- For all the "deep reveal" of the time at 5:00, I notice that not ONE PERSON HERE has mentioned the point at 10:00 or so where Mike was clear that he took responsibility and when he backed off the "magic happened" (a direct quote, to be found at 10:15 to 10:17).
Why would anyone necessarily have mentioned it? It isn't relevant to the point Kev was making. If you want to cite it for something to make your own point, cool. But it really has nothing to do with what Kev was saying.
I was simply observing that no one bothered to cite the part where he acted mature, adult and compromises for the better of the band.
- I'm deeply saddened by the close of the forum, but at the end of the day, it's HIS site. Who cares "why"?
Judging from a lot of the posts here and on social media, A LOT of people care about why. It matters.
Doesn't make them all right. Seems a lot of people care about the Kardashians. Do they matter? And more specific to this, he cited his reasons, and just as many people thing they have their own insight into why he closed it. He's made comments that the forum was a burden for a long time now, and it was clearly not his priority. He likes the Twitter.
Why should he matain a harbor, a port, for enemy ships? I wouldn't do it.
And this is really the crux of the matter--Mike failed to realize that it never was a "port for enemy ships." The vast majority of people of his site were fans and wanted to support him. Being critical, voicing disagreement, or not liking some of his music or some of the things he has done does not make one an "enemy." The forum community he had was far more of a positive promotional tool than a negative one, but he failed to see that and take advantage of it. Me made the same mistake 10 years ago when he shut down the forum at DT.net. He didn't realize what a vital and vibrant community it was, and that it would resurface here and STILL be a huge promotion machine for him and his projects (primarily DT). The rest of the band DID realize it and eventually got behind and supported what we are doing here. And, for the most part, when a negative or critical trend emerges and they get down about it, they see it for what it is and eventually move on from it and get back to "the fans on the forum are critical of X, but they are still behind us." Mike's unwillingness or inability to get into that mindset is, IMO, a flaw and a mistake. But it's his to make.
In recent weeks though, it was. It wasn't just about criticism of the work, though that too. There were people - not suggesting anyone in particular; this is not to be construed as a personal attack of any kind - that took it upon themselves to aggressively comment on HIM and his behavior.
I happen to agree with you that commentary on the work should be a two-way street, and I happen to think that perhaps there is some truth in what el Barto said.
Through all this crap I'm *still* looking forward to the music from Sons of Apollo. I just wish it didn't come with quite so much baggage.
Along these lines, this reinforces what I said about Dream Theater post-2010; it became fun to be a fan of the band again! In the mid to late 00s, Portnoy's presence and personality became so overbearing, whether it was in interviews or a making of DVD, that it sucked a lot of the fun out of being a fan, at least for me. Once he was gone, it was fun to be a fan again.
I'll NEVER understand this, but it is YOUR opinion.
Actually, it is an opinion shared by MANY (including me). So it might behoove you to try to understand it. That isn't to say you should necessarily agree with it. But understanding it has value.
I'm just the opposite; it became for lack of a better word, boring. There seemed to be a wall now between the band and the fans, at least for me. The Astonishing show I saw was so... clinical and cold and precise - the only exception being Petrucci's solo at the end of Act I (I think) - and honestly, if and when I think of that show, I immediately think of sitting in a bar with el Barto, and walking around the venue after the show because one of our other friends had it in her head to try to meet the band. They're still a great band - they certainly didn't forget how to play - and they still are a first day buy, but they have lost their elite "top three or five bands I like" status, but, it must be said, the slot was taken by Neal Morse and his band.
I happen to agree that it behooves (great word, by the way) us all to understand others' positions. But I don't at all think that the "number of people" that hold that opinion gives it any real substantive cred. I'm pretty much the lone wolf here in terms of balancing the commentary against Mike, and that doesn't 'make my opinion any less valid. I did, after all, happen to call the "Derek is joking, and pulling DTF's leg" point, as evidenced by his retweet saying just that a couple days ago.
Anyhow, more ON TOPIC, I've had Signs of the Time stuck in my head for a couple of days. Hope I don't get burned out on it by the time the album comes out. That's the downside of listening too much to a lead single or teaser track--sometimes, it gets too much exposure in isolation so that fans quickly tire of it once the album is finally released. Still looking forward to the album. Again, funny how after almost a year of absolute musical drought, probably the only candidates for new album purchases for me this year all come on the same date. Late October should be fun.
I'm really interested in hearing the album as a whole. I think one of the things about prog metal (and prog in general) is that the sum is usually greater than the individual parts. I think it is going to be an interesting listen. I would venture that it's at least possible that songs like Signs of the Time and Coming Home are better in context.
Topic: Mike Portnoy's "Prog Metal" supergroup: Sons of Apollo (Read 311047 times)
