YTSEJAM Digest 3800 Today's Topics: 1) You're ON buddy! by email_address_removed 2) Hell's Kitchen/Empty Tremor Mailing List by "Giannotti, Nick" 3) Re: question by The iban 4) Prog-net by Chris Dixon 5) Re: ACOS on video? by Al Balkiewicz 6) My Take on FII and ? on the DFW concert by Kevin Loechner 7) Re: Hell's Kitchen/Empty Tremor Mailing List by Matt Johnston 8) Re: question by Matt Johnston 9) NDTC - Attn. St. Louis area jammers by Alex Fraser 10) Daytona Show by Everett W Painter 11) Mental Image of the Day by Eckie 12) Thoughts on FII after 2/3 year by Jonathan Case ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 11:32:54 -0700 (MST) From: email_address_removed To: email_address_removed Cc: Multiple recipients of list Subject: You're ON buddy! Message-ID: Heh heh, leave it to Mikey to try pulling DTC back to the jam; On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Michael Bahr had a lot of time on his hands: > > 7. Lines In the Sand > > What can I say that I haven't already? We thought it was great right > > out of the gates, with a little bit of opposition by those who were > > unhappy with Pinnick's role, but now, this song is thought of as quite > > possibly DT's finest. By far the best on FII, it's a 13-minute > > masterpiece that takes us up, down, around and through all of DT's > > better musical ideas and exercises. The lyrics are downright brilliant, > > and the verses gradually build themselves up to a very tangible climax. > > In a way, the chorii with the LaBrie/Pinnick interplay is just icing on > > the cake, almost an afterthought, to the core of the rest of the song. > > Say what you will about this one, because chances are we agree. Yeah, this is probably my favorite tune on the disk, along with Trial of Tears. It acts as a climax for the entire disk in my mind, which is too bad, 'cuz the tunes after it ain't that bad! :) Masterpiece is the word I'll slap onto it as well, and I've always thought Doug's addition to the song was awesome. Labrie has a great voice, sure, but he just CAN'T do what Doug did :). > > Initially: A- Now: A+ Now this is somethin' I just can't do, personally. Rating artwork takes somebody other than an artist or musician imo, or maybe people with a truly understanding sense of what it takes to create something. FII is totally different from Awake, with a few tie-ins here and there, as Awake was for I&W. I'll still say Awake is my favorite disc, mainly because of my bias towards the guitar's tone and role in the music (DUNT DUNT DUNT!) but FII, as a whole, is right up there with it. As for LitS, it's one of my all-time favorite DT tunes. > > 8. Take Away My Pain > > listener's mind. This all changed for me when my grandfather died last > > Friday and I put on some music to help me try and deal with it. I > > listened to Rush's "Bravado" and "Afterimage", and this song. The first > > two got to me, but TAMP hit like a hammer. It is just unbelievable the > > impact this song can have when it becomes personal. I don't know how > > Petrucci can even manage to play this live, I'd be far too distracted. > > The demo versions are different and have merit in their own regard as > > well. Overall? This isn't a first-tier song, and is more of a I heard this song for the first time in Ed's car as we drove halfway to Prescott in the middle of the night, blasting it all the way back to Phoenix (it was the night of the release, and the AZ crew at hand decided on a mini-road trip to celebrate...just to clear that up for all you sicko's out there). At first, my reaction was, "I should direct the video for this song. It'll be in Hawaii, James will be wearing a floral silk shirt, and have a parrot sitting on his shoulder the entire time. Mike will be banging on some coconuts. It will fit." So, right off the bat, my twisted imagination had already ruined the song itself, but THEN good ol' Ernie says, "Its intro is the same as Mad About You's theme song!" and heheheh, he was RIGHT. Then I heard the demo for it, and I was actually moved emotionally. The composition was so much more powerful in preproduction, it makes me wonder just what were the band's/Shirley's ideas when they altered it. If I could put the demo version of TAMP to replace the "new" version on my copy of FII, I would be a very happy jammer. > > 9. Just Let Me Breathe > > This is one of those songs that started off good and has more or less > > stayed that way. Portnoy does a wonderful job of smiting some entities > > that needed to be smoten (grin) and this song does it with the best > > overall package. Hell, THIS could have been a perfectly