SR V: To boldly go where no room has gone before

mr.cub wrote: rushfan4 wrote: Raff wrote: I am curious, you know.... What do you think the right mindset to enjoy DT is? I've never seen it in terms of mindset.... Just a question of personal reaction to music, as always happens in my case. Good question, that I probably don't have a good answer for.  There are many bands that I have to be "in the mood" for.  I don't really know what that means, but I kind of relate that to mindset.  My comment towards Pat is that he currently has an RIO/Avant mindset.  His brain and/or ears are tuned in to whatever it is that makes RIO/Avant special to him, and whatever those ideas are, aren't present in Dream Theater's music.  His mindset going in was something along the lines of "I used to like Dream Theater, but I really don't anymore and I haven't liked the last few albums that they did, but I guess I should try this one because people are saying they like it more than the previous couple of albums".  If his mindset were more I am in the mood for some guitar, drum, and keyboard solos that are played at the speed of light with words sung in a high pitched squelch then the new DT album might be exactly what he was looking for.    Don't ask me how one gets the right mindset for liking or disliking a particular band.  Don't ask me how Alex thought that the Animal Collective was the worst band in the history of bands on his first listen and the best thing since sliced Henry Cow on his 2nd listen.  As you say, it may just be a personal reaction to the music.    In that sort of similar but different argument, Dream Theater is often compared to ELP for their dare I say, instrumental w**kery.  Why does Micky love ELP but hate Dream Theater?  One would think that they would take the same mindset to appreciate.   Could Micky's dislike of Dream Theater be as much about his distaste for the attitude of all of the hormonally challenged acne inflicted teenage boys who worship the ground that Petrucci and company walk upon?  Could it be a case of Dream Theater's popularity within the mainstream?  Could it be because they sing in unintelligible English instead of in Italian?  Beats me.  I know that I like DT, but that I also have to be in the mood for them.   I personally have never been able to get into Dream Theater. They certainly have a distinctive sound, but their riffs, compositions and solos never struck me as anything novel and never hit me on an emotional level

I hate myself for not doing anything worth mentioning since last monday

BTW, currently playing on my iPod.  Willie Nelson's Hesitation Blues.  I believe the one and only Willie Nelson song that I own, and I got it as a free download.  Ironic, given the bigotry thread.

Scott, I am not going to quote your post, but I'll just tell you something: I don't object to DT because of LaBrie's voice (which I hate anyway), but because of their complete lack of songwriting skills. They lost what little talent they had in their department when Kevin Moore left, and now they wouldn't be able to pen a real song to save their lives. Just compare them to Yes in their heyday, or even later... They were an extremely proficient prog band, with all the trappings of the genre, but they could also write memorable tunes that kept your attention going until the end. DT are just the opposite.. Halfway through an album, my brain just blacks out. None of this happens with ANY of the bands you mentioned in your post. I suppose that means something.

rushfan4 wrote: mr.cub wrote: rushfan4 wrote: Raff wrote: I am curious, you know.... What do you think the right mindset to enjoy DT is? I've never seen it in terms of mindset.... Just a question of personal reaction to music, as always happens in my case. Good question, that I probably don't have a good answer for.  There are many bands that I have to be "in the mood" for.  I don't really know what that means, but I kind of relate that to mindset.  My comment towards Pat is that he currently has an RIO/Avant mindset.  His brain and/or ears are tuned in to whatever it is that makes RIO/Avant special to him, and whatever those ideas are, aren't present in Dream Theater's music.  His mindset going in was something along the lines of "I used to like Dream Theater, but I really don't anymore and I haven't liked the last few albums that they did, but I guess I should try this one because people are saying they like it more than the previous couple of albums".  If his mindset were more I am in the mood for some guitar, drum, and keyboard solos that are played at the speed of light with words sung in a high pitched squelch then the new DT album might be exactly what he was looking for.    Don't ask me how one gets the right mindset for liking or disliking a particular band.  Don't ask me how Alex thought that the Animal Collective was the worst band in the history of bands on his first listen and the best thing since sliced Henry Cow on his 2nd listen.  As you say, it may just be a personal reaction to the music.    In that sort of similar but different argument, Dream Theater is often compared to ELP for their dare I say, instrumental w**kery.  Why does Micky love ELP but hate Dream Theater?  One would think that they would take the same mindset to appreciate.   Could Micky's dislike of Dream Theater be as much about his distaste for the attitude of all of the hormonally challenged acne inflicted teenage boys who worship the ground that Petrucci and company walk upon?  Could it be a case of Dream Theater's popularity within the mainstream?  Could it be because they sing in unintelligible English instead of in Italian?  Beats me.  I know that I like DT, but that I also have to be in the mood for them.   I personally have never been able to get into Dream Theater. They certainly have a distinctive sound, but their riffs, compositions and solos never struck me as anything novel and never hit me on an emotional level   Part of it might be from a historical music listening perspective as well.  My musical mindset was developed on classic rock, 80's hair metal and NWOBHM.  Classical music and jazz have historically barely registered on my listening charts.  But add two parts Metallica, one part Rush, and a 1/2 part of Stravinsky and wow, that is something that will blow my socks off.  (I'm no say that there is any Stravinsky within Dream Theater in case that would be insulting to Rico.  I am just using that name because it is one that I have seen mentioned within the forums, but I suspect would be more appropriate to RIO/Avant).  Does that mean that others of this musical background should like DT?  Again, beats me.  I can understand people not liking DT because of LaBrie's voice.  Again, I have to be "in the mood" for it.  His voice is not one of my favorites, but I think that it is quite excellent, when I am "in the mood" for it.  I don't understand the complaints about too much speed or musical w**kery however.  In many ways, that is kind of what prog is.  I don't mean RIO/Avant jazzy prog, or Camel (yawn) prog but I mean ELP, Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson at their heaviest moments prog.

