DT and the bills $$

[tiagodon]

I just watched the Chaos in Motion DVD and I was impressed by the touring structure/logistics/staff those guys put out. They got a whole team, stay in Hilton hotels... and they even break the tour into parts so they can spend more time with their families. What band does that? That’s expensive! I never thought DT was so at ease financially. What is the magic?
I mean, I read somewhere they have sold 12 million records in 25 years of career. Something like 1 million per album. Guns N Roses sold more than that with only one record (their debut album). But DT is no commercial band. Inteligent and demanding people consume their music. What is their average audience in gigs? DT played in my city in a place that could hold only 3,000 people. They didn’t sell out!
Well, 1 million per album and gigs for a 3,000 average audience is enough to pay the bills, raise the kids.... I don’t think these guys are millionaires... Are they? So how they can afford all that touring structure/logistics/staff?

[sueño]

Priceline.com!   

[Perpetual Change]

A couple points:

1.) Despite making pretty intricate music, DT are still a commercial band.
2.) They're not THAT at ease. BC&SL tour pt. II got cancelled, remember, because they weren't going to be able to make it work financially. That's just one tour later from SC.

[theseoafs]

But DT is no commercial band. Inteligent and demanding people consume their music.

Intelligent people consume music of all kinds.

1.) Despite making pretty intricate music, DT are still a commercial band.

Yeah.

[sueño]

But DT is no commercial band. Inteligent and demanding people consume their music.

Intelligent people consume music of all kinds.

Yah, thank you for that.   

[FsF]

£62 tickets, innit.

[eosforum]

I am actually not aware of any well known band that doesn't have a crew and doesn't stay in nice hotels. A very normal situation overall

[Setlist Scotty]

BC&SL tour pt. II got cancelled, remember, because they weren't going to be able to make it work financially. That's just one tour later from SC.

Not to take this thread off topic, but where did you hear that? I've always heard was that they decided not to tour just to break up the write-record-tour-break cycle that they had been in for years. While the band was just breaking even on the North American leg of the PN09 tour, that was largely due to the fact that they had 3 support bands on the road with them, Zappa Plays Zappa being one of them. Had they done a headlining run with only one (lesser known) opener in place of PN09 or the following spring in 2010, they would have made money.

[wolven74]

I think a lot of the logistical stuff is handled by the label. The label helps them pay the drivers/crew/catering etc.... I think the tour manager is with the label and he's the one that pays the bills.

[YtseJamittaja]

Maybe that's the reason the concert tickets have raised over 30€ in 6 years.

[Madman Shepherd]

While they were on their previous label I think i remember reading that the label gave them no tour support and it was always pretty much self financed. 

Also, they are one band that has really built themselves up every year rather than making it big, blowing a bunch of money, and then having to sell their assets on ebay. 

[YngVai]

I got curious a while back and found a website that estimates various celebrity net worths.  JP was at around $3mil.  Portnoy was at $8mil, somehow.  Guess that A7x tour paid off  .  Not sure how accurate of a source the site is, though. 

[chrisbDTM]

the starbucks budget for recording one of the albums was ridiculous (can't remember the exact number)

[robwebster]

BC&SL tour pt. II got cancelled, remember, because they weren't going to be able to make it work financially. That's just one tour later from SC.

Not to take this thread off topic, but where did you hear that? I've always heard was that they decided not to tour just to break up the write-record-tour-break cycle that they had been in for years. While the band was just breaking even on the North American leg of the PN09 tour, that was largely due to the fact that they had 3 support bands on the road with them, Zappa Plays Zappa being one of them. Had they done a headlining run with only one (lesser known) opener in place of PN09 or the following spring in 2010, they would have made money.

https://dreamtheater.net/topics/site-news?page=27

"Speaking of changed plans, I'm afraid I have some disappointing news for our North American fans: after serious discussion within the band and evaluations with our manager and agent, we have deciding against doing another US run in spring as we had initially planned...for many reasons, it just is not going to work out as we had originally hoped. (and yes Texas, I still remember we owe ya next time!)

