DreamTheaterForums.org Dream Theater Fan Site

Dream Theater => Dream Theater => Topic started by: KevShmev on April 19, 2019, 06:24:47 AM

Title: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: KevShmev on April 19, 2019, 06:24:47 AM
Pick your 3 favorite members from the band and discuss why.

Obviously, I am including the members from the studio albums (no Chris Collins), and I listed them alphabetically.

Easy picks for me:

John Petrucci - the most important member of the band for 30 years, a magnificent guitar player, a helluva songwriter, and an all-around good guy.
Kevin Moore - he was only on three albums, but he killed it on all three, and wrote some of their best lyrics, which is impressive considering he only wrote lyrics for nine songs.
James LaBrie - one of my favorite studio rock singers ever, and he often cracks me up in his interviews and whatnot. Seems like he'd be a fun guy with whom to hang out. 
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: MirrorMask on April 19, 2019, 06:31:54 AM
This is not a diss to the other persons because they're all amazing musicians, but I'd say:

- James LaBrie, one of my favorite singers and all around nice guy

- John Petrucci, leader with the creative vision whose intelligence shines in interviews

- Jordan Rudess, because I'm partial to keyboards and he's so skilled yet humble and easy going

But everyone deserve praise for both their musical abilites and their personalities (I'll forget Derek's recent web activities : D )
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Learning2Live on April 19, 2019, 06:44:13 AM
I voted MP, JP and JR. To me, that is the essence of Dream Theater when I look at the totality of their career.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Mladen on April 19, 2019, 06:54:53 AM
JP - The main creative force in the band and my favorite guitarist of all time.
JLB - One of my favorite singers of all time with a damn good public personality.
JM - The backbone of the band from the start with an interesting personality.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Bertielee on April 19, 2019, 07:04:27 AM
JLB, JP and MP.
B.Lee
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Samsara on April 19, 2019, 08:21:47 AM


Easy picks for me:

John Petrucci
Kevin Moore
James LaBrie

My  reasons are different, but these are/were the guys.

JP is just an incredibly gifted player and songwriter. He's the heart of the band.

KM was, to me, the soul of the band. Knew exactly how to add atmosphere to the band's songs, could play off JP effortlessly, and his writing and lyrical styles really gave the band something different, and that appealed to me.

JLB is so under-appreciated in the band. They would be NOWHERE without Kevin James Labrie. NOWHERE. And as DoT has shown, he can write some really thoughtful and moving lyrics when given the opportunity.

#4 would be Portnoy, #5 Myung. To me, that "classic" lineup of Dream Theater will always be the one I go back to most. And that's not a slight on JR, DS or MM. But those songs, particularly I&W and Awake, just have something that appeals to my ear the most.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: cramx3 on April 19, 2019, 08:28:09 AM
I went with:

JLB: The voice of DT, say what you want but he IS the voice of DT.  He also comes off as having a good sense of humor and is enjoyable to listen to talk like a normal person.  Probably the one I would want to hang out with the most in the band.

JP:  Well, he's my favorite guitarist and writes most of the music.  He is the heart of DT.

and

MP: I was thinking JR or MM, but I think MP is the reason why I even got into DT in the first place, by playing covers and doing random setlists, pushing the band to new limits.  This is not a knock on the others or the direction of the band since he left, I just think he was a big reason why I became such a huge fan of the band.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: MinistroRaven on April 19, 2019, 11:35:23 AM
JP
MP
JR
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Zydar on April 19, 2019, 11:39:59 AM
JLB
JM
JP
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: pg1067 on April 19, 2019, 12:07:44 PM
JP and JM were no-brainers for me.

Choosing between JLB, MP and JR for the final spot was tough, but I ultimately went with JR.  No one else was even close to being considered.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Cool Chris on April 19, 2019, 12:34:33 PM
Hmm. I don't have specific feelings about any of the guys, but if pressed, I'd say:

James. PMU was my intro to the band, and that song, and James's vocals specifically, were what made me go "damn I need to check these guys out!" He has the hardest job in the band, has endured the most struggles, and has been there all the way (since I&W anyway). He also gives insightful, fun interviews, and has released some quality non-DT material.

JP: For driving this shit musically since inception, and doing it admirably without controversy or drama the whole way.

