What does Dream Theater need ?

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 1800iareyay wrote:

What does DT need? Jesus.

Now I'll sit back and watch this thread get very interesting. 

But I can be even more provocative than that:

 What do DT need?

To smile occasionally? (Guys, you're not really gloomy teen-aged dropouts with no hope for the future -- you're really very successful, hugely popular, highly talented and fabulously RICH middle-aged men, with a lot of reasons to be happy. That pic of one of your wives reveals at least two such uplifting reasons to be cheerful!)

A collective enema?

Souls? 

Seriously though, given their huge success, they're obviously quite good at what they do, so they should (basically) keep doing just that. 

 If they changed their sound too radically, to suit the odd cranky (but sentimental and oh-so-sensitive) curmudgeon like me, they'd risk alienating their slavering core audience of alienated, angry, gloomy teen-aged boys (and older perpetual adolescents). So although they are rich, famous, grownup and likely even get laid regularly, they need to keep conveying adolescent angst, hopelessness, lonely alienation and dysfunction, and nascent self loathing turned outward at "the man," parents, teachers, flowers, puppies and all that might just bring a smile, or lend even an iota of hope.

Manager to band: "How about we look at our latest bank statements after this photo op, guys? Okay, everybody frown now -- look like you want to kill the photographer. Remember, getting ludicrously rich and receiving mass adulation for doing what you like to do is nothing to smile about. Say CHEEEEESE!"

Was that provocative enough for you? 

Seriously , DT are good at what they do (playing really fast, selling  enormous numbers of albums, and raking in the cash cash cash), and to be fair, rock and roll has always seen cynical grown men profiting enormously from teen male hormonal imbalances by pretending to be (or identify with) morose adolescents.  See Gene Simmons -- such an unhappy, maladjusted man....

So (other than perhaps stopping helping make everyone think metal is now somehow prog) DT don't need to do anything differently.

Really seriously: Logan's excellent post pretty much expresses my true feelings, but I'd extend it to (most) metal acts in general: stop pretending to take it all so seriously. It's just music, and rock is supposed to be fun above all (isn't it?). There are other human emotions to draw upon, besides alienation, hopelessness and rage. Show a sense of humour. (eg Van Halen, Spinal Tap, Twisted Sister, ELP, Genesis) Mix it up a bit, musically, lyrically and emotionally. Show some vulnerabiliy and sensitivity -- expose the young fans to some glimpses of simple, uplifting beauty via melody, acknowledge the healing, tranformative powers of love. Give the young men in the audience some reason for hope, at least every now and then.

(If Dream Theater already do all that, then great -- they have my deeper respect!)

Rock on, headbangers! 

Edited by Peter - November 29 2007 at 17:22