Down And Dirty... Dream Theater

This week marks the return of Down & Dirty, featuring Mechanic Records, Dream Theater. Currently riding Top 5 on the Tuff Trax chart, the band’s Kevin Moore, John Petrucci and Charlie Dominici took time out to have some fun with us.

MD: Explain what Dream Theater is all about.

KM: Dream Theater is music with no regard for limitations. It’s about transcending boundaries that labels and classifications create. It’s about the balance of the heart and the mind and the communication of the spirit through sound.

MD: How did Mechanic hear about you guys?

KM: Our beloved friend, Chuck Lenihan, from the Crumbsuckers brought us to Steve Sinclair’s attention. At the time, Steve was running Relativity/Combat Records, the Crumbsuckers’ former label. Steve came to see us at a rehearsal and we signed a few weeks later.

MD: You’ve been compared to Rush because of your obvious progressive style. How do you feel about this comparison?

KM: Critics have always used comparisons as a means of description, so it doesn’t get us up-tight. As comparisons go, it’s not such an unfair one because of the abrupt time changes, key changes, the high range melodic vocals, and the strong emphasis on instrumental performance. However, aside from these general structural similarities, we think that our sound has a character that is safely removed from that of any other band.

MD: You met us recently at a Blue Murder listening party in NYC. How overwhelmed were you by this experience?

KM: Well, suffice it to say that the experience was the inspiration for a 47-minute ballad entitled, ‘FMQB & Me’, which will appear on the next album.

MD: Besides the Doublemint twins, what good things come in two’s?

KM: Serious questions in FMQB interviews.

MD: If you had to wear any article of women’s clothing, what would it be and why?

KM: Probably a satin bra because the cotton ones tend to irritate the skin.

MD: What’s your opinion of waxing?

KM: We’re for it, but only in situations where a powersander has no effect.

MD: How do you feel about the powersander as a marital aid?

KM: We’re for it, but only in situations where waxing has no effect.

MD: What’s your best pick-up line?

KM: “Pardon me miss, but I wonder if you would be so kind as to tap out straight quarter notes so I can practice my polyrhythms?”

MD: Why do you think Yogi Bear wore a tie, yet was sans pants?

JP: There are three theories concerning this topic that are commonly known as the “Yogian Necktie Laws”: 1) That the tie was used to hold his head on. 2) It is a subliminal demonic symbol representing the fall of the dark angel, Lucifer, into the depths of hell (a directional device pointing to his hairy crotch). 3) It was used to tie BooBoo’s feet together in order to hurt him about in a hair lashing style reminiscent of Blackie Lawless. As for the pants, most experts agree that it has something to do with the similarity between Boo-Boo’s height and Yogi’s waist height.

MD: If you were to open the nightstand drawer next to Madonna’s bed, what would you find?

CD: My watch.

Thanks to the Dream Theater dudes and of course, Charity Kurz, at Mechanic Records for setting this thing up.