credible hit > > single. The groove is just wonderful, the little tastes of Welcome to > > the Jungle and Learning to Live are noteworthy, and overall the band did > > a decent job here. Second-tier material just because of how dated it is > > and because it never reaches any higher. Initially, this was my favorite track on the whole disc, and you can't blame me, I'm a metalhead at heart. I loooove a good skull-crushing groove when I hear it, and whenever DT does it, they do it the best way possible, imo. The emotions of anger and frustration are conveyed well in the song, but as you get older and learn more about life, I guess it's more difficult to dwell on those emotions, so the song itself is kinda hurt by that factor; LitS and Trial of Tears are grand slams to the soul where BMS may be a line drive down the field, past the pool where all those chicks in bikinis are distracting the visiting team's outfielders. But I can't listen to LitS OR Hell's Kitchen without listening to BMS, I consider BMS to be the intro to another classic DT trilogy, with HK being a fantastic build up to LitS, where as I stated before, the climax of the trilogy(and disc for that matter) happens. With those three songs grouped together, as a whole composition, the music and the lyrics, from BMS to LitS just kick too much ass. > > 10. Anna Lee This got the official Eckie seal of "WHAT THE FUCK?!" and it still carries that mark. In my mind, DT was a mind blowing progMETAL band who was diverse enough to do lighter, more available-listening songs like You Not Me and Hollow Years and still pull off something beautiful, and when I heard this song, I had to laugh. Sure, Petrucci kicks major ass (again) on this track, but I can't listen to the song itself, I just don't enjoy the song. So I always skip it. :) > > 11. Trial of Tears The entire song just blows me away everytime I hear it. I'm always taken out of my truck in rush hour or away from my computer and desk in my bedroom to a far far off place, a place free of Green Day and No Doubt and Bush, a place where peace and dispair intertwine in a bittersweet mix of music that will turn your heart inside out without any lame ass love song lyrics. Plus, with that big ass Mexican, El Nino, always dumping rain on AZ this year, it made for a GREAT rainy-day tune. I was listening to this and APSoG quite a bit this year :) > > awesome... you can practically SEE the wasteland as you stand there, the > > winds blowing past you and the hazy horizon in the distance. Don't forget the asses...nothing but asses.... > > Addenda: Speak to Me, Cover My Eyes, The Way It Used To Be 'kay, I gotta make this short, I need to get ready for the day and hit the doctor's appt. Speak to Me WAS U2, done exceedingly well, DT should just have some hitmen take out the actual U2 and replace them for those big ass tours (I would _love_ to see a DT concert at Sun Devil Stadium, sold out), plus the U2 fans wouldn't be disappointed, 'cuz let's face it, OFB can do it better :) (yeh yeh, the original is always the "best", and others can only do it "differently", blah blah blah....well, put that little opinion aside for this matter... >;) ) Cover My Eyes was reaaaaaally poppy, and I can sorta see why they decided not to put that on the album, it really wouldn't fit well with the other material. The Way it Used to Be should've been put on the album and Anna Lee would've been cut to make space, if I was emperor of the world....but I'm not (yet). I can't really rate the albums, but I'd say Awake is still my favorite and I&W is the perfect album, but FII's composition is so bad assed I just have to be blown away by it, even with Anna Lee being on there ;) Plus I don't particularly enjoy the mix on FII as much as I did Awake. Again, I'm a biased guitar player >;) ~Brave Sir Eckie ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:39:48 -0400 From: "Giannotti, Nick" To: "'email_address_removed'" Subject: Hell's Kitchen/Empty Tremor Mailing List Message-ID: <4AA929543BC8D111A4E800600808ACE51B6C97@HAMSXHA2> Mike Bahr wrote, > > > > 6. Hell's Kitchen > > > > > > Initially: B- Now: B- > Sorry, but out of all the grades you gave, I have to disagree with this one more than anything else. This is *THE* instrumental by Dream Theater; The YtseJam is out and out cool, Erotomania is... well... pretty self-indulgent and masturbatory with no emotion (to me - and this is all opinion, so you can tell me I'm wrong and I'll laugh like Flanders), but this... this, man. Nothing has ever given me chills like this song. Brr! And for anyone who is on the 'Empty Tremor' mailing list: for your sake, don't, PLEASE, don't use the 'reply all' button like I did. You'll end up getting about 1000 'Mail Undeliverable' messages from email_address_removed. I had to set up a filter to delete them as they come in (and yes, they're still coming!). What a pain in the ass. Grr. - Nicholas Giannotti "Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool." ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:40:21 EDT From: The iban To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: question Message-ID: In a message dated 98-04-27 14:30:21 EDT, you write: << 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? >> i would have to say probably AC/DC or maybe The Partridge Family.. Rocky ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 15:03:59 -0400 From: Chris Dixon To: email_address_removed Subject: Prog-net Message-ID: I wanted to thank everyone here who helped to make the Prog-Net web site a success for its first month. I can tell by the amount of Prog Metal information that many of you have helped out. I'd like to invite everyone else to stop by and check it out, and if you can, submit a quick review of a prog CD that you own to help others know what to try. Prog-Net is: http://www.isminternet.com/prognet/ "Reviews and Opinions About Progressive Music" Thanks, Chris ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 15:09:51 -0400 (EDT) From: Al Balkiewicz To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: ACOS on video? Message-ID: Yup, it's on there, but good luck trying to watch it. At least the version I have, it is absolutely horrendous, and it hurts to watch. I'm talking video-wise, not DT-wise. All those "special effects" just kill it. Are there other versions of this show, without those effects? -Al On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Alan Estrada Adler wrote: > > 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 > ===================================================================== b l i n d l a b o r s t h e b l i n d a n d I a m u n w i l l i n g t o u n c o v e r m y e y e s ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ email_address_removed OR email_address_removed OR email_address_removed HOMEPAGE:http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Towers/9280/index.html ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:30:05 -0500 From: Kevin Loechner To: The Ytsejam Subject: My Take on FII and ? on the DFW concert Message-ID: Hello Jammers, Well, I really liked this new thread on FII, so I thought I would add my own opinions to it. Being fairly new to prog and not a musician (well, I am going to take drum lessons next semester), I'll give my uneducated, yet personal opinions on the album. First opinion, best album by any band in the years since I&W, still think it is great, but prefer I&W. Now the songs: 1. New Millenium -- loved it, thought it was the funkiest prog I have ever heard in my life, amazing, and I still love it First listen: A Now: A 2. You Not Me -- cheesy at first, especially the chorus, but I think it is really not that bad of a song, although I prefer the demo YOM. First listen: D+ Now: B- 3. Peruvian Skies -- My favorite song on the album, especially the drums, also my Mom's favorite, she heard a little Moody Blues in it First listen: A+ Now: A+ 4. Hollow Years -- I really liked the change of pace in this song, and I have nothing wrong with softer songs, they are really what distinguishes Dream Theater from so many other bands. First Listen: B Now: A- 5. Burning My Soul -- One of my less favorite songs, but not bad. I think it has aged alright, but has not really improved by listening to it more. First Listen: C+ Now: C 6. Hell's Kitchen -- Not my favorite instrumental by DT, but a great instrumental nonetheless. It is very moving, and I love the transition into LitS First Listen: B Now: A- 7. Lines in the Sand -- Great song, and I had no qualms about the Pinnick vocals in this song, because I happen to like King's X, well actually just picked them up because of this song. Has actually gotten better over the year. First Listen: A- Now: A 8. Take Away My Pain -- I really liked the personal message in this song, but it is only an alright song. I think this song would really hit home when someone close is lost. First Listen: C- Now: B 9. Just Let Me Breathe -- This song doesn't have a timeless message, but with the many people out there still obsessing over Cobain and Hoon (hate Blind Melon's comments about Dream Theater btw) it still has meaning. I think musically it is great, especially Mike's drums. Probably the hardest, most aggressive song on the entire