My life as told by the albums that shaped me: now featuring: DT (2 of 4)

[Orbert]

Back in the 80's, I remember thinking Toto was not only a silly name for a band, but also that they weren't particularly special.  A catchy song ("Rosanna") and a pretty good sound, but still a dime a dozen.  Then I happened to catch the full-length version of the video on MTV, the one where they go into the jam at the end for no discernable reason.  Okay, I'm a sucker for a band that will do something like that, announce to the world that they can actually play and aren't afraid to show it, and an extended jam fits that bill.  Something changed.  Next time around, I actually listened to the song.  Great production, great sound, pretty cool arrangement, and yeah, these guys can play.

I've only picked up a couple of Toto albums over the years, and honestly they've never grabbed me the way full-on Prog does, but they definitely have chops and seem to be pretty cool guys as well.  They earned my respect.

[Max Kuehnau]

Back in the 80's, I remember thinking Toto was not only a silly name for a band, but also that they weren't particularly special.  A catchy song ("Rosanna") and a pretty good sound, but still a dime a dozen.  Then I happened to catch the full-length version of the video on MTV, the one where they go into the jam at the end for no discernable reason.  Okay, I'm a sucker for a band that will do something like that, announce to the world that they can actually play and aren't afraid to show it, and an extended jam fits that bill.  Something changed.  Next time around, I actually listened to the song.  Great production, great sound, pretty cool arrangement, and yeah, these guys can play.

I've only picked up a couple of Toto albums over the years, and honestly they've never grabbed me the way full-on Prog does, but they definitely have chops and seem to be pretty cool guys as well.  They earned my respect.

you will love them all, I'm sure. There are nuggets for us musicians throughout all of them.

[Kwyjibo]

Can't go wrong with Toto.

[Max Kuehnau]

Can't go wrong with Toto.

No, you can't

[Max Kuehnau]

Album No. 11: Steve Vai: Fire Garden (still age 6)

As it happened, one of my father's colleagues at work (amateurish guitarist for fun, computer scientist by trade, like my father) gave him copies of Steve Vai's first four albums (Flexable, Passion And Warfare and Sex And Religion and Fire Garden, plus a copy of the first G3 live album), saying that Vai is a great guitarist and listening to him would mess with my father's brain and make him a better person. (what a funster). That's what happened though. Enter Mike Mangini. (now you see that I've been a fan of him way before I discovered DT and Porty) Just when I thought I discovered a lot, these two come along and open up what seemed like completely uncharted territory. I loved what I heard. I couldn't dissect it though let alone play it. (took me until 2012, now I know that Mike is a master in just about everything, even what I now know as irrational rhythms. And remember, I knew about some slightly unusual things already as you've read already. Discovering Steve Vai was another level though.)

up next: Rammstein

[wolfking]

That whole Fire Garden album is amazing top to bottom.  I haven't listened to that in a long time.

[Max Kuehnau]

That whole Fire Garden album is amazing top to bottom.  I haven't listened to that in a long time.

Yes it is and you should give it a go. My favourite by him. (Mike appears on Bangkok and Fire Garden Suite, which I see as one continuous piece. Splendid.) Fire Garden is one of those that I listen to every day (or well, almost) for inspiration (as is anything by Genesis, Toto, Sade and well, most of the artists I mentioned here and given that nowadays, MM is the only drummer to be able to wow me for various reasons. Mind you, I didn't actively analyse the album at that age already, I just enjoyed it.) On another note, welcome to you as another person that seems to be interested. I hope you enjoyed the ride so far.

[wolfking]

Fire and Crying Machine I think were always my favs.  I freaking love Mysterious Murder, what an awesome minute of music that is.  The Fire Garden Suite of course is brilliant and Dying Day is nice too.  Genocide and Warm Regards end the whole album off nicely.

[Max Kuehnau]

Fire and Crying Machine I think were always my favs.  I freaking love Mysterious Murder, what an awesome minute of music that is.  The Fire Garden Suite of course is brilliant and Dying Day is nice too.  Genocide and Warm Regards end the whole album off nicely.

Yes.  Not one extraneous note on the entire album.

[Kwyjibo]

That whole Fire Garden album is amazing top to bottom.  I haven't listened to that in a long time.

Yes to both.

Vai's vocals aren't the best but they fit the few songs he's singing and his guitar playing is out of this world. But my favorite remains Passion & Warfare.

