The Ultimate Band

Gregory Clark22 said:So you're saying if you had to choose between living in the US or Iraq, you'd pick Iraq? You wouldn't last a week...
As for hip-hop, it’s pretty interesting how that specific "trend" has managed to stick around for over 20 years...🙄

Kid, stop crying over a few bucks and realize you aren't going to become some big-time gangster, no matter how much you try. I don't get why everyone keeps feeding this troll.

restlesswolf3 said:Kid, stop crying over a few measly points and accept that you aren't going to be one of the big shots, even if you spend your whole life chasing it. I don't understand why everyone keeps giving this troll exactly what he wants.

And yet, here you are, feeding me too... You’ve got quite the bite, just like in your profile picture.👎

Gregory Clark22 said:Blah, blah, blah...

By the way, I don't have anything against rock, punk, or whatever.

Ahh... that's not how it went down.. 😬

(just checking back in on this thread).

Gregory Clark22 said:So, if you had to choose between living in the US or in Iraq, you'd pick Iraq? You wouldn't last very long there...
Regarding the hip-hop scene, isn't it quite fascinating how that particular "craze" has managed to sustain its momentum for well over two decades now?🙄

Perhaps one should try reading with a bit more comprehension.
After all, an average person from the Middle East isn't necessarily someone living in Iraq, just as the average American isn't necessarily someone from a tiny small town in the Midwest.

Alexander Carter35 said:Try reading with some actual comprehension..
The average person from the Middle East isn't just someone living in Iraq, just like the average American isn't specifically from a tiny town in rural Kansas.

Oh, really? So you want to lump Palestinians and Israelis together too?

Either Americans or Mexicans?

Gregory Clark22 said:So you're telling me if you had to choose between living in the States or Iraq, you'd pick Iraq? You wouldn't last a week...
As for rap, it's pretty wild how this whole "trend" has managed to drag on for over twenty years...🙄

Maybe it has been twenty years, but in the last decade, it’s been commercialized until there's nothing left of the original soul.

If I could pull this lineup together, this would easily be my all-time dream band:

Vocals - Freddie Mercury (Queen)
Guitar - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Keyboards - Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
Bass - John Entwistle (The Who)
Drums - John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)

Who do you guys think is the greatest songwriter in rock history?

Gregory Clark22 said:So what? Are you suggesting we just focus on Palestinians and Israelis?

Why don't you grab a damn atlas and actually take a look at how many other nations are situated in that part of the world?!!!!!
It seems you’ve latched onto those specific countries simply because they happen to be the most visible in the headlines!
My original point remains entirely unchanged: the average resident living in those regions (whether in the Middle East or further afield) isn't some religious fundamentalist.
Is it possible you only hold that view because you've spent so much time watching them through a television screen? 🙄

Alexander Carter35 said:Grab a damn atlas and take a look at how many other countries are actually out there in the Middle East!
Instead, you’re clinging to the most exposed nations like a drunkard grabbing a piece of driftwood!
My point remains unchanged: the average resident of those regions (both the Middle East and beyond) is not a fundamentalist.
You only think that because you’ve "seen them on TV."🙄

You’re getting worked up over nothing. I am simply stating that people in the West tend to be more moderate; I never brought up fundamentalists in the first place...😉

Jeffrey Green16 said:It might have been around for twenty years, but over the last decade, it's been commercialized until it’s completely unrecognizable.

You can't just make such a sweeping generalization. That applies to certain niches of rap—the mainstream stuff, if you want to call it that—but it certainly doesn't apply to the whole genre.🙂

Gregory Clark22 said:You’re getting worked up over nothing. All I’m saying is that people in the West tend to be more grounded, and I wasn't even bringing up fundamentalists...😉

Let's get down to brass tacks:

When you draw a direct line between an average, radicalized Iraqi and, say, a Frenchman... well, I honestly don't think there is much left to discuss beyond that point.

But that was your own premise, wasn't it? By your own logic, a radicalized Iraqi is a fundamentalist. My point, which I am trying to make quite clearly, is that the comparison itself is fundamentally flawed. As for your claim that people in the West are "more normal," isn't that just a matter of perspective? Is it possible that you only perceive them as more normal because you are constantly immersed in their cultural influence? Between MTV, McDonald's, and Hollywood movies, aren't you simply making a sweeping generalization?