album. First Listen: B Now: (Lyrics B) (Music A) (Overall A-) 10. Anna Lee -- In my opinion, the most beautiful song on the album. At first I thought weak, but over time I have come to really enjoy this song. James's vocals are really moving as are the lyrics. First Listen: D+ Now: B+ 11. Trial of Tears -- I always like the Myung songs on each album, and this one is no exception. I don't like it as much as Learning to Live, but I really enjoy Myung's bass lines in this one (just as much as LtL). It really puts visions into my head, and that alone makes it amazing. First Listen: B+ Now: A Overall this album has gotten better with each listen, although it is not I&W II, but it is not meant to be. Some hardcore DT fans really hate it, probably the reason I was able to get it used so soon, but I love it because it is so unique, like each album that DT makes. Now I have a question about the DFW area DT concert: I know the tix go on sale May 1st, but will they be sold through TicketBastard or someone else? Also, I would like to know whoelse will be at the DFW area concert. Thanks for reading this long post, and please feel free to respond here, Kevin Loechner http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~kloechn NP: Wings - Greatest hits (in memorium to Linda McCartney, too many musicians dying during this month) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 12:37:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Matt Johnston To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: Hell's Kitchen/Empty Tremor Mailing List Message-ID: On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Giannotti, Nick wrote: > Mike Bahr wrote, >> >> > > 6. Hell's Kitchen >> > > >> > > Initially: B- Now: B- >> > Sorry, but out of all the grades you gave, I have to disagree with >this one more than anything else. This is *THE* instrumental by Dream >Theater; The YtseJam is out and out cool, Erotomania is... well... pretty >self-indulgent and masturbatory with no emotion (to me - and this is all >opinion, so you can tell me I'm wrong and I'll laugh like Flanders), but >this... this, man. Nothing has ever given me chills like this song. Brr! > Hell's Kitchen is too cool. Period. Shut up. ^_^ When it builds up to the "Faith No More" moment at about 3:39, you gotta go nuts! You just gotta... ^_^ Well, at least I do. ^_^ It's up there and above the epic Metallica intrumentals (right up there with To Live is To Die and Orion) Definately, without a dobut the best studio instrumental (with Eve being a close second, and many of the live onse right up there as well). > - Nicholas Giannotti > "Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool." > > > --Matt --------------------------------------------------------------------- They Might Be Giants: REM with a sense of humor. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 12:40:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Matt Johnston To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: question Message-ID: On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, The iban wrote: > >In a message dated 98-04-27 14:30:21 EDT, you write: > ><< 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? >> > I know the other three members of Led Zeppelin kept taking John Bonham's second bass drum away from him, saying something to the affect of, "My God, man! Save some room for us!" ^_^ That was around Led Zeppelin IV, so... (it was in an interview with Robert Plant) I have no idea if they were first, but I am giving you something to go on. --Matt --------------------------------------------------------------------- They Might Be Giants: REM with a sense of humor. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:56:52 +0000 From: Alex Fraser To: email_address_removed Subject: NDTC - Attn. St. Louis area jammers Message-ID: Hey, sorry for the clutter, but I need some info from someone from St. Louis or the area. I'm looking to catch a Cardinals game in mid-May. Are there usually seats available on game day, or should I order them now? I can get tix via their web-site, but I was hoping to avoid the hassle if the games don't usually sell out. If anyone has info, please let me know. Thanks, Alex (id) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 16:01:03 -0400 (EDT) From: Everett W Painter To: email_address_removed Subject: Daytona Show Message-ID: WOOHOO, Got my ticket in the mail today!!!! I'm finally going to see them. Could everyone going to this show mail me? Thanks, Everett ______________________________________________________________________________ Everett Painter "Sometimes a