[Max Kuehnau]

That whole Fire Garden album is amazing top to bottom.  I haven't listened to that in a long time.

Yes to both.

Vai's vocals aren't the best but they fit the few songs he's singing and his guitar playing is out of this world. But my favorite remains Passion & Warfare.

That's a cool album too (of course, what else? They all are)

[wolfking]

Shout out to the underrated Ultra Zone.

[Max Kuehnau]

Shout out to the underrated Ultra Zone.

fantastic, I love it

[Max Kuehnau]

album No. 12: Rammstein: Herzeleid and Sehnsucht (age 7)

These two were the first ones I bought for myself, after seeing Rammstein on the Rockpalast TV show (legendary and underrated German TV show showing all kinds of artists live) Rammstein were controversial, even then. I was looked at very weirdly when I bought these two and handed them to the cash register, oh dear (I didn't mind though) Very precise music.

up next: Van Halen

[Fritzinger]

album No. 12: Rammstein: Herzeleid and Sehnsucht (age 7)

These two were the first ones I bought for myself, after seeing Rammstein on the Rockpalast TV show (legendary and underrated German TV show showing all kinds of artists live) Rammstein were controversial, even then. I was looked at very weirdly when I bought these two and handed them to the cash register, oh dear (I didn't mind though) Very precise music.

up next: Van Halen

I love that even today, people still fall for their controversial schtick.. people just can't understand that those guys are not Nazis, they are not violent. They want to be controversial and if some outraged 56 year old suburban mom with dyed curly hair is completely outraged by their provocations, then they got exactly what they wanted

[Max Kuehnau]

album No. 12: Rammstein: Herzeleid and Sehnsucht (age 7)

These two were the first ones I bought for myself, after seeing Rammstein on the Rockpalast TV show (legendary and underrated German TV show showing all kinds of artists live) Rammstein were controversial, even then. I was looked at very weirdly when I bought these two and handed them to the cash register, oh dear (I didn't mind though) Very precise music.

up next: Van Halen

I love that even today, people still fall for their controversial schtick.. people just can't understand that those guys are not Nazis, they are not violent. They want to be controversial and if some outraged 56 year old suburban mom with dyed curly hair is completely outraged by their provocations, then they got exactly what they wanted

exactly. It's art innit. Alice Cooper had the same effect on me. I consider him to be their progenitor. (there will be an installment on Alice as well btw)

[Max Kuehnau]

Album No. 13: Van Halen: VH1 (still age 7)

The irony with me discovering this album was that right before I first listened to this album, my mum played some Led Zeppelin album (LZ4 probably, can't remember. It was tormenting though) I randomly pick VH1 and right when I played it, I was absolutely flabbergasted. What a drum sound. (and everything else as well) That rhythm section as well.

Up next: DT (aaah, finally innit )

[Max Kuehnau]

Sorry I forgot to keep my roulette going. On we go:

Album No. 14: DT: Images And Words and Live At The Marquee (age: 8) (you've been waiting for them to appear, didn't you? Come on, admit it. No shame )

The same person getting me and my father into Steve Vai also got us into listening to DT for the first time. He gave us a copy of I/W (that got worn out very quickly, in a month's time) saying something along the lines of: "You really should listen to Dream Theater, they are crazy and perfect for you lot, you'll love them." Until that point in time we never even knew who DT are, mind you. (yes, that happens, believe it or not) My father throws on I/W, Pull Me Under hits and our jaws were down. I don't even need to mention Met1 and Learning To Live (jaws being dislocated by that point innit ) and by way of I/W, my love of DT came to be. (and my father's as well, up until Met2)

[Orbert]

Images and Words was groundbreaking for me, as it was for many people.  If not the first Progressive Metal album, certainly the one that put it on the map.  I've never been a huge metal fan, though there are some metal bands that I like and I understand the appeal.  So power!  So heavy sound!  But approaching metal with prog sensibilities was new.  Even just integrating keyboards into metal was new.  I picked up Images and Words right away, followed shortly by Awake and A Change of Seasons.  I didn't pick up Live at the Marquee until later.  But Dream Theater was, and still is, one of the few "new" bands for whom I have physical copies of every release.

