Dream Theater's new drummer is MIKE MANGINI

[aydee]

...

Great job Peter, you were incredible!

...

Originally Posted by MikeM

I like him ( Mangini ) better than Portnoy to be honest.

Me too. They'll make him play like Portnoy though so it'll even out. Mangini, Portnoy, no difference..

...

[BillBachman]

I'm excited to buy the new Dream Theater album when it comes out! It will certainly be amazing.

[haroldo_psf]

It's a long story, but would someone be kind enought to post the exact link for the last audition video that came out today?

(in short, my home laptop is down, work computer network blocks youtube, but my LG TV at home thankfully is network enabled and YouTube ready, but I need to add the specific video links to my favorites before watching, but I cannot browse to it on the TV - sorry, it's lame!)

[BillBachman]

http://www.youtube.com/user/Roadrunn.../0/2QHMQjH17aw

[DrumEatDrum]

I said it last September, when Portnoy left the band:

Originally Posted by DrumEatDrum

Anyhow, if I were a betting man, I'd imagine either Mike Mangini or Bobby Jarzombek joins the band, with a small chance of Rod Morgenstein.

Mangini was a near shoe in the from the start, to the point I'm still a bit surprised they just didn't call him up and offer him the job from day one.

I will say, my initial reaction was I won't buy and album or concert ticket for DT if Portnoy isn't in the band. But now, I'm actually kind of excited again. The last two Dream Theater albums were terrible IMHO, and that was under Portnoy's leadership. So I'm hoping Mangini will inspire them to write a better album.

I'm also curious as to what sort of crazy set up Mangini will take on tour with them.

[Bernhard]

Yes, Mike Mangini finally made it....

Video on Drummerworld:

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/m...inidream1.html

Bernhard

[DrumEatDrum]

And Peter, wow, congrats on making it to the top 3!

I also have to say I have a lot of new found respect for Marco. Every clip I had ever seen of him was doing a drum solo, a solo at a drum clinic, or playing some crazy tune that isn't much different than a drum solo. So I had pegged him as one of those clinic wunderkids who can play super technical stuff that goes over everyone's head, but didn't have much music in him. It's pretty clear I just hadn't heard him in the right context before. So that was refreshing.

[aydee]

Originally Posted by DrumEatDrum

I said it last September, when Portnoy left the band:


Mangini was a near shoe in the from the start, to the point I'm still a bit surprised they just didn't call him up and offer him the job from day one.

They had probably decided on that but it wouldn't have made good tv.

....

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by aydee

...

Great job Peter, you were incredible!

...



Me too. They'll make him play like Portnoy though so it'll even out. Mangini, Portnoy, no difference..

...

Agree with both of these sentiments, but especially regarding Peter.

Peter, if you can accept this comment from a lowly bin basher such as me, I liked your style above all the others, not because of your abilities, but because what I think you'd have brought to the music. I'm not a DT fan, although I do like some of their stuff. To me, your playing injected the organic musicality that much DT stuff so desparately needs, IMHO. Either way you cut it, you performed the whole process with dignity. I'm not a fan of your main focus genre especially, but I'm certainly a fan of you. Nice job man, really nice job!

[Ekim]

Congrats to Mike Mangini.

I don't think he's going to be a "Portnoy Clone" in DT.

One: Mangini's technique is miles ahead of Portnoy. When "Awake" came out, I was stunned by DT & MP. But it doesn't seem to me that MP has progressed at all since then, in feel or technique. It seems that he's been so busy being DT's Major Domo / semi-manager / videographer / whatever that he hasn't bothered becoming a better musician.

I would bet that Mike Mangini can play anything humanly possible. His playing is jaw-dropping. And the dude can slam the kit. He won't need to have microphones cranked to make up for his soft hitting techniques (MP's mikes were turned up so loud my friend heard MP sit down on his throne through them.)

Further, I would guess they would want to move ON musically, as well as personally.

[KarlCrafton]

Originally Posted by Ekim

Congrats to Mike Mangini.
I would bet that Mike Mangini can play anything humanly possible. His playing is jaw-dropping. And the dude can slam the kit.

