, behind the fictional portrait he's actually a great guy).
And Alice Hand Row would be a terrific porn name.
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I draw the line to the (real) big four - Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Overkill - but still.
Overkill?
They were wankers compared to Slayer. Hell, they OPENED for Slayer when I saw them.
Where Testament was second rate Metallica, Overkill was second rate Megadeth.
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Well, call me a metal wuss, but Slayer is a bit over the top for me.
On the other hand I believe Bobby Blitz is the best vocalist in the thrash business.
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What the actual fock is this supposed to mean? Is that gentle put-down or a backhanded compliment?
It was genuine surprise in genuine admiration (in what planet comparisons with Waters/Gilmour have negative nuances?). This album seemed to feature at least two separate compositional tensions without losing consistence, whereas I&W sounded more cohesive. Ironically, in hindsight, Awake is more "album-like" than I&W, which remains a majestic unrepeatable showcase.
You're right, by itself the comparison is quite complimentary. But when it's bracketed with comments like:
0:00 – 0:14: … Focking Pantera? Tell me, Moshing Moses, what are you using the mirror for? Checking pimples or snorting blow?
1:40 – 1:58: Ok, I'm gonna launch a petition to save Big James' throat from this focking travesty. Can you guys please stop driving a Ducati Desmo like a dirt bike?
2:20 – 2:59: The level of aggression in this track is almost unbearable. I don't mean heavy musical aggression which I dig when properly executed, I mean sheer aggression to the listener's emotive balance. It's focking unsettling on Roger Waters' singing or Adrian Belew's playing levels.
To this day, I still don't know whether I like(d) this song. I know it hit(s) me harder than almost anything I ever heard. I seldom listen to it, and only when I want to feel hit.
It gave me the impression that because you loved I&W, Lennon/McCartney was therefore a compliment. Because you're not too keen on Awake, in fact you skip this song, Waters/Gilmour... well it confused me.
Given a new day, I can totally see where you're coming from. You're not the first person on this forum to be "iffy" about The Mirror. I've always loved it, probably because it was (is) such a surprise and is the one unique feature of this album. Take away The Mirror and most of what makes Awake different from the rest of the catalog evaporates, IMO.
Oh, and please... TAC as an authority on what's cool and good in metal? Don't listen to him. Kerry King wouldn't know a good guitar solo if he stepped on it, slipped and fell face first into it.
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Oh, and please... TAC as an authority on what's cool and good in metal? Don't listen to him. Kerry King wouldn't know a good guitar solo if he stepped on it, slipped and fell face first into it.
Old man, why don't you stick to Captain & Tenille, and Seals & Croft, and other 70's faves. Leave the 80's Metal to me thankyouverymuch.
Kerry King IS terrible.
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Guys, love will keep us together.
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Guys, love will keep us together.
Oh..he loves me.
I'm taking Flotsam & Jetsam anyway!
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Predicktion: During Lie, our protagonist will Lie with his little pretty again. On bro's bed out of some need to one up him.
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Guys, love will keep us together.
Oh..he loves me.
I'm taking Flotsam & Jetsam anyway!
Okay, TAC has a point about F&J
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F&J absolutely legit. Exodus were funny too, and I really have a soft spot for Nuclear Assault.
But I'm still partial to Overkill. Few things beat hearing Bobby e-lemonading things.
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It’s all good. We all have a band that we are partial to.
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Doo-bee doo-bee-dooo, bee-doo-bee-doo-beeee ...
I'm genuinely ecstatic these R.E.C.A.P.S. (Retro Egotistical Capers Around Past Songs) are sparking actual music discussion, and the ecstasy multiplies considering my beloved readers take precious time to dissect and question my incoherent thoughts and yet they let illegal teen-age sex slide with olympic indifference. If that doesn't mean getting the spirit of the thread, I don't know what does. Le the record show I am focking loving this gig.
Damn straight on topic, the man with the avatar I can't stop staring at asks:
Predicktion: During Lie, our protagonist will Lie with his little pretty again. On bro's bed out of some need to one up him.
I'd love to write about that, but it would be a Lie. Banging Big Bro was one-upped the day I showed my family I could read, and his bed was no safe place for a human being to lie on anyway. Bloody hell, even I could have got pregnant on the filthy thing.
Of course, I'm giving the audience two minutes to get over nausea before diving into:
Lie
0:00 – 0:20: Sudden rocker start! Also, speaking of Lennon/McCartney, this is Hey Bulldog's main riff beefed up with a low B string and at least 8 cylinders.
0:20 – 0:40: How very Prodigy-like techno rave of you, Dr Moore. A perfect match with Big James' unusual but incredibly endearing cool cat funky attitude.
0:40 – 0:50: Maybe I'm getting the gist of the album. While Shirley was a sonic evolutive snapshot of the 80's, Moses is trying to shape the 2000's sound focking around with 90's tools. He's the one laying down the law, after all.
0:50 – 1:10: This tune is so sexy that I'm really wishing to fulfill AngelBack's precognition.
1:10 – 1:41: Correction. This tune is so focking gloriously pissed off that I'm really wishing to fulfill Podaar's expectations about yours truly's teenage angst.
1:41 – 2:01: You can't make up this shite. I focking mention MacCartney and Mother Mary comes to me, quite contrary and riding a groove so infectious that I'm really wishing to fulfill TAC's violent musical tastes.
Am I catering too much to my audience? Damn focking right I am. Thank God I don't do social media and tech parlour tricks or I may go all treasure hunt on you.
2:01 – 2:37: Verse – Verse – Chorus - MiddleEight – Chorus. Am I witnessing a Dream Theater straight regular rock song? What next, Indiscipline making sober focking sense?
2:37 – 3:22: Thought so. Special section with special riffage and special tribal feel. Leftovertures meets Badmotorfinger and fun ensues.
3:22 – 3:42: I'm looking Califooorniaaa … and feeling Minnesoootaaa … Sorry, couldn't help it.
3:42 – 4:02: Shades of Metropolis. Wait, there's a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 turning into a 1993 Ibanez JPM7. More Than Meets The Eye.
4:02 – 4:22: If every good guitar solo is a discourse, this one is definitely a crying girlfriend telling her boyfriend to fock off.
4:22 – 4:57: I AM LIKING THIS SONG VERY MUCH. IT'S HEAVY ALLRIGHT. I AM NOT A WIMP. I tryyyyyyyy … I swear I tryyyyyy …
4:57 – 5:08: And out of the blue, Carcass, ladies and gentlemen! I swear, Dream Theater are personally focking with me at this point.
5:08 – 5:37: Ooooooh. So there is an undercover second suite in Moses' sleeves. If A Mind Besides Itself is the blueprint, I wonder whether a mellow concealed third movement is waiting among the three tracks left ...
5:37 – 6:33: Holy Twisting Fock. How can I describe this and hope to do it justice? Let's just say it's the equivalent of MJ's 63 points game at the Boston Garden in 1986. “I am the focking best at what I do, period. Fock Wolverine.”
Coming Next: The Racatac Song (Lifting Shadows off a Dream)
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Pointing out the audience, plenty of call-backs (the best kind of comedy), current references (treasure hunt) and relatable observations. This installment was like having sex on the beach. Very thrilling, slightly dangerous, with only moderate irritation afterward.
3:22 – 3:42: I'm looking Califooorniaaa … and feeling Minnesoootaaa … Sorry, couldn't help it.
I never noticed that before, but goddamn. You're right!
5:08 – 5:37: Ooooooh. So there is an undercover second suite in Moses' sleeves. If A Mind Besides Itself is the blueprint, I wonder whether a mellow concealed third movement is waiting among the three tracks left ...
Foreshadowing? Did you really think this at the time or do you Lie.
5:37 – 6:33: Holy Twisting Fock. How can I describe this and hope to do it justice? Let's just say it's the equivalent of MJ's 63 points game at the Boston Garden in 1986. “I am the focking best at what I do, period. Fock Wolverine.”
Nicely done. *golf clap*
-----------------------------------
Truly, I have a hard time separating The Mirror and Lie. For quite sometime after I bought the cassette (yes, I originally bought it on cassette) I never really looked at the track titles. I simply popped it in and listened. Months later, after I was thoroughly familiar with the album, I was watching Headbanger's Ball when the video for Lie came on. My first thought was, "Wait, where's the first six minutes of the song." My second thought was, "Where the fuck is Kevin?" My third thought was, "They yanked the end where JP goes all Jordan at the Boston Garden in '86!"
Okay, the last bit was a lie.
The point is, the two songs go together, in my mind. I love it when DT get's all nasty and metal. It makes their jazzier proggy moments really pop. You know?
Any who, nice installment. Next time you want to get frisky on the beach, Al, less sand, yo?
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I can't see anything in the post above and I only had orange juice and cold water, so I assume is PHP hating on me?
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Yeah, I accidentally hit "post" before I was finished editing. It happens.
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Pat Boone got it right:
On a day like today
We passed the crabs away
Lubed-up love matters in the sand
Foreshadowing? Did you really think this at the time or do you Lie.
It was a blatant foreLie, you got me.
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Pat Boone got it right:
On a day like today
We passed the crabs away
Lubed-up love matters in the sand
How you laughed when I cried
It's coarse and rough in the tide
Gets everywhere during love in the sand
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Someone please PM me when it's safe to re-enter the thread.
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It's all right TAC, next installment is gonna be heavily sanitised because Mom-centered.
In my defense, once you mentioned Captain&Tenille any hope of containing the thread sexy was lost.
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A whole recapless week-end, gents, meaning you got to breathe clean forum air and I got to work a little and (above all) see Roger Waters rally the crowd among ancient roman ruins. Everybody focking wins!
Brother TAC and Tipper Gore asked me to scale the naughty down a bit and - you should know my motto by now, you really focking should - I'm more than glad to oblige since I'm gonna let the Material Mom take centre stage. Why, I am pretending you ask?
A) Lifting Shadows is the only Awake tune the crazy bat could remotely begin to tolerate.
B) C'mon, let's be honest. This track recap would be focking boring without a strong lift by our primadonna companion character.
C) Like you're not dying to know what happened during THAT car trip …
D) Material Mom could actually be the current closest thing to a stable feminine presence in this thread, excluding AngelBack's glorious avatar, as far as I know.
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
0:00 – 0:18: Enchanting. They don't come more graceful than Johnny M. By the way, he sounds like the only one totally consistent with I&W in his playing behaviour. The others? Glad you asked, quick review:
Big James: A beast. New tricks: Masochist Raspiness, Southpaw Funkiness, BonoVoxitis.
Johnny P: World domination and a whole lot more sonic space occupied. New tricks: Low B-adassery, Wah Dervishness, Industrial Grunge Shenanigans.
Mighty Mike: Crazy Mofo Creativity and front mix. New tricks: Revolution Calling Snare, Rythmic China Cymbal Galore, Lead Groove Gamechanging.
Dr Moore: I guess the new space occupied by guitars belonged to him. New tricks: No solos, moody comments.
Steps. Of womanly and pissed quality.
Here she comes.
(Once Upon a Time in America Suspense Ocarina)
At least I'm not dying a virgin.
0:18 – 0:54: Kate Bush melody, strangely appropriate. May this be the udercover's suite third movement? Also, whatever the fock that new cymbal is called, I love it.
“Ale” (NEVER a good sign when she calls me like that. Usually police is heavily involved)
“Mom”
“What are you doing?” (NEVER a good sign when it's focking obvious what I am doing)
“Why, I'm recharging brain batteries connected to the stereo by this strange alien headphone device.”
“Interesting. Do you reckon cheap sarcasm is going to improve your chances with your new foster parents?” (NEVER a good sign, period)
“You win. What's the matter?”
0:54 – 1:20: I could analyse the wise clean guitar's delay pulse, I could wax poethic about the little chime indian thingy, I could write an ode to the perfectly balanced atmosphere, BUT that “breaking delicate wind” is killing me.
“That girl.” (NEVER a good sign when “that” sounds like goats shitting mustard)
“Maria. Is she alive?”
“Yes” (NEVER a good sign when “yes” sounds like homungous regret)
“You like her?”
“That's irrelevant. Do YOU like her?” (I don't even have a sound for that)
“Is there anywhere an available answer preventing this conversation to become the Spanish InquisiMom?”
“No”
1:20 – 1:39: Credit where credit's due. Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton have really improved since Achtung Baby.
“Are you SERIOUS with her?” (Mr Crowley Organ Intro)
“If I weren't so scared to investigate what you mean by “serious” I could attempt a response.”
“Are you going to marry her?” (Randy Rhoads Plane Outro)
“Mom, do pardon my vocabulary, but are you focking out of your mind? I'm 16!”
“I'm pretending I haven't heard that.”
“That I am 16?”
“Zip it. She's 17, she likes you and she's going to psychology university after high school.”
“Oh, so you waterboarded her.”
“That's classified, and beside the point.”
1:39 – 2:13: The Edge is playing his usual self though. Ok, this ain't the elusive suite's third movement. A special guests track? Maybe.
“So, are you SERIOUS?” (Jafar voice)
“Mom, I like her, but it's not like I have plans and stuff.”
“THENWHYYOUMADELOVETOHER?” (Sgt Hartman voice)
“...”
“You thought I wouldn't know?” (Vincent Price voice)
“She told you?”
“Dear, you DON'T know women” (Oprah voice)
“What do you mean?”
“Your Dad told me” (Yoko Ono Voice)
2:13 – 2:49: This salt of the earth section is great. Of all the super crazy technical bands I know, these guys reach a totally different kind of beauty when they feel like keeping things simple.
“What do you know about LOVE?” (Tina Turner)
“You mean … the feeling?”
“You know exactly what I mean. Don't make me say it, I'm your focking mother” (Tina Turner in Mad Max 2)
“You mean … lovemaking?”
“Don't you dare having fun inside this conversation. You are supposed to be intimidated, traumatised and utterly frightened”
“I'm trying. Let's see, I asked George (Big Banging Bro) about it a couple years ago and he began talking about bees and flowers, then he said he had to go fock his girlfriend and never finished the lesson.”
2:49 – 3:33: Second album, we can say we have a trend. Myung's songs feature the best vocal lines, and it isn't as close as you may think.
“Can you resume talking now?” (Fabuolous Moolah)
“Still bleeding a bit but I think I can manage. Nice left hook, Mom”
“Why haven't we talked about IT before?” (Mrs Keaton)
“Didn't figure you liked Stephen King. OK DON'T HIT ME AGAIN!”
3:33 – 3:57: Oh Noooooo! The U2 tune is dropping its mask! My God! That's Dream Theater's entrance music! IT'S GRABBING A STEEL CHAIR!
“You were saying?” (Layla Ali)
“It didn't seem … right.”
“Oh. And did IT yesterday?” (Cersei Lannister)
“Mom, have you just Scooby-Dooed me?”
“You ARE your father's son” (Lady Stark)
3:57 – 4:32: FATES WARNING HAS ENTERED THE RING! IT'S A TAG TEAM MATCH NOW!
“You are SO young. It takes nothing to ruin both your lives.” (Cellos)
“Mom, you were 19 when ...”
“Exactly my point” (Violas)
“Oh. That's focking cold, you hurt me.”
“And you hurt me hiding your precious life experiences” (Violins)
“Now you're totally playing pissy diva just to victimise me”
“You ARE your father's son” (String Section Cluster)
4:32 – 5:25: Baby, baby, baby, light my waaaaay ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
“Anyway, I hope you are using protection” (Awkward)
“Yeah. Next time I'm checking you are actually miles away”
“Dolt” (Better)
“Kidding. We play IT safe”
“Good. Next time play IT safer. Rikki almost choked”
(I AM my mother's son)
5:25 – 6:05: Nice decent impactless thing, promising way more than it actually delivered. Not sure whether I'm eager to do it again.
That's what Girlfriend#1 is probably thinking, but I guess it covers the song too.
Coming Next: Scarred
EDIT: Fock Typo, really.
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My sympathies to Rikki. It can't be pleasant choking on a Fig Newton. PETA has been notified.
0:54 – 1:20: I could analyse the wise clean guitar's delay pulse, I could wax poethic about the little chime indian thingy, I could write an ode to the perfectly balanced atmosphere, BUT that “breaking delicate wind” is killing me.
Thanks, a lot! Can. Not. Be. Unheard.
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Excellent chapter. Assuming this really is the soundtrack to your coming of age, I am curious if time has lifted the shadows off that nightmare of a conversation with mum. I can imagine keeping a low profile with her for a few months. And your mom was pretty sharp not to take the bait when you brought up bangin bro.
And coincidentally, I have found Lifting Shadows one of the few DT songs that "warms the heart" of a sexy time candidate.
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0:54 – 1:20: I could analyse the wise clean guitar's delay pulse, I could wax poethic about the little chime indian thingy, I could write an ode to the perfectly balanced atmosphere, BUT that “breaking delicate wind” is killing me.
Thanks, a lot! Can. Not. Be. Unheard.
Really, I'm convinced that's the prime reason why they came up with the lyrics rules.
Excellent chapter. Assuming this really is the soundtrack to your coming of age, I am curious if time has lifted the shadows off that nightmare of a conversation with mum. I can imagine keeping a low profile with her for a few months. And your mom was pretty sharp not to take the bait when you brought up bangin bro.
And coincidentally, I have found Lifting Shadows one of the few DT songs that "warms the heart" of a sexy time candidate.
Thanks mate. You assume right, actual soundtrack but with a little less cacophony for novelisation's sake. Regarding old mum, that incident was nothing compared to the incredible streak of juvenile blunders I was going to perform. We'll read the poor lady eventually forgiving me right around Train of Thought.
And yes, Lifting Shadows seldom fails in that regard.
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Wow, we're on Lifting Shadows? I totally missed The Mirror and Lie, which is weird because I had posted after each installment. :lol
Gonna have to go back and listen along.
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Yeah, I often skip those too.
*puts on Metal Wuss +2 helmet*
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So do I, but thanks to you and your thread, I now have to listen to them tonight.
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I wondered where TAC wandered off to.
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I wondered where TAC wandered off to.
I'm here. I forgot to listen to those songs last night. I have to get back on track.
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Alright, esteemed audience, Scenes from a Memory – the thread making you feel like going through chores and taxes (IndisciplineRetroactiveSoliciting) – is going a tad old school on this one. No soap opera interference, no Dickensian scenery. We are going to record on analog tape, using original Rickenbackers, Ludwigs and Hammonds.
Just the song, because it's honestly a focking handful and my personal DT number 1 all-time grower/late bloomer (fock, it's still growing and blooming to this day), as well as the track which single-handedly redeemed and sorted a lot of the incongrous bits heard up to that moment.
Like Mufasa on the rocky edge, we're going to get:
Scarred
0:00 – 0:26: Ok, Rikki has obviously developed an opposable thumb (because the poor beast will never catch anything of mine with its mouth anymore) and switched the cd I was listening to with Billy Cobham's Spectrum. Also, Bootsy Myung? Player of the Year!
0:26 – 0:45: Let's play Wheel of Guitar Impressions with Johnny P! Round 1, the insanely undervalued Scotty Henderson. Another difference with the previous album pops to mind: whereas I&W was a work full of distinct personality wearing its beefed-up influences on its sleeve, Awake seems to be split in two: one half higly unique original style, one half style mimicking. In a word – once again – a Mirror.
0:45 – 1:07: Round 2, David Gilmour with a bit of Stevie Ray's heavy hand. I guess that's how you keep yourself interested once you've attained Instrumental Omnipotence. Can I ask for some Eric Johnson tone with an ounce of Dave Murray legato?
1:07 – 1:49: Not what I asked, but I'm still happy with a zoomed out Lifeson. By the way, the day The Book of 70's Proto-Funk Groove goes missing, I would politely suggest to begin searches at Portnoy's. Just saying.
1:49 – 2:10: This wonderful Dark Prog (if the genre didn't exist yet, they've just focking codified it) section, in my musical authistic brain patterns, is the puzzle piece The Mirror needs in order to make sense. Bloody hell, a bunch of almost equivalent bars is already present there, but the vigor is all wrong. I would pay someone to Frankenstein the thing, or fix my noggin.
2:10 – 2:28: Well, if this is not the intellectual fragmented answer to The Mirror's visceral main riff, I am not a pretentious foppish message board spammer.
2:28 – 2:36: Case in focking point. And that guitar chunk is a bonafide act of tone pioneering in 1994, if you are not accostumed to slowed down sledgehammers.
2:36 – 3:16: Fock the Mirror, THIS is the heaviest bit inside the album. This song has already changed identities at least six times, yet it's carried by a strong organic flow giving coherence to every particle, and – by a strange circular/retroactive logic - to the whole tracklist.
3:16 – 3:33: Alright, I'm feeling like surrendering to hyperbole, but I am sitting on roughly 30000 records here – not counting Big Bro's forbidden stash and Classical Grandpa's collection 30 miles away – and yet I KNOW this is the most LeavingYouBeggingForMore chorus I have ever heard (assuming it's the chorus). Perfect imperfection. I have no words, only moans.
3:33 – 4:17: A full band airstrike isn't enough to prevent Big James to steal the focking show. He's successfuly swinging a doubleaxe even though his larynx is built like a rapier.
4:17 – 4:35: Mmmmmmhhhh ….gggggghhhhhhh … Mmmmmmmhhhhhh...
4:35 – 4:53: Another Mission Impossible Instant Cooked Mask, the puzzle piece missing in Lie this time. I am focking rambling at this point, I'm acknowledging the fact.
4:53 – 5:12: The mirror eventually shattered. I was very wrong with my prediction and [out of narrative timeline] a lot of people will be in the future alluding to the next track. The supposed hidden trilogy's last movement ain't going to be a mellow one. I am hearing it right now and it's a tentacular multi-layered masterpiece.
5:12 – 5:49: This must be the Dublin New Wave Pop layer. This tune needs a map and cliffnotes while my ears need more of those Whitewalker Icy Sword guitar slashes.
5:49 – 6:26: Crafty. An obvious crescendo you just don't recognise as such until the very end.
6:26 – 7:03: It still mantains a song-y structure. Even more song-y than Learning to Live, and the scary thing is the comparison doesn't feel like blasphemy. Much.
7:03 – 7:33: Sorry track, I didn't mean to piss you off calling you song-y. Although very much appreciated, there was no need to dwarf Heart of the Sunrise.
7:33 – 8:15: Take the Time moment. Kevin Moore, me boy, now I get your suspicious soloist restraint so far. You were just waiting for the perfect segment to produce an absolutely kick-arse keyboard-played GUITAR solo.
8:15 – 8:34: Driving with Johnny P. First gear, Adrian Smith after the cure. Second gear, Steve Morse at his most selfish. Third gear, Lukather on the right drugs.
8:34 – 8:53: 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears, all unequivocable Petrucci. Good luck aping that, future kids.
8:53 – 9:30: Same chorus (I guess this is the main chorus, not the brief teasing orgasmic one) hence considerations. Remember The Usual Suspects? That flick's last ten minutes gave you the urge to watch the whole thing all over again in order to fully get and appreciated it. This song is having the same focking effect on me. I am positive Awake is gonna sound on a new level of meaning after having been Scarred.
9:30 – 10:55: I am not one to tear my silly Pantheons down on a whim but this outro is stealing *ducks lightning* Learning To Live Outro's lunch money with a staredown. Only the sneaky orchestration developement is worth an average progger's career. What can I say abmmmmmmmhhh … ggggggghhhhhhhh … Mmmmmmmmhmhhhh …
This sounded like the perfect album closer. Now, if wiser minds than mine have decided it took another tune to wrap the deal, what kind of focking supernatural song is waiting for me to salivate over?
Coming Next: Space-Dye Vest, Space-Dye Vest, Let Your Worries off Your Chest.
EDIT: More unreadable than usual
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OK, I am skipping The Mirror and Lie for now.
First off..
Brother TAC and Tipper Gore asked me to scale the naughty down a bit
That's not true. I was asking to scale back the freaky with Podaar.
Gonna address the Material Mom portion first.
(Mr Crowley Organ Intro)
For obvious reasons, I appreciate any reference.
“Are you going to marry her?” (Randy Rhoads Plane Outro)
:rollin
Best line of the thread so far!
Now the song...
The U2 comparisons are obvious. I don't have anything against U2. I respect them as a band. They'd be better IMO if they were heavier and had a better singer, and the DT nods to U2 are very enjoyable.
The mention of Fates Warning was an interesting observation. It wasn't until the vocals started in that section that I understood. You're right. I could hear Ray Alder singing that, just not as well. Although 1994 Ray Alder was the best Ray Alder.
5:25 – 6:05: Nice decent impactless thing, promising way more than it actually delivered. Not sure whether I'm eager to do it again.
...., but I guess it covers the song too.
Yeah, I kind of agree. Kind of comes full circle. But Lifting Shadows has totally improved with age. Loved them busting it out on the DT12 tour. James is amazing here. Just about unparalled.
Gonna hit Scarred next. My #3 all time DT track.
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Scarred
0:00 – 10:55: Mmmmmmhhhh ….gggggghhhhhhh … Mmmmmmmhhhhhh…
Yeah, pretty much how I feel.
5:12 – 5:49: This must be the Dublin New Wave Pop layer. This tune needs a map and cliffnotes while my ears need more of those Whitewalker Icy Sword guitar slashes.
5:49 – 6:26: Crafty. An obvious crescendo you just don't recognise as such until the very end.
One of my favorite minutes' worth of music in the entire DT catalog.
This song is so immense. And that outro....It's not LTL, but on an Outro scale of 1-10, LTL is a 12 and Scarred is a 11. But like I said, only 8V sits between LTL and Scarred as my Top 3 DT tracks.
But I will also make an observation about SDV in relation to Scarred in the next installment.
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First off..
Brother TAC and Tipper Gore asked me to scale the naughty down a bit
That's not true. I was asking to scale back the freaky with Podaar.
Eheh, I kid. Tipper gave me an earful anyway.
5:25 – 6:05: Nice decent impactless thing, promising way more than it actually delivered. Not sure whether I'm eager to do it again.
...., but I guess it covers the song too.
Yeah, I kind of agree. Kind of comes full circle. But Lifting Shadows has totally improved with age. Loved them busting it out on the DT12 tour. James is amazing here. Just about unparalled.
I am absolutely positive there's something in Myung's lyrics causing vocal lines to be wonderful, causing James to sing them better everytime, forever. I don't know what it is, but it's there with every album and live performance I've witnessed.
But I will also make an observation about SDV in relation to Scarred in the next installment.
It's going to be focking interesting, because I've never connected them.
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OK, I am skipping The Mirror and Lie for now.
Come on, Tim. Put on your big girl skirt, whip out your tiny shovel and dig in.
@ Alex,
I mentioned before that I originally bought Awake on cassette which did not include Scarred. I didn't hear the song until I bought the CD just after Scenes From A Memory came out. As a result, I had an EP and two full albums between and they all had much better music (to my ears). I don't dislike Scarred, it's not a skip or anything but I truly don't understand the adoration for it. The intro and the outro are probably my favorite parts but in between are a lot of patched together bits that never sound like a cohesive whole.
8:15 – 8:34: Driving with Johnny P. First gear, Adrian Smith after the cure. Second gear, Steve Morse at his most selfish. Third gear, Lukather on the right drugs.
8:34 – 8:53: 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears, all unequivocable Petrucci. Good luck aping that, future kids.
See this observation was probably meant as a "Wow." To me this is actually more of a criticism. When compared with all of the wonderfully crafted solos JP has created over the years, this one feels more like he just tossed together some standard licks he learned over the years called it good enough.
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Taste it's obviously a personal thing. But come on... Scarred gets to top 5 JP solos easily...
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But I will also make an observation about SDV in relation to Scarred in the next installment.
It's going to be focking interesting, because I've never connected them.
Well, it doesn't connect the two songs. But it does speak to Awake overall.
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@ Alex,
I mentioned before that I originally bought Awake on cassette which did not include Scarred. I didn't hear the song until I bought the CD just after Scenes From A Memory came out. As a result, I had an EP and two full albums between and they all had much better music (to my ears). I don't dislike Scarred, it's not a skip or anything but I truly don't understand the adoration for it. The intro and the outro are probably my favorite parts but in between are a lot of patched together bits that never sound like a cohesive whole.
8:15 – 8:34: Driving with Johnny P. First gear, Adrian Smith after the cure. Second gear, Steve Morse at his most selfish. Third gear, Lukather on the right drugs.
8:34 – 8:53: 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gears, all unequivocable Petrucci. Good luck aping that, future kids.
See this observation was probably meant as a "Wow." To me this is actually more of a criticism. When compared with all of the wonderfully crafted solos JP has created over the years, this one feels more like he just tossed together some standard licks he learned over the years called it good enough.
I totally get where you're coming from, and I believe the cassette thing/buying sequence is a huge factor. Personally, I don't know much about Scarred general adoration or consensus. What I find uncanny is the way the song keeps growing on me after all these years, increasing its coherence every time I listen to it. About the solo, that was definitely a "Wow", but I get you, especially in hindsight.
But I will also make an observation about SDV in relation to Scarred in the next installment.
It's going to be focking interesting, because I've never connected them.
Well, it doesn't connect the two songs. But it does speak to Awake overall.
Oh, gotcha. Still focking interested!
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Got to love my all time DT song.
The lovely intro to the build up of the verses. Then the chorus...
The way I discovered Awake was by me randomly stumbling upon it. I playrd the CD and loved Voices and Scarred..
Scarred remains my all time favorite song. I am thinking of doing an top 50 DT song Thread again..
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Ben_Jamin, welcome to this corner of nostalgic lunacy. I'm taking advantage of your post to warmly invite the thread denizens (especially the lurkers) to share their DT discovery experience if inclined so. The Rat Pack is still doing the narcissistic rambling heavy lifting obviously, but the more the madder.
For now we're tackling Awake's equivalent to The Crying Game's big plot twist camera shot.
Space-Dye Vest (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Awake):
0:00 – 1:05: When I was a kid I had three big wishes:
A) To grow up in a world where Marvel Comics can be effectively translated to the silver screen (and I think I focking got that one eventually)
B) To grow up in a world where the birthday gift policy is reversed: on your birthday you buy a present for everyone you know hence almost everyday you get a present from someone you know (It will never happen but it could save several struggling economies).
C) To grow up in a world where “Is this Chopin, Schumann or Saint-Saens?” is a more than viable question about a metal album's closer (Focking fulfilled on the spot)
Also, that sneaky delay is not an effect. It's class.
1:05 – 1:24: I am hearing Lie's odd melancholic bit and the curious sonic translation of synapses firing. The plot focking thickens.
1:24 – 2:01: I think I've finally found the aching limb, Dr Moore. What was confusing in absentia from track 1 to 10 is blatantly obvious right here. Now I really want to space-dye the whole album from the start, sorta like you luminol things in order to make bloodpools in the shape of a heart emerge.
On a sidenote, the masterclass in musical theatre goes on: in addition to the firing synapses sound, we now have these cadenced thundery explosions sounding like distant mind doors slamming shut. This is turning into the introspective twin to Private Investigations' narrative instrumental section.
2:01 – 2:39: My visual take on this: our protagonist is now watching a foppish flick on the tv, but his mind is elsewhere, struggling to keep noisy incendiary bitter thoughts at bay until they eventually reach white heat status. The last three chords on the piano crescendo speak volumes. You can physically perceive the percussive violence.
2:39 – 3:17: The pot has spilled and the distorted guitar is the emotional foam. In any other case I would say I'm focking mad driveling as usual, here I suspect I'm closer to home than looney bin.
3:17 – 4:05: Here we go again, and frantic zapping doesn't help.
4:05 – 4:32: The arrangement is obvious: our protagonist has placated the mental pressure, but at a price. The music is not showing someone shutting off anguish focusing on outside world signals, it's showing someone shutting off the world becoming one with his anguish. This song is so good at what it elected to do that I'm sure I wouldn't need lyrics in order to reach the same conclusions, no matter if right or wrong.
4:32 – 5:10: Well, maybe it would have been a shame to swear off lyrics. That's some brutal powerful Nick Cave / Morrissey shit. Plus, honour to Big James' sensibility, that “do you really think I need you?” just drips self-delusional venom.
5:10 – 5:29: Dr Moore wrote the testament, Johnny P is e-bowing the letter.
5:29 – 6:07: Ok, now I'm going to focking destroy the mood, but this section – to this day – is automatically pointing my mind's ear to Supertramp's School, the uptempo instrumental middle section. Bear with me.
6:07 – 6:55: And right on the closing credits we get the album's most memorable melody. It would have been great to have it sung, but it would have been wrong. You just can't keep talking seconds after stating you'll never be open again.
6:55 – 7:30: What a punch. The most unDreamTheater song so far turns out to be the one best incarnating the Dream and Theatre concepts. It completely twists my whole point of view on the album, from cover to last note. After Pull Me Under, I feel THIS should be the single able to bring the band in every living room around the world. Everyone can relate to this tune on some level, be it musical, lyrical, soundcrafty or moody.
Back to the present for a moment, I am really grateful I heard this song and album in a internet-free age. Knowing then all the details and band dynamics going on would have given me a someway cheap interpretation guide and ruined the impact and lasting memory. I will always find better to save the mystery than surrender to the secret.
Another chapter closes. The next one – assuming you're not focking tired of this gig and admin doesn't wisely decide to save bandwidth – I'm going to have a blast reminiscing. It's about my first live DT experience and collision with DT fans.
Coming Next: Scene Four: Through My Galoshes – The Deluge and The New Guy (Featuring A Change of Seasons Running Diary)
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Indiscipline, I think we are in lockstep on Space Dye Vest. Without true data, I feel like my years on DTF have shown me that Awake is generally thought of higher by those who go back in time, rather than (already) fans listening to a true follow up to I&W. I still rate it at as a Top 5 album, but when compared to Scenes, which I rate higher as a whole, even that doesn't have the timeless standout tracks like SDV and Scarred. Even Voices. Apologies to The Spirit Carries On and Home.
I am a hard rock/metal guy. But a quick look at my favorite 6 bands shows a distinct lack of metal:
Deam Theater
Iron Maiden
UFO
Alice Cooper
Ronnie James Dio (all things)
Thin Lizzy
All of the above bands take me on a journey, if not musically, than certainly lyrically. It's music that grabs my soul and doesn't let go.
But as a metal guy, I don't need my metal from Dream Theater. I'm not sure I even want it. Sure, I love me some Dark Eternal Night and This Dying Soul, but my biggest want before the Astonishing, was my same want in forever. I want more piano and more James.
So enough of my pre(r)amble...
6:07 – 6:55: And right on the closing credits we get the album's most memorable melody.
6:55 – 7:30: What a punch. The most unDreamTheater song so far turns out to be the one best incarnating the Dream and Theatre concepts. It completely twists my whole point of view on the album, from cover to last note.
Back to the present for a moment, I am really grateful I heard this song and album in a internet-free age. Knowing then all the details and band dynamics going on would have given me a someway cheap interpretation guide and ruined the impact and lasting memory.
I highlighted the above two passages as I totally feel the same way. I bought the CD originally, so I had the full album. My biggest issue while listening the I&W for the year and a half before was how in the world would this band follow it up. What would it sound like? Honestly, I would've been fine if they called it a day.
So on my first listen to Awake, I was quite underwelmed by the first three tracks. Liked Erotomania and Voices, though not standing out against I&W. Mirror/Lie...Zzzz Lifting Shadows..that's nice, I'll come back to it. Scarred...Dense, very cool though, great outro.
But at this point, while I&W's follow up being a disappointment was not unexpected. And then Space Dye Vest starts. When I said I don't want metal from DT, I'm not generally a keyboard driven guy either, but Kevin Moore on I&W is fantastic. But he's barely noticeable on Awake...until now.
I thought Spave Dye Vest was the first original thing that Awake had to offer. "There's nowhere to set my aim, so I'm everywhere". Brilliant lyrics Brilliant delivery. I love how the song grows. You mention piano chord crescendos and I feel like it hits you like three times.
Spave Dye Vest ranks as my #5 DT song.
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When I had Awake on cassette, I always ejected it after Lifting Shadows. When I bought on CD I always ejected it after Scarred. When I ripped it to my home NAS I omitted SDV. I think Bosk said it best...
48. Space-Dye Vest - Wait...how exactly did Space Dye Vest manage to be #48 and not #50? I am almost as surprised as most of you. But when I look at my #49 and #50, I have to grudgingly say, "Yeah, as bad as Space Dye Vest is, there are two songs I have to rank lower." It's a very close call, but the way the distorted guitar is used very subtly for background atmosphere is something I can stretch to call a positive. But as for why it's ranked so low, I find nothing to like about this song at all. It feels so melodramatic for no good reason, and the biggest problem is that I am convinced that Kevin Moore actually views this as a serious song rather than a melodramatic song. I have no problem with melodramatic in the proper context. But when a songwriter intends a song to be completely serious and deep, but it ends up only being melodramatic and shallow, it just makes everything about the song seem silly and pointless. This song at one point held the distinction of having the most pointless, childish lyrics of any song I had ever heard. Then I had the displeasure of seeing a band called Kill Hannah in an opening slot in 2009. Still, this song isn't far behind. If they ever played this song live at a show I was at, I would listen and enjoy it and would be thankful to be reminded once again of how thoughtful the band is toward their fans to play something so rare that has become almost a cult classic. But beyond that, not interested.
To which I replied with...
I agree with all of this and would add that, for me, the melodrama has always been rooted in the fact that this song is so obviously written by someone from a privileged upbringing 'imagining' what it must be like to suffer. I think that contributes to the "contrived" tag this song often gets. To quote Carmine Falcone, "You've never tasted desperate."
I stand by this assessment.
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….whoever the hell Carmine Falcone is.
I'll see your Carmine and raise you one!
(https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/hollywood-california-eddie-mekka-who-plays-carmine-ragusa-in-the-and-picture-id517285684)
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Jesus, tap-dancing, Christ. I swear, Tim, you have the least exposure to popular culture I've ever seen.
https://youtu.be/Xg913f8Tjqc?t=74 (https://youtu.be/Xg913f8Tjqc?t=74)
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Fucking Batman??? You're quoting Batman??
There's only one Batman!
(https://cnet1.cbsistatic.com/img/3WWpyo2yFHjEailONIv4qKEoiew=/2013/09/24/5728d8ef-6de3-11e3-913e-14feb5ca9861/batman_2.jpg)
Sorry, I don't give a shit about every new Batman movie. Oh let's see, who's gonna play him now? Ben Affleck? Cool! Christian Bale? Oh wow!
I saw the first one with Michael Keaton and I thought it sucked.
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As fascinating as this Caped Crusader conversation is, I think you're missing the point.
Kevmo's Gagnum Mopus comes off as a boring wankfest because the only subject he could come up with to whine about was: All my buddies married members of a female metal band and left me groping myself to a magazine model in a Spaced Dyed Vest. Wah, wah, sissie, lala.
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As fascinating as this Caped Crusader conversation is, I think you're missing the point.
Kevmo's Gagnum Mopus comes off as a boring wankfest because the only subject he could come up with to whine about was: All my buddies married members of a female metal band and left me groping myself to a magazine model in a Spaced Dyed Vest. Wah, wah, sissie, lala.
No I get it and actually understand the point.
If you don't like Kevin Moore, and it affects you from liking the song, so be it. Personally, I don't worship Kevin Moore, but his time in the band, and his lyrics contributed to the greatest album I've ever heard in my life (I&W), and the albums that surround it (see what I did there) are both pretty damned good in my book.
Maybe the guy is a douche. Maybe you view the lyrics to SDV as douchey.
Space Dye Vest is the only "new" thing that DT had to offer on Awake. You think they missed terribly. I think they hit a bullseye.
And who is to question Kevin Moore's integrity? I'm just playing devil's advocate, but no one has walked in his shoes, so who can judge him? Just because MP called him "contrived" in a bitter spiteful lyric. Yeah MP should be the compass we all revolve around. Sure thing.
Personally, I connect to the song because of what would soon be going on in my life. But even on Day 1, this song worked for me, and has never slipped.
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And who is to question Kevin Moore's integrity? I'm just playing devil's advocate, but no one has walked in his shoes, so who can judge him? Just because MP called him "contrived" in a bitter spiteful lyric. Yeah MP should be the compass we all revolve around. Sure thing.
What lyric is this?
-
.
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And who is to question Kevin Moore's integrity? I'm just playing devil's advocate, but no one has walked in his shoes, so who can judge him? Just because MP called him "contrived" in a bitter spiteful lyric. Yeah MP should be the compass we all revolve around. Sure thing.
What lyric is this?
Raise The Knife
The second half of the song's lyrics MP wrote are about Kevin Moore
"Tortured artist bears his soul
Seems the pressure took its toll
Lived a life so punishing
Now he keeps the publishing
Spilling your guts out to a pad and pen
Communication to your silent friend
Raising the knife
To a picture of a life
(I once knew)
There comes a time
Compromising my life
(Just won't do)
I cannot lie
I can't try anymore
(To reach you)
I just can't fight
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
Cut through
I remember once you were the quiet type
Content to sit and watch the motions of your life
With false sensitivity
You cut yourself open so people would adore you
They all bought into your contrived sincerity
And how you wore your heart and soul right on your sleeve
Laughing sarcastically
You turned your back on the people who adored you
Self-absorbed exhaustion
Self-esteem distortion
Self-infused extortion
Self-serving abortion
I'll take the blame for these things that I say
'Cause I had the heart and the will and the courage to stay
Every day
I won't walk away
Reading through all the digests you show me
I notice the way that you"
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Wow...
I haven't listened to any of the bootlegs so I hadn't heard that.
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As fascinating as this Caped Crusader conversation is, I think you're missing the point.
Kevmo's Gagnum Mopus comes off as a boring wankfest because the only subject he could come up with to whine about was: All my buddies married members of a female metal band and left me groping myself to a magazine model in a Spaced Dyed Vest. Wah, wah, sissie, lala.
If you don't like Kevin Moore, and it affects you from liking the song, so be it. Personally, I don't worship Kevin Moore, but his time in the band, and his lyrics contributed to the greatest album I've ever heard in my life (I&W), and the albums that surround it (see what I did there) are both pretty damned good in my book.
Yeah, I was just trying to crack you up with that post. Maybe I should have put in a smiley? :biggrin:
I don't like or dislike Moore. I don't know the guy. I loved his contributions to DT musically, and sincerely wish he would have stayed with the band through their career. I never paid that close of attention to his lyrics until SDV because there is nothing to do but listen to the lyrics when that song is playing. The music itself isn't doing anything but providing a backdrop to the words.
I'm actually surprised that someone like you isn't dismissive of SDV. You truly know what it's like to wrestle with life. And maybe you're right, I don't know what other difficulties KevMo had in his life. Maybe he really has tasted desperate. I certainly know I have. If so, he really chose a weird subject matter for pour his heart out on.
Oh, and I've never payed attention to or read Raise the Knife. Let's just say, I'm not terribly surprised that MP felt that way. :)
Edit:
And as for this dig...
Just because MP called him "contrived" in a bitter spiteful lyric. Yeah MP should be the compass we all revolve around. Sure thing.
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f8/2d/1d/f82d1d93dd9e146ec0db1ed37a480dd0--finger-finger-middle-fingers.jpg)
I'm actually more pleased with MP leaving the band than KevMo, to be honest.
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POW! KABANG! Z-ZWAP!
I couldn't be more proud of my brothers TAC and Podaar: one self-admittely pre(r)ambles, the other goes pop reference. If I die tomorrow I'll be alright because I believe that after I've gone the Rat Pack carries on.
Now, disclaiming there's nothing more sacred and untouchable to me than my neighbour's musical tastes and opinions, Q&A!
But as a metal guy, I don't need my metal from Dream Theater. I'm not sure I even want it. Sure, I love me some Dark Eternal Night and This Dying Soul, but my biggest want before the Astonishing, was my same want in forever. I want more piano and more James.
Add a Fock or two, a couple of Typo Demons, maybe a silly Back to the Future or Rocky reference, and that's my exact thought typed by another man's set of fingers.
I agree with all of this and would add that, for me, the melodrama has always been rooted in the fact that this song is so obviously written by someone from a privileged upbringing 'imagining' what it must be like to suffer. I think that contributes to the "contrived" tag this song often gets. To quote Carmine Falcone, "You've never tasted desperate."
That - as well as JFK's speech - is a very respectable point of view. If I read it correctly, you can't believe in the music if its author is not credible, and that's fair enough. Speaking for me, not only I have never cared about the author's intentions and backgrounds (hell, John Lennon's best outputs comes from the most weak dependent whiny pussy-whipped place you can Imagine) but I focking love melodrama. It gave me Queen, Genesis, Alice Cooper, Alice in Chains, Waters Floyd and thousand others.
Regarding Dr Moore, I am happy lack of internet made me oblivious to that drama. As a guy myself both born in privilege and self-realised in extreme adversity, I am a bit cautious to judge the man and where he comes from.
But, above all, Kevmo's Gagmnum Mopus is a wordplay I will NEVER cease to be jealous of, damn you Gregg.
Wow...
I haven't listened to any of the bootlegs so I hadn't heard that.
Welcom to the dork side, Willthescout7!
Yeah, those lyrics - read right now in 2018 - sound funny hysterical and a little bit on the hypocritical verge too.
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I'm with you on the melodrama is awesome bit, but as JFK points out, when it's presented as being deep it looses its fun and becomes easier to dismiss. Also, try to remember that, for me, the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. I don't hate SDV.
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I'm with you on the melodrama is awesome bit, but as JFK points out, when it's presented as being deep it looses its fun and becomes easier to dismiss. Also, try to remember that, for me, the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. I don't hate SDV.
I'll jump in on SDV...why does everyone assume the KM wrote it from his own perspective? Some of his lyrics in ChromaKey are from the point of view of some imaginary person, not himself. And there are plenty of DT songs that are certainly not 1st person (Disappear, Misunderstood, all of 6DoIT, Forsaken, Ministry....)
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I'll jump in on SDV...why does everyone assume the KM wrote it from his own perspective? Some of his lyrics in ChromaKey are from the point of view of some imaginary person, not himself. And there are plenty of DT songs that are certainly not 1st person (Disappear, Misunderstood, all of 6DoIT, Forsaken, Ministry....)
I can only speak for myself, millahh, but all those songs you mention have cool/interesting music to go with them that really spice up the cheese. I'm repeating myself but my indifference to SDV has nothing to do with anything exterior to the song itself.
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Also, try to remember that, for me, the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Wow..so melodramatic. ;D
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I was kinda so-so on SDV until Breaking the Fourth Wall vid came out. MM's drumming and JP's solo made the song much more enjoyable and now, somehow, I enjoy the studio version more.
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I'm with you on the melodrama is awesome bit, but as JFK points out, when it's presented as being deep it looses its fun and becomes easier to dismiss. Also, try to remember that, for me, the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. I don't hate SDV.
I'll jump in on SDV...why does everyone assume the KM wrote it from his own perspective?
Cos he said so.
"I was looking through a clothing catalog and saw a picture of a girl modeling this piece of clothing called a space-dye vest. And, so, I fell in love with her [laughs] for some strange reason and so the minute I did that, the minute I was just like obsessed with this person, I was like, 'why am I doing that?' and I noticed that I was doing it a lot lately. And I think the prime reason that I was doing that, and this is what I figured out at the time, was that I had just come out of a relationship where I'd gotten dumped, basically, and so I think the situation was that I wasn't finished giving all that I was ready to give, so I was just, like, throwing it around, you know, just aiming it in different directions. It was a total case of projection. And this song is just trying to sort it out and just kind of admitting that I'm just kind of lost. So it's kind of a dark song. It was very cathartic though."
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Right. I don't know why anyone would have an issue with that. I went through a similar thing in 1995. I had a nice upbringing, but why would that preclude me from being sad, alone, scared, confused?
If someone just plain doesn't like the song, fine. I think Take Away My Pain blows, but I love The Best Of Times. But I don't get the whole "Kevin Moore's a spoiled brat, who is he to try and write a lyric like this?". I think that's crazy.
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millahh, robwebster, pull up a chair whenever you like.
AngelBack, I don't want beef with broccoli, I want my enhanced Hilary back!
Allright,
Dear readers, before opening courtains on our next scene, I really need to cover my bases and hang a sort of disclaimer upon the proscenium valance, because I am a horrible person but a caring one nonetheless.
I feel like I can safely state we are (or have been) all DT captive fans in here, featuring various degrees of hardcore dedication. Sometimes such status may involve actions and words opening the way to ridicule. Well, this chapter is going to mock them, hard.
Even though my conscience is at peace because I know I'm implicitly mocking myself and I've been formally trained and professionally paid to make fun of what people do and never of what people are, still I'd hate to hurt or be offensive to anyone or anything. That is not what this thread is meant for.
About that, you focking ponce, what is this thread meant for?
Glad you asked. To provide laughter, conversation, chopbustin' with pals, like some kind of waiting room coffee table funny magazine you can browse whenever you feel bored or tired of dissecting video snippets or judging snare mixings.
Aaaaaaaand?
My personal attention whoring outlet, of course. Never gonna deny it.
Back on topic, if you feel any funny comment about extreme DT fandom can in any way shape or form offend your sensibility and self esteem, see you in Scene 5. No hard feelings.
Scene Four: Through My Galoshes – The Deluge and The New Guy
Quick recap of a whole year of indisciplined life, in perfect symmetry as fates usually warn:
The Highs:
A) Got myself a 125cc motorbike, my pride and joy.
B) Was into Morphine. The jazzy band, you smartfock.
C) Began playing guitar and singing in a bunch of bands.
D) Girlfriend#1 still going strong. I was and am a lustful but loyal creature.
The Lows:
A) Smashed motorbike into smithereens and broke many bones, which …
B) … Got me into Morphine, the jazzy treatment.
C) Said bunch of bands sucked, but we'll talk about that in Scene 5.
D) Girlfriend#1 Awake Incident repeated at her place, her brothers involved. Many bones again.
But to me 1995 will always be the year of the First Close Live Encounter with Dream Theater, a band whose every published note, pause and lyric I could recite by heart yet I knew sweet fock all about, except for names, instruments played, and general booklet info.
I repeat for the stunned youngsters, this was a story of falling in love with songs and songs alone, the rest was delicious fantasising without any guidance but musical knowledge, personal taste and street buzz. Never bought a rock magazine, the interweb was a focking mirage and Heroin Junkie Record Store Clerk – bless his soul – was the sole (sub)human hub for albums and concert tickets. We did have electricity and combustion engines though.
So, if you are born after the Berlin Wall went down, reading this tale requires basically the same zeitgeist jump you need to perform in order to read, say, Ivanhoe. [/old fock]
When I knew about the concert I spazzed out, when I knew about the venue I totally lost it. It was basically a rock-disco on a slope by the sea, 100 miles tops from Indiscipline Beach House. The Big Banging Bro used to check the place for Metal Pussy on summer saturdays and he swore you couldn't physically Tetris-cram more than 500 bodies inside the concert room.
The only reason a godly foreign band accepted that kind of booking must have been pleasing ME! It was going to be the show of a lifetime, and boy was I right about that. Furthermore, no one in my town – if not pestered by yours truly – knew or cared about DT at the time. Chances were I could be the only hardcore fan at the concert, and boy was I wrong about that.
