Dream Theater Q&A Tilburg

[Schurftkut]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQKvNg9JWH8

[Ravenfoul]

That was entertaining, hope they do more in the future. 

[gzarruk]

Thanks for posting! there were a couple of really good questions there, specially the last two. It's really sad what John said at the end, that live albums don't sell as much anymore. It's one of the reasons why we probably won't get a live TA blu ray 

[TAC]

"...and John Myung just has to do what you guys say."

"That's not nice."
 

[SystematicThought]

"...and John Myung just has to do what you guys say."

"That's not nice."
 

Where was that in the video 

[TAC]

First question maybe.

[TAC]

Fan, "I'm a drummer."

JP: "Next.."
 

[Dream Team]

Thanks for posting! there were a couple of really good questions there, specially the last two. It's really sad what John said at the end, that live albums don't sell as much anymore. It's one of the reasons why we probably won't get a live TA blue ray 

Sucks, another consequence of "fans" pirating or otherwise not supporting bands.

[KevShmev]

It's really sad what John said at the end, that live albums don't sell as much anymore. It's one of the reasons why we probably won't get a live TA blue ray 

It sure doesn't help that most live DVDs end on YouTube, and with smart TVs and whatnot, it is easy to watch them off YT on your television.  A lot of fans probably figure, why bother buying the DVD or Blu-ray when I can watch it off YT for free.

[Ravenfoul]

Someone should tell them to look at using Kickstarter if they're going to use that as a reason to not produce more DVDs. I'd pay

[Zydar]

"...and John Myung just has to do what you guys say."

"That's not nice."
 

Where was that in the video 

5:28

[Anguyen92]

Someone should tell them to look at using Kickstarter if they're going to use that as a reason to not produce more DVDs. I'd pay

I hear some not so great drawbacks regarding Kickstarter.  I do hear good things about PledgeMusic and it could an avenue that DT could use to gauge interest.

[Bertielee]

Thanks for posting! there were a couple of really good questions there, specially the last two. It's really sad what John said at the end, that live albums don't sell as much anymore. It's one of the reasons why we probably won't get a live TA blue ray 

Sucks, another consequence of "fans" pirating or otherwise not supporting bands.

It's a shame because I always buy DT DVDs / Blurays in a heartbeat. Yet, given the reception of TA, the album, I don't know if a DVD of it would sell well.

B.Lee

[gzarruk]

Jordan used PledgeMusic a while ago for his Explorations albums. It worked well for him, so that's something they could consider.

Speaking of funding albums and all that, does anyone know when the DT/Roadrunner contract expires? Last time they signed a 3 album deal, but don't remember them saying anything about their second contract, which they signed before DT12 was released. It makes me curious to see if they stay with RR or if they go somewhere else.

[Anguyen92]

Speaking of funding albums and all that, does anyone know when the DT/Roadrunner contract expires? Last time they signed a 3 album deal, but don't remember them saying anything about their second contract, which they signed before DT12 was released. It makes me curious to see if they stay with RR or if they go somewhere else.

A fair amount of well-known bands has been jumping ship from Roadrunner in the last few years.  I don't know if DT will, but it depends on the band/record label relationship and how much investment is Roadrunner willing to make on DT since DT always makes sure they have full creative power.

[Mosh]

DT should jump ship and go the independent route like a lot of other bands (e.g. Opeth) are doing. They are big enough that it would work and they could have more control over their releases.

[lucasembarbosa]

DT should jump ship and go the independent route like a lot of other bands (e.g. Opeth) are doing. They are big enough that it would work and they could have more control over their releases.

After the horrible treatment RRR gave to Pale Communion's promotion and releasing, Opeth signed to Nuclear Blast, under their own label, Moterbolaget Records.

I think the crowdfunding option is very viable.

[goo-goo]

I thought DT resigned with RR for three more albums before DT12 was released. I thought there was something said in a press release about this.

[krands85]

Thanks for posting, that was cool to watch - pretty funny in parts too 

[TAC]

I thought DT resigned with RR for three more albums before DT12 was released. I thought there was something said in a press release about this.

Dated 12/3/12
https://www.dreamtheater.net/news/dream-theater-re-signs-roadrunner-records-41481

It doesn't say how long the contract is for.

[Mosh]

DT should jump ship and go the independent route like a lot of other bands (e.g. Opeth) are doing. They are big enough that it would work and they could have more control over their releases.

After the horrible treatment RRR gave to Pale Communion's promotion and releasing, Opeth signed to Nuclear Blast, under their own label, Moterbolaget Records.

That is what I mean. Or what Neal Morse does with Radiant Records through Metal Blade or whoever distributes his work.

[goo-goo]

I thought DT resigned with RR for three more albums before DT12 was released. I thought there was something said in a press release about this.

Dated 12/3/12
https://www.dreamtheater.net/news/dream-theater-re-signs-roadrunner-records-41481

It doesn't say how long the contract is for.

I hope The Astonishing is the last one with RR. Hopefully the next one is with another label or self released.

[TAC]

Well, that would only make it a two album contract. Since the first was for three, my guess is that this would be as well.

