YTSEJAM digest 3303

From: ytsejam@ax.com
Date: Sun Nov 30 1997 - 19:10:17 EST

  • Next message: ytsejam@ax.com: "YTSEJAM digest 3302"

                                YTSEJAM Digest 3303

    Today's Topics:

      1) Re: Mitchell Foy review comments
     by Mike Cullen <secrets@i1.net>
      2) strange dream
     by Chris Oates <aspect@cats.ucsc.edu>
      3) Storm/Angra
     by Satu Reunanen <satu.reunanen@sci.fi>
      4) DT 90 minute tapes...
     by MTeiper@aol.com
      5) Re: YTSEJAM digest 3302
     by VAIMAN <vaiman@mindspring.com>
      6) BIG question
     by bketelsen@earthlink.net
      7) Fates Warning at the Whisky
     by drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh)
      8) RE: Bad Review.
     by Dave Gonzales <dgonzale@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
      9) Bands we all know and love in the LE catalog
     by "Paul W. Cashman" <vanyel@crl.com>
     10) RE: Bad Review
     by michael.bradley@mail.cc.trincoll.edu (Michael Bradley)
     11) Maiden on MTV
     by "Dale R. Newberry" <Dale.R.Newberry@Walden.MO.NET>
     12) Re: VH Dead?
     by "Jason Birzer" <Longshot@pressroom.com>
     13) check it out if you have the chance
     by alexis1@prtc.net (alexis1)
     14) Get your seats now
     by bketelsen@earthlink.net
     15) Re: A +LIVE+ comment
     by "Jason Birzer" <Longshot@pressroom.com>
     16) re: [Fwd: Dream Theater review Attn Mitchell Foy]
     by anitya@juno.com (Bracken N MacLeod)
     17) DT bad review: ANNOTATED VERSION
     by Steve Zebrowski <szebro1@gl.umbc.edu>

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 14:14:52 -0800
    From: Mike Cullen <secrets@i1.net>
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: Re: Mitchell Foy review comments
    Message-ID: <3481E55C.7D58@i1.net>

    Adam, I was just trying to speak to his level. My mail was a decent
    flame at an ignorant moron. If his review was half intelligent, then I
    might have dropped to his level. He got what he deserved.
    Loosen up. ;)
    Mike

    Adam wrote:
    >
    > Hey folks...
    >
    > If y'all are planning to write to Mitchell Foy about his review, PLEASE try
    > to make the letter intelligent and mature. People have posted their
    > replies to him on the Jam and some of them are, very honestly, quite
    > unflattering to the DT worshipping community. There's no need to call Foy
    > names like "pussy" and "dillhole" (?!?). These kinds of comments make the
    > email writer and the DT group as a whole look like a bunch of foolish,
    > stupid 15 year olds. There's enough blatant stupidity in Foy's article to
    > analyze and disagree with it without having to resort to immature tactics
    > such as name-calling. And besides, a person who calmly analyzes an article
    > and can point out it's faults is SOOOOOOO much more effective than some
    > fool going "you don't like DT? Fuck you, you pussy!" Take care...
    >
    > Adam
    > http://www.mindspring.com/~alpineone
    > - Above URL for bootlist w/ setlists

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 11:23:57 -0800
    From: Chris Oates <aspect@cats.ucsc.edu>
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: strange dream
    Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971130112347.006ae390@cats.ucsc.edu>

    I had a dream last night that I was in a store, and there were DT action
    figures! They were in the 6" high style (like He-Man rather than Star
    Wars) with cloth clothing and instruments. And the strangest part? I
    didn't buy them!!! I think I was out of money or something ...

     __ /\ __ Chris Oates: aspect@cats.ucsc.edu
     __\/__\/__ +----
       \_||_/ | "Still awake, I continue to move along, cultivating my |
      /__||__\ | own nonsense" -Dream Theater, "Trial of Tears" |
     // \ | \\ ----+
         \| http://www2.ucsc.edu/people/aspect/

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 23:13:04 +0200
    From: Satu Reunanen <satu.reunanen@sci.fi>
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: Storm/Angra
    Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19971130211304.00680468@mbox.sci.fi>

    I know some of you have seen Helloween's video for "I want out"
    so guess who's directed it ? Yep, same guy who did the FII
    cover ! I've always thought the video is somehow different
    from the rest, now there's the answer ! I like his job.
    Another thing, I was watching this womens body building
    competition from Eurosport and one of the women had Angra's
    version of Wuthering heights as her background music when
    she was on stage. That was a cool one..
    Latah, Satu =)

