An Exclusive Look into The Band’s Search for a New Drummer

[Ben_Jamin]

Virgil was amazing. Loved his interpretation of the riff phase, and how he got it. The funny thing was when he felt an idea, and then JP said "we thought he didn't know, but then he played the part exactly."

[MarkFitDT]

Minnemann for me (so far) then Mangini.

[IdoSC]

I have to say, completely excluding the drumming aspects of things, I want Mangini the most. I just want to hug the guy in the first video when he's talking about how much he wants this.

There's something that I want to point out though... and that's this: they showed us Mangini's interview with the band, where he restates what he did to the camera earlier: I'm not here to, in any way, replace Mike Portnoy. Mangini is set on making that as clear to us and the band as possible, and after that, Petrucci explains that they're looking for somebody who is willing to step up to the plate and be that replacement. Now, Petrucci segues his sentence into saying "And I feel very comfortable with you playing.", so it's not left on any odd disposition, but still... that stood out to me as a possible, "Maybe Mike Mangini did not get the part, because he does not want to overtake Mike's role in the band's career."

I think Petrucci's answer to Mangini was sort of an acceptance. I mean, I think he meant they don't want someone to just imitate Portnoy, and he agrees with Mangini on what he said. And then, in another matter, he felt comfortable with him behind the set.

Remember what Petrucci said in one of the times where he talked in a documentary formation; he said they could literally go on a show with Mangini the night he was auditioned. With that said, since they also said he did give something unique to the songs and he put his whole self into it, that's already 2 (maybe 3) points in favor of him.

[Ben_Jamin]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

[Adami]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

I think you are underestimating his ability to be creative with DT to produce a DT album if he is chosen.  That guy means business behind the kit.  You think Portnoy is more serious than Minnemann?  Portnoy was a clown behind the kit a lot of the time too.

I guess, but Portnoy's the guy who, for better or worse, has gotten credit for pushing the band in the "balls n' chunk" direction.

Of course, we're splitting hairs here. DT could probably cut one hell of an album with any of these guys, even Roddy, if the drummer really bought into the DT idea.

They all can certainly play perfectly well to match the rest of the band. The question is who seems like the most natural fit to typical DT, and to me, Minnemann seems like he fits with the zany JR side perfectly, but is just a merely decent fit with everything else. Mangini just seems like he could do any of it, with no awkwardness. I'll put it this way--Minnemann seems more likely to change MP's parts like JR did with KM, whereas Mangini just seems more grounded. It's not like Mangini lacks flair, too--the dude was mashing the shit out of the toms, for one, and the stick spin in TDOE was a nice touch.

[Ben_Jamin]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Because he had an idea, and felt it'd be cool, but it's not the time to do that. But, he did know how to play that part with ease.

Friday can't come any faster.

[chrisgazpacho]

Reap, couldn't agree more.  And, again, Mangini did inject plenty of his own personality, according to both the clips and what the guys said.  But how he did it is all-important.  He remained true to the original parts while adding some of his own individual accents to the parts rather than changing up the parts.  That's a very important distinction.

Very similar to what MP did to the Rev's parts on the A7X record.  If you listen to the demo of Nightmare, Mike stayed true to the Rev's parts and feel, but added his own accents and MP ism's and put his touch on it.  Didn't come in and try to change anything.  A band like DT that has been established for 25yrs, you can't come in and change sections of songs with parts you think are cool.  That's why  think so far, Mangini is hands down the pick so far.  That's just his playing, nevermind the added bonus of he seems like a super cool guy and fun to be around.

[Adami]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Because he had an idea, and felt it'd be cool, but it's not the time to do that. But, he did know how to play that part with ease.

Friday can't come any faster.

Yes, but there was another part he played just incorrectly, it was a syncopated part, nothing he could really re-write.

But yea, the part you mean just shows his natural tendencies, which is clearly under scrutiny by the other guys.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Yeah, definitely not him. My question is, if Donati had this new idea, why didn't he have it going into the auditions? You can't just make that sort of thing up on the fly like that--it's too risky. If there was really a part there that he wanted to change, he better have known exactly what he wanted to do going in. You don't stop the song--not just once, but twice, mind you--for that. Virgil's one hell of a drummer, and the DT guys even said they thought the part was cool, but it just strikes me as really odd that the guy prepared for weeks and then, all of a sudden, he gets this idea while he's actually auditioning. Bad decision.

