I guess what bothers me the most about this is that it shatters my (admittedly naive) concept of what a band is and how it operates. I've played in bands all my life, obviously not on nearly the level of Dream Theater, but they were bands. A bunch of us who knew each other got together and played music. We went through various permutations throughout junior high and high school. But "band" decisions always involved all members of the band, and were actual discussions. Decisions were made as a group regarding what songs we would play.
Post-college (the first time), I joined a band being put together by a guy, and while it was "his" band, many of the decisions were made as a committee. There were a few more important decisions that he had to make an executive decision regarding, and it actually made sense that he do that. Sometimes one guy has to make the call, especially if the band cannot reach a consensus.
Back in the 2010's, I was in a band that actually lasted several years and went through various permutations, and while all decisions were originally made by committee, after a while we'd replaced the lead guitarist a few times and went through various lead singers. It was a seven-piece band, but four of us had been consistent for a couple of years and were the "core" of the band. "Band" decisions were made by the four of us. Guitarists and singers were auditioned, hired, and fired, on decisions made by the four of us. I never really liked that, even if I did see how it was the most practical solution. This was a band with a clear leader, but he at least had the grace to get input from the three of us who'd been in the band since the beginning.
So Dream Theater is a band, but it is not a band of five guys with equal say. MP spoke more than once about replacing JLB as a singer. WTF? JLB is a member of the band. How can one other member decide to oust another? Simple: JLB was not the original singer. He always had and will always have "junior" status in MP's eyes because of that. It apparently didn't matter that he was with them 20+ years. If "the band" wanted to get a different singer, JLB would have been out.
Mike Mangini was the drummer for 13 years and change. Five albums. There's no asterisk next to his name in the band credits, no "special thanks" or anything to indicate that he was anything but a full member of the band. Yet "the band" decided to fire him and get MP back. In that context, MM was not part of the band. He was a member of Dream Theater, until John Petrucci decided he wasn't anymore. One guy did in fact oust another guy from the band.
As they said many times in The Godfather, it's only business; it's not personal. But that sucks. Making music with other people is as personal as it gets. It's a bond. Dream Theater themselves used to speak of it being like a kind of marriage with five people all trying to compromise and cooperate. But Derek Sherinian was not the original keyboard player, therefore the others could decide to can him and get someone else. JLB was not the original singer, therefore he would've been gone if MP had convinced JP to pull the trigger. And now MM is out because JP wanted MP back.
I'm not sure why it bothers me so much. Most people are thrilled that MP is back. MM has no choice but to be gracious about it publicly, and that certainly has helped reduce any potential backlash. But I can't help feeling like MM got screwed, just as DS got screwed, and JLB almost got screwed. Michael Corleone was right: It's all personal. Killing someone isn't personal? Bullshit. Killing someone is as personal as it gets. Saying it's only business is just an excuse to not feel bad about screwing someone over.
Topic: DREAM THEATER ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF DRUMMER MIKE PORTNOY (Read 124831 times)