AND, he's a really nice guy to boot!

[BillBachman]

Yeah, I was pulling for Dave DiCenso, but Mike Mangini will be fantastic in the technical setting.

[KarlCrafton]

Originally Posted by DrumEatDrum

I said it last September, when Portnoy left the band:


Mangini was a near shoe in the from the start, to the point I'm still a bit surprised they just didn't call him up and offer him the job from day one.

From the Drumhead eMag Issue #27:

"Drumhead's editor-in-chief, Jonathan Mover, spoke with Mike at the of beginning January about the new gig"....

DT got great publicity out of this. The video's are cool, and all the DWorld drummers involved in the process come off as cool dudes, so it's all good.

[adam!]

I'm curious to see what will happen if Portnoy returns one day and has to play some of the stuff Mangini writes for the new material...

[Red Menace]

Just found the webisodes online. Entertaining stuff, these guys have some monster chops. Derrek, great audition sir, you're a helluva player. I also liked Virgil Donati, some fierce playing from a fellow trad grip player.

Anyone else think that Marco Minnemann looks a bit like Tom Green?

[Thaard]

I was rooting for Marco, but I knew it would be Mangini from the get go. A whole episode was dedicated to him, nuff said.

[Wildoer]

Hey there!

First of all congratulations to Mike Mangini!!! He's just an amazing fit for DT! :-)

Secondly, thanks to all you guys here for your kind words!!! Makes me VERY happy coming from fellow drummers. :-)

I have to say that I had the best of times at the audition and the DT guys and everybody involved are the nicest people. Also thanks to them for having me audition, it was not only a tremendous honor playing with DT but also to be a part of that list with the other drummers who are my heroes... SPEECHLESS!!!

Cheers,
Peter Wildoer

[moontheloon]

Originally Posted by Wildoer

Hey there!

First of all congratulations to Mike Mangini!!! He's just an amazing fit for DT! :-)

Secondly, thanks to all you guys here for your kind words!!! Makes me VERY happy coming from fellow drummers. :-)

I have to say that I had the best of times at the audition and the DT guys and everybody involved are the nicest people. Also thanks to them for having me audition, it was not only a tremendous honor playing with DT but also to be a part of that list with the other drummers who are my heroes... SPEECHLESS!!!

Cheers,
Peter Wildoer

you were fantastic......wish I could see more footage

[topgun2021]

Originally Posted by Wildoer

Hey there!

First of all congratulations to Mike Mangini!!! He's just an amazing fit for DT! :-)

Secondly, thanks to all you guys here for your kind words!!! Makes me VERY happy coming from fellow drummers. :-)

I have to say that I had the best of times at the audition and the DT guys and everybody involved are the nicest people. Also thanks to them for having me audition, it was not only a tremendous honor playing with DT but also to be a part of that list with the other drummers who are my heroes... SPEECHLESS!!!

Cheers,
Peter Wildoer

Now is the time you tell you tell us about what was not show in the video!

[Wildoer]

Originally Posted by moontheloon

you were fantastic......wish I could see more footage

Thanks a lot!!! I hope there will be more footage shown later. :)

[Wildoer]

Originally Posted by topgun2021

Now is the time you tell you tell us about what was not show in the video!

There's A LOT!!! My audition went on for almost four hours with being welcomed, setting up drums, warming up, jamming, playing through the three songs, the "test", interviews and small talk. Also Petrucci ordered the best Pizza in NYC according to him that we all enjoyed while talking.

We've only seen very little parts of what went on like Derek already wrote. I do hope more will be revealed in the future!!!

[Unclenabe]

Anyone noticed the guy with the specs and long hair ?

Is he the REAL mastermind behind dream theater ?

Is he Mike Leonard the producer/director of the web-series ?

[Funnyman]

Dream Theater without Mike Portnoy will just be Theater. ='(

[gusty]

Mangini's reaction was awesome haha. Thought Aquiles Priester was pretty fitting, but pretty obvious it was going to be Mangini. I'll give this new album a listen for sure, it'd be good to see some studio vids with Mangini.

[Stitch Kaboodle]

7 great drummers.

I've never really been a DT fan before now but I'd like to see them with Mike Mangini behind the kit.

[Pollyanna]

Originally Posted by Stitch Kaboodle

7 great drummers.

Yes, wall-to-wall hotshots at an audition like that. Was a bit miffed at the "greatest drummers in the world" tag, though. There's some jazz and session players out there who could lay a fair claim to "greatest drummer" IMO

I really liked Marco Minneman's use of the splashes. I liked his spot best but I don't think his kind of energy suited DT as much as Mike. I mean, they are way into the dramatics and Marco M is so light-hearted.

The top three chosen were the ones who stayed tightest in all the tests; the wicked riff threw a few of them. It's hard. My impression was that one little mess up and - bang! - you're out. Someone else nailed it. You could see it in the guitarist's reaction when they'd explain themselves after a mistake ... kind of yeah yeah sure. You really don't want someone saying yeah yeah sure to you in an audition.

Mike M had the drama, the connection with Mike P and a personality that seemed to meld better with the group than the others, based on the vids. Dare I say it, but I felt that him being North American - and one with a pre-existing relationship with the group - made it easier for the band to form that instant, easy connection with him on a personal level. They'll have all those shared experiences. With that advantage someone would have had to have blown him off the park to win IMO, and his performances were strong enough for someone to do better, but not blow him off the park ... maybe Vinnie or Billy Cobham, but they weren't there :)

[Nodiggie]

These few episodes put American Idol in the dirt. Congrats Mike M. Was hoping for Marco but Mike was clearly the best fit, hands down.

[Swiss Matthias]

Originally Posted by Pollyanna

My impression was that one little mess up and - bang! - you're out. Someone else nailed it. You could see it in the guitarist's reaction when they'd explain themselves after a mistake ... kind of yeah yeah sure. You really don't want someone saying yeah yeah sure to you in an audition.

I know what you're saying, but I suppose again the short footage was quite misleading in that
aspect, too. It gives you the impression that every drummer went in, had a chance for 5 min,
and if they messed up somewhere they earned a "yeah yeah sure" look from John Petrucci.
But I think in 3-4 hours DT really got a good impression of the hows and whats and whys of
every drummer.

Anyway, congratulations to Mike Mangini!! And also congratulations to Virgil, Thomas, Marco,
Derek, Peter and Aquiles for all doing an awesome job and obviously being very capable,
of making the gig as well.

[Swiss Matthias]

Originally Posted by DrumEatDrum

The last two Dream Theater albums were terrible IMHO, and that was under Portnoy's leadership.

I'd say Petrucci's as much as Portnoy's. Maybe also Jordan's...

Anyway, although I'm not into the music as some years ago, but I must say I actually liked
Black Clouds Silver Linings pretty good! Some cool songs in there! And I really LOLed when
Mike P suddenly pulled out a lick in 5 note groupings (don't remember where exactly now),
so he must have practiced or picked up something, haha! I've never heard him do anything
in five before that. (Except for bars in five of course, but that's different.)

[Pollyanna]

Originally Posted by Swiss Matthias

I know what you're saying, but I suppose again the short footage was quite misleading

True, but they said that with Mike and one or two others that the playing was so spot on that they could have just walked on to a stage cold and gigged.

I doubt they'd only show the miscues from some players and not others so I assumed that if they didn't show a player not being in the pocket then it was because none were made ...?

[aydee]

Originally Posted by Pollyanna

Yes, wall-to-wall hotshots at an audition like that. Was a bit miffed at the "greatest drummers in the world" tag, though. There's some jazz and session players out there who could lay a fair claim to "greatest drummer" IMO

I really liked Marco Minneman's use of the splashes. I liked his spot best but I don't think his kind of energy suited DT as much as Mike. I mean, they are way into the dramatics and Marco M is so light-hearted.

The top three chosen were the ones who stayed tightest in all the tests; the wicked riff threw a few of them. It's hard. My impression was that one little mess up and - bang! - you're out. Someone else nailed it. You could see it in the guitarist's reaction when they'd explain themselves after a mistake ... kind of yeah yeah sure. You really don't want someone saying yeah yeah sure to you in an audition.

