Twenty years ago (I can’t believe it’s that LONG), Jordan Rudess was asked to join Dream Theater. The problem was the band had a keyboardist in Derek Sherinian. Sherinian was a really good player too. But both John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy felt more chemistry working with Rudess on the Liquid Tension Experiment album(s). Moreover, Rudess was actually the FIRST choice to replace Kevin Moore back in 1994.
Back in 1994, the band needed a keyboardist to play the Foundations Forum gig that they had scheduled. Moore had just left and they were in a bind. They had heard of Rudess and knew he was an incredible player. So he played the one show with them. They offered him the job and he declined citing family restrictions at the time. So the band looked at TWO other keyboardists. One of them was Sherinian. The band was split 2-2 on which to hire (as a sideman). The tie breaker was that Sherinian went to Berklee.
After “Falling into Infinity,” the band was struggling. Portnoy was threatening to quit. Following the LTE album, they realized they should play with musicians that they wanted to. So they asked Rudess to join for a second time. He said he would. So they had to fire Sherinian even though he had done nothing wrong. But clearly he wasn’t their first choice. Sherinian was recording his first solo album “Planet X” at the time and would go on to record more and more insanely proggy albums. Clearly he was out to prove that DT had made a mistake and underestimated him.
20 years later, he clearly isn’t over it. He formed Sons of Apollo with Portnoy, who had been one of the guys who fired him from DT. Apparently, that’s fine? Instead, Sherinian has made multiple comments in videos, on Facebook and in print disparaging Rudess. His passive aggressive insults reference “apps,” “music stands” and other things that Rudess has used. It’s rather sad really.
The fact that Sherinian was canned from DT because the band wanted Rudess from the start is NOT Rudess’ fault. Portnoy has apparently made Sherinian believe that Rudess is at fault and not Portnoy himself. Look, I think Sons of Apollo are a good band. They are not better than Dream Theater. Why? They have one fucking album. That album is better than the last few the band made with Portnoy and better than the Astonishing but so what? Sherinian wants a competition. Music is NOT a competition and DT has not said a bad word about him or Sons of Apollo.
GROW UP, DEREK! LET IT FUCKING GO! Show some class, man. If you wanna be mad at Petrucci, okay it’s been 20 years but go ahead. Oh, he has played on your solo albums? Ok then. Be mad at Portnoy then! Oh, you need him for the success of Sons of Apollo? Ok then. But to be pissed at Rudess for being the guy the band wanted to replace Kevin Moore from the start makes no sense to me. Sure you had every right to be mad about the situation. But why have a grudge against him now? Wasted energy. Move on, Derek.
Rob's Music Planet 
Have you ever been fired from a band?
A band in which you are completely comfortable?
For me Derek is the only one who dares to comment on all those things that some of us hate about Jordan.
And I liked more DT with Derek than with Jordan. Jordan destroyed dream theater.
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Derek needs to move on. Period. And no way would DT be as huge as they are now with Derek. Like him or not that’s the truth.
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Carlos–commenting on the situation is fine, but being passive-aggressive and insulting someone is not. Enjoying music is subjective, and just because you dislike “something” about Rudess doesn’t mean everyone shares your opinion. Jordan did not destroy DT. Arguably, their magnum opus is “Metropolis 2”, and he played keyboards on that album.
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I think Derek has every reason to speak his mind. Jordan can take it, I’m pretty sure. I’d still be upset too, if it were me. BTW, the new Sons of Apollo material is better than anything DT has done in years.
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I disagree regarding the Sons of Apollo being better than DT. The new DT album is better and one of their best. Derek can be upset…but still after 20 years? Let it go.
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Huh, weird, Sherinian has always been a kind soul. In fact now he’s older he IS grateful to everyone supporting him and he really devotes his time to music (and he clearly didn’t plan that at first from what I gather from the interview I am currently listening to). Also yeah he sometimes take on Portnoy by “yeah remember when you kicked me out?!”, but I think it’s just one of these things you need to take out of your chest. The guy isn’t hating Rudess, but he clearly felt left out and that’s how it was.
I am not seeing interviews about “Rudess sucks, he did X, Y and Z, please don-t be like that guy”, in the interview I am listening D.S. was asked about gears and his opinion about it:
27:09
Also since you @Rob :
“I disagree regarding the Sons of Apollo being better than DT. The new DT album is better and one of their best”
Like that’s your opinion. You are the one badmouthing Derek Sherinian, the guy has the right to feel bad, or are you telling me you live happily ? Why are you talking about D.S. vs J.R?
Even if these guys won’t be friends, why do you care?
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Editorials are opinions. That’s how it works. You have an opinion as well which is fine. Also the video you posted is not the one in question where Derek made comments. I actually called him out on it on FB and he removed those comments there. I think Derek is better than this. That’s all.
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Maybe, but I know Derek and the guy is not hating on Jordan R., I think you are taking D.S words way out of context. If D.S. were to post grudges and talk about it, he should be getting hate from a lot of people, and you are literally the only one making a big fuzz about it…. like Mike Portnoy used to do years ago after moving on from Dream Theater.
Sure, you can have opinions, but if were these through malice, all you are going to get is hate.
Also the video more or less clarifies the context about Jordas Rudess gears and stuff used and D.S. stance against it. That’s the context you should be focusing on.
Now if you insist on D.S. being hateful, gather evidence, and make a blog about it. Surely people in there will agree with you if that is the case. And hopefully make a big fuss about it for free.
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Maybe, but I know Derek and the guy is not hating on Jordan R., I think you are taking D.S words way out of context. If D.S. were to post grudges and talk about it, he should be getting hate from a lot of people, and you are the only one I am reading about it…. like Mike Portnoy used to do years ago after “moving on” from Dream Theater, at times there was M.P. clearly hating on DT for whatever reasons, as that backpedaled as a lot of hate from DT fans.
Personally I am all for both Dream Theater and SOA band members to move forward and create unique content and all I know is that I am thankful AF for that.
Peace.
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Actually I did post all the information about this at the time it happened. You are commenting a YEAR later. So I really don’t care to be honest. it was a story a year ago and I posted accordingly. Derek needs to let go of it. I think you do as well. I mean I want Derek to be happy with all that he got from DT. If this is bothering you, google the videos posted that I got the screen capture from. Or don’t? Doesn’t matter really, ya know.
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