Mike Portnoy's "Prog Metal" supergroup: Sons of Apollo

[devieira73]

Alright, as if ONE interview of ONE band member was not enough, Your Majesty (official French fan club bla bla bla) has had the opportunity to interview face to face (and not an email interview) Derek AND Mike! So I'm pretty excited to have a chat with two of my heroes!
So once again, if you have some questions, write them to me and I'll ask them

My suggestion is to ask Mike if he intend to do with SOA something in the line of DT Official Bootlegs (I know, it's early to it, but still...)

[devieira73]

I guess it's something a bit delicate to ask MP, but I have a genuine curiosity if MP and DS had the necessity of any conversation about Sherinian's departure of DT, just to clear any possible animosity that would prevent them to work together again.

[Ben_Jamin]

Derek Sherinian on twitter:

@SonsOfApollo1 promises you that there will be no concept records based on fictitious characters-
The era of the Sons is coming Oct 20

I mean, is this really neccesary to promote his band? 

On that I think he's talking a bit serious. If I'm not mistaken, DS is really a guy who is interested in history. I remember Bruce Dickinson saying that he liked much more to write songs about historical characters than fictional ones. Maybe it's just a DS preference and, if one day SOA will do a conceptual album, maybe they'll write about a historical character.

One of his albums is named Mythology. And he has a song called Atlantis.

[devieira73]

Yes, but Mythology is just a name for his album which is basically instrumental as the song Atlantis. He didn't written lyrics about it (or any lyric at all). Maybe he likes mythology, but not fiction (to me mythology is a kind of fiction, but it isn't for a lot of people's tastes).

[devieira73]

By the way, I LOVE (science) fiction, but I don't like mythology AT ALL

[Herrick]

I just want to repeat this comment regarding his tweet about concept albums and fictitious characters.

Because this is a prog-metal project with two former members of DT, maybe he stated that to not get people's hopes up that there will be a concept album with characters and stuff like that.  I don't think this one is a jab against DT in general (other comments may be, but I don't think this one is).

Seems like a pretty obvious jab at The Astonishing rather than DT as a band. Dream Theater isn't known for writing concept albums all the time like King Diamond or Ayreon. If you don't want to get someone's hopes up, you don't promise not to do something. That tweet is basically saying "Don't worry guys. We're not making that kind of album. Have no fear".

[bosk1]

The comments ultimately don't mean anything; they're just annoying.  And I think that's the point.  Look, Mike and Derek are smart.  They know that, no matter how good the music is, they are a bunch of middle-aged guys making a type of music that has a relatively small niche market.  They aren't going to be the next A7X even if the music is amazing.  They ultimately want to get this album heard and get people to come to their shows.  The best way to do that is to get people talking so that as many people as possible at least know about this project, and a way to get people talking is to rile up a segment of the fanbase and get them talking online.  And, to their credit, people are talking.  At least, a bit.  If that translates into more awareness, and that in turn translates into more albums and tickets sold, it's a success for them. 

[The Walrus]

As much as I'm sure the debut is going to rock, I have a sinking feeling in my gut (for reasons bosk just mentioned) that because they're a supergroup, they'll put out this album - *maybe* one more - and then call it quits because of lack of sales/lack of huge crowds. I just can't imagine players of this magnitude all together continuing to play average sized clubs for a long time. So in the end we should all probably just enjoy what we get from the band and ignore the tweets even if they're irritating (I find them unnecessary). This'll probably end up the way of the Winery Dogs, or worst case scenario, Adrenaline Mob where one or two of the key members leave early on because of other bands.

That's just my perception based on countless other supergroups/projects formed by 'superstars' in niche genres I've been a fan of.

[cramx3]

The comments ultimately don't mean anything; they're just annoying.  And I think that's the point.  Look, Mike and Derek are smart.  They know that, no matter how good the music is, they are a bunch of middle-aged guys making a type of music that has a relatively small niche market.  They aren't going to be the next A7X even if the music is amazing.  They ultimately want to get this album heard and get people to come to their shows.  The best way to do that is to get people talking so that as many people as possible at least know about this project, and a way to get people talking is to rile up a segment of the fanbase and get them talking online.  And, to their credit, people are talking.  At least, a bit.  If that translates into more awareness, and that in turn translates into more albums and tickets sold, it's a success for them.