Two tickets, planning to bring along Drive Licensed Girlfriend#1. Yes, in my neck of the woods you could have sex at 16 but couldn't drive until 18. Now, ask me again how come Van Halen opened for Bon Jovi in 1995 Europe …
I should have known what comes of Mice and Indiscipline best laid plans, and mine went downhill fast. Here's approximatively what transpired:
“My angel, I've got a present for you!”
“Penis-enlargement?”
“Not yet, light of me eyes. A ticket for a kick-arse concert!”
“You dare mention Dream Wankers and I'm calling my brothers.”
“I gather that's a no, muse o' me life?”
“Fock you”
I needed a trusted person, someone able to appreciate the band and, above all, owning a focking vehicle. Enter Drumming Dad, my last hope:
“Hey Dad, you busy next wednesday?”
“It depends”
“Fancy bringing me to Rimini? Dream Theater are playing”
“Not my cup of tea, son”
“Whattafock, you brought me to see Iron Maiden three years ago. I saw you rocking out!”
“It was your birthday, and they played Cross-Eyed Mary pre-show on PA. I haven't rocked out once after that”
It shouldn't have come to that, but I was left with the mother of all worst case scenarios available: Techno Buddy. Now, just try to imagine being driven on the highway by a guy going through Ecstasy like M&Ms with a penchant for philosophical disquisitions at 100 mph and forgetting where, when and who the fock he is in random mid-sentence. Pure fear, but I had to do it.
Only God knows how, but we got there through a monstrous motherfocking deluge. Yes, I was going to my first date with my favourite band wearing focking galoshes, due to a cast on a mangled left shin (please refer to Lows section, point A). Should someone who was there that day be here on the forum today (why not?), I'm proud to say the obnoxious ponce in crutches and galoshes accompanied by basically Spud from Trainspotting was, in fact, me.
Coming Next: Concert Highlights
EDIT: Typo Demon, my personal albatross
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Two tickets, planning to bring along Drive Licensed Girlfriend#1. Yes, in my neck of the woods you could have sex at 16 but couldn't drive until 18. Now, ask me again how come Van Halen opened for Bon Jovi in 1995 Europe …
Nice call-back to another thread. Always a good move.
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:clap:
Back to SDV: I had forgotten that I had written that. Or that Podaar (I will always hear your name in Wey's voice now as he was trying to pronounce your name in that Q&A video the band did with us a few years back) wrote that response. That pretty much sums up my feelings, and much more articulately than I remembered.
That said, I was glad they played it on the AFTR tour. Seeing/hearing it live in person was a treat, and I know how much it meant to a lot of fans present. But the subtle changes they made really made it sing.
Not much more to add that I didn't say in that ancient quote Podaar brought up.
And Bon Jovi can headline any show they darned well please, thank you very much.
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AngelBack, don't think I haven't noticed. This one's for you.
When your heart's on fire
You must realise
Smoke gets in your eyes
Oh, crap.
Hey there, Bosk! The clap was obviously a signal for the nurse to sedate me I gather? It's all good, I would do the same.
Podaar, I missed you man.
This is going to take a while, amigos. Grab a cigar, pour some wine.
Concert Highlights:
M) It was raining tigers and hounds, and - although indoorish - NO ONE was there. I mean, we must have been no more than 200 drenched maniacs, which allowed me to spend a wonderful evening standing five feet removed from Johnny P's pedalboard. Naturally Techno Buddy vanished soon, drifting wherever his kender-like focked up mind drew him. I never asked, he never coherently told. I was keeping the car keys anyway.
A) A very big guy on my direct left, very gentle and caring, took incredible pains in order to mantain a small but effective void zone around my broken leg. That's the kind of kindness you hope to find in hard-rocking youth, and I suddenly believed I had found a hi-fives go-to-guy for the evening. I never noticed the DT Fan Club T-Shirt until it was too late, and by then he had become the Kathy Bates to my James Caan.
D) Lights out, we roar. The intro sets in and I immediately fail my totally pulled-out-of-arse prediction about the hypothetical pre-show song. I went for Tom Sawyer, Cowboys From Hell or Where The Streets Have No Name, by sheer gut feeling. Alas, it seemed they weren't paying homage to influences but really wanted us to have breakfast in black tie talking about Like a Virgin.
“Reservoir Dogs? Funny” - Big mistake
“They always use that it's called Little Green Bag Portnoy is a big movie buff I know it well I'm in THE MAILING LIST.” - Ok, buddy. Breathe.
“Uh, didn't know. Thanks, I guess” - Crutches as last line of self-defense, maybe?
WAKE UP! - Thank God.
E) Guys in! I'm feeling like Rick Jones visiting Avengers Mansion for the first time, I even got the Hulk beside me apparently. The stage ceiling is so low that Mighty Mike is literally eating all the lights, and loving it. I knew who the singer was, now I know who the frontman is. Hey, wait a focking minute ...
Y) … “Who the fock is at the keyboards?” - Big Mistake, Part II
“He's the new guy Derek Sherinian Berklee graduate played with Alice and KISS Kevin Moore quit he had to learn the songs in no time I'm on THE MAILING LIST I know things want to see my Majesty tattoo?” - Mother of God, he's even speaking in 9/8.
Stop right there, Indy. You are telling me you didn't KNOW?
I feel fuzzy when you call me Indy. How the fock was I supposed to know? Why, even? Great band puts out record, kid buys record, loves it, learns music, words, faces, names. Rinse, lather, repeat until band folds or switches to polka. What else did I really HAVE to know? Everything else is their focking business, as far as I was concerned.
Little did I know we were running, 25 years down the road, towards crazy scenarios as:
“Hello, Dream Theater Custom Shop?"
“Morning, sir”
“Right, for MY next album I would like 60% heavy songs inside the 9 minutes mark, 20% short and to the point groundbreaking singles, and you can split the rest in two epics, one reminiscient of MY top DT album of all time, the other inspired to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Usual time changes, trim the solo trade-off, and I would like to hear the bass, even when it's not playing. Album title should be Back When Apples Tasted Better, cover art by Joe Madureira.”
“Anything else, sir?”
“Of course. I'm mailing you a list of trusted candidates for mixing, they did a splendid job on MY favourite albums. If possible, fire the singer. His performance isn't really up to snuff with MY VISION of Dream Theater anymore, MY VISION, you know, the whole focking reason you have worked during these last 30 years. ME, THE FAN! Also, I would like an ounce of Water's Edge and a pinch of Home mentions, and MY snare sound medium rare.”
*click*
A) They are human! They have spectacularly focked up a UaGM stop and go. I mean, at least five seconds of embarassed silence, a quick turn of glances and a new drum count was necessary. It was glorious. As always, I can't keep my big mouth shut:
“Eheh, at least we know they are not cyborgs” - Return of the Son of Big Mistake.
“Whattyamean?” - God, take this cup away from me.
“I mean, you heard it. They focked up royally.” - Why do I even care?
“No it was intentional they love to change up bits now and then we mere mortals can't grasp the will of technical prodigies did I mention I'm on THE MAILING LIST I'm organising a pilgrimage to Long Island wanna come?” - Dude.
F) I will be forever thankful to Johnny P, he opened my eyes. I was waiting for UaGM solo with a stupid “Let's see if you are for real” look on my stupid face. I watched him perform the feat like a dog would watch a magic trick, then he focking looked at me – melting me - with a shit-eating grin and yelled YEAAAAAAAAAH! like a happy kid who can't believe how awesome he is. It's obvious these guys aren't out for pussy and booze. They are the nerdest music fans in a room half-full of nerdy music fans. The continous joyous eye-contact among them is telling us: “We are doing it! We are like Rush and Maidens! Now we're going to quote 8 bars from Fragile and we're gonna talk about it in the bus for hours!” That was the moment I fell in love for ever. Fock it, I even hugged my verbose neighbour.
O) Big James' beautiful face. I had never seen a broader piece of visage on a biped, including Pavarotti. No wonder you're born to sing, man, with resonators the size of a t-bone. Also, from where I stood, you could hear his acoustic screams before amplification.
C) The 12 Labors of Johnny M. I swear, he's Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders. He's almost hypnotic in his constant frantic calm, like a man who has surrendered to drowning yet keeping his body afloat with the methodical flailing of spider fingers. I spoke this exact sentence to my kind tormentor/protector and he surprisingly went:
“Uh. Yeah.” - That's it. Maybe I am onto something here.
K) A Mind Besides Itself. God, what a furious rendition. The new guy is waaaay louder than Dr Moore's recording and Mike and Johnny P seem to feel the need to catch up. The result is an amazing three way arms race, significantly faster than the original version.
“They are rushing this is not the perfect creation I know the venue acoustics are screwed up they should strive for the perfect conditions they're the best in the business after all I am going to formally protest through THE MAILING LIST” - Frank was right. The torture never stops.
I) Wait. This is an existential impossibility. An intro I can't recognise to a song I never heard. And it goes on, and on, and on. I am feeling like the third guy in a porn movie, but I am not the only one apparently. I really hate to do this, but I HAVE to know. I turn towards the maniac on my left who seems to focking read my mind.
“It's a new song I mean it's old but new they are playing it live everywhere it's called A Change of Seasons it's very long I read on the MAILING LIST it goes ...”
“Focking stop right there please. Let me hear it”
“But I can tell you about every bit and ...”
“No, man. Nobody wants a minute by minute running diary of a focking great song stuffed with a focking weirdo's inane comments. It's annoying, boring and stupid”
Words to live by.
N') Techno Buddy is back, materialising from thin air, vodka lemon in one hand, a girl by the other. How does he do it will forever beat the ever loving fock outta me. Then, like an epiphany, a Hannibal Smith Bulletproof Plan surfaced in my head.
“Hey, Mailing List guy, this is my buddy. He doesn't know Dream Theater, can you put him up to speed?”
Birds. Stone. Win.
L) Unbelievable. We were few to begin with, scared by the deluge, now some people are even going away, unsettled by a 20 plus minutes unknown song they can't sing along. I hate this focking country and forever will. I really understand the Drumming Dad now. Time for a digression, and to finally answer kingshmegland's question in the hyatus thread, “who are you and who's your daddy?”. I am lucky small fry, Dad was another whole story.
In mid '60s he played with a bunch of gifted guys, relegated to studio and mostly uncredited session work in a backarseward shithole country. He got sick of it and left for England, where he focked around with some guys from the Canterbury Scene, ended up doing mostly studio work and horrible touring, met me Mom, got her pregnant, game over. He went back to uni, got a job and kept himself sane giving lessons and occasionally jamming with a toothless Chet Baker who – God knows why – liked to have drinks in my hometown from time to time.
Funny thing, some of the guys he left at the beginning eventually became Quelli, and shortly after PFM. Great timing.
Point is, we are disappointing Dream Theater. I actually heard my torturer utter the following desperate words:
“THEY WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE!”
Time proved him wrong, but we would have deserved that.
O) Wait for Sleep, the acoustic serenade. Magical, almost an immaculate conception by Segovia's Jeux Interdit, embellished with an impish tambourine. One hundred lighters popped up in unison. You read correctly. Lighters, not smartphones.
Why in the fock would you watch a concert through a phone screen?
Watch it through a lighter.
O) Learning to Live. FGHkhgjhgljgkjgòhòlkjàljàòljkhjguguliuglugugòugòugkjgjhgyflyflgòhòiàiuàiuàihghkugòiugòiugòugòkgòugòugòàgoiugàoiàsldkhlbvjkbavòj
ròhfeàrkhvgàeihvetihgiàohngioàaktnjbàlkgtnàbrtngàirtnbàitnbàrtinbàrtnbràtnàbntàorbùhotntànàrgjàgbhàoeruuoaègirhgàoithgiprhgprihg
p+orhgpohrgperopghohgirghirghràghòorihgòirhòihòiiiiiiiiiiihiààààààhà.
I love everybody. Especially you, Mailing List guy.
K) Show's over and I am so out of my mind I believe my leg is healed. Then, out of the focking blue, the "crowd" begins to violently demand:
METROPOLIS! METROPOLIS! METROPOLIS! METROPOLIS! METROPOLIS!
I swear, it's like we wrote the lyrics to Never Enough that day.
I didn't care. I had my taste of divinity. I just had to wait to put my hands on that 20 plus minutes masterpiece.
Coming Next: A Change of Seasons, The (Long Distance) Running Diary
EDIT: More than I could chew
-
Grab a cigar, pour some wine.
I'm going to wait until tonight to read this when I can do exactly that.
-
*eloquent thumbs up smiling happy emoticon*
-
Concert Highlights:
...
Yup. Ya' did make me. And I did. And I didn't care. Fun read. :clap:
Oh, nurse! "It's ten minutes past curfew. Why are you still up?"
-
(https://i.imgur.com/bfRE2MA.jpg)
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Sweet dreams...you bastard.
-
I remember now.
-
This thread is the jelly of the month club. Received my Rat Pack starter kit* AND a serenade. Warms the cockles of me cockles. I feel pretty.
*Began the tutorial, almost leveled up to "drunk, desperate Shelley Winters".
-
Focking Indiscipline. I sit down at lunch and started to read your last entry. Except being on my phone it’s making me blind.
I’ll read it on my laptop when I get home.
-
It's obvious these guys aren't out for pussy and booze. They are the nerdest music fans in a room half-full of nerdy music fans. The continous joyous eye-contact among them is telling us: “We are doing it! We are like Rush and Maidens! Now we're going to quote 8 bars from Fragile and we're gonna talk about it in the bus for hours!” That was the moment I fell in love for ever.
This is such a good image of the band. I adore this.
-
It's obvious these guys aren't out for pussy and booze. They are the nerdest music fans in a room half-full of nerdy music fans. The continous joyous eye-contact among them is telling us: “We are doing it! We are like Rush and Maidens! Now we're going to quote 8 bars from Fragile and we're gonna talk about it in the bus for hours!” That was the moment I fell in love for ever.
This is such a good image of the band. I adore this.
Indiscipline, I saw this show a month after you did. It was the seventh time I had seen Dream Theater to that point.
I brought a buddy of mine who was a few years older and had been to many concerts, including with me. It was his first time. He walked out of that show and said this;" You just concert ruined me. I will never see a better band.".
Those early days were special. They were musicians' musicians. It was a weird, but amazing experience to be with Dream Theater back then.
-
I meant to get to this a couple of days ago, but my little buddy Lewis stopped by and dragged me to the Taj Mahal & Keb Mo' concert. Then last night, Mrs. P and I started drinking a bit early and one thing lead to another...we wound up having a conversation! I know, I know, but it's exhausting, so I passed out early.
I've read this installment over coffee this morning and have to say the experience was much like finding out the hair at the back of your throat is from a blonde dame. Pleasantly surprising, but it doesn't stop you from gagging while you get through it.
I wonder if Noxon, knows Incredible Kathy Hulking Bates?
At the risk of making you smell more like butter than you already do, the DT Custom Shops bit was brilliant. Don't let it go to your head.
You'll probably want to break A Change of Seasons into a few installments, me thinks.
-
I feel pretty
Oh so pretty
I feel pretty, and witty, and gay
And I pity
Any girl who doesn't do Q&A
This thread is the jelly of the month club. Received my Rat Pack starter kit* AND a serenade. Warms the cockles of me cockles. I feel pretty.
*Began the tutorial, almost leveled up to "drunk, desperate Shelley Winters".
Next level's a tricky one: "tormented disillusioned Richard Burton."
It's obvious these guys aren't out for pussy and booze. They are the nerdest music fans in a room half-full of nerdy music fans. The continous joyous eye-contact among them is telling us: “We are doing it! We are like Rush and Maidens! Now we're going to quote 8 bars from Fragile and we're gonna talk about it in the bus for hours!” That was the moment I fell in love for ever.
This is such a good image of the band. I adore this.
Thanks buddy. The - inevitable - day the band catches wind of this thread and rightfully demands admin to erase all evidence of its existence, that paragraph shall be my court defense.
I’ll read it on my laptop when I get home.
I meant to get to this a couple of days ago, but my little buddy Lewis stopped by and dragged me to the Taj Mahal & Keb Mo' concert. Then last night, Mrs. P and I started drinking a bit early and one thing lead to another...we wound up having a conversation! I know, I know, but it's exhausting, so I passed out early.
God I love you guys. No worries, really. The day this vaudeville becomes a chore I'm closing shop.
That's why I love the message board format and despise social media. Free fruition time and free fun.
Also, I'm focking long-winded and once upon a thread I was missing for 8 years, so eh!
Furthermore:
Focking Indiscipline.
+
At the risk of making you smell more like butter than you already do,
=
Last Tango in Paris *smiling grinning kidding emoticon*
Plus, Breaking ACoS in episodes is the right thing to do.
EDIT: Obscure movie puns need words, not images
-
Oh, man... Are we getting this in 7 pieces like the song's structure? Gonna take too focking time, but might get the deserved detail level and attention it surely needs (beware of the Indiscipline Custom Shops!). This is by far my favorite song of the band by many reasons. Listening to it with your POV and amazing side notes will be certainly a fun time.
-
I think (big out of place word, I know) I'm gonna break it down in 4 very idiotically arbitrary Vivaldi/Tracy Hickman-inspired Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer entries.
We are all guilty of at least one Custom Shop call now and then.
-
Hopefully you’ll get through it before you have to go back to jail.
-
(https://i.imgur.com/CNJ9iIX.jpg)
Priorities, you know.
-
A Change of Mind: we go full geek and fantasy trilogise this baby. After all, it was 1995 and I'm not ashamed to confess I was really into d&d and Dragonlance shit at the time. Sorry I've just ruined the otherwise perfect image of Teenager Winner Indiscipline I've strived to project so far *Ol' Blue Rolling Eyes Irony Emoticon* Ha!
So, let's pour some mead, put our Wakeman Cape on, unsheath the +2 Laptop of Sense-proof Recapping and roll initiative on:
A Change of Seasons, book I: Arpeggios of Autumn Twilight
(The Crimson Sunrise + Innocence)
0:00 – 0:23: Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
0:23 – 0:44: Nice tip-toe piano introduction, New Guy. Very humble way to make yourself known. The same can't be said about plastering your baby photo on the album cover, howewer. In fact, we're going to call this EP Baby Derek from now on.
0:44 – 1:27: Ooooh, very athmospheric and suspenseful with bonus glockenspiel. Also, reason #141 I love these guys is their average intros are longer than a Ramones song. Foreplay, dammit!
1:27 – 2:12: Now you have to trust me like you've never trusted a deranged fock before: this is Ride the Lightning intro with some steampunk make-up and odd-meter pants on. Give it four listens and you'll see.
2:12 – 2:49: I would like to crystalise these 30 seconds and fervently state they are to Prog (no matter the suffix) what the 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 is to Car. Plus, Mighty Mike and Johnny M are reinventing the (steering) wheel.
2:49 – 3:50: Interesting. I guess here's where Erotomania's trimmed fat went. Of course, DT trimmed fat could be enough for a couple prog careers. By the way, if this song goes on like this – super-dense self-sustaining one-minute bits sewn together with effortless mastery – I am naming my firstborn Baby Derek.
3:50 – 4:27: Baby Derek it is. Bo Derek if female.
4:27 – 5:00: Welcome aboard, Big James! Are we toying with a slightly less emphatic yet in the same ballpark Dio storytelling pose, my friend?
5:00 – 5:29: It takes a special kind of talent to cram such a catchy chorus between musical intricacies. I'm five seconds away from going in the streets, grabbing the first pedestrian by the collar and maniacally yelling: “Why don't you people like DT? Like them, goddammit! Soylent Green is people!” You think I'm kidding, huh?
5:29 – 6:00: The Return of the beloved Space Soda (reference for long-time thread aficionados) and Johnny M pulling a Pastorious. He's the shy one, but I feel he's the real cornerstone upholding this streak of great music. He's Harrison Ford from 1977 to 1997: you seldom remember him when talking about supestars, yet he's behind every major blockbuster.
6:00 – 6:15: And here's Under a Glass Moon trimmed fat! This means this shit was longer in the making than I thought. Mmmmm, I feel a DT Custom Shop Call is coming …
6:15 – 6:55:
“Dream Theater Custom Shop, how can I help you?”
“Right, you were sitting on AcoS before you published Awake, weren't you?”
“Sir, please calm down”
“AcoS: 23:09, right?”
“...”
“6 o'Clock + Caught in a Web + The Mirror + Lie = 24:17. DON'T YOU FOCKING SEE?”
*click*
C'mon, like you never thought about that …
Coming Next: A Change of Seasons, book II: Wankery of Winter Night
-
Well, no natural 20 on your first roll.
An 11 with a +1 for references to Sanatarium, the glockenspiel, and Soylent Green each = 14 which isn't too shabby. But I'm going to award you a +2 for Baby Derek (Beau Derek?) which gets you to 16! Against AC 4, that's a hit, baby.
Roll your damage!
-
*giggles*
I knew it, man.
-
“AcoS: 23:09, right?”
“...”
“6 o'Clock + Caught in a Web + The Mirror + Lie = 24:17. DON'T YOU FOCKING SEE?”
*click*
I really never thought of that, and I would love Awake even more with this switch of songs. :clap:
But if we had ACoS on Awake, it probably would be the older version, as KevMo still would be in the band. That's a nice discussion for another topic, under the "what ifs" label...
-
“Dream Theater Custom Shop, how can I help you?”
“Right, you were sitting on AcoS before you published Awake, weren't you?”
“Sir, please calm down”
“AcoS: 23:09, right?”
“...”
“6 o'Clock + Caught in a Web + The Mirror + Lie = 24:17. DON'T YOU FOCKING SEE?”
*click*
C'mon, like you never thought about that …
You know what? I have literally never thought of it in those terms. You just put a pit in my stomach thinking about it though, so thankyouverymuch.
Now THAT surely would've been a true follow up to I&W. Awake is great, but my problem is how great can it be when I want to lop off more than a third of it?
If ACOS led off Awake, and then went right into Erotomania...holy shit!
The other thing that I love about these breakdowns, other than popping Advil like candy from trying to decipher all of the references, is the appreciation of such small sections that are simply mind blowing on their own. The brick by brick construction of some of these songs are easy to get overlooked.
And yes, John Myung rules this.
-
lucasembarbosa, a "what if" appendix is definitely coming.
Clap for the nurse!
TAC, a "what if" appendix is definitely coming, jailtime permitting.
Seriously, I'm honoured you're loving the micro-breakdowns. Sometimes with DT the real shame is not seeing the trees for the forest.
-
lucasembarbosa, a "what if" appendix is definitely coming.
Clap for the nurse!
TAC, a "what if" appendix is definitely coming, jailtime permitting.
Seriously, I'm honoured you're loving the micro-breakdowns. Sometimes with DT the real shame is not seeing the trees for the forest.
So true! That is why, for me, so much of DT's music remains fresh. If you dig, you can always find another tasty nugget never before heard.
"Rock out with your Fock out"!
-
"Rock out with your Fock out"!
T-Shirts. Mass production. Now.
God bless you.
-
A Change of Seasons, book II: Wankeries of Winter Night
Alas, poor Sturm.
(Advil's on me)
(Carpe Diem, The Darkest of Winters)
6:55 – 7:15: It's a mystery to me, the game commences ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
7:15 – 8:12: Baby, I'm Gonna Leave You before Supper's Ready. But I'm leaving you successfully testing Aces High glorious key change on a ballad segment. Blasphemous enough?
8:12 – 8:20: Oooooh, I'm standing on my desk now, captain.
8:20 – 8:47: In order to reach epic level 10, you really need BOTH Kevin and James LaBrie. Real DT started with his voice and real DT will end with it as well, focking period.
8:47 – 9:07: Mighty Mike must really love his Tomorrow Never Knows, and I can't really find a more appropriately titled reference for a section named Carpe Diem.
9:07 – 9:28: Carpe Bass, superb display of class with those notes unconventionally ringing free. No need to show off when you know exactly what you want to convey.
9:28 – 9:48: That “goodbye” killed me. It carries the whole weight and meaning of the song, just like another pretty intense and prog historycal “goodbye” uttered 26 years before.
9:48 – 10:09: So much love so rare to dare, afraid of ever being there … Now, I COULD help it, but I love the fact the two albums came out during the same focking week.
10:09 – 10:31: There are small and rare instances – and I'm saying this with all the love and respect in the world – wherein DT sounds like a full fledged warming up excercise. Glad we cleared the air on that.
10:31 – 10:40: It's snowing outside but rumbling sound of engines roar in the nigh ... Nah, now I'm just taking the piss.
10:40 – 11:05: First solo by the New Guy! Very cool patch and filters, and distinguished Lordish quirks. Need more to figure the bloke out though.
11:05 – 11:30: The New Guy is having some sort of influence on Johnny P. I have never heard him so much focking bluesy. Sykesish, even.
11:30 – 11:54: Alright, I like to fock around with song similarities and have a Andrew Dice Clay sense of self-censorship in that regard, but I must confess I am not at ease typing Return to Forever as reference point.
11:54 – 12:19: I love this crunchy guitar sound, it tickles my ears. My ears are tickled. Johnny P cares about tone and tone variety and we all overlook that fact. Not really shocking, since we live in a world where finger speed and technics have grown esponentially but tone research basically has yet to go past Hendrix and Beck. (Indiscipline, 1995)
12:19 – 12:30: Yeoshua Ben Yosif Christ, Johnny M! That was faster than Joey DiMaio with his pick and cheater bass neck!
12:31 – 12:54: There is no way in hell this bit wasn't concocted as a Live Show Courtains Call Staple, and I love it. “Elaborate introspective piece about real life tragedies, caducity of time, regret and remorse … Wait! LET'S SHOWBOAT FOR THE CAMERAS!” I think Kevin Moore is chuckling like me somewhere.
12:54 – 13:01: This bit makes me think of Rise And Fall, an even more controversial choice for a roulette than Dr. Stein, by the way. *prancing noob emoticon*
Coming Next: A Change of Seasons, book III: Solos of Spring Dawning
-
Okay, the Dragon has initiative this round. Let's see how your ancient Brightblade Family armor protects you (AC 0).
-1 to hit each for references of, "good bye" and JP's bluesy solo. = -2
But you really stumbled with Dire Straights, RHCP and Aces High references. = +3
Total, +1 to hit with a THAC0 of 14. *rolls a D20* 19! *rolls 4D10* [5,3,5,10] You take 23 damage from a contemptuous claw swipe.
-
Let me set my Google Translate on Dork to English.
-
But you really stumbled with Dire Straights
But I am not the only one, Mr DM. *tongue in cheek emoticon*
Let me set my Google Translate on Dork to English.
Wait, wasn't it the default setting for this thread since day one?
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
I would apologize for off-topic but I don't think it's necessary in this thread. Carry on.
-
But you really stumbled with Dire Straights
But I am not the only one, Mr DM. *tongue in cheek emoticon*
Oh yeah, huh...
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
Did they? I guess I'm showing my age.
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
Did they? I guess I'm showing my age.
Don't worry, we youngsters will carry the nerd-torch for this generation.
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
Did they? I guess I'm showing my age.
Don't worry, we youngsters will carry the nerd-torch for this generation.
The nerd never leaves me completely. When I was writing my post to Indiscipline I couldn't just make up numbers for the die rolls. I literally went to this website (https://www.print-and-play.com/extra/dice-roll-simulator.html) to get the numbers. :lol
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
Truer words have never been spoken. Oh, wait ...
I would apologize for off-topic but I don't think it's necessary in this thread.
... These are even truer!
Gregg, prepare yourself for a once in a lifetime event.
Ready?
;)
-
Lshidmtamsfo!
-
I'm so glad they got rid of THAC0 mechanic in later editions.
Did they? I guess I'm showing my age.
Don't worry, we youngsters will carry the nerd-torch for this generation.
The nerd never leaves me completely. When I was writing my post to Indiscipline I couldn't just make up numbers for the die rolls. I literally went to this website (https://www.print-and-play.com/extra/dice-roll-simulator.html) to get the numbers. :lol
That's... commendable. :lol
-
The nerd never leaves me completely. When I was writing my post to Indiscipline I couldn't just make up numbers for the die rolls. I literally went to this website (https://www.print-and-play.com/extra/dice-roll-simulator.html) to get the numbers. :lol
Yeah, sure.
You rolled the real fockers on your coffee table!
-
I preferred Cosmic Wimpout in college.. :hat
Did my listen through this morning before work.
Didn't catch some of the references...Return To Forever, Tomorrow Never Dies...
But I loved the reference to Joey Dimaio. cheater bass neck :lol
I can see the Where Eagles Dare. Seems I'm not the only one who preferred Cosmic Wimpout in college...
Love the JM references. He really shines on this. And James..well, this is a sneaky fan-f'n-tastic performance.
-
So, on this day in 'lonestar needs to visit the DT side of the forum more'...
Actually I didn't even visit, I finally made the connection after seeing your posts in Jingle's roulette, and had to search to see if the greatest thread in DT history had been revived, and lo and behold!!!!!
Finished Images and Words, wonderful job, I'll get to the other albums later. Thanks for coming back bro!!!
-
Didn't catch some of the references...Return To Forever, Tomorrow Never Dies...
I live to serve, I really focking do, so:
Return to Forever: The greatest band of jazz-rock musicians ever assembled (Chick Corea, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty)
Tomorrow Never Dies: Mediocre James Bond flick, yet I meant ...
... Tomorrow Never Knows: Beatles gem hidden inside Revolver.
So, on this day in 'lonestar needs to visit the DT side of the forum more'...
Actually I didn't even visit, I finally made the connection after seeing your posts in Jingle's roulette, and had to search to see if the greatest thread in DT history had been revived, and lo and behold!!!!!
Finished Images and Words, wonderful job, I'll get to the other albums later. Thanks for coming back bro!!!
Well met again, my man! Many thanks for the very kind words.
Being the forum herpes, I was bound to come back.
-
Mediocre James Bond flick
That's redundant.
... Tomorrow Never Knows: Beatles gem hidden inside Revolver.
I will proudly tell you right now that I will not understand ANY Beatles reference. Seriously. yeah yeah yeah.
-
You'll get by with a little help from your friends.
-
We're Staaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrssssssss :corn
-
I always thought of the "showboat for the cameras" bits and Return to Forever references the same way... Hahaha
-
Lucas (can I call you Lucas?), sick minds think alike, irmão.
Tim you can drive my car.
Let's take this saga home before the focking heat wave is done cooking my brain:
A Change of Seasons, book III: Solos of Spring Dawning
(Another World, The Inevitable Summer, The Crimson Sunset)
13:01 – 13:28: What's in your heeeeeeaaaaaaad, in your heeeeeeeaaaaaaad … Sorry, couldn't help it. By the way, rest in peace Dolores.
13:28 – 14:20: The guys could really be the focking Kings of Pop, if so inclined. Big James as Secret Lethal Weapon and Johnny M dropping harmonics like pearls. They weirdly remind me of Styx on this regard.
14:20 – 14:46: And the Space Soda has FINALLY found its natural soulmate: the motherfocking Piano. I've got a fever and the only prescription is more piano.
14:46 – 15:12: Phil Spector key change! Phil Spector key change! Sneaky educated fockers.
15:12 – 15:39: Ok, now breathe and hear me out. This one is gonna sting:
When the priest comes to read me the last rites, take a look to the bars at the last sights of a world that has gone very wrong for me ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
15:39 – 16:31: Another Day Solo is all grown up and fat free! Epicness and feeling in the less possible amount of notes. Johnny P, I honestly didn't know you had it in you and I humbly bow my head. No more doubts from now on.
16:31 – 16:59: Fock the F sharp, young singers, that's gymnastics. You are going to hit it one hundred times before you're remotely capable to sustain this bit convincingly.
16:59 – 18:36: Fock the Under a Glass Moon solo, young guitarists, that's … ok, that's focking awesome, nevermind. But THIS! This is my favourite JP solo until Budokan reinvention of a pop ballad or Portnoy's dad eulogy. Freedom and genius on groove on a Eddie Hazel level, which in my book is as close to godhood as you can get.
18:36 – 18:52: Focking Fishbone? Interesting.
18:52 – 19:24: And the New Guy eventually pops his cherry. Cool patch again and a ton of attitude. We're a notch above Dr Moore technically speaking, and at a 180 turn philosophically. Kevin's solos were John Stockton, Derek's are Allen Iverson.
Future Note: Before you ask, Jordan's are Magic (piano), Isiah Thomas (synth/moog), Michael J Fox (continuum)
19:24 – 19:55: Thank god a feral wah-wah intervened before I could yell Nirvana. Gregg would have forced me to take, and fail, a Death Ray Save Throw.
19:55 – 20:13: First hint the circle is closing. I feel cared about as listener with DT. Don't take that for granted.
20:13 – 20:36: This section is bringing tears of musical joy to my eyes for 25 years, I'm serious. I need to step out of rock music's boundaries to find an appropriate emotional comparison. Think Gluck's Orpheus or Mozart's Figaro Wedding. Also, I still don't know how to call that cymbal, but it's focking killer.
20:36 – 21:01: Big James, you keep Dickinsoning your voice like that and it's gonna be trouble. Please, be careful.
21:01 – 22:36: What a glorious dragon ride, Kitiara. Also, that was humanly unsingable.
22:36 – 23:03: And the story ends where it began. Maybe the fine men at the Dream Theater Custom Shop were right. This sort of spontaneous Portnoy's personal The Wall is better living forever as an insulated wonderful piece. 23 timeless minutes.
This chapter went fast. The next one is where I take my first adult steps into active music, so after we've sputtered the talk it's time to stumble the walk.
Coming Next: Scene Five: Frontman Tragedy – Two Morons and Two Morons (featuring Falling into Infinity Running Diary)
EDIT: Typo Demon is AC -20
-
Wonderful episode. Too much that I agree with to quote it all. ACOS is not my favorite DT song but if I had to choose only 1 DT song and it would be the only one I could ever hear again, it would be ACOS.
Tutorial update: Completed Dick Burton level. Had to do a side mission and kidnap Shirley Maclaine then sacrifice her at Dick's feet while reciting lines from "Faust". She didn't complain too much, said she would enjoy another turn on respawn lottery.
-
*laughing out focking loud emoticon*
You are ready for level three, where you get to multi-class if you wish:
Friday Night Shane MacGowan, if he should fall from grace with God.
-
Tim you can drive my car.
We're off to the witch..
-
You've been down too long in the midnight sea.
-
...a sea of green in our yellow submarine.
Wait..what?
I'm doing Dio and YOU'RE doing Beatles. It didn't take you long to fock it up, did it? ;D
-
(https://i.imgur.com/Ie6oCiq.jpg)
-
(https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/pictured-demond-wilson-as-lamont-sanford-redd-foxx-as-fred-g-sanford-picture-id138427740)
-
Tee-hee
I got you quoting Beatles.
-
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7xaCP7WDOJE/hqdefault.jpg)
-
No reason to go into the mechanics of it. Like the hero that you are, you waited until the tail of the dragon was exposed, made your saving throw, unveiled your greater dragonlance, and dropped the beast where it stands.
I especially liked this bit:
16:31 – 16:59: Fock the F sharp, young singers, that's gymnastics. You are going to hit it one hundred times before you're remotely capable to sustain this bit convincingly.
16:59 – 18:36: Fock the Under a Glass Moon solo, young guitarists, that's … ok, that's focking awesome, nevermind. But THIS! This is my favourite JP solo until Budokan reinvention of a pop ballad or Portnoy's dad eulogy. Freedom and genius on groove on a Eddie Hazel level, which in my book is as close to godhood as you can get.
Nice work, Alessandro (I'm pronouncing it in the Spanish way today, because it's just so sexy and you deserve it)!
-------------------------
On a personal note: I have always loved side 2 of the EP, "Thank you very much. Well, this is a very special night for us. It shall be interesting, let's see what happens along the wayheyhey."
It still amazes me how JP can imitate any other guitarists tone and style with such accuracy and still throw a little Petrucci in it. The selection of tunes is great and Derek's contributions are fantastic.
-
Tim you can drive my car.
We're off to the witch..
You've been down too long in the midnight sea.
...a sea of green in our yellow submarine.
Now we know how many a-holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
-
Nice work, Alessandro (I'm pronouncing it in the Spanish way today, because it's just so sexy and you deserve it)!
Thanks, my friend! Actually you got the perfect Italian spelling.
Waaaaaaay sexier.
-
Nice work, Alessandro (I'm pronouncing it in the Spanish way today, because it's just so sexy and you deserve it)!
Thanks, my friend! Actually you got the perfect Italian spelling.
Yes, but emphasizing the "ALE" and slightly lisping the SS and not rolling the R (because I'm 'Mercan and can't roll R's).
-
And that's exactly how me mummy pronounces it. She can roll the R, but she's a stubborn lovely focking Geordie at heart.
Cue some smartass posting the Lady Gaga gif …
But I digress,
Scene Five: Frontman Tragedy – Two Morons and Two Morons.
We made it to 1997, folks, and the view ain't pretty.
I was completely out of my personal hard rock / heavy metalish phase by then. Snobby posh choice? Like fock. The reason was sad'n'simple: hard rock and heavy metal WERE out of their hard rock / heavy metalish phases.
I'm sparing you the gory details, but the scene was comparable to Waterloo's battlefield the morning after the clash. The old glories were DONE, leaving the stage to bland palliatives as the Brit Poppers, passing shoes too big to fill to impostors as Pantera, and don't even get me started on the most overrated band in rock history. Hint: it starts with radio and rhymes with dickhead.
As five years before, I was alone with Dream Theater, praying for a new release that seemed to never come. Correction, I wasn't actually alone. I had befriended a musical moron like me, a partner in crime sharing too many ambitious dreams and sucky bands.
Enter P, drummer extraordinaire, graduated near TAC (ironically as Mangini's student) and currently living the jazzman life in the Big Apple. But long before that he was my friend, my DM, and my drummer in my 10 Labors of Young Frontman Still Undecided Between Guitar And Vocals Hence Focking Up Both Indiscipline, transpired between Baby Derek and the album we will call Two Morons. (C'mon, what else are they supposed to be?)
1. Santana Tribute. Guest stars: 60 years old church organist, Girlfriend#1 and P's Girlfriend improvised background wailers and arseshakers, random week-to-week bassist. Mild catastrophe, mainly because you don't mix an old church organist with two young arseshakers.
2. Jethro Tull Tribute. Guest stars: flutist and piano man, my conservatory buddies. Random vagrant on acoustic, repented punk rocker on bass. Utter tragedy, mainly because you don't mix young snotty classical students with, um, anyone really. The following statement was uttered during rehearsals: “I'm not asking for the same tempo. I'm not even asking for the same tonality, but may I ask we play the same focking song?”
3. Toto Tribute. Guest stars: same piano man surviving fisticuffs, jazzhead bassman (a keeper), the return of the arse shaking girlfriends. Abortion. Never launched because everybody focking despised Toto but me. The savages.
4. Original Songs Band. Same line-up as above. I will never talk about anything related to that project. Too much shame, plagiarism, and shame. WE HAD TO STICK WITH TOTO! Sorry, better now.
5. Deep Purple Tribute. Guest stars: a couple of 50 years olds who played – competently I must admit – Purple tunes in their youth. Nuclear winter. Everything went bananas because I wouldn't relinquish both guitar AND vocals duties. A bit of a cunt, wasn't I?
6. Generic Pub Rock Cover Band. Guest stars: fock me if I remember. Boring as hell. How many times you can play Mississippi Queen before losing your shite and starting glassing drunks all around you? Fun fact: during a gig, while reading at the mic the mandatory note about cars parked wrong people needed to move (it actually happened back then), I performed this beauty: “... A white Mazda plated … Oh crap, it's mine! Be right back ...”
7. Videogames OST Band. Guest star: same piano man on keyboards, same jazzman bassman. You are reading that well, and I don't have words to justify myself. It seemed a nice idea.
8. Vai/Satriani Tentative Tribute. Let's just say P could, I couldn't. Fock.
9. Dire Straits Tribute. Guest stars: same as Toto Band plus a sax man from a folk dance ensemble and a very improvised pedal steel guitarist. Unadulterated shite. I played it nice, but how can you sing Mark at 18 years without being focking ludicrous?
10. Jesus Christ Superstar Project. Guest stars: every focking buddy from conservatory willing to accept bribes. Never actually realised, but life altering nonetheless. We spent a couple months arranging and memorising the thing musically, then it came the moment to bring in the role singers (I was keeping out of that, too busy arranging and conducting while playing). We played the whole score before the singers and I istinctively began to sing the whole focking shebang. Every line, every role, every note.
At the end everybody was looking me as you may look a baboon successfully knitting a scarf. In that single moment I took a life decision, but we'll talk about that in the next chapter.
In such turmoil and exhilarating mixture of frustration and anticipation, the Big Banging Bro – shout out to the focker, he's gonna be 48 in a month and I will get to see him – bought me the Two Morons. (C'mon, what else the two of us are supposed to be?)
Coming Next: Falling into Infinity Running Diary (Great Album until the Internet came up)
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Guest stars: 60 years old church organist,
Oh cool. You knew Orbert back in the day?
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Fun fact: during a gig, while reading at the mic the mandatory note about cars parked wrong people needed to move (it actually happened back then), I performed this beauty: “... A white Mazda plated … Oh crap, it's mine! Be right back ...”
:spitcoffee:
Yay! The return of Big Banging Bro.
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(https://i.imgur.com/XRbXSSP.jpg)
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Sometimes they come back indeed. Bigger, Banginger and, well, Brother i guess.
After such an unexpected gift, the least I could do was to taste the new disk with the man himself and – hear hear – the first heiress to the dysfunctional sitcom family: my little baby niece, whom we're calling MinIndiscipline.
Yep, the little hyperactive pest was my total diminuitive female portrait, so much that the Big Banging Bro still looks at me with unsettling suspicion from time to time. No worries, gang. I wouldn't fock my bro's wife with my sister's dick. I have morals … and standards.
NOW we are in the mood for The Brilliant Identity Crisis Album:
01 – New Millennium
0:00 – 0:29: I knew it, my brother is the Major Moron. He must have bought the new Alan Parsons album by mistake. Sounding nice though.
Big Banging Bro's Take (BBB'sT from now on): Aaaaaand now, starting at shooting guard, 6'6 from Noooorth Carolinaaaa …
0:29 – 0:56: At least it's featuring Tony Levin. Sounding really nice, by the way.
BBB'sT: I'm hungry.
0:56 – 1:51: One whole focking minute on a straight 4/4 beat (not necessarily a bad thing), 59 changes of keyboard and guitar sounds (ditto). Going blind into this I would have NEVER told you I was listening to Dream Theater, I'm 50% confused, 50% intrigued = 100% excited. Very very nice sound, I would add.
BBB'sT: You like that sound? It's the sound of 5 sets of balls dropping on the recording studio's ground in unison.
1:51 – 2:35: Let's assess the situation here. Mike and Derek are playing “who's the cooler cat?” while the two Jonnies play the patient slightly bored adults. James, that register will never work with you. In the vocal track'n'field of life you're either a dasher or a long distance runner. Did I mention this is sounding real nice?
BBB'sT: Sure dear Alice Cooper sounds rejuvenated. Aren't you hungry? I'm hungry.
2:35 – 2:51: Double nasal James. Something's wrong here.
MinIndiscipline's Take: I want biscuits.
BBB'sT: BISCUITS!
2:51 – 3:13: Good rocker section, almost Purple in nature. Big James' voice is being tampered with though. Distant, thin, a 6 on the Joe Elliott Cheating Production On A Non-Existant Voice Scale. What the fock is happening here?
MinIndiscipline's Take: Pee-pee!
BBBT: Oooowww, she said Papa!
3:13 – 3:35: Hip to a fault. It's reminding me of my first King Crimson Discovery Binge, when – not caring about chronology – I jumped from In The Wake of Poseidon to Beat. At this point Big James is a luxury, we can do with Dave Gahan.
MinIndiscipline's Take: Ooooooooooooooooowwwwwwww ...
BBB'sT: Fock, she didn't say Papa. Where's Mom keeping the towels?
3:35 – 4:02: Glad to see the guys are following Awake's tradition of unmemorable openers filled with too much winking towards the latest fad. I'm afraid. I could end up like my niece right now.
BBBT: HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!
4:02 – 4:39: Give me the focking cover! Oh, still two morons staring at each other. I could have sworn it was jet black with a snake lightly laminate-painted on a corner. Carry on.
BBB'sT: I WANT MY LIFE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
4:39 – 4:54: Same “chorus”, a thought. This is like Bowie's last 20 years: “You are not sure you like it? Too much turnstyling? All sound no substance? I am David Focking Bowie, you are not. This is cool and you will learn to like it.” Well, I don't always trust the Duke, but I still trust DT. All things aside, it DOES sound great, you know.
BBB'sT: Gah! Do you think Sis would mind buying a baby girl?
4:54 – 5:14: Peter Gabriel!
BBB'sT: Peter Gabriel!
MinIndiscipline's Take: PETER PAN!
5:14 – 5:41: Nobody says “Fock it, I'm taking over” like Mighty Mike, nobody. What a brilliant display of creativity. Let's hope it's a start of something.
BBB'sT: *Air-daughter-drumming*
MinIndiscipline's Take: DADDY IT HURTS!
5:41 – 6:08: Is it possible to redeem a dubious tune with 30 seconds of Funky Bass, Sticks and Phaser? Fock yeah! I must have called the DT Custom Shop at least 437 times for a moment like this.
MinIndiscipline's Take: What does that fock word Uncle Al says mean, daddy?
BBB'sT: Don't focking curse, sweetie.
6:08 – 7:12: Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me … Town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy …
BBB'sT: Well, I talk about it talk about it talk about it talk about it TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT TALK ABOUT MOOOOOVIN'
MinIndiscipline's Take: I WANT MUMMY!
7:12 – 7:42: *Headbanging, the three of us, Wayne's World style*
7:42 – 8:18:
“Oh, Hi Mom. How long have you been here?”
“Funkytown.”
“Hey Mom! Here's RRRRRrocking!”
“Drop my granddaughter slowly and give her to me. Now.”
I ain't gonna lie, this wasn't terrible. It was so new and unpredictable in so many aspects to make it a terrific teaser for things to come. Sometimes that's all you ask of an opener. If only the real James LaBrie would please stand up?
I was forgetting, it sounds great.
Coming Next: You Not Me
EDIT: Gregg, you're a friend.
EDIT 2: Should have never pointed out the Dire Straits thing. *wink buddy wink*
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“Drop my nephew slowly and give her to me. Now.”
I predict an edit soon...
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(https://i.imgur.com/AJxBwcQ.jpg)
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I just assessed the situation and found a problem. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*
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(https://i.imgur.com/RHD2uOO.png)
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Also, reason #141 I love these guys is their average intros are longer than a Ramones song. Foreplay, dammit!
:lol Funny AND true.
Well, no natural 20 on your first roll.
An 11 with a +1 for references to Sanatarium, the glockenspiel, and Soylent Green each = 14 which isn't too shabby. But I'm going to award you a +2 for Baby Derek (Beau Derek?) which gets you to 16! Against AC 4, that's a hit, baby.
Roll your damage!
:lolpalm:
Yeah, late to the party, I know.
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EDIT 2: Should have never pointed out the Dire Straits thing. *wink buddy wink*
:lol
I only do it because I care. I really focking do!
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I missed Falling Into Infinity when it first came out. The local rock station was playing You Not Me on light rotation for a month after it was released and I wasn't impressed. Then I just forgot about it. After Scenes From a Memory was released I ended up going back and buying FII to see if there was something I missed.
Like you, I wasn't sure what to think of New Millennium on my first listen. It sounded great but it was so different that I was a bit disorienting disoriented.
These days, it's pretty much an automatic skip.
Edit: Because JFK is in the house.
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I was a bit disorienting.
You still are, my friend. You still are.
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:rollin
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Bosk, party's always on, join at your leisure.
Sans Nurse would be great but the ballroom is yours after all.
Gregg, you are what you is *wink*
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Let's try something new, because you really can't micro-breakdown a run-of-the-mill pop song.
02 - You Not Me
Intro/Verse:
(https://i.imgur.com/xRYu2Pm.jpg)
in
(https://i.imgur.com/rbsQ3f0.jpg)
PreChorus/Chorus:
(https://i.imgur.com/L689cEB.jpg)
Riff/Verse:
(https://i.imgur.com/Y3qXEkz.jpg)
in
(https://i.imgur.com/nCfp29z.jpg)
PreChorus/Chorus:
(https://i.imgur.com/G3IeFZ9.jpg)
Solo:
(https://i.imgur.com/4LtWtvJ.jpg)
PreChorus/Chorus:
(https://i.imgur.com/SLkPFZS.jpg)
Outro:
(https://i.imgur.com/azNu6MN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LwJ9PCD.jpg)
I usually give a lot of chances to universally hated songs, and this is actually a very competent potential hard pop hit. The fact is Dream Theater just don't come with the natural tools to make it effective, that is swagger and a certain degree of sexual beastness, while their innate tools are completely lost on a rather plain planned tune. Plus, will Two Morons focking stop giving me Big James in two 50 cent coins instead of one dollar bill?
Coming Next: Peruvian Skies
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Oh, (https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcsEeX0YtOg40sPwRUj1XfX0-twyoR6t4XjpCSEgPBWJgtGrVk)(https://static1.squarespace.com/static/544ed61fe4b03cb72febe780/t/5454ae75e4b03e44bada54fc/1414835835976/hands)(https://media.cuinsight.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/17217-ad4a758e.jpg)
(https://assets.rbl.ms/15141276/980x.gif)
Yeah, this is just not a very good song for the band. They just never sell it.
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Love the random pic of Steve Morse. :lol
Anyway...
Even though I did see one of the Fix For '96 shows, it was a long time for FII to come out. Dream Theater was my favorite band, but in the time between Awake and FII, a lot had changed. I refer to it as the Ice Age of my life. Out of nowhere, I got divorced and married The Lovely Mrs TAC. All between albums. :lol
So I was in a totally different place.
My first thought listening to New Millenium is that this was the focking lamest attempt to recreate a Metropolis vibe. Where's the guitars? Where's James?
Indiscipline, I think you and I are in lockstep on James.
And while it's production does help its aging process, I don't ever remember thinking in real time how nice it sounded.
I was quite unimpressed with new Millenium.
So after the focking barf that You Not Me is, I formally declared them as selling out. I believe I said to my self, "Well thatwas a short run for a band." I could've died a happy DT death after I&W, and again after Awake. But since they're still making albums, it wouldn't make much sense.
Dream Theater, a new band that I declared my favorite band just as quickly deserted me.
Looking forward to Peruvian Skies, the first track of what would become known as thethree song FII EP.
Oh, and Derek...As a huge Alice fan, I was more than familiar with him. I thought as a on tour fill in, I thought he was a great choice. But I NEVER bought in on him actually joining my favorite band. A band of intense musicianship, that musicians looked up to in awe. He didn't fit. At All.
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Gregg, my sig is your hostage now. *hats off*
By the way, my wife is more a Pink VW Beetle.
Tim, here's a quotesnack for the road. Have fun and mind those focking bears:
Love the random pic of Steve Morse. :lol
Of course, the least random reference in this thread history *snickers*
You couldn't produce a more Morse solo if you tapped your fingers on a table in code.
