Author Topic: Derek Sherinian  (Read 14233 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline sneakyblueberry

  • put me in coach
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4363
  • Gender: Male
Derek Sherinian
« on: July 26, 2009, 03:21:59 PM »
Curious to know how people view him here and his work in DT.  I for one think he's a fantastic musician and showman, but I’m a little biased as OIALT was the first DT album I ever got and I loved it from the get go.  I think, generally, he tends to be over-looked due to the old ‘hired-gun’ chestnut and the fact that he was around when the band was probably at its lowest point. 

I’ve been listening to Scarred a lot and I have to say I prefer his performance of that on OIALT over any other version by JR and KM. 


This thread is awesome.

Offline PlaysLikeMyung

  • Myung Protege Wannabe
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 8179
  • Gender: Male
  • Maurice Moss: Cooler than you
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2009, 05:04:00 PM »
He's fantastic, both with DT and without. He added that little extra that made FII more bearable/awesome, and he is indeed an awesome showman. Nicky Lemons and the Migraines, anyone?

And solo-wise, he writes fantastic stuff. His solo albums are all outstanding, and with Planet X he's outstanding as well. Nobody should ever overlook him

Offline robwebster

  • Posts: 5021
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2009, 05:09:38 PM »
The man's a total legend. Mythology is my favourite instrumental album I think - it's one of that rare breed of prog-metal instrumental albums that prioritises making amazing music over showing off. Every song is brilliant on its own merits.

I interviewed him earlier this year and I was essentially a gibbering wreck, he's one of my heroes. Such a legend.

Offline ehra

  • Posts: 3362
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2009, 05:18:07 PM »
To be honest, I had no idea FII didn't have KM on it until I actually checked after my third listen. Can't say I know any of his work outside of DT.

Offline antigoon

  • Not Elvis
  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 10293
  • Gender: Male
  • This was a triumph.
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2009, 07:55:26 PM »
He's fantastic, both with DT and without. He added that little extra that made FII more bearable/awesome, and he is indeed an awesome showman. Nicky Lemons and the Migraines, anyone?

Agreed. From watching videos and such it seems he gave the band a greater sense of style and "rock". :p I love his work on Falling Into Infinity


Offline Dublagent66

  • Devouring consciousness...
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 9695
  • Gender: Male
  • ...Digesting power
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2009, 07:59:18 PM »
I really liked Derek's playing a lot.  His work on ACOS and FII was great.  I've also heard some of his solo material.  Really good keyboard player.
"Two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." -Albert Einstein
"There's not a pill you can take.  There's not a class you can go to.  Stupid is foreva."  -Ron White

Offline brakkum

  • DT.net Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1412
  • Gender: Male
  • Bass Boy
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2009, 08:03:56 PM »
great player, seems like a nice guy. would love to meet him/see him sometime.
https://concertculture.blogspot.com/

https://brakmusic.tumblr.com/

And on the 8th day, God created Dream Theater. God then proceeded to rock out with his cock out.

Offline wasp2020

  • Posts: 114
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2009, 08:32:46 PM »
That solo in the Summer section of ACOS is one of my favorite DT keyboard solos ever.
And that synthy tone of his on FII is just plain awesome

Great player, really adds a lot to the music, shame he wasn't on board for longer.

Offline PlaysLikeMyung

  • Myung Protege Wannabe
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 8179
  • Gender: Male
  • Maurice Moss: Cooler than you
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2009, 08:49:54 PM »
Can't say I know any of his work outside of DT.

If you can, try to pick up Black Utopia or Mythology (by Derek Sherinian) and Moonbabies by Planet X at some point. Great stuff there

Offline Setlist Scotty

  • Posts: 4474
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2009, 09:42:23 PM »
I liked him in DT, except he used the Hammond Organ patch way too much, and I didn't really like his silly, flamboyant choice of style.
As a basic rule, if you hate it, you must solely blame Portnoy. If it's good, then you must downplay MP's contribution to the band as not being important anyway, or claim he's just lying. It's the DTF way.

Offline hefdaddy42

  • Et in Arcadia Ego
  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 52785
  • Gender: Male
  • Postwhore Emeritus
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2009, 09:49:24 PM »
I thought he was great. 
Hef is right on all things. Except for when I disagree with him. In which case he's probably still right.

