Myung Speaks on the writing process

[JediKnight1969]

I thought it was cool when they called Mike and were like:

"Hey it's James"
"and John"
"Jordan here"
"and JM"


It was really neat to see JMX to refer to himself as JM. Now he just needs to add the X...

One question: I'm from Argentina and I don't understand this use of the letter X. Why Avenged Sevenfold is spelled AVX? John Myung, JMX? What the X means? Thanks in advance.

Andrés.

[ReaPsTA]

One question: I'm from Argentina and I don't understand this use of the letter X. Why Avenged Sevenfold is spelled AVX? John Myung, JMX? What the X means? Thanks in advance.

Andrés.

JMX I don't quite know.

Avenged Sevenfold being AX7 or A7X actually makes sense though.

Sevenfold means seven times.  So, stated another way, the band's name is avenged seven times.  Seven times can be expressed mathematically as X7 or 7X. 

So Avenged Becomes A and Sevenfold becomes X7 or 7X.  A7X/AX7.

[ReaPsTA]

I don't recall the exact wording, but it was in the band commentary and was along the lines of:  At one point during the show, JM comments in the commentary that he missed the WDADU days, where the band would just hang out and jam ideas for hours on end, and it would be cool to do that again.  Mike responded along the lines of, "that was cool back then, but totally not realistic now becaus we all have families and so on, and that just wouldn't work with our present lifestyles."  Predictably, it got blown up into Internet drama and became "oh no!  Mike is oppressing poor John Myung and not letting him speak his mind! "  Although, in fairness, I think some may have blown it up more because they took offense at Mike's later attempt at humor when made a comment about it being a "John Myung thereapy sessions," or some such, which always struck me as him attempting a joke that sounded a lot funnier in his head than when he said it out loud.

It wasn't the attempt at humor, which was relatively good natured, but the fact that MP didn't just disagree with JM and explain why, but acted like JM's suggestion was preposterous and that he should just shut up instead of continuing to bring it up.

[bosk1]

Not trying to belittle your opinion, Reap', or the opinions of others who took it the same way, BUT:  I can honestly say I never took the comment to be the least bit derogatory or to be "just shutting JM up."  Maybe it's the fact that I'm closer to the same age as the DT guys and am married with kids.  When I was younger, I always said things along the lines of, "there's no way I'm going to let family interfere with X because X is just too important."  But you find as you get older that priorities actually change, and you recognize that the changing of priorities is actually a good thing that you just don't understand when you are younger and are not yet faced with that.  When I heard the MP/JM exchange for the first time, I immediately identified with what Mike said and found myself also saying, "Yeah, dude.  You guys aren't 18-year-old singles anymore.  You can't possibly think it's realistic to want to go back and do things the way you did back then."  Some may find this funny or ironic, but I think it was actually Mike being the most mature and realistic in that discussion.

[JPX]

Sorry but how is a one line quote "speaking about the writing process". I'm as glad as the next guy that they are revisiting old practices but this thread title is very misleading.

[KevShmev]

They tour endlessly, but they suddenly couldn't find to time to jam and hang out like in the old days?  Er, okay.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Not trying to belittle your opinion, Reap', or the opinions of others who took it the same way, BUT:  I can honestly say I never took the comment to be the least bit derogatory or to be "just shutting JM up."  Maybe it's the fact that I'm closer to the same age as the DT guys and am married with kids.  When I was younger, I always said things along the lines of, "there's no way I'm going to let family interfere with X because X is just too important."  But you find as you get older that priorities actually change, and you recognize that the changing of priorities is actually a good thing that you just don't understand when you are younger and are not yet faced with that.  When I heard the MP/JM exchange for the first time, I immediately identified with what Mike said and found myself also saying, "Yeah, dude.  You guys aren't 18-year-old singles anymore.  You can't possibly think it's realistic to want to go back and do things the way you did back then."  Some may find this funny or ironic, but I think it was actually Mike being the most mature and realistic in that discussion.

I don't know Mr. Bosk. Doesn't Rush still write like that? Like doesn't Geddy go over to Alex's house and just write stuff with him, one-on-one? I feel like it's still very realistic. Could be wrong about Rush though.

[phentalmyst]

Not trying to belittle your opinion, Reap', or the opinions of others who took it the same way, BUT:  I can honestly say I never took the comment to be the least bit derogatory or to be "just shutting JM up."  Maybe it's the fact that I'm closer to the same age as the DT guys and am married with kids.  When I was younger, I always said things along the lines of, "there's no way I'm going to let family interfere with X because X is just too important."  But you find as you get older that priorities actually change, and you recognize that the changing of priorities is actually a good thing that you just don't understand when you are younger and are not yet faced with that.  When I heard the MP/JM exchange for the first time, I immediately identified with what Mike said and found myself also saying, "Yeah, dude.  You guys aren't 18-year-old singles anymore.  You can't possibly think it's realistic to want to go back and do things the way you did back then."  Some may find this funny or ironic, but I think it was actually Mike being the most mature and realistic in that discussion.

disagree. this isn't their hobby. it's their JOB. i put this up with MP's desire (or lack thereof) to practice drums. he would never take the time to do it out of his own choosing and his playing suffered (IMO of course). JR is constantly playing and we all know JM is the same. it doesn't make any sense to snip that part of the writing, regardless of their age or their priorities.