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 15:11:21 -0500 (EST)
    From: MTeiper@aol.com
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: DT 90 minute tapes...
    Message-ID: <971130151120_208041925@mrin40.mail.aol.com>

    Hey there -

    Recently, there has been some talk about what DT tracks can best fit on a
    tape. Well, this weekend, I promised my wife that I would finally make her a
    "Best Of" compilation for the car. Over the years, she has had DT tracks
    spread over several tapes I've made her... (plus she has had to put up with
    me blasting the boys in the car for years!) And, she has been with me for 8
    of my 9 DT shows. What a woman, eh? :-) So, anyway, I took down all of her
    requests, and the following 2-Volume compilation is the result.
     Incidentally, the total times on the sides were remarkably close to each
    other (45:26, 45:27, 45:28, and 45:29), which came as a shock to me:

    TAPE 1, SIDE 1: Metropolis, Pull Me Under, Scarred, A Change Of Seasons
    (KJLB Demo from "Antiquities")

    TAPE 1, SIDE 2: Lost Without You (JP Demo from "Guitar Talkin'"), Hollow
    Years, Burning My Soul, Hell's Kitchen, Lines In the Sand, Learning To Live

    TAPE 2, SIDE 1: A Change Of Seasons (Official Version), Afterlife (Remix),
    Take Away My Pain, Eve, Red Hill Mining Town (Live from '96 DTIFC X-MAS CD)

    TAPE 2, SIDE 2: You Not Me, Take the Time, Just Let Me Breathe, Lifting
    Shadows Off a Dream, Space-Dye Vest, Trial Of Tears

    Well, there it is. With the exception of the official version of ACOS, Red
    Hill Mining Town, and Burning My Soul, all of the above tracks were requested
    by my wife. I think that this compilation turned out pretty damn good, and I
    hope this helps anyone out there trying to make DT tapes.

    And now for something completely different... kudos to Mike Bahr for hyping
    "Anastasia". I saw it a couple of days ago, and it ruled! Better than
    anything I've seen from Disney in a LONG time. Thanks for the
    recommendation, Mike. You're right, it WAS a great date movie!

    And... reading that scathing review from that guy in Atlanta has made me
    revisit a beef I've had for quite a while. I agree that everyone should have
    their own opinion, but why is it that the media (newspapers in particular)
    always seems to have people review topics that they already hate to begin
    with? Case and point... a couple of years ago when Rush rolled through
    Albany, NY on the "Counterparts" tour, the local newspaper had a guy review
    the show who started off the column with something along the lines of "I have
    always hated arena rock". WTF? This battle's lost before it's even started.
     Then, the guy went on to dis Mr. Peart's lyrical prowess.... something like
    "his lyrics do not prove that he is intelligent, they only proves that he has
    a library card". What is up with this? Why have someone with an existing
    agenda give what is supposed to be an objective review? Why not get someone
    who maybe likes the genre of music, or the type of concert, a chance to
    objectively review the show? I just don't get it....

    Aaaargh..... enough for now. It's time for football.... :-)

    - Matt T.

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 15:38:28 -0500
    From: VAIMAN <vaiman@mindspring.com>
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: Re: YTSEJAM digest 3302
    Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19971130203828.006b3c28@pop.mindspring.com>

    >
    >If y'all are planning to write to Mitchell Foy about his review, PLEASE try
    >to make the letter intelligent and mature. People have posted their
    >replies to him on the Jam and some of them are, very honestly, quite
    >unflattering to the DT worshipping community. There's no need to call Foy
    >names like "pussy" and "dillhole" (?!?). These kinds of comments make the
    >email writer and the DT group as a whole look like a bunch of foolish,
    >stupid 15 year olds. There's enough blatant stupidity in Foy's article to
    >analyze and disagree with it without having to resort to immature tactics
    >such as name-calling. And besides, a person who calmly analyzes an article
    >and can point out it's faults is SOOOOOOO much more effective than some
    >fool going "you don't like DT? Fuck you, you pussy!" Take care...
    >
    >Adam

                    Bravo!!

                            take care,

                            todd s

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 13:45:53 -0700
    From: bketelsen@earthlink.net
    To: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: BIG question
    Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19971130134553.00915210@mail.earthlink.net>

    Is there any way to "Record" the Real Audio concert this afternoon. It
    would be pretty cool to have a live concert on demand on the computer.