Dream Theater was my favorite band, but in the time between Awake and FII, a lot had changed. I refer to it as the Ice Age of my life. Out of nowhere, I got divorced and married The Lovely Mrs TAC. All between albums. :lol
Change Awake and FII with BL&SL and ADToE and that's exactly what happened in my life. Except I married a different woman, obviously.
Indiscipline, I think you and I are in lockstep on James.
Well, the guy's back must hurt as hell then.
Looking forward to Peruvian Skies, the first track of what would become known as thethree song FII EP.
What If Appendix Excerpt: Call the DT Custom Shop, have them keep Peruvian, Anna Lee, Kitchen/Lines, Trial, Budokan Hollow Years and just add SDOIT disk 2. Et Voilà. SDOIT disk 1 goes with Octavarium (the song) and The Answer Lies Within after you dump the rest of the album. I'm the Danny Ainge of album roster mixing.
Oh, and Derek...As a huge Alice fan, I was more than familiar with him. I thought as a on tour fill in, I thought he was a great choice. But I NEVER bought in on him actually joining my favorite band. A band of intense musicianship, that musicians looked up to in awe. He didn't fit. At All.
According to a very interesting chat I had with Stef Burns 15 years ago, it seems Derek is a way more serious musician than his antics may suggest.
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By the way, my wife is more a Pink VW Beetle.
Sure, but with her top down as often as it's up. Thus, cabriolet.
I don't have people's sigs enabled.
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Love the random pic of Steve Morse. :lol
Of course, the least random reference in this thread history *snickers*
I know, right? Our little buddy is reference challenged so much of the time and then you lob a softball over the plate for him. He whiffs at it hard core and then nods knowingly. It makes you want to Benny Hill his noggin until his glass eye falls out!
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By the way, my wife is more a Pink VW Beetle.
Sure, but with her top down as often as it's up. Thus, cabriolet.
That's ... that's just ... wr ...
Right. That's right.
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Mrs. P rebuked me for being mean to my fellow DTFers and had me change my personal text. :emo:
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Ooowww. Let's go catch a drink ... or twelve.
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According to a very interesting chat I had with Stef Burns 15 years ago, it seems Derek is a way more serious musician than his antics may suggest.
Wait, WHAT??? Stop right there. That is a name that is not well-known at all (on these forums, and in the music community as a whole, outside of maybe Italy), and he is a pretty reclusive guy as well, so I am DYING to hear more about this chat. Do tell!
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Ooowww. Let's go catch a drink ... or twelve.
Your on, mi amigo.
According to a very interesting chat I had with Stef Burns 15 years ago, it seems Derek is a way more serious musician than his antics may suggest.
Wait, WHAT??? Stop right there. That is a name that is not well-known at all (on these forums, and in the music community as a whole, outside of maybe Italy), and he is a pretty reclusive guy as well, so I am DYING to hear more about this chat. Do tell!
Bosky sniffing for inside info on Y&T? :)
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PM
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S
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According to a very interesting chat I had with Stef Burns 15 years ago, it seems Derek is a way more serious musician than his antics may suggest.
Wait, WHAT??? Stop right there. That is a name that is not well-known at all (on these forums, and in the music community as a whole, outside of maybe Italy), and he is a pretty reclusive guy as well, so I am DYING to hear more about this chat. Do tell!
Bosky sniffing for inside info on Y&T? :)
;) But of course! :lol Well, not inside info. I had a pipeline for that. But I am always keen on Y&T-related info in general. I had only one personal experience with Stef myself, so I am curious.
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Crap. Now I know who was on the grassy knoll.
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You know, I'm sitting her pondering the "inside track" I have had with a handful of bands over the years. It's interesting to note to myself that those pipelines seem to have, at one time or another, involved a connection with their good-looking blonde wives. :lol Strange coincidence.
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Tell me, Jack, who was the more pissed off, Joe DiMaggio or Henry Miller?
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Hey now!
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According to a very interesting chat I had with Stef Burns 15 years ago, it seems Derek is a way more serious musician than his antics may suggest.
Wait, WHAT??? Stop right there. That is a name that is not well-known at all (on these forums, and in the music community as a whole, outside of maybe Italy), and he is a pretty reclusive guy as well, so I am DYING to hear more about this chat. Do tell!
I knew as soon as I read that, that your ears would perk right up.
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Name drops keep falling on my head
And just like the guy whose mouth
Is too big for his thread ...
Didn't mean to stir the pot, although this album's side recap could definitely use some pizzaz. It's feeling like a sad attempt at kinky sex after twenty years of marriage so far.
But now, Science Fiction Double Feature!
Yeah, two songs running diary. It's not my fault the general musical content weighs like 45 seconds of Metropolis, throw me a bone here.
03 – Peruvian Skies:
0:00 – 0:17: The Two Morons are removing their masks! They are Bob Rock and Lars Ulrich! Next on Monday Night Nitro, Paul Heyman spinning what the fock has happened in the last three years!
0:17 – 0:34: I know when I'm wrong, I jumped the Black Album gun. Let me correct myself … Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far ...
0:34 – 1:09: James, glad to hear the Struggle Between Your Registers Has Ended. Plus, you really can't sound more Floydish than that guitar slide.
1:09 – 1:48: As far as I know, the first instance of DT in full ¾ mode and loving it. Every genre of music drives the message home 30% better on a tertiary pace and I will use my knuckles to defend that point.
1:48 – 2:40: Big James has come to play! Big James has come to play! Plus, Derek managed to out-floyd Johnny P with that tasty Rhodes.
2:40 – 3:22: Same same, BUT leave it to Johnny M to still try to be unpredictable inside this (neatly produced) ode to musical erectile disfunction.
3:22 – 3:45: Of course, put it through a 6/8 break rocking treatment, and your willy suddenly gets up. Ok, dick jokes over, seriously.
3:45 – 4:19: See, Kirk? That's how you Cry your Baby. And, as always happens, whenever Johnny P shifts gears, Mighty Mike throws himself into the song and competes.
4:19 – 4:38: Say your prayers, little one, don't forget, my son, to include everyone ... I am not sorry, I am late.
4:38 – 5:00: Cute. Derek thinks he's Paul Gilbert, and slightly addicted to that rush.
5:00 – 5:16: You have probably forgotten this bit, but it's actually the most interesting part of the song.
5:16 – 5:31: Alright, song saved. This riff is focking golden. A tad derivative, but golden.
5:31 – 5:54: It keeps going better and better. Thanks Mike, really.
5:54 – 6:06: … And the captain turned the Full On Helloween signal on.
6:06 – 6:40: Let's see whether is it acceptable to sum up a tune this way: “A victory by virtue of a solid crunch time performance and a spectacular buzzer beater.”
04 – Hollow Years:
0:00 – 0:13: You think I can't do my trick without notes? Blaze of Glory! There.
0:13 – 0:38: See? Notes only fock things up. Parisienne Walkaways, the elevator version! I'm on a focking roll.
0:38 – 1:03: Ok, now I get it: If blood will flood when flesh and steel are one ... I'm not stopping until I begin to focking believe what I'm hearing.
1:03 – 1:28: Oh, are we using Rickenbeckers now?
1:28 – 1:57: Congratulations, guys. You have officially made your way into the panties lowering business. Pull me undies, I'm not afraid.
1:57 – 2:10: I think I heard this bit when Girlfriend#1 (still active) dragged me to watch Four Weddings and a Funeral. I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes.
2:10 – 3:29: Cut and paste. So far they have tried their hand at four very marketable genres, and I could live without that. If you allow me a leap into the future, this is nothing but Octavarium (not the song) dress rehearsals.
3:29 – 3:53: Let's give it to Johnny P. Even through the perfect storm he just can't make something not extremely tasteful.
3:53 – 4:21: C'mon, even the trite key jump! DT Custom Shop lines must be red hot.
4:21 – Top of the Pops: I hereby take this vow: if this is the song finally getting Girlfriend#1 into DT, I'm focking dumping her, not them.
Coming Next (thanks to Mother-in-law): Burning My Soul
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I don't understand half of your references, probably since I didn't start listening to metal until I was 13 and even then only Dream Theater.
That said, I never liked Peruvian Skies for some reason, probably since I tie it to a terrible school field trip to some stupid chemistry lab.
Hollow Years remains one of my favorites, probably since I was still wading into metal and it successfully latched on like a leach.
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I don't understand half of your references, probably since I didn't start listening to metal until I was 13 and even then only Dream Theater.
I'd chalk that up to me failing to make sense at least half of the times *smiles*
After all, I know a guy who could write the book of metal and still has an abysmal record on reference catching ...
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05 - Burning My Soul:
I try, I swear, but you can micro-analyse chess, not checkers. I think a simple bullet points breakdown can do the trick, and I'm really scraping the barrel's bottom just to come up with an acceptable and always symbolic quota of 7.
1. The Intro is actually the highlight, very dramatic and sexy. Alas, it's followed by a much inferior sequence of music. Think The Godfather's wedding party scene followed by The Godfather part III.
2. Remember the bucket Baby Derek was playing with on ACOS' cover? Well, apparently Mighty Mike is using it in lieu of a regular snare, and it works!
3. The two Jonnies are not interested in this tune. Why should I be?
4. Derek writes solos like Eddie and plays them like Dimebag. I'm in love with the way he manages his synth's filters anyway.
5. The chorus desperately calls back to Pull Me Under. No one is responding but strange processed voices.
6. Big James is focking tired or he's just given up. This is the fifth straight song painfully playing to his weaknesses, and being those weaknesses no more than five I'd say great job gang screwing with your singer.
7. This is my first and last recap directly written inside the reply box, as I don't even need to bother running it through a word processor. That's this song in a nutshell. I will always consider it DT's all time low. Not musically, not lyrically, but because it screams: "Who focking cares, let's get done with this shit, we need to fill up a cd", which translates into: "Who focking cares, let's get done with this shit, I need to fill up a thread chapter". Sad beans.
As deepest darkness lead to dawning, I should have known my all time greatest DT one-two punch was waiting behind the corner.
Coming Next: Hells Kitchen / Lines in the Sand
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I’ve always really liked this song. That’s all.
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I’ve always really liked this song. That’s all.
Welcome to the thread!
If you're not familiar with it, please know it's a jestfest not meant to offend nobody's opinions and tastes but mine. *smile*
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Well, I'm not easily offended. But using "Hell's kitchen" and "greatest" in the same sentence comes VERY close to the line of offending my sense of good taste.
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Hell's Kitchen is definitely the greatest 6th song on Falling Into Infinity.
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Wow, two episodes and three songs in one weekend! I feel like Slim Pickens approaching the campfire, waiving my hat. What in the wide, world o' sports is going on here. Your ripping these off like a weight-lifter on a high protein diet riding an elevator to the 30th floor.
0:00 – 0:17: The Two Morons are removing their masks! They are Bob Rock and Lars Ulrich! Next on Monday Night Nitro, Paul Heyman spinning what the fock has happened in the last three years!
I always got a Fairies Wear Boots vibe from this opening riff.
0:17 – 0:34: I know when I'm wrong, I jumped the Black Album gun. Let me correct myself … Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far ...
This is spot on.
For me, Peruvian Skies has been almost two different songs. Both great, but only really bound together by the lyrics, and a reprise toward the end. Still, that's one of the more fun things about Prog, isn't. Throw convention out and tell the story how ever you wish.
0:38 – 1:03: Ok, now I get it: If blood will flood when flesh and steel are one ... I'm not stopping until I begin to focking believe what I'm hearing.
Kinda...okay, I'll give you this one.
Hollow Years is an irresistible sing-a-long that I try hard to resist by skipping it.
I’ve always really liked this song. That’s all.
I'm kinda with Trav on this one. I enjoy this song quite a lot, except (you knew there would be an exception) the repeated burning by soul with aforementioned "strange processed voices". I'd like the DTF Custom Shops™ to trim it down to one burning my soul to end the chorus.
It's kinda dated now but I still think it's a cool little rocker with an excellent lead break by Beaux Derrek.
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Well, I'm not easily offended. But using "Hell's kitchen" and "greatest" in the same sentence comes VERY close to the line of offending my sense of good taste.
Let me get this straight .. after 8 years and 14 pages I manage to do that only NOW? Boy I suck.
I love Hell's Kitchen like I'm Matt Murdock, Mr Fisk.
Hell's Kitchen is definitely the greatest 6th song on Falling Into Infinity.
Can't argue with that. *grin*
And welcome to the machine, Katt!
Wow, two episodes and three songs in one weekend! I feel like Slim Pickens approaching the campfire, waiving my hat ...
There, let's leave perfection untouched. A Wild Bunch reference and I'm a joyful bundle of bliss, my friend.
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Wow, two episodes and three songs in one weekend! I feel like Slim Pickens approaching the campfire, waiving my hat ...
There, let's leave perfection untouched. A Wild Bunch reference and I'm a joyful bundle of bliss, my friend.
*cough*Blazing Saddles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsY5LcocgQ4)*cough*
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FII is easily my least favorite DT album and has several of my least favorite songs, including this one (BMS). There is absolutely nothing DT about it and it could have been written by any of hundreds of generic, un-noteworthy bands.
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Holy fock what a brainfart! I literally thought of Mel's movie and typed Sam's one.
My left hand is shaking.
I'm not even editing the post 'cause it's so bizarre it's fascinating. I DO need some vacations.
Nurse!
EDIT: Hey Dream Team, long time no see!
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Haters gonna hate, but
BMS has the second best keyboard solo in DT's discog, closely after Trial of Tears. I seriously have a weakness for Derek's guitaristic approach to solos, and his crazy signature Monster Lead. Every time I'm listening to FII and land on BMS, I FF it all till the solo and then skip to Hell's Kitchen... xD
And thank God they decided to cut Hell's Kitchen from the original BMS, it alwalys looked like a lazy copy-paste thing.
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Haters gonna hate, but
BMS has the second best keyboard solo in DT's discog, closely after Trial of Tears. I seriously have a weakness for Derek's guitaristic approach to solos, and his crazy signature Monster Lead.
No worries, Lucas. Hate's not allowed here.
I'm with you on Derek's approach and I loved how outrageously loud he played his solos live.
Despite all the criticism he's took for the stage antics and the rockstar galore, in retrospect I believe his over the top attitude and vitality have really been a factor in keeping DT together during a fairly difficult period.
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Long long installment, refreshed by a couple of days by my beloved sea.
Dear audience, in order to better tolerate the next madcap recap, here's my personal decalogue of things that should ALWAYS be enjoyed contiguously (no particular order, we ain't raging for order.)
Cognac / white chocolate
Champagne / strawberries
This thread / exorcism
Fighting / sexing
Kill Bill part 1 / Kill Bill part 2
Lagavulin / iced water
Tour Bus / DTF
Brain Damage / Eclipse
Sleep / awakening
Hell's Kitchen / Lines in the Sand
Strongly advising a healthy correct execution of n.9, we tackle n.10:
06 / 07 – Hell's Kitchen / Lines in the Sand:
0:00 – 0:34: I hear a phased bass and I see fog, guitar slashes as sabres of gaslight, keyboards dripping condensation. That's my favourite side of prog, scenery building. You don't have to prove your musicianship, for I have better genres for that goal, you have to toss me inside a dream playground and manipulate the landscape around me.
0:34 – 0:57: The Petrucci staple progression in common top voicing is to rythm guitar what AC is to public transportation. There is a definite dramatic turning point as far as enjoyment is concerned.
0:57 – 2:01: Johnny P, if waiting five songs for you to finally show up means you come up with this masterclass in feeling and temper restraint/release (Tim, there's some Gary Moore here. I'm making a point to let you know anytime it happens), I'd say the wait was bloody well worth it. By the way, Mighty Mike (and this is his album so far) is raping the boundaries of an always brilliant 6/8 with gusto.
2:01 – 2:13: Speaking of Mike, he really can't help going for at least eight bars of awesome as response to Johnny P's outing. He's like Roger Rabbit with Shave and a Haircut.
2:13 – 2:47: TWO BIIIIIIIIIIITS!
2:47 – 3:18: Derek openly quoting Dr Moore. Images and Words is littered with keyboards melodies apparently out of synch but leading the whole band a handful of bars later. Am I being too technical? I can switch to Mel Brooks references in a heartbeat if you like.
3:18 – 3:40: Incredible drama and crescendo in relatively simple terms. I don't need my instrumentals to schizo-skip time signatures like grasshoppers. The subtle erosion of a couple of 1/8 beats now and then is more than enough to sexy up the pace. Ok, fock it, PUT THE CANDLE BACK! Better.
3:40 – 4:20: Grandpa would scream: GUSTAV MAHLER! Incredible instrumental, you really catch lightning in a bottle when you let a jamming beautiful progression bloom organically. This is already LTE writing.
4:20 – 5:29: The yang to the previous tune's ying, featuring monophonic moogish bliss and a genious telluric bass. You don't notice it's there, but boy you're gonna notice if you take it out.
5:29 – 6:08: Glad to hear the glorious spirit behind Lucky Man's solo has carried on somehow.
6:08 – 6:20: I love music. You can draw a line from Jailhouse Rock, joining Speed King with Sweating Bullets, and find yourself right here. Like Billy said, it's all rock'n'roll to me.
6:21 – 6:44: JOHNNY M IS CARRYING THE SONG! JOHNNY M IS CARRYING THE SONG! Don't ask me why, but I firmly believe the best riffs (and vocal melodies) are his.
6:44 – 6:55: Best ten seconds on the album so far. Ballet for four instruments: twist, turn, glide and stop on a dime. No jockstraps I hope.
6:55 – 7:35: Images and Words is proving to be a blessing as well as a curse for these guys, the inspiration fountain and the measuring stick. You get to choose which is which regarding this Take the Time poltergeist.
7:35 – 8:30: What a focking wild turgid rocker, and I would pay to listen to 1974 Coverdale and Hughes singing this chorus. By the way, I'm enjoying Doug plenty, but he's hilariously reminding me of Ike Willis' best moments. (Gregg, I'm making a point to let you know anytime it happens).
8:30 – 9:02: See, just write interesting lyrics and Big James shows up with all his might. Johnny P's catholic torments worked wonders on the previous album on that account and the trend is keeping up. On a side note, Johnny M is a focking savage.
9:02 – 9:53: Tell me, Ike, why does it hurt when you pee? On a side note, Mike is Ka-Zar.
9:53 – 10:41: Johnny P is RobbenFording the house. A window from the future, dear reader: are you loving this splendid aural vacuum letting every dynamic shine? You're gonna focking missing it badly most of the times from now on.
10:41 – 11:45: Take the wah away and this beast is walking on Mother solo's footsteps. Trust me, I'm begging you. Solos have identities beyond notes.
11:45 – 12:17: We can safely say DT has caught up with Rush musically by now, while lyrically they're usually at least a tier below. Well, this bit is in the ballpark. They catch the spirit, I'm ready to catch the spit.
12:17 – 12:49: Or maybe not.
12:49 – 13:37: I loved the interaction between Johnny P and Dr Moore, and I must say I'm loving the way my man is making things work with Derek and his amazingly efficient Elton rythms. Talent is entente.
13:37 – 14:01: I'm headbanging here, nothing to add, really.
14:01 – 14:33: Nothing can stop your headbanging so abruptly to marginally endanger your vertebrae like a BONAFIDE WEATHER REPORT MOMENT! Everytime we call the DT Custom Shop we do spit on the gods' feet.
14:33 – 15:34: Isn't it wonderful when the guys are on all cylinders with nothing but prog, rock and their musician's (and music fan's) cornucopias? I swear, sometimes – in a moment of bliss – I believe that whole metal thing is holding them back.
15:34 – 16:02: Ike, guess you only get one chance in life to play a song that goes like ...
16:02 – 16:17: And it closes like a Steve McQueen movie, a Mustang jumping on Frisco's frisky slopes. Sixteen minutes of what I love the most about DT, unchallenged until a certain huge focking whole homage to dad's prog we're not gonna examine until Scene 9.
Coming Next: Take Away My Pain
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That was fantastic, Alex. :clap: It's so much fun to open a second window to the song you're commenting on and read along with the time stamps.
I've always wondered why the Doug vocals were such a miss with quite a few of our fellow forumers yet they always seemed great to me. It took your mention of Ike to make me realize, I'd been conditioned to appreciate that vocal style from years of FZ! Excellent reference.
Speaking of...this made me guffaw.
15:34 – 16:02: Ike, guess you only get one chance in life to play a song that goes like ...
...Don't you boys know any nice songs?
Anyway... I wondered, I cried, I laughed. Does anybody remember laughter?
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I've always wondered why the Doug vocals were such a miss with quite a few of our fellow forumers yet they always seemed great to me. It took your mention of Ike to make me realize, I'd been conditioned to appreciate that vocal style from years of FZ! Excellent reference.
I have no idea what you are talking about or who Ike is. But I have always liked those vocals, and I'm not really sure what the supposed problem is.
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@Gregg, you're too good, I'm blushing. I remember laughter, I'd be focking unemployed without it *shudders*
@Bosk, Ike Willis was one of Frank Zappa's partners in musical debauchery, and Doug's vocals make LitS 50% cooler, if possible.
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@Bosk, Ike Willis was one of Frank Zappa's partners in musical debauchery
Ah, okay. If it is a Zappa reference, then my position goes from ignorance to indifference.
...and Doug's vocals make LitS 50% cooler, if possible.
I had 52%, but no sense quibbling.
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I feel bad, but I really can't properly respond until next week.
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Don't, bro. Thread will still be here when you're back. Enjoy your time!
(Bosk, thread will still be here, will it?)
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Thread still here!
As my man Vizzini would say, Unconceivable!
And now, for something totally different …
… A warning, if you will. This is going campier than usual, borderline dada in fact. Remember it was 1997 and – albeit brilliantly graduated both at high school and conservatory – I was struggling to find the courage to tell my family what my (very controversial) life choices were going to be. In order to procrastinate the inevitable confrontation my mind was constantly monopolised by the following activities:
Final Fantasy VII
Falling into Infinity
The Bong
X-Men's Onslaught Saga
Add a post-graduation trip to Amsterdam and you can easily justify the utter tripe you are going to read. (incidentally, Girfriend#1 was being officially canonised as certified saint)
So:
Long Island Hold'em, featuring Take Away My Pain, Just Let Me Breathe, and Anna Lee.
Dream Factory Studios, East Rutherford, NJ. The guys sit around the gaming table, Big James as the Dealer. A curly blonde waitress paces around managing drinks while a mysterious figure stands in a corner, watching.
Hole Cards:
Johnny P: One personal tragedy, one ticket to Desmond Child's mansion in Florida
Mighty Mike: One angst ridden posture, one manufactured anger
Beau Derek: One Elton penis envy, one title doubt (Anally or Anna Lee?)
Johnny M: Unreadable
The Flop:
1. Peter Gabriel Groove, surprisingly respectful and restrained (Johnny P card connects)
2. Hypocritical reversal of Take The Time's hallmark lyric (Mighty Mike card connects)
3. Something's Leslied guitar for polished pop legitimacy (Beau Derek card connects)
“Shirley, keep the drinks coming, baby”
“You can call me Kevin, you know Mike?”
“Drinks, now. And mix'em right.”
“Can we stop the telekinesis, please? I'd rather deal the cards myself”
“Sorry”
“No problem, JM”
The Turn:
Dead artists name dropping (Johnny P and Mighty Mike card connect)
“Guys, who's the bloke in the corner?”
“Don't mind him, Derek. He's here to watch”
“Am I unsettling the rockstar?”
“Not at all, Jordan”
“Guys, is JM levitating?”
“Yeah, he does that when he's dealt a good hand”
“Sorry”
“No problem, JM”
The River:
Queen chorus plagiarism (Mighty Mike and Beau Derek card connect)
“Guys, the room is glowing cyan and temperature dropped twenty degrees”
“Sorry”
“No problem, JM”
“OK, show your hands, mates”
“I've got three brilliant apparently identical but elusively different pre-choruses and the first ever mention of Edge of the Water. Is it enough?”
“There. A rebuttal to the same MTV that basically created us and one sick Learning to Live moment. Hand's mine, fellas.”
“Stop right there. Here's A Perfect Day intro and the vocalist's lyrics. I'm making history, and you?”
“JM?”
“Sorry”
Shows the winning hand: Trial of Tears (coming next, after a probable week long ban)
EDIT: Walking on thin ice
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Amazing. :clap: :clap:
Nice JR introduction, and..... I'll NEVER think of Anna Lee the same way again. Thank you very much, sir.
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Obrigado, buddy!
Yeah, I kinda ruined the song for myself too, and I genuinelly think it's the best ballad on the album by the way.
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I read that entire post with a bad John Malkovich Russian accent. You're right. I don't have spades.
I've always been a fan of Take Away My Pain. I don't really care for Just Let Me Breathe, except for the heavy riff after "angst ridden posture." :metal And Annally, doesn't work for me whether or not I'm the pitcher or catcher.
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I read that entire post with a bad John Malkovich Russian accent. You're right. I don't have spades.
Well, we're splitting oreos here.
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Life imitates art, which mocks life, wich mocks art, which imitates life. It goes Round and Round, and you don't give a Ratt's ass. Da-ba-ching!
Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week.
Trial of Tears is the perfect score to my first big life trial, a sad ludicrous tale we all could live without reading about, nonetheless fundamental to bridge the gap separating us from Scene 06. By the way, I'm trouncing this sucker in three parts because:
A) DT did the same, focking duh.
B) I'm leaving on vacations next monday, so I'm milking this chapter for a whole week rather than starting the next one and hanging it to dry.
C) You people actually hate the long winded post, don't you?
Of course, the events I'm going to narrate transpired during a span of weeks, not 13 awsome minutes, but if you can't stand a little artistic chaotic freedom, then I really wonder what are you doing here. Furthermore, it's not like I'm dropping bombs in space …
Do we still focking hate ado? We focking sure do, hence:
Trial of Tears, Act I:
Try this at home, young'uns. Go to your uni professor mother (in a family context wherein the last relative to not attend university died in 1821) and state with a straight face:
“Mom, fock university. I'm going to Musical Theatre School!”
“Ok, where's the hidden camera?”
“Sis' bedroom, but that's beside the point.”
“You scared me for a moment. You were saying you're into heroin, involved with the mob, or both? That I could handle.”
“Musical Theatre School. Admittance auditions next May.”
“Please leave your keys on the bed before checking out. Goodbye.”
“MOM!”
“By the way, you owe me seven months of morning nausea.”
Lovely, innit? Let's see whether the Drumming Dad can work some magic …
“Do you still like girls?”
“C'mon, let's be serious for a second.” (Yeah, I was actually capable of such a thought)
“What of Maria? (Girlfriend#1)”
“Fock her!”
“Gladly, but I thought that was your job.”
“OK, are you gonna help me with mom or not?”
“Son, I have to live with the woman and you have to fight for your dreams.”
“Thank you. Anyway, should you need'em, she keeps your balls in the purple purse, not the crocodile one.”
I never hated my parents like on that day, I love them to death now for that day.
It's Raining (Blood, courtesy of Mom)
0:00 – 1:45: Boy this album is weird. It features the highest percentage of disappointing songs AND the highest percentage of damn perfect intros in DT's catalogue (so far).
1:45 – 2:18: Johnny M goosestepping. Please, God, let this be Learning to Live's spiritual successor ...
2:18 – 2:51: Well, lyrically it definitely is.
2:51 – 3:08: Glad to know the guys aren't above a good old fashioned line clichè.
3:08 – 3:24: When Mighty Mike thinks outside the Metal box and Johnny M forgets about his childhood pal and focuses on the drums, they are the best rythm section in the business. Sorry Geddy/Neal, Steve/Nicko, Ox/Loon, Penguin/Bonzo, Chris/Bill …
3:24 – 3:53: Correction, this is not the lyrical successor to Learning to Live. It's (lyrically) Learning to Live, pt2: HIV Was Less Scary Than Band Identity Conflict.
3:53 – 4:47: I will say it again: Johnny M's vocal lines are Big James' meal ticket. They should start a band together.
4:47 – 5:18: We're at the crossroads where light prog, sophisticated pop and rock electronica meet, and I'm loving it. DT Custom Shop, MOAR please.
5:18 – 5:32: That was Kevin Moore, there's no other option.
5:32 – 6:00: Uh-oh. Big James is supposed to be 3 years older since Awake, not 30.
6:00 – 6:12: Two Bits without Shave and a Haircut. Someone can't lose a poker hand.
Coming Next: Act II, Introducing the Classical Grandpa
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My plan is to try and catch up tonight.
I love this though:
Guys, who's the bloke in the corner?”
“Don't mind him, Derek. He's here to watch”
“Am I unsettling the rockstar?”
“Not at all, Jordan”
:metal
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Welcome back, sir!
Catch up at your leisure, I'll be waiting at the bar.
I'll be the one with the Sgt Pepper T-shirt.
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03 – Peruvian Skies:
3:45 – 4:19: See, Kirk? That's how you Cry your Baby. And, as always happens, whenever Johnny P shifts gears, Mighty Mike throws himself into the song and competes.
4:19 – 4:38: Say your prayers, little one, don't forget, my son, to include everyone ... I am not sorry, I am late.
4:38 – 5:00: Cute. Derek thinks he's Paul Gilbert, and slightly addicted to that rush.
5:00 – 5:16: You have probably forgotten this bit, but it's actually the most interesting part of the song.
5:16 – 5:31: Alright, song saved. This riff is focking golden. A tad derivative, but golden.
5:31 – 5:54: It keeps going better and better. Thanks Mike, really.
5:54 – 6:06: … And the captain turned the Full On Helloween signal on.
6:06 – 6:40: Let's see whether is it acceptable to sum up a tune this way: “A victory by virtue of a solid crunch time performance and a spectacular buzzer beater.”
That instrumental part kicks ass. I have always loved it. This is part ! on my FII 3 song EP. And your mentions of James in the first half of the song...spot on.
04 – Hollow Years:
0:13 – 0:38: See? Notes only fock things up. Parisienne Walkaways, the elevator version! I'm on a focking roll.
Great call dude! I even started a JP thread where I mention I have always heard Gary Moore in JP's playing, although I've never heard him mention him as an influence.
The other thing about Hollow Years...
FII version: Bottom 15 track
Budokan version: Top 15 Track
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05 - Burning My Soul:
I try, I swear, but you can micro-analyse chess, not checkers. I think a simple bullet points breakdown can do the trick, and I'm really scraping the barrel's bottom just to come up with an acceptable and always symbolic quota of 7.
1. The Intro is actually the highlight, very dramatic and sexy. Alas, it's followed by a much inferior sequence of music. Think The Godfather's wedding party scene followed by The Godfather part III.
2. Remember the bucket Baby Derek was playing with on ACOS' cover? Well, apparently Mighty Mike is using it in lieu of a regular snare, and it works!
3. The two Jonnies are not interested in this tune. Why should I be?
4. Derek writes solos like Eddie and plays them like Dimebag. I'm in love with the way he manages his synth's filters anyway.
5. The chorus desperately calls back to Pull Me Under. No one is responding but strange processed voices.
6. Big James is focking tired or he's just given up. This is the fifth straight song painfully playing to his weaknesses, and being those weaknesses no more than five I'd say great job gang screwing with your singer.
7. This is my first and last recap directly written inside the reply box, as I don't even need to bother running it through a word processor. That's this song in a nutshell. I will always consider it DT's all time low. Not musically, not lyrically, but because it screams: "Who focking cares, let's get done with this shit, we need to fill up a cd", which translates into: "Who focking cares, let's get done with this shit, I need to fill up a thread chapter". Sad beans.
I agree with all of this. Especially #7. This song blows. What's its purpose? At least with the first half of the album so far, you can at least see them trying to suck. This song just sucks.
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I feel bad, but I really can't properly respond until next week.
Um..that was your warning to fix the timestamps in Lines In The Sand. I mean, It's a Top 10 DT track for me, as in 6 or 7, but WTF? How can I follow along?
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0:57 – 2:01: Johnny P, if waiting five songs for you to finally show up means you come up with this masterclass in feeling and temper restraint/release (Tim, there's some Gary Moore here. I'm making a point to let you know anytime it happens), I'd say the wait was bloody well worth it.
14:33 – 15:34: Isn't it wonderful when the guys are on all cylinders with nothing but prog, rock and their musician's (and music fan's) cornucopias? I swear, sometimes – in a moment of bliss – I believe that whole metal thing is holding them back.
So, as I said, I LOVE Lines In The Sand, and it is Song #2 on my 3 song FII EP. Every now and then, I'd spin Hell's Kitchen. It is excellent for what it is, as a lead in to Lines, but I think as a stand alone instrumental, it just...…….doesn't...……...quite...……….get...……...there.
Take Away My Pain: I totally respect its deep meaning to JP, and the lyrics are quite touching, but honestly, as a song, I have never liked it. The Fix For '96 version was much better. The mother of all father songs would come 12 years later.
Anna Lee: I don't think I've listened to this song more than 10 times since its release. I'm serious.
JLMB: If this is the worst song on the album...no problem. But better than half of the album...DT Shop? Hello?
That said, I have always enjoyed the '05 version they played live with a slightly extended JR solo.
EDIT: I almost forgot...I spent some time with Chaos In Motion while on vacation. I know it gets a lot of grief, but I consider the release a gold mine. Listening to a lot of it is a lot like the Systematic Chaos album proper. It's a band at peace with themselves, not trying to hard, and basically just exhaling after the build up to Score. Indiscipline, can't wait to hear you breakdown that album...
But the CiM version of Lines In The Sand is fantastic. Not James' strongest, but it doesn't detract for me, but the band is on fire. They are just winging it with ease, completely locked in. The used the Boston version for it (and Scarred) and it was just magical outdoors on the pier.
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I live to serve, I really focking do:
Lines in the Sand, original timestamps:
0:00 – 1:09: The yang to the previous tune's intro ying, featuring monophonic moogish bliss and a genious telluric bass. You don't notice it's there, but boy you're gonna notice if you take it out.
1:09 – 1:48: Glad to hear the glorious spirit behind Lucky Man's solo has carried on somehow.
1:48 – 2:00: I love music. You can draw a line from Jailhouse Rock, joining Speed King with Sweating Bullets, and find yourself right here. Like Billy said, it's all rock'n'roll to me.
2:00 – 2:24: JOHNNY M IS CARRYING THE SONG! JOHNNY M IS CARRYING THE SONG! Don't ask me why, but I firmly believe the best riffs (and vocal melodies) are his.
2:24 – 2:35: Best ten seconds on the album so far. Ballet for four instruments: twist, turn, glide and stop on a dime. No jockstraps I hope.
2:35 – 3:15: Images and Words is proving to be a blessing as well as a curse for these guys, the inspiration fountain and the measuring stick. You get to choose which is which regarding this Take the Time poltergeist.
3:15 – 4:10: What a focking wild turgid rocker, and I would pay to listen to 1974 Coverdale and Hughes singing this chorus. By the way, I'm enjoying Doug plenty, but he's hilariously reminding me of Ike Willis' best moments. (Gregg, I'm making a point to let you know anytime it happens).
4:10 – 4:42: See, just write interesting lyrics and Big James shows up with all his might. Johnny P's catholic torments worked wonders on the previous album on that account and the trend is keeping up. On a side note, Johnny M is a focking savage.
4:42 – 5:33: Tell me, Ike, why does it hurt when you pee? On a side note, Mike is Ka-Zar.
5:33 – 6:21: Johnny P is RobbenFording the house. A window from the future, dear reader: are you loving this splendid aural vacuum letting every dynamic shine? You're gonna focking missing it badly most of the times from now on.
6:21 – 7:25: Take the wah away and this beast is walking on Mother solo's footsteps. Trust me, I'm begging you. Solos have identities beyond notes.
7:25 – 7:57: We can safely say DT has caught up with Rush musically by now, while lyrically they're usually at least a tier below. Well, this bit is in the ballpark. They catch the spirit, I'm ready to catch the spit.
7:57 – 8:29: Or maybe not.
8:29 – 9:17: I loved the interaction between Johnny P and Dr Moore, and I must say I'm loving the way my man is making things work with Derek and his amazingly efficient Elton rythms. Talent is entente.
9:17 – 9:41: I'm headbanging here, nothing to add, really.
9:41 – 10:13: Nothing can stop your headbanging so abruptly to marginally endanger your vertebrae like a BONAFIDE WEATHER REPORT MOMENT! Everytime we call the DT Custom Shop we do spit on the gods' feet.
10:13 – 11:14: Isn't it wonderful when the guys are on all cylinders with nothing but prog, rock and their musician's (and music fan's) cornucopias? I swear, sometimes – in a moment of bliss – I believe that whole metal thing is holding them back.
11:14 – 11:42: Ike, guess you only get one chance in life to play a song that goes like ...
11:42 – 12:00: And it closes like a Steve McQueen movie, a Mustang jumping on Frisco's frisky slopes. Twelve minutes of what I love the most about DT, unchallenged until a certain huge focking whole homage to dad's prog we're not gonna examine until Scene 9.
The mother of all father songs would come 12 years later.
You mean The Living Years by Mike + The Mechanics? It was out since 1988.
Just kidding. I still can't make it to the end of TBOT without breaking down. It's gonna be near impossible to recap, but we'll see - at this rate - in 64 years.
EDIT: I almost forgot...I spent some time with Chaos In Motion while on vacation. I know it gets a lot of grief, but I consider the release a gold mine. Listening to a lot of it is a lot like the Systematic Chaos album proper. It's a band at peace with themselves, not trying to hard, and basically just exhaling after the build up to Score. Indiscipline, can't wait to hear you breakdown that album...
In 56 years. But I can give you a snippet: "Half midlife crisis album, half pure liberatory fun"
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:facepalm:
Again with the Gary Moore thing? If every time JP whips out a blues based lead we're going invoke Moore, we might as well go farther back and compare the passage to Albert King, Buddy Guy, Peter Green or even Eric Clapton. Moore was a great blues guitarist who happened to play in a rockin' band. There was nothing unique, original or signature about his licks.
It would be just as valid if bosk1 posted comparisons to Dave Meniketti (another fantastic blues player who happens to rock out) but just as ridiculous to suggest JP was imitating his playing.
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I have it on good authority that EVERY blued-based lick JP plays is based in whole or in part on Dave Meniketti's playing.
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:justjen
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The blues has nothing to do with my comparison, really. It's the management of quiet passages and sudden - yet laser precise - outbursts that's scary identical sometimes, among other similarities I could spend a week of PMs pointing out.
Check Colosseum II (Inquisition, live version is a splendid example) or even his 80's solo live shows (1984 Chippenham could work) and you'll find a lot of proto-Petruccism, unique original licks, and waaaaay much more than a great blues guitarist.
On one thing I agree, no one is actually imitating anyone.
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The blues has nothing to do with my comparison, really. It's the management of quiet passages and sudden - yet laser precise - outbursts that's scary identical sometimes, among other similarities I could spend a week of PMs pointing out.
Boom. Meniketti theory proven.
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The blues has nothing to do with my comparison, really. It's the management of quiet passages and sudden - yet laser precise - outbursts that's scary identical sometimes, among other similarities I could spend a week of PMs pointing out.
Boom. Meniketti theory proven.
Boom. Buddy Guy theory proven.
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Boom boom boom.
John Lee Hooker theory proven.
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And with reference to hookers, we are now squarely back in the thick of the rock discussion. Carry on. #fullcircle
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The blues has nothing to do with my comparison, really. It's the management of quiet passages and sudden - yet laser precise - outbursts that's scary identical sometimes, among other similarities I could spend a week of PMs pointing out.
Check Colosseum II (Inquisition, live version is a splendid example) or even his 80's solo live shows (1984 Chippenham could work) and you'll find a lot of proto-Petruccism, unique original licks, and waaaaay much more than a great blues guitarist.
Right, and like you said, it has nothing to do with the blues, but it’s the tone, the feeling, the depth, and the emotion that they have in common.
I’ve always heard it that way.
Yes, I love Gary Moore. I’m very familiar with everything he and JP have ever done, and it’s what I hear. I don’t know what to say. I’m not saying it just to say it. I’m not saying it just to pimp Gary Moore.
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Trial of Tears, Act II:
Yeah, I was a ballsy kid, but Balls'n'Dreams (great sleazy rock band name, btw) aren't paying for themselves. For those who have bothered to actually read Act I, Mom's (the wealthy parent) virdict was:
“Gary Moore is a motherfocking great axeman!”
Sorry, wrong train of thought. She meant:
“Do as you please and good luck. From now on it's your arse and, above all, your money.”
Funny how life works. The above statement has meant the end of happiness for a long time. From where I stand right now, it meant the source of every happiness I've been blessed with the last 20 years. Sometimes you have to be wrong, and learn the hard way.
But, back to the end of the world, I was now completely overwhelmed by three unmovable obstacles:
1. Paying for the outrageous school's fee, assuming I passed auditions.
2. Roof, food, vices 200 miles away from home.
3. Going on with the focking recap.
Before meeting the man who saved my life, let's tackle number 3:
Deep in Heaven (Grandpa is Saint Peter):
6:12 – 6:26: There was no time for pain, no energy for anger ... Sorry, couldn't help it. First inbred instance anyway, if you're keeping score.
6:26 – 8:09: And now we settle, once and for all, the matter of Johnny P's greatest influence: Allan Holdsworth. Shush, resist the urge to protest. Listen to me and thank me later. Go pick your copy of UK's self titled album and select the first track, In the Dead of Night. Don't get distracted by Wetton and Bruford and go straight to the guitar solo, around 3:00. Thought so. See? Case focking closed.
On a sidenote, at the time I was wishing Johnny Allan's career. Now I really wish Holdsworth had half Petrucci's career and financial success. Rest in peace, you genius.
8:09 – 8:24: Is a Roger Rabbit emoticon available at this point? I am tired of repeating myself.
8:24 – 9:53: Here's where Beau Derek really stands at the centre of DT's keyboardists musical chairs narrative. He's soloing for the team while leading a beautiful theme change like Dr Moore loved to do, he's shredding like a loud motherfocker in his unique I'm Actually Vernon Reid On Keytar way, he's credibly trading punches with Johnny P like Jordan will playfully make a point to do in every other song. Please forgive the leap in time, but I feel this is the right spot for this peculiar kind of drivel.
We were saying, I needed help and support. Why not begging it from the family's only real artist? (BY THAT TIME THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)
Enter Classical Grandpa, low tier opera baritone, overall great guy although basically anti-social and technology-diffident. Yeah, I'm 98% that DNA. During a beautiful emotional unforgettable afternoon, the man gave me the octavarium every wannabe (and not only) performing artist should need to face a dehumanising profession without losing sanity, soul and joy:
One - “It may be the life you crave to live, but you may find out it consists of things you would never be willing to live through”
Two - “Be yourself, be your voice. No use pretending but losing yourself and your voice”
Three - “Be kind and polite to everybody but never forget they won't. Their loss”
Four - “Forget exercise one day, only you will notice. Forget it a second one, everybody will”
Five - “Dare to make mistakes, always. That's how you learn. Smile at your mistakes, always. That's how you teach”
Six - “Work on your strenghts. Your weak points are such for a reason”
Seven - “Find your notch. Above it and below it you'll be equally miserable”
Eight - “You get in and I'm paying for your school, you find the most humble job for the rest. I always hated your mother anyway”
Two years later, by his deathbed, I was inconsolable for he would never see me on stage. He was relieved, for he saw me become a man.
Coming Next: Act III, trilogy's end without Ewoks
EDIT: Emotional typos
EDIT 2: Gregg, exactly.
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Man, that's heavy and inspiring at the same time. So, Classical Dad is your Grandpa, correct?
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Yep. The father of all Freudian slips probably.
SEE? I LIKE HEAVY! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
EDIT: C'mon, I am the serious moods destroyer
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6:26 – 8:09: And now we settle, once and for all, the matter of Johnny P's greatest influence: Allan Holdsworth. Shush, resist the urge to protest. Listen to me and thank me later. Go pick your copy of UK's self titled album and select the first track, In the Dead of Night. Don't get distracted by Wetton and Bruford and go straight to the guitar solo, around 3:00. Thought so. See? Case focking closed.
Yeah, okay. I'll give you that one. :tup
Is a Roger Rabbit emoticon available at this point? I am tired of repeating myself.
This is as close as we have.
:jessica:
If you can find a better one, I'll upload it.
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Bosk, you're a prince.
Let me return the favour. Last time I was in LA, The Last Bookstore had a couple used copies of white cheap Chronicles. I got a spare Legends, it was last year but you might want to check.
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Enter Classical Grandpa, low tier opera baritone, overall great guy although basically anti-social and technology-diffident. Yeah, I'm 98% that DNA. During a beautiful emotional unforgettable afternoon, the man gave me the octavarium every wannabe (and not only) performing artist should need to face a dehumanising profession without losing sanity, soul and joy:
One - “It may be the life you crave to live, but you may find out it consists of things you would never be willing to live through”
Two - “Be yourself, be your voice. No use pretending but losing yourself and your voice”
Three - “Be kind and polite to everybody but never forget they won't. Their loss”
Four - “Forget exercise one day, only you will notice. Forget it a second one, everybody will”
Five - “Dare to make mistakes, always. That's how you learn. Smile at your mistakes, always. That's how you teach”
Six - “Work on your strenghts. Your weak points are such for a reason”
Seven - “Find your notch. Above it and below it you'll be equally miserable”
Eight - “You get in and I'm paying for your school, you find the most humble job for the rest. I always hated your mother anyway”
Two years later, by his deathbed, I was inconsolable for he would never see me on stage. He was relieved, for he saw me become a man.
That's great stuff, Alex. Really.
Oh, and yes that was a great Derek moment. It's one of those very rare moments on this album where I actually forget who the keyboard player is.
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Trial of Tears, Act III:
I kid you not when I tell you DT write things for me.
So many years have passed
Since I proclaimed
My independence
My mission
My aim
And my vision
In less poetic terms, I sold everything I could sell to Techno Buddy, kissed Girlfriend#1 goodbye, had a few beers with P (leaving for his audition at Berklee) and off I went: a car, two guitars, Plexi head and some stompboxes. No focking idea what I was gonna eat and where I was gonna sleep.
I wasn't ballsy, my parents were. I'm not sure I'd allow my daughter such a leap of faith, on the other hand I realise I would deprive her of that big wall to the back that turned a focking crazy useless fool into a focking crazy driven fool. Please don't read this, baby.
(Teenage) Wasteland:
9:53 – 10:09: The world was on fire, no one could save me but you ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
10:09 – 10:42: First, that synth sound right after “welcome to the wasteland” is a focking stroke of genius. Second, who else heard “where you'll find hashish, nothing but hashish?”. Don't be shy.
10:42 – 11:15: Ok, maybe after seven years I've got the gang figured out eventually. Take away The Metal and they're the greatest prog ensemble on earth, take away The Prog and they're potentially the greatest AOR act in the galaxy. Choices choices.
11:15 – 11:31: If they choose not to decide, they still have made a choice.
11:31 – 12:05: I have two totally arbitrary assumptions about this bit:
1) Big James hasn't been able to close his vocal chords for five days after this take.
2) I really have to find a witty term for the frequent instance Mighty Mike says: “Ok, I need to have this thing focking moving, all aboard!” Suggestions?
12:05 – 13:00: Tasty tasty micro solo, Johnny M. But, then again, is he even capable of not being tasty? This tune is a bit of a singularity, Relaxed Not Convoluted Epic. Up to now they've structured the long prog pieces a la Yes, this one is in Pink Floyd's wheelhouse.
There we go. For both DT and me splendid prodigy infancy (I&W), creative moody preteenagery (Awake - ACOS) and turbulent all over the place teenagery (FII) are ending. Now we have to prove we deserve the freedom we've fought for. I will kill myself working and studying, they will kill a young girl.
I'm closing shop for a couple of weeks, you know, VACATIONS! There is a God.
I will check sporadically on the phone, while the wife loosens the leash, you can catch up on reading past chapters and write obscenities on the walls as you please.
Coming Next: Scene 06: Beyond this Town - Featuring Scenes from a Memory (copyright infringement) Running Diary.
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10:09 – 10:42: First, that synth sound right after “welcome to the wasteland” is a focking stroke of genius. Second, who else heard “where you'll find hashish, nothing but hashish?”. Don't be shy.
10:42 – 11:15: Take away The Metal and they're the greatest prog ensemble on earth, take away The Prog and they're potentially the greatest AOR act in the galaxy.
For each timestamp...first statement is YES, the next statement is NO.
So wrapping up FII, I was extremely disappointed.
It felt like they were selling out, big time. My 3 song FII EP (Peruvian Skies/Lines/Trial) was amazing, but Geez, WTF happened to Dream Theater. I really don't have an issue with Derek. In many way, he plays a similar role as Kev on Awake. But I prefer I&W Kev, a much more active participant. I, and DT, would have to wait for the next album for that.
Also, I agree that FII sounds amazing. But vocally it is a huge downgrade from I&W and Awake. The vocals sound very weak and thin. We did not know about James' "accident" at the time, obviously. But something was definitely wrong in the vocal department.
Alex, enjoy your vacation. When you return in 2024, I should be up to 60,000 posts!
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Tanned, massaged and relaxed. Where do I go from here? Back inside the lamp, of course, and I must admit I've missed it. But I needed fresh mind and body for a really dense chapter, that is:
Scene 6 – Beyond This Town: Of Mice and Meh
How does “I'm gonna settle at 19 in an unknown city with no money and sustain myself by playing guitar while training for next year audition for a school producing starving egomaniacs inside an armpit niche career at best” rate in a Dumbest Plan Ever Scale? I dare say pretty focking high, and pretty focking high was my natural state for the whole ride.
I'm currently in a state of DTF roulette fascination, hence – lacking men to hang right now - I'm giving you 12 snippets of those two very indisciplined years. You don't have to guess a song, just guess how the fock did I manage to stay alive.
1. Having my guitar stuff stored by a baker shop, paying for it moving sacks of flour at dawn. Bonus points, I never lacked hot croissants in the morning and, well, the baker's daughter.
2. Sleeping for weeks with one eye closed inside an old empty train deposit in variegate company, waking up a couple times in proximity of people killed by unprotected winter. Sometimes mice were a solace, if only because alive.
3. Giving guitar lessons, paid in food and cigarettes. The Highway Star, Mr Crowley and Sultans of Swing solos were the best meals I ever had.
4. Forgetting where my car was parked after every focking intoxicated jazz gig with old walking corpses hence sleeping on bar counters. I tell you, rockers are literal choirboys compared to some well weathered jazz rats.
5. Pretending to be one of the parking lot guys at big concerts and fleeing with scraps as soon as the actual parking lot guys caught wind. The adrenaline was worthier than the money and sometimes I got to see a lot of bands drama exiting venues.
6. Hypnotising the recording studio guy into getting plastered so he couldn't notice I hadn't studied my take and was brutally sight reading straight into AcidPro. Not really use adding I didn't last long, but the guy is still a dear friend of mine.
7. Borrowing rooms from casual girlfriends (Let's just say it's completely impossible to keep up the girlfriend numbering thread gimmick at this point. We'll come back to that introducing the witch playing Wife#1) and hastily redecorating them for the once in a year day my parents were visiting/checking on me. I have always suspected Dad was totally on to my ruse, but was too amused and in a way proud to spill the beans.