No such thing as bad publicity.  But yea, that's true too.  If they can send a simple tweet and start up conversations, negative or positive, it's publicity for them.

As much as I'm sure the debut is going to rock, I have a sinking feeling in my gut (for reasons bosk just mentioned) that because they're a supergroup, they'll put out this album - *maybe* one more - and then call it quits because of lack of sales/lack of huge crowds. I just can't imagine players of this magnitude all together continuing to play average sized clubs for a long time. So in the end we should all probably just enjoy what we get from the band and ignore the tweets even if they're irritating (I find them unnecessary). This'll probably end up the way of the Winery Dogs, or worst case scenario, Adrenaline Mob where one or two of the key members leave early on because of other bands.

That's just my perception based on countless other supergroups/projects formed by 'superstars' in niche genres I've been a fan of.

I think they've all been around enough to know the music they are playing is way too niche to expect more than average sized clubs.  I'm under the assumption they are doing it because this is the music they want to make and they just hope people like it and it can become their main gig.  Playing average sized clubs may meet that IMO.

[bosk1]

I said this to someone else in a private conversation, but as far as this band becoming more than a project:  I feel like the odds are against it becoming big enough to be the sole support for any of these guys.  That isn't a knock on any of them or what they are capable of creating.  It just is what I see as the reality of their situation.  What I could envision is that, if it does well enough, it can at least become regular side project where they put out a solid album and do a small tour cycle every few years like Transatlantic, while doing whatever else they want to do to fill in in between.  As far as I'm concerned, that would be a win.  But we'll see.  First things first--let's see how good the first album is.  I have pretty high hopes.

[emtee]

Though it's not likely (less than 50% chance) it's possible that one of their songs catches fire on FM radio. I'd say this band, due
to it's makeup has more of a chance than any of MP's other projects...and if that happens it could really change their situation.

[cramx3]

Though it's not likely (less than 50% chance) it's possible that one of their songs catches fire on FM radio. I'd say this band, due
to it's makeup has more of a chance than any of MP's other projects...and if that happens it could really change their situation.

I'd put it under 5% but there's still a chance, and it only is at 5 because of the band members.  I don't know about the rest of the country or world, but this type of music gets zero radio airplay here in the NYC tri-state area.  Having Eddie Trunk on your side will help with the radio promotion, but it really comes down to the genre not being terribly popular. 

At the end of the day, if Dream Theater doesn't get Pull Me Under to be a hit then they likely never become as big as they are, but the 90s were different for rock music in general.  We used to have K-Rock 92.3 FM has long been gone now to promote this type of music here. 

What we really can go by these days is youtube views.  The music video for their first video is at 175k views.  Needs to break a million (probably more like 2-3 million really) before they really start to catch anyone's attention outside the bubble of fans who follow these musicians like us here.  Which is definitely possible, they will need to get on the road and spread the word/music which is coming so in time we might have a better idea of the success of the band, for now, it's an uphill battle like any other startng back, they just have some big names so they got a head start in this.

[Lowdz]

Who was the last metal band to break big? It doesn't happen.

[mikeyd23]

I said this to someone else in a private conversation, but as far as this band becoming more than a project:  I feel like the odds are against it becoming big enough to be the sole support for any of these guys.  That isn't a knock on any of them or what they are capable of creating.  It just is what I see as the reality of their situation.  What I could envision is that, if it does well enough, it can at least become regular side project where they put out a solid album and do a small tour cycle every few years like Transatlantic, while doing whatever else they want to do to fill in in between.  As far as I'm concerned, that would be a win.  But we'll see.  First things first--let's see how good the first album is.  I have pretty high hopes.

I think that's a reasonable and realistic perspective.

Though it's not likely (less than 50% chance) it's possible that one of their songs catches fire on FM radio. I'd say this band, due
to it's makeup has more of a chance than any of MP's other projects...and if that happens it could really change their situation.

Honest question, does FM radio matter at all for bands anymore?

Who was the last metal band to break big? It doesn't happen.

Agreed.

[Sycsa]

Who was the last metal band to break big? It doesn't happen.