    BrianK

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 13:26:58 -0800
    From: drkhoe@gms.gmsnet.com (Dr. Mosh)
    To: fates@tier.net
    Cc: ytsejam@ax.com
    Subject: Fates Warning at the Whisky
    Message-ID: <199711302126.NAA26619@gms.gmsnet.com>

    [THIS MESSAGE IS CROSSPOSTED AND CONTAINS SETLIST SPOILERS]

    Well, last night Fates put on a another incredible performance. The
    setlist was actually quite short.

    APSOG
    11th Hour
    Point of View
    Monument

    The band that came on before them was a total groove rock band, who the
    hell books these shows?

    Jason Keazer did a good job, although you could tell he was still pretty
    green with the material, him and Matheos botched a couple of times, but
    nothing big. Matheos's amp went into clean mode during the beginning of
    the solo during Point of View, but he quickly fudged with his foot pedal
    and got back the tone.

    The man of the night: Ray Alder, he was in INCREDIBLE form. He really tore
    the shit up... he was smiling at the crowd, and doing some incredible
    screams...

    They were taping the show on video... perhaps for the upcoming video, you
    never know...

    It was good to hang with the guys from Ocean Seven, Prototype, and
    Destiny's End (James Rivera's new band)... they're all buddies of mine.

    -The Doc

    -- 
    #$%*#$*@                 E-MAIL: drkhoe@gmsnet.com                     #$%#$#$%
    _+_+_+_+           Unix, Internet, Intranet Engineering                _+_+_+_+
    [][][][]               Dr. Mosh's Progressive Feast                    [][][][]
    #$@#$#@#               http://progmetal.gmsnet.com                     @#$@##@$
    

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 15:50:49 -0600 (CST) From: Dave Gonzales <dgonzale@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: RE: Bad Review. Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.95.971130154622.37292A-100000@red.weeg.uiowa.edu>

    Hey everyone-

    I just had to throw my two cents in on this review by Mr. Foy. I guess the thing that bothers me most about it is that instead of reading the liner notes in the album to at least get a hint that TAMP was a tribute song he decided that he didn't like the rhyme scheme and tried to tear the song appart.

    Without getting too personal I have a real understanding for where this song comes from. It's too bad he doesn't understand the magnitude of the situation. And rest assured he will recieve a long and thoughtfully written letter reguarding his lack of feeling.

    Later,

    Dave

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Dave Gonzales "Take care and tempt not the fates" 910 W. Benton #307D Iowa City, Iowa 52246 email:dgonzale@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu (319)-339-0754 "Cherish your life while you're still around."-Dream Theater %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 14:21:11 -0800 (PST) From: "Paul W. Cashman" <vanyel@crl.com> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Bands we all know and love in the LE catalog Message-ID: <199711302221.AA25602@crl.crl.com>

    The following is a very partial and incomplete list of bands oft mentioned on the Jam who appear in the Fall catalog from The Laser's Edge. The web page is at www.jersey.net/~lasercd (Ken Golden is the quite-knowledgeable proprietor.)

    Anekdoten, Anglagard, The Changelings, Echolyn, Everon, Finneus Gauge, Glass Hammer (and TMA-2), our own Sean Malone (and Gordian Knot, his next project, forthcoming w/John Myung), Spock's Beard, Angra, Artension, Ayreon, Conception, Divine Regale, Dream Theater (LaTM, no version specifiied but probably the better German pressing), Empty Tremor, Eternity-X, Iced Earth, Iron Savior, Leviathan, Lord Bane, Mercury Rising, Psycho Drama, Psychotic Waltz, Michael Romeo, Royal Hunt, Sieges Even, Solitude Aeturnus, Stratovarius, Superior, Symphony-X, Tad Morose, Therion, Threshold, Vauxdvihl, Black Jester, Blind Guardian, Divine Regale, Enchant, Gamma Ray, Haji's Kitchen, Helloween, our own Inferno, Magellan, Maraya, Nevermore, Shadow Gallery, Skyclad, Ron Thal, Tiles, 2112 (from Brazil), Virgin Steele, Wicked Maraya, Wizards, Camel, Cobweb Strange, Hawkwind, Eloy, Robert Fripppp, King Crimson, our own Mastermind, "Mirthrandir", Ozric Tentacles (just BECOME THE OTHER, alas), VDGG, Weiling Merlins and Ragnarok.