[jamhet]

disagree. this isn't their hobby. it's their JOB.

+100000 Obviously! 

They can afford any type of approach to writing the music as they please. From an organisational point of view, they are as free as to how to do it as a group of musicans can be.
They don't have a normal 7-15 job plus writing music on top off that. They can jam as much as the hell they want and can afford doing it for months.

Whatever they would choose, it's vacation compared to going on the road and being in the tourbus/airplane/hotels 24/7 for extensive amounts of time.

[Orbert]

Well said.  When it's your job, especially one with such a clear and direct relationship between how much work you put into it and the quality of output, you put more into it, not less.  If it has to be spelled out, written on the calendar or on the refridgerator at home, then do it.  Between tours, get together with the guys once a week or once or month even, to just jam and knock ideas around.  Keep the musical part of your relationship fresh.  The wife and kids will be okay with you taking a day or two once in a while to do this.

[JPX]

They don't have a normal 7-15 job

Say what!?

[Orbert]

It's like 7-Eleven but, you know, more.

[j]

If I recall, it was also the *way* it was said...like Myung commented and then Portnoy just kinda steamrolled him and then there was a few seconds of silence.  I could be remembering it wrong, but I want to say that's part of what left people with that impression.

-J

[KevShmev]

Ya know, if it had been any of the other guys who said it, it would have been easier to buy, but from Portnoy, who admittedly is a major workaholic and even neglects his family a lot as a result (as he famously wrote in a song), it was just not believable.

[jamhet]

They don't have a normal 7-15 job

Say what!?

It's working 8 hours a day, like from 7:00 'til 15:00 (3 PM). A day job or whatever you call it.

[Orbert]

Ah, military time.  Around these parts, you'll more commonly hear them referred to as "9 to 5" jobs, but it all makes sense now.

[JediKnight1969]

One question: I'm from Argentina and I don't understand this use of the letter X. Why Avenged Sevenfold is spelled AVX? John Myung, JMX? What the X means? Thanks in advance.

Andrés.

JMX I don't quite know.

Avenged Sevenfold being AX7 or A7X actually makes sense though.

Sevenfold means seven times.  So, stated another way, the band's name is avenged seven times.  Seven times can be expressed mathematically as X7 or 7X. 

So Avenged Becomes A and Sevenfold becomes X7 or 7X.  A7X/AX7.

Thank you my friend.

[JasonScandopolous]

Ah, military time.  Around these parts, you'll more commonly hear them referred to as "9 to 5" jobs, but it all makes sense now.

I wonder if europeans/south americans tend to work different hours in the office?  I think 7-8 hours per day is standard, with some technical +/- hours for lunch time, but there's no reason they've got to be 9-5 like most jobs are here.  I actually work at a place where you can choose 8:00-4:15, 8:15-4:30, 8:30-4:45, etc...

wow, just realized how off-topic this is... posting anyway!

[RG93]

Personally, I think it's stupid and just refer him as "JM".  He's not "John Myung Fold" or "John Myung Ten" or "John Myung Marks The Spot".

What about "John Myung Hugs?"

X's are kisses, O's are hugs, but no, he wouldn't be "John Myung Kisses" either.  He's also not:

John Myung Ray Goggles
John Myung Rated
John Myung Christ(mas)
John Myung Malcolm
John Myung Weapon
John Myung Triple
John Myung Box
John Myung Men
John Myung The Tenth
John Myung Factor
John Myung Files
John Myung 

John Myung I'm Sure There's More But My Brain Is Fried

I'd like to get a definitive answer from one of the guys about why it was printed like that but until then I'm sticking with "JM".

What about John Myung Strike?

[PetFish]

What about John Myung Strike?

Yep, that's another good one that he isn't. 

[JediKnight1969]

JOHN MYUNG OF FIRE

[Orion1967]

Another Images & Words would be nice 

I get the feeling that this is exactly what we are going to get   

[Raoul Sanchez]

We already have an Images and Words. I quite would like something different to be perfectly honest.

[Dream_Theater01]

You kind of have to wonder if JM had some creative stuff in the toolbox that he has now brought to the DT table.

Hopefully some unused grooves from the Awake era.

Well, there is probably all kinds of unreleased material in the DT vaults, from EVERY era.

[jsem]

Ah, military time.  Around these parts, you'll more commonly hear them referred to as "9 to 5" jobs, but it all makes sense now.

I wonder if europeans/south americans tend to work different hours in the office?  I think 7-8 hours per day is standard, with some technical +/- hours for lunch time, but there's no reason they've got to be 9-5 like most jobs are here.  I actually work at a place where you can choose 8:00-4:15, 8:15-4:30, 8:30-4:45, etc...

wow, just realized how off-topic this is... posting anyway!

8-4 or 9-5 is the most common in Sweden for all I know. In france they work 7hrs though.

[Ben_Jamin]

You know, it does make you wonder when JM had his own dressing room.

[bosk1]

You know, it does make you wonder when JM had his own dressing room.

  wut?