Dream Theater sounds like Kansas!
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Topic: Dream Theater sounds like Kansas!
Posted By: Arrrghus
Subject: Dream Theater sounds like Kansas!
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 08:26
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I was listening to Leftoverture the other day, and I realized Dream Theater practically mimics Kansas' sound! Kansas' keyboards are ever present, but not at the front, there are long, rocking instrumental interludes, and so on and so forth. Am I just catching up with everyone, or am I a dolt? ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Proghat
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 08:28
| The only song that sounds like Kansas to me is Octavarium, but that's only because they ripped the ending from "The Wall". I dunno. Maybe they do sounds like them -- DT tends to wear it's influences on its sleeve. |
Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 08:36
I think that Dream Theater sound more like Saga than Kansas - Kansas at least sounded like a Prog Rock band.
 ------------- The important thing is not to stop questioning. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 08:36
*bursts into tears at the sight of that name again* Ivan and Micky, why did you leave me all alone in this valley of tears?  Seriously, though, it is at least the second time I've read of a comparison between Kansas and DT... So, there must be some truth in it. The Rush influences have always been quite clear to me, and I think no American prog band can really ignore Kansas. |
Posted By: salmacis
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 08:48
| I don't think that Dream Theater sound similar to Kansas- nowhere near enough to proclaim DT 'practically mimics' Kansas. There isn't really one song I've lifted my eyebrows over of DT's that approaches Kansas, and the aesthetics of Kansas is not as prominent in DT as they are in Spock's Beard, for example. When it comes down to who DT sound like, it would be Yes, Rush and Pink Floyd (to a lesser extent) imo. Again though, not so I'd call them derivative. |
Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 09:00
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I don't think so, they don't sound like Kansas to me
of course, they are influenced by them, but haven't copied them
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Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 09:23
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If you want Kansas influence, listen to the last song on Symphony X's "V" album. Pretty blatant "borrowing" of "Song for America". |
Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 09:43
^ Blasphemy...
no, really I don't think so, I have heard both many times
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Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 09:45
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YES THEY DO. ------------- ”Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 09:50
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I can certanly some Kansas influence in DT but to say they have copied them is wide of the mark. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: JayDee
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 10:40
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Well, some piano and keyboard bits off the Six Deg. of Inner Turbulence album sounded like Kansas.
Nothing else aside from that. ------------- 
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Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 10:42
Two bands I'm not really fond of.  -------------  
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Posted By: MajesterX
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 10:49
that's fine, but then why'd you comment? Honestly people, SHUT UP about DT!!! I Don't care what you say, just don't say anything. Even though I am a big fan, we've had enough DT threads to blow the world up several times over. It's just getting old. ------------- 
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The Wizard wrote:Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 11:07
| ^ and you don't need to answer to the comment... it leads nowhere |
Posted By: ResidentAlien
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 12:26
Ditto. But hey, an amusing anecdote... I was once talking with my pal (UsefulIdiot here on the board) about DT. And jokingly I said that I had finally figured out what DT reminded me of.... Michael Bolton's ballads. Bryan then replied that Bolton was in a heavy metal band in the 70's with Bruce Kulick, a fact I already knew. "What if," I suggested, "Dream Theater really does sound like Bolton's stint as a metal star?" "Only one way to find out," Bryan said. I agreed. So I set out on a quest to track down a Blackjack (Bolton's band) album. I powered up Soulseek and began the ardous task. Three hours later, I had found only one copy and there was no one in queue for the disc meaning that there was only one other person in the world as masochistic as myself to be searching for and downloading a Blackjack album. I started downloading. And an hour later, I had it. In the name of science, I began my experiment. Afterall, I needed to know.... did 70's Bolton really influence Dream Theater? The answer? No. Blackjack was an unbareably awful, generic lounge-rock disc and they sounded nothing like Dream Theater. But at least their songs were more coherently written than those on Scenes From a Memory.  Oh, and don't flame me for that. I really don't care if you're a DT fan. Just appreciate the humor. Laugh a little. Not everyone's a DT fan, and I've been flamed by DT fans in the past, so I know how rabid you guys can get. |
Posted By: MajesterX
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 12:37
And you don't need to answer the comment to the comment... it leads nowhere!  -------------
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Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 12:50
I think Ghost Rider had it right in that Kansas was an American band and they have influenced a host of Newer American bands as well Spock's Beard, Cryptic Vision, Dream Theater, Kings X, Glass Hammer and so on. Kansas outside of Zappa was the first band to hit upon the prog scene using more hard rock influences as well as symphonic. Same goes for Rush another North American band whose existence paralleled Kansas in the 70's. It was a unique sound and I can see why some of these musicians may have its influences in their music. I don't think any of them blatantly 'lift" passages at least not too much.  ------------- 
"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 13:03
 Let's talk about some other bands sometimes, guys... there's life beyond DT! |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 14:27
| I like some albums by DT and they have taken "a little" from Kansas but they will never have the soul (Walsh) and compositions (Livgren) of Kansas. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 14:34
Couldn't have said it better...  This shows quite clearly what good loving Deep Purple and worshipping Ritchie Blackmore can do to human intelligence! LaBrie (sorry to say that, my dear DT fans) can only dream of having Steve Walsh's voice (though I've been told it's quite shot), and Kerry Livgren (though I am certainly not keen on his preaching) is a very accomplished songwriter. |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 14:39
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Thanks GR!