[noxon]

Depending on the contract, a double album may count as two albums.

[SystematicThought]

They could go the Lou Reed route and make an album of guitar feedback for a last album of a contract.

Although, I'm curious what Roadrunner did to Opeth and how they deal with DT. I thought it was a good relationship

[TAC]

What did RR do to Opeth?

[SystematicThought]

I don't know. I just saw this post and was curious

After the horrible treatment RRR gave to Pale Communion's promotion and releasing, Opeth signed to Nuclear Blast, under their own label, Moterbolaget Records.

[Anguyen92]

They could go the Lou Reed route and make an album of guitar feedback for a last album of a contract.

Although, I'm curious what Roadrunner did to Opeth and how they deal with DT. I thought it was a good relationship

I too am curious as well.  Alter Bridge was signed to Roadrunner Records worldwide, excluding NA, for two albums and they got great support from the record label and got good exposure during those two albums in the end.  However, they switched record labels to Napalm, last year, claiming that the people in Roadrunner that was very supportive for Alter Bridge at the start, around 2010, were not there anymore and decided not to renew for another album.  Basically, the same scenario on why A7X left their former record label (just not as bitter and, thankfully, less lawsuits as in A7X's case).  I wonder if that's why Opeth left?

Again, bands with good name value have been leaving Roadrunner for a good while now.  Roadrunner has been losing resources causing layoffs as well.  Some people speculated that when Nickelback left Roadrunner, that's when things may get downscaled since Roadrunner was not going to get Nickelback numbers in album sales from anyone in their roster, aside from Slipknot.

[TAC]

People buy Slipknot albums?

[Anguyen92]

^^ I would think so.  Slipknot has got to be one of Roadrunner's big bands.  They got a big mainstream following and always sell arenas no problem, especially in Europe.

[gzarruk]

I don't know. I just saw this post and was curious

After the horrible treatment RRR gave to Pale Communion's promotion and releasing, Opeth signed to Nuclear Blast, under their own label, Moterbolaget Records.

While I don't really know what exactly happened with RR and Opeth in particular, I was able to find this on (not a great source, but still) Wikipedia:

On April 26, 2012, it was announced that Warner Music Group were to make substantial cutbacks throughout Roadrunner Records worldwide operations. According to staff working at the company, The UK offices and the Canadian offices of Roadrunner Records are to be closed completely, with severe levels of cutbacks occurring across the rest of the label worldwide. It has also been announced that the Roadrunner office in The Netherlands is to close, and that the label's founder Cees Wessels is stepping down from his role of CEO. The following years saw several major Roadrunner acts leave the label, including DevilDriver (who moved to Napalm Records), Opeth, Machine Head, Soulfly and Lamb of God (all of whom moved to Nuclear Blast).

My bet is that these european branches managed the Opeth deal and, once the cutbacks started to happen, they weren't giving them the treatment they expected/signed for.

I'm still curious to see if DT have one more album with RR or not. If they still have to make another album with RR, but want to go somewhere else, they can always release a "best of" album and that pretty much solves it. The previous compilation was only for the albums from IAW to OV, so they could fit some songs from SC to TA (or even just the last 3 albums) and put it out as a compilation.

After that, if they want to leave, I don't see them self releasing anything. They've always worked with labels and I don't think why DT would stop working with one. They're one of the few bands in the genere who can sign with pretty much any label out there.

[Mosh]

I remember the Pale Communion album had an insane delay. It was finished sometime before summer and didn't come out until September or something. I don't remember the details but it seemed like the delay was on the label's end.

Roadrunner is good for exposure but frankly it's probably not going to make a difference for bands like Opeth and Dream Theater. They always relied on having a loyal fanbase and good word of mouth over any amount of promotion from the record label.

[gzarruk]

I think bands like Opeth or, much more, DT need the labels not because of the promotion and marketing decisions they make, but for actually funding the records, which requires a lot of budget. Let's not forget that DT has a policy of writing the albums at the studio and then recording them inmediately after. That means you have to book studio time for, at least, twice the time you would need only to record an album. That's not cheap at all. Most bands these days just write all the songs during pre-production and then only get to the studio for a couple weeks to record everything.

[noxon]

For all intents and purposes, Warner Music handles everything Roadrunner. We usually only deal with Warner Music people. In the US I've dealt with Atlantic Records people (which also is a subsidiary of Warner Music). So Roadrunner may only exist on paper nowadays, and I don't think they're actively trying to expand. Strictly speaking, DT has "always" been a Warner Music asset - it's just the name of the subsidiary company they've belonged to that has changed.

[gzarruk]

For all intents and purposes, Warner Music handles everything Roadrunner. We usually only deal with Warner Music people. In the US I've dealt with Atlantic Records people (which also is a subsidiary of Warner Music). So Roadrunner may only exist on paper nowadays, and I don't think they're actively trying to expand. Strictly speaking, DT has "always" been a Warner Music asset - it's just the name of the subsidiary company they've belonged to that has changed.

This is very interesting. Looks like we'll have to wait until next year to find out if the next album is released under RR.
If not, what are the other good options out there?