8. Completely mangling to the brink of actual detachment my left ring finger during a brawl with an arsehole taxi driver stealing my cell phone and giving up on guitar for the foreseeble future. My finger looks terrible to this day but I'm still able to play on reduced speed/strenght, I doubt the taxi driver has been able to chew for a while.
9. Working as the guy reading and noting the numbers on water meters inside public housing projects. Great when the occasional crazy 40 years old lady opened the door naked, not so great when the occasional 60 years old irsute guy did it.
10. Thanks to the above mentioned recording studio guy, I got a lot of gigs dubbing videogames voices. I must have grunted as an orc or yelled as a soldier a million times.
11. Using the little bit of spare money to watch basketball games in a town dubbed Basket City at the time, featuring TWO European Elite teams (and players like Young Ginobili and Decrepit 'Nique) for a population of no more than 500k souls. That's crazy. Obviously cd buys suffered, but given the state of music between 1997 and 1999 I'd say the choice was right.
12. Not showing at the FOCKING AUDITION because too high. My personal masterpiece in hitting rock bottom. I chose growing up over suicide, and that really set me straight into the well balanced man you all know and love. One year later, ready to try again and eventually succeed, I even bothered to buy the best DT cd since the one that started all this madness.
BONUS SNIPPET: The Phone Call. Right after the audition I called Mom, and together we produced the most surreal exchange in the history of mother-son communication. I focking dare you to find a better one, you can't.
“Mom, I set my head straight”
“ThankGodThankGodThankGodThankGodThankGodThankGodThankGodThankGod”
“I'm not playing guitar for a living anymore”
“I love you, I've always loved you. I'm slaughtering the fatted calf and pouring myrr in your room”
“I'm going to be a singer/actor”
“Fock you monster”
Coming Next: Metropolis pt2 – Scenes from a Memory Recap
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I'm currently in a state of DTF roulette fascination, hence – lacking men to hang right now - I'm giving you 12 snippets of those two very indisciplined years.
:lol
Nice.
Not sure how I feel about that entry. Sad, dirty, lucky?
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Revolting, Childish? *wink wink*
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Oh, were we supposed to read this installment as something other than fiction? A nineteen-year-old, in 1999, on the run no less, being able to afford a cell phone stretches the boundaries of credibility, but hey, what do I know? Maybe rates were cheaper in Italia. ;)
Any way, it sounds pretty rough. We've all had to swim through our own rivers-of-shit but it appears yours was especially chunky. I'm glad you made it through.
I love your mother! I'm serious. If I wasn't already otherwise engaged I'd be pming you for an introduction.
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Lols. I even censored the worst. We were really cheap in those pre-Euro years, not mentioning paying for my cell phone was the only condition Mom accepted in order to not sic the entire police force, army, secret service and firefighters on me 24/7. She may not be an Italian mom, but she's a mom. Speaking of which, I'll send your regards, Dean.
A question for the reader base, if I may. Do you prefer I stick to the recaps/DT side of things and avoid my personal narrative or is it fine the way it is?
Be brutally honest, guys. I just want to pleasantly entertain without causing discomfort.
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My favourite moments so far were from your personal narrative, so I'm fine with the way it is now.
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I concur. The personal self-deprecation is especially entertaining. Mixing them in with the recaps is nothing short of brilliant.
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Just keep doing what you're doing.
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The Rat Pack has spoken, I take not being banned as JFK's implicit vote, let's carry on as usual then. Thanks guys.
I bought Scenes from a Memory out of sheer habit and sort of imaginary friendship obligation with the band. Part of me had deemed DT done after FII, the other part was too deep into shite and cleaning up said shite until the successful audition in '98 and – obviously - even deeper into a whole different genre during the following year(s) to even care. Trust me, when music becomes your job you really don't have time for music anymore. It sounds oxymor(on)ic, but that's the sad truth.
Furthermore, once you get introduced to the works of musical minds such as Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown and the likes, your listener parameters tend to shift a bit. Thank God the guys came out in '99 (but actually 2000 for me) with the perfect album to pull me back, Michael Corleone style. Any other album – with the exception of TA – would have failed at that time.
Now, I could just recap Regression and – as Stevie Nicks would say - be done in three lines. Unfortunately A) You said you want it personal B) There's sweet fock all to recap about Regression apart it beats “sweet dreams you bastard” as prog concept introduction every day of the week and twice on Sundays and the stereo tick tock is pretty clever C) Don't you wanna know about my terrible but winning audition?
01 – Regression: (to 20 years ago almost to a day now that I think about it):
Close your eyes and begin to relax
Relaxing wasn't an option. I had been drugs clean for roughly one year (twenty now, my worrying friends) and that's not a very good place to face future/no future pressure. Blunder #1: with the nice clerk girl (pulled straight outta Ghostbusters) trying to get me comfortable.
“You can warm up in the room to the left if you like”
“No, thanks. It's almost 40c and I'm sweating like a pig”
“Um … k, nevermind”
“Oh, now I get it. Where ...”
“NEVERMIND!”
Take a deep breath and let it out slowly
Sure, if you can breathe in the first place. Then I met the Principal/Musical Director/Main Singing Teacher/Half Divinity/Bondage Mistress. A small charismatic sarcastic Canadian 50 years old lady speaking Englitalian nonchalantly. You gotta be shitting me. Have I escaped from Mom's grasp just to find her exact clone holding my fate? Blunder #2:
“Nice, my favourite singer is Canadian”
“I personally know Celine, she's good”
“I meant James LaBrie”
“Is it a brand of cheese?”
Concentrate on your breathing, with each breath you become more relaxed
Gobshite. Singing test, smashed it with Heaven on Their Minds and Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. I felt awsome, then Blunder #3 happened:
“Pick a short music theme and go on up with it chromatically”
*Executes*
“Ehm, nice tessitura, but what theme was that?”
“Pictures of Home, Deep Purple, Machine Head, 1972. Main Riff, Ritchie Blackmore.”
Have you ever heard the sound of two worlds colliding? It sounded like a facepalm.
Imagine a brilliant white light above you, focusing on this light as it flows through your body
Definitely a truck's headlights in the opposite direction. Dance test a.k.a. Blunder #4:
“What's your coreography?”
“I don't do dance”
“You want to be a performer, right?”
“Not a dancing one”
“You have to dance in ensembles”
“I don't do ensembles”
What a cunt. But they made me pay for that sentence everyday for three years.
Allow yourself to drift off as you fall deeper and deeper into a more relaxed state of mind
Acting test. The biggest blunder yet the whole reason they saw something in me. I had studied my piece carefully, it was perfect as perfect could be at that developement stage. I felt confident and ready to strike. Too bad my monologue wasn't taken from any play, classical or modern, or any musical. It was a Bill Hicks routine I had on record. The panel went from disgust to distrust to horror to giggling to cracking up hooting in five minutes tops. Thanks, Bill.
Now as I count backwards from ten to one, you will feel more peaceful and calm
Oh, I was the chillest motherfocker by then. It was time for the coup de grace. Music theory test, my secret weapon. I am gonna sound arseholish proud for a minute, but I promise I'm resuming the self deprecation in a bit.
“Can you read music?”
(Holdmybeerholdnybeerholdmybeer) “Can I have that sheet, please?”
“So?”
“Can you play it by memory, madam?”
“Yes, I guess”
*Proceeds to flawlessly sing Something's Coming on first sight*
When your kids ask you why they're giving up social life and fun focusing on study instead, please read them this entry. Tell'em 'bout my story, tell'em about me, the Cunt of Italy.
You will enter a safe place where nothing can harm you
“We're interested in you, and low on males this year. You can sing and definitely have a way to be funny on stage ...”
“Thank you, madam”
“... But you can't dance”
“Well, I'll make them laugh even harder when dancing”
“Get out before I change my mind”
Obviously they needed my fee, but fock it. I was in.
If at any time you need to come back, all you must do is open your eyes
Wait a minute. Who the fock is Victoria?
Coming Next: Overture 1928
EDIT: Never too late for correcting something stupid
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*tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds*
Mmmmmmmm, how so? Perhaps:
That horrible oval ball activity has opened its season and everyone's distracted?
I made the mistake of making me look slightly cool?
GOT IT! Personal's alright but you gotta give us some focking timestamps!
As always, I live to serve, I really focking do:
02 – Overture 1928:
Lotsa lotsa reasons to be hyped, warranting some bullet points galore:
1. Yet another new guy on the keys. After Fredo and Sonny, will this one be finally our Michael?
2. Concept album with libretto while I'm in musical theatre school. You can't make up those things. My life inspires DT and it won't be the last time. (Nah, I'm not crazy, but it's a funny angle and please humour me?)
3. I need to know Big James is fine and the guys are writing for him and not for Tom Waits.
4. I want to fall in love again with my favourite band. I can't bear the thought of a future spent protecting myself from the likes of Tool, System of a Down and Coldplay. I have begged, borrowed and stolen, but still have dignity.
5. I never understood what Metropolis Pt1 talked about. Maybe this conceptual sequel will shed some clarity. Let's hope it does it more like The Godfather II than Matrix Reloaded.
Overtures are promises of themes to come, and we shall look at them like girls look at boys' hands or boys look at girls' moms. It's a way to peek into the future. Let's peek into this baby, a promise for each timestamp.
0:00 – 0:12: And suddenly I'm 14 all over again. You are promising you're gonna quote the song that proved me worthy in the eyes of my hero, you better bring the Epic Bongo back as well. After all, I'm still a DT fan ... Hell, I'm making demands ten seconds in!
0:12 – 0:27: A badass riff turns into a clever build-up device seven years later. You are promising the song we guilt-trip you into playing at every live show around here is going to be heavily repurposed. I dig it. Can you do the same with half FII, please?
0:27 – 0:45: Johnny M still at the helm, Mighty Mike still focking around with the splash … Johnny P has completely changed his rythm tone. I promise you will suffer if you've screwed with my favourite alien. Don't touch my paisà.
0:45 – 1:02: That was shy, new guy. I said Michael, not Tom Hagen. Gorgeous theme though. You are promising you WILL let my Canadian boy sing gorgeous themes, ARE YOU? Otherwise, what's the focking point? Just turn into LTE already and stop breaking my heart.
1:02 – 1:18: Need to call the Drumming Dad:
“Hey Dad!”
“It's 2:00 in the morning, you better be telling me you saw a talking burning bush and you want to spend the rest of your days as a beer brewing friar”
“We have different notions of burning bush. Anyways, drumming counsel”
“Maybe vasectomy WAS a thing in 1978 and I just didn't know ...”
“Listen, is it possible to invert your limbs and play the double bass part with your arms on cymbals and snare while playing the cymbals and snare part with your feet on the double bass?”
“Are you on peyote?”
“No, I promise. I just heard it.”
“Your boy Portnoy?”
“Yup”
“Then it's possible. Now fock off before the beast next to me wakes up and remembers you exist.”
“I love you”
1:18 – 1:35: That's more like it, new guy! In fact, that was impressive. Great patch, great technique and adherence to the progression. Do you guys promise you are going steady with Jordan? They don't grow on trees, you know.
1:35 – 1:53: Johnny P's lead tone has changed too, and it's focking glorious. And piano! Everything works good with piano, even better with Michelle Pfeiffer on top of it. Can this be the very last dance and will it last forever? I promise I'm being more careful on the complaint trigger from now on.
1:53 – 2:09: For those among you not familiar with the works of Steve Morse, THAT was a more faithful impression of Steve Morse than Steve Morse making an impression of Steve Morse. Meanwhile, our Mighty Mike goes …
Oh, wait. I promised I would use it should that happen:
:jessica:
2:09 – 2:26: The spectacular return of the Space Soda! This isn't just bringing me back to 1992, it's – in a meta mindfock way – bringing me back to 2011 when I started this folly among the general forum distrust on a day I was in a very dark place. I remember a stand up guy standing up and saying: “Give the guy a chance ...” The rest is history.
I promise I'll never forget that.
2:26 – 2:45: BIG JAMES MUST SING THIS THEME. BIG JAMES MUST SING THIS THEME. I promise I'm gonna break into the DT Custom Shop and pull a Dog Day Afternoon if it doesn't happen, gay boyfriend and all.
2:45 – 2:58: You know you are listening to Dream Theater when you can say a segment reminds you of Yes, Rush and Iron Maiden in the same way. I promise this is making sense in my mind. Your mileage may vary.
2:58 – 3:08: Promise you're gonna develope this theme into at least ten minutes of funky bliss, please. I've been a good boy. I've taken my vitamins and said my prayers in 9/8. By the way, there is no focking way this riff wasn't written by Johnny M.
3:08 – 3:25: As Steve Rogers once told Tony Stark in the funny papers: “Leaders lead”. So, new guy, you have a fantastic lead. Promise we have finally found a keyboardist willing and able to be a musical leader. The dragon needs three heads. Think Blackmore-Lord-Paice.
3:25 – 3:27: Promise this is gonna bleed into a focking masterpiece …
Coming Next: 03 – Strange Deja-Vu
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*tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds*
Going to catch up today! I have the day off.
I don't read the entries unless I am listening along. I just haven't had the opportunity the last couple of days.
But very much looking forward.
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(https://i.imgur.com/OkbBpkv.gif)
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“We're interested in you, and low on males this year.
:rollin
That made me laugh. That's very interesting Alex. Enjoyed the read.
Now to put my headphones on...
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I missed this installment the other day.
When your kids ask you why they're giving up social life and fun focusing on study instead, please read them this entry. Tell'em 'bout my story, tell'em about me, the Cunt of Italy.
:clap:
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*tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds*
Mmmmmmmm, how so? Perhaps:
That horrible oval ball activity has opened its season and everyone's distracted?
I made the mistake of making me look slightly cool?
Try not to be so sensitive! This isn't Steel Magnolias night at the Spinster Rotary Club. By the read counter, I'd say your still drawing a significant amount interest.
Lots to love about Overture 1928. I distinctly remember being quite drawn in at first listen. I had a lot of time on my hands at this point in my life. I was about a year into my second trek into bachelorhood and listening to music was my primary source of sanity. This record couldn't have come at a better time for me and Overture 1928 was the perfect opening.
1:53 – 2:09: Meanwhile, our Mighty Mike goes …
Oh, wait. I promised I would use it should that happen:
:jessica:
I still don't understand the "MP goes all Roger Rabbit" reference.
And for the longest time, I couldn't figure out why the Jessica Rabbit emote had a giant sperm cell hitting her in the face...
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the rest of this album's commentary.
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*tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds*
Mmmmmmmm, how so? Perhaps:
That horrible oval ball activity has opened its season and everyone's distracted?
I made the mistake of making me look slightly cool?
Try not to be so sensitive! This isn't Steel Magnolias night at the Spinster Rotary Club. By the read counter, I'd say your still drawing a significant amount interest.
What can I say, inside my motley clown heart lies a lily white insecure primadonna soul.
Pass the guacamole, would you dear? Bingo's a go.
1:53 – 2:09: Meanwhile, our Mighty Mike goes …
Oh, wait. I promised I would use it should that happen:
:jessica:
I still don't understand the "MP goes all Roger Rabbit" reference.
Anytime Johnny P goes nuclear virtuoso, Mike seems to need to step up and throws down a monster fill/groove. He can't resist.
Like Roger Rabbit hearing "shave and a haircut", he needs to go "two bits!"
In my defense, I had mumps in utero.
And for the longest time, I couldn't figure out why the Jessica Rabbit emote had a giant sperm cell hitting her in the face...
"She's just drawn that way"
-
In my defense, I had mumps in utero.
:lol
-
First off, happy birthday Banging Big Bro! Boy, we getting old fast.
Second off, the italics text is me meta focking around with the plot. IT'S NOT THEORY, IT'S INNOCENT NONCANON DICKING AROUND! Jeez, people.
Third off, Ado was focking hated in 1928 too, thus:
03 – Strange Deja-Vu:
0:00 – 0:39: Kashmir mood punctuated by Mighty Mike in evident state of grace. Totally new overall sound from the guys, the word coming to mind is “compact”.
Nicholas has trouble sleeping – he has to Wait For (a hypnoterapist to) Sleep – and that's why he smokes cigarettes inside his SUV at 6:00 on a Christmas morning. I'm onto your symbolism, guys. Nicholas is clearly Kevin Moore.
0:39 – 0:56: Twenty seconds brimming with considerations. 1) Mike is inventing rythms like his life and honour depend on it 2) The new guy was late for the recording session 3) Johnny M knows the value of the Pelvic Thrust Slide.
Nicholas/Kevin has reached his favourite nightmare and he's literally Sorrounded in all the light.
0:56 – 1:55: Let's take advantage of the repeating verse to underscore the fact THIS is the range Big James shines in. Glad we cleared that, don't let me repeat myself.
Nicholas/Kevin has arrived to a house, obviously a Theater inside his Dream. Inside The Mirror (Awake) is focking baby Shirley (I&W). Got it? Kevin's nightmare/trauma: his stint with DT from MTV fame to split.
1:55 – 2:14: That's a brilliant measured stroke of voicecraft, Mr Labrie. I love the airy mixed voice he's using to play Victoria. Furthermore, apart from George focking Michael, have you ever heard anything more similar to Freddie's baroque mezzavoce?
We already know Nicholas – from ancient Greek “nike”: sneaker made by baby slaves … scratch that, I mean “victory” - and Victoria – from ancient Duh: “victory” - are meant to be one and the same. Too transparent and a blatant misdirection attempt. The truth is Shirley is reaching for Kevin desperately asking what the fock went wrong after the perfect album.
2:14 – 2:31: Great hook, the kind I always feel they should shower their songs with. Question: Who's doing backing vocals here? Never heard that voice before.
Answer: It must be the one actually knowing what the fock went wrong after the perfect album.
2:31 – 2:53: Forget we're in presence of DT's best rocking riff to date, forget Johnny M's licks are nothing short of Squirish, forget the harmonics triplet is a new word inside the universal guitar vocaboulary. What I really want you to notice is the first instance of somebody successfuly duplicating the most cocky, ballsy, irriverent and dominating guitar sound in history: Ritchie Blackmore's tone.
No info. My meta doppleganger is just headbanging with me.
2:53 – 3:21: This is aggressive James done safely and right. Whatever raspiness beyond this should not be allowed. Plus, but it may be just me being crazy, that little chord semislide Johnny P gives us at the end of every riff turn strongly reminds me of Iommi's little chord semislides at the end of every Children of the Grave's riff turn. This last reference was actually my birthday present to the Banging Big Bro.
C'mon, it's writing itself. Nicholas/Kevin is now Caught in a Web. He must face what happened during two years of his life he has struggled to remove from memory. Innocence has Faded and he must understand how if he values Learning to Live.
3:21 – 3:48: I have only one word for you, or a state if you prefer: Kansas.
Inside his office (of strategic influence) our hero is acknowledging the fact he has indeed contributed to the perfect album and massively determined both the best and the worst features of a disappointing sequel.
3:48 – 4:13: I love the New Guy electing the Piano to make his entrance. It's like a Christmas gift straight from the DT Custom Shop finally reading my yearly letter. Also, while Big James voice doubling was totally arbitrary and just lame in FII, here it's the right choice for theme and plot. Someone used to sing “let the music be your master”. You never go wrong that way.
Who is “the one I only know trying to break free” if not Kevin Moore in 1994?
4:13 – 5:05: And onward to glory. Have you noticed there is no guitar solo anywhere? Have you noticed it's the right focking choice for this tune? Maturity!
You hope to find the truth, because your Lie left you Scarred and it's Pulling you Under.
Coming Next: 04 – Through My Words
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I am somehow way late on this thread, yet not so much.
I have re-listened to I&W and Awake over the past two days, in a completely new light, I owe my company about four solid hours of work that has not been getting done.
I am now up to ACoS, but wanted to highlight this little point of self-deprecating humor from months back. I haven't gone through the rest of the thread and don't know if it was already pointed out, from your first concert experience:
“No, man. Nobody wants a minute by minute running diary of a focking great song stuffed with a focking weirdo's inane comments. It's annoying, boring and stupid”
Words to live by.
Brilliant!
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A giant birthday wave to BBB! May your knuckles always clear the curb, good sir.
This installment was much like eating a large bowl of vanilla gelato. Hard to get enthused about prior to digging in, not terribly exciting during the process, but ultimately satisfying! I appreciate your attempt to spice things up by sprinkling the confection with nuggets of alternate plot, but too many mentions of KM give me canker sores.
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Okay, time for a bosk1 intervention.
I take not being banned as JFK's implicit vote
Truth be told, on that fateful day many years ago when this thread first appeared, I don't think I was initially paying attention. I took notice a few posts in. And my initial reaction was that the person posting it was obviously deranged and dangerous, and should probably be banned forthwith. The irreverence and inanity was so over the top that it was a threat to the status quo. Banning from the forum without further explanation was the neat, tidy, and expedient way to deal with this. And yet...people seemed to like it. So...I begrudgingly let it ride for a bit. Maybe it was harmless. Like a mysterious and uncomfortable skin rash that could either be irritating and embarrassing, but ultimately harmless and would go away all on its own, or could develop into a fatal flesh-consuming disease, I decided I would just keep a close eye on it with potent thermonuclear antibiotics close at hand, just in case, and hope for the best.
Ultimately, the threat subsided, and the beast vanished into the ether. Threat abated. And with a sigh of relief, I acquiesced to the pleas to send this to the archive.
And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the thread passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared another group of unsuspecting forumers.
Darkness crept back into the forums of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear, and the thread perceived its time had come. [...and Indisipline returned.] ...but then something happened that the thread did not intend. It was followed and liked by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a forum admin, bosk1, of DTF.
And while I think the thread is still nuts, I have come to understand and appreciate a bit of the method to Indiscipline's madness. :tup :tup :tup :tup :tup
That's 5 :tup's Don't squander them.
When your kids ask you why they're giving up social life and fun focusing on study instead, please read them this entry. Tell'em 'bout my story, tell'em about me, the Cunt of Italy.
:spitcoffee:
That, sir, deserves a full-on lolavarium.
:rollin :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :rollin
*tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds* *tumbleweeds*
Were you looking for this?
:crypt:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, and by the way, I am listening to Live Scenes with this thread in mind. What a gorgeous experience.
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And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the thread passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared another group of unsuspecting forumers.
Darkness crept back into the forums of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear, and the thread perceived its time had come. [...and Indisipline returned.] ...but then something happened that the thread did not intend. It was followed and liked by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a forum admin, bosk1, of DTF.
(https://media.giphy.com/media/NnGGHE0muVqpO/giphy.gif)
Inb4 TAC says: WTF?
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A warm welcome to New World Rushman, everybody. May you ruin your company spending time with us!
Gregg, Bro said "huh goo goo booma". He likes you. Bad news, codename for this album is actually Kevin Moore Face.
Bosk, I feel like I've been given the most beautiful bannage notification ever. Plus:
Truth be told, on that fateful day many years ago when this thread first appeared, I don't think I was initially paying attention. I took notice a few posts in. And my initial reaction was that the person posting it was obviously deranged and dangerous, and should probably be banned on forthwith. The irreverence and inanity was so over the top that it was a threat to the status quo. Banning from the forum without further explanation was the neat, tidy, and expedient way to deal with this. And yet...people seemed to like it. So...I begrudgingly let it ride for a bit. Maybe it was harmless. Like a mysterious and uncomfortable skin rash that could either be irritating and embarrassing, but ultimately harmless and would go away all on its own, or could develop into a fatal flesh-consuming disease, I decided I would just keep a close eye on it with potent thermonuclear antibiotics close at hand, just in case, and hope for the best.
Ultimately, the threat subsided, and the beast vanished into the ether. Threat abated. And with a sigh of relief, I acquiesced to the pleas to send this to the archive.
And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the thread passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared another group of unsuspecting forumers.
Darkness crept back into the forums of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear, and the thread perceived its time had come. [...and Indisipline returned.] ...but then something happened that the thread did not intend. It was followed and liked by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a forum admin, bosk1, of DTF.
That kicked serious fantasy ass. I feel like I'm Thakisis.
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Bad news, codename for this album is actually Kevin Moore Face.
I was wondering about that, but I kept forgetting to ask. Not as catchy as Shirley, Moses or Twin Idiots but I'll bite.
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Bosk, I feel like I've been given the most beautiful bannage notification ever. Plus:
...
That kicked serious fantasy ass. I feel like I'm Thakisis.
:lol Glad you liked it, mio amico. Truth be told, it was pretty fun to write.
Inb4 TAC says: WTF?
:rollin So true!
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Ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul
04 – Through My Words:
Is there anyone not singing this along harmonising the vocal line a major third up? It's just asking for it. Considering we're talking about two individuals sharing the same mind here, I'm sadly filing this under “wasted opportunities”. I'm officially back on the saddle with DT. Proof? I'm presuming to tell the band what they should do, the mark of a true DT fan.
Ok, see ya next week with:
Coming Next: 05 – Fatal Tragedy
Yeah, as if.
05 – Fatal Tragedy:
0:00 – 0:35: Jordan's got Billy Joel classy pop milk here and Big James just slays it when it comes to theatrics. When, oh, when will they realise rock opera is what they're cut for? (OK, that was full blown cheating, but still!) On a sidenote, doesn't this little section vaguely remind you of Space-Dye Vest?
Hey! That's my schtick, you focker! Right, Nicholas/Kevin can't sleep and goes for the Martens for angels catalogue … I mean, goes back to his dream. He hears cries too, and they're not from a James Ivory flick this time. Maybe Gregg's screaming his KM allergy out.
0:35 – 0:48: Black Sabbath (the song) turns into Friends Will Be Friends ...
Man, that was a stretch.
0:48 – 1:07: … Joined by Take the Long Way home staccato piano, despite my italics symbionte's protests. The mishmash is fantastic, perfectly conveying a dive into a surreal alternative past. They seem to have carefully planned this concept thing.
Oh, two can play the timestamp to timestamp suspense game. Watch this. Nicholas/Kevin meets a man he can trust, and the old man is ...
1:07 – 1:33: Two totally unrelated things emerge listening to this verse a second time. 1) There's a post-debut/pre-90's Alice Cooper vibe here somewhere, just can't pinpoint it but I feel it. Tim, help? 2) I can hear a tambourine and that's a cool call back to Metropolis Pt1.
... Charlie Dominici! We can all agree on that methinks. The man whose sacrifice meant the biggest DT songwriting leap (and maybe one day we'll recap WDADU) is helping the man whose retirement meant the biggest DT songwriting downfall to find out who the fock killed Images&Words. Does it make sense or does it make sense?
1:33 – 1:47: Pilfered from King Diamond's Melissa saga. Very fitting, thinking about it.
Mate, you're crazier than me, really. Mind you, I'm talking to you only because it's a nifty parallel to the two people sharing a single mind narrative, otherwise I'd ignore your tripe.
1:47 – 2:06: Choruses are extremely hooky on this album so far and I love it. This one has a certain Hetfield guitar melodic gravitas to it. BUT, seriously, someone should grow a set and tell Mike he's an awesome artist but it doesn't mean he can sing. Interesting voice, on tune, but the man can't really sing, or at least not so loud in the mix.
It doesn't get any better than Charlie Dominici telling Kevin Moore “there can be no turning back”. Any thoughts, Mr Portnoy?
2:06 – 2:24: What can I say? I'm loving Dream Theater Edgar Winter/Brian May Thrill Theme Park. Don't you?
Yes
2:24 – 2:52: Listening to the city, whispering its violence ... Sorry, couldn't help it, but in this case it was alright and actually clever. God, that double voice was annoying.
You talking to me? Oh.
2:52 – 3:26: Now I know what to say when somebody asks: “Define Prog Metal, please”. They haven't sounded so tight and cohesive, heavy and crisp, since Baby Derek's best moments. Plus, lo and behold, Big James is back!
”You're on your own”, he said. “You'll know the truth as my bloody Majesty tattoo goes away, you focking backstabber”, he said.
3:26 – 3:51: Ok, lots of singing by the other guys so far. I get creative control and self producing have been a painful conquest, but are we sure we're not needing some wise external ear anymore? Who's in charge now? Can the – you know – focking best prog metal singer of his generation record his own harmonies?
I will shut up for a bit. I feel I've already squandered a couple of Bosk's thumbs.
3:51 – 4:12: I've said this a million times but I'll say it again. The day we will look back to this extraordinary career, we'll be blinded by musicianship, intricacies and overall musical beauty. Of course, we'll neglect to mention they have produced way more motherfocking killer riffs than we give'em credit for. By the way, A) Sometimes single string is better than chords, and it shows. B) That sabre duel cymbal thing Mighty Mike is doing deserves some kind of Nobel.
4:12 – 4:39: Dad's phone is off, otherwise I'd be talking about Mike's vulgar display of power until dawn and probably cutting myself out of my inheritance. Anyways, Jordan, what's that patch's name, Ghost'n'Goblins or Kadash?
4:39 – 5:14: That solo is practically unplayable. That solo is faster than anything I've ever heard coming from a guitar amp. That solo's tone melts your face even if your name is Destro. That solo requires a world class athlete's level of stamina. That solo is the first Petrucci's solo I'm not liking.
5:14 – 6:00: Well, Johnny P my boy, it seems you've found your crazy shredding match. Yet if I should decide who's the winner in this solo war, I'd say Johnny M and Mighty Mike, hoping it makes sense enough.
6:00 – 6:41: It does. This is the Voltron I've always dreamt of. Five perfect machines completely joined and cohordinated. You can't tell who's playing what anymore, just like you can't tell who's penetrating who anymore when you truly make love.
6:41 – 6:50: Dreeeeeaaaamer … you know you are a dreeeeeaaaaamer ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
This Hypno-guy is onto something. I think I know who he really is. HAHAHAHAHA!
Coming Next: 06 – Beyond this Life (Favourite alert!)
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Ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul
Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in DTF! >:(
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Okay I really loved this installment. The lols were too numerous to mention, but this one is just too brilliant to not point out.
It doesn't get any better than Charlie Dominici telling Kevin Moore “there can be no turning back”. Any thoughts, Mr Portnoy?
Goddamn, Alex. That's just brootal! :rollin
I'm putting my KevMo allergy on hold for this album now that I know the cover is his face (in your twisted imagination). Oh, and that guitar solo is totally tubendicular, dude. Ride the wave.
6:41 – 6:50: Dreeeeeaaaamer … you know you are a dreeeeeaaaaamer ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
Yes you could, but I'm glad you didn't.
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Ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul
Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in DTF! >:(
And let us hope that none will ever speak it again. Nonetheless I do not ask your pardon, Master Podaar. For if that tongue is not soon to be heard in every corner of the Web, then let all put doubt aside that this thread is indeed what the Admin has declared: the treasure of the Banned, fraught with all his malice; and in it lies a great part of his strenght.
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Finally caught up. Wonderful additions, my friend.
Also lovely little post by Bosk in there too. :lol
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Thank you man! Long time no see. Yup, Bosk's bonus track is the gem of the album.
I'm giving you guys a good chunk of time to catch up 'cause I love BTL so much that I just know I wont't stay under the polite 20 timestamps treshold.
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3:51 – 4:12: I've said this a million times but I'll say it again. The day we will look back to this extraordinary career, we'll be blinded by musicianship, intricacies and overall musical beauty. Of course, we'll neglect to mention they have produced way more motherfocking killer riffs than we give'em credit for. By the way, A) Sometimes single string is better than chords, and it shows. B) That sabre duel cymbal thing Mighty Mike is doing deserves some kind of Nobel.
4:12 – 4:39: Dad's phone is off, otherwise I'd be talking about Mike's vulgar display of power until dawn and probably cutting myself out of my inheritance. Anyways, Jordan, what's that patch's name, Ghost'n'Goblins or Kadash?
4:39 – 5:14: That solo is practically unplayable. That solo is faster than anything I've ever heard coming from a guitar amp. That solo's tone melts your face even if your name is Destro. That solo requires a world class athlete's level of stamina. That solo is the first Petrucci's solo I'm not liking.
5:14 – 6:00: Well, Johnny P my boy, it seems you've found your crazy shredding match. Yet if I should decide who's the winner in this solo war, I'd say Johnny M and Mighty Mike, hoping it makes sense enough.
6:00 – 6:41: It does. This is the Voltron I've always dreamt of. Five perfect machines completely joined and cohordinated. You can't tell who's playing what anymore, just like you can't tell who's penetrating who anymore when you truly make love.
I agree with you about the riffs. But I'm pretty sure I'll be able to tell if I'm ever penetrated.
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1:07 – 1:33: 1) There's a post-debut/pre-90's Alice Cooper vibe here somewhere, just can't pinpoint it but I feel it. Tim, help?
Just so you know, I hear Alice Cooper in everything I listen to.
It actually makes me think of this. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLeUyg7qgF4)
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1:07 – 1:33: 1) There's a post-debut/pre-90's Alice Cooper vibe here somewhere, just can't pinpoint it but I feel it. Tim, help?
Just so you know, I hear Alice Cooper in everything I listen to.
I hear you. It happens to me with The Beatles.
It actually makes me think of this. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLeUyg7qgF4)
Bingo
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Just so you know, I hear Alice Cooper in everything I listen to.
I hear you. It happens to me with The Beatles.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mFhKIDMYc0Q/VzP3dlcVEXI/AAAAAAAAI60/yTkMrFzwewQTG3z4EvjVlEFimiFrkzW6gCLcB/s1600/John%2Band%2BAlice.jpg)
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Did Indiscipline Greyhim fall into shadow with the Balrog?
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A 30 timestamps monster will be on around my dinner time, Podaar the White.
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I would think it would be more like him to have stayed to dally with some elf maidens. (or possibly even orc maidens, for that matter)
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Orc maidens can be surprisingly romantic and cozy.
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Minus the oozing pustules, of course. Oh, and isn't "orc maiden" strictly an oxymoron?
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Never had the nerve to ask
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WHAT are we talking about??
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Geez... Let's move on to the next excerpt, prašau
Before we unleash something that should never have left the rule34 shadowy area of internet :lol
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A 30 timestamps monster will be on around my dinner time, Podaar the White.
Unless dinner goes the funny way, of course
WHAT are we talking about??
The Lennon - Alice pic!
That pic is gold. My rock dream #587 would be Alice Cooper covering How Do You Sleep by John Winston Lennon; #588, of course, being John Winston Lennon covering Only Women Bleed. Please, people, take a minute to step away from your laptop and consider the implications. You might need Kleenex and privacy. I know I do.
Done? Good. Let's go.
06 – Beyond this Life:
Now it's time to see how you died, but remember that Death is not the end, but just a potentially enjoyable over-technical and daresay proggy metal band from Florida held back by hilarious orc vocals
Or only a transition, okay.
0:00 – 0:20: Holy focking hardcore thrash, Batman! I always wondered what does it take to have a bonafide mosh pit during a DT show. Wondering no more, dear Victoria. I'm ready to clothesline a fellow fan in 5/4.
0:20 – 0:31: They got it! How to be respectfully heavy, interestingly elaborate WITHOUT focking with frequencies competition. Incidentally, the two band they continously cite as main influences were among the best of the best in the frequencies democratic distribution business: Yes and Rush.
0:31 – 0:45: Naturally Jordan and that invasive medium range patch had to go and prove the previous paragraph wrong. DT focking with me, instance #294.
0:45 – 1:12: Headline: Murder, every other drummer on the planet killed.
1:12 – 1:26: Nasal James is back juuuuuust to make worry for a bit. Nah, he's acting the headline buzz on the streets, I'm convinced.
1:26 – 1:37: Hearing this a second time, memories of Voices riffage all around.
Of course, you dumbfock. Who do you think shot poor dear Shirley down?
1:37 – 2:04: “Dad?”
“Deny, always deny everything! Refuse DNA tests and leave my surname out of it!”
“No, this ain't that call. Just listen to this:”
“............ *cigar toke* …..........”
“So?”
“Again”
“.............*loud moan*.............”
“Well?”
“That's illegal”
2:04 – 2:25: I love Big James with a fierce passion, but I must admit not even Vince Neil could sound more of a pussy enunciating “poor young girl”. Nah, he's acting the gossipy spinsters commenting the news, I'm convinced.
I mean, could this be more transparent? Old Moses/Awake murdered Images and Words/Shirley, then proceeded to kill himself by falling into infinity. Or at least that's what some “witness” wants us to believe.
2:25 – 2:58: Eerie bit, but happily back to The Mirror's wise musical landscape architecture. There's a tension between a raw past (acoustic guitar, shaker) and a refined present (cold bass, elaborate synths). Right smack in the middle, a voice from the otherworld. This is progressive music in the truest meaning of the word.
Shirley is trying to tell us something here, Kevolas. There's a deed which has travelled far. It began with a guy Branded with Fire, crossed a heart on Fire, manifested itself with a guy Firing himself, and exploded with a shameful attempt to become a Brand. Who did it? Whos's the Firebrand in the band?
2:58 – 3:12: Great moment of mischievious peace. It's like the guy quitely descending the stairs to the basement in every horror flick. Why the fock does he always have to go check the basement? Run away, you moron. Don't you ever go to the movies?
Hey buddie, I thought inane deranged tangents were MY deal here.
3:12 – 3:25: And the monster in the basement shrieked. What the hell, Johnny P, was it that the time and place for a spotless Kerry King impression? (I know, I already worked that reference, but what else am I going to call that? A flock of Nazguls crying in their death throes?)
3:25 – 3:45: Nothing in this world will never dissuade me from firmly believing they put the “wayward man” line as a way to say: “Look, we're quoting Kansas. Prepare for a trove of musical influences as a device to convey the reincarnation theme.” Thank you guys for doing my job for me.
So, Shirley wanted to sound like I&W forever, but Old Moses had another plan. He fell into evil Emo Metal ways. What a wayward dirty old motherfocker.
3:45 – 4:01: Big James carries the Curse of Michael Kiske. He's the perfect singer for his metal genre (prog J, power M) timbrewise and rangewise, but he lacks the epic storytelling attitude and the sexy beast vocabulary. He sings straight from the heart, without the manipulative filters we tend to expect in rock tradition. For this fan, there lies his beauty and strenght. Said that, the “Ooooooh Yeaaaaaahhhhh” is the wonderfully closer JLB will ever get to a manufactured sexy beast rock yell. Out of left field like Meek Jesus losing his shit in the temple turned market. Yes, I've just compared Kevin James LaBrie to Jesus.
4:01 – 4:24: And the quotefest goes on. Since it's openly declared, I'm sparing you my “couldn't help it” bit. Metallica – Damage Inc.
They found a switchblade? Was someone Raising the Knife?
4:24 – 4:50: I only have one maddening question here. What kind of unsufferable bitch must Lucy Liu be if you'd sooner take your life away than live with her?
4:50 – 5:55: Here is where a quite significative DT composing trend begins. When shit hits the fan, emotionally and/or narratively, they go ¾ or 6/8. I think Jordan and his classical background brought that to the table. Do me a favour, check every tertiary moment from SFAM on and tell me they're not marking pivotal lyrical/narrative/emotive moments. You will never actually do me that favour, so you gotta trust me on that. Ha.
5:55 – 6:09: Our deeds travel from past to present, or from left to right ear.
6:09 – 6:25: For a girl men would kill. Why? They do not know...
6:25 – 7:10: Victoria, it's a hit. Don't give me that do goody good bullshit.
7:10 – 8:16: Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain, Nicholas dance on the thunder again ...
8:16 – 8:46: Ok, I was focking with reference on the previous three paragraphs, neglecting to point out the not so subtle challenge between Johnny P and Jordan. The dynamic is changing forever, for the first time we have THREE world class soloists. Let's see how the team reacts.
8:46 – 9:06: Well, I must say Jordan is winning here. Unless he recorded this solo over a different track later discarded but featuring HIS time signature, there's no way a regular human brain can accomplish what I've just heard. Not even Keith Jarrett's.
9:06 – 9:25: How do you like them peaches, Victoria? En Regalia?
9:25 – 9:43: I don't have a reference here. But I do have the everlasting proof Dream Theater can and will focking old school salt of the earth rock when they feel like it.
9:43 – 10:05: An unison speeding on a tightrope suspended over a bottomless pit. Two of the three above mentioned world class soloists have resolved competition with collaboration. Lots of “two bits” for the third one. On a sidenote, I'm picturing Johnny P out of his skull with happiness and possibilities now that he found Jordan. Kinda like Kareem meeting Magic at training camp for the first time.
10:05 – 10:34: Welcome back, James. Could this be your longest time out yet?
10:34 – 11:03: Naturally, you crown a heavy prog masterpiece full of homages to past genius with the catchiest chorus in your career eleven minutes in. Treasure your Dream Theater, comrades. A lifetime won't be enough to exhaust all the musical content they've given us, and nobody can boast the same feat.
11:03 – 11:22: Little Victoria, it's been a cold cold lonely winter ...
That's it, and sorry again for the delay. Please allow me some parental pride, my friends. This is the step-daughter's birthday week-end, the 21st (goddammit I'm old) and guess what she asked me as a present?
Not a titjob, not a pink convertible, not some silly vapid capitalist cunt thing.
She asked for a trip to a local natural park known for letting visitors freely feed the otters.
She may not be my blood, but she's sure as fock my heart.
Coming Next: 07 - Through Her Eyes
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Sorry for the double post, I guess.
Man, what a great trip. I fed the wolves, the wife fed an ocelot, step-daughter fed the otters (her lifelong dream until she discovered the critters eat duck chicks, starting from the heads Ozzy-style) and her boyfriend fed the bucks because he's a pussy.
I know, I should talk about my past, not my present, but this particular album clearly requires time rules to be suspended and warped. Back to it, then.
07 – Through Her Eyes
This is Nicholas pouring his feelings out about his alleged past life. The tune has its musical moments worth recapping, but I feel I'm better having my italics counterpart take centre stage this time. He's got a theory this song is Kev listening to I&W and deciding to quit the band right after tracking Awake. Yeah, my dark twin is crazy, but he knows better than putting his crackpot opinions outside this thread.
If you're offended by surreal gratuitous parody, you may want to skip the italics text. Then again, if you're offended by surreal gratuitous parody, you've probably left the premises loooooong ago.
She never really had a chance
On that fateful post-grunge scene
Sacrificed without a fight
A victim of big dollars spleen
Now that she's become Awake
And I`ve disowned this travesty
A sadness grows inside of me
It all seems so unfair
I`m learning all about my strife
By watching Shilrely die
Just before the mixing stage
Where the drums are overblown
I saw the writing on the wall
I felt like I would suffocate
In loving memory of our child
Who got a genre open wide
I felt so empty as I cried
Like part of me had died
And as her image(s and words)
Wandered through my head
I wept just like a baby
As I heard Awake in bed
And I know what it`s like
To lose the gig you love
And this felt just the same
She wasn`t given any choice
Lie and Mirror stole her voice
I`ve been given just a solo song
That everybody's getting wrong
I had to suffer one last time
To grieve for her and say goodbye
Relieve the anguish of my past
An angel dressed in Space-Dye Vest
I won't be opened wide
Can't stand this change of style
Looking through wet eyes
0:00 – 1:05: A gorgeously voiced lady is Gigging in the Sky while Johnny P is Living in Pompei.
1:05 – 1:39: I guess Mike had to go to the bathroom. But I don't dislike the idea, in fact I want everything stripped bare in order to fully enjoy Johnny M's fretless elegance.
1:39 – 2:22: 90% of rock-metal singers would egregiously mail this piece in. James has just given us 43 different vocal nuances by my count. There is no possible believable concept album populated by characters without a singer of this caliber.
2:22 – 2:38: That guitar spot is a terrible trap. There's 99% chance to put in the wrong lick/tone/dynamic and screw everything up. Of course, Johnny P nails the 1%.
2:38 – 3:20: These lyrics are a terrible trap. There's 99% chance to put in the wrong breath/tone/dynamic and sound silly and over-dramatic. Of course, Big James nails the 1%.
3:20 – 3:54: This bit strongly reminds me of Elton John's Candle in the Wind chorus. I like to think it was planned. A song about a dead woman, recycled for a second dead woman, quoted for a third one.
3:54 – 4:40: “I've been” and “Suffer one last time” are reasons 633 and 634 I love Kevin James LaBrie, and I don't know what to tell you if you can't see why.
4:40 – 5:26: Ok, James, you've sung this song so brilliantly that I'm more than willing to allow you a severe case of BonoVoxitis.
Coming Next: 08 – Home, aka crying over not trimmed fat
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I didn't really need to listen along to get a lot of your references, but it's more fun when I do. Ironically, weekends are the worst time for me to be able to do so. I had to wait until I got to the office this morning to listen along.
Now it's time to see how you died, but remember that Death is not the end, but just a potentially enjoyable over-technical and daresay proggy metal band from Florida held back by hilarious orc vocals.
:clap:
0:00 – 0:20:I'm ready to clothesline a fellow fan in 5/4.
:lol
1:37 – 2:04: “Dad?”
“Deny, always deny everything! Refuse DNA tests and leave my surname out of it!”
“No, this ain't that call. Just listen to this:”
I had this exact conversation with my son.
3:12 – 3:25: And the monster in the basement shrieked. What the hell, Johnny P, was it that the time and place for a spotless Kerry King impression? (I know, I already worked that reference, but what else am I going to call that? A flock of Nazguls crying in their death throes?)
That would be preferable to accusing JP of doing anything like Kerry King. Plus, I'm pretty sure that King couldn't do what JP did there if his life depended on it and he had a decade to accomplish it.
6:09 – 6:25: For a girl men would kill. Why? They do not know...
6:25 – 7:10: Victoria, it's a hit. Don't give me that do goody good bullshit.
7:10 – 8:16: Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain, Nicholas dance on the thunder again ...
Okay, I'll give you these three...especially the last one.
8:46 – 9:06: Well, I must say Jordan is winning here. Unless he recorded this solo over a different track later discarded but featuring HIS time signature, there's no way a regular human brain can accomplish what I've just heard. Not even Keith Jarrett's.
Nice! This is one of my favorite examples of what Jordan brought to the band. I wish he did more of these kinds of solo spots, really. Plus it perfectly foreshadowed...
9:06 – 9:25: How do you like them peaches, Victoria? En Regalia?
No shit! :lol
11:03 – 11:22: Little Victoria, it's been a cold cold lonely winter ...
:umno:
That was a fun installment, and one of my favorites tunes from this record!
-
I must admit Here Comes the Sun was a lazy lazy stretch.
Tell you what, I'm so fond of the Podaar Quality Control that I'm actively trying to keep instalments between monday and friday.
-
This thread is starting to turn into a coffee klatch between just the two of us. Which makes me feel a little dirty, since there are quite a number of people still reading it. Voyeurs!!
Anyway, about Through Her Eyes. This has always been one of my favorite DT moments, like, ever. I love everything about it, the fretless glory, the perfect guitar tone, everything geared toward providing a showcase for James, and then he steps up and nails it like nothing before or since, IMO.
3:54 – 4:40: “I've been” and “Suffer one last time” are reasons 633 and 634 I love Kevin James LaBrie, and I don't know what to tell you if you can't see why.
Oh, I see why! "...and this felt, just the same" is another reason to love him. Great, great, song and I think it stands on its own quite well.
For years, I was a DT fan in a vacuum, kinda. I'd fallen out with the one friend who was also a fan around the time of this album. My eldest son liked them but I think it was more about him wanting to be like me, than actually loving the music. The point being that up until I found Portnoy's forum just prior to Systematic Chaos there was no one to challenge my views on anything DT.
Then I found out how many people (who presumably are rabid SFAM fans) hate this song! :lol Maybe hate is a strong word, but I've read loads of comments about how this is the one song people would cut from the album or at least automatically skip. I'm still completely baffled by that.
I'm glad you like it! If your Dad ends up disowning you, let me know. I'll adopt you.
-
You dawg. You got the hots for me mom, that's what you got.
-
Yes, well, there is that.
-
You know, once you get used to it, the thread really isn't all that weird. ...until this last little exchange between you two.
-
I'm really excited for when you hit Black Clouds and the Astonishing
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I should live so long...
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I'm really excited for when you hit Black Clouds and the Astonishing
Me too. 2034 is gonna be a great year for this thread.
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:lol I've never clotheslined someone in 5/4, but I get it would be pretty rad.
-
Gotta catch up on this.
-
In the truest spirit of sequel etiquette, I wished – but failed - to give this tune the Metropolis Pt1 twenty timestamps treatment. While seven years ago it felt like it wasn't enough to do the song justice, this time it felt like padding, or “waffling” (only brit readers will get that) the entry.
Given scope, centerpiece narrative positioning, callback opportunities and sheer duration, Home is probably – pound for pound – the laziest composition in the whole album. Nonetheless, it provides us with this tragic tale's missing character, giving a well deserved boost to the ongoing italics crackpot subplot. I can see you brimming with enthusiasm.
08 – Home:
0:00 – 0:37: We're definitely in the FII realm of great atmospheric intros here. Fun fact: until the very moment the sitarish chord strikes, the acoustic guitar melody behaves exactly like SDV intro's piano chord voicings.
FII, Awake, KM's swan song. We may be onto something …
0:37 – 1:44: Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place where the caravan camels roam... Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:44 – 2:05: The WOMP WOMP made me quit the habit of resting my drinks on the subwoofer. Brilliant sound, really. Also, My mind is clearer now, at last all too well ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
2:05 – 2:27: To put this riff's staying power in perspective, let's just say that EVERYTIME I've happened to jam on phrygian dominat in the last 20 years, my fingers have subconsciously used it.
2:27 – 3:22: Instead of foolishly quoting RATM, I'm leaving the stage to my Valonqar:
Thanks. Julian is Old Moses at daybreak on the bottom of the Lake of fire, doing lines on The Mirror. A Mind Besides Itself dripping desire, confined in a Web and overtired by staying Awake at 6:00.
3:22 – 4:05: You see? It moves, but musically it stays still. The ascending crazy pre-chorus guitar flurry is a nice call back to Pull Me Under though.
Old Moses finally realises Awake's heavy and raspy posturing are nothing but a charade. Metropolis is home, he longs for the city he listened to and whose violence he witnessed while learning to live. He can't be the one who will killed poor Shirley.
4:05 – 5:17: Light to dark, dark to light. Half Metropolis chorus, half Home chorus. Half Metropolis riff, half Home riff. Big James in top shape. Something miracolous must have happened since FII.
5:17 – 7:19: Basically copy and paste, except for Mighty Mike's work. The drums are really taking great pains to underscore the change of character.
Here we go. The Miracle is the shot at money, notoriety, commercial success. Old Moses made Shirley dirty and grittier, but he didn't steal her soul. Edward needs to deceive and betray everyone and everything in order to own Shirley's spirit. He's definitely FII. What did we call that album again? Yeah, Two Morons. How appropriate.
7:19 – 8:40: I get it, someone's playing craps while someone else is focking. Did we need 90 boring seconds to accomplish that? Why not pulling a The Who with I Can See For Miles (“cello cello cello ...”) and going “Crapshoot Banging Crapshoot ...”?
The story, in a nutshell: Awake was a crapshoot, FII focked I&W raw.
8:40 – 9:22: I can't get over this solo's dualism. Musically and technically it's as bold and falmboyant as you can get, while its sound is completely devoid of personality. It's like a Eddie Murphy routine spoken by Tim Duncan.
