Re: DT16 Timeline Thread - John finished recording guitar parts

[Cool Chris]

One thing I DON'T want:  some tribute to Charlie because they feel like they "have to" because of the fans. 

I feel bad saying this, but I can't imagine there would be a ton a fans at a show clamoring for a tribute to the guy who sang on one album 35 years ago.

[EPIC Outro]

Then they should play it for those dedicated fans who are clamoring for such a tribute.

[gborland]

Then they should play it for those dedicated fans who are clamoring for such a tribute.

Not that many, honestly.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I can imagine dedication of a single song but I don't think it's going beyond that. It's clearly not a popular album and I don't think that's why everyone is clamoring for this tour.

[Cool Chris]

I can imagine dedication of a single song but I don't think it's going beyond that. It's clearly not a popular album and I don't think that's why everyone is clamoring for this tour.

HA The Charlie Dominici Memorial Tour (and Mike Portnoy is back too, and it's their 40th anniversary)

[EPIC Outro]

One song would be plenty. And given that this is their 40th anniversary tour, I think it's unlikely they won't represent their first album - especially since they haven't played anything from it in nearly a decade.

I also think those three big drum hits that start A Fortune in Lies would be a great way to start a concert - and signal Portnoy's return.

[Kocak]

No recent updates. JM must be recording.

[gzarruk]

No recent updates. JM must be recording.

It all makes sense

[Kocak]

It all makes sense

  

[Wim Kruithof]

No recent updates. JM must be recording.

Brilliant.

[Dream Team]

I'm fairly sure the last DT album I listened to without hearing a note of it ahead of time was Octavarium. Going to make an attempt at that again, almost 20 years later  . Going to be real difficult if a single is out 2 months ahead of time and everyone is raving about it . . .

[TheLordOfTheStrings]

I asked JR on Patreon when keyboard tracking was gonna start and he said June. They’re either taking their time to record this or it’s taking a lot of time to record. Makes me wonder what they actually have cookin.

[Schurftkut]

damn, and then vocals still have to be recorded, if lyrics are already done by then

[illusionist]

I asked JR on Patreon when keyboard tracking was gonna start and he said June. They’re either taking their time to record this or it’s taking a lot of time to record. Makes me wonder what they actually have cookin.

Jordan is on tour with the Dregs again.
June is coming very soon.
My guess is that lyrics take a lot of time to be written, and they want them to be fitting for what they have come up with musically.
Especially if it's a concept album. Or, a double album.
But thanks for the update since we aren't Patreons and don't have access to Jordan privately.

[evilasiojr]

I asked JR on Patreon when keyboard tracking was gonna start and he said June. They’re either taking their time to record this or it’s taking a lot of time to record. Makes me wonder what they actually have cookin.

Following their regular schedule, I too think it seems longer tha usual, which can mean either that they are into something, like a longer than usual album, or they are just taking their time to make it as good as possible.

[Zydar]

I guess now that MPs back in the band, its....




....time to take the tiiiiiiiiiime.

[MirrorMask]

Following their regular schedule, I too think it seems longer tha usual, which can mean either that they are into something, like a longer than usual album, or they are just taking their time to make it as good as possible.

Wouldn't the writing period be the moment to do that? now they're recording it, drum tracks are already there and you  can't variate from it, there's only so much you can do to improve a song that you already wrote, and for which drum tracks are already there waiting for you....

[hefdaddy42]

Wouldn't the writing period be the moment to do that? now they're recording it, drum tracks are already there and you  can't variate from it, there's only so much you can do to improve a song that you already wrote, and for which drum tracks are already there waiting for you....

There's a ton you can still do, from additional/complementary guitar patches/voicings to multiple keyboard voicings and layers to all kinds of other sweeteners, such as guest musicians/orchestral parts.  Really, the sky is the limit, and there's no reason that any of that kind of thing had to be "completed" in the writing stage.

[gzarruk]

Not saying this is what they'll do, but if they already have some lyrics written by the time they finish with the bass, they could totally start recording the vocals without having to wait for Jordan to return... BUT it does seem like they're taking longer than usual with this.

[cramx3]

To me, it just seems DT kind of got started a bit early.  Basically they got started on this album before completing their previous commitments so guys like MP and JR have come and gone from the studio since the process began.  Basically a huge positive for owning your own studio is you don't have to manage the time the same way as renting it out.  I'm not really sure, from my understanding, that the timing of this has anything to do with them cooking up something special (that may be happening, who knows) or them running into any issues, but just the way the scheduling is working out.

[gborland]

Either way, the fact that it is taking a long time is a good thing, IMO. If they're busy with other commitments, that still means they're allowing time for everything to settle and not doing a rush job. If they realise that with the benefit of a few weeks' respite there's something in a song that just isn't working, they can still tweak.

