It took me a while to process this information - and to read and understand all of the 762 posts in this thread
Like most people here, I was completely shocked by the band's decision.
I am also on board with everyone saying they're having mixed feelings about MM's departure. He's obviously an insane musician, a real classy guy and I love what he has contributed to the band. I just wish he would have been able to contribute more.
In such a situation I usually go back and listen to the band's music. But my first desire was not to listen to a Portnoy-era album because of the excitement for his return. It was to listen to Mangini-era albums because of the nostalgia, if that makes sense. So after I took 24 hours to process what was going on, I just put on my A View From The Top Of The World vinyl and listened to the whole thing. I think the pieces were really coming into place with this album. And the following album could have been a real banger. MM finally found his place, his sound and was able to contribute more. I really feel a bit sentimental that MM is no longer in the band since I had found my peace with him being DT's drummer and not just a fill-in or hired gun.
I thought back about the time when this big change happened. I became a DT fan round the end of 2005 (I was 12!) and they completely changed my life. And that is no overstatement - while I was always a big music fan, DT pushed me to look further into music, their influences became my influences. I saved money for two whole years and finally bought the JP6 guitar. I was 15. I realized music was not just a hobby for me and DT played an important role in this realization. I applied on an music boarding school and proceeded to proudly carry my much loved JP6 into my room and started to go on everyone's nerves that DT is the best band in the world on a school filled with classical musicians.
When MP left the band, I was on an exchange year in Argentina. And a whole world broke down for me. I was 18, DT was still my favorite band and I was still going on everyone's nerves about it. I was so happy when MM stepped in and DT continued. I couldn't wait for their new album to be released and used to check several times a day if they dropped another one those song snippets for Dramatic Turn (on Myspace I think?) back then.
Back then I would have never thought MP would come back and I was always excited about the direction the band would take. I was always on board. Even if sometimes their newest album didn't excite me as the previous ones (DT12), I was always excited for the next one. I also remember following all the speculation and promotion for The Astonishing and remember how awesome all of that was. And I loved that MM was always so damn enthusiastic about all of it. Although that was not that long ago, it feels like those were... simpler times somehow.
Now, in those 13 years I finished my exchange year, finished school, started studying music, got my heart broken two times, moved to Austria, started studying medicine, found a new love and just finished my doctor's degree. What a ride, and now MP is back in the band. Unbelievable.
So, of course I feel for MM that he now parts ways with the band. I rewatched the video where he got "the phone call". He was so over the top excited and thankful. And he and everyone else thought he would be in the band until their final concert. Makes me kind of sentimental now that he won't be. Thanks Mike Mangini, you are a beast.
Either way, I am still very excited that MP is back the band. And I'm still on board for all things Dream Theater. I'm sorry I started blabbing about all that stuff, but I feel like I had to get out at least the short version of all the things that came to my mind over the last 24 hours.