I really want to say MP because between 1992 and 2011, along with James, he was. I didn't like his vocals and some of his musical preferences that were creeping in to DT's music, but the good he brought the group far outweighed that. I'm not a fan of much of his non-DT work, but I don't hold that against him. That's just my tastes. But the post-2011 drama and bs dropped him down a few notches in my eyes.

I don't have specific feelings on the other guys good or bad, other than appreciation for all the wonderful music. I am glad MM got the job not only for DT's sake but for his, as he seems truly overjoyed to be part of the band even now several years in to it.

I'll vote JLB and JP and abstain on the third vote.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: senecadawg2 on April 19, 2019, 12:35:40 PM
Petrucci and Rudess top the list for me, maybe because I play guitar and piano and so I always keep a close eye (and ear) on what they're doing, but also because they're so fantastically down to earth and impressively decent men.

The third spot could have gone to JLB or Portnoy, but I ended up going with Myung. Watching him for much of the show the other night, I was spellbound. What a stud.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Indiscipline on April 19, 2019, 01:02:22 PM
JP: 30 years at the absolute top as guitarist, musician, songwriter, bandleader. If it isn't enough to put him inside an extremely restricted elite, add a zero ego zero bullshit public history, a great business sense, and the general aura of kindness and respect he radiates every time he communicates.

JM: 30 years of perfection in humility, and the only band member who has never recorded or performed a single musical choice I haven't loved. Furthermore, I suspect the Johnnies' brotherly bond has always been the main cause for DT's endurance.

JKLB: DT's sound identity. Without him we stop at WDADU. His instrument changed everything and allowed the guys' songwriting to evolve. Plus, adamantium clad character: 98% of your rock frontmen would have spat a bunch of pills he had to swallow.


Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: nattmorker on April 19, 2019, 01:17:13 PM
JR - I'm a keyboard player and he's my favorite one. He also seems like a great guy!

JM - Very interesting personality, besides, I tend to be really introvert, so I'm biased.

MM - He seems such a great guy, I'm a great fan of him.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: gzarruk on April 19, 2019, 02:03:20 PM
JP - Obvious choice here. No JP = no DT.

JR - The other main music writer in the band. He and JP have brought us 10 DT albums + 2 LTE albums + a JP/JR album. Such an amazing pair of writers and players.

The third vote is were I struggled the most. My 3 options were MP, JLB and MM. I wanted to vote only for current members of the band, so MP is out. Between JLB and MM, I love James, but Mangini gets my vote. He's one of the best drummers in rock/prog/metal in the world and still doesn't get the recognition he deserves. His work with DT, specially on D/T is mindblowing.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: CharlesPL on April 19, 2019, 02:23:56 PM
JP
MP
JR

This
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: SuperTaco on April 19, 2019, 02:29:00 PM
JP
MP
KM
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Phoenix87x on April 19, 2019, 03:05:51 PM
Definitely Petrucci and Moore

And then its a tie between Labrie and Portnoy
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Dave_Manchester on April 19, 2019, 04:45:21 PM
The first two were easy (Petrucci and Portnoy). Third pick was very tough but I went with Rudess in the end (it was between him and Myung).
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Ruba on April 19, 2019, 07:25:58 PM
KevMo, Petrucci, Portnoy.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: TAC on April 19, 2019, 07:37:39 PM
1. Mike Portnoy

Mike Portnoy made me proud to be a DT fan. He really took the "fan's view" to his decision making regarding the band. The rotating setlists, cover albums, Ytsejam Records. These are all things that mad being a DT fan special, aside from the great music. It was these things that separated DT from other bands regarding the fan experience. He made being a DT fan feel like being part of a community.
I love Dream Theater. They are still my favorite band and they have done GREAT things since MP left. But without MP, there's just something amiss.

2. James Labrie

What Indiscipline said..

3. John Petrucci

What Indiscipline said..
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: gzarruk on April 19, 2019, 08:22:31 PM
1. Mike Portnoy

Mike Portnoy made me proud to be a DT fan. He really took the "fan's view" to his decision making regarding the band. The rotating setlists, cover albums, Ytsejam Records. These are all things that mad being a DT fan special, aside from the great music. It was these things that separated DT from other bands regarding the fan experience. He made being a DT fan feel like being part of a community.
I love Dream Theater. They are still my favorite band and they have done GREAT things since MP left. But without MP, there's just something amiss.

