Originally published in Guitar World magazine · March 1993
A Few Good Men (excerpt)
InterviewJohn Petrucci1 min read
The editors of Guitar World pick the best and brightest new talents in rock, jazz and blues
Dream Theater’s John Petrucci
“I learned almost everything I know on guitar by listening to records at half speed.”
On Images And Words (Atco), Dream Theater offers a master’s lesson in contemporary alternative prog rock—without the pretensions and overblown arrangements. While the band incorporates a myriad of diverse influences, including classical and jazz, and offers exhilarating dynamics and a sure sense of melody, their sound is rooted firmly in heavy rock, metal and a lot of mind-bending Petrucci guitar solos.
Guitar: Ibanez USA Custom with DiMarzio Tone Zone pickups
Amp: Mesa/Boogie TriAxis; 290 power amp
Effects: t.c. electronic 2290 digital delay and effects control processor and 1220 parameteric eq; Lexicon PCM-70; Boogie MIDI Matrix
Favorite Guitar Album: Steve Morse—The Introduction (Elektra, 1984)
Personal Philosophy: “I’ve always tried to strike a balance between technique, creativity and expression. It’s a tough job; if you hear something in your head, but you’re not technically proficient enough to play it, the whole expression thing is blown.”