Interview with Dream Theater

though they might not be considered

though they might not be considered mainstream this prog metal van is known

mainstream this prog metal van is known

mainstream this prog metal van is known for the proficiency of its musicians hi

for the proficiency of its musicians hi

for the proficiency of its musicians hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com our host eric Burnett got

watchmojo.com our host eric Burnett got

watchmojo.com our host eric Burnett got the chance to speak with John Petrucci

the chance to speak with John Petrucci

the chance to speak with John Petrucci from Dream Theater

from Dream Theater

from Dream Theater I wanted to talk to you a bit about the

I wanted to talk to you a bit about the

I wanted to talk to you a bit about the new album what would you say you guys

new album what would you say you guys

new album what would you say you guys were setting out to do we had a little

were setting out to do we had a little

were setting out to do we had a little bit of a plan it wasn’t very specific it

bit of a plan it wasn’t very specific it

bit of a plan it wasn’t very specific it was more like a guideline or a mission

was more like a guideline or a mission

was more like a guideline or a mission statement for a particular record which

statement for a particular record which

statement for a particular record which was to try to create songs arrangement

was to try to create songs arrangement

was to try to create songs arrangement wise that were more eclectic within the

wise that were more eclectic within the

wise that were more eclectic within the song some of our early early music when

song some of our early early music when

song some of our early early music when we wrote it we’re really young probably

we wrote it we’re really young probably

we wrote it we’re really young probably due to immaturity of songwriting

due to immaturity of songwriting

due to immaturity of songwriting abilities we just kind of would throw

abilities we just kind of would throw

abilities we just kind of would throw these things together one song it would

these things together one song it would

these things together one song it would have all these different stylistic

have all these different stylistic

have all these different stylistic elements found like a metal section and

elements found like a metal section and

elements found like a metal section and followed by like a little jazzy thing

followed by like a little jazzy thing

followed by like a little jazzy thing you know we didn’t realize it but that

you know we didn’t realize it but that

you know we didn’t realize it but that was kind of the charm of our style and I

was kind of the charm of our style and I

was kind of the charm of our style and I think as we developed our songwriting

think as we developed our songwriting

think as we developed our songwriting abilities we kind of honed in on this

abilities we kind of honed in on this

abilities we kind of honed in on this different style not all the time but

different style not all the time but

different style not all the time but some of the times the music became more

some of the times the music became more

some of the times the music became more focused the song would kind of strictly

focused the song would kind of strictly

focused the song would kind of strictly stay in one direction and so on this

stay in one direction and so on this

stay in one direction and so on this album we wanted to use everything that

album we wanted to use everything that

album we wanted to use everything that we learned up to that point as far as

we learned up to that point as far as

we learned up to that point as far as songwriting production the heaviness of

songwriting production the heaviness of

songwriting production the heaviness of the band the sound of the band and

the band the sound of the band and

the band the sound of the band and infuse that with the older style of

infuse that with the older style of

infuse that with the older style of incorporating different musical styles

incorporating different musical styles

incorporating different musical styles within one song and that’s probably why

within one song and that’s probably why

within one song and that’s probably why there are so many epics on the album

every time we do a new album we try to

every time we do a new album we try to take a some some sort of step forward to

take a some some sort of step forward to

take a some some sort of step forward to do something different than we did in

do something different than we did in

do something different than we did in the past to improve upon what we did you

the past to improve upon what we did you

the past to improve upon what we did you know if anybody would to listen to our

know if anybody would to listen to our

know if anybody would to listen to our catalogue it’s all different it’s

catalogue it’s all different it’s

catalogue it’s all different it’s interesting not just regurgitating the

interesting not just regurgitating the

interesting not just regurgitating the same thing you can usually tell with

same thing you can usually tell with

same thing you can usually tell with your albums just by the first song what

your albums just by the first song what

your albums just by the first song what the tone is going to be more or less and

the tone is going to be more or less and

the tone is going to be more or less and I found that this one kind of starts

I found that this one kind of starts

I found that this one kind of starts with a bit of darker overtones as there

with a bit of darker overtones as there

with a bit of darker overtones as there was there anything that influenced your

was there anything that influenced your

was there anything that influenced your writing towards something a little bit

writing towards something a little bit

writing towards something a little bit more somber the opening track was the

more somber the opening track was the

more somber the opening track was the first song that we wrote and we wrote it

first song that we wrote and we wrote it

first song that we wrote and we wrote it in New York right around Halloween time

in New York right around Halloween time

in New York right around Halloween time and we called the song Halloween that

and we called the song Halloween that

and we called the song Halloween that was the working title and it just

was the working title and it just

was the working title and it just musically had a very you know Tim Burton

musically had a very you know Tim Burton

musically had a very you know Tim Burton Nightmare Before Christmas kind of vibe

Nightmare Before Christmas kind of vibe

Nightmare Before Christmas kind of vibe to it you know a little bit comical and

to it you know a little bit comical and

to it you know a little bit comical and quirky we didn’t intend for the entire

quirky we didn’t intend for the entire

quirky we didn’t intend for the entire album to be that way but that’s just how

album to be that way but that’s just how

album to be that way but that’s just how that one song when you’re writing

that one song when you’re writing

that one song when you’re writing progressive music how do you strike a

progressive music how do you strike a

progressive music how do you strike a balance between conveying emotion but

balance between conveying emotion but

balance between conveying emotion but then also bringing out the technicality

then also bringing out the technicality

then also bringing out the technicality that we see in Dream Theater it’s just

that we see in Dream Theater it’s just

that we see in Dream Theater it’s just all about songwriting it’s about trying

all about songwriting it’s about trying

all about songwriting it’s about trying to convey whatever message you have

to convey whatever message you have

to convey whatever message you have inside musically you know you want to

inside musically you know you want to

inside musically you know you want to get that point across in the best way

get that point across in the best way

get that point across in the best way possible if that message is something

possible if that message is something

possible if that message is something that’s really intense it might require a

that’s really intense it might require a

that’s really intense it might require a lot of technical elements in order to

lot of technical elements in order to

lot of technical elements in order to make it sound intense and to kind of get

make it sound intense and to kind of get

make it sound intense and to kind of get people’s blood pressure to rise

I mean the ultimate is when you can say

I mean the ultimate is when you can say we have a certain vision let’s make it

we have a certain vision let’s make it

we have a certain vision let’s make it happen and you actually do make it

happen and you actually do make it

happen and you actually do make it happen that’s where you get that balance

happen that’s where you get that balance

happen that’s where you get that balance of emotion and technicality I understand

of emotion and technicality I understand

of emotion and technicality I understand well thanks a lot for meeting with us I

well thanks a lot for meeting with us I

well thanks a lot for meeting with us I really appreciate it all right