Got the news at work today. A friend texted me with the news and i offcourse couldn't believe him. Reading the statement on mp.com left me absolutely heartbroken. I can't believe this! It's Mike for crying out loud!!
I can't really be mad, because Mike did so much for the band and the fans, but i don't feel sorry for him either. I understand him wanting a break after the INSANE schedule he made for himself this year, but it's completely his own fault, and the rest of the guys shouldn't be forced to sit and wait for him..
I don't really know what to make of this at all.. DT has been one of my favorite bands for the last 10 years, and it's the band i've followed most intensely. For all those years this was the lineup, and it will be pretty damn weird to see it change.
I've managed to come up with some positive things that may happen because of this, but it still feels weird like hell:
- New member and perhaps an outside producer, and no standout-band leader means a more fresh starting point for a new album.
- Maybe some of the old "writing-rules" will disappear, so it'll be easier for JlB and JM to come up with or bring in lyrics, ideas and maybe complete songs. Im definitely seeing the band becoming more of a unit when it comes to writing, instead of JP/JR + MP arranging.
- Mike made every setlist, decided every album-cover and had much to say in the making of dvd's etc. It will be very interesting to see how the band will deal with all this. This can become both positive or negative, off course.
- Now JP is the only main lyricist, maybe we'll see some JR-lyrics?
- I have a distinct feeling that without MP the next album will be much less "metuuul" than SC and BCaSL, something i would be interested in.
Even though, i would much rather have MP in the band, but there's a lot of interesting things this can evolve into.
Still: