YTSEJAM Digest 3799 Today's Topics: 1) Re: big rant - ok, not so big by Mauricio Martinez Villarreal 2) TicketBastards by Mike Pontrelli 3) Chicago by Michael Torres 4) Bahr's "review" by Stephen Dedalus 5) Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 1} by "Christopher R. Merlo" 6) re NY jammers by Wilson Layne Lowery 7) question by Matthew Smith 8) Re: ACOS on video? by Alan Estrada Adler 9) Re: big rant - ok, not so big by Alan Estrada Adler 10) empty tremor by Pat Daugherty 11) Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 2} by "Christopher R. Merlo" 12) Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 1} by Alan Estrada Adler 13) NEVERENDING DREAMS PT3.1 (Strassbourg, Bourges and loads of , backstage stories, LONG!!!) by Choon-Kang Walther ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 10:37:55 -0500 (CDT) From: Mauricio Martinez Villarreal To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: big rant - ok, not so big Message-ID: Me!!!!! I just flipped through 1 message, and i think that it took like 2 minutes to get to the real message. Damn Monday! Mauricio On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Al Balkiewicz wrote: > > > > quick question.... > > > Anybody else annoyed as fuck about the Empty Tremor "mailing > list" thingy? with people responding to all the recipients > and getting a 200-line header? > > sorry for the rant, but it's a Monday, dammit > > just wondering,..... > > > > -Al > > > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 11:39:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike Pontrelli To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: TicketBastards Message-ID: I just realized that ticketbastards make as much money off a concert as the band members themselves :( I ordered tickets from Electric factory.. 0.25 goes to charity and 7.00 goers to ticketshafter. Bastards they are! -ponte ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 10:41:32 -0500 (CDT) From: Michael Torres To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Chicago Message-ID: well as the time for the show in chicago approaches...its pretty much time to figure out how the hell i'm getting there....i don't have a car and i was wondering if anyone who was planning on making a road trip to chicago was going to be passing by omaha? i'm just trying to see what options i have if any...anyone interested please email meprivately thanks mike ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 09:55:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Stephen Dedalus To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Bahr's "review" Message-ID: OK, I'm gonna try not to go off the deep end because I think it sucks to have your opinion thrashed by another opinion, but I can't keep quiet. I have to say I agree with almost none of Mr. Bahr's statements. Shall I go point by point? 1. A New Melenium I liked this song from the very beginning. The complex interplay between instruments, the technical prowess, the lyrics, the harmonies, the stick, the guitar, and the syncopations strike me as one of the most progy songs in the world, and I loved it always. 2. Peruvian Skyes Pretty good song, but gets great once the metal kicks in. Possibly one of the finest guitar solows I've ever heard, and I've heard a hell of a lot of 'em. 3. Hollow Years This was one of my absolute favorites from the beginning and I think it shows the amazing diversity of the band. It's moving, especially from James' voice. Very tasteful on the part of the rest of the guys. 4. Burning my Soul I have to say I never really cared for this one and still don't. To me, it's Skid Row reminicent, but that's not what makes me press skip. I just don't like it. 5. missed YNM I liked it from the beginning and I like it now. Harmonies good. Groove awesome. Catchiness is always a plus in my book, since how else will you make a song really memorable? For god's sake, if a song's not catchy, it's not worth much except from a playing point of view. It's the same with Jazz, Classical, Folk, or whatever type of music you choose, in my opinion. 6. Hell's Kitchen Possibly the *greatest* instrumental of DT's. I've never gotten as emotional over Erotomania or Ytsejam. Sorry, Bahr, I think you're a hundred percent wrong. 7. LITS This the one point I agree with Mr. Bahr on. 8. TAMP I never liked this song and I never will. I've had several deaths in my near family and the song doesn't do anything for me. The solow is all right, though clicie. The lyrics are OK. The song is boring over all, to me. I understand that I'm almost totally alone on this one, and I understand why, so don't flame me. I definitely see how maybe something in this song could mean somehting to some people, but for me it does absolutely nothing, so I press skip. 9. JLMB It's all right. Nothing special, though the solow melody is very tre cool. It'd be fun live, but doesn't do much for me on the player. 10. AL Bryan May, Mike? What the hell are you thinking? I'm really interested. I hear Queen in the piano and the vocals, but absolutely nowhere else. It's an OK song, though I've heard it before in many a seventies tune. 11. TOT I never understood the wonderment at this song. Yeah, compositionally it's cool. The solows are to die for. Other than that, it bores the hell out of me. It's very dry and rather predictable, IMO. I don't consider it a masterpiece and I often shut the CD off before I listen to it, unless I'm dying to hear those solows. All in all, Mike, I have to say your view is so completely different than mine that it makes me laugh. Of course, I respect the fact that this is your opinion and that you're probably more into prog and progmetal more exclusively than I am, but I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. This isn't a flame, just a response, so people are welcome to respond to me. Have fun and a nice day. Be well. Matt B ============================================================================ ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Guitarist in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area of California seeks innovative, experimental, technical, and fun-loving musicians to create works of art and share them with the public. Enquire if interested. email_address_removed ================================================================================= "That is the truth. Not the hammer and sickle; not the stars and stripes; not the cross; not the sun; not gold; not yin and yang, but the smile... Because they died, we know we still live. Because a star explodes and a thousand worlds like ours die, we know this world is. That is the smile, that what might not be is." (John Fowles, The Magus) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:21:11 -0400 From: "Christopher R. Merlo" To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 1} Message-ID: Michael Bahr graced my inbox with: > > Let's just take a look at the songs and see where we stand: Cool, Mike's back. :) Just one question, Mike: Why did you quote yourself when you sent this? You gotta figure that mailer out, I think. :) > > 1. New Millennium > > > > Initially: B- Now: A- Can't see why it was initially a B-. Naturally, this was the first any of us heard of FII (except those cheaters that got the mp3 files early :) and it was a surprise. I didn't expect to hear *that* from Dream Theater. But after the, oh, second listen -- by the time I got over the whole "Hey, this is CIA9ITG!" thing, this one had caught me. Initially an A, and still an A. > > 2. You Not Me > > Boy, has the band ever caught a load of shit over this one! The Yeah, no shit. I still maintain that this was a good song (YOM) turned bad. You're right that it has earned new life by being played live (what's *not* good live, right?), but I tend to skip it on FII. > > Initially: D Now: C That's about where I'd mark it, too. > > 3. Peruvian Skies > > really his spotlight.) As time goes on it has neither aged well nor > > poorly... there's no annoyance forcing us to skip to the next track > > during our marathon listens, but neither is there the urge to hear it, You hit the nail on the head there. > > Initially: B Now: B Yup. > > 4. Hollow Years > > > > Initially: D Now: D Oh, damn. Mike, you poor soul. You're missing out on one of the greatest, most uplifting moments on the disc. Forget you're listening to a progressive metal band's most important album of their career, and that they needed a radio hit, yada yada yada... Just listen to the song. It's beautiful. Initially A, now A. > > 5. Burning My Soul > > > > Initially: B Now: C- > > > > 6. Hell's Kitchen > > > > Initially: B- Now: B- When I first heard this one (live, in Poughkeepsie), I was floored. I said to myself, "Yeah, they're back!" The way BMS started so slowly, softly, and methodically, then beat you over the fucking head with that odd-time-single-note-snare-drum-take-this! fill (which got changed around and moved to the middle), twisting and turning through the chorus, and then let up a bit during the HK bridge, just long enought for you to catch your breath before that odd-time fill caught you off guard again... Whew. That was magical.. *That* performance earned an A+. When I heard it (them) on FII, I was a bit let down, because it seemed... less like Dream Theater somehow. But I've grown to enjoy each of them in their own right, and I rather like the