I like that, a few years ago - might've been at DT.net, even - there was a massive thread on here going on about a comment in the WDADRU commentary, where John Myung was saying that he really missed the old style of writing, and Mike just went "yeah, that's not really feasible any more."
It feels like that comment - which we all overanalysed and studied the hell out of - has received some closure.
Something happened between MP and JM. I don't know what it is and I'm not saying it was some huge moment, but it was something. MP singled him out in his Classic Rock interview as an example of what was wrong with the band. I can't be the only one who remembers the WDADRU commentary when MP quickly shut him down. It was actually kinda awkward. I can't help but think they didn't do a band commentary track after that specifically because of that moment. And of course there's the lyric rule. You can say "well, it's just a new rule that's in there, and it's just a rule." But who else was it meant to possibly address considering that everyone else wrote their own lyrics and vocal melodies?
MP didn't feel JM needed to contribute, and apparently neither did JM. Listen to the bass stems from BCSL. They sound like they were recorded in one take by someone who didn't give a crap. Considering that every other JM bass track I've heard from Rock Band is almost perfectly played, again, something happened.
And now, all the sudden, JM has changed his role in the band from being almost completely quiet to actually being assertive at times and even making a point of doing so in the documentary.
Look, aren't there people in your life you basically just shut down around? You don't want to tell jokes around them because they make fun of you or don't laugh. You don't want to go anywhere with them because they dominate conversations in the car in a weird way. You don't want to play video games with them because they constantly tell you you suck. How do we know MP wasn't this person to JM? Their actions certainly indicate it.
I don't even really understand what the counter-argument is. Everyone else's role in the band has changed a bit, certainly. JR is a much bigger personality, JP's the number 1 guy, and JLB's role in everything has grown a bit. But these are all extensions of who they were before. But, if you say everything else I just wrote isn't true, what's the reason JM changed so drastically? Magic? It's not like he's just stepping into the void like everyone else. Otherwise he'd just do a bigger version of his past role, which is to do an interview here and there.
Look at the videos of the writing process for this album vs. the last few. Without MP, the energy seems more calm, serious, and contemplative, things that seem to be huge parts of JM's personality. The environment makes far more sense to him. But even before that JLB said JM was speaking his mind way more than before.
Even if the basslines have a bigger role in the music, I'll be happy. I'd be really excited if he started writing riffs again though. The first riff of The Glass Prison (after the melodic intro) is one of my favorite DT riffs ever.* And if he did something like he did with Trial of Tears, where he brought in a demo? Oh my god. I'd freak out.
And god forbid he writes lyrics. My life would be complete.
Also, that makes it sound like JM's possibly second in command, writing-wise? It's possibly just because we heard the least from him on interviews in the past, so we're just now seeing that he's getting to lock in, but it feels like he's gone up a peg in the chain of writing, which is brilliant. I love JM.
Far be it for me of all people to say this, but I'm not sure we can presume that. Jordan's been the number two music guy for a while and his mojo's actually increased since MP left. But I do think (a) the writing process is a little less stratified in terms of pure numerical ranking and (b) even if he's the number three guy, that's more than almost nothing.
*In the Ten Degrees of Turbulent Drumming category, Mike says that riff started out with him and Myung jamming on it.
Topic: Myung Speaks on the writing process (Read 20750 times)
