Originally published in Drummerworld.com · April 2011
Derek Roddy, Peter Wildoer comments
Article8 min read
Derek Roddy: I love how people talk like they know everything.........nothing in these statements is true.
It wasn't a cattle call, it wasn't sneaky, there were no words about if you didn't want to be taped....you weren't not auditioning........none of that.
Those guys were totally up front, professional, honest and cool about EVERYTHING.
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Derek, congrats on being one of the 7 to get an audition and thank you for posting. Even if you don't get the gig, it must be a cool to say you were one of only 7 to be considered.
The band may have been upfront and honest with you, but they're not being upfront and honest with their fans about this.
Derek Roddy: Yeah, was cool to be asked to do it. I've never been a big Dream Theater fan but, when a gig like that comes up....you have to least make the audition.
As far as the band being up front with their fans.......I'm sure they want too but, there are some legal issues that needs to be addressed and that takes precedence over what "can be said or announced".
I'm sure you guys can figure it out......and, I am certain that they knew who they wanted before these auditions were even thought about.
One thing that was said directly to me was....."whoever it will be.....it's got to be the fans choice...someone the fans are completely happy with".
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Just curious - do you feel like you played to your best abilities aka you nailed it!
I'm never happy after an audition...like my last one even tho I just made the band.
Derek Roddy: Yeah, I did fine. I wouldn't change anything......but, then again....I didn't feel that gig was right for me anyway....from the very beginning.
I was very busy during that time period....only had a few weeks to learn a 20 minute song, a ballad, and a tech song with 30 part changes within the space of 3 minutes! Haha.
That all went well.....
We jammed a little while....was cool but, the environment (in ears, video, etc...) didn't lend itself to a lot of creative moments...plus the fact that these guys we're trying to "jam" in odd times, etc....
Then they threw some riffs at me to see how quickly I could spit out complex stuff.
Now this...was fun but, at the same time....I could tell that they were looking for a dude that will come in....and record an entire record in the studio...on the spot.
I've never wanted to work that way..... as I believe that if the business (need to put out a record quickly) over trumps the musical vision (taking time and creating the best you can)
then that ultimately directs where the band ends up in the future.
I like to sit on riffs for a few days.... at least and create the best possible part (as opposed to the automatic one)
All good though, like I said...was a load of fun and made some great friends out of it.
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I gotta say that letting the fans decide, and letting them trump who the band might prefer as their drummer seems a little... idk... weak, I guess. What is this, American Idol?
That sort of dovetails with letting the business end trump the musical vision end.
Derek Roddy: Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with that.......that's the way most bands work.
I guess once you start touring to that level...that's your only option as people live too far away, etc....
I understand that but, it wouldn't be the way I wanted to work musically.
At least to the level of "changing my life" over it.
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Peter Wildoer: First of all I want to make it very clear as Derek wrote too, there were NO hidden deals or whatever leading up to the auditions. I (and I guess all the other drummers) was treated impeccable! I was very aware of what was coming and there were no new details at the audition.
Second, I have to agree with you Derek again that my wife and myself laughed hard too after getting asked to do the audition!!! It was just surreal to me, ha ha ha... :-D
To me, coming from Sweden and working a normal daytime job, seeing the list with the other six drummers made me laugh even harder. I mean all the other guys are my idols! The best thing with the auditions is that I got in contact with all these amazing drummers and they are the coolest guys ever.
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I didn't actually enjoy it in the slightest. I was sitting there watching between my fingers because of the blatant crassness of it all. It's just tacky as far as I can see.
Peter Wildoer: I can understand to some extent that some people don't like this as they just want to know who the drummer is. But, I do not understand that people get so very upset about it?!
To me, being a huge fan of all the other six drummers I'm looking forward A LOT to see behind the scenes footage, their interpretation of the DT songs and hearing them talk about preparations etc. I'm a drummer nerd and I just love to see drummers perform and talk, especially these amazing guys. So, to me this is all very cool.
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Derek Roddy: Well, just got a reply back about the audio and shortage of footage on this Documentary.
