We recently talked to John Petrucci of Dream Theater. We had sent some e-mails back and forth and one day while I was working his wife called up and said if we wanted to do the interview we better hurry because he was leaving for Europe tomorrow. "Where is he now?" I asked. "In the kitchen having a sandwich." She answered, and said she would have him pick up the phone. I first asked him why he was going to Europe the next day. He told me this European tour is actually a solo gig for him consisting of a series of guitar workshops put on by Ibanez. This is a nine city tour in the countries of Spain, Portugal, Holland, and Germany. The Dream Theater tour began in Europe November 8.

Dream Theatre's first Album came out in 1989, but they had been a band since 1985. Each of their albums have sold about a million worldwide. "Images and Words" has been their best seller to date with about two million copies sold. According to John, their new album, "Scenes from a Memory", is the third most requested of the new albums on radio stations at this time. Then he went on to say that Dream Theater is very progressive and instrumental band but they never had any trouble with their label over content or artistic direction. They were signed because of the music they were playing and they still like creating and playing it. John pointed out that there are no other bands like his on major labels at the present time, which lets Dream Theater dominate its market.

Everyone in the group contributes to their songs although John writes most of the lyrics. They will be showcasing their new CD, "Scenes from a Memory", that came out October 26 on Electra. The tour will be in the US and around the world with about 200 dates. They will cover Germany, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, England, Holland, France and others. They will also hit Korea and Japan in the far east. The tour takes most of the next year. John told me they take occasional breaks and their families go along for some segments and other times meet the band for R&R.

John's advice for aspiring artists is to stay true to their calling and do what you love. Dream Theater writes the music first, starting with the melody. Sometimes the subjects are fictional and sometimes it is from real life. Then they pay attention to the way the words work together and how it sounds poetically. When there is a disagreement, they usually defer if one person feels very passionately about it, otherwise they will try it several ways and see what sounds best. Consensus of the band decides how it will be. John stressed that they have been a band a long time and they know how to get along with each other. Spending a year on the road would be difficult for any group of people and many bands find the stresses of personality differences are the hardest part of the band experience. Dream Theater does this well too. They are a very professional band. Look for them in the US in January of 2000.

Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
1. Regression
2. Overture 1928
3. Strange Deja Vu
4. Through My Words
5. Fatal Tragedy
6. Beyond This Life
7. Through Her Eyes
8. Home
9. The Dance of Eternity
10. One Last Time
11. The Spirit Carries On
12. Finally Free

The first leg of their tour is

Mon November 8 - Docks - Hamburg, Germany
Tues November 9 - Capitol - Hannover, Germany
Thurs November 11 - IJssehallen - Zwolle, Netherlands
Fri November 12 - Ancienne Belgique - Brussels, Belgium
Sun November 14 - Palladium - Koln, Germany
Mon November 15 - Forum - Nurnberg, Germany
Wed November 17 - Volkshaus - Zurich, Switzerland
Thurs November 18 - Colosseum - Munich, Germany
Fri November 19 - Filaforum - Milan, Italy
Sun November 21 - Transbordeur - Lyon, France
Mon November 22 - Forum - Ludwigsburg, Germany
Tue November 23 - Kulturfabrik, Luxembourg
Wed November 24 - Elysee Montmartre - Paris, France

Dream Theater's Fan Club has been taken over by the Dutch Fan
Club

D.T.I.F.C
P.O Box 1597
2003 BP Haarlem
HOLLAND

Their web site is:

http://www.dreamtheater.net

and you can sign up for their free newsletter here and see a
truly awesome FAQs.