[Max Kuehnau]

Images and Words was groundbreaking for me, as it was for many people.  If not the first Progressive Metal album, certainly the one that put it on the map.  I've never been a huge metal fan, though there are some metal bands that I like and I understand the appeal.  So power!  So heavy sound!  But approaching metal with prog sensibilities was new.  Even just integrating keyboards into metal was new.  I picked up Images and Words right away, followed shortly by Awake and A Change of Seasons.  I didn't pick up Live at the Marquee until later.  But Dream Theater was, and still is, one of the few "new" bands for whom I have physical copies of every release.

of course, once we listened to I/W and Marquee, we instantly stocked up on every album and live release that was out there at that particular point (which then was up until Once In A Livetime), much to my mum's dismay I might add

[Stadler]

Images and Words was groundbreaking for me, as it was for many people.  If not the first Progressive Metal album, certainly the one that put it on the map.  I've never been a huge metal fan, though there are some metal bands that I like and I understand the appeal.  So power!  So heavy sound!  But approaching metal with prog sensibilities was new.  Even just integrating keyboards into metal was new.  I picked up Images and Words right away, followed shortly by Awake and A Change of Seasons.  I didn't pick up Live at the Marquee until later.  But Dream Theater was, and still is, one of the few "new" bands for whom I have physical copies of every release.

All of this.  The only thing I would add is that they also had the "pop" aspect too.  I grew up a metal head - Maiden, Sabbath, Priest, Ozzy - and I had the prog side - Genesis, Yes, ELP - but I also had what I then called a "guilty pleasure" - Journey, Night Ranger, Duran Duran - and with James, it was all that metal and prog, but a guy that could sing like Steve Perry.  It was everything I loved - even some Pink Floyd! - all wrapped up in one band.  From I/W through Octavarium, I don't think there's any band that covers ALL the facets of what I listen to quite like DT.   Maiden has the metal and the prog, Genesis has the prog and the pop, Yes has the prog and a little rock and a little pop, Kiss has the metal and the pop, etc. etc. but DT was and still is (well, the run I said above) the full monty.

I got I/W in real time, after hearing it on MTV and my local radio station (WPLR) and I haven't looked back.  Blew me away then, still blows me away today.  I love everything about that album, start to finish (yes, even the much despised drum samples). 

[The Walrus]

I got into DT around the end of middle school going into high school. I'd always get to school about 30-45 minutes early because my dad would drop me off on his way to work, so I'd stand outside and listen to music on my iPod. I remember playing I&W a lot during those mornings my freshman year, one day in particular when I would replay Take The Time over and over. Still remains one of their finest songs imo. What a magical album. I don't listen to DT much at all nowadays but that album is still very very fun to hear.

[Indiscipline]

I got it on release during a blind dive at the record store, no expectations or previous knowledge. I was a 14 years old kid in his metal phase (started at 8 when I heard my brother playing Flash of the Blade, and I felt the irrepressible urge to run like a spaz around the house, screaming with joy) while metal was falling off its prime at warp speed.

After two minutes on the turntable I was sold, completely in love when switching to side B, positive I had found my band while LtL was fading out.

I'm still waiting for another perfect 100% killer rock album in my life, but I'm not holding my breath.

[HOF]

I’m sure Imaged & Words is the reason most of us are here. It definitely blew my mind when I first heard it around ‘97-98. It wasn’t even the first thing I’d heard from DT (I have a vague memory of hearing Caught in a Web on the radio several times around Awake’s release), but when I heard I&W I was hooked. There have been a few but not many albums that absorbed my attention the way it did back then.

[Max Kuehnau]

Album No. 15: DT: Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory (age 9)

This one had been my favourite DT album for the entire remainder of the Portnoy era (until ADTOE and DT12 came out, more on these at their respective points) When this album came out, there was exuberant joy in our house twice a day every day (we would throw it on twice a day daily back then) Hello Victoria, so glad to see you my friend. BOOM. (cue D minor chord) What a relief it was after FII, which I found dull even then. Thanks Jordan. This was also the time when I was diagnosed being on the spectrum. The Met2 tour was the first time seeing DT ever for me.  (this was the setlist that day: https://www.mikeportnoy.com/dates/MPTourography/ShowInfo.aspx?showId=574) My father considers Met2 the greatest album ever, still to this day. (Now, I'm known for being an anti-Porty person. I wasn't at the time. Why did I become one? I met him twice. Not something I remember fondly. I won't go into any details because Bosk or Scotty would be after me in that case. Nothing I would want to happen to me or you, because the series would be stopped then, and some of you would love to keep following)