Offline tbw2445

  • Posts: 125
  • Gender: Male
  • I live a life based on good intentions...
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2009, 10:47:17 PM »
His work with DT i thought was great stuff. Can't say anything on his solo work because i've never listened to it, but i bet it's good.
i'm learning all about my life by looking through her eyes

Offline BlobVanDam

  • Future Boy
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 38940
  • Gender: Male
  • Transform and rock out!
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2009, 11:27:18 PM »
Easily DT's worst keyboardist. He's fine on FII (which is one of my favourites), but live I've never thought much of him.

Funny story-
Back when I was first getting into DT and didn't know DT's history, I remember getting a copy of OIALT and at the time I thought it was JR in the band, and I remember thinking "geez, he's playing awful here, yet only a few years later he manages to play absolutely flawlessly on LSFNY. How could he play this bad after 4 years in the band, then suddenly be awesome 2 years later?". Then someone brought over 5YIALT, and I discovered this other dude inbetween called Derek, and I was relieved that JR's record was untarnished. True story.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline tri.ad

  • The Invisible Man
  • DT.net Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7901
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2009, 12:09:45 AM »
Great keyboardist, I like his playing on ACOS and FII very much.
... And you ask me: "Where's my hairspray?"

Mentlegen.

Offline reneranucci

  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 2235
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2009, 12:27:46 AM »
He was good on FII, but his live playing was awful IMO. And I think he didn´t have much to add to the band had he continued with them.

KM and JR are superior in every aspect.

Offline rumborak

  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 26664
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2009, 09:06:02 AM »
I loved what he added to DT.

rumborak
"I liked when Myung looked like a women's figure skating champion."

Offline Chino

  • Be excellent to each other.
  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 25282
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2009, 09:12:19 AM »
I liked what he did, and I think he was a great keyboard player. I do not think he was what DT needed though.

Offline BlobVanDam

  • Future Boy
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 38940
  • Gender: Male
  • Transform and rock out!
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2009, 09:14:42 AM »
He was good on FII, but his live playing was awful IMO. And I think he didn´t have much to add to the band had he continued with them.

KM and JR are superior in every aspect.

:tup Correct with all of this.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline AcidLameLTE

  • Nae deal pal
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 11134
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2009, 09:15:14 AM »
Derek Sheriainiain

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2009, 09:29:37 AM »
I loved his playing.  Even though Kevin Moore is my favorite DT keyboardist, Sherinian had my favorite keyboard lead ("Lines in the Sand") and my favorite DT keyboard solo ("Trial of Tears"), so I gotta give him mad props for that.  :tup :tup


Offline lordxizor

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 5313
  • Gender: Male
  • and that is the truth.
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2009, 10:02:53 AM »
I liked his sound the best of any of DT's keyboardists.

Offline Fuzzboy

  • I'm keepin the damn christmas avatar
  • Posts: 2285
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #21 on: July 27, 2009, 10:32:52 AM »
I liked his sound the best of any of DT's keyboardists.
women cops are a joke

to get a boner is just put pressure on the dick

Offline SeRoX

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2425
  • Gender: Male
  • The VoiceMaster
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #22 on: July 27, 2009, 12:27:32 PM »
He is so talented musician and he did awesome works in DT; Can't deny the awesomeness of Trial Of Tears and Lines In The Sand.

Respectable  :hefdaddy
Quote from: Plasmastrike
SeRoX is right!
Quote from: Nihil-Morari
SeRoX is DTF's JLB!
As usual, SeRoX is correct.

Offline lordxizor

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 5313
  • Gender: Male
  • and that is the truth.
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #23 on: July 27, 2009, 12:50:30 PM »
Respectable  :hefdaddy
Awesome. We bow down to merely respectable work these days.

Offline LudwigVan

  • Posts: 4777
  • Gender: Male
  • Proglodyte
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #24 on: July 27, 2009, 12:55:47 PM »
I wouldn't be surprised if serox meant to use the word "respect", which has a whole different connotation.
"There is nothing more difficult than talking about music."
--Camille Saint-Saëns

“All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.”
--Frank Zappa

Offline SinisterMinisterX

  • Grand Poobah of Small Miscellaneous Objects
  • Posts: 65
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #25 on: July 27, 2009, 12:58:59 PM »
Awesome player, and he did some great things with DT ... but in the end, he wasn't the right guy. Jordan was the right guy; all they've done with him proves that.

I think being with DT helped Derek become a better musician (he even said something like this himself on the Score doc).

