The Official Flying Colors Thread

[The Letter M]

I may be misremembering, but I think there actually was an "Us" out there somewhere, which was the reason the Neal Schon project of a few years ago ended up being "Planet Us."

Well if there is, they're not famous enough to have a wikipedia article, so I figured guys as famous as these could nab the name if no one else was using it. Although I think if it's just "Us" that's already "out there somewhere", they could get away with doing "U.S." instead, right?

-Marc.

[Nekov]

WDD
     

    Hey Mike see if you 'get' this one for a band name for the new project:

    Martin Lane

    Think about it...a ton of your music has been created around this name and this new chapter in your life post DT (for now) is where I truly think one of the best records you will ever do is being written.
    Plus it has a British sort of ambience to it like Pink Floyd's name. Even kind of Beatle-ish (Abbey Lane).
    Also its a name that could be prog....could be rock...could be alternative...could cover any type of music you do really.

    I  know I know...i'm wasting my time posting band name ideas...if i was in your shoes why would I want to let a fan name a project i'm working on...surely a band name idea will pop up during your writing sessions with those guys and when ever in the history of bands has a musician let a fan suggest anything and they use it? Prolly fucking never!!! and yes its prolly cuz the ideas always sucked hahaha!!!
    Martin Lane sounds good to me but then again i'm biased cuz I came up with it...but then again I didn't come up with it...it's been right at the end of the driveway the whole time! I just happened to remember it cuz of all the good times I had there and the good time that's being had there right now!!!

    Peace man...thanks for the updates and even bothering to post them...\m/


Actually, I LOVE this idea!!!
I will run it by the guys and see what they think....

 
MP

Who else here thinks that should NOT be the name?

[reneranucci]

I barely understood the post, but yeah, that should not be the name by any means.

[Birch Boy]

Wait, did MP acknowledge that name?!?

[Nekov]

Yes he did....

[Zydar]

[hefdaddy42]

Man, you really need to have brains to write a progressive rock album in 8 days, that's impressive. 

Yes, but this isn't a prog rock album, so that's cool.

[pogoowner]

Yeah, not digging that name. Hopefully the other guys veto it.

[bosk1]

I'm not digging it either.  But then again, if the music ends up being good, I won't really care. 

[hefdaddy42]

I'm not digging it either.  But then again, if the music ends up being good, I won't really care. 

[Nekov]

I'm not digging it either.  But then again, if the music ends up being good, I won't really care. 

I agree. But still, that name sounds like a lame pop star.

[rumborak]

Given that that's almost exactly how they wrote The Whirlwind, I am concerned.  

FTFY

I'll wait until I hear the music. It just seems a bit too good to be true.

rumborak

[The Letter M]

Given that that's almost exactly how they wrote The Whirlwind, I am concerned.  

FTFY

I'll wait until I hear the music. It just seems a bit too good to be true.

rumborak

Considering their credentials and experience, I really am not worried. Mike and Neal have been working together for over a decade, so they work very well. Steve and Dave have been in the Dregs for awhile, and while I don't know much about them or that band, I can only hope they work very well together as well.

Steve, Casey and Neal seem to be VERY capable singers and songwriters, particularly the latter two as they're the POP side of this band, good at writing shorter songs and ballads I'm sure. Dave and Mike have proven to be a powerhouse rhythm section before, so I'm not worried about that aspect.

And the fact that three of the members play guitar, two play keyboard/piano, and they can ALL sing (I think Dave does, does he?), I don't doubt this project to provide anything but very amazing music.

-Marc.

[The Letter M]

Phone interview with Neal about his life and background, and also some information about the new project!

https://www.bravewords.com/news/153812

-Marc.

[reneranucci]

I agree with everything -Marc has said in this thread.

[rumborak]

Considering their credentials and experience, I really am not worried. Mike and Neal have been working together for over a decade, so they work very well. Steve and Dave have been in the Dregs for awhile, and while I don't know much about them or that band, I can only hope they work very well together as well.

Steve, Casey and Neal seem to be VERY capable singers and songwriters, particularly the latter two as they're the POP side of this band, good at writing shorter songs and ballads I'm sure. Dave and Mike have proven to be a powerhouse rhythm section before, so I'm not worried about that aspect.

And the fact that three of the members play guitar, two play keyboard/piano, and they can ALL sing (I think Dave does, does he?), I don't doubt this project to provide anything but very amazing music.