[Stadler]

Look, speculation alert and I'll be the first to admit there is literally not one gram of evidence to support this, and in fact probably more than a couple pieces of evidence that point AGAINST this (including my own words from a couple months ago) but it is a thought that crossed my mind this morning:

Do you think maybe on the JP solo tour Mike and John talked about something unique or different or whatever for an album or at least an album/tour/cycle, and that triggered John to realize "hey, maybe we need to get back to our core group again"?  I'm not implying that anything they do couldn't have been done with Mike M., but for example, The Astonishing; it's simple physics that that project would have been different had Mike Portnoy been in the band.  I can't tell you HOW different - arrangements, lyrics, art, format, whatever - but simply having a different voice in the band would have by definition changed that.

[cramx3]

Either way, the fact that it is taking a long time is a good thing, IMO. If they're busy with other commitments, that still means they're allowing time for everything to settle and not doing a rush job. If they realise that with the benefit of a few weeks' respite there's something in a song that just isn't working, they can still tweak.

Yeah, I think I'd rather them say, hey lets break for a couple weeks and come back rather than hey we have a couple more days lets cram it all in.  But it's all still speculation other than a fact that they own their studio which allows them to have this flexibility.

[TAC]

Do you think maybe on the JP solo tour Mike and John talked about something unique or different or whatever for an album or at least an album/tour/cycle, and that triggered John to realize "hey, maybe we need to get back to our core group again"?  I'm not implying that anything they do couldn't have been done with Mike M., but for example, The Astonishing; it's simple physics that that project would have been different had Mike Portnoy been in the band.  I can't tell you HOW different - arrangements, lyrics, art, format, whatever - but simply having a different voice in the band would have by definition changed that.

Well, like you said, it's simple physics. Probably not notable other than being obvious.


I wouldn't say nothing was discussed on that tour, but I feel like it might be a stretch to think that there might be some specific direction of detail of their upcoming album. I mean. Maybe.

Maybe Mike tried to talk JP into doing something non instrumental outside of DT with a different vocalist. A new project, if you will. Who knows? I guess anything is possible.

[MoraWintersoul]

I'm hoping they double-checked if they actually can manufacture the physical albums by October then if they don't deliver a master by July-ish

[Mosh]

I bet they will get the CDs out in time but I won't be surprised if people are waiting until 2025 for vinyl albums - and they may have a disclaimer on preorders for that.

It might seem counterintuitive, but I think the recording schedule points very strongly to them trying to get the album out before the tour starts, with the worst case being a release mid European tour (which I think happened for ADTOE/BCSL maybe?). With JR and MP being so busy in the first half of the year and no touring plans for the summer, I feel like they would just wait for schedules to clear up and record later in the year rather than stagger things the way they have been if there wasn't a hurry to get everything finished in a timely manner. I'm also happy to hear that the band seems to be getting it done while also not rushing.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Sits back in my chair, knowing I was probably right about the album not being out before tour started even though everyone chastised me lol

[gborland]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day...

[Setlist Scotty]

Wouldn't the writing period be the moment to do that? now they're recording it, drum tracks are already there and you  can't variate from it, there's only so much you can do to improve a song that you already wrote, and for which drum tracks are already there waiting for you....

Who's to say that the drum tracks can't be rearranged, altered or whatever if they felt it necessary, or even that MP could return to the studio and do something more? While the songs in general have been written, there's still plenty of room for lots of creativity until they get to the mixing and mastering stages, and even then, there's some room for creativity there although far less.

[Dream Team]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day...

 

[EPIC Outro]

Take all the time you need, DT. Even if the album is delayed significantly, that only matters in the here and now. A decade from now, all that will matter is the quality of album they gave us and where it sits among the rest of their discography.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Take all the time you need, DT. Even if the album is delayed significantly, that only matters in the here and now. A decade from now, all that will matter is the quality of album they gave us and where it sits among the rest of their discography.

I agree completely. I'd be totally OK if the first tour was mainly focused on their career retrospective and only included one or two new songs if it meant the album coming out later (and being the best it can be)

[Ben_Jamin]

Look, speculation alert and I'll be the first to admit there is literally not one gram of evidence to support this, and in fact probably more than a couple pieces of evidence that point AGAINST this (including my own words from a couple months ago) but it is a thought that crossed my mind this morning:

Do you think maybe on the JP solo tour Mike and John talked about something unique or different or whatever for an album or at least an album/tour/cycle, and that triggered John to realize "hey, maybe we need to get back to our core group again"?  I'm not implying that anything they do couldn't have been done with Mike M., but for example, The Astonishing; it's simple physics that that project would have been different had Mike Portnoy been in the band.  I can't tell you HOW different - arrangements, lyrics, art, format, whatever - but simply having a different voice in the band would have by definition changed that.

No it wouldn't.

Using The Astonishing as an example is poor form.

[MoraWintersoul]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day...

Plus I think I said it first

[Adami]

Was the idea that the album wouldn't come out before the tour began really that shocking? I'm sure some people will always disagree with something, but it seemed somewhere been obvious and completely plausible.