[randymarsh]

i'm reading through Thomas Lang's tweets and found this

https://www.meinldrumfestival.com/

Meinl cymbals and percussion is proud to announce that the company's second international Meinl Drum Festival will take place at the Teatro Metropolitan in Mexico City on July 13, 2011

Norbert Saemann continues, "I'm currently working on putting the line up together. Meinl artists who have been invited include Ozzy Osbourne's Tommy Clufetos, Prince's drummer Chris Coleman, Derek Roddy, Thomas Lang and a few others. We will also invite some of our national Mexican endorsers of course."


in my list, Donati, Roddy and Lang are out.

wow i'm surprised that my guesses were spot on  

[TimmyHiggy]

Very obviously a 2 horse race between the MMs based on the drummers and clips they have shown so far. Mangini just did everything great, from just playing MPs parts but in his own style to slotting in very quickly on the awkward timing jam riff (based on the clip they showed anyway).
Minneman had such great personality to his playing, slotted in with no difficulties on the jam riff and seemed to gel so well playing-wise with the band that he has to be a very serious contender. However, I think that it probably won't be him as I feel that he wouldn't have announced a side project with them so soon if he was about to join the band...

[Adami]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Yeah, definitely not him. My question is, if Donati had this new idea, why didn't he have it going into the auditions? You can't just make that sort of thing up on the fly like that--it's too risky. If there was really a part there that he wanted to change, he better have known exactly what he wanted to do going in. You don't stop the song--not just once, but twice, mind you--for that. Virgil's one hell of a drummer, and the DT guys even said they thought the part was cool, but it just strikes me as really odd that the guy prepared for weeks and then, all of a sudden, he gets this idea while he's actually auditioning. Bad decision.

I agree it was a risky move on his part. But as a drummer, I can tell you that that stuff happens. I've played a song 50 times, then on the 51st time, I have a new crazy idea like that. It's spontaneous.

[rumborak]

Yeah, definitely not him. My question is, if Donati had this new idea, why didn't he have it going into the auditions? You can't just make that sort of thing up on the fly like that--it's too risky. If there was really a part there that he wanted to change, he better have known exactly what he wanted to do going in. You don't stop the song--not just once, but twice, mind you--for that. Virgil's one hell of a drummer, and the DT guys even said they thought the part was cool, but it just strikes me as really odd that the guy prepared for weeks and then, all of a sudden, he gets this idea while he's actually auditioning. Bad decision.

I think he had the new idea figured out beforehand, but simply the execution didn't work, probably because DT was confused themselves too with the new part. He did a gamble, in that he would raise the complexity of DT higher than with MP, so he tried to showcase that ability.

rumborak

[Ben_Jamin]

As much as I want Donati, its most likely Mangini. Whoever it is though, I'd be happy because they are all great drummers. We still have 2 more drummers to see, whom are the underdogs. I have a feeling they're gonna show us up on our speculation.

[returnity]

Well, my hopes are with Wildoer but although Minnemann kicked so much arse, both technically AND emotionally, I think Mangini will get it. And I don't like him so they must rethink their decision   Feeling a little important today

Is it just me or does anyone else feel the same about Mangini looking like a cheap porn actress on the first episode? I watched it twice again today and him trying to keep eye contact almost all the time with JP and his facial expressions are like "Oh John,   me"

Jokes aside, I really wish Wildoer gets it, but from what I see and read all around, those who want him are a "crushing minority" at best...

[Global Laziness]

Friday can't come any faster.

Do we know 100% to expect Part Three on Friday?

[Ben_Jamin]

Friday can't come any faster.

Do we know 100% to expect Part Three on Friday?

Well if part 1 was released monday, and now pt.2 today, It would make sense to release it Friday. Gives time for others to watch it, and for Ultimate Guitar to put it in their news haha.

[Aniland]

So much distaste in returnity's post.

[reneranucci]

Is it just me or does anyone else feel the same about Mangini looking like a cheap porn actress on the first episode? I watched it twice again today and him trying to keep eye contact almost all the time with JP and his facial expressions are like "Oh John,   me"

Wow, I think you're the one who comes along as cheap, even though you're joking. We don't usually see those kind of posts here.

[abydos]

Donati <3 But too bad he probably won't be the guy.

[KevShmev]

Regarding one's own style, I don't think anyone expects the new drummer to play every single thing exactly the same, but some parts simply have to be played pretty much exactly as Portnoy originally did, the fills at the beginning of "A Nightmare to Remember" being one of those times.

[TheKillingHand]

Didn't JP confirm at the end that they're down to 2 (out of who they had auditioned at that point), Mangini and Marco, then it shows the magazine cover of the two of them. Or maybe he meant there's 2 left to audition? I understood it as the former anyway...

[ariich]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Because he had an idea, and felt it'd be cool, but it's not the time to do that. But, he did know how to play that part with ease.

Friday can't come any faster.

Yes, but there was another part he played just incorrectly, it was a syncopated part, nothing he could really re-write.

But yea, the part you mean just shows his natural tendencies, which is clearly under scrutiny by the other guys.

I don't know why you're taking so much offence by this. As has been repeatedly pointed out, it's not just about adding your personality, because Mike and Marco did that and were praised for it - it's HOW the other drummers did it that didn't feel comfortable, and if the band don't feel comfortable playing songs that they've been playing for years, clearly the chemistry isn't there.