All that you mentioned were great things except the covers. I never understood why they played that many covers live, and covering whole albums was even worse. Glad that ended when MP left.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Herrick on April 19, 2019, 08:24:53 PM
Myung, Petrucci, & Ruddess are my favorites. A bit of a tough choice but I went with current members who would bring Herrick to tears by leaving the band right now.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Volante99 on April 19, 2019, 08:25:48 PM
JP
MP
JR

Ditto. I love Dream Theater and these are the three guys who have had the most impact, musically, throughout the band’s career.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Herrick on April 19, 2019, 08:28:29 PM
1. Mike Portnoy

Mike Portnoy made me proud to be a DT fan. He really took the "fan's view" to his decision making regarding the band. The rotating setlists, cover albums, Ytsejam Records. These are all things that mad being a DT fan special, aside from the great music. It was these things that separated DT from other bands regarding the fan experience. He made being a DT fan feel like being part of a community.
I love Dream Theater. They are still my favorite band and they have done GREAT things since MP left. But without MP, there's just something amiss.

All that you mentioned were great things except the covers. I never understood why they played that many covers live, and covering whole albums was even worse. Glad that ended when MP left.

Yeah I never got the tribute band/cover thing. LaBrie sounds great with Dream Theater but not when singing something like Pantera. A cover song here and there can be cool but I'd never pay to see a band play a bunch of covers unless if was a really good legit tribute band...like this Zappa thing I'm going to next week. Actually, I'm not even paying for that.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: erwinrafael on April 19, 2019, 08:31:24 PM
Mangini
Myung
Petrucci

For carrying the flag of the always underappreciated rhythm srction.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Ninjabait on April 19, 2019, 08:32:29 PM
01. Jordan Rudess - one of the primary writers, and one of my favorite keyboardists of all time. His keyboard parts are such an inspiration to me and part of why I want to be a musician.
02. John Petrucci - I'll be honest, there is no Dream Theater without John Petrucci. He is so pivotal for all that I define as "Dream Theater".
03. James LaBrie - JLB's iconic vocals are one of the things that pushes them from being just a fantastic band to my absolute favorite band. They have such an ear for vocal melodies and his studio vocals are always so tasteful and well done. His live vocals too, when he's not obviously suffering from that food poisoning incident.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Another_Won on April 20, 2019, 09:59:33 AM
JR - I'm a keyboard player and he's my favorite one. He also seems like a great guy!

JM - Very interesting personality, besides, I tend to be really introvert, so I'm biased.

MM - He seems such a great guy, I'm a great fan of him.
Came here to say JP should be a given for everyone, but then saw your post.  Curious to hear why you didn't pick JP?
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: nattmorker on April 20, 2019, 11:38:27 AM
JR - I'm a keyboard player and he's my favorite one. He also seems like a great guy!

JM - Very interesting personality, besides, I tend to be really introvert, so I'm biased.

MM - He seems such a great guy, I'm a great fan of him.
Came here to say JP should be a given for everyone, but then saw your post.  Curious to hear why you didn't pick JP?

No, I love JP but it is super tough to just pick 3 and since everyone would be picking JP I decided to pick the other 3.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: ytserush on April 20, 2019, 12:19:28 PM
Went with Rudess, Mangini and Portnoy.

Slightly below that would be Petrucci, Myung and Kevin Moore.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Max Kuehnau on April 20, 2019, 02:49:21 PM
MM and Jordan for being the most technically proficient members of the band. (my only criteria to go by)
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: TheCountOfNYC on April 20, 2019, 05:26:46 PM
I went with JR, JP, and MP. That era of Dream Theater to me was the band’s peak, and these three were the main guys responsible for it as the primary songwriters. This is no disrespect to any of the other members, but when I think of Dream Theater at their best, it’s these three guys who come to mind first.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Drinktheater on April 21, 2019, 09:43:54 PM
JP,JR and MP

John - One of my favorite guitarist and creative leader in the band always opens up DT to new ideas and I think his leadership kept the band after MP left.

