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Dream Theater
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The technically proficient guitar playing of John Petrucci elevated Dream Theater to the upper echelons of contemporary heavy metal. While its lineup has continuously evolved, the Long Island-based quintet has consistently delivered sharp-edged music. Dream Theater is known for its high-energy concert performances. While they've released several live albums -- Live at the Marquee, recorded at the London club; Live in Japan, recorded during the Music in Progress tour in 1993; and a triple CD and DVD, Live Scenes from New York -- they remain one of heavy metal's most bootlegged bands.

Originally named Majesty by Berklee College of Music students Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and drummer Mike Portnoy, the band soon expanded with the addition of keyboard player Kevin Moore and vocalist Chris Collins. Releasing an eight-tune demo, Majesty Demo, as Majesty, the group sold 1,000 copies within six months. The departure of Collins in late 1986 left Majesty without a vocalist, and after a long period of auditioning possible replacements, the group settled on Charlie Dominici in November 1987. Changing its name, the group agreed on "Dream Theater," inspired by a now-demolished California movie theater. Signing with Mechanic Records, the group began working on its first full-length album. Delays caused by label mismanagement limited the group to performing at small clubs and bars. Frustrated by its experiences with the label, Dream Theater finally severed its ties with Mechanic.

This was only one drastic change in the band's course of action. Firing Dominici, the group spent the next couple years searching for a vocalist. The search ended in late 1991 when a demo tape from Canadian vocalist James LaBrie, formerly of Winter Rose, arrived. After flying to New York to audition, LaBrie was invited to join the band. Signing with Atco Atlantic (which came to be known as East West), Dream Theater released its second album, Images & Words, in 1992. One of three videos based on songs from the album, "Pull Me Under," became an MTV hit. Although Theater showed considerable growth with their third studio album, Awake, recorded between May and July 1994, the group continued to be hampered by personnel changes. Before the album was mixed, keyboardist Moore left the group to focus on his solo career. Hired as a temporary replacement for the band's Waking Up the World tour, Derek Sherinian later became a permanent member. His first recording with Dream Theater was a 23-minute epic, "A Change of Seasons," written in 1989 and released in September 1995 on the album of the same name.

Following a mini tour, Fix for '96, the members of Dream Theater separated for several months and became involved with a variety of outside projects. Petrucci was the busiest. In addition to joining Portnoy and keyboard player Jordan Rudess in the Liquid Tension Experiment -- a group that included influential bassist/stick player Tony Levin -- Petrucci played guitar with Trent Gardner's Explorers Club and made a guest appearance on Shadow Gallery's Tyranny album. Myung and Sherinian collaborated with King's X vocalist Ty Tabor in the band Platypus. LaBrie worked with Mull Muzzler, a group formed with Matt Guillory and Mike Mangini.

Dream Theater experienced yet another change when Rudess was tapped to replace Sherinian, who had been fired in 1999. The band released the progressive rock-heavy Scenes from a Memory that year, a conceptual piece that followed the story of a 1928 murder of a young woman and how a modern man is haunted by the crime. It was followed by Live Scenes from New York in 2001, which suffered from an unintentional bout with controversy when its original cover featuring the city of New York in flames was pulled due to the events of September 11. The group continued in the progressive metal vein in 2002 with Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, followed by the leaner Train of Thought in 2003 and Octavarium in 2005. The live album Score: XOX was released in 2006 and featured the band backed by a 29-piece orchestra. It was followed a year later by the new studio album Systematic Chaos.

Sherinian went on to record as a soloist and to play with a prog and jazz fusion band, Planet X. Petrucci released an eponymously titled solo album in 2003, featuring accompaniment by Dave LaRue of the Dixie Dregs and Boston-based drummer Dave DeCenso. ~ Craig Harris, All Music GuideMore

Official Profile

Dream Theater
“The way we were perceived in 1985 is the same way that we were perceived in 1995 and the same...
Songs: 82, Videos: 29, Playlists: 2, Blog Posts: 0, Polls: 0, Battles: 0

Most Popular Music Videos (15)

A Rite Of Passage
(Duration: 5:44)
May 11th, 7:11am
Pull Me Under (Video)
(Duration: 4:48)
Aug 23rd, 6:25am
Forsaken [Live 2008]
(Duration: 5:40)
Sep 30th, 7:26am
Another Day (Video)
(Duration: 4:27)
Aug 23rd, 6:26am
Endless Sacrifice (Live At Budokan) (Video)
(Duration: 11:15)
Sep 27th, 2:17pm
Lie (Video)
(Duration: 4:41)
Aug 23rd, 6:26am
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Fan Comments

Jul 16th, 9:25pm
Under a Glass Moon is the most incredible Dream Theater song of all time! I'll never forget the first time I heard it on my way to Harpos concert Theater in Detroit on The Images & Words Tour!
Jun 30th, 8:51am
they're awesome!
Mar 13th, 4:43pm
Mar 12th, 6:26pm
Been a fan for almost 7 years. This entire band has had an impact on where I'm headed as a musician. John Petrucci's guitar playing keeps me motivated to give it everything I've got on a guitar.
Mar 1st, 2:46pm
Love Your Music Dream Theater!!!!!!. Just Keep Rocking The World!!!!
Feb 27th, 8:53am
elow!!!!

i'am big fan of DREAM THEATER

so add me up!
plzzz
Feb 26th, 6:12am
Thanks for the add! Love your music. KEEP ROCKING!!!!
Feb 24th, 9:06pm

thanks for the add :)
Jan 15th, 11:34am
Me too _ Rock fans from GalaJava 10350 Jakarta
Peace and Bondage - Like Pinguin & Bondage ( Song from Frank Zappa )
Forever Dream Theater
Jan 10th, 1:51am
Long time fan glad to see you continue to pulverize the envelope - Keep it up friends
-Ben Davis