Maybe System of a Down with Chop Suey? Was there abother big metal hit after that?

[Madman Shepherd]

I think Derek is just having fun now.

Derek Sherinian‏ @DerekSherinian  1h1 hour ago
More
 The DelFuvios Bros....
Bringing heart, balls and swag back to Prog Metal!.
@MikePortnoy @SonsOfApollo1 #reclaimthethrone #nocyborgcheese

So he's a troll.  I thought Mike hated trolls.  Do you think Derek has been taking jabs at Mike on Blabbermouth in order to goad him into forming a progressive metal band?

[Skeever]

Who was the last metal band to break big? It doesn't happen.

Maybe System of a Down with Chop Suey? Was there abother big metal hit after that?

Plenty in the last decade, not so much in the 2010s, although I would argue that bands like Five Finger Death Punch are essentially metal (just no one likes them).

Metal will come back, it always does, but we're just in a tough time for music. When metal comes back, you just hope that some of the legacy acts like DT and whatever Mike's doing get looked at as legends worth respecting rather than old goats who are what caused it to die.

[PetFish]

What bothers me about music today isn't so much the music itself, it's the marketing.

What I mean is that all it takes is money and power to promote the shit out of anything and Sheeple will eat it up.  If I were to get onto the VMAs in a band called "You All Suck", in which my band actually does suck, and we only have a lyric video out, but you get Paris Jackson to introduce us and go "whooooooo" at the end of the intro I guarantee the entire place would go nuts and we'd be instant "it" band on iTunes and we'd be set for life.

I miss the 80s, and some of the 90s, where the TV and radio actually played a variety and let us choose when and what to watch/listen.  But now it's just whatever is force-fed to the kids and if the kids eat it then that's all it takes to be a success.

[nobloodyname]

There wasn't any cyborg cheese on The Astonishing so I guess DT is in the clear. I wonder which band he's taking shots at then.

Yeah. But there was a reference to a throne in the Derek's tweet. Wasn't there a throne in The Astonishing? There must have been. I mean, there's an emperor and everything. Wait, emperors do sit on thrones, right?

So, you're wrong. Is IS another dastardly attack on Dream Theater! Gasp!

Erm... should I have posted that in green?

[Adami]

Clearly an insult toward Ayreon.

[efx]

I think it will be somewhat hard for them to even come to close to where DT is and has been for a while in terms of popularity and notability. DT at this point is kind of in a legacy-phase, they have a built in fanbase going back almost 30 years and a catalogue of music people will come back to hearing live again and again. Regardless of the makeup of this new band (and I'm excited to hear it and DS is my favorite keyboardist) we can't escape the fact that they are all a bunch of dudes in their 50's playing a style of of music that's not exactly current. And this feud/trolling or whatever I doubt will make them look any cooler to anyone. And just as with anything else post-DT MP has been involved in I do wonder about the longevity, this isn't the first time he's called something a fulltime band only to either leave it or have the thing quietly fade away. If I get a good album out of it though I'm happy and won't expect more.

That being said, Derek talking about cheese is funny if you consider the spoken word intro to Planet X's King Of The Universe. I'm leaning towards Derek just trying to be funny here

[RodrigoAltaf]

Good point, efx... we're talking about the guy who put this in an album:

Know then... that near the end of the 17th Millennium of Man,
From the anaemic and corrupt remnants
Of a weak and directionless empire,
There arose a man like a spark of divine flame,
Who would ignite a cleansing conflagration
That swiftly spread across the Galaxy.

Onward, his fleets blazed across the cold gulfs
Between the stars,
Until that final ultimate day... when he stood before the great
Oracle of Delfinium,
"Behold!", the Oracle shouted into the minds of a thousand,
Thousand worlds,
"For here's the one of whom the prophesies have spake!"

And the diadem was lain upon his brow,
As he cast his gaze across a newly won empire,
And the Oracle proclaimed...
"Pompocles, king of the universe!"...

[Kwyjibo]

Talking about guys in their 50s omits the fact that Billy Sheehan is 64. Don't see this band turning out more than two or three records, regardless of quality and sales.