9:22 – 10:23: Ok, it's contagious. One minute of impossible virtuosity expressed in a very forgettable tone.
10:23 – 11:44: Almost twelve minutes in roughly the same key and time signature. It must be some kind of record.
There's no focking mystery to your condition, dear Kevolas. Your choice made Awake what it is and led to that incredible songwriting regression/identity crisis/integrity loss that is FII. You've been hired to solve a murder you committed, Angel Heart style.
11:44 – 12:50: My favourite part of the song. The way a note is added at every time change/break is a masterpiece in progressive thinking.
Before I wrap this up, I'd like to celebrate a significant part of this thread turning 50. Bottoms up!
Coming Next: The Dance of Eternity (aka Edward and Victoria made a porno)
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That’s a bit harsh man, I love those solos.
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Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.
As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*
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Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.
As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*
Ha ha, gotcha. Dane of Eternity write-up should be interesting.
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Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.
As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*
Sorry to derail the topic, but this reminded me of the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYOHzAAwaW4
Thought you might appreciate it.
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I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.
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Oh, I love everything about them, except the tones. Jordan's too thin, Johnny's too muddy.
As a wise man once wrote, "audiophiles are people too". *wink*
Ha ha, gotcha. Dane of Eternity write-up should be interesting.
Oh, we live eternally!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Where it's eternally dark!
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I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.
I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!
Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend. :)
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I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.
I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!
Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend. :)
...and we've got another soldier trapped.
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BWAHAHAHAHA! We shall feast on his bones!
...um...figuratively, of course.
:ontome:
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I see a bright future for you in this thread, Seb.
I hope that's not Mitchell-esque sarcasm!
I was absolutely being serious. That kind of humour is this thread's lifestream.
Either way: I've enjoyed the one or two posts of yours I've read so far here, so I'm going to read the whole of the thread this weekend. :)
That's courage. I have to warn you: constant exposure to this thread may cause - even in otherwise functional subjects - random episodes of campy brilliance such as:
Oh, we live eternally!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Where it's eternally dark!
...and we've got another soldier trapped.
".... And we will all go down togeeeeeeetheeeeeer!"
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That's courage. I have to warn you: constant exposure to this thread may cause - even in otherwise functional subjects - random episodes of campy brilliance such as:
Oh, we live eternally!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Here in the land of Dennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-mark!
Where it's eternally dark!
Well, now, see, that's funny because he said "the Dane of Eternity."
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I'm aware of that. It doesn't make it any less campy brilliant!
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I can't believe you just made me listen to Home.
A couple things...
I don't know the caravan camels reference. The Mind Is Clearer sounds familiar but can't place it.
WTF is a phrygian dominat?
Appreciate the bottoms up!
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Ah! This seems like it's going to be my cup of tea then! :)
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I can't believe you just made me listen to Home.
A couple things...
I don't know the caravan camels reference. The Mind Is Clearer sounds familiar but can't place it.
WTF is a phrygian dominat?
Appreciate the bottoms up!
Arabian Nights from Aladdin
Heaven on Their Minds from JC Superstar
A scale/mode
My pleasure, buddy.
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Pffft, like I'm neglecting this just because I'm running a roulette … Who are you taking me for, a seven years disappearing act?
Oh, Ok.
Anyways, I've already described my Home/TDoE Integration Theory in the Controversial Opinions thread, hence I'm saving you all fine gentlemen from the tedium. What to do then? Well, let's let my italics counterpart translate the song into an Edward-Victoria sexual intercourse play-by-play, and let's try to do it without getting Bosk fired at work and yours truly tied, quartered & banned. I need some Molinari (shout out to my Ryder boy!) laser precision here.
09: The Dance of Eternity:
0:00 – 0:31: The bass is a boiling cauldron. In fact, that's what this intro is suggesting: a magical concoction mixing this album's first riff with distant fragrances from Metropolis. But mainly, the bass is a motherfocking boiling cauldron.
”Come inside, dear.”
“Oh, Ned, your bedroom smells funny.”
“I'm a Senator. Lots of parties I will deny have ever happened in here ...”
0:31 – 0:44: This sounds like a warning: “we're gonna take you for a stroll on atonal avenue” or, better yet, “we're in the ballpark of the madness going on after you heard the third arrives seven years ago”. Challenge accepted.
”Let me help you off your coat, dear”
“Thanks … Oy, how in the hell are you already naked and ready?”
“They call me The Miracle, baby.”
0:44 – 1:17: This is LTE music with a bit more of studio time. It's taking me out of the story and straight into my usual “let's listen to impossible shit in awe” office. That's generally a pretty enjoyable place, but not really where I want to be while I'm wondering who banged Victoria.
“Oh, Ned, what is that?”
“Poor naive girl, is it the first time you see one? I guess you don't even know the name for it”
“I'd say it's like a cock, but incredibly smaller...”
1:17 – 1:19: Nice touch, Jordan. I guess you've taken care of Derek's comparisons with this great take on LitS's fusion piano breaks.
“... Ned, why are you crying?”
“...”
1:19 – 1:29: I've been waiting for that since track 01. You can't spell Metropolis without that lick.
”Oh, I see, you must love your brother very much”
“Not right now, I really don't”
1:29 – 2:05: I am convinced Mighty Mike has personally written this segment on the drums and the actual notes have been added as a logical necessity. Four albums and one EP in, this is his absolute zenith.
”What the fock is that, girl?”
“A shawl-corset-knickers lingerie complete. No visible skin, it's 1928!”
“No wonder we're calling it the Great Depression”
2:05 – 2:32: I'm staying on Mike here because, c'mon, this is his song. Please forgive the paradox and its implications, but don't you think he's playing in a very Manginiesque way of underlining the riffs here?
”What do you mean you won't do that, Vic? Are you pulling a Meat Loaf?”
“1928 Prohibitionism, Ned. Nil by mouth.”
“Will you when I'm President?”
2:32 – 2:48: Say what you will, I focking love this odd bit and its placement. Still, I always wonder why people insist to call this “the ragtime section”. Ragtime is a slow business (Scott Joplin used to write on his sheet music: “I beg you, play it slowly”), this is dixieland.
“You like this young music, dear? Does it make you horny?”
“Yeah. Is it Winger?”
2:48 – 3:07: KevMo/JP original unison runs upstaged. The slate is clean now.
”You like it, don't you? You watching and thoughtfully smiling little bitch?”
“Ned, I hate to tell you this, but you're focking my corset's buttonhole.”
3:07 – 3:20: A blizzard of badass bass, Master Myung. I'd like to play this bit slowed down ten times and discover it's actually the whole Cliff's Anesthesia compressed.
”You like it now, don't you? You snitching reincarnating dream haunting little whore?”
“Oh, you in now?”
3:20 – 4:32: I can be led to believe this is played on the drums by a single human being, I even can be led to believe the snare is not a playback track, but I will never believe there is a way of focking keeping the count playing this live. Never. I feel like I've just witnessed the laws of nature suspending themselves for a whole minute.
”Oh, Victoria, I want to spend the rest of my life making love to you!”
“Cool. You going to actually start that anytime now?”
4:32 – 5:13: We're in full blown Sun Ra For Rock Band territory here. I need a live show to be absolutely sure this isn't aleatory composing.
”Turn around!”
“Every now and then a get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round?”
“I said turn around!”
“Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears?”
“What the fock, Victoria!”
“Ha! That was my Bonnie Tyler ass preserver.”
5:13 – 5:55: I can't take this anymore. There comes a point I'm tired of being amazed and need some sort of musical release, especially on an instrumental. Please drop the math display and give me something a mortal can immediately chew. Even swine can get tired of too many pearls I guess.
“What the fock, Ned!”
“Sorry, I misinterpreted Through Her Eyes”
5:55 – 6:13: RUSH? REALLY? THIS IS ALL THAT BUILDUP'S PAYOFF?
Focking brilliant, actually.
”That's it?”
“Yes, girl. Did you think the very last dance would have lasted forever?”
“No, but neither fifty seconds”
Coming Next (after prosecution): 10: One Last Time
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“What the fock, Ned!”
“Sorry, I misinterpreted Through Her Eyes”
:spitcoffee:
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Agreed 100% on the kudos for MP. Amazing stuff.
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0:00 – 0:31:
”Come inside, dear.”
That was quick.
Brilliant*ahem*entry!
:rollin
Not to steal any thunder, dear Indiscipline, but also not knowing if this has made the rounds I feel I should share this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptUW9-1e4JM
Me, I would've adjusted the rate of each "kill yourself" so that it would've made either a fitting rhythm or some zany polyrhythm.
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Welcome aboard, Bentower!
Come inside, of course.
Nice motivational video, and perfect grasp of this thread's spirit.
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Ah yes, the good old Through Her Eyes joke.
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Yup, it's been around since 1928.
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Hello?
Good, the keys still work. Let me open a window or two to let some fresh air in.
Sorry for being an absent threader, but I'm running an elaborate scam on the other side of the forums. You wanna hear this. I have people taking pains to send me great music under the delusion I have reliable and coherent tastes. I know, let's just keep this hush hush and let's see whether I can still remember this dance's moves:
10 – One Last Time:
0:00 – 0:35: It's official, Jordan is a legit concert hall worthy pianist. A 88 keys Keith/Jon/Rick specimen. To clarify further, he has a focking left hand and knows how to use it.
0:35 – 1:11: My DT Onion Theory corroborated, my friends. Peel off the Metal, peel off the Prog, and you've got the best AOR feel you can get. Also, Big James returning after an extremely try-hard instrumental fells like Indiana Jones shooting the show-off swords guy with a smirk.
This tragic ending doesn't make any sense because it isn't a focking ending, bub. We already knew Shirley has been focked over by Old Moses and Two Morons, now you just know you're responsible. But who pulled the fock-over trigger? And why?
1:11 – 1:46: Put 1000 heavy metal tenors inside a (very big) room, give them a great chorus vocal line at belting range, tell'em it's a very emotional moment, suggest it's a girl speaking. 500 will belt their arses out, 499 will tell you they don't play girls. 1 is Kevin James LaBrie.
Whom are you laying down with today, baby? The rockspider preying on gen x's angst or the twin dullards cherishing the impossible dream to be both admired like Rush and sold like U2?
1:46 – 2:03: I had to know this. In an album featuring A) The resurrection of James, playing multiple carachters to boot – B) Johnny P's at his craziest with a whole new array of tones and capers – C) A keyboardist more than capable to follow the guitars everywhere without breaking a sweat – D) Mighty Mike swiping the stool under Terry Bozzio's arse – Well, Johnny M always finds (without searching) a way to win the Tastiest Trophy. Always.
2:03 – 2:19: This here could be my favourite guitar solo in the album ... if the following song didn't exist.
2:19 – 2:47: Finally, the ouverture actualised. Alarmingly, I can hear Big James struggling, almost breathless. I would worry … if the following song didn't exist.
The home holds three clues: a mirror, a bucket, and binoculars. It holds an inspirational corner too.
2:47 – 3:33: This here could be my favourite melody in the album … if the following song didn't exist.
Just for fun, move this thing 15 years later. A saviour is screaming, a ruler pleads forgiveness, a prince cannot hear anymore. Still, a girl (apparently) killed.
3:33 – 3:45: This man knows his Prokofiev (Dance of the Knights, Romeo and Juliet), and know I'm drooling at the thought of DT tapping into classical music even more (JP already writing solos like Chopin and harmonies like Brahms).
Coming Next: The Song 75% of us Want at Their Funerals.
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OLT is one of my faves from SFAM.
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OK, took some time to catch up the last couple of songs today. My apologies for the neglect.
First for TDOE:
3:07 – 3:20: A blizzard of badass bass, Master Myung. I'd like to play this bit slowed down ten times and discover it's actually the whole Cliff's Anesthesia compressed.
:rollin
Seriously, I was rolling. That is very funny....and true. :lol
And One Last Time:
2:47 – 3:33: This here could be my favourite melody in the album … if the following song didn't exist.
Just for fun, move this thing 15 years later. A saviour is screaming, a ruler pleads forgiveness, a prince cannot hear anymore. Still, a girl (apparently) killed.
Dead on, brother. Dead on.
On the BC&SL show, we were lucky enough to get TDOE/OLT. Amazing.
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Oh, yes, I'm the great neglecter , (ooh ooh)
Neglecting a thread doing well, (ooh ooh)
My need is such, my roulette's too much
I'm looney and everyone can tell
Yeah, right. Let's tell our italics cospiracy theorist to kindly fock off for a bit, because this tune is serious business. I know, I know, they played it 863 times live, it's on every DVD, we are all desensitised to it, blah-de-blah. Gobshite, my friends.
If there is one DT song in desperate need for us to remind the first time we heard it, it's this gentle beast. This is what the guys lacked on their way to immortality: the invincible stadium anthem. Same key, same time signature, eminently singalongable, goosebumps/teardrops inducing. They were full of songs that blew our minds in awe, they needed the song everybody could fall in love with. Everybody AND their girlfriends/boyfriends.
11 – The Spirit Carries On:
0:00 – 1:02: Fock the F# and its cult of voice athletics. Fock every F# in history (harp players should be grateful). THIS is where Kevin James LaBrie works true miracles. Every word matters, and you breathe when he breathes. Needless to say, only Johnny M could embroider that lick on the verse and enhance it instead of cold showering everything.
1:02 – 1:25: I have only two things to say: 1) 6/8 always wins, everytime everywhere. 2) We could have a year long elite drummers council studying this, but I'll save everybody's time and money: that was the absolute best and tastiest possible way for Mike to enter the premises. It may very well be my favourite Portnoy moment ever.
1:25 – 2:28: Seriously now. Who could afford to mix In The Flesh? with Shine on You Crazy Diamond in 1999 and get away with a superior product? Mind you, I'm ducking lightnings as I type, but it is what it is.
2:28 – 2:50: I'm not a judgemental person most of the times. Nonetheless, if your body hair doesn't spike up and salty water isn't coming out of your eyes, I'd suggest checking used souls on e-bay.
2:50 – 4:23: If you have been following this thread long enough, you may have noticed I tend to be a bit of a pretentious ponce from time to time. Not today, baby. I won't comment on this solo, because I lack the words to do it justice. One thing I'm gonna say though: from now on to the end of time, whoever dares to say Johnny P is all techique and no soul deserves to be tarred, feathered, and sodomised with an Ibanez Picasso. Double-neck, possibly.
Appendix *3:58 – 4:09*: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: :jessica: and :jessica:
4:23 – 6:11: Here it is, finally, the classic stadium chorus rock history demanded from DT. Tribute is paid, place in the Pantheon set in stone. My wife knows she will have to sing it the day I croak. If she doesn't, I focking will.
6:11 – 6:39: Post-orgasmic chill, of course. Please, if you're taking one single thing out of this crazy story of mine, never forget the way this song made you feel the first time you heard it. Please never let your memory of this disappear.
Coming Next: 12 – Finally Free and mystery solved
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:metal :metal :metal
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Not a single thing out of place in this installment, Alex. Except for maybe this.
My wife knows she will have to sing it the day I croak. If she doesn't, I focking will.
:lol
Anyway, a fantastic song who's beauty never diminishes no matter how many times I hear it.
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Ha! I have a mean zombie falsetto.
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Ha! I have a mean zombie falsetto.
You could literally sing your lips off.
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Is this thread on hiatus again? Oh well what’s another 5 years . . .
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Is this thread on hiatus again? Oh well what’s another 5 years . . .
I guess the author is pretty much involved with his own roulette, too much music to listen in a short time frame :lol
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I guess we have the answer for 137: years passing before this thread is complete.
Hang on, friends. I will resume the madness as soon as my roulette is over. I could do both, but it would involve half-arsage, and we focking hate half-arsage, don't we?
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(https://66.media.tumblr.com/854834d348eacab07dda69616c96fae0/tumblr_or1ebkNSnF1w41cu7o1_400.gif)
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(https://i.imgur.com/7JKgzSM.gif)
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Heeeere we aaare, born to be fops. We’re the ponces of the univeeeeerse
Guys, I bet you 137 dollars that BOTH The Winds* of Winter and A Dream of Spring will be on your tables before this gig has wrapped up. Not because I’m a procrastinating buffoon (which I am), nor because I keep being side-tracked by roulettes (let’s congratulate TAC, people), but mainly because our guys keep writing albums! They live for writing music! They will never be a nostalgia act! I can’t stop using escalmatives! Speaking of new albums, I feel I’m being robbed of my role of Explorer of the Ludicrous lately, for whatever DT Fandom parody (including the multi-awarded DT Custom Shop bit) I’ve dared to illustrate on these pages is focking PALING in comparison with the surreal spectacle of actual DT fans needing info/making demands/judging clues/assessing data about an upcoming album in 2019. It’s glorious, and I can’t get enough of it. I feel like William Golding watching an episode of Survivor.
Ok, now I’m warmed-up enough for our detective stroy’s ending. What we “know” so far:
Nicholas is Kevin Moore
The Old Man is Charlie Dominici
Victoria is Shirley (Images and Words)
Julian is Old Moses (Awake)
Edward is Two Morons (Falling into Infinity)
So, Awake focked Images and Words and Falling into Infinity possibly killed it. Kevin Moore (and we are calling SFAM “Kevin Moore Face”), as the tragedy’s prime mover, is haunted by the task of solving a crime he has theoretically committed. He’s also Victoria’s reincarnation.
(Ok, maybe this thread still IS the most ludicrous thing going in the forums, after all)
Now, who the Fock is The Hypnotherapist? Who’s Julian’s reincarnation? Who’s Edward’s reincarnation?
Let’s find out in: 12 – Finally Free:
0:00 – 0:27: Full therapy circle. We are learning that regression sessions begin strumming and end in arpeggios. I can feel my evil delusional twin has something to say about this little speech.
Oh, that’s rich. You’ve just focking compared yourself to William Golding and have the gall to call ME delusional! Anyway, dear hypnoquack, there’s nothing to feel peaceful and refreshed about. Our Kevolas still doesn’t know how the dirty deed went, and you’re blatantly trying to whitewash this shit with new age blabber. I’m onto you.
0:27 – 1:04: Oh, what a nice little symphonic bit devoted to a simple stroll from hypnostudio to car. They should definitely write some kind of musical sooner or later. It would be nothing short of astonishing.
He’s in the parking lot and he’s just sitting in his car, it’s nine o’clock and he can’t get out. He lights a cigarette and turns the music down, but just can’t seem to shake that sound.
1:04 – 1:31: Suspenseful music, shit is gonna happen. Nice Wagner quote, Jordan. Aiming higher and higher.
Melody walks through the door, and MEMORY flies out the window
1:31 – 2:18: He plays like a pianist, but thinks like a composer. Listen to the right hand comments between bars, they are embrios of strings parts on a full orchestral score already living in his mind. A mind Johnny P is apparently able to read like a sheet, given that beautiful guitar line. I am now officially pumped for DT’s future songwriting endeavors.
Dear Edward, you may be a Senator, a Miracle, but mastermind you’re not. First off, you’re putting a note in YOUR own handwriting on the crime scene in order to cover YOUR tracks? You’re probably going to reincarnate into the guy who wrote Lost’s finale, buddy.
2:18 – 2:50: We’re in full Elton John / Musical territory here, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
Second, that’s bad poetry, Ned. You could get the electric chair just for that.
2:50 – 3:15: Let this be the Mike Portnoy Sets the Bar for Tasty Drum Entrances Once and For All Album. SFAM is Mighty Mike's peak, as far as drumming maturity and balance are concerned. For a lot of aspects this is HIS album.
Oh, you ran into Julian? Was it before of after showering the Miracle’s body fluids away? I don’t like to speak ill of the departed – even fictional – but has this lass had any narrative function so far other than being a rather fickle slut and a pissy ghost?
3:15 – 4:01: Big James is just OWNING the different characters singing schtick, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
This is not just your old fashioned love triangle gone bad story. There’s a deeper meaning here. Imagine Victoria is a world class drummer’s career, Julian a stellar but lately struggling band, and Edward a mediocre but incredibly popular and successful band. Victoria dumps Julian for Edward, Edward uses her for a time but doesn’t love her, Victoria tries to go back to Julian, Victoria/career killed. Ok, I’m rambling.
4:01 – 4:46: Mirror stares back hard, kill is just a friendly word … Sorry, couldn’t help it. But curiously appropriate.
So, the big mystery everybody already solved at Home is officially revealed. FII killed Shirley. Open your eyes, Victoria. It’s all about you, not me.
4:46 – 5:53: Absolutely brilliant theatrical use of OLT and callback to the ouverture guitar lick. Then again, they’ve being proceeding this way since IAW (Wait for Sleep inside LTL) and Awake (TSM inside Erotomania, SDV inside The Mirror), incidentally the two albums being fictionally gunned down this very moment. Guess what’s the album breaking the streak? Yeah, the gunner.
I agree.
5:53 – 6:27: The closest DT have ever written to Queen and Johnny P to Brian May, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
Nice image. Reminds me of The Quickening (hence the Queen reference?) But, what about the other soul? Where is it gone? We need to know or this is the most uneventful concept ever.
6:27 – 6:50: Go for the full blown band with James one octave up, do it! ...
So, you’ve learned you quitting compromised Awake and focked over IAW’s premises, leading to the FII identity crisis. You already knew that, bub. But WHY did you quit?
6:50 – 7:24: ... YES! This will become one of their most beloved compositional staples.
You won’t meet anybody someday soon unless you don’t tell us WHY you quit. WHOSE blame is it?
7:24 – 9:50: I Want You (She’s So Heavy) homage ending, with Mighty Mike rightfully etching his signature on his album. Gonna be heaps of fun live.
9:50 – 11:13: Except for noticing Nicholas’ records sound like midi files, I have nothing to say here.
So, Julian reincarnated into John John Kennedy. There’s no other explaination. Pretty ironic for reasons even I won't dare elaborating on.
11:13 – 11:59: We’ll let my deranged alter ego finally have his moment in the sun:
”Open your eyes, Kevin.
It’s me. It’s always been me.
Eat my ass and balls”
Coming Next: Scene 7: Through Her Ice - Graduation and the Black Bitch
*EDIT: Ev saved my arse from The Many-Faced God's ire.
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What's The Wolves of Winter?
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What's The Wolves of Winter?
A parody of Winds of Winter, for sure :biggrin:
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Tim, have you hacked into Evermind's account?
No, wait. My bad. I meant Winds. Winds of Winter. :facepalm:
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I feel like Cheech standing at the urinal next to Stacy Keach. I've been waiting to "go" on this thread so long that now that it's here I've got stage fright...and that's really saying something for a guy with no prostate.
2:18 – 2:50: We’re in full Elton John / Musical territory here, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
3:15 – 4:01: Big James is just OWNING the different characters singing schtick, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
5:53 – 6:27: The closest DT have ever written to Queen and Johnny P to Brian May, and I love it. A lot of people will love it. Hell, everybody will love it. Of course, 15 years from now they will hate it because “the wrong Mike is behind the drumkit and we need to piss on the band”. Unbelievable.
:lol :clap:
Okay, that was actually a really great update! I guess I'll need to keep holding it.
Why does it hurt when I pee (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiu6DFXeF9A)
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(https://i.imgur.com/dvu0Bfz.gif)
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Totally agreed about MP. His best album I think, with Six Degrees in 2nd place.
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:corn
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<breezes into thread guilty as fock>
Gals and ghouls, I haven't forgotten this thing. There are still so many utterly ludicrous and pointless anecdotes I owe you. It's just that holidays are the proverbial bitch with my kind of job.
I promise I'm going to update this soon. Also, I never had sex with that woman, and we have proof Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction.
Stay classy.
Before anyone get's too excited, read the date. :lol
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Hmm??
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The last time the holidays interfered with this thread, Indiscipline wound up taking a seven year leave of absence! The post I quoted was his last one before the thread eventually got locked and archived.
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Eh.
No disappearing act this time.
Very busy touring and trying to stay with the family at the same time because Big Bro decided to give me YET another nephew (to be christened Jordan, for basketball reasons. I know, don't ask.) I swear, he's Walder Frey prolific.
I wish you a terrific new year, my friends.
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Next monday, this gig gonna be back.
*chirp* *chirp* *chirp*
No, really. I'm even disclosing the Origin of Fock!
*bump* *bump* *bump*
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(https://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/Carlton344.gif)
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HALLELUJAH
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About time :corn :corn :corn
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With a sense of timing I'd dare to describe as Ulrich On Chloroform, I'm back. After all, I thought this pretty uneventful* month in DT land could use a bit of pizzaz from your favourite completely unnecessary and incoherent discography reminiscence.
*I do kid, of course. I'm in full new album mode. I'll write about it in 2027 if I start ramping up the pace.
2002 AD. The world had just changed on live TV and yours truly was finding himself with a Performing Arts Degree in one hand and a brand new Turbulent fiancee (soon to become the female lead for a spectacularly failed marriage we'll breeze through between Octavarium and BL&SL) on the other.
I could define the three Academy Years filling the plot hole between SFAM and SDOIT like a cross between some kind of Gay Guantanamo and Psycho Hogwarths, or just say it was a very instructive and character-building voyage through both the most terrible and grandiose extremes human artistic collaboration and cohabitation can reach under pressure.
Does it sound like a DT album you know?
Welcome to:
Scene 7: Through Her Ice: Graduation and The Black Bitch (featuring SDOIT running diary)
1999-2002 Side One Highlights:
Public erection in full ballet attire at 10 AM. And I mean the kind you can guess someone's religion from.
Being one of the only three heterosexual males in the whole school. Have you ever felt like being the only possessor of an Evian bottle in the midst of the Sahara? I did. Sigh.
Acting class: The Birth of Fock, or what you come up with when forced to impersonate a character during a stupid acting excercise and a neon lamp falls on your noggin.
Playing four different roles in four academy productions, each one being killed in a horrible way in the plot. I felt like the Sean Bean of musical theatre.
Working stand-up comedy on the side. Either death threats after one minute or free drinks all night long, no middle ground.
1999-2002 Side Two Highlights:
Humility. Learning that there's a hell of a difference between being better/worse than x and acting like you're better/worse than x.
Learning to sing. You struggle, you cry, you face the painful truths, then you realise you haven't used your true voice since you were three years old.
Insecurity: Yours can be a resource, your neighbour's is always toxic.
The characters. Making peace with your past because you are studying a junky failed guitarist or going into brawls against nazi focks because you're playing a jew dude for a month.
Moping the school's floor at night to pay your fee. Every class second weighs gold after that.
Of course, the Focking Black Bitch.
Coming Next: 01 - The Glass Prison
I know, I know. Short post. But it's more focused, concise, and the drums production is finally good!
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Yay!!
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Public erection in full ballet attire at 10 AM. And I mean the kind you can guess someone's religion from.
I always figured guys who wore ballet attire wore dance belts. Is that not the case? Would that not help the situation?
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...and the drums production is finally good!
I don't know, the symbols seem a bit loud for the mix. Example:
...like a cross between some kind of Gay Guantanamo and Psycho Hogwarths..
Public erection in full ballet attire at 10 AM.
and
Have you ever felt like being the only possessor of an Evian bottle in the midst of the Sahara?
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reactiongifs.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F09%2Foh-my-takei.gif&hash=5b79122d654ee1d30bacf6a99760a2cdc80acd9e)
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:corn
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I still, months later, don't understand this thread. I even read the OP. It's still all nonsense. :lol
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Dear Indiscipline,
Please don't be a G.R.R.M. pt. 2
Sincerely,
DTF
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Q, meet A.
Public erection in full ballet attire at 10 AM. And I mean the kind you can guess someone's religion from.
I always figured guys who wore ballet attire wore dance belts. Is that not the case? Would that not help the situation?
It doesn't help the situation, it "enhances it". Big difference.
I still, months later, don't understand this thread. I even read the OP. It's still all nonsense. :lol
You know nothing, Katt Snow.
Dear Indiscipline,
Please don't be a G.R.R.M. pt. 2
Sincerely,
DTF
Nevah. I'm younger, better dressed, and my bank account is considerably thinner.
I'm writing the next installment right now. Like, in this very moment.
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I dunno, my friends; it's springtime, everything is positively peachy … and yet I can't shake an uneasy feeling of unfullfillment (never got the correct amount of “l's” there), almost as if I was in denial about a huge loose end somewhere …
… Oh feces!
This thread is still here, covered in dust like an old turd, ready to stink up the joint as soon as you poke it with a stick. Yeah, cool analogy, thank you very much.
Now, I'm completely out of excuses. The Avengers have successfully completed their endgame, and even D&D have wrapped their – ahem – vision of a certain icy'n'firey song up. Who the fock am I to leave this hanging? Am I going to be slower than focking Brexit? Of course I am, my dear involved readers, dear uninterested readers … and dear Katt.
But I can't ignore my responsibilities anymore; not while The RatPack© is sending this kind of messages:
I'm very glad you asked, Wildranger. According to the greatest living 'philostopher' known to mankind, Quentin Robert DeNameland, time is of affliction.
Well, folks, as you can see for yourself, the way this clock over here is behaving, TIME IS OF AFFLICTION! This may be cause for alarm among a portion of you, as, from a certain experience, I tend to proclaim: 'THE EONS ARE CLOSING!'! Now what does this mean, precisely to the layman? Simply this: 'MOMENTARILY, THE NEED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW LIGHT WILL NO LONGER EXIST!'
Of course, some of you will say: "Who is HE to fell me from this light?" But, in all seriousness, ladies and gentlemen, a quick glance at the erratic behavior of the large, precision-built TIME-DELINEATING APPARATUS beside me will show that it is perhaps only a few moments now! Just look how funny it's going around there! Personally, I find mechanical behavior of this nature to be highly suspicious! When such a device doesn't go normal, the implications of such a behavior bodes not well! And, quite naturally, ladies and gentlemen, when the mechanism in question is entrusted with the task of the delineation of time itself, and if such a mechanism goes on the bum, or the fritz... well, it spells trouble!
I trust this helps.
Also, if you want time to slow down for you, simply wait for Indiscipline to post his next episode of Scenes From His Memory.
C'mon, man. You're slower than my roulette, for pete's sake!
Yeah, the one where I kicked your Billy Joel's ass, HA! Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!
That's it. I'm giving you a 15 days notice. Your presence here is – sigh - tolerated only if you produce. Dare to procrastinate any longer and I couldn't ban your arse faster if you stated that a song is Objectively good.
All right, I got it. After all I live to serve, I really focking do. 3,2,1 …
01 – The Glass Prison:
Wait a sec! I kinda need a sort of foreword before unleashing the timestampede. This was the first DT album to catch me “off guard”. I wasn't ready, I felt I still needed time to eviscerate SfaM properly, not to mention the LsfNY DVD. My appetite wasn't at the right stage. Yes, this was my first not-hungry DT album, AND my first DT album bought and enjoyed while not caring for rock music anymore, like a man turning gay but still deeply in love with his wife. I feel like the Picasso of offensive analogies right now.
Now I'm good to go. Tres, dos, uno ...
0:00 – 0:13: Would some caring soul please at least turn Nicholas' stereo off after three focking years? The energy bills we don't pay this time are carried beyond this life.
0:13 – 0:31: Oh, something tells me this ain't gonna be sunshines and lollipops, or sunpops and lollishines. Last album opened with a hypnotic clock ticking and it took me to a wonderful journey inside the subconscious, soul transmigration, and persistence of guilt. This one opens with a knell; where is it gonna take me?
0:31 – 0:49: So far it's taking me to Great Bleak Thrash Intros Land, halfway between Megadeth's Darkest Hour and Overkill's Years of Decay. Lollipops!
0:49 – 1:07: Plus Metallica's gravitas circa '89, no doubt. There's already an astounding amount of mourning in this tune. I think I'm gonna nickname it Alonzo.
1:07 – 1:25: Thank goodness, there's some kind of epic feeling perking up, driven by the snare equivalent of Valyrian steel.
1:25 – 1:45: Gorgeous, and a bit reassuring to say the truth. I am very happy Jordan brought back those simple yet magnificent moogish leads stealing my flaming heart ten years ago. Wait, are we really ten years into this story? Thinking about it, we are almost ten years removed from this thread's very first post! I'm meta as fock.
1:45 – 2:12: Holy aggression, Jason Bateman! That wah opening up is positively snarling. I hereby dub you the Pack of Rabid Dogs Riff. Rise and bring destruction to every mosh pit in the realm.
2:12 – 2:22: Ok, now play with me. Let's say there was a fork in the road just past And Justice for All. I can't say whether the Black Album (which I must admit I learned to love fiercely) was the right or left path, but I'm damn sure this sounds like the path not taken*.
2:22 – 2:52: There are times when Johnny P and Mighty Mike (one of the de facto greatest creative tension couples in rock by now) play off each other like the Hart Foundation, and times when they achieve greatness by actually trying to upstage each other like the British Bulldogs. This time they're just the focking Demolition.
2:52 – 3:04: *And the path not taken sounds like The Frayed Ends of Sanity on steroids, which given this album's title may even make a smidge of sense.
3:04 – 3:21: WHO'S SINGING? WHERE'S JAMES?
3:21 – 3:38: Ok, better now. I guess. Next time a little warning perhaps?
3:38 – 3:57: Yes, Pack of Rabid Dogs Riff, come sooth my anxiety and bring your friend, the Frenzied Berserk Horde Double Bass.
3:57 – 4:37: This is another first. I've never ranted five minutes into a new album, but I focking gotta. Why are we using James' voice this way, seriously? You wanna be metal? Focking hire Phil Anselmo and go hog with it. Kevin James LaBrie has never been, is not, and never will be a heavy metal vocalist. It's like punching yourself in the nuts in order to convince your wife you're virile enough. Forget Picasso, I'm Dalì at this point.
4:37 – 5:24: Ok, this is pretty messy, possibly even ugly. Great drumming though.
5:24 – 5:53: This keyboard lead's function is officially I'm Pulling You Back In and Kinda Restore Your Faith When You're Seconds Away from Sticking a Fork in Us. I might be too much into Bernstein and Sondheim these days, but this isn't a DT I'm prepared for.
5:53 – 6:16: Really? I don't even have a joke here.
6:16 – 6:31: See, honey? My balls are super strong! I won't be able to bang you for three months, but hot damn I feel the masculine he man! Wanna throw a punch?
6:31 – 6:46: Creeping Death live staple chant. Creepy.
6:46 – 7:01: Aren't they hard as marble, sweetheart? I'm the man. A man condemning you to lonely dildoland, but a macho man nonetheless. Magritte, possibly Bacon.
7:01 – 7:16: So, the lesson – as always – is: with the right amount of dick jokes and gross disgusting analogies you CAN convince a confounding song to course correct its vocals approach. Live and learn.
7:16 – 7:50: This part is the coolest, I love it. Everything works better when you dip it in a hot Deep Purple vat. On a sidenote, my dad believed DT was my generation's Yes; I always loved to believe they can be my generation's Deep Purple. I could (and eventually will somewhere else) elaborate, but it would mean at least 32 paragraphs and at this point it would be just rude.
7:50 – 9:42: I can't believe I'm writing this, but … yawn.
9:42 – 9:58: Thanks Johnny M for the caffeine fix. Whatever this opening track is meant to be, fast and furious is working better than low and pounding.
9:58 – 10:58: “Doesn't matter I'm an infinitely superior guitarist and you actually play keyboards, let's pretend we're Kirk Hammett and Dave Mustaine trading senseless flurry of notes at the speed of light!” or some variation of it is definitely been uttered in the studio. I'm focking inverting the onus, you gotta bring proof it wasn't.
10:58 – 11:25: A spruce of Blue/Yellow period King Crimson? I'm feeling a lot better now. I could keep listening past track 01, after all (Who am I kidding? I need 3 to 5 years to establish a solid opinion about a DT album).
11:25 – 12:50: 90 seconds of brutally overpowering and mindboggling Portnoy Show. He's focking amazing. He can really take possession of an entire tune when he feels like, no matter what crazy wonderful shit is happening beyond the drums.
12:50 – 13:50: Wonderful ending section, on par with the beautiful intro. Strange unusual song. You paste together its first and last three minutes, throw away the middle seven, and you've got a great tune. I need an analogy here. Right. You go pick this girl on a date: she opens the door, she's stunning, you're transfixed. Then she starts talking and during the whole ride-dinner-evening until you drive her back she's hideous, you can't stand her. Then she gives you the blowjob of the decade. Goodnight.
Pollock if you ask me.
Coming Next: 02 – Blind Faith.
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0:00 – 0:13: Would some caring soul please at least turn Nicholas' stereo off after three focking years? The energy bills we don't pay this time are carried beyond this life.
That's the sound in this thread between posts.
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5:53 – 6:16: Really? I don't even have a joke here.
Eavesdropping on Ewoks.
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I might be too much into Bernstein and Sondheim these days, but this isn't a DT I'm prepared for.
Thank Thor, it's not Gilbert and Sullivan
5:53 – 6:16: Really? I don't even have a joke here.
That doesn't scratch your itch, eh? :)
7:50 – 9:42: I can't believe I'm writing this, but … yawn.
I can. You just finished pulverizing your stones into powder. You can't feel this bit of the song now, Varys!
Pollock if you ask me.
More like Pricasso, if you ask me.
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I spent my first listen to The Glass Prison taking a shit. I got home from work, grabbed the CD and took it to the bathroom. I was blown away. I couldn't believe how heavy it was. Before I moved on to the second song, I literally played it again just so I could believe my ears.
That said, I find The Glass Prison one of their worst aged songs.
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I spent my first listen to The Glass Prison taking a shit. I got home from work, grabbed the CD and took it to the bathroom. I was blown away. I couldn't believe how heavy it was. Before I moved on to the second song, I literally played it again just so I could believe my ears.
That said, I find The Glass Prison one of their worst aged songs.
Did the song make you weak at the knees or was it just sitting on the can for 27 minutes? :lol
:hug: Indi - fun reading material!
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Hey, Alle
I just noticed that all the links to the quotes by Evermind, TAC, and bosky all go to the same post, namely mine. You're forging fake posts to bolster the claims of your installment. That's... just... fine. I guess.
Actually, I approve. Carry on.
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Hey, Alle
I just noticed that all the links to the quotes by Evermind, TAC, and bosky all go to the same post, namely mine. You're forging fake posts to bolster the claims of your installment. That's... just... fine. I guess.
Actually, I approve. Carry on.
:lol
OK, well that makes sense. I didn't remember ever saying that, nor is it something I'd ever say. :lol
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:lol
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That was kinda obvious, I thought. :lol
Still, I agree with The Glass Prison assessment, the only good parts of the song are the beginning and the ending. I've seen endless requests to bring this song back to the live set, and while I can't say I'm satisfied with the current set DT is playing, I'm sure as hell glad The Glass Prison isn't in. This song is like twice the length it should be.
Glad to see this thread is back!
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Y’all notice that he doesn’t have to invent absurd posts for me, he just has to look through my history! :lol
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Wait, you thought even for a second those quotes were guenuine?
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I got more enjoyment out of the 0:00-0:13 bit than I ever did from The Glass Prison itself. Kudos for that, Indi!
I don't think the song is any good past the arpeggio section, but I do agree that the outro is fine and I would've been contented had they ended the whole AA-shebang right there with the door wide open.
Thank God we've Blind Faith!
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Wait, you thought even for a second those quotes were guenuine?
Yes, I admit it. Because you had linked to an actual quote by me, I was curious as to what made Evermind say such a thing...then I clicked on the link and...
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Dammit Indiscipline!
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Okay, that was a sufficiently long pause. You may, please, continue with the narrative. We have blind faith in you!
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He hasn't been around in a while. Hopefully he doesn't make us wait 8 years again. :corn
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7:50 – 9:42: I can't believe I'm writing this, but … yawn.
:o
Literally my 2nd favorite moment on the entire album (ATC Reprise still being #1)
EDIT - In fact, I actually had this section as my ringtone for awhile...way back when.
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What is it with this guy? I don’t want to say “weirdo” but man. Hopefully he hasn’t had an accident or worse.
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I think weirdo is a given. I have earned that right.
Updates soon!
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Ritorno del fantasma.
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Now that's a good reason to come back more often to DTF :metal
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:corn
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:corn
Pretty sure he’s trolling.
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EDIT: The worst is over. Coming Soon: Blind Faith.
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Someone's quarantined apparently.
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Be strong and bravely afraid.
Good advice. And probably should be the title of this thread. I've been been bravely afraid since this thread's inception.
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Whoever you are, if you're still here reading this, you DO have blind faith. The sad reality is I'm a coward, scared shitless at the thought of the upcoming disc 2, where I will have to introduce the character who indirectly caused this whole discography-therapy-saga-delirium. But we still have a bit of time, and a bunch of songs to deal with:
01 – Blind Faith:
0:00 – 0:32: And if you feeeeeeel that you can't go oooooon – Sorry, couldn't help it. Never a good sign when this skit falls on the very first timestamp.
0:32 – 0:48: … But always a good sign when JM is at bat! Mind you, I'm still experiencing DT while completely oblivious to their wwweb reputation at this point, and yet I'm ready to bet a kidney he's the universally no-matter-what beloved band member. The Uber-talented Ringo, if you will.
0:48 – 1:05: Boy, those toms sound real good. Quite loud and in my face, but real good. Plus, you can be universally no-matter-what beloved but you can't stay under the spotlight for more than 15 seconds, apparently.
1:05 – 1:38: Rhodes and crunchy punchy guitar! Always a pleasant surprise when the boys play with classic rock.
1:38 – 1:55: few tasty simple and focused keyboard notes, i.e. The book of Mooremon.
1:55 – 2:28: We're a Big James' impromptu southern twang away from Drym Thythyr, and I like it.
2:28 – 2:45: Kansas, even.
2:45 – 2:59: I am certainly biased in the matter, but there is no reason for the vocalist to be upstaged by, well, everything else in the mix. Ever. The terrorists have won when Vince Neil – the Mendoza Line - gets more respect than Big James at the console.
2:59 – 3:16: No, I'm still pissed. You don't get a focking paragraph here.
3:16 – 3:33: Metallica and John Woo called: they want the I Disappear riff back.
3:33 – 4:06: I pity the fools who are still trying to compare Mighty Mike to other drummers; they're looking in the wrong places. A correct comparison would be: Mike Portnoy plays drums like Jimi Hendrix played guitar.
4:06 – 4:33: Fock everybody. I'm on my way, I'm on my way, home sweet home.
4:33 – 5:00: That kicked all kinds of ass. Maybe their most epic progression since Scarred?
5:00 – 5:13: Maiden Riff!
5:13 – 5:17: CALLING ELVIS!
5:17 – 5:41: Top notch JP Solo from the Let's Mix Morse and SRV Vault. I must say, while I couldn't spot the difference on the last album, now I can definitely hear a change in sound from the Picasso to the MusicMan.
5:41 – 6:06: The Epic is strong with this one
6:06 – 6:13: The Orion is strong with this one!
6:13 – 6:35: I believe the record company can make a section like this one mandatory for every song. Or at least it should.
6:35 – 6:54: Epic. I know, I'm repeating myself, but nothing else springs to mind. Epicepicepicepicepic. Epic. I'm spent. I blame the crazy roulette I'm going to host in 19 years, Doc Brown.
6:54 – 7:31: Having a keyboardist capable of the previous solo is a gift; having one perfoming this solo is a privilege; when it's the same person? It's focking science fiction.
7:31 – 7:56: The dragon has three heads
7:56 – 8:23: Different sound, different balance between instruments and frequencies, but this is a damn straight piece of Images and Words re-purposed for the new millennium.
8:23 – 8:55: It's official, another Mike album. Holy shit.
8:55 – 9:22: Grrrrr. I'm alive, I'm a live wire, I'm alive, I'm a live wire
9:22 – 10:21: Nothing new, considerations; (blind) faith kinda restored after the previous mess of a song. I'm a bit worried about Big James' usage though. After 10 years the guys still can't grasp the obvious: let that magnificent instrument sound in its own way, don't focking experiment!
Coming Next: 03 – Misunderstood
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1:38 – 1:55: few tasty simple and focused keyboard notes, i.e. The book of Mooremon.
:hefdaddy :lol
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I'm always amazed at your ability to hear similarities between DT's music and other tunes. Sometimes I find the comparisons insightful (even cool), sometimes they seem a bit iffy. Sometimes you're just reaching. This is the first time you're just wrong...scratch that, you're so far off that you're not even up to wrong yet.
Motley Fucking Crew? For the chorus of Blind Faith? To quote TAC, WTF? :lol
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We speak different languages today, my man :lol
It was an ironic reprise on the "Vince Neil gets more respect in the mix than Big James" (lame, I admit) joke.
As a guideline, since you're new to this thread, it's an explicit similarity only when it gets the "sorry, couldn't help it" tagline ;D
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As a guideline, since you're new to this thread...
:lol
...it's an explicit similarity only when it gets the "sorry, couldn't help it" tagline ;D
In that case...
0:00 – 0:32: And if you feeeeeeel that you can't go oooooon – Sorry, couldn't help it. Never a good sign when this skit falls on the very first timestamp.
Sketchy. :biggrin:
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Very sketchy :lol
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Let's stop for a minute (isn't that sentence just hysterical in a thread featuring a 8 years hiatus and a 8 months vacation?) because this is a pivotal moment in my opinion of DT; sure, I couldn't know it at the time, but we're meta-ing this sucker since day one and there's no reason to stop now while the reader base couldn't fill a minivan. There is a b. and an a. Misunderstood for me, and while I try to explain the concept, please remember the only info I had on the band and its opus were one record, four cd's, and two live shows I had gone to. No interviews, no websites, no VHS/DVD commentaries (bought much later). Where did our relationship stand?
1992 (14yo – heavy metal phase) I&W: The Perfect Album, from the first E to the last audible fade-out note. Instant love, the rock upon which I build my church while the barbarians are vandalising the metal landscape.
1994 (16yo – conservatory snob phase) Awake: 75% great, 15% worrisome, 10% surprising. All the joy and hope (musical and lyrical) from the debut turns into gloom and claustrophobia. Not the perfect Evil Twin only because … well, not perfect.
(ACOS is a great huge song to play with while waiting for the next album …)
1997 (19yo – don't give a shit about rock music anymore) FII: Half treasure, half weak sauce. It's been good while it lasted, guys. I have to become a man, you are probably going to either break up or pull a Mascara Metallica.
1999 (21yo – just happy to be alive) SfaM: Comeback Player of the Year AND season MVP. The second DT album with the power to make an instant fan out of me, pretending I don't already know them (little I knew I had to wait 17 years for the third one). Where the fock are we going from here?
2002 (24 yo – balls deep musical theatre) SdoIT (which we're gonna call Toilet Wall): so far a hateful mess of a tune and a good rocker. Boring. They're content to play with house money and do my buddy James dirty. Then comes the masteclass in songwriting that is …
03 – Misunderstood:
0:00 – 0:40: These forty seconds will forever be my star witness in the John Petrucci Canonisation Among The Greatest Musicians of My Generation Trial. Harmony established in maximum economy, wonderful melody, and a progression of bass root tones that should grace the cover of every arrangement manual. Its deceptive “simplicity” is further proof of its greatness.
0:40 – 1:26: And, as always, great vocal melodies bring the best out of Big James, while he's at his worst with the sketchy ones ( ala Glass Prison). He's the ultimate gourmet singer.
1:26 – 1:42: Can you feel the tension growing under the progression, leaving it intact in its musical message, but completely twisting its mood to the point of giving the illusion to hear a whole different set of chords? Just like the way you talk and begin to increasingly feel … misunderstood.
1:42 – 2:20: And the discourse is left suspended, leaving a hyperventilating tambourine, a stubborn fat bass, and a blade of e-bowing discontent. Songwriting, storytelling, and painting combined.
2:20 – 3:00: But despite the silence, or maybe by its virtue, the melody goes on inside the misunderstood one's mind. There are constant nodes disrupting communication (the swift percussion licks) and droplets of regret (the reverse effects). After all, you are misunderstood because of hurdles and loops in your thinking/communication process.
3:00 – 3:20: Ok, let's try to organise our speech one more time, articulating serial ideas raining down like echoing keyboard notes until ...
3:20 – 3:35: … frustration ramps up, once again.
3:35 – 4:33: Please, don't be distracted by this chorus' sheer beauty, and notice three things: 1) THAT harmonic is the sound a dam crumbling in your mind does when you can' cope with being … misunderstood anymore 2) The fifth ¼ every other 4/4 bar (hence 4/4, 5/4, 4/4, 5/4, etc) is the resolutive sentence you always fail to deliver when you're … misunderstood; it's like a breath taken in order to speak but never spoken. 3) Once James sings “misunderstood”, the tempo goes even; admission brings clarity.
4:33 – 5:13: And clarity brings terror in all its atonal qualities. You think your words and intentions are clear, but the outside world hears them as (cue the brilliant and crucial guitar solo) slightly duplicitous, almost backwards, with such a internal eccentric logic sounding illogical and discordant. A melody “seen” through moving oily waters.
5:13 – 6:37: The mind gives up, the heart bursts out; it's time for the drums (in this infinite recurring ritual John Woo duel/ballet between Johnny P and Mighty Mike) to grab the paintbrush and draw this amazing tune's electrocardiogram.
6:37 – Hall of Fame: A hellish descent into incoherence is all that's left, with twisting sense re-emerging now and then. For the way I like to listen to songs and my point of view on songwriting, this is an absolute masterpiece. The first of its kind since SDV.
Coming Next: 04 – The Great Debate
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(https://i.imgur.com/pVP6QdK.gif?1)
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...and there's no reason to stop now while the reader base couldn't fill a minivan.
I've lost 3.25 stones in the past eight months, I can no longer fill a minivan by myself.
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Motley Fucking Crew? For the chorus of Blind Faith? To quote TAC, WTF? :lol
It was an ironic reprise on the "Vince Neil gets more respect in the mix than Big James" (lame, I admit) joke.
I got it, and even laughed out loud with "I'm a Live Wire."
I feel like we hear many of the same things. I have always thought James was a bit drowned out on those parts, but I could never put my finger on it. That's an awful keyboard sound under those lines, and a rare misstep, in an otherwise Jordan masterpiece.
But I feel like the piano part is the privilege. It's one of the nicest moments in their entire discog.
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Misunderstood 5:13-5:40
James deserves some mention here.
And as you say, when James finally gets to "misunderstood" at the end of each chorus, it is really bringing it home.
I can't say I listen all the way through the outro every time, but I totally appreciate it.
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1:38 – 1:55: few tasty simple and focused keyboard notes, i.e. The book of Mooremon.
:hefdaddy :lol
Welcome aboard, Knight of Aquarius!
...and there's no reason to stop now while the reader base couldn't fill a minivan.
I've lost 3.25 stones in the past eight months, I can no longer fill a minivan by myself.
:lol Thank goodness you're not alone yet
Misunderstood 5:13-5:40
James deserves some mention here.
Totally. A lion. Again, when he's given meaningful lines and not forced to stretch his style, he's scary good.
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Misunderstood is one of my wife’s favorites. For me the first parts are sublime but would have preferred different choices for the outro.
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You've just described Misunderstood exactly how I've always thought of it in my head, but could never articulate properly :clap: :musicmoment:
Now I'm really curious about your thoughts on The Great Debate. Personally I've never liked the song very much. It's the one bad song on the album for me.
