List of Dream Theater band members
List of Dream Theater band members |
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Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band, formed by guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and drummer Mike Portnoy while attending Berklee College of Music in September 1985.[1] Childhood friends from Long Island, New York,[2] Petrucci and Myung met Portnoy two weeks into the 1985 school year.[3] Driven by a shared interest in music such as Rush, Queensrÿche, and Black Sabbath the threesome quickly became friends.[4] The group began practicing together, often for six hours each day from Monday through Friday.[5] Wanting to complete the band's lineup, they added keyboardist Kevin Moore and vocalist Chris Collins, both of whom had grown up with Petrucci.[6][7]
The band named themselves Majesty after a comment made about Rush's song "Bastille Day" sounding "majestic".[8] The quintet recorded the Majesty Demos, which sold 1,000 copies within six months.[9] After performing "a couple of gigs" with Collins, however, the members realized he was not the correct singer for the band.[10] The band continued to write music,[11] and began to audition new vocalists.[10] The auditions led to the hiring of Charlie Dominici as their new vocalist in November of 1987.[9] The next year, in 1988, Majesty signed with Mechanic Records and recorded their first studio album, When Dream and Day Unite.[12][13] Soon after, the band was forced to change their name due to another band named Majesty.[1] Upon a suggestion from Portnoy's father,[14] the band selected their new name, Dream Theater, after a California movie theater.[1] After the release When Dream and Day Unite, Dream Theater realized that, due to his weak stage presence and limited vocal range, Dominici was not a good fit for the band.[15] Over the next 18 months, the band launched a "major singer manhunt".[16] The lengthy search was frustrating for the band, who had thoughts of giving up.[17] Just before the band was ready to commit to a third singer, a tape from Canadian vocalist James LaBrie arrived.[18] LaBrie was attracted to the band's "original" style,[19] while the band thought he had a "great voice" and a "good look".[20] After a few practices with the band, he was quickly hired.[21]
The band's lineup remained unchanged until Moore decided to leave in 1994 to concentrate on his solo career.[9][22] Dream Theater hired Derek Sherinian to fill in for their tour in support of Awake and six months into the tour Sherinian was hired as a full-time member.[23] In 1999, the band made the decision to let Sherinian go.[24] He was replaced by Jordan Rudess,[25] who had toured with the band prior to Sherinian's hiring and had worked with Petrucci and Portnoy on side-project Liquid Tension Experiment.[9][26] As of July 2009, the band's lineup has remained unchanged in ten years. While recording the band's ninth studio album, Systematic Chaos, Portnoy stated that the relationship between band members was "the best it's ever been".[27]
Current members
- John Myung
- Active: 1985–present
- Instruments: bass, Chapman Stick
- Release contributions: all Dream Theater releases
- John Petrucci
- Active: 1985–present
- Instruments: guitar, backing vocals
- Release contributions: all Dream Theater releases
- Mike Portnoy
- Active: 1985–present
- Instruments: drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Release contributions: all Dream Theater releases
- James LaBrie
- Active: 1991–present
- Instruments: lead vocals, percussion
- Release contributions: all Dream Theater releases from Images and Words (1992) to present
- Jordan Rudess
- Active: 1999–present
- Instruments: keyboard, Continuum
- Release contributions: all Dream Theater releases from Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999) to present
-
Jordan Rudess
-
John Myung
-
James LaBrie
-
Mike Portnoy
-
John Petrucci
The members of Dream Theater performing in 2007
Former members
- Chris Collins
- Active: 1985–1986
- Instruments: lead vocals
- Release contributions: Majesty Demos (1986)
- Charlie Dominici
- Active: 1986–1989
- Instruments: lead vocals
- Release contributions: When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
- Kevin Moore
- Active: 1985–1994
- Instruments: keyboards
- Release contributions: When Dream and Day Unite (1989), Images and Words (1992), Awake (1994)
- Derek Sherinian
- Active: 1994–1999
- Instruments: keyboards, backing vocals
- Release contributions: A Change of Seasons (1995 EP), Falling into Infinity (1997), Once in a LIVEtime (1998)
Timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/gg1gef70rfo7bg1pmitxo30c18lfphp.png)
References
- General
- John Petrucci, John Myung, Mike Portnoy, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess. The Score So Far... (DVD Documentary). Rhino Entertainment.
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- John Petrucci, John Myung, Mike Portnoy, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess. Images and Words: Live in Tokyo (Video album). Rhino Entertainment.
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ignored (help) - John Petrucci, John Myung, Mike Portnoy, James LaBrie, Jordan Rudess. Dream Theater: 5 Years in a LIVEtime (Video album). Rhino Entertainment.
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- Specific
- ^ a b c "Dream Theater Biography". Info. DreamTheater.net. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 1:49.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 2:33.
- ^ John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 1:59.
- ^ John Myung, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 6:31.
- ^ John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 10:10.
- ^ John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 9:45.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 8:45.
- ^ a b c d Craig Harris. "Dream Theater: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ a b John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 12:26.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 12:36.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 14:09.
- ^ "When Dream and Day Unite". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 15:13.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 16:30.
- ^ John Petrucci, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 16:55.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 17:09.
- ^ John Myung, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 18:24.
- ^ James LaBrie, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 17:56.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 18:38.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 19:15.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, 5 Years in a LIVEtime. Event occurs at 13:02.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, 5 Years in a LIVEtime. Event occurs at 18:41.
- ^ Mike Portnoy, The Score So Far... Event occurs at 34:55.
- ^ Jordan Rudess. "Jordan Rudess". Biography. Jordan Rudess.com. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
- ^ "Liquid Tension Experiment". Overview. Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ Mike Portnoy. Mike Portnoy Interview (Dream Theater) - Part 2. TheCrookedStep.com. Event occurs at 0:23. Retrieved 2008-06-30.