"Good ear my friend! See below
Yes it's camera audio. The logic session was corrupt. Maddi and Paul tried everything they could but were unsuccessful. We even gave Paul a multitrack of all of our camera audio from all mics... He took a stab at it but didn't make much difference. There was nothing anyone could do to make that section sound much better :-/
Over the Edge Productions"
So apparently...that effected how much "view time" I got overall.
Oh well.....it was a lot of fun. Haha.
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Hey Derek. My wife and I watched todays episode together, and we both thought you came off a little bit unsure and shy. Were you intimidated, or nervous? I know I would of been, but then again I am not in the same league as you guys.
Derek Roddy: Not at all....actually it was quite the opposite. I was really comfortable around them and with the "process".
The whole thing with all us guys audition footage is....you're seeing 5 minutes (of what some editor thinks.... is creating "drama" for reality TV)
What you didn't see are the 2 hours and 55 minutes of kick ass jams, tunes played exact, etc......
Another thing that needs to be considered in my case is.....
I auditioned for DT because I was asked.......not because I wanted to be the new DT drummer.
Too much commitment for me to stop what I have going on in my life.
I have a snake collection (over 100 animals) that has generated more income than DT would be able to pay me.
This drum thing is fun and all but, it doesn't make up even half of my yearly income.
For me to consider that gig....meant I had to move out of a really big passion (and security) to do something......I've done already (touring) and am doing still through education and my own projects.
One of the questioned asked by RR was "how would getting this gig change your life"
My answer was....."I'm not looking to change my life."
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That vid kinda made it seem like you got confused with some of their riffs.
Im glad you felt good about your playing, cause that tells me you know there was some cool stuff going on that wasn't shown in those clips.
Your a great player with a very cool vibe...keep doin whatcha doin!
Derek Roddy: Thanks brother
I mean...some of it was confusing....not the first time any of us have gotten something like this. Thing was.... that it was confusing for a few minutes.... and then you get it and move on.
What they didn't show (from all of the drummers) and, I knew they wouldn't....
Was when us drummers threw out some complex and confusing stuff to see what THEY would do with it.
In my case.... I threw out a layered rhythm (2 over 3) and not a one of them had any idea what to do with it. Haha.
But, you know they aren't going to show that! Haha.
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Peter Wildoer: Hope you guys will like the last episode. Regardless of what everybody thinks of this "documentary" I myself have enjoyed it A LOT!!! Sure some parts are overly dramatic but I think it's entertaining. Also personally I've enjoyed every second of watching the other drummers audition since I'm a huge fan of all of them!
I always tell my students how great the drumming community is and that everybody help each other out and share their drumming knowledge. It just makes me a bit sad to see some bashers that have to complain. Then, don't watch! Let's keep the drumming community free from the hater like Youtube people. We just have to face the fact that each and everyone are allowed to have their own taste!
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Now is the time you tell you tell us about what was not show in the video!
Peter Wildoer: 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!!!
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Peter Wildoer: I met Mike Mangini and he proved himself to be a great guy. He made a young student of mine feel very special. It is very possible personality played a role in getting the gig.
https://www.drummerworld.com/forums/index.php?threads/derek-roddy-here.1925/page-25
Pimento: I thought the playing was fantastic, i would have liked to see more where they didnt make you look like you were struggling. But if you know what you did enough to be that happy in the interview afterward it musnt have been that bad.
Derek Roddy: Cheers man....yeah, I started wondering why they would have shown the 4 minutes of just hearing the riff.....and didn’t show any of my actually playing that riff.....but, then I figured it out.
Any drummer that wasn’t affiliated with RR records in some way....had a “flaw” presented with-in this doc.
They knew they wanted Mike before the Audition, Jordan and JP are doing a project with Marco and Peter plays with James.......so, that made a whole lot of sense to me actually.
I do know that a lot of what they wanted to put in of me playing (such as the songs and our jam) just sounded bad without the recorded audio....so, I understand not wanting to put much of that footage in there....from an editors point of view. (I do some video editing myself...so, I get it.)
Everyone of those drummers told me that the riff they showed them tripped them up for 5 minutes.....so why were Thomas, Virgil, Aquilles and I the only ones who were presented this way?