Jordan - Talented and very Educated technical Musician overall and really compliments JPs Musical prowes. And a humble guy

Mike Portnoy - A man who is not afraid to share his personal ideas and it gave DT some unique spiritual vibe ( not saying DT is soul less now) And despite his personal challenges he mainly brought a positive vibe when playing live.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Samsara on April 22, 2019, 09:16:58 AM
I find this thread fascinating. A small sample size for sure. But pinpointing who fans consider their "favorites," is essentially the same as asking who could the band lose in the eyes of the fans. From the results of the poll, it is clear that Labrie and Petrucci are absolutely key fixtures the band cannot lose. With Rudess being a close third.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: mikeyd23 on April 22, 2019, 09:30:54 AM
JM
JP
JR
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: gzarruk on April 22, 2019, 10:25:20 AM
I wonder who voted for Derek :lol
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Ruba on April 22, 2019, 10:35:23 AM
I wonder who voted for Derek :lol

I voted for Chris Collins, Steve Stone and Chris Cintron. :dunno:
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: geeeemo on April 22, 2019, 11:25:01 AM
I voted.  But now that I think about it, I really dislike this kind of post. ( I understand one has a right) It's like all the posts a week or so ago on FB.. "Who would you replace for so and so?" ugh- just feels like a negative vibe. A favorite means we are comparing and someone always has to be on the bottom. They are all great - all have added a wonderful texture and mix to our beloved Dream Theater. 

Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Setlist Scotty on April 22, 2019, 11:30:03 AM
I wonder who voted for Derek :lol
I voted for Chris Collins, Steve Stone and Chris Cintron. :dunno:
Bah! John Hendricks was MUCH better than Steve Stone - can't believe you made such a foolish choice!  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: tjanuranus on April 22, 2019, 11:59:07 AM
So happy to see the love for Labrie in this post!  :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Nekov on April 22, 2019, 12:12:35 PM
JP: He is amazing as a whole, musician and person. I don't need to praise his guitar work or how he drives the band through music, but I do want to mention how happy I am every time I watch him during an interview. He is the kind of person that makes me smile.

MP: I think his relationship with the fans while he was in the band as well as his drive propelled this band to where they are now. Plus, it was super fun to watch him live.

KM: Even though my top 2 albums are JR albums, I miss the depth that KM added to the band. He was not as technically good as the rest of the guys, but he more than compensated with the way he approached music.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Dedalus on April 22, 2019, 08:44:23 PM
I don't want to imagine MP seeing the results of this poll.  :lol
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: DT1138 on April 22, 2019, 08:55:33 PM
JP/JR/J Myung

JP - Probably my favorite metal guitar player of all time.  He's also in the lead regardless!   :biggrin:

JR - Love, love, love his playing especially when he plays a normal piano sound and skips the wackier synth sounds.

J Myung - I don't know how to classify his playing style, but it's very "fluid" and the fact that he doesn't use a pick much (if at all?) just seals the deal.

I play all of the same instruments as they do but can't even come remotely close to their skill levels, so that is probably what draws my attention to them.
 
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: SleeperAwake on April 24, 2019, 06:38:48 PM
KM
JP
MP

Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Stadler on April 25, 2019, 10:27:45 AM
I voted for:

Mike Portnoy - The reason I stuck around all those years.  He made it special, and made Dream Theater unlike (in a good way) any other band I listened to. 

James LaBrie - Being a Maiden and Yes fan from way back, when I bought Images and Words (on release) it was James' voice that separated them out.   I had never heard anything like that except in Journey, but this was more like what I listened to. 

Kevin Moore:  This is more a sympathy pick, since I can't really discriminate between Petrucci and Rudess, but I gave it to Moore because he really DID impact the sound.   Not saying "better" (or worse) but those first three albums have a distinct sound to them, and I attribute that largely to Moore.  Plus I loved his lyrics (and I DO NOT listen to DT for the lyrics, believe me).   
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: 54_diplomats on May 20, 2019, 07:51:55 PM
Portnoy - Wouldn't have gotten into the band if not for his drumming. I think he's truly special.

Labrie - Love his vocals especially in the early days. His performances after 8VM don't impress me as much but I still think he's great.

Moore - I absolutely adore his contribution to the band. I love Rudess but KM is definitely more my style.

