Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[ZirconBlue]

My favourite live version of TKH is from the b-side of the Hollow Years single.

The instrumental section (7:50-END) with JP playing some slide with DS on the organ along with the unison of that familiar melody (don't know the name of the actual song) and JL's smooth vox is just so cool and and don't forget the blink-and-you'll-miss-it part where they play the riff from A Fortune In Lies behind the vocals instead of the as-recorded riff (5:43-5:59).

That's my favorite version, as well.  I love the Carol of the Bells section.

[Evai]

I like how Labrie's advice to Charlie to sing 'Swimming in a lake of fire' on WDADRu, was to go into falsetto... Sounds like he wanted to cause another 'I am the killing haaaand' moment to me   

[JayOctavarium]

I get cranky when I skip the wank too many times...

[Max Kuehnau]

I get cranky when I skip the wank too many times...

one does not skip any wank section when it comes to DT

[JayOctavarium]

Yea but too much wank and I start to chafe

[Dublagent66]

I get cranky when I skip the wank too many times...

one does not skip any wank section when it comes to DT

I skip the wankery sections in Illumination Theory by skipping the entire song.

[King Postwhore]

I wank during the wank sections of the song.  Wait, what?

[Dublagent66]

King!!  STOP THAT!!! 

[Ben_Jamin]

So it was JM that wanted to play Don't Look Past Me.

[bosk1]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

[danoz]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

I would say Space Dye Vest is pretty haunting. I love both songs, it's just that SDV is more obscure and creepy. Out of Reach is definitely more conventional in a structured song sense though, however both have a lot of emotional depth.

[TAC]

I think I've listened to Out Of Reach once.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

I think I've listened to Out Of Reach once.

I've listened to it many times, but feel like I've only heard it once.

[SystematicThought]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

Disagree, but what's great is that music hits people differently. I find the keyboard intro to Metropolis Pt 1 to be more haunting and emotional than anything JR has done. Space Dye Vest in haunting, Wait For Sleep is restrained and emotional, whereas I think JR would have done some crazy and fit as many notes into one section as he can.

I will say, Distance Over Time is JR's most restrained album and tasteful albums, he adds a lot to it and it wouldn't be the same album without it. The keys he plays over the guitar riffs at the beginning of Wit's End are really cool

[Max Kuehnau]

I attended The Astonishing Live and IMHO, the album worked a lot better live than I thought and I learned to appreciate it by way of the live show (which might have been harder had it not been for that)

[hefdaddy42]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

REALLY controversial opinion: Out of Reach is the best song on Distance Over Time.

[Max Kuehnau]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

REALLY controversial opinion: Out of Reach is the best song on Distance Over Time.

yes, along with PBD.

[Lonk]

Build me up, Break me down has Petrucci's best guitar riff from ADTOE.

[The Walrus]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

That is damn controversial 

[pg1067]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

With the caveat that I've never heard anything composed by KM other than his contributions to DT, I don't agree with this, but only because of the superlative nature of the statement.  I don't think there's much of anything on WDADU that I would describe as "haunting" or "beautiful."  On I&W, you've got Surrounded (the intro and outro) and Wait for Sleep, and on Awake, you've got SDV (you could also throw Eve into the mix).  I would say all of those compositions are on roughly the same level, and I would disagree that any of them is "far more haunting and beautiful" than any of the others.

[gzarruk]

I don't think there's much of anything on WDADU that I would describe as "haunting" or "beautiful."

The keyboard intro on TOWHTSTS fits these criteria, imo.

[Chino]

James' new tattoo looks ridiculous and out of place. I think I hate it.   

*runs for cover*

[JayOctavarium]

James' new tattoo looks ridiculous and out of place. I think I hate it.   

*runs for cover*

NO U

[Cool Chris]

James' new tattoo looks ridiculous and out of place.

I am not a tattoo guy to begin with, and most times I see tattoos that large and detailed I tend to dislike them.

[Madman Shepherd]

Controversial opinion:  The piano melody in Out of Reach is far more haunting and beautiful than ANYTHING ever composed by Kevin Moore.

I don't necessarily agree with you but the piano melody he plays on that song is pretty damn beautiful and haunting. That's what drives me nuts about him. He has the ability to play these beautiful and somewhat simplistic, at least by his standards, melodies, but without somebody like Petrucci to restrain him he gets to noodley.

[SystematicThought]

James' new tattoo looks ridiculous and out of place. I think I hate it.   

*runs for cover*

Agreed 1000%. In about 15 years, it's going to look really dumb. More power to him, but it's kinda overkill

[NoFred]

Tattoo regrets are always why did I get that -or- it should be bigger... seems to me JLB has been around enough to know what he wants, and won't GAF in 15 years.

[TAC]

Right, what is James, mid to late 50's? I doubt at 70, he'll look back and go WTF? I would think he's at the age now to regret something he did when he was 20. But I think he's old enough..

[RodrigoAltaf]

 I think James' new tattoo rocks!

[romdrums]

Here's one: having Mike Mangini in the band has boosted their overall level of professionalism and respect.

[Max Kuehnau]

Here's one: having Mike Mangini in the band has boosted their overall level of professionalism and respect.

yes, because they make less mistakes live. (and I haven't heard Jordan and MM make any)

[Volante99]

Here's one: having Mike Mangini in the band has boosted their overall level of professionalism and respect.

yes, because they make less mistakes live. (and I haven't heard Jordan and MM make any)

Right, because Dream Theater had a reputation for sloppy playing and lack of respect amongst fans/musicians before Mangini...

Professionalism and respect in what context? Without knowing more, I'd disagree with the hypothesis and would argue their reputation for professionalism and respect has remained pretty consistent throughout their careers minus a couple hiccups in both the Mangini and Portnoy era.

If we are talking about respect and professionalism between the band members, as in relationship-wise, then perhaps.

[Architeuthis]

I think James' new tattoo rocks!

Nope! 

[IDontNotDoThings]

Controversial opinion: Octavarium is too long, especially in the instrumental section between Full Circle and Intervals (& to a lesser extent the Medicate key solo and Razor's Edge guitar solo). It bothers me that multiple times, the instrumental builds up as if it's going to transition, but then it just kinda resets back to where it was. It feels so redundant & sometimes even ruins my immersion completely.

[geeeemo]

Controversial opinion: Octavarium is too long, especially in the instrumental section between Full Circle and Intervals (& to a lesser extent the Medicate key solo and Razor's Edge guitar solo). It bothers me that multiple times, the instrumental builds up as if it's going to transition, but then it just kinda resets back to where it was. It feels so redundant & sometimes even ruins my immersion completely.

I like the length and appreciate when DT seems to be taking a bit too much time, and I enjoy all the different parts. The going back and being redundant, kind of fits with the whole premise of the song anyway. For me, sometimes a build up needs to take a step back or just hang - it creates even more build up. That's just me. I love every second of Ocatavarium.