Dream Theater's new drummer is MIKE MANGINI

Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

also i didnt really know who aquiles was before this (is that blasphemy in the drumming world :p)

No I didn't either until it just dawned on me.
Isn't he the one that taught the young phenom Eloy from the MD festival?
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Hey Derek. My wife and I watched todays episode together, and we both thought you came off a little bit unsure and shy. Were you intimidated, or nervous? I know I would of been, but then again I am not in the same league as you guys. :)

Not at all....actually it was quite the opposite. I was really comfortable around them and with the "process".

The whole thing with all us guys audition footage is....you're seeing 5 minutes (of what some editor thinks.... is creating "drama" for reality TV)
What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......

Another thing that needs to be considered in my case is.....
I auditioned for DT because I was asked.......not because I wanted to be the new DT drummer.
Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.

This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.
For me to consider that gig....meant I had to move out of a really big passion (and security) to do something......I've done already (touring) and am doing still through education and my own projects.

One of the questioned asked by RR was "how would getting this gig change your life"

My answer was....."I'm not looking to change my life."

Cheers,
D
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Not at all....actually it was quite the opposite. I was really comfortable around them and with the "process".

The whole thing with all us guys audition footage is....you're seeing 5 minutes (of what some editor thinks.... is creating "drama" for reality TV)
What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......

Another thing that needs to be considered in my case is.....
I auditioned for DT because I was asked.......not because I wanted to be the new DT drummer.
Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.

This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.
For me to consider that gig....meant I had to move out of a really big passion (and security) to do something......I've done already (touring) and am doing still through education and my own projects.

One of the questioned asked by RR was "how would getting this gig change your life"

My answer was....."I'm not looking to change my life."

Cheers,
D
I am glad you had fun with it. It is also good to see you know what you want and need. Good luck with the snakes. :( :)
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Not at all....actually it was quite the opposite. I was really comfortable around them and with the "process".

The whole thing with all us guys audition footage is....you're seeing 5 minutes (of what some editor thinks.... is creating "drama" for reality TV)
What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......

Another thing that needs to be considered in my case is.....
I auditioned for DT because I was asked.......not because I wanted to be the new DT drummer.
Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.

This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.
For me to consider that gig....meant I had to move out of a really big passion (and security) to do something......I've done already (touring) and am doing still through education and my own projects.

One of the questioned asked by RR was "how would getting this gig change your life"

My answer was....."I'm not looking to change my life."

Cheers,
D

I was watching an interview with Dave Matthews where he was saying music is not about financial success. It is about doing what you love to do, and if it means you have to work at the local cafe, so be it. If you are lucky enough to make money doing it, that's great. But if you are doing it just for the money, you are in it for the wrong reason. Obviously, for you this was an interesting audition but for Mike, Marco and Virgil, it seems like they really want this gig.

I think that level of commitment is a good thing to bring to an audition, not only because it lets the serious auditioner know that you are serious, it also let's the flighty auditioner know that he better be serious. :) I know in the past I was not given the gig because I was too serous and those bands never got out of the studio. I remember once the guy at the board remembered me years later when I saw him out and about, he remembered my audition, and said you were good. I told him I really wanted to be in that band, but they never called, what ever happened to them. he said , oh they still come into the studio now and again.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Although I've never been able to feel the whole Prog scene and prefer a different kind of drummer who specializes in something else...geez the technique shown by these guys is ridiculous. As far as seeing them in your head as players I found this last episode especially enlightening.

Mostly I was caught by the reference made by Petrucci that they picked up on interest in Lange from forums. I've always felt that more people read these things than care to admit.

And Derek yeah, I think the audio issue was a shame because it cut down on your face time seeing as how some goofy editor then believed he had to reformat reality /in a reality show/ to help cover the fact that their own technical standards weren't up to spec during your segment. Covering their own mistake then created the undesired result of the casual observer possibly believing you were in one minute and out the next...when in fact (as you say) you did 3 solid hours. Doing a weekly TV show we go through this garbage all the time where some of our better things sound bad and are edited out...But what we do is nothing on the level of the production you see on this DT thing, which to me makes the audio influenced equal representation issue all the more disappointing.

