DT Biography, Lifting Shadows Discussion

[goo-goo]

I hope it ships sooooooooooon.

[KevShmev]

Cool interview, but I do have to take umbrage with this comment:

I do worry that they might end up like Rush - releasing a new album every so often that nobody really cares about and then doing a greatest hits tour.

Rush has never been a "let's do a greatest hits tour" band.  Even the R30 tour, while having a lot of their most well-known songs, still had a crapload of deep cuts and whatnot. 

And while the casual fans who only want to hear the classics at concerts might not care about new stuff, tons of Rush fans care a lot about every new album they put out, so there is a whole lotta wrong with that statement. 

[lyfeternl]

Cool interview, but I do have to take umbrage with this comment:

I do worry that they might end up like Rush - releasing a new album every so often that nobody really cares about and then doing a greatest hits tour.

Rush has never been a "let's do a greatest hits tour" band.  Even the R30 tour, while having a lot of their most well-known songs, still had a crapload of deep cuts and whatnot. 

And while the casual fans who only want to hear the classics at concerts might not care about new stuff, tons of Rush fans care a lot about every new album they put out, so there is a whole lotta wrong with that statement.

Totally agree with this. Though somewhat unrelated, but it would be amazing to see DT continuing to thrive in the future as Rush does at their age.

[JPX]

I'm only buying this if it comes out in an online/kindle version, because I've never trusted buying things online and trusting them to find their way to your doorstep without having your credit card number stolen and/or some other unpleasant thing happening.

How do you pay for your digital versions...cash?!? Pretty sure credit card fraud can occur no matter what format you buy a product in.

[JPX]

Cool interview, but I do have to take umbrage with this comment:

I do worry that they might end up like Rush - releasing a new album every so often that nobody really cares about and then doing a greatest hits tour.

Rush has never been a "let's do a greatest hits tour" band.  Even the R30 tour, while having a lot of their most well-known songs, still had a crapload of deep cuts and whatnot. 

And while the casual fans who only want to hear the classics at concerts might not care about new stuff, tons of Rush fans care a lot about every new album they put out, so there is a whole lotta wrong with that statement.

I think perhaps the point here is that Rush has reached the level that say, a Pearl Jam has. Whereby they have a huge core following and have no need to write anything outside of their comfort zone. As a result their new material is purchased by said core, but it really doesn't push the musical boundaries that the band had in the past.

I personally don't think DT are at that level, nor will they ever be. But they might enter a similar situation if they don't leave that comfort zone. Which by the way, I 100% feel that they are capable of doing.

[XB0BX]

Wow, that Rush comment was just absolutely terrible. Clockwork Angels is a better album that 50% of the DT albums.

[XB0BX]

I'm only buying this if it comes out in an online/kindle version, because I've never trusted buying things online and trusting them to find their way to your doorstep without having your credit card number stolen and/or some other unpleasant thing happening.

How do you pay for your digital versions...cash?!? Pretty sure credit card fraud can occur no matter what format you buy a product in.

I trust Amazon, I don't trust whoever the author of this novel is. The main thing I don't trust is actually getting something that you pay for online.

[cyberdrummer]

Clockwork Angels is a better album that 50% of the DT albums.

You state that as if it's a fact. Personally I disagree. I think ToT is better than VT, SC is better than S&A, and ADToE is better than CA.

To me, Rush are much more of a nostalgia act than DT - I know part of that is because Rush do have a much deeper back catalogue of music, but I also think DT's contributions to the modern music scene are much more relevant.

[Jaq]

I'm only buying this if it comes out in an online/kindle version, because I've never trusted buying things online and trusting them to find their way to your doorstep without having your credit card number stolen and/or some other unpleasant thing happening.

How do you pay for your digital versions...cash?!? Pretty sure credit card fraud can occur no matter what format you buy a product in.

I trust Amazon, I don't trust whoever the author of this novel is. The main thing I don't trust is actually getting something that you pay for online.

1. You have no idea how print books are sold online, do you? Hint: rarely direct from the author, usually through a publisher.