Here's the thing for me: I have seen these kinds of calculations too many times in my life to know that you can't build a good music album like a lego kit. Chickenfoot, simply by its make-up, should have been absolutely awesome. And it was only lukewarm. Same with Transatlantic III, which I thought was disappointing.
So, when I see these "super groups" and then statements like "XYZ wrote 2 songs in one day!" and "I finished my drumming in 2 days!!", I get a bit anxious. I'd rather read a statement like "I threw away the first 10 takes because I didn't like it, and when I slept over it I had a really good idea.".

rumborak

[bosk1]

Here's the thing for me: I have seen these kinds of calculations too many times in my life to know that you can't build a good music album like a lego kit. Chickenfoot, simply by its make-up, should have been absolutely awesome. And it was only lukewarm.

You, Sir, are brilliant and insightful, and you have a keen ear for music.  I could not agree more.

Same with Transatlantic III, which I thought was disappointing.

You, Sir, are obviously high on something that has impaired both your hearing and judgment.  I could not agree less.

[The Letter M]

Considering their credentials and experience, I really am not worried. Mike and Neal have been working together for over a decade, so they work very well. Steve and Dave have been in the Dregs for awhile, and while I don't know much about them or that band, I can only hope they work very well together as well.

Steve, Casey and Neal seem to be VERY capable singers and songwriters, particularly the latter two as they're the POP side of this band, good at writing shorter songs and ballads I'm sure. Dave and Mike have proven to be a powerhouse rhythm section before, so I'm not worried about that aspect.

And the fact that three of the members play guitar, two play keyboard/piano, and they can ALL sing (I think Dave does, does he?), I don't doubt this project to provide anything but very amazing music.

Here's the thing for me: I have seen these kinds of calculations too many times in my life to know that you can't build a good music album like a lego kit. Chickenfoot, simply by its make-up, should have been absolutely awesome. And it was only lukewarm. Same with Transatlantic III, which I thought was disappointing.
So, when I see these "super groups" and then statements like "XYZ wrote 2 songs in one day!" and "I finished my drumming in 2 days!!", I get a bit anxious. I'd rather read a statement like "I threw away the first 10 takes because I didn't like it, and when I slept over it I had a really good idea.".

rumborak

Perhaps Mike isn't telling us those sorts of statements because he only wants to share the exciting parts of his days with this band? And I think he did mention Steve or Neal "sleeping over" things and rushing to talk about music in the morning. Either way, I'm sure a LOT of work went into each song, and it seems like having SIX guys talk about it means there's a lot of input and sharing and suggestions, so when it gets down to it, they really put out what everyone thinks is best for the music. There may not be enough TIME for ten takes, but with guys as good as they are, they may  not NEED ten takes - maybe three or four - to decide what they like. Besides, this is still the WRITING stage, and not the recording stage.

Mike said in his last studio report that he will do all his PROPER drum tracks in the next few days before he heads off to NAMM, and I'm sure Neal will work out schedules with the other three guys to get their tracks done at his studio later on, or at their own studios on their own time, and have all the tracks emailed to the mixer(s), whoever they happen to be. While they've only had about 8-10 days together, they're not recording it all right now - just writing. They'll probably spend the next 2-3 months tweaking tracks, laying down proper guitars/pianos/keyboards, doing vocals, etc. etc., and probably spent another month or two mixing and mastering before all is said and done.

Also, the comparison to Chickenfoot is a bit off, IMO, as I think the dynamic in that band (without knowing a lot about them) is likely different than the dynamic presented here. It seems that on Chickenfoot's debut album, all the music was written by Hagar and Satriani, just half the band, while the others probably had little input. This band with both Morses and McPherson includes three experienced writers and two other musicians who work well with writers on arranging and offering plenty of suggestions, as well as a well-known and often-praised producer.

I think just knowing how consistently good these musicians are helps me believe that this "supergroup" will churn out an amazing album. I can only hope that it rises high above the likes of Chickenfoot, Them Crooked Vultures and Black Country Communion in recent years' rock supergroups.

-Marc.

[Nick]

Rumborak: Finding flaws in anything and everything since 19...82...ish?

Point being, you gotta stop being such a pisser man.

[KevShmev]

Nothing wrong with rumborak keeping some perspective.  Not everyone looking forward to this has to go in assuming that it will be the greatest thing ever, ya know.  In fact, keeping expectations on an even keel makes being disappointed by it a lot less likely to happen.