Still we all knew they had to show your blast beats regardless...and that all came out big time... camera audio and all.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Not at all....actually it was quite the opposite. I was really comfortable around them and with the "process".

The whole thing with all us guys audition footage is....you're seeing 5 minutes (of what some editor thinks.... is creating "drama" for reality TV)
What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......

Another thing that needs to be considered in my case is.....
I auditioned for DT because I was asked.......not because I wanted to be the new DT drummer.
Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.

This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.
For me to consider that gig....meant I had to move out of a really big passion (and security) to do something......I've done already (touring) and am doing still through education and my own projects.

One of the questioned asked by RR was "how would getting this gig change your life"

My answer was....."I'm not looking to change my life."

Cheers,
D

Snakes? We need to talk! :)

I've wittled my snake collection down but still love them!

Can I PM ya?
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

@DR
That vid kinda made it seem like you got confused with some of their riffs.

Im glad you felt good about your playing, cause that tells me you know there was some cool stuff going on that wasn't shown in those clips.

Your a great player with a very cool vibe...keep doin whatcha doin!
 
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Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.
Wow, that's a cool thing!! You must have a real zoo!

Nick G said:
i thought virgil and thomas had the right idea going in
try and play portnoy whilst adding something new

seems as though they just want a replica though^^
I'm not sure, I rather believe they don't want their old stuff being changed, as Jordan mentioned,
because the fans have heard it millions of times and want to hear it the same way.
I think they will be open for new influences with the new material. If you go back to
Metropolis Pt. 2, you hear big influence from Jordan's sound and style when he first
replaced Derek (S.).
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......

By the way, it would be soo awesome to see the whole tunes (or even the whole auditions)
from all of you guys!! Maybe they'll release something sometime? Would be really interesting
and even instructional and inspiring! (Although I don't play prog rock really)
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Left work early so I could check out episode 2 of Drum Idol :)

Mike and Marco seemed to have the best chemistry with the band both musically and personally. A bummer about the sound during Derek's spot - made it impossible to get a decent comparison on the vids. It goes without saying that they're all scary hot players.

Interesting that DT wanted the candidates to play Mike P's parts but didn't tell them beforehand. I'm guessing it was part of the test - to see who'd pick up on the need to give the fans what they want.

For personal chemistry, it still looks like Mike ... they're after a "family member".

With interviews it's well-known that going first and last makes you more memorable. Downside when that you're first is sometimes the interviewers are yet to get into their stride. It didn't seem that way for Mike so that was way in his favour. Downside of going last is interview fatigue, if there are lots of candidates. Second and in the middle are the worst spots from what I've seen.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Hey Derek,

if you are reading this: Just watched the episode with you playing and I thought that you seemed straight out as a real nice guy. I felt that you were not making this a real big competition, you just came out for the fun which I thought was a real cool attitude.

Reading your posts about drumming not even making half of your income and being satisfied with your life (or: not wanting to change your life because you like it) I thought that was really cool.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

...

Derek,

I completely missed the fact that your section was all camera audio which, by comparison to others seemed to lack punch but now thankfully a clarification has been added on to the video.

Its seems unfair and contrived that the Reality TV mindset of producers needs to artificially created drama and intrigue to fit into their script even if none exists. They kinda seemed to want to tell their own little story about your audition.

Having spent some time with TV commercials and programming, I know how ridiculously easy it is to tell two completely different stories with the same footage.

For the record, I think besides other things, you are one of the grooviest extreme metal drummers and I really liked the way to handled the audition from your point of view.

...
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

[/QUOTE]I'm not sure, I rather believe they don't want their old stuff being changed, as Jordan mentioned,
because the fans have heard it millions of times and want to hear it the same way.
I think they will be open for new influences with the new material. If you go back to
Metropolis Pt. 2, you hear big influence from Jordan's sound and style when he first
replaced Derek (S.).[/QUOTE]
Very good point.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Cheers everyone....and thanks for the props and kind words.