My sister in arms!!
 |
Posted By: OpethGuitarist
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 15:19
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Dream Theater sounds like a lot of bands, they had a lot of different influences, Kansas is just one.
------------- back from the dead, i will begin posting reviews again and musing through the forums |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 15:21
Exactly.
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Posted By: xtopher
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 15:30
Seriously. Ok, so here's the deal, folks. The only reason us DT fans are so persistent in defending them is because some people feel they have to step way out of the bounds of what's relevant to the particular thread to bash DT. That's not cool. DT gets by far the most attention (positive but especially negative) than any other band here. I love to see positive comments on DT's music, but I'd rather just not see so many threads on them if it would just stop the incessant hate they receive. As for the main point of the thread... I guess I don't really hear such close similarities. You can say DT sounds like anyone and be partially right; DT has an amazing range and is difficult to sufficiently describe by naming just a handful of bands. That being said, Kansas was awesome during the 70's and was indescribably important for the future of American prog ( ). But Petrucci has said himself that Kansas wasn't so much of an early influence for him, in particular. |
Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 15:52
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With Spock's Beard, I got the Kansas influence immediately. Nothing I have heard by DT has ever struck me as being Kansas-like. Groing up with the music, I'm sure something had to seep in. However, I don't see any direct comnnection.
I want to see what Ivan has to say. I would trust him to find Kansas, no matter how deeply it may be concealed. ------------- a.k.a. H.T. http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 15:55
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Don“t you think Enchant sound like they are in between Kansas and DT?
The vocalist sounds a lot like Steve Walsh in the 70“s and they are quite amazing musicians.
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Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 16:06
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But, among the common influences, DT is a band that sound like a mixture of old Heavy metal, with a kind of glam rock vocalist. Kansas... oh, well, I thoutgh the same thing the first time I herad DT; in fact, at the time, I thought I was listening to somekind of side or new project involving former Kansas personel... ------------- ”Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 16:36
Enchant are huge Kansas fans. Some friends of mine recently met them at a Kansas concert in Northern California.
Cryptic Vision is another band who loves Kansas and Kerry Livgren's songwriting in particular. They also love Yes, Spock's Beard and Dream Theater also. -------------
"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 17:38
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The only Kansas I hear in DT is in The Big Medley where they take the instrumental parts on Carry on wayward son. Other than that . . . I think the energy they have, but that isn't being fair since alot of bands has that kind of pompousity. ------------- 
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Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 17:49
| Thanks Garion, I will definitely check out Cryptic Vision. I have become quite a big fan of Enchant lately! |
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 17:53
Sorry, I went a bit overboard when I listened to Leftoverture while running yesterday . Several songs, especially Cheyenne Anthem and Magnum Opus, sounded like a bunch of stuff I've heard in some DT albums. I was overzealous, but I do think DT lifted a large portion of their sound - at least in a few albums - from Kansas.
By the way, Wizard, you're close-minded. I know you haven't listened to more than one DT album and only a few songs of Kansas'. Your comment was uncalled for.  -------------
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Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 18:01
Close minded?