[efx]

Exactly. I'm not saying this band is a bad idea, quite the opposite. I love DS and they are on point in that second video describing Thal as he is a stunning musician but I'll take this band disc-by-disc and not getting my hopes up about anything regarding their longevity.

[ErHaO]

These guys will never come close to becoming a big artist or even to a DT sized fanbase. That is not meant as an insult or doubt of their quality of output, but my take on reality. How many modern artists in this genre are big? How many do you hear on the (mainstream) radio? At best they will attract a good portion of the DT fanbase and some fans of each of the musicians so they can play in decent venues and have decent record sales.

That said, I very much look forward to this record and hope I can catch a show of theirs.

[efx]

This new is a bit on the nose I think, plus I feel he's made this point before. https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903580602238099456

[nobloodyname]

Talking about guys in their 50s omits the fact that Billy Sheehan is 64. Don't see this band turning out more than two or three records, regardless of quality and sales.

Gosh. Is he really 64? Not looking - or playing! - too bad for his age.

[LPMX]

Who was the last metal band to break big? It doesn't happen.

Avenged Sevenfold maybe?

[KevShmev]

These guys will never come close to becoming a big artist or even to a DT sized fanbase. That is not meant as an insult or doubt of their quality of output, but my take on reality. How many modern artists in this genre are big? How many do you hear on the (mainstream) radio? At best they will attract a good portion of the DT fanbase and some fans of each of the musicians so they can play in decent venues and have decent record sales.

I think that is a fair and reasonable expectation.

[The Walrus]

This new is a bit on the nose I think, plus I feel he's made this point before. https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903580602238099456

I'm really getting tired of Derek making these kinds of juvenile not-so-subtle jabs. Yes, Derek, we get it. I'll still listen to JR's solo material before yours.

Really going to sour me on picking up a copy of SoA's debut if this keeps up.

[efx]

This new is a bit on the nose I think, plus I feel he's made this point before. https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903580602238099456

I'm really getting tired of Derek making these kinds of juvenile not-so-subtle jabs. Yes, Derek, we get it. I'll still listen to JR's solo material before yours.

Really going to sour me on picking up a copy of SoA's debut if this keeps up.

Funny you should say that, another one just popped up: https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903605469876371456

[pogoowner]

That being said, Derek talking about cheese is funny if you consider the spoken word intro to Planet X's King Of The Universe. I'm leaning towards Derek just trying to be funny here

Over the top concept albums are a huge cliche in this realm of music. He's probably making fun of all of it, and DT is absolutely included. Also, at this point, it's pretty obvious that he's intentionally being silly with this whole "rivalry" thing since he's getting a reaction.

And yeah, these guys are not going to have some kind of big commercial breakthrough, even if they do end up being good. What they're playing isn't marketable. Heck, most of the people who ARE marketable these days don't even get much backing. Only a select few get much push from the big players in the industry.

[Kwyjibo]

This new is a bit on the nose I think, plus I feel he's made this point before. https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903580602238099456

I'm really getting tired of Derek making these kinds of juvenile not-so-subtle jabs. Yes, Derek, we get it. I'll still listen to JR's solo material before yours.

Really going to sour me on picking up a copy of SoA's debut if this keeps up.

Funny you should say that, another one just popped up: https://twitter.com/DerekSherinian/status/903605469876371456

Is that the "swagger of Van Halen" they were talking about? Sorry, can't beat Sammy or Dave when it comes to being big-mouthed.

And what is a "shreik" anyway?

[bosk1]

One thing that will benefit them greatly is if they can get on the festival circuit so they can play to large crowds (and the payday isn't bad either for those).  I'm sure they know this.  With Mike's connections, hopefully, they can make that happen.  I think that is probably one of the best marketing moves a band like this could make.  If the crowd likes your show, you've instantly exposed yourself to thousands of potential new fans who will spread the word.  And you get the YouTube exposure from people clicking on other more known bands who played at whatever the festival and then your band showing up on the playlist.  If they can manage to snag some decent festival bookings, they'll be golden.

[cramx3]

I don't see why they couldn't assuming they are committing to this like they say they are, just have your summers open to tour Europe and I see no reason why they couldn't make the bills at the festivals.  Maybe not all of them and maybe not on the main stage, or late in the day, but that's what it takes to make it.  Got to play the shows.