    What? No Pan-Thy-Monium? :)

    Prices are generally pretty good ($12 for Superior plus $2 for shipping!). I'll be ordering Angra ANGEL'S CRY, Sean's CD and Symphony-X this coming week unless y'all punks beat me to 'em. :)

    NDTC: Saw a terrific guitarist on Friday night -- Tuck Andress, who is part of the (excellent) Wyndham Hill Winter Solstice tour. There was a staggering amount of talent on that stage, and it was organized like a jam session with the four artists/bands playing together often, sometimes soloing, etc. David Arkenstone alone is nearly worth the price of admission; Tuck Andress, with his stunning slap-acoustic, pickless guitar, WAS worth it. Recommended for any New Agers out there. :)

    -- +-- ...once the cloud that's raining ---+- Paul W. Cashman ---+ | over your head / disappears | vanyel@crl.com | | the noise that you hear | www.crl.com/~vanyel | +--is the crashing down of Hollow Years.... --+---- ICQ #4151223 -----+

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 17:41:37 -0400 From: michael.bradley@mail.cc.trincoll.edu (Michael Bradley) To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: RE: Bad Review Message-ID: <199711302239.RAA24456@mail.trincoll.edu>

    Hey guys,

    Just got back from Thanksgiving break. About the bad review, it's obvious the guy either a) has no clue what he's talking about or b) didn't listen to the album or most likely, c) both.

    Wimpy synths?!? I think not. Derek's sounds are vicious. The keyboardist in my acid jazz/funk band plays the Korg Trinity PROx. Let's just say, I feel a little less confident these days in the balls and chunk department when he kicks in the "Super Lead" guitar patch that Derek uses (intro to LitS, that screaming fill before "the big machine..." in JLMB). I may yet become the first guitarist to use a Marshall cab in an acid jazz/funk band:)

    Later guys!

    -Mike

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 16:55:30 +0000 From: "Dale R. Newberry" <Dale.R.Newberry@Walden.MO.NET> To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Maiden on MTV Message-ID: <199711302300.RAA24337@Walden.MO.NET>

    Man, I was just watching some of the MTV Sports and Music Festival (hey, I dig some of the street and ramp bike riding :), when I noticed that they were playing Maiden's "Run to the Hills" as background music for part of it. They actually played most of the song, too :).

    Dale R. Newberry "Do not give me any of that Zen and some art of motorcycle maintenance stuff. Just ride your bike."

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 17:21:53 -0500 From: "Jason Birzer" <Longshot@pressroom.com> To: <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: Re: VH Dead? Message-ID: <199711302255.OAA21058@odin.ax.com>

    >my "prediction" was in jest. a bit cynical, pay no mind.

    I'm sorry. It wasn't very obvious.

    >all i'm saying is that knwoing past VH fans, they aren't gonna be too >happy with yet *another* singer... plus, gary always has side projects that >may take his focus off VH... just my thoughts.

    I agree, especially with the Dave teaser that they did, but I don't think that in itself will hurt album sales. It will be the quality of the music that will determine if it sells. Sometimes a change can be good for a band.

    What side projects are you talking about? I'm not familier with any side projects that he has done.

    >well, i don't think all of it will come true. i do think that Extreme will >do more stuff together, though. i wish Gary and VH a good career, too. >but something tells me it's not totally over in the Extreme camp.

    What tells you that? Nuno left the band and Gary has flown the coup. Right now, Extreme is a dead issue. I hated to see that, but it happens.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jason Birzer "One likes to believe in the freedom of music "The Longshot" but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity." longshot@pressroom.com Rush - The Spirit Of Radio --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 19:01:29 -0400 From: alexis1@prtc.net (alexis1) To: "ytsejam mailing list" <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: check it out if you have the chance Message-ID: <19971130230737.AAA38678@alexis1>

    Hey people! This has absolutely nothing to do with DT, but it does have to do with good music. There's going to be a new musical coming out on Broadway that I think was written by Paul Simon and is called "The Capeman". Performing in it are three of the top Latin American singers out there: Ruben Blades (which some of you must have seen in quite a few movies, including Predator 2), Ednita Nazario and Marc Anthony (he was one of the bad guys in the movie "The Substitute" - he was the skinny school leader of the gang, if you saw the movie). Marc Anthony is IMO the best male vocalist PR (or NY) has right now. He has an incredible voice. The music he normally sings is salsa, btw. If you like salsa and would like to check him out, there's a concert in liveconcerts.com. I just wanted to let you know about the musical so you can check him (and the rest of the cast, which are great as well) if you are interested. That's it. Bye!

    Alexis

    P.S. I finally got TDWOT by Symphony X. Wow. It rocks.