Anyway, I absolutely loved Marco's audition, so would be completely happy with either him or Mike (even though I'm still assuming it's the latter).

Roddy, Donati and Lang were all very good, but had different strengths and weaknesses and definitely felt like something was missing, although I have to say I adored Donati's playing over the new riffs. Mike and Marco seem like the ones who have been fantastic all round.

If it does end up being between them, then I wouldn't be surprised if the decision came down to more personal/practical factors rather than the playing, because ultimately playing-wise both were pretty faultless.

[j]

These guys all seem really cool, and clearly they're all brilliant drummers far beyond what I can appreciate.  I am enjoying watching this, and I honestly don't have a preference; I think I'd be happy with any of these dudes getting chosen.  But at this point, it seems likely to me that it's either Mangini, Minnemann, or Wildoer.

Some of the improv stuff they're doing, as well as the thing Rudess wrote, sounds pretty awesome.  I wonder if any of that will make it onto the album in some form?

-J

[ZirconBlue]

Friday can't come any faster.

Do we know 100% to expect Part Three on Friday?

Well if part 1 was released monday, and now pt.2 today, It would make sense to release it Friday. Gives time for others to watch it, and for Ultimate Guitar to put it in their news haha.

Also, they did say both Episodes 2 and 3 would be up "this week".

[Adami]

Its down to either

Mangini
Minneman
Donati

Got to wait and see Priester and Wildoer, who are also pretty amazing. Priester is a great drummer and might be amazing as well.

Oh it's not Donati. He audibly messed up a bit on TDOE, and he seems to have wanted to completely re-write the drums to a bit of it, which the guys don't seem to like.

Because he had an idea, and felt it'd be cool, but it's not the time to do that. But, he did know how to play that part with ease.

Friday can't come any faster.

Yes, but there was another part he played just incorrectly, it was a syncopated part, nothing he could really re-write.

But yea, the part you mean just shows his natural tendencies, which is clearly under scrutiny by the other guys.

I don't know why you're taking so much offence by this. As has been repeatedly pointed out, it's not just about adding your personality, because Mike and Marco did that and were praised for it - it's HOW the other drummers did it that didn't feel comfortable, and if the band don't feel comfortable playing songs that they've been playing for years, clearly the chemistry isn't there.

Anyway, I absolutely loved Marco's audition, so would be completely happy with either him or Mike (even though I'm still assuming it's the latter).

Roddy, Donati and Lang were all very good, but had different strengths and weaknesses and definitely felt like something was missing, although I have to say I adored Donati's playing over the new riffs. Mike and Marco seem like the ones who have been fantastic all round.

If it does end up being between them, then I wouldn't be surprised if the decision came down to more personal/practical factors rather than the playing, because ultimately playing-wise both were pretty faultless.

Oh hehe I wasn't taking offense at all, sorry if I came across like that. I was just pointing out why DT probably didn't pick Donati, I don't think he would have been a good fit either.

[ariich]

Cool to hear.

[DTDTDT]

Hey guys check this out.

here's the list of percussion faculty at Berklee college of music

https://www.berklee.edu/faculty/list/searchType/department?department=76

guess what, Mangini is not in the list anymore
and we all know what that means.

[Adami]

Cool to hear.

My issue was with their comments about Lang, mostly just JR. I didn't hear Lang actually re-writing parts, just playing them with his style, and JR kind of spoke out against that. That was my only issue, but then again I didn't hear a whole lot, so who knows what he changed.

[j]

The stuff they're playing with Lang at around 8:30... .

-J

[TimmyHiggy]

Part of me hopes roadrunner will rebecca black roll us on friday with the drummer vid with a video of the band playing the song... I'm not sure if I could take watching men be as emotional as they will be!
Regarding DTDTDT's point, when did mike quit there? If it was very recent then that would be a good smoking gun...

[rumborak]

Regarding DTDTDT's point, when did mike quit there? If it was very recent then that would be a good smoking gun...

https://replay.web.archive.org/20100527193941/https://www.berklee.edu/faculty/list/searchType/department?department=76

So, that's from May 2010.

EDIT: Lol:



rumborak

[DTDTDT]

Regarding DTDTDT's point, when did mike quit there? If it was very recent then that would be a good smoking gun...

well, I guess during the auditions he was a faculty (at least that's what shown in the first episode) and now he is not.

[ariich]

Cool to hear.

My issue was with their comments about Lang, mostly just JR. I didn't hear Lang actually re-writing parts, just playing them with his style, and JR kind of spoke out against that. That was my only issue, but then again I didn't hear a whole lot, so who knows what he changed.

Well, as I've said, clearly he changed things up either so much, or in a way, that made it less comfortable for the band to play, which is an important hindrance when it's songs that they've been playing for years. They clearly don't have a problem with the drummers adding their own personality, because both MMs did it and the band loved them, but the existing songs need to feel right.

But yeah, obviously as we only see these short clips, so it's hard to tell exactly what they're referring to.