Derek Roddy - embarrassed himself. Not even with his playing, but with his REPEATED attempts to deny/downplay/dismiss metal. "Metal is the last thing I'm into", "This mellow stuff is what I really feel most of the time", etc... He's trying to justify his reason for being there, but instead it feels like he's shitting on the music/style that made him what he is.
Marco Minneman is amazing, as always. His choice of t-shirt is inspiring.
Donati - wow, he is WAY too good for this band.
Lang- great drummer, don't like how he was pretty much immediately dismissed and not mentioned again. He changed some parts, therefore he's not good enough? They didn't tell anyone to do it note for note specifically, maybe he was trying to interject his own style into is for the AUDITION's sake? I'm sure he could play ANY of this stuff exactly like the album. Shitty reason to dismiss him.
post by i_am_not_me at Apr 27,2011 1:41pm edited Apr 27,2011 1:44pm
It wasn't that "Metal is the last thing I'm into"...he was just saying he listened to all sorts of different music before he got into metal. But yes, you do have a bit of a point.
And I think the idea about the style-injection is more of an attitude/approach question than a "not being good enough" thing. They want someone who would go into it with a respect for the original arrangements. I can understand where they're coming from.
If I were the one to pick the drummer that'd best suit the band (NOTE: I'm NOT saying the best drummer, I'm saying the best FIT), I'd have gone with Marco, with Mangini being a close second. But I'm guessing they went with Mangini, as that seems to be what EVERY sign is pointing to (Not to mention the constant hard sell of him throughout the videos, the Eddie Trunk tweet, Mangini quitting his Berklee job...)
post by Mark_R at Apr 27,2011 1:43pm edited Apr 27,2011 1:44pm
Yeah, I'm a little sour on some points and encouraged on other points. I'd be interested to see the complete auditions and the complete discussions of each drummer by the band members. It's easy to edit the doc to make it look like somebody's comment is about a specific part played, but it could really have been referring to something else (maybe something we don't see).
If it ended now, I'd be rooting for Marco. It's probably just because I love that guy. But then I like all these guys. I think I'm still rooting for Aquilas as #1 and Marco as #2, even though we know who it's going to be.
Donati & Lang are both monsters, but I kind of agree with your comment. They need better outlets to show their stuff. I love Planet X and Thomas Lang's stOrk band is rad too.
Petrucci - I like his drumming
Rudess - he talks like Sylvester the Cat with an australian accent.
Myung - yes, I can clearly hear the Sylvester influence
Labrie - I tawt I taw tat
Petrucci - fuck, now you've ruined it for me. I can't even keep a straight face when I talk to him. NEXT!
I love the fact that Donati uses traditional grip.
post by Mark_R at Apr 27,2011 1:57pm edited Apr 27,2011 1:57pm
I had never heard Donati talk before this vid and I did not know that he sounded like that.
This is kind of an off-point but I hope Roadrunner Records covered or pitched in on airfare for those drummers who flew in from out of the country to audition. Mangini had to do the least amount of logistical work to get from Newton to NYC and he's the front runner. Peter Wildoer is a math teacher, if I understand correctly, and school was probably in session in November 2010 when he flew over. So he would've had to arrange for a sub, use vacation time, etc. And I'm sure it was a headache for the other guys too, especially Aquilas.
I love Marco. Such a huge goofball and always has a blast at whatever he's doing.
post by ark at Apr 27,2011 2:30pm
Roddy BLOWS. I do hope Marco gets the gig, he's a great guy and hopefully might make the band less nauseating. Also good for Donati for not sullying up his resume!