Mike M had the drama, the connection with Mike P and a personality that seemed to meld better with the group than the others, based on the vids. Dare I say it, but I felt that him being North American - and one with a pre-existing relationship with the group - made it easier for the band to form that instant, easy connection with him on a personal level. They'll have all those shared experiences. With that advantage someone would have had to have blown him off the park to win IMO, and his performances were strong enough for someone to do better, but not blow him off the park ... maybe Vinnie or Billy Cobham, but they weren't there :)

Pol, interesting observations.

Mangini has known all these guys for years. If I was a jaded old, prune, I'd swear the whole thing was fixed from the beginning and this whole exercise was crisis and transition management, as well as leveraging a potential career ending circumstance, rather brilliantly.

'The auditions' managed to suck in people like me and many others, who are not into DT or that kind of music at all which says something about Its American Idol - like syndrome.. 'thrills chills & spills', drummerstyle.

Yesterday a drummer friend ( who likes DT ) said to me that he found these auditions rather demeaning.
.. taking some of these great players and making em jump through hoops, play curve balls and all, and televising it to the whole world wasn't classy.
A rather unique perspective, I thought.

I do believe though that these auditions will also work in favor of the careers all the other 6 drummers in the long run. No such thing as bad publicity. Specially for drummers.


...

[gusty]

Originally Posted by Pollyanna

Mike M had the drama, the connection with Mike P and a personality that seemed to meld better with the group than the others, based on the vids. Dare I say it, but I felt that him being North American - and one with a pre-existing relationship with the group - made it easier for the band to form that instant, easy connection with him on a personal level.

Yeah for sure, I actually thought about that when watching Aquiles. A bit of a shame maybe, but thats how it is sometimes I guess...

[Swiss Matthias]

Originally Posted by aydee

leveraging a potential career ending circumstance, rather brilliantly.

Oh yes, that's for sure!!

Originally Posted by aydee

Yesterday a drummer friend ( who likes DT ) said to me that he found these auditions rather demeaning.
.. taking some of these great players and putting em jump through hoops, curve balls and all, and televising it to the whole world wasn't classy.
A rather unique perspective, I thought.

I can relate to that. It struck me as very odd when Jordan said it was interesting that they
chose seven of the best drummers they know (they know), and even of the seven
not all of them could tackle what they were presenting them. As if they were über-musicians
from another planet, ignoring i.e. the whole fascinating jazz realm with brillant drummers
(and musicians in general) - another idiom, but stellar playing too. So I was disappointed
with Jordan saying that. By the way the same Jordan who seems to still read the riffs from
"Dance of Eternity", haha!!
But as (I think) Derek mentioned, when the drummers from the audition started to throw
something at them, they didn't know what to do. I can only imagine the circles Virgil
may have played around them!

[Pollyanna]

Originally Posted by aydee

Yesterday a drummer friend ( who likes DT ) said to me that he found these auditions rather demeaning ... taking some of these great players and putting em jump through hoops, curve balls and all, and televising it to the whole world wasn't classy.

A rather unique perspective, I thought.

I do believe though that these auditions will also work in favor of the careers all the other 6 drummers in the long run. No such thing as bad publicity. Specially for drummers.

Of course, no one was holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to do it. I suspect they all enjoyed themselves. And not too many (sane) people would say "Hey, I could do better" when they didn't nail everything perfectly.

The only things I would consider even vaguely disrespectful were:

1) the amount of Mike shown as compared with the others - it smelled like bias (though it could have been that Mike's intensity was good viewing) and

2) what Derek said about the drummers throwing the DT members curve balls that they couldn't deal with, yet none of this was shown in the vids. If you show someone else with their pants down you have to be prepared to do it yourself.

On the other hand, it's a credit to DT that almost everyone said they almost immediately felt comfortable playing with them.

