Cleaning Out The Closet

DTIFC 004 – 1999

Personnel

Dream Theater

Mike Portnoy – Drums, Percussion & Vocals
John Petrucci – Guitar & Vocals
John Myung – Bass
James LaBrie – Vocals
Kevin Moore – Keyboards (track 1 to 4)
Derek Sherinian – Keyboards (track 5 to 9)

Tracklist

Don’t Look Past Me (6:23)
To Live Forever ’91 (4:36)
To Live Forever ’94 (4:55)
Eve (5:10)
Raise The Knife (11:35)
Where Are You Now (7:26)
The Way It Used To be (7:47)
Cover My Eyes (3:21)
Speak To Me (6:10)

Length: 61:02

About the album

This is probably the most sought after fan club CD; it’s the only place you can find all the songs that Dream Theater has written but didn’t end up on a studio release. Most of these tracks are demo versions.

The songs included were created in the studio sessions leading up to the studio albums created in the period of 1990 to 1997. The order they appear on the CD is also the order in which they were created and recorded.

Don’t Look Past Me and To Live Forever ’91 were created in the demo recording sessions for Images and Words. Don’t Look Past Me did not have vocals recorded, and these were added in 1999 specifically for this release, as the original recording were created with Charlie Dominici still in the band.

To Live Forever ’94 and Ever were created in the recording sessions for Awake. To Live Forever ’94 was released on the “Lie” single, and Ever was released on the “The Silent Man” single.

Raise The Knife, Where Are You Now, The Way It Used to Be, Cover My Eyes, and Speak To Me were created in the demo recording sessions for Falling Into Infinity. These were part of the original plan for a double album release, but the label turned it down. These songs were released on Ytsejam Records on the Falling Into Infinity Demos.

The following text was included in the liner notes:

It’s that time of year again for another gift to all of you crazy DT fan-clubbers from dear ‘ol Santa. (Once again with a little help from his elves all over the world!)

This year we have decided to “clean out the closet” for the NEW MILLENNIUM…

This CD is made up of studio versions of all the unused or rarely released songs fro our repertoire. The purpose of them resurfacing after all these years is to get them out of our systems once and for all in order to have a fresh new slate to work with in the coming new year 2000… They are being revisited not so much to “revive” them, but quite the opposite: this is our chance to finally put them to rest for the curious and the collector…

This CD, when combined with all of our officially released studio albums, complete the Dream Theater songbook from the 20th Century.

With the recent release of Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory, the new DT lineup has its feet firmly planted in the new millennium and this collection is a chance for you – the loyal DT fan – to take one last look back before joining us for the crazy ride that lies ahead…

As an added bonus to all our computer-friendly fans (aren’t you all??) we’ve included an exclusive look behind the “Scenes” (all puns intended!) of the making of the new album.

This home video was originally shot in May 1999, and was premiered at a fan club convention in Italy… We can now share it with all of you!

ENJOY and c-ya on the road for METROPOLIS 2000!!