Dream Theater - The Holiday Spirit Carries On

[KevShmev]

I used to wonder if they intended to do that at the time and realized how involving all of it was and dropped it or if they had no intention of following up on it but felt the need to address it at the time.

I never really held that against them because they never had the enthusiasm for it like Mike did.

Agreed.  It became obvious years ago that the band wasn't going to go to the lengths that Portnoy did regarding certain things, so if (the general) you are still disappointed by that in 2020, that is a (again, the general) you problem, not a band one. 

[ytserush]

Deck the halls..a little guitar part of We Three Kings, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Jingle Bells, closed with a bit of...I'll leave that for a surprise. I would like to have an entire song that comes from the heavy 2nd part of the intro. It is soo good.
And for the record.  I love the long epic songs. This one is 5ish minutes, and even though Christmas Carol's are kinda boring...year after year...I really wanted this song to keep going!

Thanks

Haven't heard it yet but I already wish it was longer.

[TAC]

I didn't realize they were raising money for their crew with this until I stumbled upon this video..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sYYWpbA4k

Which I'm sure I'm the last to see.



That's a great gesture by the band!

[Kotowboy]

Trivium did it too - but they just asked for donations - which I find a bit odd. At least put out something fans can actually buy.

Put out an EP of leftover songs from the last couple of albums - put it on BandCamp as a Pay Whatever You Want release

and some people will pay stupid money for it.

I'd never want to just ask for money. Especially when you could easily provide something in return quite easily.

[cramx3]

Nightwish's crew recorded an album of Nightwish songs to raise money.  I didn't get it, but I respect the bands showing support for their crew.  Even if it's just asking for some money, so be it. Not every band has the ability to put out a release along with it.

[King Postwhore]

I didn't realize they were raising money for their crew with this until I stumbled upon this video..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sYYWpbA4k

Which I'm sure I'm the last to see.



That's a great gesture by the band!

Self realization is a good thing Tim.

[Chino]

Really early on in Covid, Steel Panther had a "Steel Panther Saves the World" show. They played a 75-90 minute set online. Tickets were only 15 bucks and the money went towards the crew. It was a good show.

[Kotowboy]

Weirdly - on my birthday - I got a DM from a follower asking If I had a Paypal so they could send me some birthday £.

I said I wasn't comfortable accepting money - even from an online friend - but they could buy some of my music.

That Way I still get the £ and I don't feel like I owe anything in return.

They didn't want to ?

[TAC]

I didn't realize they were raising money for their crew with this until I stumbled upon this video..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sYYWpbA4k

Which I'm sure I'm the last to see.



That's a great gesture by the band!

Self realization is a good thing Tim.

I just thought they made a Christmas song in quarantine. It almost makes me feel bad for slagging their lack of "extras". That still stands, but it is nice of them to do something for the crew.

[MinistroRaven]

The song just popped up on my youtube.
Someone made a chart of Guitar Hero out of it.
Pretty good.

[hunnus2000]

I bought this last Friday and chipped in a some extra cabbage for the crew so here are some immediate thoughts:

1) Love it! Typical DT that we all know and love!
2) This is the most percussive that I have heard from MM. (I'm talking about his fills and accents)
3) I wonder if this will change their business model. During the downtime, release some tunes every month and put them up for sale during downtime.

[Stadler]

Bought it and loved it.  Gave a little extra in the spirit of the holidays.   

[TheLordOfTheStrings]

Love that they threw in a quick little bit of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" at 4:05.

[hunnus2000]

Love that they threw in a quick little bit of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" at 4:05.

Good catch. I didn't grow up singing that song but I couldn't put my finger on that passage.

[Madman Shepherd]

I actually missed that too. Even knowing the time stamp it took my a moment before I could catch the proggy melody.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Love that they threw in a quick little bit of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" at 4:05.

I liked that too, because when I first saw that they made this track, my first thought was “wait isn’t Jordan Jewish?”

[ytserush]

I really like this, especially the beginning.

[evilasiojr]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=235851041237704&id=100044384291096

Drum intro of the song on MM's FB page.

I wish they posted a video of all the guys playing this song, maybe in a split screen style, as holiday gift for the fans. I just loved the vibe of the song man!

[hunnus2000]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=235851041237704&id=100044384291096

Drum intro of the song on MM's FB page.

I wish they posted a video of all the guys playing this song, maybe in a split screen style, as holiday gift for the fans. I just loved the vibe of the song man!

How anyone can watch that and call MM's playing robotic is beyond me.   

[Ben_Jamin]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=235851041237704&id=100044384291096

Drum intro of the song on MM's FB page.

I wish they posted a video of all the guys playing this song, maybe in a split screen style, as holiday gift for the fans. I just loved the vibe of the song man!

It would've been neat to have that along with the song.

[gzarruk]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=235851041237704&id=100044384291096

Drum intro of the song on MM's FB page.