By contrast, I think JR helped the rest of DT become an even more awesome band.

Offline emindead

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 11053
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2009, 01:12:23 PM »
His work in ACOS was really good.

Offline goo-goo

  • Posts: 3162
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2009, 01:28:28 PM »
He's my favorite keyboard player ever! I love this tone, and love his solo stuff. I personally think his solo stuff is way better than what he does with Planet X (no offense to any of the PX fans). I'd rather listen to his solo stuff than PX. I like how he writes with guitars in mind....

Anyways, DS rules!

Offline perfey

  • Posts: 2390
  • Gender: Male
  • Stiletto in the sand
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #28 on: July 27, 2009, 02:36:44 PM »
Great keyboardist, I like his playing on ACOS and FII very much.
I loved what he added to DT.
+ his live playing, very fun and flamboyant guy.

Offline Orbert

  • Recovering Musician
  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 19226
  • Gender: Male
  • In and around the lake
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #29 on: July 27, 2009, 03:00:22 PM »
Awesome player, and he did some great things with DT ... but in the end, he wasn't the right guy. Jordan was the right guy; all they've done with him proves that.

I think being with DT helped Derek become a better musician (he even said something like this himself on the Score doc).

By contrast, I think JR helped the rest of DT become an even more awesome band.

Mostly this.  The "right guy" thing has been debated forever, and will still be undecided when the Earth is cold and grey. 

Had they kept Derek, it would have been a very different band, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.  A Change of Seasons and Falling Into Infinity are two of my favorite DT albums, so whatever came next, with Derek a bit more fully integrated into the songwriting and sound of the band, it could have been really great.  We would've missed out on some of the great stuff they've done with Jordan, but in this hypothetical alternate reality, we'd never know that.

People who say "easily the worst" or "easily the weakest"... okay, maybe.  But look at the competition.  People still cry about Kevin Moore leaving, all these years later, and Jordan definitely has the greatest chops.  How he chooses to apply them is still subject of much debate, though most would agree it's gotten better.  Black Clouds & Silver Linings has much more a feel of actual playing and composition and less total wankery.

Offline sneakyblueberry

  • put me in coach
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4363
  • Gender: Male
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #30 on: July 27, 2009, 03:11:00 PM »
He's my favorite keyboard player ever! I love this tone, and love his solo stuff. I personally think his solo stuff is way better than what he does with Planet X (no offense to any of the PX fans). I'd rather listen to his solo stuff than PX. I like how he writes with guitars in mind....

Anyways, DS rules!

Derek?  Derek, is that you??

Offline SeRoX

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2425
  • Gender: Male
  • The VoiceMaster
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #31 on: July 27, 2009, 03:13:38 PM »
He's my favorite keyboard player ever! I love this tone, and love his solo stuff. I personally think his solo stuff is way better than what he does with Planet X (no offense to any of the PX fans). I'd rather listen to his solo stuff than PX. I like how he writes with guitars in mind....

Anyways, DS rules!

Derek?  Derek, is that you??

NO, He is KEVIN MOORE
Quote from: Plasmastrike
SeRoX is right!
Quote from: Nihil-Morari
SeRoX is DTF's JLB!
As usual, SeRoX is correct.

Offline goo-goo

  • Posts: 3162
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #32 on: July 28, 2009, 07:59:19 PM »
He's my favorite keyboard player ever! I love this tone, and love his solo stuff. I personally think his solo stuff is way better than what he does with Planet X (no offense to any of the PX fans). I'd rather listen to his solo stuff than PX. I like how he writes with guitars in mind....

Anyways, DS rules!

Derek?  Derek, is that you??

NO, He is KEVIN MOORE

LOL

I wish I was Derek. Would love to have his talent and equipment.

Offline ddtonfire

  • Posts: 2175
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #33 on: July 28, 2009, 08:14:13 PM »
I'm glad he got kicked out of DT. We have that to thank for Planet X  :D

Offline popol

  • Posts: 20
Re: Derek Sherinian
« Reply #34 on: July 29, 2009, 01:29:43 PM »
OIALT is an awesome live album. Derek improved a lot during his time with DT. And when it comes to live playing, I think he totally owned Kevin. He also owned Jordan Rudess on the "when dream and day re-unite" cd/dvd. But overall I think Jordan is much better. What's cool with Derek is that he knew how to take a step back and leave some room to the guitar, unlike Jordan who's always trying to be the 2nd rythmn guitar player.