Raff wrote: Scott, I am not going to quote your post, but I'll just tell you something: I don't object to DT because of LaBrie's voice (which I hate anyway), but because of their complete lack of songwriting skills. They lost what little talent they had in their department when Kevin Moore left, and now they wouldn't be able to pen a real song to save their lives. Just compare them to Yes in their heyday, or even later... They were an extremely proficient prog band, with all the trappings of the genre, but they could also write memorable tunes that kept your attention going until the end. DT are just the opposite.. Halfway through an album, my brain just blacks out. None of this happens with ANY of the bands you mentioned in your post. I suppose that means something.

mr.cub wrote: I'm pulling for Murray. Is it possible for him and Federer to meet in the final or would they meet in the semis? That would be a great story: a potentional British winner vs. breaking of Sampras' record (or is a tie...I forget

1. Murray and Federer would meet in the final.
2. Federer, by winning, would break Sampras' record, setting the record to 15.
(3. Murray is, ironically, a Scottish before being British)

Ricochet wrote: mr.cub wrote: I'm pulling for Murray. Is it possible for him and Federer to meet in the final or would they meet in the semis? That would be a great story: a potentional British winner vs. breaking of Sampras' record (or is a tie...I forget 1. Murray and Federer would meet in the final. 2. Federer, by winning, would break Sampras' record, setting the record to 15. (3. Murray is, ironically, a Scottish before being British)

mr.cub wrote: Ricochet wrote: mr.cub wrote: I'm pulling for Murray. Is it possible for him and Federer to meet in the final or would they meet in the semis? That would be a great story: a potentional British winner vs. breaking of Sampras' record (or is a tie...I forget 1. Murray and Federer would meet in the final. 2. Federer, by winning, would break Sampras' record, setting the record to 15. (3. Murray is, ironically, a Scottish before being British)   But Murray is British, Scotland being part of Great Britain?  And by winning, would he end the drought of British winners or is a drought of English winners...again I'm not entirely familiar

A drought of British winners.

I was just saying that Fred Perry, the last Wimbledon champion, was from England. Murray is from Scotland.


Edited by Ricochet - June 24 2009 at 15:37

Raff wrote: Rob, sorry if I don't understand things clearly, but are you still attending that school (meaning secondary, or high, school)? You know, by their reaction I would say they resented you in the first place, and found the first excuse at their disposal to hurt you. I could write a book on people reacting like that, and the motives behind it... While I don't think getting drunk is a good idea, I am not in the least surprised that this happened at a party of young people, and neither should the school people be. It's clear to me it is some sort of petty revenge, though I don't know why.

I've technically 'finished' (gone through Leaver's Day and all that), I've sat all my exams now, though I had one to go after this incident. Four events of note coming up, book return (tomorrow), 'graduation day' (ditto, I think), prizegiving evening and exam results. 'secondary' school, I guess, well, I'm 18 and I've finished, so whatever that is. The graduation and prizegiving I can't do, the book return, I assume I can, but don't know, the exam results might be sent to me instead, but that should be OK, I guess.

I assume petty vengeance for various reasons (moral high ground, disagreement with my father, and, overarchingly, disagreement with myself - reasonable and not), forwarded by particular members of staff to the dep head (a decent guy) who needs to be seen as a fairly hardliner because he's only been in 'office' for a year. Allegedly (according to some member of staff, I guess, or a passing parent who was offended by my mere presence) I said offensive or inappropriate things, but I don't believe that's true - I can remember the event surprisingly well, but not that, and I simply don't tend to. Anyway, moving on, I'd like to be able to discuss the matter reasonably with the members of staff I assume were involved, and, much more importantly, I'd like to be able to offer my thanks and apologies properly to the grounds staff I actually owe them to.

But c'est la vie. We move on.