way BMS flows into HK into JLMB. BMS: Initially B-, now A-; HK: Initially B, now A. A response to Mike's second post, right after this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Digital Man \|/ ____ \|/ "640 K ought to be enough email_address_removed "@'/ ,. \`@" memory for everyone." -Gates email_address_removed /_| \__/ |_\ "He won't need a bed http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo \__U_/ He's a digital man" -Peart ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The Spirit of Radio" Saturday 2:00pm-4:00pm 90.7 WCWM-FM http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo/tsor ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:27:08 -0400 From: Wilson Layne Lowery To: email_address_removed Subject: re NY jammers Message-ID: -- Irving plaza is around ninth and port authority is on 42nd. It's far but really only like a 30-40 minute walk (I walked last weekend from 11th to Grand Central) it's pretty easy. Also, there are tons of cabs. youi shouldn't have too much trouble. Unfortunately I will not be there to join you fellow bu student but all you Jammers scream a little bit extra for me please at the upcoming DT shows :-( - Layne ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out my new band META SECTION at http://members.xoom.com/METASECTION/meta.htm It's a mix of metal/industrial/progressive/rock. Check it out ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:31:24 -0400 (EDT) From: Matthew Smith To: Ytsejam Subject: question Message-ID: Hey Jammers-- I have a question. Could be a stupid question, but I really don't care because I want to know, and I figured some of you probably know: Who was the first band ever to utilize double bass drums? Thanks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Album Currently Playing: Savatage--Dead Winter Dead ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt Smith "When Dream and Day Unite, Images and Words email_address_removed Awake A Change of Seasons Falling Into Infinity." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 12:45:50 -0500 (CDT) From: Alan Estrada Adler To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: ACOS on video? Message-ID: I think it is on the video version of the new york show of 1993 (I think is called dance of eternity on audio) On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Vaughn, Brandon wrote: > > Does anyone know if there is a video bootleg concert in which DT > performs all of ACOS? > > I know it is on plenty of CDs, but it seems a shame if during that whole > period that the band was performing this classic, that it wasn't caught > on video. > > Anybody seen it on video? Maybe Mike P. has it on video and wouldn't > mind sharing with us? :) > > Brandon Vaughn > vaughnb@chipola.cc.fl.us > > --- Alan Estrada Email: email_address_removed.mx ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 12:56:48 -0500 (CDT) From: Alan Estrada Adler To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: big rant - ok, not so big Message-ID: > On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Al Balkiewicz wrote: > > > > > > > > > quick question.... > > > > > > Anybody else annoyed as fuck about the Empty Tremor "mailing > > list" thingy? with people responding to all the recipients > > and getting a 200-line header? > > yeah me too, I got lots of mails because of the empty tremor thing and I never got my promo tape... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:10:03 -0400 From: Pat Daugherty To: Dream Theater Mailing List Subject: empty tremor Message-ID: > From: Al Balkiewicz > > quick question.... > Anybody else annoyed as fuck about the Empty Tremor "mailing > list" thingy? with people responding to all the recipients > and getting a 200-line header? > Yeah, I've been getting a bunch of these. 40KB messages with about 2 lines of text to the message and 5 billion addresses in the to:fields. I sent an email to the originator of the original message (not to the ENTIRE F.....G LIST) saying to take me off the list. So if you feel like replying to the entire list of people on the empty tremor list-DONT. > sorry for the rant, but it's a Monday, dammit damn straight. NP:Smoke on the Water-Tribute to Deep Purple -- |-------------------------------------------------------------------| | Pat Daugherty Email : email_address_removed | | Web : http://www.abs.net/~patnbeck/pat/pat.html | |===================================================================| | "That is not an option, Mr. Mulder" -- X-Files | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:32:10 -0400 From: "Christopher R. Merlo" To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 2} Message-ID: Michael Bahr graced