Sons of Apollo (feat. Portnoy & Sherinian)

[Lethean]

I think Stadler's advice on these matters is the way to go (and the way I always try to go).  If someone is doing/saying/tweeting the things that DS, or for another example, the tweeter in chief, does/says/tweets, there's no need to resort to name calling. They're sadly giving you plenty of legitimate things to take them to task for.


 (And I don't know what the language rules here are, but if you ask me, that particular word shouldn't be used when referring to anyone - member or ex-member of DT or not).

[bill1971]

In other news, I've managed to fall out with the band on Twitter since I expressed my disappointment over the dynamic range, despite trying to be really rather polite about it. Nice to know Jay Ruston and Jeff Scott Soto think my stereo is rubbish, though

JSS said something to you?

[nobloodyname]

To be fair to him, he liked responses from Sherinian and Ruston that were aimed at me rather than responding to me directly.

[a51502112]

When the SOA album/band was first announced I was pretty pumped. Then, the BS with MP and DS started. I still have not purchased or listened to the album and will not. I'm not even that much into DT anymore, but SOA don't deserve my money.
I used to admire MP for his sobriety, work ethic, etc.. but it seems he'll never learn. He gets what he gets.

Their obsession with mentioning Dream Theater/The Astonishing at every opportunity is beyond pathetic at this stage.

Of note there is that a fan wanted to talk about Sons of Apollo, and wrote enthusiastically about the idea of the band making a concept album. Engage with that? Keep it on the topic of Sons of Apollo? Keep it positive and encourage the discussion of their new band? Nope. Make it all about Dream Theater instead.

MP, remind us please why you shut down your Forum. I seem to remember you were annoyed at all Sons of Apollo conversation eventually veering into mentions of Dream Theater. Didn't you instruct your moderators to ban anyone who brought up "that other band" during discussions of your new one?

[erwinrafael]

@nobloodyname

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with what Jay said:

"Maybe it’s your stereo. This record is at least 2-3 dB quieter than most commercial releases these days."

Or what Derek said:

"I am sorry you are not enjoying it loud, I crank it daily in my car and think it sounds amazing...this is a first to hear for me."

The only thing I found about their tweets is they sort of contradict each other. DS sort of confirmed with his tweet that it is loud. 

[bill1971]

@nobloodyname

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with what Jay said:

"Maybe it’s your stereo. This record is at least 2-3 dB quieter than most commercial releases these days."

Or what Derek said:

"I am sorry you are not enjoying it loud, I crank it daily in my car and think it sounds amazing...this is a first to hear for me."

The only thing I found about their tweets is they sort of contradict each other. DS sort of confirmed with his tweet that it is loud. 

Yeah, those responses don't sound too bad.

[ganpondorodf]

Derek drives around listening to his own album every day?

[bill1971]

Their obsession with mentioning Dream Theater/The Astonishing at every opportunity is beyond pathetic at this stage.

Of note there is that a fan wanted to talk about Sons of Apollo, and wrote enthusiastically about the idea of the band making a concept album. Engage with that? Keep it on the topic of Sons of Apollo? Keep it positive and encourage the discussion of their new band? Nope. Make it all about Dream Theater instead.

MP, remind us please why you shut down your Forum. I seem to remember you were annoyed at all Sons of Apollo conversation eventually veering into mentions of Dream Theater. Didn't you instruct your moderators to ban anyone who brought up "that other band" during discussions of your new one?

I think they both feel very hurt that DT doesn't want them in their band any longer.
It reminds me of that Frasier episode where Lilith and her new man rents the bungalo next to Frasier and his new woman and he continues to feel threatened including jumping up and down and bed making "love" noises by himself to make Lilith jealous.

Ok that was a strange analogy.

[nobloodyname]

@nobloodyname

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with what Jay said:

"Maybe it’s your stereo. This record is at least 2-3 dB quieter than most commercial releases these days."

Or what Derek said:

"I am sorry you are not enjoying it loud, I crank it daily in my car and think it sounds amazing...this is a first to hear for me."

The only thing I found about their tweets is they sort of contradict each other. DS sort of confirmed with his tweet that it is loud. 

Nah, they're not contradictory.

It's the tone of the exchange rather than those specific tweets. Aside from that, the wave form IS clipped in places and yes, you can hear it on a decent set-up and cranked loud.

Although, it is, of course, my implied poor set-up that's the issue.

To state the bleeding obvious, just because it's 2-3 dB quieter than anything else doesn't make it any good sonically.

[Cool Chris]

I think they both feel very hurt that DT doesn't want them in their band any longer.

Any longer? DT hasn't want Derek in their band for 20 years. 

[pcs90]

@nobloodyname

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with what Jay said:

"Maybe it’s your stereo. This record is at least 2-3 dB quieter than most commercial releases these days."

Or what Derek said:

"I am sorry you are not enjoying it loud, I crank it daily in my car and think it sounds amazing...this is a first to hear for me."

The only thing I found about their tweets is they sort of contradict each other. DS sort of confirmed with his tweet that it is loud. 

I don't see anything wrong with these, if anything they're a lot more respectful than what usually gets discussed in this thread. I do find it a little amusing that DS listens to his own album every day, though. I feel like you'd want to have a little break of the album between now and the tour?

[gzarruk]

@nobloodyname

Well, I think there's nothing wrong with what Jay said:

"Maybe it’s your stereo. This record is at least 2-3 dB quieter than most commercial releases these days."

Or what Derek said:

"I am sorry you are not enjoying it loud, I crank it daily in my car and think it sounds amazing...this is a first to hear for me."

The only thing I found about their tweets is they sort of contradict each other. DS sort of confirmed with his tweet that it is loud. 