I just don't care for them, there not really my thing. -------------
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Posted By: Masque
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 19:00
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Want to hear a band with something even more similar to Kansas ? check out Salem Hill ------------- |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 19:24
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Cryptic Vison and Salem Hill while both recording for Progrock Records also used David Ragsdale on several cuts on multiple albums so they already invite the Kansas "sounds Like" lable. Wayward Son and Masque:
I like Salem Hill a lot but I like CV's vocals much better. Recently saw CV live and they just blew the doors down from the very start. Good new American pog band. I like their new CD, In a World, better than the first one as now all the members of the band are on the record. That was not the case of the first one. I would love to see Salem Hill live but they don't play a lot of gigs. I was lucky that Cryptic Vision played Calprog.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Kansas had a unique sound in the mid 70's. I am talking about before they were popular. I mean listen to Incomudro or the Pinnacle or Journey to Mariabronn or Death of Mother Nature suite etc. That is a lot of musical ground to cover. It is heavy in that the guitar is loud and it bites just like a lot of prog metal does today except instead of being just riff laden the guitar was just a part of the overall sound they created. I don't mean to say all prog metal is riff only either. Posted By: Minimalist777
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 20:40
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I can hear some definite Kansas influence in DT. One band I think that has obviously influenced DT that has not been mentioned yet is Marillion. ------------- WWOSD? What Would OliverStoned Do? |
Posted By: titico
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 20:43
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hello Dream Theater doesn't sound like Kansas, yes it is influenced by a lot of groups and bands, but I think that Dream sounds more like Pink floyd(not at all only a little bit), it also sounds as metalaized Jazz, but I really don't think that it sound like Kansas :) Dream is Dream it has influences, fusions of different sytles but they have a magical touch for their music! ------------- Take me As I AM! From Venezuela or Italia? Both! |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 20:46
I agree, listen to the keyboards in "These Walls" on Octavarium.
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Posted By: Equality 7-2521
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 22:02
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The influence is there, but I don't think it often manifests itself in their sound. There's many more apparant influence to be noted. ------------- "One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. " |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 22:06
DT are awesome, Kansas sucks *hides* There is some influence, but I hear much more Yes, Genesis, Floyd in them than Kansas. It's not nearly as noticeable. Kansas sound too AOR for my liking
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: July 25 2006 at 22:10
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^^^^
Target: The Miracle
Destination: Antarctica
Assignment: Assasination!!
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Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 00:57
You won't even need to dirty your own hands, Greg - just send the relevant information to Ivan M.M., and he'll do the job for you... He's a rabid Kansas fan! |
Posted By: Australian
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 01:56
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Dream Theater sound like Kansas for sure, they alos sound like Rush and Black Sabbath in parts. Eveyone needs influence! ------------- 
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Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 03:05
Than you haven't listened hard enough!  You need to go back to the first three Kansas albums and even before that to The Early Recordings of Kansas by Proto Kaw to even understand this conversation. You being born way before any of this even happened I can understand. However Kansas is the American sound in parallel with Rush in the 70's. They smoke.  Wait for Ivan all you want! I know a thing or two about this band too. -------------
"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 10:10
Oh, don't I know it. I'm still nursing wounds from my comments in the thread about Kansas being in the top 100. 
------------- a.k.a. H.T. http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com |
Posted By: pogoowner
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 15:57
Precisely. Kansas's early material was anything but AOR. ------------- And it might as well be raining, 'cause the sunlight hurts his eyes, And his ears will never hear the children's cries |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 16:08
ouch... you know prog far better than that... that's the kind of comment that idiots who speak before they listen post hahah. Kansas did not sound AOR.. I sure have never heard it ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 16:15
AOR my fanny . -------------
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Posted By: Dr4Wazo
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 16:47
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Yes, both did a lot of quite borring songs....
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"Mėem Otsilennhetėe Dros Sun Surra Steuhn Do Nansei" |
Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 18:43
Here we go again...
 -------------
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Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 19:27
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Wow, I was reading this thread, and listening to Steve Hackett (I have a few Hackett albums lined up). I wasn't listening too closely, and a song came on that reminded me of Kansas. Well, duh, it's Steve Walsh (he is the vocalist for a couple of tracks on "Please don't touch"). ------------- a.k.a. H.T. http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com |
Posted By: Garion81
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 20:07
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^ Phil Erhart played on those too.
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
Posted By: AtLossForWords
Date Posted: July 26 2006 at 20:37
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I don't necessarily think so. Dream Theater seemed to focus their sound much differently. The bass is much more important to the flow of Dream Theater's songs, especially in the early days with songs like "Learning to Live", "Take the Time", "Voices", and "Scarred". Dream Theater has many elements that Kansas never had in their music.
Dream Theater is a band known for musical acrobatics surrounded with some catchy arrangements, melody, and variation. Kansas was not known for their musical acrobatics (especially Kerry Livgren), though they play some catchy music. -------------  
"Mastodon sucks giant monkey balls." |