2. You have no idea how ebooks are sold, do you? Hint" THEY CHARGE A CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL. Fraud's just as likely buying an eBook.

[JPX]

Wow, that Rush comment was just absolutely terrible. Clockwork Angels is a better album that 50% of the DT albums.

Talking of terrible comments.

Rush hasn't been good or relevant for 20 years. They are the Metallica of prog-rock. How's that for a comment.

[XB0BX]

Rush hasn't been good or relevant for 20 years. They are the Metallica of prog-rock. How's that for a comment.

Wow, this might actually be the worst comment I've ever seen. Counterparts, S&A and especially Clockwork Angels are classic albums. I'd honestly put Clockwork over most DT albums, as I've already said. It's just an amazing hour of music, it's varied, it's memorable, it's FRESH sounding. Have you even listened to Rush in the past 20 years?

[KevShmev]

To me, Rush are much more of a nostalgia act than DT - I know part of that is because Rush do have a much deeper back catalogue of music, but I also think DT's contributions to the modern music scene are much more relevant.

Rush has never been a nostalgia act.  They have always played a ton of music from whatever new album they are touring on.  Nostalgia acts (like most bands that were around in the 70s who still tour) tour nowadays and play almost nothing but material from 30+ years ago.  That ain't Rush.  Never has been, never will be.

Rush hasn't been good or relevant for 20 years. They are the Metallica of prog-rock. How's that for a comment.

Well, it's an inaccurate and nonsensical comment, but it is a comment.  I gotta give you that.

[TheGreatPretender]

Wow, this might actually be the worst comment I've ever seen. Counterparts, S&A and especially Clockwork Angels are classic albums. I'd honestly put Clockwork over most DT albums, as I've already said. It's just an amazing hour of music, it's varied, it's memorable, it's FRESH sounding. Have you even listened to Rush in the past 20 years?

If you want some people to agree with you, perhaps you should seek out a Rush forum. While there may be many Rush fans here, I doubt very many of them would agree. Clockwork Angels was good, but it can't touch 90% of DT's discography.

[XB0BX]

Clockwork Angels is a better album than:

    When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
    Images and Words (1992)
    Awake (1994)
    Falling into Infinity (1997)
    Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
    Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)
    Train of Thought (2003)
    Octavarium (2005)
    Systematic Chaos (2007)
    Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
    A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
   
Look at that, Clockwork Angels is better than 50% of Dream Theater albums!

[TheGreatPretender]

Thanks for once again imposing your opinion on everyone like it's a fact.

[KevShmev]

Oh, come on.  Do we really need to say in every post again that what we say is our opinion? 

Anyway, I would say Clockwork Angels is better than the majority of DT's records.  IN MY OPINION.

[TheGreatPretender]

Oh, come on.  Do we really need to say in every post again that what we say is our opinion? 

Anyway, I would say Clockwork Angels is better than the majority of DT's records.  IN MY OPINION.

XBOBX's statement really didn't sound like an opinion. Whether you agree with him or not, it's very imposing, as if that little break down is some kind of concrete visual proof. 

[WildeSilas]

Anyone who thinks Rush is a nostalgia act hasn't seen them live in the last few years. They are anything but, and CA pushes their own musical boundaries pretty hard if you listen to it honestly. Comparing them to DT is a waste of time because it's subjective, but I do think they've grown more over their last 5-6 albums than DT has.

[Madman Shepherd]

Oh, come on.  Do we really need to say in every post again that what we say is our opinion? 

In my opinion, no we don't. 

Wait, did I do that wrong?

[adastra]

hmmm... Should I order the paperback o.o I haven't read this yet.

edit;  I bought it o.o

[TheGreatPretender]

hmmm... Should I order the paperback o.o I haven't read this yet.

edit;  I bought it o.o

I haven't read it either, but from the stuff I've read ABOUT the book, every DT fan needs to own a copy.

[adastra]

hmmm... Should I order the paperback o.o I haven't read this yet.

edit;  I bought it o.o

I haven't read it either, but from the stuff I've read ABOUT the book, every DT fan needs to own a copy.

Yeah, And the paperback version is pretty cheap!   Cost only like 20 bucks with shipping to Finland!