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Misunderstood is one of my wife’s favorites. For me the first parts are sublime but would have preferred different choices for the outro.
I'm curious, which choices?
You've just described Misunderstood exactly how I've always thought of it in my head, but could never articulate properly :clap: :musicmoment:
Now I'm really curious about your thoughts on The Great Debate. Personally I've never liked the song very much. It's the one bad song on the album for me.
Are you accusing me of proper articulation? The nerve. :lol
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Misunderstood is one of my wife’s favorites. For me the first parts are sublime but would have preferred different choices for the outro.
I'm curious, which choices?
You've just described Misunderstood exactly how I've always thought of it in my head, but could never articulate properly :clap: :musicmoment:
Now I'm really curious about your thoughts on The Great Debate. Personally I've never liked the song very much. It's the one bad song on the album for me.
Are you accusing me of proper articulation? The nerve. :lol
Something that isn’t 2 minutes of grating on the ears? I understand your view that it fits the song but it’s not pleasant to listen to.
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Gotcha! :tup
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:corn
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I hope Indiscipline is OK and is just out on the road or something. I know he is usually pretty busy with work.
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Italy needs to go into complete lockdown again so this thread could continue.
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I feel the need to give this thread its yearly bump.
Hope all is well with you Indiscipline! :)
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Alex, we love you and miss you. I assume you're better now, and just busy. :-*
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I hope we don't have to wait another decade for him to come back... :-\
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Holy bump me laddies!
It seems I've made it outta hell, so 2022 is gonna be kinda sorta comeback time.
Brace for new instalments, incoherent mumblings, and maaaaybe a tiny bizarre roulette thing.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and I wish you all spectacular new year.
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An unexpected surprise! Welcome back, and get your typing skills warmed up!
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Yay! You're alive!!!
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Holy bump me laddies!
It seems I've made it outta hell, so 2022 is gonna be kinda sorta comeback time.
Brace for new instalments, incoherent mumblings, and maaaaybe a tiny bizarre roulette thing.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and I wish you all spectacular new year.
Ooh, I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to more now. More incoherent musings or Bizarro Hangmemes!
Glad to hear you are doing better. :tup
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I kind of feel obligated to bump this once in a while.....just in case. :corn
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Seems like a lost hope at this point . . . that first post of his on I&W is still the best.
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We'll definitely have to wait another 8 years or so to Indiscipline to raise back from wherever he's hiding xD
Hope he's fine tho
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Time to resurrect this thread.
Come on Indy, tell us a story!
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I’m semi-drunk, maudlin, and missing our ponce MC. I hope you’re well, Alex. :-*
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Seeing you fine people again makes me gladder than seeing Victoria.
I think - and please take "think" with a grain of salt and some lemon juice when I'm concerned - I'm back for some online fun, but this thread can't go on.
I mean, it can't go on the way it was planned (again, salt!) - let me go check ... - an insane amount of years ago, for various reasons:
1. I got old, my memory gets rustier and rustier.
2. I'm sober, hence the lenses I'm looking through when I look back are waaay unfunnier and my ability to embellish and deceive took a seroius hit.
3. I write this in peace of mind and smile, but half the cast has made the grade, oh boy, and some chapters would smell of graveyard.
BUT, what I can, will, and would like to do is keeping on with the delirious DT album dissections via timestamps, incoherent drivel, and general ban-defying piss-taking at The fanbase.
I love you fiercely.
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Seeing you fine people again makes me gladder than seeing Victoria.
I think - and please take "think" with a grain of salt and some lemon juice when I'm concerned - I'm back for some online fun, but this thread can't go on.
I mean, it can't go on the way it was planned (again, salt!) - let me go check ... - an insane amount of years ago, for various reasons:
1. I got old, my memory gets rustier and rustier.
2. I'm sober, hence the lenses I'm looking through when I look back are waaay unfunnier and my ability to embellish and deceive took a seroius hit.
3. I write this in peace of mind and smile, but half the cast has made the grade, oh boy, and some chapters would smell of graveyard.
BUT, what I can, will, and would like to do is keeping on with the delirious DT album dissections via timestamps, incoherent drivel, and general ban-defying piss-taking at The fanbase.
I love you fiercely.
WOW, good to see you.
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I love you fiercely.
I would have preferred indifferently, but I'll take fiercely.
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I'm gonna settle for "apologetically".
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I’ve done that before. Recently, in fact. :lol
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Seeing you fine people again makes me gladder than seeing Victoria.
I think - and please take "think" with a grain of salt and some lemon juice when I'm concerned - I'm back for some online fun, but this thread can't go on.
I mean, it can't go on the way it was planned (again, salt!) - let me go check ... - an insane amount of years ago, for various reasons:
1. I got old, my memory gets rustier and rustier.
2. I'm sober, hence the lenses I'm looking through when I look back are waaay unfunnier and my ability to embellish and deceive took a seroius hit.
3. I write this in peace of mind and smile, but half the cast has made the grade, oh boy, and some chapters would smell of graveyard.
BUT, what I can, will, and would like to do is keeping on with the delirious DT album dissections via timestamps, incoherent drivel, and general ban-defying piss-taking at The fanbase.
I love you fiercely.
Glad to see you around these parts again! And I'll take whatever I can get. Perhaps another wrestling themed roulette? :corn
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I still need to get back into the forum groove, but Iet's say I have a sort of Summer Games thingy brewing in the shop ...
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Is he for real or is he ghosting away again?
Is this thread worth committing or fock it and the digital horse it rode on?
Well, to those who understand I extend my hand, to those who don't give a fock I extend my ...
Anyways, it's still a Great Debate and let's pray Rory I still got it:
[0:00 – 2:02:] Really clever bit of songwriting here as the tribal drums symbolise news and opinions bouncing left and right in the public arena. Said that, when thinking about something worth deeming The Great Debate, the matter treated here jumps to mind after 846 other topics. Sarcasm aside, let's stumble into a long time coming sidenote: so far DT songs have always touched rather uppity ethereal philosophical or deep personal themes (I'm not even considering the couple of clumsy attempts at angsty current commentary). Never a song about simple desire or even lust, something everybody could connect with. Not a critique, just pointing out something peculiar suddenly popping into the noggin.
[2:02 – 2:42:] And it gets cleverer as the drum solo symbolises propaganda smothering communication and the message itself. It seems the boys have really reached songwriting maturity, which is often something coming way later than musical maturity. Also, Mighty Mike is a cymbals master and finally worthy to join the Copeland-Peart lineage in such discipline.
[2:42 – 3:32:] This focking beggars belief. This album keeps misusing James to the point of resorting to Robot LaBrie and thinking it's an acceptable idea. I don't know what the fock is going on behind the scenes, but either someone is actively mobbing the vocalist while a new one is waiting by the phone or James just can't stand up for himself in the studio. Either way I am pissed. (Time Warp: two decades have past and I still couldn't help typing that last full stop way harder than needed. I care, sue me.)
[3:32 – 3:55:] Thank God he's back to normal functioning. Really, aside from trying to look cool and musically up to date, what's the focking point of deliberately uglying up something beautiful you've got?
[3:55 – 4:18:] And for the first time in ten years of fandom (we are in fact in 2002) the sentence “awfully simplistic chorus” comes to mind. But let's be more specific: just “simplistic” could work for the musical side, for the lyrical one I am forced to use “children book simplistic”, and I mean on a Paladine vs Thakisis level. Sic Transeat Gloria Gaynor.
[4:18 -4:28:] I really don't like where we're going here. Why are you trying to heavy things up with keyboards? I mean, get heavier to your flaming heart's content, by all means, but keyboards are made for other purposes, even at low registers. Methinks that's a waste of a perfectly good key patch.
[4:28 – 5:10:] And why the fock do you need to sound like FOCKING TOOL OF ALL SHITTY BANDS NOW? Ok, please let me collect composure … Right, why? It's like going to the plastic surgeon asking for a Dudley Moore visage when you look like Sean Focking Connery. Plus, further grave misuse of James, and I've never wished a vocalists syndacate existed more than this moment. And keep in mind I work as singer in a mafia polluted state with medieval work policy and contracts.
[5:10 – 5:56:] And now, because we haven't humiliated you enough, we make you sing like you're stoned! What the fock is happening here? Has James boned somebody's wife here? This is infuriating. I am (still) fuming.
[5:56 – 6:20:] Fine, that was gorgeous riffage. That's the path to buy me back. This album has a ridicolous peaks and valleys ratio. Falling into Infinity II: There Was No Bottom Apparently.
[6:20 – 6:42:] Nothing to see here, really. It's very sad when a song begins to copy and paste before its pompous forum commentator needs to.
[6:42 – 6:55:] Beautiful chord progression, one DT has done at least once on every album: Metropolis Pt1, Voices, Anna Lee, Home … and let's stop here for plot's sake. Now, although between Bach and Coltrane we have explored every progression, the lineage of bands with almost patented chord changes is pretty interesting: Beatles – Pink Floyd – Iron Maiden – Dream Theater …
[6:55 – 8:58:] Finally a healthy dose of DT spirited space prog heavy rock soothing the soul, opposed to some plebean flavour of the month parody. Aaaaand, what do you know, James shines again! Coincidence?
[8:58 – 9:26:] Beautiful, Somewhere in Time sorta beautiful, and now I don't care a bit for 6th grade subtlety lyrics. You can sing the lyrics from the M.A.S.K. Theme on this musical bit and I will like it.
[9:26 – 10:00:] Scenes Jordan is back with a Beyond This Life outtake!
[10:00 – 10:44:] And Johnny P replies with some Home outtake!
[10:44 – 11:25:] Now let's everybody rejoice with some Learning to Live outtakes! Best bit of the song, by the way.
[11:25 – 13:45:] And the story ends as it began. Somebody has a boner for loops/circular songwriting on a Roger Waters level.
Like A Glass Prison, take out seven minutes of crap and you have a masterpiece.
Feeling stronger everyday, but BBCode is still a bitchy bitch.
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Less whimsy in this installment. Have you got a headache, Indi...because now I do.
I guess the "debate" wasn't as intense in Italy, but here in the states, circa 2002, it was pretty heated. Exhausting?
As for the effects on James vocals, I see your point, but at the time a lot of rock groups were experimenting with lo-fi vocals. In this instance, I was fine with it since it served the narrative purpose. When James comes in clean and full throated I think it makes a nice contrast/impact on the song.
Jordan's heavy keyboard bit (dirty pig?) never really set right with me either, but hey, he seems to like it.
[9:26 – 10:00:] Scenes Jordan is back with a Beyond This Life outtake!
[10:00 – 10:44:] And Johnny P replies with some Home outtake!
[10:44 – 11:25:] Now let's everybody rejoice with some Learning to Live outtakes! Best bit of the song, by the way.
I never noticed this, exactly. Good call!
2. I'm sober,
Permanently? Congratulations(?).
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Less whimsy in this installment. Have you got a headache, Indi...because now I do.
Comeback stage fright
2. I'm sober,
Permanently? Congratulations(?).
Thank you (!)
Permanently as "a glass of wine at dinner now and then rather than getting shitfaced whenever not on stage".
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Seriously, this enhances the listening experience so much! thank you :metal :lol
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Thanks! I live to serve, I really focking do.
And since (I'm an idiot, never ever forget that) I somehow managed to not see a post, so let me mend the rudeness:
WOW, good to see you.
Thank you, the very same here.
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A little quiz game for the All-Saints festivities perhaps?
Why? Well, because I for one feel like it, my name's Alex so I can do some bootleg Jeopardy, and because I need vagons of levity to go back in 2002, when the next song didn't resonate the same way it does today. So:
1) It put MetalliMascara in the movies
2) Could very well be my wrestling entrance music's title
3) An all time top 5 side A closer.
Yep, you got it, it's Disappear:
0:00 – 0:34: We may talk too much about DT, but we seriously don't talk enough about their uncanny ability to frame a mood with a handful of bars. Funny, because the very band's name is a pretty accurate description of what I've just described. Those notes longing to be together but deceptively suggesting dissonance, the Ill Honky Tonk Piano lifted from an hypothetical Scenes parallel narration …
0:34 – 0:58: … Right. Same Regression/Spirit 6/8 signature strumming. This is both musically promising and songwriting/storytelling wise intriguing. The piano changes are a little bit close to Karma Police for comfort, but since Karma Police is a shameless Sexy Sadie theft I'll let that slide. (If you think I would perform my italics “couldn't help it” schtick for focking Radiohead, you haven't been paying attention).
0:58 – 2:06: Let me put my LaBrie's Avenger cape on. I promise you it's waaay more difficult to be so expressive and soulful at the bottom of your range than it is near the ceiling. High notes are pole dancing, low and slow ones are ballet. On a sidenote, I don't see the need to drown the vocals in such reverb; it must be this album's “thou shan't leave thy voice unprocessed” mantra.
2:06 – 2:32: Lucy in the Sky mellotron, on the same time signature and tempo I might add! I was not mistaken, this is a Lennonesque piece of songwriting (although the mellotron was allegedly a Macca idea). Do what you please with this information, but for me it's huge. Whenever your music shines a light on your tether to Bach or the Beatles, you're doing it extremely right.
2:32 – 2:35: Four notes, four focking simple notes, yet impossibly important. Please, do me a favour and edit the whole song without this section, instantly forget you did it, listen again, and tell me whether it feels completely different. Such is the power of emotional transitions. I know, you won't do me this favour, so you'll have to trust me or wave this paragraph off as musical lunacy. No hard feelings.
2:35 – 2:48: Repetition, hence considerations: I've jus waxed poethical about transitions after celebrating this piece's Lennonesque qualities ... and John Winston Lennon was notoriously one to eschew the very notion of transitioning. I know sweet fock all.
2:48 – 3:56: Is it possible to enormously contribute to the emotional mood (in a trasformative way I dare say) just by snare placement in the groove? It is if you are Michael Portnoy (big Lennon fan, I hear). Speaking about mood, I could do without the keyboard choir patch. Keeping with this installment theme, I'd like this section best “naked”, a sort of Across the Universe without strings. Does the DT Custom Shop still exist?
3:56 – 4:26: And of course, the harp plus Money for Nothing wah coupling is so perfect it moves to tears, way greater than the sum of its parts. Plus, let me point out that Johnny P is showing a structural restrain on par with Bill Bruford's writing credit winning (lack of) performance in Trio.
4:26 – 5:20: Perfect orchestrational and vocal crescendo: this song is really the perfect companion piece to The Spirit Carries On. Same ts, tempo, almost parallel negative harmony, yet stripped down and on opposite mood and landscape. A very different but related way for a soul to change plane of of existance. Again, as far as I'm concerned, Toilet Wall is showing DT at their songwriting maturity peak. Before I forget while wallowing in my tangents, in this instance the vocal processing is focking brilliant: a way to hear and feel both narrator and subject. Also, the way “never forget” is sung is reason #649 I love Big James, who vindicates the whole side A with a bunch of measures.
5:20 – 5:40: And tis is the sad brother to the “familiar voices shining through” section just before the acoustic breakdown in Scenes' last song. Appropriate and brilliant. Someone here is Finally Free, just in a very different but related way.
5:40 – 6:45: Full circle (again) hence return of the son of considerations: with this song (and Misunderstood) we have DT at their most songwriting confident; not “we can go out of our ballpark” confident, but “we still need to find out where our ballpark's fences are because we can't see focking any” confident. Strangely enough, this confidence is articulated both via obnoxious experimental fat in desperate need to be trimmed (Glass Prison and Great Debate) both via elegant restrain* (Misunderstood and Disappear). Blind Faith is just what it is: a motherfocking great great DT banger.
*Devil in the details: listen to Jordan closing up Disappear. You'd expect his patented minMaj7 flourishing arpeggio. Not this time: this song needed just a gently tap on a simple minor triad. And it takes the strenght of a genius and some state of grace.
Coming Next: I haven't forgot about you, Black Bitch.
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13 years late to the party, but I just followed along with the story and listened to Pull Me Under along with your comments. And like those who came before me, I have a newfound respect for not only this song but Dream Theater as a whole. Like my eyes have been opened to the context I could've have possibly had given that I was, uh, -5 years old. Sorry. And thank you!
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13 years late to the party, but I just followed along with the story and listened to Pull Me Under along with your comments. And like those who came before me, I have a newfound respect for not only this song but Dream Theater as a whole. Like my eyes have been opened to the context I could've have possibly had given that I was, uh, -5 years old. Sorry. And thank you!
That makes two of us. Welcome aboard Pebsie!
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Alex, my roulette goes another 2-3 days. Then I'll get back in to start following. Hopefully you won't have disappeared by then. ;D
Actually Disappear is one of my favorite DT songs, so I'm looking forward to running through it with your commentary.
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Alex, my roulette goes another 2-3 days. Then I'll get back in to start following. Hopefully you won't have disappeared by then. ;D
Actually Disappear is one of my favorite DT songs, so I'm looking forward to running through it with your commentary.
Not going anywhere.
I'm back on the streets 'cause I still got the blues.
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Alex, my roulette goes another 2-3 days. Then I'll get back in to start following. Hopefully you won't have disappeared by then. ;D
Actually Disappear is one of my favorite DT songs, so I'm looking forward to running through it with your commentary.
Not going anywhere.
I'm back on the streets 'cause I still got the blues.
Stop messin' around.
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Alex, my roulette goes another 2-3 days. Then I'll get back in to start following. Hopefully you won't have disappeared by then. ;D
Actually Disappear is one of my favorite DT songs, so I'm looking forward to running through it with your commentary.
Not going anywhere.
I'm back on the streets 'cause I still got the blues.
Stop messin' around.
I'm just a victim of the future, with dirty fingers
But the messiah will come again
-
2:32 – 2:35: Four notes, four focking simple notes, yet impossibly important. Please, do me a favour and edit the whole song without this section, instantly forget you did it, listen again, and tell me whether it feels completely different. Such is the power of emotional transitions. I know, you won't do me this favour, so you'll have to trust me or wave this paragraph off as musical lunacy. No hard feelings.
2:35 – 2:48: Repetition, hence considerations: I've jus waxed poethical about transitions after celebrating this piece's Lennonesque qualities ... and John Winston Lennon was notoriously one to eschew the very notion of transitioning. I know sweet fock all.
2:48 – 3:56: Is it possible to enormously contribute to the emotional mood (in a trasformative way I dare say) just by snare placement in the groove? It is if you are Michael Portnoy (big Lennon fan, I hear). Speaking about mood, I could do without the keyboard choir patch. Keeping with this installment theme, I'd like this section best “naked”, a sort of Across the Universe without strings. Does the DT Custom Shop still exist?
3:56 – 4:26: And of course, the harp plus Money for Nothing wah coupling is so perfect it moves to tears, way greater than the sum of its parts. Plus, let me point out that Johnny P is showing a structural restrain on par with Bill Bruford's writing credit winning (lack of) performance in Trio.
4:26 – 5:20: Perfect orchestrational and vocal crescendo: this song is really the perfect companion piece to The Spirit Carries On. Same ts, tempo, almost parallel negative harmony, yet stripped down and on opposite mood and landscape. A very different but related way for a soul to change plane of of existance. Again, as far as I'm concerned, Toilet Wall is showing DT at their songwriting maturity peak. Before I forget while wallowing in my tangents, in this instance the vocal processing is focking brilliant: a way to hear and feel both narrator and subject. Also, the way “never forget” is sung is reason #649 I love Big James, who vindicates the whole side A with a bunch of measures.
5:20 – 5:40: And tis is the sad brother to the “familiar voices shining through” section just before the acoustic breakdown in Scenes' last song. Appropriate and brilliant. Someone here is Finally Free, just in a very different but related way.
5:40 – 6:45: Full circle (again) hence return of the son of considerations: with this song (and Misunderstood) we have DT at their most songwriting confident; not “we can go out of our ballpark” confident, but “we still need to find out where our ballpark's fences are because we can't see focking any” confident. Strangely enough, this confidence is articulated both via obnoxious experimental fat in desperate need to be trimmed (Glass Prison and Great Debate) both via elegant restrain* (Misunderstood and Disappear). Blind Faith is just what it is: a motherfocking great great DT banger.
*Devil in the details: listen to Jordan closing up Disappear. You'd expect his patented minMaj7 flourishing arpeggio. Not this time: this song needed just a gently tap on a simple minor triad. And it takes the strenght of a genius and some state of grace.
Bingo.
6DoIT is the first DT album I heard, since it was the newest DT album out at the time I was told about DT, so it's what I happened to buy at the record store. I just remember when I first put this album on, I was loving it up until The Great Debate and I almost gave up on the album just on the lack of strength of that one song... I still don't like that song to this day. However, Disappear was such an amazing turn around and so different from everything before it that it immediately made me stand up and listen. It also came at a perfect point in my life and got me through some hard times. The lyrics spoke to me and the music drove it home. To this day, this song is the one that anchors the entire album for me. Just like you can't do without those 4 notes from 2:32 – 2:35 in this song, you can't do without this song on this album.
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... Just like you can't do without those 4 notes from 2:32 – 2:35 in this song, you can't do without this song on this album.
I'll give you one more: what is Gamora?
Scratch that
I'll give you one more: while Disappear is a perfect way to ease into a disc 2 state of mind, The Great Debate would horribly suck at the task.
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So awesome to have this back . . . but now there are a bunch of references I have to look up . . . :lol
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Many thanks, DT.
It's awsome to have the old gang here once again.
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Being a fellow Sinatra fan is icing on the cake. :metal
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Saturday night is all right for rambling (and for the Rat Pack to catch up) about:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - yep, the whole “let's pull a 2112 structure with a kinda Dark Side of the Moon concept” she-bang, starting with just the first four slices because bosk isn't paying overtime:
I.Overture:
Not now. First off, overtures are fully enjoyed only after listening to the actual movements they're preluding to, and I already knew it was going to be beautiful, symphonic … and wrong (I will elaborate on the whole thing at suite's end, enjoy the cliffhanger). A funnier use for this paragraph would rather be sharing with you fine gents and miladies where yours truly was at the time of this hearing*: I got the job I wanted, i.e. Musical theater performer (soon to be director), mostly on the comedic spectrum, aka the only possible way I can function in the current multiverse. The implications are quite significant:
1. The only way I could make a living in this world and sleep at night (or day) was bringing music and laughter to people, with no possibilty of hurting/exploiting a living soul. I'm not judging, just stating the way I'm wired.
Maybe it stems by being the offspring of a critical catholic artist dude and a fervent communist professor lady, I don't know.
2. It gave me an audience, an outlet for my attention whoring, and a strong appreciation of my private sphere, hence saving me from the (dawning at the time) social network epidemic, also known as The Fifth Horseman of Apocalypse: The On Getting The Job Done.
3. It gave me the gift of the Tour Bus, that is free hours upon free hours dedicated to listening to / philosophising about music and other amenities (cue the Black Bitch, among others). Heck, 85% of this thread has been written on a bus or a plane/airport.
*I know I promised the Black Bitch, but let's save the dark flawed enchantress for the dark flawed album.
Alright, it was a long-winded enough Overture. Let's get to
II. About to Crash:
0:00 – 0:24: This is the perfect warm welcoming piano to lubricate my attention into this suite. The perfect balance between cunning sophistication and salt of the earth familiarity. It's a piano lick standing between Billy Joel and the Cheers opening theme.
0:24 – 0:34: And this, for my wimpy pussy ears, is the perfect amount of operational distortion for DT music, no matter the style they're playing with. Clarity and grace.
0:34 – 0:56: Jordan winking at the prog classics, chapter 46: the Lucky Man moog. I love where this is going.
0:56 – 1:18: It takes a village to write cool and jumpy rock riffs, or DT with their most criminally overlooked habit. Plus, when the ship is sailing on the hard rock sea, and not capsizing on the metal waves, correct use of James occurs. Coincidence?
1:18 – 1:50: Criminally overlooked DT habit, part deux: the ability to write great choruses without easy hooks. Sadly, the boys' songwriting prowess will always be overshadowed by their technical proficiency. They're the MJ of prog: all the buckets and records make you forget he's been the best defender in the game south of Bill Russell.
1:50 – 2:01: Van Hagar riffage, circa For Unknown Carnal Knowledge? Fascinating.
2:01 – 2:23: Mike Portnoy literally Walking on the Moon
2:23 – 2:45: I don't care Jordan Rudess is the best keyboardist in the world, he should be tied to a Steinway and forced to fill every song with piano goodness. So good. You can hire Sherinian back for synths and organs for all I care, but Jordan stays on the piano. Ok, with a minimoog on his lap.
2:45 – 2:56: Holy Brian May, Johnny P! Actually there's a May wink in every DT album. Last time was on One Last Time.
2:56 – 3:22: Repetition, hence considerations: I will repeat this until I turn blue or until every album stops confirming it: DT is at its best north of Queen, south of Iron Maiden, west of Yes, east of Journey. The compass is clear, boundaries should never be crossed, there's room enough to experiment inside.
3:22 – 3:35: There is odd time, instinctive odd time, and odd time to show off. This is odd time with storytelling purpose. 5/8 is the harshest odd time feeling you can get (the missing beat is extremely close in ear memory to the leading one), the signature whispering to every listener, no matter education, that “something ain't working properly”. In this song there could not be a better way to suggest the other shoe is going to drop.
3:35 – 3:53: Let's everybody celebrate the birth of Prog Rock Tango
3:53 – 4:19: As usual, when DT respects The Compass, Big James is focking on like a don.
4:19 – 4:49: Not note for note, but feel for feel, this is Voices solo sans wah. I hope it makes sense.
4:49 – 5:51: As close to Gilmour as you can get before burning your wings, and absolutely the best bunch of bars of the album so far.
III. War Inside My Head:
0:00 – 0:15: Fock-a-Spock, almost failed a heart attack saving throw here. Sure, last tune had a nice outro and this one's got a nice intro, but you definitely need transitions between intros and outros too.
0:15 – 0:42: According to The Compass (almost trademarked at this point) this is a quintessential on the border DT metal feel. Approved. See? It works.
0:42 – 0:56: Nonetheless, James will never, ever, be a metal singer. On a sidenote, nice sped up For Whom the Bell Tolls riff, everybody.
0:56 - 1:25: … And just to screw with the paragraph above, that was a bonafide Awake scream. Whaddafock do I know?
1:25 – 2:08: Repetition, hence considerations: I understand and appreciate the need for some speed and weight at this point – hell, I like it even – but this song is so blatantly rushed and skimmed through that it feels (as Overture analysis will partially reveal) like something that “had to be there” rather than an organically sowed & reaped piece of music.
IV: The Test That Stumped Them All:
0:00 – 0:25: Again, really? Sure, last tune had a nice transition and this one's got a nice transition, but you definitely need transitions between transitions and …. well, transitions. I told ya, rushed. Probably in fear to piss off the cool heavy metal kids.
0:25 – 0:45: A little bit thrashy, but still inside The Compass, therefore …
0:45 – 1:05: … James holds his focking own, my friends.
1:05 – 1:26: More than holding his own, he performs some vintage Caught in a Web muscular belting. Impressive. Oh, and before I forget … Darkness, imprisoning me, all I can see, absolute horror … Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:26 – 1:40: As close to The Wall as you can get before burning your The Trial.
1:40 – 2:55: Repetition, hence considerations: never good when repetition/considerations occur for a whole focking minute and in consecutive songs. There is a saving grace though: Portnoy echoing the machine gun riff at first with Portnoy cymbals, then with Portnoy toms. Genius simplicity.
2:55 – 3:59: The most formulaic and uninspired solos in Johhy P's and Jordan's career. Just speed up and down a scale. This whole song ( as Overture analysis will partially reveal) screams filler.
3:59 – 5:03: Nice War Pigs slow section mood ruined by a keyboard fat fly buzzing around. WIMH referenced Bell Tolls, here we have One and War Pigs. Nice, too bad while rushing they forgot between songs the theme has shifted from war to mental institutionalisation.
I only wanted my Pepsi.
Coming Next: well, the rest.
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2:23 – 2:45: I don't care Jordan Rudess is the best keyboardist in the world, he should be tied to a Steinway and forced to fill every song with piano goodness. So good. You can hire Sherinian back for synths and organs for all I care, but Jordan stays on the piano. Ok, with a minimoog on his lap.
:clap:
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I think Disappear is one of DT's most amazing songs.
OK...let's do this!
Yep, you got it, it's Disappear:
0:00 – 0:34: We may talk too much about DT, but we seriously don't talk enough about their uncanny ability to frame a mood with a handful of bars. Funny, because the very band's name is a pretty accurate description of what I've just described. Those notes longing to be together but deceptively suggesting dissonance, the Ill Honky Tonk Piano lifted from an hypothetical Scenes parallel narration …
0:34 – 0:58: … Right. Same Regression/Spirit 6/8 signature strumming. This is both musically promising and songwriting/storytelling wise intriguing.
The opening here a way underutilized tool in DT's toolbox. It was put there by Kevin Moore, and I wish they'd use it more often. Songs like Space Dye Vest and Disappear do get a lot of flack, but they're two of my favorite DT tracks, and this is the kind of thing that makes so many parts of The Astonishing unforgettable. I have so many other places to get metal from, and I don't need it from DT.
0:58 – 2:06: Let me put my LaBrie's Avenger cape on. I promise you it's waaay more difficult to be so expressive and soulful at the bottom of your range than it is near the ceiling. High notes are pole dancing, low and slow ones are ballet. On a sidenote, I don't see the need to drown the vocals in such reverb; it must be this album's “thou shan't leave thy voice unprocessed” mantra.
I actually like the ethereal effect. Matches the music. It's like a voice from the clouds, and I'd rather that than a voice coming from right next to me.
2:32 – 2:35: Four notes, four focking simple notes, yet impossibly important. Please, do me a favour and edit the whole song without this section, instantly forget you did it, listen again, and tell me whether it feels completely different. Such is the power of emotional transitions. I know, you won't do me this favour, so you'll have to trust me or wave this paragraph off as musical lunacy. No hard feelings.
2:48 – 3:56: Is it possible to enormously contribute to the emotional mood (in a trasformative way I dare say) just by snare placement in the groove? It is if you are Michael Portnoy (big Lennon fan, I hear). Speaking about mood, I could do without the keyboard choir patch. Keeping with this installment theme, I'd like this section best “naked”, a sort of Across the Universe without strings. Does the DT Custom Shop still exist?
The four notes? I'm sure I've heard them. But thanks to you, they're going to jump out from my speakers forever more.
The snare? At the end of the day, Mike Portnoy is an incredible drummer with amazing instincts. I have missed him terribly in my musical life.
The choir? I've actually never consciously noticed that it's a choir patch. It's so subtle, I'm ok with it.
4:26 – 5:20: Perfect orchestrational and vocal crescendo: this song is really the perfect companion piece to The Spirit Carries On. Same ts, tempo, almost parallel negative harmony, yet stripped down and on opposite mood and landscape. A very different but related way for a soul to change plane of of existance. Again, as far as I'm concerned, Toilet Wall is showing DT at their songwriting maturity peak. Before I forget while wallowing in my tangents, in this instance the vocal processing is focking brilliant: a way to hear and feel both narrator and subject. Also, the way “never forget” is sung is reason #649 I love Big James, who vindicates the whole side A with a bunch of measures.
5:20 – 5:40: And tis is the sad brother to the “familiar voices shining through” section just before the acoustic breakdown in Scenes' last song. Appropriate and brilliant. Someone here is Finally Free, just in a very different but related way.
These two sections are why James Labrie will always be Dream Theater's not so secret weapon. This is a tremendous passage and as emotional as any in the DT catalog.
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Yep, you got it, it's Disappear:
*Long winded, plebeian complaints, trying to be clever observations, but coming across as the worst sort of pedantic wrong headedness. Only to wind up saying "It's great."*
This might be my favorite DT song, on some days. How's that for commitment?
I love the dented, toy music box, feel of the opening and closing sections, or maybe a kerosene powered record player running low on fuel. ;)
The mood of the song is perfectly built up to the 4:26 - 5:20 as you mention. My favorite, patented JLB moment is "I gave you my hand / I said it's okay / Letting go time to leave here". Although, to be fair, he delivers through the entire song.
Good call pointing out MP's snare work. Of course I've always noticed it, but it took you pointing it out for me to really notice it.
On a personal note. I'm glad you're back around here, and doing these again. This place is duller without you, and your disappear act (in light of the 2020 health scare) kinda made me fret for you.
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Tim, Gregg, the whole Rat Pack, this thread Is nothing without you guys.
Thank you all and sorry for the worries.
Wait a focking sec ...
PLEBEIAN, moi?
-
PLEBEIAN, moi?
(https://media.tenor.com/Gq7kbf4rrwQAAAAC/afraid-so-sorry-not-sorry.gif)
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I will be knocking out the 6 D's review today, and after all of these years, I came up with a thought so obvious this morning about it.
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PLEBEIAN, moi?
(https://media.tenor.com/Gq7kbf4rrwQAAAAC/afraid-so-sorry-not-sorry.gif)
*chuckles*
I'm pulling a Red Hot Chili Peppers. Got clean but lost my mojo.
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Actually now you have clean mojo. You just have to accept that is just as good.
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Aaaaand moooore, much more than this, I did it myyyyyyyy waaaaaaaay
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II. About to Crash:
2:45 – 2:56: Holy Brian May, Johnny P! Actually there's a May wink in every DT album. Last time was on One Last Time.
Had never noticed this until yesterday. I hear it now.
I’ll disagree as to the prior 'I had a Holy Brian May moment……'
03 – Misunderstood:
4:33 – 5:13: And clarity brings terror in all its atonal qualities. You think your words and intentions are clear, but the outside world hears them as (cue the brilliant and crucial guitar solo) slightly duplicitous, almost backwards, with such a internal eccentric logic sounding illogical and discordant. A melody “seen” through moving oily waters.
Six Degrees was my first DT album. I literally jumped out of my chair due to the guitar sound during this patch, looking through the liner notes to see if Sir Brian was credited for this part.
I do so enjoy all your focking comments in this thread. :lol Going waaay back to ‘The Great Debate’, if you're not crazy about the lyrics (which I'm not), here it is stripped of the vocals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs1wKc2An1Q
I will be knocking out the 6 D's review today, and after all of these years, I came up with a thought so obvious this morning about it.
Was it at the same place you spent 27 minutes listening to 'The Glass Prison' as mentioned on Page 18 of this thread? :D
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Welcome aboard DA, a pleasure!
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:lol :lol :lol :tup
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Saturday night is all right for rambling (and for the Rat Pack to catch up) about:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - yep, the whole “let's pull a 2112 structure with a kinda Dark Side of the Moon concept” she-bang, starting with just the first four slices because bosk isn't paying overtime:
I.Overture:
Not now. First off, overtures are fully enjoyed only after listening to the actual movements they're preluding to, and I already knew it was going to be beautiful, symphonic … and wrong (I will elaborate on the whole thing at suite's end, enjoy the cliffhanger). A funnier use for this paragraph would rather be sharing with you fine gents and miladies where yours truly was at the time of this hearing*: I got the job I wanted, i.e. Musical theater performer (soon to be director), mostly on the comedic spectrum, aka the only possible way I can function in the current multiverse. The implications are quite significant:
1. The only way I could make a living in this world and sleep at night (or day) was bringing music and laughter to people, with no possibilty of hurting/exploiting a living soul. I'm not judging, just stating the way I'm wired.
Maybe it stems by being the offspring of a critical catholic artist dude and a fervent communist professor lady, I don't know.
2. It gave me an audience, an outlet for my attention whoring, and a strong appreciation of my private sphere, hence saving me from the (dawning at the time) social network epidemic, also known as The Fifth Horseman of Apocalypse: The On Getting The Job Done.
3. It gave me the gift of the Tour Bus, that is free hours upon free hours dedicated to listening to / philosophising about music and other amenities (cue the Black Bitch, among others). Heck, 85% of this thread has been written on a bus or a plane/airport.
*I know I promised the Black Bitch, but let's save the dark flawed enchantress for the dark flawed album.
Alright, it was a long-winded enough Overture. Let's get to
II. About to Crash:
0:00 – 0:24: This is the perfect warm welcoming piano to lubricate my attention into this suite. The perfect balance between cunning sophistication and salt of the earth familiarity. It's a piano lick standing between Billy Joel and the Cheers opening theme.
0:24 – 0:34: And this, for my wimpy pussy ears, is the perfect amount of operational distortion for DT music, no matter the style they're playing with. Clarity and grace.
0:34 – 0:56: Jordan winking at the prog classics, chapter 46: the Lucky Man moog. I love where this is going.
0:56 – 1:18: It takes a village to write cool and jumpy rock riffs, or DT with their most criminally overlooked habit. Plus, when the ship is sailing on the hard rock sea, and not capsizing on the metal waves, correct use of James occurs. Coincidence?
1:18 – 1:50: Criminally overlooked DT habit, part deux: the ability to write great choruses without easy hooks. Sadly, the boys' songwriting prowess will always be overshadowed by their technical proficiency. They're the MJ of prog: all the buckets and records make you forget he's been the best defender in the game south of Bill Russell.
1:50 – 2:01: Van Hagar riffage, circa For Unknown Carnal Knowledge? Fascinating.
2:01 – 2:23: Mike Portnoy literally Walking on the Moon
2:23 – 2:45: I don't care Jordan Rudess is the best keyboardist in the world, he should be tied to a Steinway and forced to fill every song with piano goodness. So good. You can hire Sherinian back for synths and organs for all I care, but Jordan stays on the piano. Ok, with a minimoog on his lap.
2:45 – 2:56: Holy Brian May, Johnny P! Actually there's a May wink in every DT album. Last time was on One Last Time.
2:56 – 3:22: Repetition, hence considerations: I will repeat this until I turn blue or until every album stops confirming it: DT is at its best north of Queen, south of Iron Maiden, west of Yes, east of Journey. The compass is clear, boundaries should never be crossed, there's room enough to experiment inside.
3:22 – 3:35: There is odd time, instinctive odd time, and odd time to show off. This is odd time with storytelling purpose. 5/8 is the harshest odd time feeling you can get (the missing beat is extremely close in ear memory to the leading one), the signature whispering to every listener, no matter education, that “something ain't working properly”. In this song there could not be a better way to suggest the other shoe is going to drop.
3:35 – 3:53: Let's everybody celebrate the birth of Prog Rock Tango
3:53 – 4:19: As usual, when DT respects The Compass, Big James is focking on like a don.
4:19 – 4:49: Not note for note, but feel for feel, this is Voices solo sans wah. I hope it makes sense.
4:49 – 5:51: As close to Gilmour as you can get before burning your wings, and absolutely the best bunch of bars of the album so far.
Ok...let's start on what I consider one of the most overblown pieces of the entire DT discog. I've generally warmed up to it as time has passed, but to me, this is one entire disc of nothing.
First, the Overture.
Looking forward to the teaser, but in the mean time, Cool story, frat.
I have to say that I literally thought this was a Disney album that somehow got swapped with the actual DT Disc 2. Even today, I simply cannot get through it.
About To Crash..
For years, I could never really get into this. As long as it is, it feels somewhat incomplete. THis is the ne track, however, that time has been most kind to. I've seen it twice live, most recently perfectly placed in the middle of the View set on the first leg. I love how you point out how great Jordan is on this. It may or may not be subtle, as his work on AVFTTOTW may or may also not be subtle. But please....no Derek. Ever.
James is great, but his voice feels a bit distanced, dare I say....processed. I hate the way he's mixed here.
I always say that I don't need my metal from DT, but ATC sits is some middle ground that appeals to not one direction in your DT Compass, which is an analogy that I love BTW. Although when I read the "north of Queen" reference, I thought I heard a large gasp outside of Baltimore as DragonSanford had "the big one.".
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I will be knocking out the 6 D's review today, and after all of these years, I came up with a thought so obvious this morning about it.
Was it at the same place you spent 27 minutes listening to 'The Glass Prison' as mentioned on Page 18 of this thread? :D
:lol :lol
You don't know how close to the truth this is. However I was standing when I had this thought, which I won't divulge until the end.
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Actually, this disc has served me pretty well over the years...
(https://i.imgur.com/y2qntbu.jpg)
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Wtf, Tim? :lol
-
III. War Inside My Head:
0:00 – 0:15: Fock-a-Spock, almost failed a heart attack saving throw here. Sure, last tune had a nice outro and this one's got a nice intro, but you definitely need transitions between intros and outros too.
0:15 – 0:42: According to The Compass (almost trademarked at this point) this is a quintessential on the border DT metal feel. Approved. See? It works.
0:42 – 0:56: Nonetheless, James will never, ever, be a metal singer. On a sidenote, nice sped up For Whom the Bell Tolls riff, everybody.
0:56 - 1:25: … And just to screw with the paragraph above, that was a bonafide Awake scream. Whaddafock do I know?
1:25 – 2:08: Repetition, hence considerations: I understand and appreciate the need for some speed and weight at this point – hell, I like it even – but this song is so blatantly rushed and skimmed through that it feels (as Overture analysis will partially reveal) like something that “had to be there” rather than an organically sowed & reaped piece of music.
IV: The Test That Stumped Them All:
0:00 – 0:25: Again, really? Sure, last tune had a nice transition and this one's got a nice transition, but you definitely need transitions between transitions and …. well, transitions. I told ya, rushed. Probably in fear to piss off the cool heavy metal kids.
0:25 – 0:45: A little bit thrashy, but still inside The Compass, therefore …
0:45 – 1:05: … James holds his focking own, my friends.
1:05 – 1:26: More than holding his own, he performs some vintage Caught in a Web muscular belting. Impressive. Oh, and before I forget … Darkness, imprisoning me, all I can see, absolute horror … Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:26 – 1:40: As close to The Wall as you can get before burning your The Trial.
1:40 – 2:55: Repetition, hence considerations: never good when repetition/considerations occur for a whole focking minute and in consecutive songs. There is a saving grace though: Portnoy echoing the machine gun riff at first with Portnoy cymbals, then with Portnoy toms. Genius simplicity.
2:55 – 3:59: The most formulaic and uninspired solos in Johhy P's and Jordan's career. Just speed up and down a scale. This whole song ( as Overture analysis will partially reveal) screams filler.
3:59 – 5:03: Nice War Pigs slow section mood ruined by a keyboard fat fly buzzing around. WIMH referenced Bell Tolls, here we have One and War Pigs. Nice, too bad while rushing they forgot between songs the theme has shifted from war to mental institutionalisation.
I feel like you might be as frustrated with these sections as I am. I've never really been comfortable with either one of these sections. And I'm the heavy guy.
He does a much better Hetfield...
IV: The Test That Stumped Them All:
0:45 – 1:05: … James holds his focking own, my friends.
...than he does a Mustaine.
III. War Inside My Head:
0:42 – 0:56: Nonetheless, James will never, ever, be a metal singer.
Also, I love the riff at :37 of Test. :metal
You're also dead on about the transitions between ATC, War, Test. Jarring to say the least. Weird that they can transition from Test to Kiss so eloquently.
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I’d love it if those 2 sections weren’t there, ruins the song. Forced in.
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Actually, this disc has served me pretty well over the years...
(https://i.imgur.com/y2qntbu.jpg)
You uncultured swine!
-
Take this cup awaaaaaaay from me, for I don't want to taaaaaaaste its poison ....
-
I feel bad for you when you have to get into the writeups of the Train of Thought and so on era of more misuse of Big James. Incidentally I'm actually surprised you've gotten away with calling him that, some forumers insist he's 5'4".
We may never get there, but when you get to the Mangini albums I'm anticipating your relief that the classic DT sound was back.
-
Actually I feel bad for you all when I get there, for Train through Clouds will feature the most toxic failure of a disfunctional marriage this timeline has ever seen.
Unless you like drama, or lunacy, or dramatic lunacy, or lunatic drama. I'm in permutational hell.
Writeups-wise, well, there will be insufferable moaning due to the increasing valleys, but the peaks are worth gushing about in pompous incoherent lovely drivel anyway.
So stay with me, I'm tired of disappearing/mourning/dying or - if I have to - experiencing those things away from this cozy thread and forum.
Regarding James, I call him Big because, I swear, I've never witnessed a broader piece of face on a man in my life. Big resonators, big sound, Big James.
I leave you with a teaser for the MM era: I will focking dissect The Astonishing like it's the Zapruder film.
-
I leave you with a teaser for the MM era: I will focking dissect The Astonishing like it's the Zapruder film.
Really looking forward to this. I listened to my Astonishing Abridged today, and it's magnificent.
-
^
Curious as to the location 😉😀
-
^
Curious as to the location 😉😀
Hah!
At work ;D
-
^
Curious as to the location 😉😀
Hah!
At work ;D
‘Employees Only’😉
-
I leave you with a teaser for the MM era: I will focking dissect The Astonishing like it's the Zapruder film.
Really looking forward to this. I listened to my Astonishing Abridged today, and it's magnificent.
^
Curious as to the location 😉😀
From the sixth floor of the Book Depository, of course.
-
As for
Saturday night is all right for rambling (and for the Rat Pack to catch up) about:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - yep, the whole “let's pull a 2112 structure with a kinda Dark Side of the Moon concept” she-bang, starting with just the first four slices because bosk isn't paying overtime:
*snip*
I don't have any negative things to say, really, since this rambling mess never really walks close to an edge. Pretty pedestrian...plebeian even. I kid.
You seemed to take the heavy movements of SDoIT well. That surprised me. I expected a similar reaction from you as we got from the peanut gallery. The DT Custom Shop is closed forever, folks. Take them as they am. They are what they is? Something like that.
I hope we do get installments from ToT through Black Clouds. Apart from your personal miseries, your opinions on DT's output is always entertaining.
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Gregg, you just gave me the final piece to complete the DT Descent into Pandering Heaviness Puzzle I've been searching for all along!
The heart of the matter is the band actually started to take petitions from the Custom Shop instead of closing it for good.
-
I leave you with a teaser for the MM era: I will focking dissect The Astonishing like it's the Zapruder film.
Really looking forward to this. I listened to my Astonishing Abridged today, and it's magnificent.
^
Curious as to the location 😉😀
From the sixth floor of the Book Depository, of course.
*chuckles* missed this
and we all know who Kennedy is in this thread's lore, don't we?
-
She used to be on MTV, right?
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Of course.
-
Looks like I have a page and a half of quality to try and catch up on.
-
You honour me, mate.
Afraid I can't grant Lube in the Face levels of quality, but please have a cuppa!
-
You honour me, mate.
Afraid I can't grant Lube in the Face levels of quality, but please have a cuppa!
Let me put some time aside in my work calender for you. I'll have a long black, extra strong.
-
With wristbands?
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Shit.....I wonder if my customers and staff want to listen to 6D today....hmm...
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With wristbands?
Of course. And a Fillet-O-Fish on the side.
-
Let's finish this song up, Alessandro. I feel like I'm waiting for a colonoscopy.
-
I'm putting the gloves on as we speak.
I'm between Shell and Reprise, so I guess we can bend over around my midnight, more or less.
-
A promise is a colonoscopy is a promise
V: Goodnight Kiss:
0:00 – 0:55: THAT, my dear friends, was a pretty proper outro-to-intro transition. They know how to work'em, hell, they can crap'em out on command, hence it's really puzzling when they don't. Fun fact: About to Crash ends with an Eb chord choosing to descend a half step to an ominous Dbm; what if it bravely chose to go a half step up to a E7, the perfect dominant for Goodnight Kiss' first chord? (Amaj7, I suspect with 9th spices) Alas, we'll never know.
0:55 – 1:23: That's what I like: James surfing on a nice phaser and lavender in my bed. We can have nice things.
1:23 – 1:51: I never tire of this melody and progression. I don't know why, but it's very reminiscent – without nicking anything – of Bohemian Rhapsody.
1:51 – 2:19: Tie him to the piano! Tie him to the piano! Such a tasty painting of gentle droplets, with distant thunder echoing, courtesy of Mighty Mike. It's focking Dream Theater when they plant pictures in your mind; we can leave the heavy posturing and ultra speed masturbation to Nightmare Cinema.
2:19 – 3:14: Not really a repetition, but still worth some considerations: this verse to chorus sequence may be DT in their perfect Dark Side of the Moon (which I suspect they were set to replicate here, but more on that later): pace, space, mood, the whole nine yards. Also, Johnny M bass lines are literally to cry for. What a focking artist of a human being(?).
3:14 – 3:42: Supertramp territory, surprisingly and in a good way.
3:42 – 4:42: Confession time, no jokes. I didn't talk until I was about 3; I knew the words and I was capable to learn what I heard (or so I'm told), I just didn't spit them out. My parents were scared shitless (there was no general knowledge about people on the spectrum – it turned out I'm not, but still - in the seventies), then I was allowed to cock around with grandad's piano and everything came out at once, with copious amounts of tears. Since then music speaks to me bypassing words and meaning, and some pieces bring me to tears before I even manage to dissect the musical score taking form inside my mind while listening. Rock tunes' specific melodies that manage to do that: Starless lick, Fool on the Hill chorus, Fifth of Firth guitar solo, this whole section.
4:42 – 5:39: Johnny P Satching on a groove, 15 years before A New Beginning. Precognitions aside, nice piece of songwriting as the sweetest melody ever is followed by a menacing stomp, just like deranged minds are often capable of both showing the purest feelings of human nature and scare you shitless on a dime.
5:39 – 5:58: IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR MEAT, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PUDDING!
5:58 – 6:17: (Let's pretend I don't know where this is going to) Wherever this is going to, THIS is a focking proper prog transition.
VI: Solitary Shell:
0:00 – 0:16: I can help it, but I have to: Climbing up on Solsbury Hill, I could see the city lights ...
0:16 – 0:33:Jordan's signature solo? Solitary Shell's opening.
Straight and to the point yet melodically gorgeous and a clever wink to the '70s prog keyboards/moog tradition.
0:33 – 1:07: Evidence #45 the guys are at their songwriting zenith: every ¾ bar is followed by a 4/4 bar, suggesting a normality cyclically and hopelessly crippled, while the vocal line stealing a 1/8 on the upbeat every time shows the desperate struggle to compensate. Sorry for being somehow musically pedantic, but music is important: it's the only thing we made comparable to divine creation.
1:07 – 1:26: Nice little middle-eight. Nobody does middle-eights anymore. The Beatles did in spades and ruined it for everybody apparently.
1:26 – 2:04: Three things I will never understand:
1. Girls going to the restroom together
2. Snowboarding
3. How we managed to create a world where this song (and We All Need Some Light) aren't massive global radio hits.
2:04 – 2:14: Of course, leave it to Mike to perform a fill that is not a fill from, to, or between anything. Just a spontaneous burst of drumming emotion. If you think it's gratuitously random, please cut it from the song and see what happens.
2:14 – 3:45: Repetition (a big one, but we're obviously gunning for radio hit classic structure here) hence considerations: Jordan plays magic, Johnny P exhudes taste, Mike sweats genius, James is comfortably charming (the focking way he sings the last “he was fine” is gut-wrenching), yet this is absolutely Johnny M's song. Listen carefully. It's subtle, it's camouflaged, but such is the way of the ninja.
3:45 – 3:58: The most random comparison in this thread to date: Attack on Dollet, FFVIII OST, by Nobuo Uematsu, about one minute in. Do you see the aural cognitive hell I'm living in?