Originally Posted by Swiss Matthias

I can relate to that. It struck me as very odd when Jordan said it was interesting that they
chose seven of the best drummers they know (they know), and even of the seven
not all of them could tackle what they were presenting them. As if they were über-musicians
from another planet, ignoring i.e. the whole fascinating jazz realm with brillant drummers
(and musicians in general) - another idiom, but stellar playing too. So I was disappointed
with Jordan saying that. By the way the same Jordan who seems to still read the riffs from
"Dance of Eternity", haha!!
But as (I think) Derek mentioned, when the drummers from the audition started to throw
something at them, they didn't know what to do. I can only imagine the circles Virgil
may have played around them!

I think you misunderstood Jordan at that point. I think what he was trying to get across was that these 7 guys were the best fits for the band that they could have come up with - of course implying that this leaves out quite a lot of other drummers from other genres. DT is kind of a special genre that calls for a drummer who can fit the needs of that genre. For example: Brian Blade is one of my absolute favourite drummers on this planet, but would he have gotten that gig (leaving aside that he certainly wouldn't have wanted that gig)? I doubt it because he just doesn't fit that genre. On the other hand I highly doubt that any of these drummers would have gotten a call if a band like Tower of Power or a Jazz artist such as Brad Mehldau were looking for a new drummer.

I also highly doubt that Jordan considers himself to be an uber-musician as he is one of the nicest and most humble persons I ever met (I saw him doing a clinic a few years back and he was an absolute sweetheart). Also, he is an absolutely outstanding pianist and keyboard player. The guy could also make a living as a concert pianist, he has great skills in classical music but can also play blues and stride piano real well. In DT he only shows very little of what he's capable of. As for reading music: I don't think that's such a bad thing.... Sviatoslav Richter read music on most of his concerts and he was like one of the most gifted people to ever touch a piano.

About your last point: Sure, some of these drummers could have played in circles around them. Hell... even I could probably come up with some real weird groove that nobody would understand at first sight. I guess everybody with some musical knowledge and skills could. However, that's not important for this audition. Fact is: DT is looking for a drummer, many drummers would like to be in the band. For a drummer to get the gig it's not important to be able to play around the band in circles, but to be able to play with the band and be able to play what the band is asking to play. THEY are the guys offering the job not the other way around.

I've played quite a few auditions in the past many times I probably was the best educated musician in the room. But still I was the one trying to get the gig and trying to get into the band. The last thing I would want to do in such a situation is giving the band a feeling of "hey guys, I play wayyyy above your level and at anytime could play circles around you, but at this point this seems to be a gig that might be good for my career so you can be real happy about me actually doing this". If your auditioning for anything you should always try to make the band feel comfortable with you as a drummer and with you as a person.

As far as I can judge it from these short clips, that's what all the guys who auditioned tried to do.

@Peter Wildoer: I had never heard of you before, but for sure you absolutely kicked some ass in there. Great playing and great personality. I'm sure you'll get far with playing drums in the future!

BTW maybe Peter or Derek could shed some light on how the DT guys came across... To me it seemed like they were quite nice.

[Swiss Matthias]

Thanks for your thoughts, you're probably right. Yes I always thought they're very nice guys,
too, that's why I was surprised to hear Jordan say that, and I probably got him wrong.

I actually own some Jordan Rudess solo cds, so I know what a fine and classically trained
musician he is :). Yes of course him reading is not a bad thing at all, it's just a funny situation,
having those drummers play all the complicated stuff at once, while Mr Rudess comfortably
reads a tune he's been playing for years :). Don't meant it in a mean way. Maybe he's not
even looking at all...

Your last point essentially about being humble in an audition is good, too. That's the wisest
thing to do of course, and it doesn't serve anybody if one comes across arrogant and trying
to be superior or more knowledgeable than the band members.

[duffywl]

Well, I'll have to download some Dream Theater songs to find out why Thomas Lang would even consider auditioning. I love DrummerWorld, and enjoy watching most of the drummers, can't get enough of Weckl, Jo Jo Mayer, Stanton Moore, Gadd, Tommy Igoe, Tony Williams, Vinnie, Peter Erskine, Steve Smith, David Garibaldi, Chambers, Bruford, Gavin Harrison even Neil Peart as long as he's not playing jazz, but every time I try to listen to Mike Portney, he just bores me. Maybe it's the videos, but he sounds like he's banging on garbage cans. I just don't get it, but I'm seeing all these great drummers here talking about Dream Theater on this forum, so I really need to investigate. I am 44, and grew up listening to Jeff Porcaro, John Bonham, and Steve Gadd, so maybe I just don't get the whole prog rock scene of today. The auditions looked pretty impressive, but I think if Buddy were alive, he would say, I saw alot of acrubatics, but didn't see any drumming.