"Essentially, this means the BC&SL World Tour will conclude with South America (if it indeed happens) and the only remaining DT shows in 2010 will be some possible festivals and one-off shows that may (or may not) happen towards the end of the summer. "

Doesn't specify financial reasons, but it does specify that it wasn't a deliberate or chosen break. Would if they could, but they couldn't.

[Kotowboy]

the starbucks budget for recording one of the albums was ridiculous (can't remember the exact number)

I think it was $25,000 - which is about $5,000 per person.

[aprilethereal]

the starbucks budget for recording one of the albums was ridiculous (can't remember the exact number)

I think it was $25,000 - which is about $5,000 per person.

I always thought that was a joke

[Ravenfoul]

the starbucks budget for recording one of the albums was ridiculous (can't remember the exact number)

I think it was $25,000 - which is about $5,000 per person.

I always thought that was a joke

Depends on how many days they stay in the studio (i don't know how long they do) and how many they buy in one day. If they each bought 2 items at 5 USD a piece every single day for just the five of them then 90 days of studio time would mean 4,500 USD spent on coffee.

Who knows what kind of crazy extras and monster (rock juice) sizes the pirate/wizard and others would want though. Lets say they buy 25 worth of coffee per day for 3 months studio time. 11,000 USD.

So I guess in theory it could be possible. Maybe they're including snacks from starbucks as well.

Edit: Also long time lurker (from Systematic Chaos) first post. So hello.

[BlobVanDam]

the starbucks budget for recording one of the albums was ridiculous (can't remember the exact number)

I think it was $25,000 - which is about $5,000 per person.

I always thought that was a joke

How much does the average drink cost from Starbucks? Maybe we could work it out!
5 guys over the course of half a year or so, having maybe a couple of drinks a day. It's not going to be cheap either way.


And welcome to the forum, Ravenfoul!

[Ravenfoul]

How much does the average drink cost from Starbucks? Maybe we could work it out!
5 guys over the course of half a year or so, having maybe a couple of drinks a day. It's not going to be cheap either way.

Oh boy. If they spend that long in the studio then yeah, I could definitely see that being possible. Lol.

[BlobVanDam]

I don't know exactly how long they spend continuous in the studio, but they entered the studio in early January, and finished mastering the album only a week or two ago, I think. They do all of the writing and recording in the studio, so that's a lot of coffee.

[Madman Shepherd]

I got curious a while back and found a website that estimates various celebrity net worths.  JP was at around $3mil.  Portnoy was at $8mil, somehow.  Guess that A7x tour paid off  .  Not sure how accurate of a source the site is, though.

I wouldn't put any faith in those estimates.  I have looked through that and it doesn't appear to have any real proof. Of course, I have no proof that its not accurate but it seems very sketchy. 

[Chino]

I'd say JP is worth a few million, and probably more than anyone else in the band. He has lots of endorsements. I remember watching MP's 'Cribs' video. Why his house was a good size and very nice inside and a good size, it's nothing I'd consider monstrous or mansion-like.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I'd say JP is worth a few million, and probably more than anyone else in the band. He has lots of endorsements. I remember watching MP's 'Cribs' video. Why his house was a good size and very nice inside and a good size, it's nothing I'd consider monstrous or mansion-like.

Endorsements? More than Jordan Rudess? That, I don't think so.

https://www.jordanrudess.com/jr/

Check the Jordan/Endorsements page. That's quite outdated, the guy's list just got bigger. I'm very into the VST business because I'm a producer myself, and every video of every possible synth in existence has a Jordan Rudess demostration video.

[Nick]

While JR might be bigger in the keyboard world now than JP is in the guitar world, JP has also been in the major leagues longer.

[Chino]

While JR might be bigger in the keyboard world now than JP is in the guitar world, JP has also been in the major leagues longer.

Don't forget that JP does all the G3 stuff and gets royalties for that as well.