@DR
That vid kinda made it seem like you got confused with some of their riffs.

Im glad you felt good about your playing, cause that tells me you know there was some cool stuff going on that wasn't shown in those clips.

Your a great player with a very cool vibe...keep doin whatcha doin!

Thanks brother

I mean...some of it was confusing....not the first time any of us have gotten something like this. Thing was.... that it was confusing for a few minutes.... and then you get it and move on.

What they didn't show (from all of the drummers) and, I knew they wouldn't....

Was when us drummers threw out some complex and confusing stuff to see what THEY would do with it.
In my case.... I threw out a layered rhythm (2 over 3) and not a one of them had any idea what to do with it. Haha.

But, you know they aren't going to show that! Haha.

Snakes? We need to talk! :)

I've wittled my snake collection down but still love them!

Can I PM ya?

Yeah man, hit me up.

I keep mostly Black Headed Pythons, Womas and Carpet Pythons.
Fun stuff.
You can see my snake site here.....
www.derekroddy.com/blackheadedpythonforum


Hey Derek,

if you are reading this: Just watched the episode with you playing and I thought that you seemed straight out as a real nice guy. I felt that you were not making this a real big competition, you just came out for the fun which I thought was a real cool attitude.

Reading your posts about drumming not even making half of your income and being satisfied with your life (or: not wanting to change your life because you like it) I thought that was really cool.

Cheers man....yeah for me, it was about going in and being honest (I flat out told those guys it would be a stretch for me to do because of my other "hobby" (snakes)
I'm very happy with things in my world and for me to consider that gig...I would have had to sacrificed a lot.

I am extremely honored that they asked and thought of me though. As a drummer, what more could you ask for?

...

Derek,

I completely missed the fact that your section was all camera audio which, by comparison to others seemed to lack punch but now thankfully a clarification has been added on to the video.

Its seems unfair and contrived that the Reality TV mindset of producers needs to artificially created drama and intrigue to fit into their script even if none exists. They kinda seemed to want to tell their own little story about your audition.

Having spent some time with TV commercials and programming, I know how ridiculously easy it is to tell two completely different stories with the same footage.

For the record, I think besides other things, you are one of the grooviest extreme metal drummers and I really liked the way to handled the audition from your point of view.

...

Again, thanks.

Drums are so much damn fun. So happy that playing has lead me to so many cool things and people.
Wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

When I get a moment to sit down....I'll put together a timeline of events, etc and recount of my experience.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

those black headed pythons are pretty cool! i'd never heard of those before.

Yeah...very cool snake. There are not many breeders that are consistently successful with them each year....maybe 3 or 4
So, I've kinda found a niche for myself.



D
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Although I've never been able to feel the whole Prog scene and prefer a different kind of drummer who specializes in something else...geez the technique shown by these guys is ridiculous. As far as seeing them in your head as players I found this last episode especially enlightening.

Mostly I was caught by the reference made by Petrucci that they picked up on interest in Lange from forums. I've always felt that more people read these things than care to admit.

.

Prog, man you had to be there. But it is good ole fun . . .


I've been out and about and had people refer to something I posted here or respond as though I should know what they're talking about because I posted it here. Not that I ever say or do anything controversial or that could get me in trouble. People complain about WFD, but here you have Mike competing for one of the hottest thrones around. These guys grew up near me. Last time I saw MP, we had a talk about growing up on LI. So if I ever wanted in, all I would have had to do was beat Mike Mangini, Marco Minnemann, Derek and the host of drummers for this gig. That would burst your bubble quick.
 
Re: Dream Theater's new drummer

Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.

This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.

Cheers,
D

Thank you for your brutal honesty Derek.

Next time someone posts about "making it" in the music business, I might refer them back to this one.
 
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