It feels awful leaving Petrucci out because he's been the most consistently amazing band member by a large margin. The others just impacted me more I guess.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Moor on May 21, 2019, 04:18:44 AM
I wanted to vote for MP, but this came to my mind  :lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_8E3FOU4s
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: gzarruk on May 21, 2019, 07:00:20 AM
I wanted to vote for MP, but this came to my mind  :lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_8E3FOU4s

:rollin
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Dublagent66 on May 21, 2019, 11:00:08 AM
JP
JR
JLB
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Setlist Scotty on May 21, 2019, 11:40:24 AM
I wanted to vote for MP, but this came to my mind  :lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_8E3FOU4s
I never knew MP was in Metallica.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Nick on May 21, 2019, 12:50:40 PM
Mike was such a huge part of why I was a BIG fan of Dream Theater. I mean I loved their music, which is a huge start, but back when I became a fan (2003), along with his drumming which I did and still do love he was so engaging with fans, was active with great special shows, setlist changes, and generally sent things out that caused heavy fan engagement and excitement. To me Mike is the single biggest factor in why Dream Theater was more than just a band I loved, and so he'll always have a special place for that.

After that it's hard to look past the duo that is Rudess/Petrucci. Sure, Moore and Sherinian have both played on a lot of material I've loved, but these two have been there the entire time I've been following just tearing things up.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Cool Chris on May 21, 2019, 01:02:29 PM
To me Mike is the single biggest factor in why Dream Theater was more than just a band I loved, and so he'll always have a special place for that.

Well said.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: TAC on May 21, 2019, 01:08:49 PM
To me Mike is the single biggest factor in why Dream Theater was more than just a band I loved, and so he'll always have a special place for that.

Well said.

Yes, I totally feel the same way.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Herrick on May 21, 2019, 11:17:19 PM
I wanted to vote for MP, but this came to my mind  :lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj_8E3FOU4s
I never knew MP was in Metallica.

I don't get it either.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Sebastián Pratesi on May 22, 2019, 01:06:12 AM
J Myung - I don't know how to classify his playing style, but it's very "fluid" and the fact that he doesn't use a pick much (if at all?) just seals the deal.
He recorded the final section of "The Dark Eternal Night" with a pick.

Weird: the song's video, from the official DT and RoadRunner YouTube channels, has disappeared. ???
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: H2 on May 23, 2019, 12:07:02 PM
JP; JR; and MP

JP is the sound of DT.
JR is perhaps their best composer (I believe he composed SDOIT in its entirety, but it may have just been the Overture).
MP was just so much--their leader, main liaison to the fans (and founder of YtseJam Records), main producer of DT's "image", main showman, and more. I do feel that losing MP was a major blow which fundamentally changed DT. Although they obviously are surviving without him, he was such a creative influence (in a mostly very good way) that they definitely lost a strong element of their "spiritual direction" (I guess you could say) when he left.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Cool Chris on May 23, 2019, 12:43:14 PM
I find this thread fascinating. A small sample size for sure. But pinpointing who fans consider their "favorites," is essentially the same as asking who could the band lose in the eyes of the fans. From the results of the poll, it is clear that Labrie and Petrucci are absolutely key fixtures the band cannot lose. With Rudess being a close third.

I wonder what the results would have been pre-MP departure.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: CrimsonSunrise on June 02, 2019, 06:09:33 AM
JP
MP
JR

I had a tough time between JR, KM, and DS.  Any one of the 3 works in the #3 spot for me.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Max Kuehnau on June 02, 2019, 09:14:44 AM
MM, Jordan (for their technical proficiency and distinct lack of mistakes) and James (for his distinct voice, I can't imagine anyone else singing in DT really)
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: Destiny Of Chaos on June 04, 2019, 07:18:25 AM
MP, JP & JR.

Portnoy is my all time favorite musician. Loved how much he put into DT while he was in the band. It hasn't been the same since he's been gone. The music is still great of course, but it isn't the same.
Title: Re: Who are your three favorite members of Dream Theater?
Post by: silentmac6 on June 13, 2019, 05:15:18 AM
JP - without him there would be no DT (or LTE) as we know them
KM - I like both DS and JR playing but KM atmospherics made Awake and I&W my top 2 DT albums
JLB - difficult choice for the third place (between MP and JMX) but JLB can be the only voice for DT, and as mentioned previously deserves a medal for the bashers treatment.