my inbox with: > > 7. Lines In the Sand > > What can I say that I haven't already? We thought it was great righ > > > > Initially: A- Now: A+ My only question is why you, the big King's X fan, gave this an A- initially. I've grown to accept, and *gasp* even like Doug's vocals. > > 8. Take Away My Pain > > > > Initially: A- Now: B+ I was *waythefuck* let down by the studio version of this. When I heard this one live for the first time (again, in Po-Town), I almost cried. It was *that* good. Richie and I couldn't shut up about this song for a couple of weeks. The studio version seems to lack a great deal of the original emotion. It just seems... inappropriate to me. I would recommend the demo version over the album version any time. Initially: A+++++, now C. (The demo version is still A+++++, btw.) > > 9. Just Let Me Breathe > > a decent job here. Second-tier material just because of how dated it is > > and because it never reaches any higher. I dunno, that bridge ("Strike up your best angst-ridden posture") saves it for me. Granted, this song is no ToT or LTL, but it's good. > > Initially: B- Now: B I'd give it a B+. > > 10. Anna Lee > > > > Initially: F Now: C+ Balls and chunk is cool as hell, but everyone needs a break now and then. Initially B+, now A-. > > 11. Trial of Tears > > awesome... you can practically SEE the wasteland as you stand there, the > > winds blowing past you and the hazy horizon in the distance. Typical > > Myung... he should write fantasy novels. First-tier. My first time back to NY after FII was released, I was driving through Manhattan (yes, I'm crazy) while it was raining, listening to FII. This one came on, and I started unconsciously singing along, and it just hit me. This song is up there with LTL and Voices for me. > > Initially: B+ Now: A Now A+. It kicks. > > Addenda: Speak to Me, Cover My Eyes, The Way It Used To Be I haven't heard CME. STM surprised the hell out of me when I first heard it ("*This* is DT?"). TWIUTB is great. As for the argument that they shouldn't be on the album, I'd take TWIUTB over YNM any day. > > FII seems to tie Awake for second place behind the still-champion > > IAW Ehhh..... Personally, for me, WDADU has a better quotient of "I love this song!" songs than FII does, and as good at ToT is, it doesn't stack up to OAMOT. But I like FII, and I still listen to it a lot. > > out of it for weeks. It sure beats "bootleggers suck" threads, I > > guarantee you. :) Damn bootleggers :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Digital Man \|/ ____ \|/ "640 K ought to be enough email_address_removed "@'/ ,. \`@" memory for everyone." -Gates email_address_removed /_| \__/ |_\ "He won't need a bed http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo \__U_/ He's a digital man" -Peart ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The Spirit of Radio" Saturday 2:00pm-4:00pm 90.7 WCWM-FM http://www.cs.wm.edu/~cmerlo/tsor ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:10:29 -0500 (CDT) From: Alan Estrada Adler To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: Thoughts on FII after nearly a year: how did it age? {Part 1} Message-ID: > > 4. Hollow Years > > What the hell happened? Wasn't this song supposed to spend all day > > airing on VH1 and preparing OFB for a new era of arena tours? I dont know there but here Hollow years is getting lots of airplay, specially on latin Mtv, I already saw that video like 5 times and taped it one of them....and I really dont spend lots of time watching Mtv... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 20:11:37 +0200 (CEST) From: Choon-Kang Walther To: MakTs , Subject: NEVERENDING DREAMS PT3.1 (Strassbourg, Bourges and loads of , backstage stories, LONG!!!) Message-ID: Hi fellow jammers, About a week ago, DT ended their European tour and as I've suggested before, I've done so myself: check out - if you've got the possibility to chose shows - not the first show, rather those towards the end of the tour. 04-17-98 -------- Back on the road again, what a familiar feeling, the 11th show within 2 month... I arrive in Strassbourg at the hall at about 15:00. Right that minute is walking up the road what I will call 'family' or 'the travellers': Fellow DT fans from the Internet: Adrian and his girlfriend (sorry, I forgot your name) from the UK, Matthias from Germany and Hitomi and her friend Yumiko from (!) Japan. During the next two hours, they update me with the latest news from the UK tour: the cancelled Nottingham show, the surprising appearance of worldstar-to-be Nicky Lemons ---------------------------- who has kept DT fans all over the world excited. Rumors are, that he is somehow connected with Dream Theater, after