Manila-bound Dream Theater is living the dream

From their show in Rome.

Manila-bound Dream Theater is living the dream

by rick olivares picture is from the band themselves and used with permission

Dream Theater bassist John Myung put it best when he said in a phone interview with us this past Sunday, September 17, a few hours after their concert in Seoul, Korea: “Those sort of things you don’t plan. They just happen.”

Myung was referring to the band’s longevity (they’ve been together for over three decades but have been recording albums since 1989) and the numerous accolades they have received in their stellar career.

The American progressive rock band is in the midst of an 11-month word tour called Images, Words & Beyond that celebrates the 25^th anniversary of their second album, Images and Words, which is universally acclaimed as one of rock music’s best albums of all time. The tour has taken them to Europe, Asia, and by year’s end back in their playing field of North America. And this coming September 25, they will be performing for the first time in the Philippines at the KIA Theater in Cubao.

We caught up with vocalist James LaBrie and Myung a few hours before they were to depart for Sydney, Australia. LaBrie and Myung were a part of the band during Images and Words’ recording along with guitarist John Petrucci who was unfortunately unavailable at the time of the interviews. However, keyboardist Jordan Rudess and drummer Mike Mangini who weren’t a part of Dream Theater at that point in time (the keyboardist then was Kevin Moore with Mike Portnoy on drums) but we were able to pick their thoughts about the band’s staying power as well as the classic that is Images and Words.

“The tour is going great and the shows have been selling out,” said Myung. “Our second album was our biggest album to date (over 600,000 copies sold) and to see people come out to re-live that period of the band’s career feels good. It feels right to go back and celebrate that moment. When I look back at that record, I see it as a point in our career where everything fell into place. It was something special and unique about that record. it had a certain sound to it. the ideas we had on that record to the way it was produced to the way it came out it was a perfect time.”

For LaBrie, Images and Words was his first album with Dream Theater. For the band’s debut, When Dream and Day Unite, their lead singer was Charlie Dominici while their record label was Mechanic/MCA.

When the album failed to sell, the label dropped them. The band also parted ways with Dominici.

After being without a vocalist for two years, Dream Theater auditioned some 200 vocalists before setting on LaBrie.

Recalled LaBrie of the day he joined the band, “When I came down to New York (where the band is based), I did most of the first album, When Dream and Day Unite, then we jammed on some songs from (what would eventually be) Images and Words. I think we did “Pull Me Under” and jammed on songs like “Lovin, Touchin, Squeezing” by Journey and some others.

It all went down great. We went through two songs and they looked at one another and said, ‘You’re our man’. We jammed on more songs then we went out to grab a bite then went to record a demo the next day.

New record company Atco signed them and the rest is history. Images and Words went on to become their best-selling album and has been consistently named as one of the 100 Best Metal or Prog Rock albums of all time (they also have three other records that have made some industry or trade magazine ‘best of’ lists).

“When this album came out in 1992, it stuck out like a sore thumb,” pointed out LaBrie. “Everything else that was going on at that time was Guns N Roses, Alice in Chains Nirvana, Pearl Jam -- these were the bands hitting it bigtime and were on radio. Images and Words found its path and it is quite amazing. Here we are 25 years later after several albums and we’re still doing it. It’s cool and there is a feeling of accomplishment that you did something in an industry that is unforgiving so to speak.”

Rolling Stone magazine, considered to be the bible when it comes to rock music trumpeted the album, “Images laid out the various sides of the band's musical personality, from anthemic prog rock ("Take the Time") to racing, metal-tinged workouts ("Under a Glass Moon") and New Age–y power balladry ("Another Day"). But it was with gonzo epics like "Metropolis – Part I: 'The Miracle and the Sleeper'" and the 10-minute-plus closer "Learning to Live" that Dream Theater fully flexed their musical muscle, demonstrating an awesome instrumental facility and power.”

For drummer Mike Mangini who came on board with their 2011 opus, A Dramatic Turn of Events, playing the Images and Words album in its entirety during the tour is “fun”.

“It’s simply fun,” gushed the passionate Massachusetts native. “I don’t know if that is the word to use but I am not just talking about playing the drums but I am talking about how tight the band sounds. It’s paying tribute to that music.”

LaBrie bared that their show – including the one in Manila – will be three hours long. “The first set will feature some of songs from various albums while the second set will be all from Images and Words. The encore will be A Change of Seasons (their 1995 EP release that feature the 23-minute title track plus some cover songs from Pink Floyd, Queen and Genesis to name a few).  

For the multi-talented Rudess who is regarded as one of rock music’s premier keyboardists, he said that it took a long time before Manila was included in their tour stops. “There are so many elements (when planning a tour),” offered Rudeness. “It’s complicated but I am happy that in this particular tour we’ve opened up new places that we’re coming to see you guys. We’re also going to India for the first time.”

“We look forward to the Manila show,” concluded LaBrie.

Hoping to get this signed!