3:58 – 4:24: This, this right here, is the exact centre of The Compass.
4:24 – 5:21:
“Hello, dad?”
“Jesus Christ! Do you know what time is?”
“Almost, it's Ale, and it's 2 in the morning ...”
“God, why the law prohibiting vasectomy was abrogated only in 1978?”
“ I said it's Ale. Check this ...”
“... You call me to make me listen to Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Steve Gadd?”
“tsk tsk tsk”
5:21 – 5:47:
“Oh, it's your guys, innit?”
“Yeah”
“Good. Can you please fock off now before Margaret Thatcher wakes up?”
“At once!”
VII: About to Crash (Reprise):
0:00 – 0:49: This is not jarring, this is cinematically and intentionally motherfocking turbocharging. There is a difference.
0:49 – 1:15: I've heard hundreds of fans whining about James flirting with the cringe here. You know what I never heard but should have? Millions of people gushing about the monstrous bass world domination Johnny M is performing. Be truthful, have you ever noticed?
1:15 – 1:57: Sorry, but these ideas where well worth a whole new song/mental condition. Isn't that awfully obvious? Ditch the pretentious Overture, make sense of War's and Test's best bits, turn this one into, I don't know, My Uncle Is Hyper, give up the long gong, et voilà: you have 6 nifty degrees sans bloat in a tidy ACOS-ish running time. My treat, boys, really.
1:57 – 3:00: Simply put, a Liquid Tension Experiment session, Levin and all, transplanted into DT's catalogue. Nothing wrong with that.
3:00 – 3:18: She crashed on the Bells of Notre-Dame!
3:18 – 3:36: She found a piece of Fatal Tragedy lying on the floor!
3:36 – 4:04: Sorry, you fool no one. This is a preposterous attempt to pretend War Inside My Head was an organic planned part, while it's clear to all and sundry it was just the answer to: “This is all so mellow, we need to seduce Pantera fans, dammit! If I can't have girls at my show at least I demand mosh pits!”.
VIII: Losing Time / Grand Finale:
0:00 – 0:17: Please let it be ternary, let it be ternary, let it be ternary …
0:17 – 0:33: YES! Everything works smoother in three. Shooting basketball, marriages, DT music. Everything.
0:33 – 1:07: Remember The Compass? I think we've just touched the Journey border.
1:07 – 1:40: Seriously, I may be tripping now, but the beautiful Picardy third (i.e. Flipping a minor melody into a major one right at phrase's end by virtue of raising the third) carried by the vocal harmony – and underlined by the band – is the perfect portrait of an elusive self-deluded sense of bliss in desperate circumstances. Pity me, I say, pity me!
1:40 – 4:10: I could write a lot about this section (and the little well hidden Also Sprach Zarathustra nod), but I won't. I will only type Kevin focking James LaBrie. Also, be very careful what you wish for, you ungrateful unrespectful unsympathetic detractors: no Phil Anselmo, Russell Allen or whoeverthefock could ever bring this tune home this way, not in a million lifetimes.
Right, I promised an Overture analysis, but I realised I scattered all my points through the timestamp paragraphs. The heart of the matter is – beautiful as it may be - it represents an unnecessary bloated ballast of contrivance bestowed to an otherwise brilliant suite idea, undressing every sterile laboratory intervention underneath.
I get it, someone said: let's have ourself our Dark Side of the Moon, because we're the focking Stanley Kubrick/Quentin Tarantino of rock and we must re-invent every milestone. Too bad Pink Floyd never coldly decided to make a DsotM (or to have their version of Sgt Pepper), it came together through songs and ideas. Heck, they never “decided” to make I&W, they just made it. Jesus Christ wasn't a Christian, he just had ideas and the label came centuries later. See where I'm going?
This album, which could have been really an all-time great, is the start of DT gimmick albums, where decisions are made pre-production and the creative process must jump through self-imposed “our due place in rock history” hoops instead of flowing free and brewing with patience. It's a very slippery slope that will lead to their worst album ever, but this is a story for another post.
COMING NEXT: “Let's make Master of Puppets!”
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Saturday night is all right for rambling (and for the Rat Pack to catch up) about:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - yep, the whole “let's pull a 2112 structure with a kinda Dark Side of the Moon concept” she-bang, starting with just the first four slices because bosk isn't paying overtime:
I.Overture:
Not now. First off, overtures are fully enjoyed only after listening to the actual movements they're preluding to, and I already knew it was going to be beautiful, symphonic … and wrong (I will elaborate on the whole thing at suite's end, enjoy the cliffhanger). A funnier use for this paragraph would rather be sharing with you fine gents and miladies where yours truly was at the time of this hearing*: I got the job I wanted, i.e. Musical theater performer (soon to be director), mostly on the comedic spectrum, aka the only possible way I can function in the current multiverse. The implications are quite significant:
1. The only way I could make a living in this world and sleep at night (or day) was bringing music and laughter to people, with no possibilty of hurting/exploiting a living soul. I'm not judging, just stating the way I'm wired.
Maybe it stems by being the offspring of a critical catholic artist dude and a fervent communist professor lady, I don't know.
2. It gave me an audience, an outlet for my attention whoring, and a strong appreciation of my private sphere, hence saving me from the (dawning at the time) social network epidemic, also known as The Fifth Horseman of Apocalypse: The On Getting The Job Done.
3. It gave me the gift of the Tour Bus, that is free hours upon free hours dedicated to listening to / philosophising about music and other amenities (cue the Black Bitch, among others). Heck, 85% of this thread has been written on a bus or a plane/airport.
*I know I promised the Black Bitch, but let's save the dark flawed enchantress for the dark flawed album.
Alright, it was a long-winded enough Overture. Let's get to
II. About to Crash:
0:00 – 0:24: This is the perfect warm welcoming piano to lubricate my attention into this suite. The perfect balance between cunning sophistication and salt of the earth familiarity. It's a piano lick standing between Billy Joel and the Cheers opening theme.
0:24 – 0:34: And this, for my wimpy pussy ears, is the perfect amount of operational distortion for DT music, no matter the style they're playing with. Clarity and grace.
0:34 – 0:56: Jordan winking at the prog classics, chapter 46: the Lucky Man moog. I love where this is going.
0:56 – 1:18: It takes a village to write cool and jumpy rock riffs, or DT with their most criminally overlooked habit. Plus, when the ship is sailing on the hard rock sea, and not capsizing on the metal waves, correct use of James occurs. Coincidence?
1:18 – 1:50: Criminally overlooked DT habit, part deux: the ability to write great choruses without easy hooks. Sadly, the boys' songwriting prowess will always be overshadowed by their technical proficiency. They're the MJ of prog: all the buckets and records make you forget he's been the best defender in the game south of Bill Russell.
1:50 – 2:01: Van Hagar riffage, circa For Unknown Carnal Knowledge? Fascinating.
2:01 – 2:23: Mike Portnoy literally Walking on the Moon
2:23 – 2:45: I don't care Jordan Rudess is the best keyboardist in the world, he should be tied to a Steinway and forced to fill every song with piano goodness. So good. You can hire Sherinian back for synths and organs for all I care, but Jordan stays on the piano. Ok, with a minimoog on his lap.
2:45 – 2:56: Holy Brian May, Johnny P! Actually there's a May wink in every DT album. Last time was on One Last Time.
2:56 – 3:22: Repetition, hence considerations: I will repeat this until I turn blue or until every album stops confirming it: DT is at its best north of Queen, south of Iron Maiden, west of Yes, east of Journey. The compass is clear, boundaries should never be crossed, there's room enough to experiment inside.
3:22 – 3:35: There is odd time, instinctive odd time, and odd time to show off. This is odd time with storytelling purpose. 5/8 is the harshest odd time feeling you can get (the missing beat is extremely close in ear memory to the leading one), the signature whispering to every listener, no matter education, that “something ain't working properly”. In this song there could not be a better way to suggest the other shoe is going to drop.
3:35 – 3:53: Let's everybody celebrate the birth of Prog Rock Tango
3:53 – 4:19: As usual, when DT respects The Compass, Big James is focking on like a don.
4:19 – 4:49: Not note for note, but feel for feel, this is Voices solo sans wah. I hope it makes sense.
4:49 – 5:51: As close to Gilmour as you can get before burning your wings, and absolutely the best bunch of bars of the album so far.
III. War Inside My Head:
0:00 – 0:15: Fock-a-Spock, almost failed a heart attack saving throw here. Sure, last tune had a nice outro and this one's got a nice intro, but you definitely need transitions between intros and outros too.
0:15 – 0:42: According to The Compass (almost trademarked at this point) this is a quintessential on the border DT metal feel. Approved. See? It works.
0:42 – 0:56: Nonetheless, James will never, ever, be a metal singer. On a sidenote, nice sped up For Whom the Bell Tolls riff, everybody.
0:56 - 1:25: … And just to screw with the paragraph above, that was a bonafide Awake scream. Whaddafock do I know?
1:25 – 2:08: Repetition, hence considerations: I understand and appreciate the need for some speed and weight at this point – hell, I like it even – but this song is so blatantly rushed and skimmed through that it feels (as Overture analysis will partially reveal) like something that “had to be there” rather than an organically sowed & reaped piece of music.
IV: The Test That Stumped Them All:
0:00 – 0:25: Again, really? Sure, last tune had a nice transition and this one's got a nice transition, but you definitely need transitions between transitions and …. well, transitions. I told ya, rushed. Probably in fear to piss off the cool heavy metal kids.
0:25 – 0:45: A little bit thrashy, but still inside The Compass, therefore …
0:45 – 1:05: … James holds his focking own, my friends.
1:05 – 1:26: More than holding his own, he performs some vintage Caught in a Web muscular belting. Impressive. Oh, and before I forget … Darkness, imprisoning me, all I can see, absolute horror … Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:26 – 1:40: As close to The Wall as you can get before burning your The Trial.
1:40 – 2:55: Repetition, hence considerations: never good when repetition/considerations occur for a whole focking minute and in consecutive songs. There is a saving grace though: Portnoy echoing the machine gun riff at first with Portnoy cymbals, then with Portnoy toms. Genius simplicity.
2:55 – 3:59: The most formulaic and uninspired solos in Johhy P's and Jordan's career. Just speed up and down a scale. This whole song ( as Overture analysis will partially reveal) screams filler.
3:59 – 5:03: Nice War Pigs slow section mood ruined by a keyboard fat fly buzzing around. WIMH referenced Bell Tolls, here we have One and War Pigs. Nice, too bad while rushing they forgot between songs the theme has shifted from war to mental institutionalisation.
I only wanted my Pepsi.
Coming Next: well, the rest.
This was fun to listen and read along to. A few points from my end;
* I never care for any Overtures, (except 1928). 9/10 I struggle to pick up on the corresponding pieces, probably because I just don't care enough about them to pay close enough attention.
* Reading the word 'lubricate' straight off the bat certainly made me chuckle considering this was posted 3 days before the 'lube in the face' fiasco.
* About to Crash is really a glorious 6 minutes of beautiful prog rock done ever so right. I would have never picked up the Brian May reference but I certainly hear it.
* I'm not that mad with the transitions, but I certainly know what you mean, they are pretty clunky. One of the reason why I never really thought of 6D as a single song, it's too disjointed. So.....I guess I actually am pretty mad with them ha! WIMH is a cool piece but does feel like an extra something just thrown in just because.
* I always enjoyed TTTSTA. Very Metallica as you pointed out but I like James on this one. Interesting take on the solos too. I can't hear the War Pigs thing though.
On to the second half.
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A promise is a colonoscopy is a promise
V: Goodnight Kiss:
0:00 – 0:55: THAT, my dear friends, was a pretty proper outro-to-intro transition. They know how to work'em, hell, they can crap'em out on command, hence it's really puzzling when they don't. Fun fact: About to Crash ends with an Eb chord choosing to descend a half step to an ominous Dbm; what if it bravely chose to go a half step up to a E7, the perfect dominant for Goodnight Kiss' first chord? (Amaj7, I suspect with 9th spices) Alas, we'll never know.
0:55 – 1:23: That's what I like: James surfing on a nice phaser and lavender in my bed. We can have nice things.
1:23 – 1:51: I never tire of this melody and progression. I don't know why, but it's very reminiscent – without nicking anything – of Bohemian Rhapsody.
1:51 – 2:19: Tie him to the piano! Tie him to the piano! Such a tasty painting of gentle droplets, with distant thunder echoing, courtesy of Mighty Mike. It's focking Dream Theater when they plant pictures in your mind; we can leave the heavy posturing and ultra speed masturbation to Nightmare Cinema.
2:19 – 3:14: Not really a repetition, but still worth some considerations: this verse to chorus sequence may be DT in their perfect Dark Side of the Moon (which I suspect they were set to replicate here, but more on that later): pace, space, mood, the whole nine yards. Also, Johnny M bass lines are literally to cry for. What a focking artist of a human being(?).
3:14 – 3:42: Supertramp territory, surprisingly and in a good way.
3:42 – 4:42: Confession time, no jokes. I didn't talk until I was about 3; I knew the words and I was capable to learn what I heard (or so I'm told), I just didn't spit them out. My parents were scared shitless (there was no general knowledge about people on the spectrum – it turned out I'm not, but still - in the seventies), then I was allowed to cock around with grandad's piano and everything came out at once, with copious amounts of tears. Since then music speaks to me bypassing words and meaning, and some pieces bring me to tears before I even manage to dissect the musical score taking form inside my mind while listening. Rock tunes' specific melodies that manage to do that: Starless lick, Fool on the Hill chorus, Fifth of Firth guitar solo, this whole section.
4:42 – 5:39: Johnny P Satching on a groove, 15 years before A New Beginning. Precognitions aside, nice piece of songwriting as the sweetest melody ever is followed by a menacing stomp, just like deranged minds are often capable of both showing the purest feelings of human nature and scare you shitless on a dime.
5:39 – 5:58: IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR MEAT, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PUDDING!
5:58 – 6:17: (Let's pretend I don't know where this is going to) Wherever this is going to, THIS is a focking proper prog transition.
VI: Solitary Shell:
0:00 – 0:16: I can help it, but I have to: Climbing up on Solsbury Hill, I could see the city lights ...
0:16 – 0:33:Jordan's signature solo? Solitary Shell's opening.
Straight and to the point yet melodically gorgeous and a clever wink to the '70s prog keyboards/moog tradition.
0:33 – 1:07: Evidence #45 the guys are at their songwriting zenith: every ¾ bar is followed by a 4/4 bar, suggesting a normality cyclically and hopelessly crippled, while the vocal line stealing a 1/8 on the upbeat every time shows the desperate struggle to compensate. Sorry for being somehow musically pedantic, but music is important: it's the only thing we made comparable to divine creation.
1:07 – 1:26: Nice little middle-eight. Nobody does middle-eights anymore. The Beatles did in spades and ruined it for everybody apparently.
1:26 – 2:04: Three things I will never understand:
1. Girls going to the restroom together
2. Snowboarding
3. How we managed to create a world where this song (and We All Need Some Light) aren't massive global radio hits.
2:04 – 2:14: Of course, leave it to Mike to perform a fill that is not a fill from, to, or between anything. Just a spontaneous burst of drumming emotion. If you think it's gratuitously random, please cut it from the song and see what happens.
2:14 – 3:45: Repetition (a big one, but we're obviously gunning for radio hit classic structure here) hence considerations: Jordan plays magic, Johnny P exhudes taste, Mike sweats genius, James is comfortably charming (the focking way he sings the last “he was fine” is gut-wrenching), yet this is absolutely Johnny M's song. Listen carefully. It's subtle, it's camouflaged, but such is the way of the ninja.
3:45 – 3:58: The most random comparison in this thread to date: Attack on Dollet, FFVIII OST, by Nobuo Uematsu, about one minute in. Do you see the aural cognitive hell I'm living in?
3:58 – 4:24: This, this right here, is the exact centre of The Compass.
4:24 – 5:21:
“Hello, dad?”
“Jesus Christ! Do you know what time is?”
“Almost, it's Ale, and it's 2 in the morning ...”
“God, why the law prohibiting vasectomy was abrogated only in 1978?”
“ I said it's Ale. Check this ...”
“... You call me to make me listen to Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Steve Gadd?”
“tsk tsk tsk”
5:21 – 5:47:
“Oh, it's your guys, innit?”
“Yeah”
“Good. Can you please fock off now before Margaret Thatcher wakes up?”
“At once!”
VII: About to Crash (Reprise):
0:00 – 0:49: This is not jarring, this is cinematically and intentionally motherfocking turbocharging. There is a difference.
0:49 – 1:15: I've heard hundreds of fans whining about James flirting with the cringe here. You know what I never heard but should have? Millions of people gushing about the monstrous bass world domination Johnny M is performing. Be truthful, have you ever noticed?
1:15 – 1:57: Sorry, but these ideas where well worth a whole new song/mental condition. Isn't that awfully obvious? Ditch the pretentious Overture, make sense of War's and Test's best bits, turn this one into, I don't know, My Uncle Is Hyper, give up the long gong, et voilà: you have 6 nifty degrees sans bloat in a tidy ACOS-ish running time. My treat, boys, really.
1:57 – 3:00: Simply put, a Liquid Tension Experiment session, Levin and all, transplanted into DT's catalogue. Nothing wrong with that.
3:00 – 3:18: She crashed on the Bells of Notre-Dame!
3:18 – 3:36: She found a piece of Fatal Tragedy lying on the floor!
3:36 – 4:04: Sorry, you fool no one. This is a preposterous attempt to pretend War Inside My Head was an organic planned part, while it's clear to all and sundry it was just the answer to: “This is all so mellow, we need to seduce Pantera fans, dammit! If I can't have girls at my show at least I demand mosh pits!”.
VIII: Losing Time / Grand Finale:
0:00 – 0:17: Please let it be ternary, let it be ternary, let it be ternary …
0:17 – 0:33: YES! Everything works smoother in three. Shooting basketball, marriages, DT music. Everything.
0:33 – 1:07: Remember The Compass? I think we've just touched the Journey border.
1:07 – 1:40: Seriously, I may be tripping now, but the beautiful Picardy third (i.e. Flipping a minor melody into a major one right at phrase's end by virtue of raising the third) carried by the vocal harmony – and underlined by the band – is the perfect portrait of an elusive self-deluded sense of bliss in desperate circumstances. Pity me, I say, pity me!
1:40 – 4:10: I could write a lot about this section (and the little well hidden Also Sprach Zarathustra nod), but I won't. I will only type Kevin focking James LaBrie. Also, be very careful what you wish for, you ungrateful unrespectful unsympathetic detractors: no Phil Anselmo, Russell Allen or whoeverthefock could ever bring this tune home this way, not in a million lifetimes.
Right, I promised an Overture analysis, but I realised I scattered all my points through the timestamp paragraphs. The heart of the matter is – beautiful as it may be - it represents an unnecessary bloated ballast of contrivance bestowed to an otherwise brilliant suite idea, undressing every sterile laboratory intervention underneath.
I get it, someone said: let's have ourself our Dark Side of the Moon, because we're the focking Stanley Kubrick/Quentin Tarantino of rock and we must re-invent every milestone. Too bad Pink Floyd never coldly decided to make a DsotM (or to have their version of Sgt Pepper), it came together through songs and ideas. Heck, they never “decided” to make I&W, they just made it. Jesus Christ wasn't a Christian, he just had ideas and the label came centuries later. See where I'm going?
This album, which could have been really an all-time great, is the start of DT gimmick albums, where decisions are made pre-production and the creative process must jump through self-imposed “our due place in rock history” hoops instead of flowing free and brewing with patience. It's a very slippery slope that will lead to their worst album ever, but this is a story for another post.
COMING NEXT: “Let's make Master of Puppets!”
*I've never really apprecaited GK, but reading your synopsis along really helped it open up a bit more. It's certainly a nice piece. That 'Supertramp' part is excellent. That 3:42 section is amazing indeed and I love all the key changes in that final part.
*SS again was one I never really cared for. Too soft for me I guess but the chorus fits the bill. Although;
the focking way he sings the last “he was fine” is gut-wrenching
Wow, I was typing the last part when I heard James sing this part and thought, 'fuck, that's worth a mention,' and there you are.
I love that Chick Corea reference for that second last part too, great call.
* That indeed is a class transition.
* I've always loved that section at 2:33 in ATCR, incredible.
* I can get behind that Fatal Tragedy call out.
* Losing Time, that 1:07 - 1:40 section is one of my favs of the whole song. I love it more than the rest of the song.
I think you're whole thoughts on the pre planned ideas on what they were doing moving forward has a lot of merit Allesandro. I do hope you don't mean the next album is the worst ever.......we will see.
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V: Goodnight Kiss:
0:00 – 0:55: THAT, my dear friends, was a pretty proper outro-to-intro transition. They know how to work'em, hell, they can crap'em out on command, hence it's really puzzling when they don't. Fun fact: About to Crash ends with an Eb chord choosing to descend a half step to an ominous Dbm; what if it bravely chose to go a half step up to a E7, the perfect dominant for Goodnight Kiss' first chord? (Amaj7, I suspect with 9th spices) Alas, we'll never know.
0:55 – 1:23: That's what I like: James surfing on a nice phaser and lavender in my bed. We can have nice things.
1:23 – 1:51: I never tire of this melody and progression. I don't know why, but it's very reminiscent – without nicking anything – of Bohemian Rhapsody.
1:51 – 2:19: Tie him to the piano! Tie him to the piano! Such a tasty painting of gentle droplets, with distant thunder echoing, courtesy of Mighty Mike. It's focking Dream Theater when they plant pictures in your mind; we can leave the heavy posturing and ultra speed masturbation to Nightmare Cinema.
2:19 – 3:14: Not really a repetition, but still worth some considerations: this verse to chorus sequence may be DT in their perfect Dark Side of the Moon (which I suspect they were set to replicate here, but more on that later): pace, space, mood, the whole nine yards. Also, Johnny M bass lines are literally to cry for. What a focking artist of a human being(?).
3:14 – 3:42: Supertramp territory, surprisingly and in a good way.
3:42 – 4:42: Confession time, no jokes. I didn't talk until I was about 3; I knew the words and I was capable to learn what I heard (or so I'm told), I just didn't spit them out. My parents were scared shitless (there was no general knowledge about people on the spectrum – it turned out I'm not, but still - in the seventies), then I was allowed to cock around with grandad's piano and everything came out at once, with copious amounts of tears. Since then music speaks to me bypassing words and meaning, and some pieces bring me to tears before I even manage to dissect the musical score taking form inside my mind while listening. Rock tunes' specific melodies that manage to do that: Starless lick, Fool on the Hill chorus, Fifth of Firth guitar solo, this whole section.
4:42 – 5:39: Johnny P Satching on a groove, 15 years before A New Beginning. Precognitions aside, nice piece of songwriting as the sweetest melody ever is followed by a menacing stomp, just like deranged minds are often capable of both showing the purest feelings of human nature and scare you shitless on a dime.
5:39 – 5:58: IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR MEAT, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PUDDING!
5:58 – 6:17: (Let's pretend I don't know where this is going to) Wherever this is going to, THIS is a focking proper prog transition.
VI: Solitary Shell:
0:00 – 0:16: I can help it, but I have to: Climbing up on Solsbury Hill, I could see the city lights ...
0:16 – 0:33:Jordan's signature solo? Solitary Shell's opening.
Straight and to the point yet melodically gorgeous and a clever wink to the '70s prog keyboards/moog tradition.
0:33 – 1:07: Evidence #45 the guys are at their songwriting zenith: every ¾ bar is followed by a 4/4 bar, suggesting a normality cyclically and hopelessly crippled, while the vocal line stealing a 1/8 on the upbeat every time shows the desperate struggle to compensate. Sorry for being somehow musically pedantic, but music is important: it's the only thing we made comparable to divine creation.
1:07 – 1:26: Nice little middle-eight. Nobody does middle-eights anymore. The Beatles did in spades and ruined it for everybody apparently.
1:26 – 2:04: Three things I will never understand:
1. Girls going to the restroom together
2. Snowboarding
3. How we managed to create a world where this song (and We All Need Some Light) aren't massive global radio hits.
2:04 – 2:14: Of course, leave it to Mike to perform a fill that is not a fill from, to, or between anything. Just a spontaneous burst of drumming emotion. If you think it's gratuitously random, please cut it from the song and see what happens.
2:14 – 3:45: Repetition (a big one, but we're obviously gunning for radio hit classic structure here) hence considerations: Jordan plays magic, Johnny P exhudes taste, Mike sweats genius, James is comfortably charming (the focking way he sings the last “he was fine” is gut-wrenching), yet this is absolutely Johnny M's song. Listen carefully. It's subtle, it's camouflaged, but such is the way of the ninja.
3:45 – 3:58: The most random comparison in this thread to date: Attack on Dollet, FFVIII OST, by Nobuo Uematsu, about one minute in. Do you see the aural cognitive hell I'm living in?
3:58 – 4:24: This, this right here, is the exact centre of The Compass.
4:24 – 5:21:
“Hello, dad?”
“Jesus Christ! Do you know what time is?”
“Almost, it's Ale, and it's 2 in the morning ...”
“God, why the law prohibiting vasectomy was abrogated only in 1978?”
“ I said it's Ale. Check this ...”
“... You call me to make me listen to Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Steve Gadd?”
“tsk tsk tsk”
5:21 – 5:47:
“Oh, it's your guys, innit?”
“Yeah”
“Good. Can you please fock off now before Margaret Thatcher wakes up?”
“At once!”
Good stuff there, Ale!
No idea what Nobuo or We All Need Some Light are though.
Other than Disappear, the 2nd half of Goodnight Kiss and Solitary Shell are the best 8 minutes of the double album. In my DT Top 100, Solitary Shell would come in around #30, but the entire 6 D's track will struggle to even break the Top 100.
DragonAttack is going to faint at the Bohemian Rhapsody reference. I hear it though. Nice call.
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Other than Disappear, the 2nd half of Goodnight Kiss and Solitary Shell are the best 8 minutes of the double album. In my DT Top 100, Solitary Shell would come in around #30, but the entire 6 D's track will struggle to even break the Top 100.
Again, SS was never my thing, but I did enjoy it more reading along with Alex's post.
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VII: About to Crash (Reprise):
0:49 – 1:15: I've heard hundreds of fans whining about James flirting with the cringe here. You know what I never heard but should have? Millions of people gushing about the monstrous bass world domination Johnny M is performing. Be truthful, have you ever noticed?
VIII: Losing Time / Grand Finale:
1:40 – 4:10: I could write a lot about this section (and the little well hidden Also Sprach Zarathustra nod), but I won't. I will only type Kevin focking James LaBrie. Also, be very careful what you wish for, you ungrateful unrespectful unsympathetic detractors: no Phil Anselmo, Russell Allen or whoeverthefock could ever bring this tune home this way, not in a million lifetimes.
James is outstanding in these two passages. Of course, you may not have heard him try these this past summer... Ugh. Yet, these are recordings that should back up anyone's case for James.
I also like your LTE call out, and yes, JM is killing it.
Right, I promised an Overture analysis, but I realised I scattered all my points through the timestamp paragraphs. The heart of the matter is – beautiful as it may be - it represents an unnecessary bloated ballast of contrivance bestowed to an otherwise brilliant suite idea, undressing every sterile laboratory intervention underneath.
I get it, someone said: let's have ourself our Dark Side of the Moon, because we're the focking Stanley Kubrick/Quentin Tarantino of rock and we must re-invent every milestone. Too bad Pink Floyd never coldly decided to make a DsotM (or to have their version of Sgt Pepper), it came together through songs and ideas. Heck, they never “decided” to make I&W, they just made it. Jesus Christ wasn't a Christian, he just had ideas and the label came centuries later. See where I'm going?
This album, which could have been really an all-time great, is the start of DT gimmick albums, where decisions are made pre-production and the creative process must jump through self-imposed “our due place in rock history” hoops instead of flowing free and brewing with patience. It's a very slippery slope that will lead to their worst album ever, but this is a story for another post.
I totally get this, but how much of this album was pre-thought out? Disc 1, which was done first is an incredibly varied and thoughtful album.
The last 4 movements to 6 D's (the song) so outclass the first 4, that upon completion, I wish they'd have rewritten the first half.
I find that my first listen is as good as cement in most cases. Things shrink and grow over time a little of course, but...only a little. After hearing Disc 1, I was quite amazed. I was like, holy shit, there's a whole nuther CD of this goodness?
And then the Overture started...WTF?? About to Crash..underwhelming. War/Test....wut? Goodnight Kiss...oh boy!
I didn't have my interest piqued until halfway through Goodnight Kiss, and while the rest of it is quite good, it's simply not strong enough as a whole piece.
Here's what I wonder though...in true 2112 fashion, I wonder how I would've received this if the 6 D's song was Disc 1, and I listened to that first, and then the other 5 songs were on Disc 2.
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it's simply not strong enough as a whole piece.
My thoughts too.
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Spoiler for wolfking: the next album is not their worst ever!
Tim, veeeery interesting take regarding the 2112 format and CD inversion, yet I believe 2112 works better because we're talking sides, not discs, which brings me to:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, the LP (in CD capacity) without pre-planned contrivance:
Side A: 1. The Very Spontaneous Sixt Degrees of Inner Turbulence: I. About to Crash (5:51)
II. Goodnight Kiss (6:17)
III. Solitary Shell (5:47)
IV. War inside a Test (let's say 6.08)
V. My Uncle Is Hyper (4:04)
VI: (Only) Losing Time (4:10)
Side B: 1. best ideas from Glass Prison, sans the whole 12 steps long game attached (let's say 5:52)
2. Blind Faith (10:21)
3. Misunderstood (9:32)
4. The Great Debate Abridged (let's say 5:45)
5. Disappear (6:45)
Total running time: 70:15
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Spoiler for wolfking: the next album is not their worst ever!
Tim, veeeery interesting take regarding the 2112 format and CD inversion, yet I believe 2112 works better because we're talking sides, not discs, which brings me to:
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, the LP (in CD capacity) without pre-planned contrivance:
Side A: 1. The Very Spontaneous Sixt Degrees of Inner Turbulence: I. About to Crash (5:51)
II. Goodnight Kiss (6:17)
III. Solitary Shell (5:47)
IV. War inside a Test (let's say 6.08)
V. My Uncle Is Hyper (4:04)
VI: (Only) Losing Time (4:10)
Side B: 1. best ideas from Glass Prison, sans the whole 12 steps long game attached (let's say 5:52)
2. Blind Faith (10:21)
3. Misunderstood (9:32)
4. The Great Debate Abridged (let's say 5:45)
5. Disappear (6:45)
Total running time: 70:15
Didn't think so based on your wording plus a couple of the later ones coming.
I like the Glass Prison at its current length. I'm all for a shorter Great Debate though, but maybe I think it might need another minute added on to your time?
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All of got to say is... How dare you call your mother Margaret Thatcher...? >:(
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You should see her go Falklands on me arse.
Nonetheless, of course I'll send your regards.
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:hefdaddy Another awesome write-up. Yes, James was absolutely fantastic on the latter half of this "song".
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II. About to Crash:
snip
I always say that I don't need my metal from DT, but ATC sits is some middle ground that appeals to not one direction in your DT Compass, which is an analogy that I love BTW. Although when I read the "north of Queen" reference, I thought I heard a large gasp outside of Baltimore as DragonSanford had "the big one.".
[/b]
:lol
I wasn't calling for 'Elizabeth' at that moment. ;)
Indy's Queen references are all part of what drew me into that band with Six Degrees, since this was my introduction to the band. A hard rock band that changed styles, with very similar vocals, and occasional guitar bits that touched my wheelhouse for the first time in eons.
Briefly, going back to 'Disappear'. Any old timers think of the 'Dark Shadows' TV theme when hearing the song? It jumped out at me like a two ton heavy thing ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSbCqp_a3iE
Briefly, in total agreement as to 'Overture' (and the same holds true for 'Dystopian Overture'). Include the final minute with the next song, and it's a great segue. My CDRs have the overtures as two parts. Can't recall the last time I've listened to either in their entirety.
I've seen many a Broadway show with Mrs. DragonAttack, due to her love of Broadway and being much more cultured than this former small town farm boy. Overture's are a great way of setting up anticipation for the upcoming performance (or to get the chronically late axes in their seats). Best done short. Best done correctly. Best done with the right segments.
Nothing's better than JC Superstar in that regards.
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Yup, Webber nailed that overture so thoroughly, everybody else stopped doing them and went for sung prologues.
If you're keen ob JCS, you're gonna love The Astonishing write-ups.
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Yup, Webber nailed that overture so thoroughly, everybody else stopped doing them and went for sung prologues.
If you're keen ob JCS, you're gonna love The Astonishing write-ups.
Not sure I'm up for this. :lol
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Ha. But in the 64 years that will take me to get there you could change your mind!
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Ha. But in the 64 years that will take me to get there you could change your mind!
Hooray! I'll be dead by then.
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V: Goodnight Kiss:
0:55 – 1:23: That's what I like: James surfing on a nice phaser and lavender in my bed. We can have nice things.
So here is something I've never noticed before in this section....the echo on James' vocals at the end of each line. How did I not notice that? I've only listened to this album like a million times.....Weird, the things you pick out many years later.
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VIII: Losing Time / Grand Finale:
1:40 – 4:10: I could write a lot about this section (and the little well hidden Also Sprach Zarathustra nod), but I won't. I will only type Kevin focking James LaBrie. Also, be very careful what you wish for, you ungrateful unrespectful unsympathetic detractors: no Phil Anselmo, Russell Allen or whoeverthefock could ever bring this tune home this way, not in a million lifetimes.
I posit there are only 2 singers (in my humble opinion) other than James that could pull this off. Devin Townsend (granted he would bring it home differently, but no less majestically) and Steve Perry. A third possibility would be prime Geoff Tate, but ehhh....
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VIII: Losing Time / Grand Finale:
1:40 – 4:10: I could write a lot about this section (and the little well hidden Also Sprach Zarathustra nod), but I won't. I will only type Kevin focking James LaBrie. Also, be very careful what you wish for, you ungrateful unrespectful unsympathetic detractors: no Phil Anselmo, Russell Allen or whoeverthefock could ever bring this tune home this way, not in a million lifetimes.
I posit there are only 2 singers (in my humble opinion) other than James that could pull this off. Devin Townsend (granted he would bring it home differently, but no less majestically) and Steve Perry. A third possibility would be prime Geoff Tate, but ehhh....
They could totally pull it off technically, i.e. playing the notes. I'm afraid though Townsend would, as Shakespeare wrote, tear the passion to tatters screaming, Perry would drown it in sex, and Tate would never let you forget how much Tate loves to hear Tate.
Kiske and Freddie, on the other hand ...
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Maybe someone has already asked this, but just out of curiosity, will you be covering WDADU at some point? Seems to me the stuff Moore and especially Myung are doing on that album would be right up your alley. Heck, MP and JP too.
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Kiske and Freddie, on the other hand ...
One is my favorite singer and the other is my wife's.
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Kiske and Freddie, on the other hand ...
One is my favorite singer and the other is my wife's.
Thankfully you mentioned your wife to save your ass.
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Maybe someone has already asked this, but just out of curiosity, will you be covering WDADU at some point? Seems to me the stuff Moore and especially Myung are doing on that album would be right up your alley. Heck, MP and JP too.
Yeah, it could be a nice Bonus Scene once I'm through with the discography. I envision summer 2057.
Kiske and Freddie, on the other hand ...
One is my favorite singer and the other is my wife's.
I was getting quite amazed until the saxon genitive
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I don’t know what a genitive is but Biff Byford still sounds amazing.
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I feared this moment, but gotta geordie up and jump on the Train, fall of 2003 for you fine people, fall from grace for this blue eyed midnight rambler.
Many people dear to me heart are giving thanks right now, so let me ideally join'em thanking myself for making the biggest dumbest mistake of my life, propelling a long chain of crazy events eventually leading to happy salvation. I'm not talking about buying Train of Thought, of course, even though that purchase is the perfect place to start the tale of my first marriage.
I was making a name for myself in my little niche, paying good dues, doing the rounds; I was the next big thing in a microscopic dying pond of a genre, but still I was definitely moving the chains. As it often happens, a production with a full week of shows scheduled in a town found itself without the leading comic role on the Sunday; I was contacted with five days notice (we all have more or less the same songs and scenes in our repertoire, with some degree of variation), sent script, score, and the promise of a good check (and future considerations). Happy times … with a twist: alas, I couldn't travel with the production, having obligations of my own, so I was facing a lonely 500 Kms car ride to the deep south, quick rehearsals, show, hotel, 500 Kms back on Monday, also known as The Barbers' and Artists' Resting Day But Actually Quite Manic Because You Gotta Fill It Up With Civilian Life Shite.
And what did you do during the Ginobili Era when facing a long trip alone? You went to the record store and fetched a brand new album. I repeat for the digitalised creatures my generation has brought in a sorry world: you moved your arse out of your flat, went to a physical building where other human beings sold records/cds and you challenged the unknown spending hard earned money on a physical object containing the magical power of music, usually knowing fock all about what releases were available. Naturally, during the following weeks (actually for the rest of your life), you would dive deeply in said magical object, trying to suck it dry with your ears and brain, because it was valuable and unique. Liquor you sample, records you focking eviscerate until you or they croak.
Imagine my surprise when the nice lady (new town, new clerk) told me the new DT was out; bloody Nora, I was still gnawing the marrow off Toilet Paper and Bad Trip was already there for me to drink in! It was going to be a spectacular southbound ride … and a seven years curse riding back with the Black Bitch.
Coming Next: As I Am
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Ahh, so the Black Bitch is indeed Train Of Thought.
Purchased by brand new Train Of Thought because I had a long ride ahead of me as well.
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Ahh, so the Black Bitch is indeed Train Of Thought.
Purchased by brand new Train Of Thought because I had a long ride ahead of me as well.
The Black Bitch would be Wife#1, or ThanHoe, eater of worlds.
ToT is Bad Trip, because honestly the cover has to be the result of Peyote abuse.
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Ahh, so the Black Bitch is indeed Train Of Thought.
Purchased by brand new Train Of Thought because I had a long ride ahead of me as well.
The Black Bitch would be Wife#1, or ThanHoe, eater of worlds.
Oh ok.
Carry on..
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TOT being my favourite, I'm interested to follow along here. :corn
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TOT being my favourite, I'm interested to follow along here. :corn
Oh, afraid you will find my Side A whining intolerable, but I shall be throwing babies in the air on Side B!
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TOT being my favourite, I'm interested to follow along here. :corn
Oh, afraid you will find my Side A whining intolerable, but I shall be throwing babies in the air on Side B!
My CD only came with one side. ;D
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Dammit
I missed you man.
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TOT being my favourite, I'm interested to follow along here. :corn
Oh, afraid you will find my Side A whining intolerable, but I shall be throwing babies in the air on Side B!
I can't wait to hear what you have to say. Even more interesting when it's the total opposite of my opinions.
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I fear that our esteemed Indy's discernment of Train of Thought may have been obscured by the influence of the somber shadows cast by the Black Bitch.... :corn
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Puppies, and his Acid Groupies, may not be wrong.
DISCLAIMER: Given the period in my DT life I'm tackling, from this write-up onwards I may express feelings and thoughts which those amongst us starving for a good triggering cause may want to define as misogynistic. Nothing could be further from the truth; I will profusely spit bile and venom only towards (myself, naturally, and) one specific individual whose feminine gender is merely happenstance. I love women, my whole family – not counting underage creatures - is at this point made exclusively of women, even my focking sister married a woman and I believe my mother would as well if she could go back in time and still never meet Podaar.
As usual, ado be focked and let's play
As I Am:
0:00 – 0:36: An album bleeding into another. Check that box, motherfocker, we 're gonna do it all! Also, always nice when a record opens with Johnny M doing the honours. He is, after all, the blue lion in the Voltron.
0:36 – 0:55: Nice tritone and homage to the song that scared the shit out of a generation and tricked the next one into believing it invented heavy metal.
0:55 – 1:14: That was a great Johnny P feedback experimentation moment, quite genuine and not for the sake of being hip. I can accept heavy DT if genuinely experimental and not turning my guy into James LaOrc.
1:14 – 1:29: Say your prayers little one, don't forget my son to include everyooooone ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:29 – 1:44: I love heavy metal, I love a lot of heavy metal bands, and the ones I love I do because they are masterfully built to play heavy metal. DT is not. I don't want prog from Iron Maiden, I don't want pop from Genesis and I don't want non-DT music or posture from DT. I feel like going to the jewelry store and being sold a banana.
1:44 – 2:13: I am too much horrified by the way James' voice is sounding 15 years older to realise this song will make a very good live opener.
2:13 – 2:28: Now I lay me down to sleep, pray the lord my soul to keep ... Sorry, they couldn't help it.
2:28 – 2:44: And this is how Countdown to Extinction would sound with an actual singer on board. And now you can't unhear it and at least you're pissed as I am.
2:44 – 3:27: Fock it. Fock it up the Hetfield clumsy parody. I am being a fan for a decade, otherwise this disc would intercept and behead a flying sparrow somewhere between Florence and Rome.
3:27 – 4:54: Repetition hence … back to the soap opera: piggybacking on the song's title, lets see me as I was back then, i.e. a full on unadulterated cunt, full of myself like a morning prick full of piss but convinced it's sex power. Not feeling an outcast for the first time in my life made me feel a self-centered pissy pagan god humanity just existed to validate. Obviously, the perfect mental state to read a potential partner and starting a love story. Better going back to the tune ...
4:54 – 5:23: Right, there's a Rudess in this band. Well, they could respectfully let him out of this thing. This section is as humiliating as having Bill Walton warm-up during garbage time on a december blow-out.
5:23 – 6:08: I can't fathom what arguably the best guitarist in his generation still needs to show and why does he think he needs some mindless finger athletics to show it.
6:08 – 6:20: The irrepressible return of Shave and a Haircut ... Two Bits! Small victories.
6:20 – 7:47: blablablablablablablabla, so …
And there I was, early on stage waiting for the director to come and chat, while the ballet was warming up; and there she was, hair as dark as sin, eyes darker than atonement. I stared a bit, just on hunter's muscle memory, but she stared back, speaking volumes I chose to read as hagiography to my ego while they actually were chapters in the focking Necronomicon.
Comin Next – This Dying Band
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Yup, worst DT album opener.
For us metal fans that don’t like TOT that much, it’s easy to explain. When Metallica and Maiden made their classic albums they did it in THEIR styles. When DT tried to make their version of those albums, they did it in OTHER BAND’s styles. The DT style of heavy and/or fast was already well established; AFIL, TKH, PMU, UAGM, Scarred, FT, BTL, Home for starters. A full album of those types of songs would have been amazing.
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3:27 – 4:54: Repetition hence … back to the soap opera: piggybacking on the song's title, lets see me as I was back then, i.e. a full on unadulterated cunt, full of myself like a morning prick full of piss but convinced it's sex power. Not feeling an outcast for the first time in my life made me feel a self-centered pissy pagan god humanity just existed to validate. Obviously, the perfect mental state to read a potential partner and starting a love story. Better going back to the tune ...
For some reason I can resonate with this so much.
I don't think it's one of DT's best by any means and I get the criticism for it. I have always enjoyed it though. It was kinda of polarising hearing it for the first time though.
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'Life is what happens while we're busy making plans....'
Before this moves on too far, I did sit and spend a couple of sit downs and listened to Six Degrees (using TGD instrumental) whilst reading the in depth comments. It was quite a trip! :tup
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I love As I Am.
Actually one of my favorites of theirs. Straight to the point, catchy and no unnecessary wanking.
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I love As I Am.
Actually one of my favorites of theirs. Straight to the point, catchy and no unnecessary wanking.
You don’t call that solo wanking?
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I love As I Am.
Actually one of my favorites of theirs. Straight to the point, catchy and no unnecessary wanking.
You don’t call that solo wanking?
In his defence he did say 'unnecessary' wanking. So there is the question, does the solo fit the song? I never had a problem with the solo personally.
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Yes, the solo fits the style of song. Yes, JP likes to play this way. That's actually what the fucking song is about. The DT Custom Shop is closed, kids. You either connect with it or you don't...that doesn't make it crap, or wanking, or whatever negative you want to throw at it. Is it my favorite? Not even close. Still, I find it enjoyable when I hear it, which isn't often to be truthful.
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For us metal fans that don’t like TOT that much, it’s easy to explain. When Metallica and Maiden made their classic albums they did it in THEIR styles. When DT tried to make their version of those albums, they did it in OTHER BAND’s styles. The DT style of heavy and/or fast was already well established; AFIL, TKH, PMU, UAGM, Scarred, FT, BTL, Home for starters. A full album of those types of songs would have been amazing.
I like this. It makes sense.
as does this..
I love heavy metal, I love a lot of heavy metal bands, and the ones I love I do because they are masterfully built to play heavy metal. DT is not. I don't want prog from Iron Maiden, I don't want pop from Genesis and I don't want non-DT music or posture from DT. I feel like going to the jewelry store and being sold a banana.
I can get my metal in a lot of places, and I don't look to Dream Theater for my metal. I like that they're heavy and put a heavy spin on Yes and late 70's Rush. That's a good marriage.
2:28 – 2:44: And this is how Countdown to Extinction would sound with an actual singer on board. And now you can't unhear it and at least you're pissed as I am.
2:44 – 3:27: Fock it. Fock it up the Hetfield clumsy parody. I am being a fan for a decade, otherwise this disc would intercept and behead a flying sparrow somewhere between Florence and Rome.
During the 6 D's song discussion, I mentioned that James does a better Hetfield than Mustaine, but why are they the only two choices when DT goes into Metal Mode?
I know we'll be talking about it much more in This Dying Soul.
5:23 – 6:08: I can't fathom what arguably the best guitarist in his generation still needs to show and why does he think he needs some mindless finger athletics to show it.
Because every now and then, you just have to, that's why. But I understand your sentiment on this. However is you start tuning this solo out before it ends, you'll miss the God like finish that starts at 6:00. It's set up by the run right before it, but man..
Personally, I think a song like As I Am is a song that I consider beneath MY Dream Theater. That said, the first minute or so crushes, but after that, they could've wrapped this up in under 5 minutes.
*Makes mental note to discuss this song again in the context of the Iron Maiden opening set in 2010.*
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Yes, the solo fits the style of song. Yes, JP likes to play this way. That's actually what the fucking song is about. The DT Custom Shop is closed, kids. You either connect with it or you don't...that doesn't make it crap, or wanking, or whatever negative you want to throw at it. Is it my favorite? Not even close. Still, I find it enjoyable when I hear it, which isn't often to be truthful.
The thing is, we hear JP play so many beautiful, slow, emotive solos all the time, why not allow him on the other end of the spectrum to let him play his ass off. He can, so why the fuck not?
If anything, TOT was the album the let JP off the leash in a way to really try and get him to tap into the metal side he loves so much.
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Because every now and then, you just have to, that's why. But I understand your sentiment on this. However is you start tuning this solo out before it ends, you'll miss the God like finish that starts at 6:00. It's set up by the run right before it, but man..
I love this reasoning. And yes, the climax to the solo is fucking awesome.
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These are great points, everybody, and great interactions.
Heart on my sleeve (and bloody cufflinks), for maybe the first time I'm not only happy buddies are following, but I also feel stimulated - still keeping honest to myself, of course - to be a little less dismissive of stuff I tend to instinctively refuse. I'm rewriting my next write-up. Still don't like the song, but I can certainly be a little less of an arshole about it.
Alas, it's too late to change the soap opera bit.
Thank you gents!
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I want the full unedited writeup about my favourite DT song. Don't hold back.
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I want the full unedited writeup about my favourite DT song. Don't hold back.
No worries. "A little less of an arshole" still leaves a ton of arsehole here to play with.
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Thank you for spelling 'arshole' in my language. That's very considerate and correct in my eyes.
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I'm rewriting my next write-up. Still don't like the song, but I can certainly be a little less of an arshole about it.
Don't rewrite anything! It's the Scenes From YOUR Memory Thread. Put it out there as you recall. We'll straighten you out!
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(https://i.imgur.com/z6I5cDE.gif)
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Yes, can't wait for your take on James' impersonation of Dave Mustaine! I'm sure you'll posit that it's a great use of his voice.
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In an album of pretty high highs and pretty low lows, the epitome of peaks and valleys DT song:
This Dying Soul:
0:00 – 0:40: I get it! This is a sort of thrash titans tribute album. The first 5 chords – albeit in a slightly different progression, accents and tempo – just scream “For Whom the Bell Tolls intro homage”, then Mike goes full on sophisti-Lombardo and everything blurs. I can live with that.
0:40 – 0:52: … Then Johhny P says: “Mike, I see your Metallica Slayer double pair and raise you an Uli and Ritchie Charon Babylon full house on steroids”.
0:52 – 1:11: It wasn't a full house, it's a full Home, and so far the best melodic line in this album. To be fair it's the only one at this point, but it's still focking great. Can we please not move from this nice but still virile spot in The Compass?
1:11 – 1:44: Finally Mr Rudess has come out to play, how corteous. Pretty solo, weirdly borrowing some Derek filters.
1:44 – 2:04: Still sneakly masquerading and hiding in plain sight, but still For Whom the Bell Tolls homage, this time the chorus riff.
2:04 – 2:32: Are we back to Nick and Vic Focking? No, wait, it's a clever shout out to tie The Mirror into the ongoing Saga. It makes absolute sense, lyrically, musically, existentially.
2:32 – 2:42: LeFock? Stop with this gimmick nonsense that has obviously carried over from the last album, I beg you! What is this? Rage Against The Majestchine? Stop dressing a dignified lady as a poledancer for fock's sake!
2:42 – 3:01: Ok, I'm cooling down, just in time to confirm a suspect arisen during the previous song. What the fock is wrong with James? He's not exactly struggling, but voice definitely sounds lacking a cylinder. I missed last tour so I'm focking in the dark and slightly unnerved.
3:01 – 3:39: … And that's a pity because a full roaring set of pipes is the least you could do to honour this beautiful monster of a chorus. What a focking ping pong of opposite emotions, and totally appropriate for the Black Bitch Chapter.
3:39 – 4:07: This. This is the exact point where you can see my heart sink into my shoes and hit DT rock bottom. What next? The Majestie Boys? Are you focking traitorous pimp of an album done manipulating my hopes and emotions like I was a poor dumb hoe? Wait, totally appropriate for the Black Bitch Chapter.
4:07 – 5:04: And this stretch of gimmicking and posturing is – philosophically speaking – the worst DT minute I have ever heard, ruining what had started as a, yes dammit, a great tune. Please allow me a couple of points here, since, having been wisely helped to eschew self-censorship, I should at least indulge in over-clarification:
1) This is not experimental, since the “not tipically DT” bits are pretty standard stylistic features … in other acts' catalogues.
2) This is not an organic change of style. A whole unexpected thrash album would be, a la Painkiller. This is good old fashioned DT music forcibly injected with tough young metal fan juice. Which leads to ...
3) I would love this song sans the rap/nu/gimmicky stuff, and I could understand this song entirely (and experimentally) made of rap/nu/gimmicky stuff (and Mike should have the balls to sing his own brainchildren when it's obvious his singer isn't cut for them). I can't tolerate one foot in both shoes.