showing up four times by now, always having them opening for him. :-) This can't be a coincidence anymore! A birthday dinner for Matthias with the band and that Mike introduced him to the whole crowd, and that JLB demonstrated on a rare occasion party skills! Nope, not brabbling round drunk, but being among the last ones to leave and entertaining the whole bout with high-school stories. Derek arrives at first, of course with high heeled company. I talk to the girl, who tells me that she was from the area of Lyon (where the 1st concert has been) and that she's also been to Spain. Quote Matthias: 'In England, he had a different one.' Derek than goes outside to sign tickets and other stuff of the about 20 people waiting there. At some time, Mr. Rudess and Mr. Morgenstein walk by. I don't know them personally, only from the CD cover. DT arrive at 17:00 by cab. Mike welcomes me: 'Choon-Kang is back' Soundcheck ---------- It is the 1st time, I stay inside the hall officially to watch a whole soundcheck. Actually this is not the right term. This is usually done by the crew, before the band arrives. DT have their dayly jam-session. It's usually without James, so vocal performance goes to Mike or John Petrucci. The people at the hall get to hear, as I realized with delight after some tunes, 'Your Majesty' and a complete version of Speak to Me. As Matthias tells me, it's quite unusual, that so many people are present. Soundcheck also means PRIVACY. I find that out, being scolded by Mike, when I want to take out my camera. After the 'jam', there is the first chance to talk to the band. James tells me about his children, and that they will be sent to a French school, so they should speak it some day, (opposite to their father...) He's very relaxed, enjoyes himself. One day to go till their departure home, after all. After the soundcheck, the gathered travellers can deposit their gathered luggage in a room of the building. A big thank you and a humble bow at this point to the hall official who enabled us this, though I doubt that anyone of them is reading this. Then we are sent out for an hour, except Matthias who's 'dissapearing in the air' :-) of the hall. Once more, my folder with several hundred pictures from the shows in Germany in march and decent me are center of attraction. :) The doors open at 19:30 and - JEEZ- the crowd almost (no exaggeration!!!) runs in the doors! No civilized lining up as in the US! Strassbourg, La Laiterie ------------------------ Hall: The hall is nice, not to big, not to small for the real club feeling. 'This is a really nice stage' have some of the roadies told me in the afternoon. :-???? I am told later, that the stages in England were so small, that they sometimes not even bothered to put up Mikes small drumkitt on stage. That's why. There is a tribune through about half of the hall, to just beneath the roof. So everybody can see something. Light: The hall is small, so the bars which carry the headlights and are mostly parallel to the stage, are in a V-shape towards the soundboard arranged = small hall (too narrow). Besides of that, I really don't pay attention. I haven't seen DT for 3 weeks (!) now. :-))) Rudess/Morgenstein Project Start with the Laiterie already quite filled. As well as in Zuerich, where I've seen them once before, the first impression is - Wow, good musicians, and the second one is - They must be two of the friendliest people I've ever encountered. I still miss vocals in their instrumental songs. I particularly enjoy a 'duet' with the keyboard in percussion mode where they hand back and forth rythms. Merchandise During the break, I talk to Mick, the merchandiser. The sales were good. (imagine the conversation with Micks cheerful English accent and Mick swirling around selling t-shirts inbetween!) :-))) CK: 'Switzerland?' M: 'Oh, Switzerland was good.' CK:'And Italy?' M: 'Oh, (smiles) also good.' CK: 'How about England?' M: 'Just great.' CK:' And Spain?' M: 'Oh, Spain was great!' I mean - what other places have they played? :) Crowd: Mixed, German and French (Strassbourg is located some 20 minutes from the German boarder). Really stuffed, a canned sardine would have more space, but - other than at the entrance, very civilized. Extras: DT play the second set, the one that startsoff with ACOS I & II. There is a long duet with Mike and Rod Morgenstein (during Mikes solo?), Mike plays 'the last' drumsolo with a fan (=no more solos in the US???) He sais, he picked this dude, because 'I've seen him play along with me during the show.' A lot of improvising. (James!!!) Part two follows next week. Cheers Choon-Kang ------------------------------ End of YTSEJAM Digest 3799 **************************