[Outcrier]

Wow, this might actually be the worst comment I've ever seen. Counterparts, S&A and especially Clockwork Angels are classic albums. I'd honestly put Clockwork over most DT albums, as I've already said. It's just an amazing hour of music, it's varied, it's memorable, it's FRESH sounding. Have you even listened to Rush in the past 20 years?

Classic? 2112, AFtK, Hemispheres and MP... then comes the other albums 

[XB0BX]

Classic? 2112, AFtK, Hemispheres and MP... then comes the other albums 

As far as I'm concerned, there's a VERY good case to be made that one of Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and/or Hold Your Fire is Rush's greatest album. I'd even throw Counterparts into that discussion, or their most recent album, as I've already mentioned.

[FracturedMirror]

Is this going to become available on Amazon anytime soon?

[Mosh]

Wow, this might actually be the worst comment I've ever seen. Counterparts, S&A and especially Clockwork Angels are classic albums. I'd honestly put Clockwork over most DT albums, as I've already said. It's just an amazing hour of music, it's varied, it's memorable, it's FRESH sounding. Have you even listened to Rush in the past 20 years?

If you want some people to agree with you, perhaps you should seek out a Rush forum. While there may be many Rush fans here, I doubt very many of them would agree. Clockwork Angels was good, but it can't touch 90% of DT's discography.

It definitely beats the debut and Systematic Chaos IMO. Probably a few other recent albums too.

[TheGreatPretender]

It definitely beats the debut and Systematic Chaos IMO. Probably a few other recent albums too.

Well, that's still opinion. Personally, I regard Systematic Chaos very highly, and to me, Clockwork Angels doesn't even come close to touching it.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Clockwork Angels is a better album than:

    When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
    Images and Words (1992)
    Awake (1994)
    Falling into Infinity (1997)
    Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
    Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)
    Train of Thought (2003)
    Octavarium (2005)


    Systematic Chaos (2007)
    Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
    A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)
   
Look at that, Clockwork Angels is better than 50% of Dream Theater albums!

 Just an opinion? YES!

  Do I agre with it? YES as well!

 Is Rush a nostalgia act? NO! Every tour they play more than half of the album they are touring to promote. And I find that they´re still pushing barriers by releasing albums that are completely different from each other. It´s hard to be innovative when you´ve been around this long and are used to a certain composition process and certain patterns (look at the Rolling Stones and even a bunch of much younger bands!), but I feel that Rush is still innovative whilst not leaving their core sound.

 But hey guys, let´s not turn this thread into another Rush vs. DT like many other topics and forums do. I know I have done just the opposite with my post, but can we focus on DT´s book from here onwards?

[TheGreatPretender]

Well, back to the point, it's still an awesome book well worth owning. Who cares if the author thinks of Rush as a Nostalgia act? It's not a Rush book, it's a DT book.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

I would take Clockwork Angels of WDADU, TOT - BC&SL, and maybe FII.

[Mosh]

As a whole, it definitely beats FII, but a couple songs on FII are better than anything on CA.

[?]

I would take Clockwork Angels over 8V - BC&SL, and FII.

FTFM

[XB0BX]

I'm now not buying the book because the author holds a terrible opinion about Rush.

[countoftuscany42]

Well that's kinda dumb, but whatever floats your boat mate. There's no such thing as terrible opinions, only terrible in your opinion 

[Lucien]

Clockwork Angels was made my second favorite Rush album. Power Windows is my favorite, and the fact that they played so much of it this tour made very very happy. Rush has said themselves that they are not a nostalgia act, and that if they did do a nostalgic tour, it would most likely be their LAST.

In my opinion, I feel as though most of Rush's albums are great because I usually never want to skip any of the tracks. Rush tends to be very good at making an entire album very strong. I would never skip a track going through Power Windows, as I love every song. Same goes for A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Grace Under Pressure, Counterparts, and Vapor Trails (REMIX COMING OUT OCTOBER 1ST  )

Dream Theater, however, finds me skipping many tracks. (on WDADU, Awake, FII especially, SDOIT, ToT, and SC.)