view from sinless eyes, Radford University Centers our perspective, and pacifies our cries, Radford, VA Sometimes the anguish we survive, And the mysteries we nurture, Are the fabrics of our lives." email_address_removed - Dream Theater, -Lines in the Sand- ______________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 13:08:11 -0700 From: Eckie To: Ytse Jam Subject: Mental Image of the Day Message-ID: Picture this: Bobcat Goldwaith singing Anna Lee. ~Eckie thought it was funny ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 15:26:34 -0500 (CDT) From: Jonathan Case To: email_address_removed Subject: Thoughts on FII after 2/3 year Message-ID: I'd have to say, I'm generally still disappointed with FII. It just doesn't cut it for me, like the Kevin Moore days. Maybe DS brings a much more relaxed and party atmosphere to concerts, but I still have to say overall, I'm let down by FII. I STILL think as well that the sound quality is *really* lacking, having a general muddy sound to it. The extra bass is great, but the mudiness ruins the sound quality of the drums, guitars and vocals. Here's my song by song account: 1) New Millennium. Still about the best on the CD. initially, B+, now A 2) You not Me. One of the most ordinary DT songs I've ever heard. Alternative sounding and popish. The drumming is awesome, but just doesn't seem to fit such a simple song. initially, C, now C- 3) Peruvian Skies. Good mix of styles here, but sounds too Metallica-like, rather than unique DT sounding on the heavy parts. initially, A-, now B+ 4) Hollow Years. A ballad. I've liked most DT ballads in the past, but I lost interest in this one quickly. Nothing like ANother Day, Surrounded, or Lifting SHadows, or Wait for Sleep, or the best of all the easier DT songs: To live forever. initially C. Now D+ 5) Burning My Soul. Pretty good ballz-n-chunck. Muddy sound ruins part of this song for me (sorry I can't get over it). Chorus is just too dang repetitive at times, making it fairly poppy. initially B, now B. 6) Hell's Kitchen. The only uniquely progressive DT tune on the CD. The only one, sadly with any odd times, besides 6/4 and 7/4 on the CD. (except for JLMB) Pretty nice emotions on this track. Mostly guitar oriented though, when it comes to anything with chops. initially, A, now A-. 7) Lines in the Sand. Despite lacking a unique DT sound and style, it still rocks more than anything I've heard in recent times. Simply an awesome marathon song. Even though Petrucci simplfies his style in the solo, it fits PERFECT. initially, A, now A. 8) Take Away My Pain. A ballad. Pretty good, but unfortunately, I've lost interest in this one, too. A rather predictable and ordinary layout of the song. Maybe if I heard it live or the demo version, I might change my mind. It reminds me of a style similar to "to live forever", but just doesn't have what TLF has. Again, the keys just don't seem to make an impression. initially, B+, now B-. 9) Just Let me Breathe. Finally, a heavier DT song again. Usually, though, DT can make a heavy, metallic song have some melody and variations in it. With the exception of the instrumental parts, I can't really get into this song much. Keyboards are finally making more of an impression in this track. initially, B, now B-. 10) Anna Lee. A ballad. reminds me of contemporary adult Elton John. initially, C-, now D. (I don't believe in failing any DT songs, but this one comes close, compared to what I like to hear from them) 11) Trial of Tears. A very good marathon song, again. Lyrics are the best of the CD, right up there with LitS. I enjoy this one usually, but it doesn't flow quite as well as previous DT marathons. initially B+, now B+. Overall: I listen to IAW and Awake WAY more than FII. I listen to ACoS and WDaDU and FII about equally, I'd say. initially B+, now B-. If only James were singing in WDaDU, then that might be among my favorite CD of DT as well. Only a Matter of Time is one of their best songs, along with most on IAW, Scarred (prob. close to my all-time favorite now), 6:00, A Mind Beside Itself, and Lines in the Sand. If I had ot pick favorites off each CD, here's what it'd be: WDADU: Only a matter of time. IAW: Wait for Sleep/Learning to Live. (I treat these as one) Awake: Scarred. ACoS: (duh) FII: Lines in the Sand. Well, I'm hoping that looking forward to the next CD is not getting my hopes up too much. -Jon P.S. --> Liquid Tension Experiement probably should have been called: "Dream Theater Experiment". THAT'S the style of playing that DT usually does!! ------------------------------ End of YTSEJAM Digest 3800 **************************