Alexander Carter35 said:We could go back and forth on whether people in the West are actually "more normal." You’re just making a sweeping generalization because you're constantly bombarded by their culture every single day. Between MTV, McDonald's, and Hollywood movies, your perspective is skewed.

The reality is simple: most people clearly don't mind the influence of Western culture; in fact, they embrace it. At least, the majority does. If someone finds it offensive, they have two choices: ignore it as much as they can, or move a few hundred miles east.
😎

Well, wouldn't it be perfectly natural for them to feel that way if they’ve been immersed in it since they were kids?
If you had spent your entire childhood watching nothing but classic Westerns every single day, don't you think you'd end up becoming some kind of walking encyclopedia and lifelong devotee of the genre?

Alexander Carter35 said:I mean, how could they not be like that if they've been fed that stuff since they were kids?
If you spent every single day watching Westerns growing up, you’d probably end up some kind of expert on them today.

Sure. And if you watched Al Jazeera all day, you'd probably be out there waving a scimitar and losing your head.😁

Who do you guys think is the greatest lyricist in rock history?

Well, Jim Morrison wasn't half bad.
I also dig Cedric from Mars Volta and formerly ATDI, though nobody actually understands what he's writing about.

Gregory Clark22 said:the infiltration of Western culture

That’s an excellent way to put it—one of the most powerful descriptions out there!

man... john petrucci... that guy is just on another level when it comes to the guitar—it’s honestly kind of insane how much precision he packs into every single note. i was sitting here thinking about his technique, and it's not even just about being fast, though god knows he's lightning quick, it's that surgical accuracy... like, there isn't a single wasted movement or a muddy note in his entire vocabulary. it's almost intimidating if you think about it too hard... just pure, relentless discipline. whether he's tearing through some complex prog riff or hitting those soulful, soaring melodic lines, he just has this way of commanding the instrument that feels totally effortless, even though we all know how much work goes into that kind of playing... just absolute mastery, really...
man, i was just sitting here thinking about mike portnoy... that guy is just a absolute beast on the kit. seriously, the way he handles those polyrhythms and just stays so locked in while playing at basically warp speed? it's insane. i mean, you look at his work with Dream Theater—especially stuff like Finally Free—and you just see this level of technicality that most drummers couldn't touch in their wildest dreams. it's not just about being fast, though—it's that energy, that sheer drive he brings to every single track... it’s just different. honestly, he's one of those rare players who actually shaped how an entire generation of prog drummers approached the instrument. just legendary...
man, i was just sitting here thinking about james labrie... his vocals are such a trip—like, you can't help but get lost in them. there’s just this specific way he carries those melodies that feels so incredibly raw and earnest at the same time... it’s hard to put into words exactly why his range hits so different, but when he really leans into those soaring notes, it’s pure magic... just total atmosphere...
man, john myung... that guy is just on another level when it comes to the bass... his lines are so intricate but he makes it look totally effortless—it's kind of insane how he holds everything together while still playing stuff that would make most players' heads spin... just pure class...
Jordan Rudess... man, those hands move at a speed that honestly feels like they're breaking the laws of physics—it’s almost hard to wrap your head around how much control he actually has over those keys... I was watching some old clips the other day and just sitting there thinking about the sheer technicality involved... it’s not just playing notes, it's like he's sculpting sound in real-time with those massive synth rigs... you see him layering textures and then suddenly hitting these lightning-fast runs that leave you breathless... truly one of a kind in the prog scene...
🙂

Hands down the greatest band to ever exist... because honestly, when you've got a group of people who are all absolute virtuosos in their own right—just killer musicians individually—it changes everything. And that Dream Theater - Finally Free lineup? They just work together like a perfectly tuned machine... such a seamless unit...

Dream Theater - Finally Free👍

Dream Theater - Metropolis Part I. Man, people are incredible... I was just watching Live Scenes from NY the other day, and damn, they absolutely shred live!!!

silentcobra6 said:Dream Theater - Metropolis Part I. is just incredible. People don't realize how good they are. I was watching Live Scenes from NY the other day, and man, seeing them tear through that set live is something else.

Did you catch that little kid behind Portnoy, basically acting as his personal assistant and grabbing cymbals whenever he needs one? I swear, I nearly lost it laughing watching that.😁