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 16:12:50 -0700 From: bketelsen@earthlink.net To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: Get your seats now Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19971130161250.00915800@mail.earthlink.net>

    The liveconcerts.com site now has Real Audio links to the live DT show. It's probably a good idea to click in now just in case their server has limited seats.

    BrianK

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 18:07:13 -0500 From: "Jason Birzer" <Longshot@pressroom.com> To: <ytsejam@ax.com> Subject: Re: A +LIVE+ comment Message-ID: <199711302331.PAA21434@odin.ax.com>

    >Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 04:51:57 -0400 (EDT) >From: JE78674@ltu.edu >To: YTSEJAM@ax.com >Subject: A +LIVE+ comment >Message-ID: <01IQLWEY2B3M8WZ1YP@LTU.EDU>

    -snip-

    >But here is the question...does +LIVE+ not believe in God and do or were >they neo-nazi people? I'm making this observation off of their lyrics to >2 particular songs (Operation Spirit and Top). I know their lyrics are >pretty much impossible to understand, but what they say sticks out.

    -snip again-

    Here is my question: does this message belong on a DT list? I think you need to find the +LIVE+ list to post this one.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jason Birzer "One likes to believe in the freedom of music "The Longshot" but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity." longshot@pressroom.com Rush - The Spirit Of Radio --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 18:29:41 -0500 From: anitya@juno.com (Bracken N MacLeod) To: ytsejam@ax.com Subject: re: [Fwd: Dream Theater review Attn Mitchell Foy] Message-ID: <19971130.182945.3870.1.anitya@juno.com>

    Mike wrote: <snip> > READ THE LINER NOTES? Wait...of course not, YOU CANT FIGURE OUT WHOSE IN THE > BAND! ^^^^^^^^

    I don't want to nit-pick (actually I do, but there's no relevant point to be made by doing so), but spell check doesn't catch improper word usage. That's all I have to say about that. I'm not going to pick your letter apart like that.

    <snip> >>> You must have screwed someone to get this job, because you haven't a clue about music. <snip> This is a shoddy piece of shit review, that shows you went into it thinking that the album was going to suck. If your going to review music, KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! Ahhhh, opinions are like your asshole, it smells and is full of shit. Schmuck..... Mike<<<

    Is this really necessary? I mean, sure, the guy trashed OFB, but come on. What use calling the guy a "dill hole" (huh huh huh)? He's definitely going to print a retraction after that scathing remark. I'll bet his ego is really stinging after that zinger. If you want to convince him of the quality of OFB's music, perhaps you should rebut (huh huh huh, he said butt) his views on DT's similarity to 80's hair metal instead of just calling him a pussy (snipped). I'll bet that would have worked better. Ooh, but perhaps you should have threatened him with physical violence. Yeah, told him you were gonna come kick his ass, fart knocker. Now THAT'S mature, well reasoned, and persuasive. (Insert joking sarcasm here.) =) All joking aside, I agree with you, Mike. His comments were uninformed, and it did seem like he hadn't listened to the album, but I feel as though stuff like your response is, at least, partially the reason metal (even prog-metal) isn't taken seriously. When was the last time *anyone* outside of Kerrang! or GuitarFtPM wrote a positive review of OFB (do these mags even do that?)? The guy probably just read the blurb East/West sent along with the album, concluded "hmmm, metal -- idiotic" and wrote his terribly puerile review. Now, maybe you're mad at me as well after this response. I'm not defending this guy's shit review, and I'm not calling you stupid, or anything else of the sort. (He was slacking seriously when he didn't even double check his facts and wrote that JP was the singer.) But I am saying that this guy is not going to take you, or any other DT fan seriously when he gets a complaint like this. He most likely and immediately (unless *he's* stupid enough to get into a flame war over this -- which, given his review, he might be) filed it in (electronic) circular file 13 after reading the first couple of lines. You can flame me if you want, but I won't respond. I'm not interested in fighting over this. Just offering a little constructive criticism. =)

    Bracken

    It's always darkest just before I open my eyes. ---------

    ------------------------------

    Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 18:52:42 -0500 (EST) From: Steve Zebrowski <szebro1@gl.umbc.edu> To: ytsejam@ax.com Cc: jdaiut1@gl.umbc.edu (daiutolo jacy), Subject: DT bad review: ANNOTATED VERSION Message-ID: <199711302352.SAA05709@umbc8.umbc.edu>

    My UMBC friends:

    here is a review of the latest Dream Theater album "Falling into Infinity." Since you like making fun of them so much, I thought it would be interesting for you to read. It has, however, been annotated by me <for your entertainment as well as that of the Ytsejammers>.