And while his excitement over this project is understandable, especially given everything that has transpired over the last four or five months, his daily updates once again show that Mike Portnoy is the biggest self-promoter in music today.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Nothing wrong with rumborak keeping some perspective.  Not everyone looking forward to this has to go in assuming that it will be the greatest thing ever, ya know.  In fact, keeping expectations on an even keel makes being disappointed by it a lot less likely to happen.

And while his excitement over this project is understandable, especially given everything that has transpired over the last four or five months, his daily updates once again show that Mike Portnoy is the biggest self-promoter in music today.

I actually agree with Nick here!

When was the last time you just said, "ZOMG THAT PWNED!!!" rumby?

[rumborak]

Nothing wrong with rumborak keeping some perspective.  Not everyone looking forward to this has to go in assuming that it will be the greatest thing ever, ya know.  In fact, keeping expectations on an even keel makes being disappointed by it a lot less likely to happen.

This, exactly. Everybody is so excited in this thread, it just doesn't strike me as realistic, especially when everything is on such a tight schedule.

While they've only had about 8-10 days together, they're not recording it all right now - just writing.

Maybe I'm totally off-base here, but since when has 8-10 days become a normal time frame for writing an album?

rumborak

[The Letter M]

Maybe I'm totally off-base here, but since when has 8-10 days become a normal time frame for writing an album?

rumborak

Since the album involves Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse.

-Marc.

[rumborak]

And what's why I'm saying I'm keeping my expectations moderate. Because it involves Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse, who both have a propensity to just turn the crank.

rumborak

[bosk1]

I've not seen that propensity, especially when the two of them are involved in something together.

[The Letter M]

And what's why I'm saying I'm keeping my expectations moderate. Because it involves Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse, who both have a propensity to just turn the crank.

rumborak

True, but pretty much everything those two have done together before this were with the same people (Randy George on Neal's solo albums, and Transatlantic with Roine and Pete). With the addition of three new players into the fold, I think we'll get something more than anything we've heard from the Morse/Portnoy pair before. I just feel that we can at least expect something fresh and new - whether or not you (or anyone here) will like it, that's different because *I* happen to LOVE The Whirlwind.

-Marc.

[ariich]

Here's the thing for me: I have seen these kinds of calculations too many times in my life to know that you can't build a good music album like a lego kit. Chickenfoot, simply by its make-up, should have been absolutely awesome. And it was only lukewarm.

You, Sir, are brilliant and insightful, and you have a keen ear for music.  I could not agree more.

Same with Transatlantic III, which I thought was disappointing.

You, Sir, are obviously high on something that has impaired both your hearing and judgment.  I could not agree less.

Nice.

Not everyone looking forward to this has to go in assuming that it will be the greatest thing ever, ya know.

There's a world of difference between being absurdly excited about it and assuming it is going to be amazing. As far as I can tell, nobody has assumed a single thing in this thread; a lot of us are just very excited about the upside potential of it being incredible, rather than dwelling on the downside risk of it being disappointing.

[rumborak]

I probably look like a grumpy old goat in this thread because I don't tend to get excited about potential music I wish I did!

rumborak

[bosk1]

No, you look like a grumpy old goat in this thread because you have a grumpy old goat as your avatar.  Just sayin'.

[rumborak]

That's just correlation. Or something.

I think I'll give Whirlwind a spin again. Who knows, maybe it'll click more.

rumborak

[ariich]

That's just correlation. Or something.

I think I'll give Whirlwind a spin again. Who knows, maybe it'll click more.

rumborak

One thing to keep in mind: as with their first two albums, don't take it too seriously. There is of course serious stuff in there, but there also parts that are a bit of fun overblown prog. If you're in the right frame of mind, then I can't imagine seeing the album vastly differently to the first two.

[Ħ]

Just listened to the phone interview...great interview.  I wasn't too excited at first, but it looks like 2011 is gonna be a great year with a new DT, a new NM, the MMPLM album, and potentially a new TA album.

[hefdaddy42]

Rumby, you are the only person I know who disliked The Whirlwind.

[Quadrochosis]

potentially a new TA album.

Source? As far as I know there are no plans for such an album.

[Jamesman42]

Rumby, you are the only person I know who disliked The Whirlwind.

Ban him, now.