I wish they posted a video of all the guys playing this song, maybe in a split screen style, as holiday gift for the fans. I just loved the vibe of the song man!

WOW!

There seems to be a full song drum video but Mike said he didn't upload the whole thing because the song is still available for purchase this week. Hope he decides to upload the full video soon, though, that was incredible Really digging the smaller kit too!

[evilasiojr]

It seems to me that the smaller kit really brings up the best of Mike's creativity. Those initial fills are sooo tasteful. I would be glad to see him play on a smaller kit for new DT stuff.

[gzarruk]

It seems to me that the smaller kit really brings up the best of Mike's creativity. Those initial fills are sooo tasteful. I would be glad to see him play on a smaller kit for new DT stuff.

His D/T kit was already "smaller" but this one is set up a bit differently too, it's nore of a righty kit instead of an abidextrous kit.

[Ben_Jamin]

It seems to me that the smaller kit really brings up the best of Mike's creativity. Those initial fills are sooo tasteful. I would be glad to see him play on a smaller kit for new DT stuff.

His D/T kit was already "smaller" but this one is set up a bit differently too, it's nore of a righty kit instead of an abidextrous kit.

I quite enjoy how he is experimenting with his drums.

[devieira73]

Really interesting this smaller kit... MM commented if he used/will use this kit for the full album?

[gzarruk]

Really interesting this smaller kit... MM commented if he used/will use this kit for the full album?

He already recorded the drums for DT15 and posted a pic of his green bass drum (the one on Distant Memories) mic'ed up, so that's the kit he used for the album (I assume).

[The Letter M]

It seems to me that the smaller kit really brings up the best of Mike's creativity. Those initial fills are sooo tasteful. I would be glad to see him play on a smaller kit for new DT stuff.

His D/T kit was already "smaller" but this one is set up a bit differently too, it's nore of a righty kit instead of an abidextrous kit.

I quite enjoy how he is experimenting with his drums.

Same, I love his ambidextrous kits, it's something fresh for the band. Regardless of his final sound on the albums, his approach is still very interesting to me as a drummer. After his audition, I was worried he'd try too hard to be like Portnoy, down to having the same exact kit set up, but 8j retrospect I'm glad he came up with something unique.

-Marc.

[hunnus2000]

It seems to me that the smaller kit really brings up the best of Mike's creativity. Those initial fills are sooo tasteful. I would be glad to see him play on a smaller kit for new DT stuff.

His D/T kit was already "smaller" but this one is set up a bit differently too, it's nore of a righty kit instead of an abidextrous kit.

I quite enjoy how he is experimenting with his drums.

Same, I love his ambidextrous kits, it's something fresh for the band. Regardless of his final sound on the albums, his approach is still very interesting to me as a drummer. After his audition, I was worried he'd try too hard to be like Portnoy, down to having the same exact kit set up, but 8j retrospect I'm glad he came up with something unique.

-Marc.

I am of the opinion that for some people, he is not enough like MP and that's why and that's why some prefer MP over MM.

[gzarruk]

Some comments by Mike on this video post on his Instagram account:

The drums you hear are not the ones you see. I'm playing to the drums used on the next DT album that Jimmy T and I configured and HE alone mixed.

I set this kit as a 2nd studio kit. It sounds great too!

So he recorded the track with the same DT15 kit, but this one was also set up in the studio (probably used on a few songs?) and recorded the video on this one.

[evilasiojr]

I saw those comments too and they got me confused.

Back when the song was released, he mentioned that it had been recorded on a smaller and simpler kit and you can notice that throughout the song too. But after the intro video he posted he is talking about differences in mics and setup ups on his home drum kit and the studio one, how this was not the kit he used to track the song and stuff like that.

So I really don't know whether the kit was actually smaller and simpler or not, or if he tracked the drums of this tune at home or at the studio. But what seems to be confirmed is that there was a 2nd kit setup in the studio sessions for DT15, which is interesting.

[Ben_Jamin]

Some comments by Mike on this video post on his Instagram account:

The drums you hear are not the ones you see. I'm playing to the drums used on the next DT album that Jimmy T and I configured and HE alone mixed.

I set this kit as a 2nd studio kit. It sounds great too!

So he recorded the track with the same DT15 kit, but this one was also set up in the studio (probably used on a few songs?) and recorded the video on this one.

It wouldn't surprise me if he uses that to Rehearse on and then records on the one he used on the Holiday Medley.

[hunnus2000]

Quick question - does anyone know if the count off at the very beginning is from a movie or cartoon?

[geeeemo]

Quick question - does anyone know if the count off at the very beginning is from a movie or cartoon?

I wondered if it was Mike Mangini with his voice altered.....

[kirksnosehair]

It could be but I think it might be one of the band members' or studio/recording/mixing crew's kids.

[hunnus2000]

The voice makes me think of a tiny German lady who tutors piano lessons. It reminds me of The Sound of Music even though no such character exists in that movie.

It's my current ring tone.