    Attn: 'jammers: skip at will

    Forwarded message: > > > "Any Positive press about Dream Theater ultimately focuses > > > on the band's "dazzling virtuosity." For any band, this is > > > usually a clear warning to stay far away. For Dream Theater, the > > > further the better.

    "For any band..."? This attitude is so typical of alternative fans. So afraid are they of bands with a level of musical proficiency higher than that of the average construction worker that they feel the need to slag them whenever they get a chance.

    > > > "Falling Into Infinity" is full of pomposity that attempts to > > > manipulate the listener with overblown dynamics and cheesy dramatics.

    Yes, that's right--Dream Theater is trying to manipulate you. Yes. You will be assimilated.

    <whatta dope>

    And pomposity? This brings up the whole technical proficiency thing again. All the alt-rockers say, "oh, they only play fast because they CAN." That's true. That's like saying, "J.S. Bach only writes such good music because he can." If DT sucks because they "only play fast because they can," then isn't it the same thing to say that Nirvana sucks because they only play slow because they can?

    Wasn't it shred guitarist Michael Angelo who said something like: "you never hear a guitarist who CAN play fast saying 'man, fast playing sucks!'?"

    > > > In any given song, one is reminded of slews of yesteryear's bands - > > > none of which are any good. In the first song alone, Guns'n > > > Roses, Asia and latter-day Rush are prominent.

    Ok, I hear the Rush <good thing>, and I hear the Asia <ok, not-so-good thing>, but G-n-R? What? If G-n-R used lots of keyboards, eastern scales, Chapman Stick, odd meter signatures, and Axl learned to sing, then they MIGHT sound like DT.

    It is impossible > > > to say just what Dream Theater themselves sound like without > > > referring to the has-beens they rip off.

    Yes, as it would be impossible to say what Bruce Springsteen would sound like without referring to Dylan, and it would be impossible to say what Elvis would've sounded like without the gospel and country music on which he grew up.

    you are the sum of your influences. if you want to talk about rip-offs, let's talk about Oasis.

    After awhile the > > > effect of listening becomes one big blur of horrible '80s sounds > > > (overly boisterous guitar, wimpy synth, male falsetto vocals)

    Doesn't the boisterous knob on John Petrucci's guitar amp go to 11?

    > > > that were long ago pushed deep into the subconscious with the > > > hopes that they'd never return. Well, like the whole '80s > > > hair-metal "movement," those painful memories are back,

    Hair metal is BACK? Since when? No one told ME!

    spurred > > > by Dream Theater, who also mix pop-rock and prog rock into their

    Wait just a damn minute! No one LIKES Dream Theater--how could they've spurred anything?

    > > > cocky stew.

    Huh. "Cocky." This guy has a real inferiority complex going.

    Though D.T's metal tendencies lean mostly toward > > > the wimpiest of the '80s metal bunch like Cinderella, Winger and > > > Extreme,

    Ok, Cinderella and winger, yes--wimpy '80s metal. Extreme was neither wimpy nor '80s nor metal.

    they attempt to show they have cajones on the single > > > "Burning My Soul" but still fall flat despite the presence of a > > > few (comparatively) beefy riffs. This is mainly due to > > > overproduction that would render a Slayer song flaccid

    huh huh. he said...

    and bland > > > lead singer, John Petrucci, who spends too much time in the > > > high-end range.

    A) the singer is NOT bland, and 2) the singer is James LaBrie, NOT John Petrucci.

    Any lyricist who is not in, say, high school > > > knows to avoid cliches such as rhyming "pain" and "rain," but > > > Petrucci manages to use it in a chorus, no less!

    Oh, right. I forgot the "...rain/...pain" rhyme was added to the "Big Book of Heavy Metal Cliches."

    Idiot.

    > > > When I was in the 10th grade my class was shown an anti-drug > > > film about some guy who was administered lots of PCP in order to > > > coerce him into killing someone. Perhaps they should update that > > > film to include the music of Dream Theater, because I don't believe > > > "Falling Into Infinity" can be experienced in its entirety without > > > compelling the listener to throttle the nearest sibling or house > > > pet."-Mitchell Foy

    I noramlly let bad reviews of Dream Theater roll off my back, but this one was so uninformed and insipid that I just had to vent/share/whatever.

    Thank you for your time.

    Steve Z

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    End of YTSEJAM Digest 3303 **************************



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