I don't see anything wrong with these, if anything they're a lot more respectful than what usually gets discussed in this thread. I do find it a little amusing that DS listens to his own album every day, though. I feel like you'd want to have a little break of the album between now and the tour?

Honestly, I don't think he has anything else to do other than listening to the album daily and trolling on social media.

[Stadler]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much? 

[gzarruk]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

I would ask Derek that.

[MirrorMask]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

Because it's human nature and we're no different from people gossiping about TV celebrities or pop stars.

Imagine a scenario where Lady Gaga continues to tweet stuff like #no-whatever-Madonna-is-doing, don't you think fans of Madonna would debate at length how Lady Gaga has no class and blablabla?  well, same with metalheads and the likes. We've all drank deep at the fountain of feuds between Bruce Dickinson and Maiden when they were apart, Ozzy and Sabbath etc...

[bill1971]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

Like you are doing by asking that question?

[Stadler]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

I would ask Derek that.

I believe he's already answered that, and I've already covered that ground here.  Not going there again.

[Stadler]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

Like you are doing by asking that question?

Believe me, my one post doesn't hold a candle.   And anyway, aren't I supposed to be the fanboy?   Even I've given it a rest. 

[The Walrus]

Clearly you haven't.



(I'm having fun, Stadler, I hope you know that.)

[ganpondorodf]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

Terrifying, isn't it

[Stadler]

Clearly you haven't.



(I'm having fun, Stadler, I hope you know that.)

I do.   

[Adami]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

[Stadler]

Man, oh man, I can't believe the amount of air time some of you guys are giving to something you profess to not like.   Why spend so much time on something that irks you so much?

That's scarring.  I'm uncomfortable.   

[Adami]

Feel free to tweet about it. 

[ProfessorPeart]

Not that it matters to most here, but Metal Wani posted up an audio interview with Mike 2 days ago. Mike essentially said that he regrets the 'Prog Metal' tag at the start of the sessions. He had fully intended it to be just that, but that during writing things went in a different direction and he didn't want to stop it. He wanted to embrace it and let it flow.

Now back to your regularly scheduled MP/DS negachatter.

[bill1971]

I guess now MP not only played in 87 different bands, he started them. I never knew he started Twisted Sister, Fates Warning and Avenged Sevenfold, pretty impressive.

“Launching a new band is never easy (take it from the man who has launched about 87 of them!), but when you have such an incredibly strong launching point as SOA does, the sky's the limit! We look forward to getting this band on the road and playing all over the world throughout 2018...tour dates are coming very soon!"

[MirrorMask]

Not that it matters to most here, but Metal Wani posted up an audio interview with Mike 2 days ago. Mike essentially said that he regrets the 'Prog Metal' tag at the start of the sessions. He had fully intended it to be just that, but that during writing things went in a different direction and he didn't want to stop it. He wanted to embrace it and let it flow.

And there's nothing wrong with that. But then why insisting on all the comparisons with DT and how this album would challenge them?

[DragonAttack]

I've tried off and on listening to this debut Apollo album.  So far, only 'Gladiator' is reaching me.  A little different than I was expecting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OvED8hYnZg

[bill1971]

Not that it matters to most here, but Metal Wani posted up an audio interview with Mike 2 days ago. Mike essentially said that he regrets the 'Prog Metal' tag at the start of the sessions. He had fully intended it to be just that, but that during writing things went in a different direction and he didn't want to stop it. He wanted to embrace it and let it flow.

Now back to your regularly scheduled MP/DS negachatter.

What throne is he reclaiming then?

Mike: The second song is Coming Home, which will debut on Friday… [interview was done a few weeks back]

Derek: …and unofficially, the “Mike Portnoy theme song”…

Mike: Derek has been quoted saying elsewhere…

Derek: He’s coming home to reclaim the throne of the genre that he created. We wanted the song to lyrically really fit that spirit.

Mike: Third song of the album is Signs of the Time which was the first thing that we put out just for people to get a taste of the band. It’s got a little bit of everything: it’s got the heavy riffs, the hooky chorus, and the shredding solo. That felt like a good first taste to see a little bit of everything which the band has.

[Nekov]

I've tried off and on listening to this debut Apollo album.  So far, only 'Gladiator' is reaching me.  A little different than I was expecting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OvED8hYnZg

I like this one better 

[SjundeInseglet]

Here is Ron Thal showing why he's the best thing to ever happen to Sons of Apollo: https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=3000s&v=wK3VvjTZh00 (the SoA content begins around the 50:00 mark). Amazing player and a really nice guy. If only some of the other SoA guys could take a cue from him...

[gzarruk]

Here is Ron Thal showing why he's the best thing to ever happen to Sons of Apollo: https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=3000s&v=wK3VvjTZh00 (the SoA content begins around the 50:00 mark). Amazing player and a really nice guy. If only some of the other SoA guys could take a cue from him...

Ron is amazing! What a great guitar player

[Sycsa]

Looking at Ron almost makes me want to forget Derek’s sins and buy the album. Almost.

[ReaperKK]

Here is Ron Thal showing why he's the best thing to ever happen to Sons of Apollo: https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=3000s&v=wK3VvjTZh00 (the SoA content begins around the 50:00 mark). Amazing player and a really nice guy. If only some of the other SoA guys could take a cue from him...

Ron is amazing! What a great guitar player

Yea Ron is a savage.

[Anxiety35]

I still think it's good but I don't know if it will have staying power. And I still think this is a lot of wasted opportunities, some more time spent composing, some more variety and you could have had a great disc.

I'd have to think the second album will be better, especially after the band is road tested.

Agreed. As they gel together and maybe come up with riffs on the road, that could give them some more time to write songs than just pumping them out as fast as they can.