[SystematicThought]

When MP did that house tour, posts pictures in and around the house, and posts his pool pictures.... yeah. I think he's doing just fine for himself 

Someone here has posted a picture of JP's house since they pass it on they're commute. They seem to do very well for themselves and it's all through their handwork

[me7]

What can I say, if anybody in the music industry deserves it, they do. DT walk the fine line between accessibility and depth successfully for 25 years now and they kickstarted the whole prog metal genre with Images and Words.

[tiagodon]

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Mike Portnoy - $8 million
John Petrucci - $3,2 million

[?]

DT walk the fine line between accessibility and depth successfully for 25 years now and they kickstarted the whole prog metal genre with Images and Words.

Actually they didn't - even WDADU wasn't the first prog metal album ever.

[me7]

Actually they didn't - even WDADU wasn't the first prog metal album ever.

They didn't make the first prog metal album ever, but they very much established the term "progressive metal", didn't they?
I wasn't around during the 80's, but I've read that Queensryche and Fates Warning were initially labeled as just "metal" and people only started calling the prog metal in retrospect after DT kickstarted the genre.

[Perpetual Change]

There were other progressive metal bands, but DT were the first to really have success going equal parts prog and metal.

[Kotowboy]

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Mike Portnoy - $8 million
John Petrucci - $3,2 million

Most of that is KI$$ Merchandise. Because Gene $immon$ has no soul.

[darkshade]

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Just think about how much more money these guys would have if they didn't blow it all on drugs, booze, whores, and various other things.

The DT members are smart, don't do drugs, don't excessively drink, and spend their time on their craft, if not with their families and friends. It's why I respect all members of DT, current or past, even MP still, for all the drama he's caused, he's still a lot better than Axl, Hetfield, Simmons, Ozzy, and any other big rock musicians. He had his moments with drug abuse, but he handled it quite well, and is now clean for the last 12 years, and is still making music, as opposed to Axl, who I can hardly call a musician, and Hetfield who, along with the rest of Metallica, take 7 years to make an album.

[BlobVanDam]

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Mike Portnoy - $8 million
John Petrucci - $3,2 million

Most of that is KI$$ Merchandise. Because Gene $immon$ has no soul.

I'd gladly trade my soul for $300 million! He's a smart businessman.

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Just think about how much more money these guys would have if they didn't blow it all on drugs, booze, whores, and various other things.

The DT members are smart, don't do drugs, don't excessively drink, and spend their time on their craft, if not with their families and friends. It's why I respect all members of DT, current or past, even MP still, for all the drama he's caused, he's still a lot better than Axl, Hetfield, Simmons, Ozzy, and any other big rock musicians. He had his moments with drug abuse, but he handled it quite well, and is now clean for the last 12 years, and is still making music, as opposed to Axl, who I can hardly call a musician, and Hetfield who, along with the rest of Metallica, take 7 years to make an album.

Simmons has never done drugs or alcohol. And he's Jewish. That's a combo for saving money, right there!

[darkshade]

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Mike Portnoy - $8 million
John Petrucci - $3,2 million

Most of that is KI$$ Merchandise. Because Gene $immon$ has no soul.

I'd gladly trade my soul for $300 million! He's a smart businessman.

Compare (celebritynetworth.com):

Gene Simmon - $300 million
James Hetfield - $175 million
Axl Rose - $150 million

Just think about how much more money these guys would have if they didn't blow it all on drugs, booze, whores, and various other things.

The DT members are smart, don't do drugs, don't excessively drink, and spend their time on their craft, if not with their families and friends. It's why I respect all members of DT, current or past, even MP still, for all the drama he's caused, he's still a lot better than Axl, Hetfield, Simmons, Ozzy, and any other big rock musicians. He had his moments with drug abuse, but he handled it quite well, and is now clean for the last 12 years, and is still making music, as opposed to Axl, who I can hardly call a musician, and Hetfield who, along with the rest of Metallica, take 7 years to make an album.

Simmons has never done drugs or alcohol. And he's Jewish. That's a combo for saving money, right there!

OK, I don't actually know much about KISS, however, now that you mention it, I remember learning that Simmons was a "good boy", but my comments still stand in relation to the rest of those guys.