[Pollyanna]

Hey Duffy, you forgot Brian Blade and Billy Cobham :)

Have to say I'd be thrilled to be able to not drum like the audition guys!

[mattsmith]

Pete Wildoer you are a wonderful drummer. I think if there were any BIG winners from this whole thing it was you. Sure Mike got the gig, but he was already out there and capable of landing any number of things. Your ascension on the other hand comes off as something very cool. What a fantastic springboard. I can't imagine this not affecting you in a positive way. Geez you've got ridiculous skills and a whole lot of class. It's also great you're hanging around now and I hope you stick around past this little publicity surge.

As for Mangini, he decided he was going to get the gig, did the homework and got the gig...plain and simple. As for these bring your own style-not bring your own style discussions, I think its probably the wisest to do what's required to get the gig. Then once you have it and you get comfortable with the guys, then your own stuff gets in there.

I also remain amazed at how people are always going on and on about this his style fits/doesn't fit stuff. Are these people really telling me that most of the guys seen here can't play any way they want if they put their minds to it? Believe it or not, it's not just Vinnie C. There are hundreds of great drummers capable of this skillset. And Mike happens to be one of the best at it although I've remained perplexed about the kind of music that really moves him. To him I think DT is exactly where his heart is musically. But hey ...when you're a beast like that and can do so many things...more power to you.

I've seen some people already ragging on him for being overly happy about winning, But I just think that's what a superbly focused guy who sees life goals in terms of winning and losing does, whether it's DT, a Berklee appointment, WFD comps, or a game of cards. I think too many mistake that as some confused invasion of artistic principles when it's actually a whole lot more positive than that.

Personally I've never gotten the whole DT thing. I just don't feel it and as said before if you want this original sound with a cool vibe let's revisit Dixie Dregs circa 1979-80. There was this one thing they did called I'm Freakin Out that seems to be the catalyst for so much of what DT is given credit for now. In fact I hope that over the past 20 or so odd years that Mike Portnoy took time to thank Rod Morgenstein for a whole lot of things.

OK I admit it. I sold out and liked this...although I still couldn't believe how many people refused to believe in their heart of hearts that Mangini had locked up the gig months ago when every piece of reliable press and word of mouth was there for anyone to see. Well then...I suppose that ability for so many to suspend belief was why this turned out very successful for all involved.

"Pete Wildoer you are a wonderful drummer. I think if there were any BIG winners from this whole thing it was you. Sure Mike got the gig, but he was already out there and capable of landing any number of things. Your ascension on the other hand comes off as something very cool. What a fantastic springboard. I can't imagine this not affecting you in a positive way. Geez you've got ridiculous skills and a whole lot of class. It's also great you're hanging around now and I hope you stick around past this little publicity surge.

As for Mangini, he decided he was going to get the gig, did the homework and got the gig...plain and simple. As for these bring your own style-not bring your own style discussions, I think its probably the wisest to do what's required to get the gig. Then once you have it and you get comfortable with the guys, then your own stuff gets in there.

I also remain amazed at how people are always going on and on about this his style fits/doesn't fit stuff. Are these people really telling me that most of the guys seen here can't play any way they want if they put their minds to it? Believe it or not, it's not just Vinnie C. There are hundreds of great drummers capable of this skillset. And Mike happens to be one of the best at it although I've remained perplexed about the kind of music that really moves him. To him I think DT is exactly where his heart is musically. But hey ...when you're a beast like that and can do so many things...more power to you.

I've seen some people already ragging on him for being overly happy about winning, But I just think that's what a superbly focused guy who sees life goals in terms of winning and losing does, whether it's DT, a Berklee appointment, WFD comps, or a game of cards. I think too many mistake that as some confused invasion of artistic principles when it's actually a whole lot more positive than that."

Well said Matt.