5:04 – 5:43: Repetition hence (further) considerations: I didn't mention this in the points above, but i did notice James being forced to Mustaine in his darkest hour. Now, not only this is becoming unsufferable, but it strikes me as a tad hypocritical as well; you basically start an album saying. “this is who I am, this is the way I play and tough titties” and the very next thing you won't allow your vocalist to be who he is, to sing the only way he can sing. I would have called the first track "I'm a Guitar God but I'm Happy to Play Trombone Left Handed if Asked”, just for consistency's sake.
5:42 – 5:59: And this is a gorgeous part, courtesy of piano and ternary feel, and I love it to pieces. And the regret for what this song could have been goes off the charts. Black Bitch, again.
5:59 – 6:31: And guess what? When a James-friendly (or music-friendly, but your mileage may vary) vocal line appears, Big James just shines. If I realise it, there's a good chance four music geniuses realise it too. Before joining this forum I didn't know anything about the band outside what was contained inside the record sleeve/cd box or what I could witness live. Now I know James had been “talked to”, and now I believe he's been punished with this album.
6:31 – 7:15: See? They won't make up their minds. Walk! … no, ACOS! wait … Walk again! …. and ACOS! Quoting mister Ian Hunter, you're never alone with a schizophrenic.
7:15 – 7:45: All together now please, because you focking knew this was coming: Blackened is the end, winter it will send, throwing all you see into obscurity ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
7:45 – 8:05: This I like. This is once again very AchangeofSeason-esque. Clever songwriting. Isn't that where Mike's turmoils started?
8:05 – 8:35: My Canadian client can't perform ominous preposterous and posturous spoken passages, sorry. If focking Manowar could afford Orson Wells, you could at least call Morgan Freeman perhaps? Hell, is Liev Schreiber too much busy for this?
8:35 – 8:55: This is definitely ACOS, but can't place it and don't wanna cheat. Winter section, right before the liberating ride bell?
8:55 – 9:37: Now, this focking rocks! It's heavy and progressive and genuine. And if you can't see the difference from the segments I've whined about earlier, I don't know what to tell you.
9:37 – 10:30: Please let me get out of the timeline for a moment: doesn't this technically commendable but musically rather plain guitar-keyboards trade off blend with another dozen technically commendable but musically rather plain guitar-keyboards trade offs in future albums? Because, you know, I still can literally sing you every Johnny P's and Jordan's solo when musically meaningful.
10:30 – 11:24: Thank God. This is how you build a kickass musically intelligent and dramatic solo story. I'm obviously talking about the bass. It's really a thing of beauty, and I believe the chaos sorrounding it is accurately designed to underline it while pretending to conceal it.
“Hi!”
“...”
“I said hi!”
“ ...uh ...”
“Is something wrong with my face?”
“ uh? … er, no, why?”
“Well, you've been staring at it for the last 15 minutes”
“MAKE-UP PLEASE!”
Coming Next: Endless Sacrifice thanks to Pup
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:hefdaddy
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I enjoyed that reading along while listening. Love the Walk/ACOS description, quite accurate even though I've never thought of it myself.
This is my fav DT song. I can see a lot of what you are talking about. Interesting take on James though, again, I never thought that but fair play I guess. it's just not the sort of style that is best suited to his voice, even though he's done a lot in this style with DT and solo. I guess personally, I just never cared how blatant they went with this style and especially this song. Is it not organic and it was the band creating a heavy album based around how their favourite artists created heavy albums, maybe, but I think DT had proved they were so much more, they could afford to wear their influences blatantly on their sleeve from time to time.
I guess I always just loved the groove element to this song.
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Just did my listen/read through, but it's too late and there's so much to chew on here, so I'll hit this tomorrow.
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Wait, shouldn't Endless Sacrifice be next?
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Wait, shouldn't Endless Sacrifice be next?
(https://i.imgur.com/kkxffHP.gif)
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This Dying Soul:
0:00 – 0:40: I get it! This is a sort of thrash titans tribute album. The first 5 chords – albeit in a slightly different progression, accents and tempo – just scream “For Whom the Bell Tolls intro homage”, then Mike goes full on sophisti-Lombardo and everything blurs. I can live with that.
0:40 – 0:52: … Then Johhny P says: “Mike, I see your Metallica Slayer double pair and raise you an Uli and Ritchie Charon Babylon full house on steroids”.
0:52 – 1:11: It wasn't a full house, it's a full Home, and so far the best melodic line in this album. To be fair it's the only one at this point, but it's still focking great. Can we please not move from this nice but still virile spot in The Compass?
1:11 – 1:44: Finally Mr Rudess has come out to play, how corteous. Pretty solo, weirdly borrowing some Derek filters.
1:44 – 2:04: Still sneakly masquerading and hiding in plain sight, but still For Whom the Bell Tolls homage, this time the chorus riff.
2:04 – 2:32: Are we back to Nick and Vic Focking? No, wait, it's a clever shout out to tie The Mirror into the ongoing Saga. It makes absolute sense, lyrically, musically, existentially.
2:32 – 2:42: LeFock? Stop with this gimmick nonsense that has obviously carried over from the last album, I beg you! What is this? Rage Against The Majestchine? Stop dressing a dignified lady as a poledancer for fock's sake!
2:42 – 3:01: Ok, I'm cooling down, just in time to confirm a suspect arisen during the previous song. What the fock is wrong with James? He's not exactly struggling, but voice definitely sounds lacking a cylinder. I missed last tour so I'm focking in the dark and slightly unnerved.
3:01 – 3:39: … And that's a pity because a full roaring set of pipes is the least you could do to honour this beautiful monster of a chorus. What a focking ping pong of opposite emotions, and totally appropriate for the Black Bitch Chapter.
3:39 – 4:07: This. This is the exact point where you can see my heart sink into my shoes and hit DT rock bottom. What next? The Majestie Boys? Are you focking traitorous pimp of an album done manipulating my hopes and emotions like I was a poor dumb hoe? Wait, totally appropriate for the Black Bitch Chapter.
4:07 – 5:04: And this stretch of gimmicking and posturing is – philosophically speaking – the worst DT minute I have ever heard, ruining what had started as a, yes dammit, a great tune. Please allow me a couple of points here, since, having been wisely helped to eschew self-censorship, I should at least indulge in over-clarification:
1) This is not experimental, since the “not tipically DT” bits are pretty standard stylistic features … in other acts' catalogues.
2) This is not an organic change of style. A whole unexpected thrash album would be, a la Painkiller. This is good old fashioned DT music forcibly injected with tough young metal fan juice. Which leads to ...
3) I would love this song sans the rap/nu/gimmicky stuff, and I could understand this song entirely (and experimentally) made of rap/nu/gimmicky stuff (and Mike should have the balls to sing his own brainchildren when it's obvious his singer isn't cut for them). I can't tolerate one foot in both shoes.
5:04 – 5:43: Repetition hence (further) considerations: I didn't mention this in the points above, but i did notice James being forced to Mustaine in his darkest hour. Now, not only this is becoming unsufferable, but it strikes me as a tad hypocritical as well; you basically start an album saying. “this is who I am, this is the way I play and tough titties” and the very next thing you won't allow your vocalist to be who he is, to sing the only way he can sing. I would have called the first track "I'm a Guitar God but I'm Happy to Play Trombone Left Handed if Asked”, just for consistency's sake.
5:42 – 5:59: And this is a gorgeous part, courtesy of piano and ternary feel, and I love it to pieces. And the regret for what this song could have been goes off the charts. Black Bitch, again.
5:59 – 6:31: And guess what? When a James-friendly (or music-friendly, but your mileage may vary) vocal line appears, Big James just shines. If I realise it, there's a good chance four music geniuses realise it too. Before joining this forum I didn't know anything about the band outside what was contained inside the record sleeve/cd box or what I could witness live. Now I know James had been “talked to”, and now I believe he's been punished with this album.
6:31 – 7:15: See? They won't make up their minds. Walk! … no, ACOS! wait … Walk again! …. and ACOS! Quoting mister Ian Hunter, you're never alone with a schizophrenic.
7:15 – 7:45: All together now please, because you focking knew this was coming: Blackened is the end, winter it will send, throwing all you see into obscurity ... Sorry, couldn't help it.
7:45 – 8:05: This I like. This is once again very AchangeofSeason-esque. Clever songwriting. Isn't that where Mike's turmoils started?
8:05 – 8:35: My Canadian client can't perform ominous preposterous and posturous spoken passages, sorry. If focking Manowar could afford Orson Wells, you could at least call Morgan Freeman perhaps? Hell, is Liev Schreiber too much busy for this?
8:35 – 8:55: This is definitely ACOS, but can't place it and don't wanna cheat. Winter section, right before the liberating ride bell?
8:55 – 9:37: Now, this focking rocks! It's heavy and progressive and genuine. And if you can't see the difference from the segments I've whined about earlier, I don't know what to tell you.
9:37 – 10:30: Please let me get out of the timeline for a moment: doesn't this technically commendable but musically rather plain guitar-keyboards trade off blend with another dozen technically commendable but musically rather plain guitar-keyboards trade offs in future albums? Because, you know, I still can literally sing you every Johnny P's and Jordan's solo when musically meaningful.
10:30 – 11:24: Thank God. This is how you build a kickass musically intelligent and dramatic solo story. I'm obviously talking about the bass. It's really a thing of beauty, and I believe the chaos sorrounding it is accurately designed to underline it while pretending to conceal it.
Before I forget..8:05-8:35....This is the Megadeth part, which James pulls off much better live, but live or in studio, I wished he had a better way to end it. "...of God and maaaaaaan" just doesn't work.
And the Majestie Boys section, something that I shouldn't care for is....fine.
And I'm surprised you like that ending wank section. Maybe it's being in awe of John Myung, but I love it.
I LOVE This Dying Soul. It's like The Glass Prison but with actual interesting parts. I don't mind the "NU-ish" experimentation. They work much better live and I don't think the production helps these bits, or any bits for that matter.
My issue with Train Of Thought in general is the sterile as shit production. Wasn't this the first pro tools album they did? It sounds it. The vocals are simply off, and it's not James' fault. Listen to him in the background at 6:00. He's in there somewhere. When I need my dose of any of these songs, I grab Live At Budokan.
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Yes! In a live setting it's a whole new song ... and a whole new album, really.
Maybe it's because you are more "naked" live, and it's more difficult to sound too far from yourself. Also, the mix is way more spaced out, probably because you hear just one guitar and not multiple tracks. Thinking about it, Train of Thought is the DT album that sounds more different from its live renditions (excluding I&W, obviously).
About the outro section, I don't mind the wankery ... in fact I feel the guitar at that point has a kind of fast percussive function, completely ancillary to the gorgeous bass melody.
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The ending is just incredible. I love the ferociousness or spontaneity of it. Just all strict E minor too, so if you break it down, it's pretty simple from a musical point of view, but the intent of it just rips. The tempo change into that section helps it too.
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Endless Sacrifice
0:00 – 0:25: Wait, somebody has swapped cd's while I was on a piss break …
0:25 – 0:50: Nope, I haven't brought along the one with crosses and puppet strings, so I guess it's time for …
0:50 – 1:17: … Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will … Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:17 – 1:42: Say what you will about Lars Ulrich, but he was the master of keeping a simple ballad time subtly bouncing with creative footwork subdivisions, and I strongly believe Mike has a lot of that Lars in him.
1:42 – 2:07: At least for the “sleep my friend and you will see” section a keyboard patch has been selected instead of heavy guitar palm muting, so appearances saved! Anyways, I have ten years of DT by now and I refuse to think the aesthetic mission all along was: let's course-correct Rush, then Queensryche, then Metallica. What next, A cover band album with some fan service nuggets on the side?
2:07 – 2:29: Classic emotional James clawing his way out of the mix to finally play with a worthy excellent DT chorus.
2:29 – 2:50: Fun fact: every time I come to this part's last bar, my ears inevitably expect the bitchin' riff opening Fatal Tragedy's solo section to start. Try it and pity me, but please try it!
2:50 – 3:16: Repetition hence considerations: if I should draw any conclusions from these first three tracks' lyrics, I'd say somebody is really fed up with this whole rock band business. Personally, I would have taken a bit of a break after the glorious Live Scenes in NY party. Let's hope wisdom will be applied after the next Big Anniversary thing.
3:16 – 4:06: Now we can do it! 1, 2, 3 … Sleep my friend and you will see that dream is my reality … I'm not sorry, it was due.
4:06 – 4:28: Repetition hence considerations: has ever in this thread's history been an album that forced me to do so many Repetition hence Considerations bits? What does that say about 2003 Dream Theater? And, really, what does that say about 2023 me?
4:28 – 4:53: When DT rock, they really rock, and this bit rocks! They will always be the most overlooked great rock riffing band.
4:53 – 5:18: Uh oh, are we going Raining Blood?
5:18 – 5:30: No, just Castlevania videogame music.
5:30 – 5:43: I swear I heard this on Beyond This Life
5:43 – 5:55: I swear I heard this on A Change of Seasons
5:55 – 6:33: There's nothing to set our aim on so we're everywhere! In order we've got: a Metropolis loco bit, Jordan Circus music, a Testament riff, some LTE midi orchestral impro. I want to trust the guys and state that this chaotic piece of songwriting goes to underline the state of confusion and bewilderment expressed in the lyrics. I feel I just owe them this much.
6:33 – 6:58: Look! It's Jordan doing a Dimebag impression!
6:58 – 7:23: Look! It's Dimebag doing a Petrucci impression!
7:23 – 7:47: Look! Ditto!
7:47 – 8:07: Wonderful! This could very well be on I&W, and I suspect it is not only because Kevin was just a human being.
8:07 – 8:26: All time motherfocking riff alert! All time motherfocking riff alert! I am headbanging, hard, and I should know better than doing it while driving, since next year I will destroy this very same perfectly good Alfa GT v6 headbanging to Racer X's Let the Spirit Fly. Also, I bet Johnny M wrote this riff.
8:26 – 9:16: The licks are gorgeous, almost Maidenish. In fact, different harmony of course, but they kinda move like Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Top 10 IM song for me, by the way)
9:16 – 10:15: This song is getting suddenly great as this part is basically Pull Me Under in a blender.
10:15 – 11:23: Repetition hence SoapOperation:
“Hey, you were good.”
“wha … whe... who .. whi … eh?”
“I said you were good. Really funny.”
“Thanks!”
“ … ”
“ … “
“My face”
“Eh?”
“My face, you're staring again.”
“Idroveherealonewouldyouliketocomebackwithmeinsteadofthebus?”
“Why not?”
Coming Next: 7 years and 100000 euros lost.
Sorry, Coming Next: Honor Thy Father.
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0:50 – 1:17: … Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will … Sorry, couldn't help it.
More like, ... She always takes it with a heart of stone, 'cause all she does is throw it back to me ... I've never really been sorry about anything in my life.
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0:50 – 1:17: … Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will … Sorry, couldn't help it.
More like, ... She always takes it with a heart of stone, 'cause all she does is throw it back to me ... I've never really been sorry about anything in my life.
Perfect.
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2:29 – 2:50: Fun fact: every time I come to this part's last bar, my ears inevitably expect the bitchin' riff opening Fatal Tragedy's solo section to start. Try it and pity me, but please try it!
Yeah I hear it.
Honestly, Fatal Tragedy is really versatile in that way. Have you tried pairing Fatal Tragedy with another song. I can't tell you how many times Fatal Tragedy ends, "Remember that Death is not the end, but only a transition" and a random song starts and it feels like such a smooth transition.
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0:50 – 1:17: … Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will … Sorry, couldn't help it.
More like, ... She always takes it with a heart of stone, 'cause all she does is throw it back to me ... I've never really been sorry about anything in my life.
You serious about this? You never picked on some kid when you were younger and regret it now?
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It was more a play on Ale's "Sorry, I couldn't help it" schtick.
Of course I've got a few regrets, but surprisingly few, really. Guilt is a waste of energy, IMO.
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Endless Sacrifice
0:50 – 1:17: … Welcome to where time stands still, no one leaves and no one will … Sorry, couldn't help it.
1:17 – 1:42: Say what you will about Lars Ulrich, but he was the master of keeping a simple ballad time subtly bouncing with creative footwork subdivisions, and I strongly believe Mike has a lot of that Lars in him.
About the first part, you're not wrong.
No one was making fun of Lars until the mid 90's. He was a great drummer for Metallica as they were coming up. Lars and Mike both have style, and showmanship.
4:06 – 4:28: Repetition hence considerations: has ever in this thread's history been an album that forced me to do so many Repetition hence Considerations bits? What does that say about 2003 Dream Theater? And, really, what does that say about 2023 me?
Not sure, but they've been there. Maybe you were just less distracted by 2003 DT, or maybe 2023 You is just more discerning.
5:18 – 5:30: No, just Castlevania videogame music.
Yes! I like it!
5:30 – 5:43: I swear I heard this on Beyond This Life
Perhaps..
5:43 – 5:55: I swear I heard this on A Change of Seasons
Without a doubt!!
8:26 – 9:16: The licks are gorgeous, almost Maidenish. In fact, different harmony of course, but they kinda move like Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Top 10 IM song for me, by the way)
9:16 – 10:15: This song is getting suddenly great as this part is basically Pull Me Under in a blender.
Funny you say this because from Day One, I've always referred to these two sections as the "Maiden Part", and when James comes in at 9:16, it's one of my favorite one minute sections in their entire catalog.
Oh, and I almost forgot..
..if I should draw any conclusions from these first three tracks' lyrics, I'd say somebody is really fed up with this whole rock band business.
Interesting observation. Probably deserving of its own thread. I still haven't sorted out how I'd like to respond or add or hypothesize to it.
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It was more a play on Ale's "Sorry, I couldn't help it" schtick.
Of course I've got a few regrets, but surprisingly few, really. Guilt is a waste of energy, IMO.
So, basically. ... regrets I had a few but then again too few to mention ...
Sorry, couldn't help It.
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:rollin
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Endless Sacrifice is awesome, but I really wish they would've just ended it at 10:59 with the heavy chugs and gotten rid of the snare flam and everything after.
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Yeah, I guess the rationale was to go full circle with the Sanitarium homage.
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Endless Sacrifice is awesome, but I really wish they would've just ended it at 10:59 with the heavy chugs and gotten rid of the snare flam and everything after.
I was actually going to say that I wished Alessandro separated out the end of the vocal part and the instrumental ending. I think the instrumental ending puts an exclamation point on the song rather than ending somewhat weakly.
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5:18 – 5:30: No, just Castlevania videogame music.
5:30 – 5:43: I swear I heard this on Beyond This Life
5:43 – 5:55: I swear I heard this on A Change of Seasons
6:33 – 6:58: Look! It's Jordan doing a Dimebag impression!
6:58 – 7:23: Look! It's Dimebag doing a Petrucci impression!
7:23 – 7:47: Look! Ditto!
8:26 – 9:16: The licks are gorgeous, almost Maidenish. In fact, different harmony of course, but they kinda move like Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Top 10 IM song for me, by the way)
All of these are scaringly accurate. Especially the Change of Seasons one, wow. I can hear the Maiden too.
I remember the chorus getting slammed when this album came out with the band accused of going all Linkin Park style. It's obviously aged very well though.
I've never thought of Sanitarium with the beginning. The Michael Jackson reference was always the one I thought of but I totally hear the Metallica one. Also, another vote for having no issues with Lars, always liked him.
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I said all the way back in 1986 that Lars was the king of “I’m gonna play all loose like I don’t know what I’m doing, but then I’ll do this weird fill to find my place again, and as long as I land *ON* the beat, I can say ‘ta-dah’ and totally make it seem like I did it on purpose!”
For that reason (and Stadler will appreciate what I mean by this) I more recently have referred to Lars as “the Jimmy Page of drums”.
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I said all the way back in 1986 that Lars was the king of “I’m gonna play all loose like I don’t know what I’m doing, but then I’ll do this weird fill to find my place again, and as long as I land *ON* the beat, I can say ‘ta-dah’ and totally make it seem like I did it on purpose!”
For that reason (and Stadler will appreciate what I mean by this) I more recently have referred to Lars as “the Jimmy Page of drums”.
My dad always says stuff like that about Jimmy Page.
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..if I should draw any conclusions from these first three tracks' lyrics, I'd say somebody is really fed up with this whole rock band business.
Interesting observation. Probably deserving of its own thread. I still haven't sorted out how I'd like to respond or add or hypothesize to it.
Please expand on this with your take! I always thought the Great Split wasn't an event, but the end result of a long process of bad pace management starting right after Live Scenes and reaching a kind of point of no return after Score.
I said all the way back in 1986 that Lars was the king of “I’m gonna play all loose like I don’t know what I’m doing, but then I’ll do this weird fill to find my place again, and as long as I land *ON* the beat, I can say ‘ta-dah’ and totally make it seem like I did it on purpose!”
For that reason (and Stadler will appreciate what I mean by this) I more recently have referred to Lars as “the Jimmy Page of drums”.
Yup, it's a little less casual than we may think, and I love to call it "pulling a Black Dog".
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..if I should draw any conclusions from these first three tracks' lyrics, I'd say somebody is really fed up with this whole rock band business.
Interesting observation. Probably deserving of its own thread. I still haven't sorted out how I'd like to respond or add or hypothesize to it.
Please expand on this with your take! I always thought the Great Split wasn't an event, but the end result of a long process of bad pace management starting right after Live Scenes and reaching a kind of point of no return after Score.
I think it is most likely, and I could be wrong, that JP and MP had psyched themselves up with the idea that they needed a "metal" album. They needed a stable of rockers that would excite crowds and swirl mosh pits. But lyrically, they just didn't have the proper angst. These were the best subjects they could come up with to go with the angry sounds they were developing... "Can't believe that guy tried to tell me how to write solos!", "Recovery from alcoholism is difficult," "I really miss my family while I'm touring around the world," "My step-dad abandoned my family," etc..
We all love DT, but you've got to admit, they're pretty nerdish. They just don't have the menace necessary to pull off much :metal
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..if I should draw any conclusions from these first three tracks' lyrics, I'd say somebody is really fed up with this whole rock band business.
Interesting observation. Probably deserving of its own thread. I still haven't sorted out how I'd like to respond or add or hypothesize to it.
Please expand on this with your take! I always thought the Great Split wasn't an event, but the end result of a long process of bad pace management starting right after Live Scenes and reaching a kind of point of no return after Score.
I think it is most likely, and I could be wrong, that JP and MP had psyched themselves up with the idea that they needed a "metal" album. They needed a stable of rockers that would excite crowds and swirl mosh pits. But lyrically, they just didn't have the proper angst. These were the best subjects they could come up with to go with the angry sounds they were developing... "Can't believe that guy tried to tell me how to write solos!", "Recovery from alcoholism is difficult," "I really miss my family while I'm touring around the world," "My step-dad abandoned my family," etc..
We all love DT, but you've got to admit, they're pretty nerdish. They just don't have the menace necessary to pull off much :metal
Very fair and, as you said, most likely.
However, because I love to stir manure and pick nits, did they really need angst-ridden lyrics applied to heavy tunes in order to sound legit? Looking at the subsequent catalogue it doesn't seem the case (Never Enough being the exception, but again job-related). And, assuming they did need such kind of lyrics, wasn't - for example - their own country at war following a world-changing televised event quite the easy motherlode of angry material?
Instead they (JP actually) opted to vent very specific frustrations inside an album pretty tellingly (is it a focking word?) titled - mind you - "train of thought", not "scattered random ramblings".
I am surely reading too much into this, but if I didn't we wouldn't be talking inside this thread to begin with.
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However, because I love to stir manure and pick nits, did they really need angst-ridden lyrics applied to heavy tunes in order to sound legit? Looking at the subsequent catalogue it doesn't seem the case (Never Enough being the exception, but again job-related). And, assuming they did need such kind of lyrics, wasn't - for example - their own country at war following a world-changing televised event quite the easy motherlode of angry material?
Instead they (JP actually) opted to vent very specific frustrations inside an album pretty tellingly (is it a focking word?) titled - mind you - "train of thought", not "scattered random ramblings".
I am surely reading too much into this, but if I didn't we wouldn't be talking inside this thread to begin with.
To the bolded question: Not in my opinion, but they may have felt that way. I dunno. Also, in my opinion, JP's fantasy lyrical subjects work better with "da metul", although I would opine that he could have spent more time polishing them.
You make a good point about the album title coupled with the lyrical output of this specific album. I never made that connection and it could well be a foreshadowing of the plot for the next few album cycles.
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What next, A cover band album with some fan service nuggets on the side?
Oh, teaser trailer for Octavarium, nice
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Well spotted, my man, and good to read you after all this time.
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Does When Dream and Day Unite make it into this story at some point? :corn
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I was planning it as a sort of bonus track, but with CD passing I don't know I feel comfortable enough. We'll see.
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(Coming from the Astonishing thread)
If I die tomorrow
I'd be alright because I believe
That after I'm gone
wolfking could carry this on!
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No way mate. Your writeups are a class way beyond my level. You ain't going anywhere!
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(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R0wkof4liZQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
Although, it seems the regularly scheduled programming is on hiatus? :biggrin:
So, not like anyone probably cared or noticed, but I never did participate in either of the iterations of this (2010 or 2018) for a variety of different reasons. I lurked with a couple posts, but regrettably never had the time to get back around to re-starting back from the beginning. By participating in the Top 100 list (also something I never did before), I ended up hitting the play-by-play of The Great Debate as I was listening through my Top 25 songs, and decided to sync up the posts on Disappear and 6DOIT with my listening of those tunes.
Naturally, the next step was to apologize to (and beg forgiveness from) our host for not smashing the like button on this thread, and then go back to where it all began. I've now made it through the I&W and Awake carnage, and am holding for the moment at Scene 04: Through My Galoshes (ACoS).
It is not my intention to derail and rewind the thread by 13 or 5 years, but there were some moments I had to capture some thoughts. I'm not going to create a Stadler-esque quote pyramid, but did want to contribute. Who knows, maybe some want to relive some of those mammories with little Shirley and Rock-Spider Moses
It's Christmas Eve morn, and any day is a good day to dedicate some time to my #1 Italian DTF'r album of all time.
Pull Me Under (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg655133#msg655133) - Hardcastle & McCormick had the best 80s sports car on TV. KITT was a pussy; KARR was a sociopath
Another Day (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg656978#msg656978) - and here I was hoping that "Eric" was Eric Martin
Take The Time (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg659861#msg659861) - This is the DT song that was my sonic equivalent of eating mango (Tim, that's a Seinfeld reference). Did you know that Lerxst actually did reference "new bands like Dream Theater" back in the early 90s in some interview, which (IIRC) was in the bonus footage from the Beyond The Lighted Stage DVD?
Surrounded (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg677637#msg677637) - ironically, as I was listening to this while reading along on Christmas Eve morning, I too had to see a man about a horse before launching into Metropolis. After inspecting the horse, I realized I needed to drop the kids off at the pool. This would easily be the best song 8 other DT albums, imo. At this point in my listening experience, I had now idea how they could top that 1-2 combination of ToT and Surrounded. And then …
Metropolis Pt1. (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg691874#msg691874) - I don't know which left me speechless (and apparently type-less) ... the song, or the writeup. It apparently did the same to Indi - creating a 7.5 year disappearing act. Helluva mic drop!
Under a Glass Moon (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2447245#msg2447245) - what, no Hardcastle & McCormick after the slap by Boy Band Sister? 4:37-5:36. Under A Glass Lutjanus (look it up on YT - it's just too bad the audio is shyte). One of the (if not, THE) best JP guitar solos in the discography, imo.
Wait For Sleep (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2447495#msg2447495) - never have I listened to this song four times in a row. FFS, how did I never know this was the Words to the Images (cover of the album)?!?!? Great, now I have to rank this higher in my Top 100. And to tie it back to Finally Free?? *chefs kiss* This 'scene' was wholly under-rated, and imo, the most enlightening of the eight.
Learning to Live (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2448115#msg2448115) - at least we had one final sound-pearance of H&M licks. A virtually flawless tune there's just too much to highlight, but the four beat guitar chords at 4:20 (ooohhh... nugget), and again 4:32 for some reason just gives me chills every time. It's just one of those strange moments that just clicks more than it should.
I'll pause before sharing my impressions of old Moses - I apparently had a lot more to say on that one.
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*celebrates*
Fiiiiiinaaaaally The Chad is come to ...
Wait
Really?
You actually managed to mention the words "regularly", "scheduled", and "programming" in association with this thread? Brave words indeed.
I may even wait for you to catch up once I'm done with Bad Trip/Black Bitch. (and running Roulette #3)
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I may even wait for you to catch up once I'm done with Bad Trip/Black Bitch. (and running Roulette #3)
Oh no! Chad, what have you done!?!? :lol
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I may even wait for you to catch up once I'm done with Bad Trip/Black Bitch. (and running Roulette #3)
Oh no! Chad, what have you done!?!? :lol
I'm on vacation until next Tuesday. I can hammer out one a day, and be done before the end of the year, and then in sync with the ToT/Black Bitch postings. I mean, I've done 2 in the last 3 days, and already covered 1/2 of 6DOIT 2 weeks ago. So really, I only have ACOS (which I might be able to do tonight), and then 2.5 albums.
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I may even wait for you to catch up once I'm done with Bad Trip/Black Bitch. (and running Roulette #3)
Oh no! Chad, what have you done!?!? :lol
I'm on vacation until next Tuesday. I can hammer out one a day, and be done before the end of the year, and then in sync with the ToT/Black Bitch postings. I mean, I've done 2 in the last 3 days, and already covered 1/2 of 6DOIT 2 weeks ago. So really, I only have ACOS (which I might be able to do tonight), and then 2.5 albums.
Seems like your roulette is a memory..
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I may even wait for you to catch up once I'm done with Bad Trip/Black Bitch. (and running Roulette #3)
Oh no! Chad, what have you done!?!? :lol
I'm on vacation until next Tuesday. I can hammer out one a day, and be done before the end of the year, and then in sync with the ToT/Black Bitch postings. I mean, I've done 2 in the last 3 days, and already covered 1/2 of 6DOIT 2 weeks ago. So really, I only have ACOS (which I might be able to do tonight), and then 2.5 albums.
Seems like your roulette is a memory..
A scene from a memory?
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I'll be playing along with FII momentarily, but wanted to chime in with some thoughts on Awake...
"playing Parkinson Jenga on a plane driven by Stevie Wonder." I nearly pissed myself laughing - maybe because I first read it as "Parkinson Jenna", and was picturing a spastic Ms. Jameson
I'm now resigned to only doing this while drunk - though, it only takes a double to get me a hangover these days, so I may downgrade that to 'tipsy'.
And yet, here I am at the ass-crack of dawn on Boxing Day with a cup of coffee newly minted in my Thor coffee mug (Christmas present).
<Edit... and here I am on Dec 28th at 8am drinking coffee while about to fire up FII :lolpalm:>
6:00 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2449758#msg2449758) - oh sweet baby Jesus, the Winter Rose reference made my morning. I also blame grunge - but there is only a dash of grunge in this album. With the benefit of nearly 30 years now, I prefer the comparison that this album is to Images and Words as Slave to the Grind is to Skid Row. I can dig this song; the next two however …
<to play along with the comments… the 1st few songs of Awake was a big ass WTF for me. I'd discovered DT in late '96, so I snatched all of the first four albums on the shelves, so I was already in a state of bliss that I was (other than Queensryche) ostensibly discovering Prog Metal for the first time. And I concur with Tim (sacre bleu!)… Awake starts with Erotomania. Boy I wish I had a Bowmore Gold poured atm.
Caught in a Web (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2450529#msg2450529) … and since I can spotlight the fuck out of songs in this thread, here's the lowest ranking song on the album for me - barely cracking my DT Top 100, primarily because WHAT FUCKING LANGUAGE IS JAMES SINGING IN was uttered aloud 4 times too many (and still is to this day). I can't heal the wounds in my ears.
Innocence Faded (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2451199#msg2451199)… my biggest disappointment in this song is that *it* was the represented song from Awake on Score. But at least they dropped the 'grunge' vibes from the first two tracks. 0:30… the reprise of the Hardcastle&McCormick still couldn't salvage this song, and the world salad of barely English lyrics @2:00. Even the Beyonder couldn't make sense of those lyrics without the liner notes. Never would I have expected a Decadence Dance reference in any scene from your memory :tup The outro is the only thing that elevates this song out of mediocrity.
<and fock me, I'm lock step with Tim again thru the first 3 songs of the album - except for the well-aged / 'sneaky good' part of IF>
A Mind Beside Itself … and now we jump forward about 70 spots in our countdown - 71 to be precise.
Eurotomania (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2452147#msg2452147)… this is when I knew all was right in DT-Land In fact, better than alright.
Voices (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2452586#msg2452586) … the 'boomerang' guitar at 1:26 gives me goosebumps every … damn … time. 2:43 - it moved. And God bless you for the Wilkinson inclusion in your Pantheon
The Silent Man (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2453557#msg2453557) … Well fock me.. Now I need to revise my placement of this song on the Top 100 - but, I just submitted it. Never noticed the JP (Zeppelin) influence in here before. Totally fits on Zeppelin III though, not the later stuff (imo). Also, fock More Than Words and To Be With You - worst ballads ever (if not for Love Bites).
The Mirror (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2454271#msg2454271) / Lie (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2454850#msg2454850) … they lost the plot with me here (or maybe I lost the plot with them?). I was never into the more 'thrashy' side of 80s/90s METAL (ie, Pantera, Megadeth, Anthrax and the like) - I suppose these are the origins of my soft cockery. I've grown to appreciate these two tracks over the years - Mirror>>>>Lie. For me, Lie is ruined by the 2 minutes before the solo outro.
Lifting Shadows (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2455584#msg2455584)… completely unoffensive (as Ruslan would say nowadays), while also giving the listener a nice warm hug.
Scarred (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2456430#msg2456430)… before I even start to follow along with Indi's memory, I just gotta say to hell with Blob and Kev (and any other Scarred hater), this is the song of the album, and (insert hot take here) better than the best of I&W. The passage leading up to "It calms me to know that I woooooooooon't" > the passage leading up to "Whoa Whooaa Whooooooaaa" Come at me. The comparisons are NOT blasphemy. They're warranted. I wouldn't say I thought this back when first listening to it, but this song continued to get better with every passing listen, and still does to this day. Oh, and The Usual Suspects is my #2 Movie of All Time.
<Fock me once again… I'm in perfect alignment with Tim's ranking of Scarred>
Space-Dye Vest (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2457253#msg2457253)…. I never understood the hate for this tune. I always thought it was an incredibly unique, well written, well performed melancholic ballad. Given what we know about the state of the band (and Kevin's lack of space in it), it's a great end to the KM-era. And now I want to re-rank this one.
And yes... Mike's lyrics from Raise the Knife became the biggest slice of hypocritical irony in 2010. I never thought about or realized it until I read Tim posting those stanzas.
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I can't say what makes me prouder:
A) Chad realising he agrees with Tim
B) I have successfully Tom Sawyered you guys into painting this thread fence.
Jokes aside, keep up the great summaries!
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Lifting Shadows (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=17796.msg2455584#msg2455584)… completely unoffensive (as Ruslan would say nowadays)
I said it once! Well, maybe twice. :lol
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B) I have successfully Tom Sawyered you guys into painting this thread fence.
Ah, I should have seen this coming! You sneaky bastard! :lol
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So I did the math; in 13 years we have made it almost halfway through Train of Thought . . . 2 years per album . . . hopefully you guys will still be posting here in 2050 when Indiscipline posts his reactions to DT's 20th and final album :corn. :laugh:
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So I did the math; in 13 years we have made it almost halfway through Train of Thought . . . 2 years per album . . . hopefully you guys will still be posting here in 2050 when Indiscipline posts his reactions to DT's 20th and final album :corn. :laugh:
So in only 8 years, I'll be already reading Indiscipline thoughts on ADTOE? Can't wait :D Anyway, being a sucker for good drama, it's really the Black Bitch story that is keeping me at the edge of my seat...
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Oh Dream Team, you just had to go and poke the sloth.
Honor Thy Father:
0:00 – 0:03: Which path will our heroes take? 6'o Clock or Where Eagles Dare?
0:03 – 0:14: They took Damage Inc. What a shock.
0:14 – 0:55: I'm calling this an update / transposition of Learning to Live martial opening riff to the nu young cool millennium and – at 25 – for the first time in my life I feel focking old. I must admit there is something undeniably pleasing in the guitar chunkiness though.
0:55 – 1:06: Sped up Tom Morello riffage. Interesting. No, I am serious, it is interesting. Maybe this album is starting to get its attitude right?
1:06 – 1:26: Repetition, hence The Drive:
“Nice car. A bit uncomfortable for the passenger though. Is your girlfriend ok with it?”
Now, the correct answer would have been: “Sure. if I had one she would be very comfortable with you asking that question from that very seat as well, you conniving slut.”
Alas I was 25, proud owner of a dick, and it was way more natural and satisfying to think of her as innocently compelled to be flirtatious. So the actual response was:
“Don't have one. But if you get accostumed to it by the end of the trip you may apply.”
What a douche. And a very dumb one at that.
1:26 – 1:59: I hate to repeat myself – even under stress despite of my handle – but Why The Fock Tool of All the Shitty Bands? You want to sacrify your personality on the altar of the nu fads? Be my guest, but at least try to show some good taste, for all the love we shared's sake.
1:59 – 2:19: Oh do fock off. That's it, no need for further elaboration.
2:19 – 2:37: Now that was nice, but if I were this section I would be offended for being placed amidst rubbish. And I think the Ancient Mariner should be a bit offended too.
2:37 – 2:57: Ok, I've played James' advocate so far, but at this point, if you accept to utter that “yeah”, I can't keep seeing you as just the poor mistreated loyal team player anymore; I now start to suspect you've focking lost touch with what you are and – more importantly – what you are not. Are you telling me Pantera was part of the inspiration corner but nobody actually bothered listening to Walk's most significant piece of lyrics?
2:57 – 3:18: Repetition, hence The Drive:
What I've learned about the Black Bitch during the first 150 Kms:
. She's single (Lie #1, but didn't know it yet)
. She likes Jeff Buckley and the Queens of the Stone Age (Well, could be worse, but honestly I don't give a fock: my penis is deaf.)
. She's not into show-business (Lie #2, and a big evil one at that) and she does those dancing gigs to pay for the Academy of Arts. She wants to be a painter. (Nice, another lie, and I don't give a fock anyway: my gentleman sausage is quite egalitarian regarding career choices.)
. She really is a Ann Hathaway lookalike, and that's what ultimately erased every hope I had to detect lies and unsound intent.
I was literally a lamb led to the slaughter while fancying itself a wolf on the prowl.
3:18 – 3:50: Slightly re-Tooled with.
3:50 – 4:28: A hell of a Maiden section once again. This album's leit motif so far is the irrepressible way pieces of authentic DT good music make their way through “old man at the club” crap every 2/3 minutes.
4:28 – 4:49: Once again, Singer at the Wrong Gig.
4:49 – 5:03: Suddenly we're flashbacking right inside AcoS, and I'm just waiting for “goodbye”, and ... I won't dignify with a mention what I got instead.
5:03 – 6:25: And in a dramatic turn of events, this part focking rips, samples and all. It makes sense, it fits the mood, it tells a story, it owns its nasty. The whole song should have been like this, and with a bit of courage – and no James involvement whatsoever – we would have got this generation's Revolution #9. Which is kinda rubbish, but respectable.
6:25 – 6:54: Ghosts 'n' Goblins, third stage.
6:54 – 7:37: … But once JM tinkers with the harmony, it suddenly becomes a brilliant piece of music.
7:37 – 7:50: I am so tired of this contrived experimentation. I mean, if you “experiment” in every direction all the time, what the fock are you actually experimenting?
7:50 – 8:09: I swear this is Beyond this Life recycling. I have a strange feeling, and it actually began with the last album; once upon a time, while listening, I could just picture the guys assembling music, now I picture them assembling minutes. Huge difference.
8:09 – 10:12: Repetition (plus small mammals rape noises) hence The Drive:
“You know, I find men who make me laugh extremely sexy, and I love Young Frankenstein, and I feel so adventurous, and it's such a lovely night, and ...”
And we never made it home.
Coming Next: 25 minutes of album redemption
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Reading this installment puts me in mind of watching Ms. Ryan faking an orgasm. I laugh, but after it's over I realized it's more from uncomfortable embarrassment than real delight.
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(https://i.imgur.com/YDF1VJO.gif)
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:lol
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I'm not sure I could ever be drunk enough to really get these reviews/takedowns.
But anyway, one of my favourite Dream Theater songs, Honor Thy Father :biggrin:
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I'm not sure I could ever be drunk enough to really get these reviews/takedowns.
Oh Dream Team, you just had to go and poke the sloth.
Honor T
But anyway, one of my favourite Dream Theater songs, Honor Thy Father :biggrin:
Born with the right mindset (the one that is a bit like being permanently partially drunk), Indiscipline's brand of disjointed ramblings tell you more than any "serious" review could. At least in my case.
Coming Next: 25 minutes of album redemption
Looking forward to that. For some time, ToT would start with Vacant for me. Though I eventually warmed up to the first four songs too. Anyway, a great write-up today. This is the first time I am following this thread without months-long or (mostly) years-long delay. I love this forum and I have read a way more posts and threads than my meager post count might indicate, but this thread takes the crown here.
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Well, I think Indi is sober now (right?)
“Don't have one. But if you get accostumed to it by the end of the trip you may apply.”
I Seriously love this :lol
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Indi is indeed a sober old fart now. But still rambling!
nobloodyname, Animal, please do pick a drink and pull up a chair. A pleasure.
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Honor Thy Father is a weird song for me. I never purposely listen to it. But when I do, I enjoy most of it (I would say 75%). But then the song is over and I don't care if I go years without listening to it again.
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1:26 – 1:59: I hate to repeat myself – even under stress despite of my handle – but Why The Fock Tool of All the Shitty Bands? You want to sacrify your personality on the altar of the nu fads? Be my guest, but at least try to show some good taste, for all the love we shared's sake.
3:18 – 3:50: Slightly re-Tooled with.
OK, now I'm offended. :lol
But seriously, Tool's Lateralus is in my top 5 favorite albums of all time.
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Nobody's perfect, Pups. I still love you!
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1:26 – 1:59: I hate to repeat myself – even under stress despite of my handle – but Why The Fock Tool of All the Shitty Bands? You want to sacrify your personality on the altar of the nu fads? Be my guest, but at least try to show some good taste, for all the love we shared's sake.
3:18 – 3:50: Slightly re-Tooled with.
OK, now I'm offended. :lol
But seriously, Tool's Lateralus is in my top 5 favorite albums of all time.
Yeah, I've never understood Tool hate either, especially by Alex. Just the rhythmic beauty alone should do the trick. Drums, bass, guitar and vocals are all filling a complex and complementary percussive landscape. I guess the lyrical content can be bizarre, vulgar, or pretentious by turns, so maybe that's it.
Edit: Yeah, if I were to rank their albums with the rest of the music I'm interested in...my guess that AEnema, Lateralus, and Fear Inoculum would out perform every other Dream Theater album save for two.
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Ironically (but a bit obviously too, see this thread) , bizarre, vulgar and pretentious lyrical content are saving graces for me.
What I really can't stomach about Tool is the complete disregard of melody.
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What I really can't stomach about Tool is the complete disregard of melody.
Fair dinkum. I guess I can see that from your point of view considering what I know of your tastes™ and profession.
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0:00 – 0:03: Which path will our heroes take? 6'o Clock or Where Eagles Dare?
0:03 – 0:14: They took Damage Inc. What a shock.
Definitely Damage Inc., but am I the only one that is less than impressed with this drum intro. It's simply not memorable at all. Just a bunch of strokes.
0:14 – 0:55: I'm calling this an update / transposition of Learning to Live martial opening riff to the nu young cool millennium and – at 25 – for the first time in my life I feel focking old. I must admit there is something undeniably pleasing in the guitar chunkiness though.
0:55 – 1:06: Sped up Tom Morello riffage. Interesting. No, I am serious, it is interesting. Maybe this album is starting to get its attitude right?
1:06 – 1:26: Repetition, hence The Drive:
1:26 – 1:59: I hate to repeat myself – even under stress despite of my handle – but Why The Fock Tool of All the Shitty Bands? You want to sacrify your personality on the altar of the nu fads? Be my guest, but at least try to show some good taste, for all the love we shared's sake.
1:59 – 2:19: Oh do fock off. That's it, no need for further elaboration.
I've never been all that impressed with the opening set of riffs, and while I don't get the Tom Morello reference, I do like that part.
Yeah, the verse there is Tool-ish, and while I'm not a fan of Tool for the same reasons you aren't, this section works just fine, and yes, the next section can fock right off.
3:50 – 4:28: A hell of a Maiden section once again. This album's leit motif so far is the irrepressible way pieces of authentic DT good music make their way through “old man at the club” crap every 2/3 minutes.
Probably my favorite section of the song.
4:49 – 5:03: Suddenly we're flashbacking right inside AcoS, and I'm just waiting for “goodbye”, and ... I won't dignify with a mention what I got instead.
This is a great and perceptive callout. I think you're dead on here.
5:03 – 6:25: And in a dramatic turn of events, this part focking rips, samples and all. It makes sense, it fits the mood, it tells a story, it owns its nasty. The whole song should have been like this, and with a bit of courage – and no James involvement whatsoever – we would have got this generation's Revolution #9. Which is kinda rubbish, but respectable.
6:25 – 6:54: Ghosts 'n' Goblins, third stage.
6:54 – 7:37: … But once JM tinkers with the harmony, it suddenly becomes a brilliant piece of music.
The song is good through these parts. I feel like the samples, while intense...they're almost too intense, especially the repeated Robards "regret" line. I'm like, enough already!
7:50 – 8:09: I swear this is Beyond this Life recycling. I have a strange feeling, and it actually began with the last album; once upon a time, while listening, I could just picture the guys assembling music, now I picture them assembling minutes. Huge difference.
Yeah, I hear you on the BTF, but I like this little flourish. Puts a little color on the palette.
8:09 – 10:12: Repetition
I wished they would have found a better transition into the final "on and on" part besides the chunkathon. I thought the BTF flourish was a perfect way to close off the instrumental section but the bars that follow it are nails in the coffin.
I'm not a fan of this song. I like some of the sections but on the whole, it's kind of a chore to get through, especially considering the subject matter which I find a bit over the top and cringingly angry. Dream Theater's secret weapon has always been James and they hang him out to dry here.
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The Jason Robards samples get me right in the feels because Magnolia is one of my top 5 all time favorite movies.
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The Jason Robards samples get me right in the feels because Magnolia is one of my top 5 all time favorite movies.
Never seen it. :)
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The Jason Robards samples get me right in the feels because Magnolia is one of my top 5 all time favorite movies.
Never seen it. :)
Shocking
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Is this thread for listening to DT songs chronologically and seeing how Indi breaks it down?
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Is this thread for listening to DT songs chronologically and seeing how Indi breaks it down?
That plus his life story told through drunken (now sober) metaphors and hyperbole :biggrin: Except I'm 100% sure that 100% of it is true. :)
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Is this thread for listening to DT songs chronologically and seeing how Indi breaks it down?
That plus his life story told through drunken (now sober) metaphors and hyperbole :biggrin: Except I'm 100% sure that 100% of it is true. :)
Pretty much this.
I'd add 80% is true, 20% is basically true but a bit doctored to enhance novelisation.
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5:03 – 6:25: And in a dramatic turn of events, this part focking rips, samples and all. It makes sense, it fits the mood, it tells a story, it owns its nasty. The whole song should have been like this, and with a bit of courage – and no James involvement whatsoever – we would have got this generation's Revolution #9. Which is kinda rubbish, but respectable.
You just blew my fucking mind. I just mentioned in the top 100 thread that this is one of the most intense moments in DT history, and listening now, one of my favorites, fuck it's brutal. A whole song like this.....? that honestly, would have been fucking amazing.
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1:26 – 1:59: I hate to repeat myself – even under stress despite of my handle – but Why The Fock Tool of All the Shitty Bands? You want to sacrify your personality on the altar of the nu fads? Be my guest, but at least try to show some good taste, for all the love we shared's sake.
3:18 – 3:50: Slightly re-Tooled with.
OK, now I'm offended. :lol
But seriously, Tool's Lateralus is in my top 5 favorite albums of all time.
Honestly, I think Alessandro's Tool takes here are a little forced. I mean, I do get it, but I've never thought it when listening on this one. I guess maybe because they have done it way more blatantly on other songs?
Oh, Aenima came in at number 2 on my all time top 50 albums.
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4:49 – 5:03: Suddenly we're flashbacking right inside AcoS, and I'm just waiting for “goodbye”, and ... I won't dignify with a mention what I got instead.
This is a great and perceptive callout. I think you're dead on here.
Yes, scaringly accurate when I was listening, with that in mind, you do expect James to say 'goodbye.' Great call.
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I grew to enjoy 'As I Am', when a bunch of twentysomethings were head banging throughout a few rows in front of me in the back section of a DC concert. I got younger upon listening to the studio version a few days later, and it was an 'I got it' moment.
I abhor the other three songs afterwards other than 'Endless Sacrifice'. I just listened to these tracks for the first time in over fifteen years of the parts that I had not deleted, and I was 'OMG, no wonder I deleted them'.
anyhoo... I'll touch base on 'Endless Sacrifice', which I do like and occasionally rock out to, .... except for the irritating guitar parts that are
Moments wasted <goose honk>
Isolated
Time escaping <goose honk>
Endless sacrifice
Moments wasted <goose honk>
Isolated
Time escaping <goose honk>
Endless sacrifice
Jaaayzus effin' karist, JP, this is the one song of your entire career where there are a couple of moments that I :censored ing HATE, DESPISE, want to puke from the sounds of your guitar.
And ....it's repeated....over and over and annoyingly over again!
And again.
Thank gawd this was the only time.
Apologies in advance.
Your mesophonic DT fan,
Mr. DragonAttack
Misophonia (or selective sound sensitivity syndrome, sound-rage) is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds or their associated stimuli, or cues. These cues, known as "triggers", are experienced as unpleasant or distressing and tend to evoke strong negative emotional, physiological, and behavioral responses that are not seen in most other people. Misophonia and misophonic symptoms can adversely affect the ability to achieve life goals and enjoy social situations. It was first recognized in 2001, though it is still not in the DSM-5 or any similar manual. For this reason it has been called a "neglected disorder".
['if one unnecesarrily whistles or jingles their keys next to me, if you don't stop, I'll punch you in the face-itis']
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Misophonia (or selective sound sensitivity syndrome, sound-rage) is a disorder of decreased tolerance to specific sounds or their associated stimuli, or cues. These cues, known as "triggers", are experienced as unpleasant or distressing and tend to evoke strong negative emotional, physiological, and behavioral responses that are not seen in most other people. Misophonia and misophonic symptoms can adversely affect the ability to achieve life goals and enjoy social situations. It was first recognized in 2001, though it is still not in the DSM-5 or any similar manual. For this reason it has been called a "neglected disorder".
I definitely have it. It's triggered by orcs, Chris Martin and Thom Yorke.
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The goose honks are metal as fuck :metal
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An attempt to appeal to the nu-metal crowd.