Metal On The Rise: Dream Theater

Due to the nature of this business, and the excess of music that I receive and have to review, it is a rarity that I can become passionately intimate with any album. Only a few attain this each year.

Rarer is the complete absorption of an album and its every note.

Unheard of is a band whose music I have need of; to wake up to and live with nearly each day – one which dominates my musical being to the point of obsession. This is Dream Theater.

From the moment last July when I was handed, nonchalantly, the advance cassette of Images And Words from this brilliant new talent from Long Island, New York via Warner Music Canada, I was smoked beyond my wildest expectations. But, what made it even more special was that the singer was a friend of mine from Toronto, James LaBrie, ex-lead singer of the now defunct Winter Rose. [Many regular readers may recall the first introduction to Dream Theater In M.E.A.T #35, August ‘92].

Now many of you may be accusing me of territorial nepotism, but I truly wish to convey to you “eaters” that Dream Theater is, beyond a shadow of doubt in my mind, the best new band of the ‘90s. And, judging by the way it’s taking off stateside – over 300,000 units sold, with recorded sales of over 14,000 in a single day – I’m not the only one who feels this way, from industry insiders to fans alike.

LaBrie contacted me at M.E.A.T central from Denver, while on tour during an off day in their schedule. If excitement has ever befallen anyone from this area ever, excepting Sebastian Bach’s first time at bat, LaBrie was exuding it in spades.

“I’m totally psyched right now,” exclaims an exuberant LaBrie. “Everywhere we’re going we’re packing. The radio stations are great, as we’re doing interviews everywhere ‘cause they say they’re receiving record phone calls on us – we’re top five phones everywhere! It’s incredible, man, what can I tell you!? We’re Just taking it in, and being blown away at the same time.”

Their album didn’t exactly take off like a forest fire from the start, as, when the band was in TO to perform at The Spectrum last October 9th – two months after its release – it had only sold about 15,000 units in the U.S., and squat here. So when did the turning point occur that propelled this record to Its sure-to-be platinum pace?

“Just when all the radio stations became aware of the track [first single “Pull Me Under”],”assumes LaBrie. “It started on a few AOR stations, and then It just became a snowball effect. Our single has now been the number one track for five weeks in a row, and we’re now number 61 on Billboard with a bullet [as of Feb. 5]... and we’re still going! Our problem right now is that [radio] wants to jump on the next track, which is ‘Take The Time’, but our label is trying to hold them back and not kill ‘Pull Me Under’ – which, by the way, has been out to radio for over 24 weeks now! The label just kept pushing it long after most songs would have been given up on. So now, off of one track, we’ve sold over 300,000 albums! It’s unbelievable really ‘cause it’s not a ballad. The label figures we’ll be gold by May. What’s f***ing wild is that we’ve sold 14,000 in a day... 13,000 just last Friday, and 6,000 last Monday, so it’s really cool.”

“Pull Me Under”, at 8:11 in length, is not your typical first single for any album. Yet, despite a radio edit of 6:01, and an MTV edit of 4:49, guess what! “Most of the stations are playing the full length, man, as you know what’s happening,” proclaims LaBrie. “The people who have gone out and bought the album are calling and demanding the full-length version. We’ve been told by the stations that the only other time that this has happened was when Guns N’ Roses had out ‘November Rain’. It’s unbelievable! Pirate Radio in LA told us that when they played the edit that people phoned in pissed, wanting to hear the real version. So most of them are saying, ‘F*** the edit. we’ll just play the full version,” which is really cool. Even now, with ‘Take The Time’ (which clocks in at an even longer 8:21), they have the edit in their hands, but they’re playing the full version. Radio guys are really excited about getting the chance to push something that is really cool.”

All this would tell an educated music person that the market for this format of powerful art rock is wide open, and growing. “It really is,” agrees LaBrie. “Again, the radio guys are telling us that the fans are calling in and saying, ‘It’s about time we’re getting some musical substance from the radio – we’re sick and tired of all these pop rock bands.’ I don’t want to sound pompous, but that’s what they’re telling us.”

While radio had been the main purveyor in the surgence of Dream Theater’s career, the all-mighty MTV has been involved extensively too. “Unbelievable!” boasts LaBrie. “They are so supportive it’s incredible. We’re on heavy rotation right now, and it’s really paying off. A lot of the gigs we’re doing now are attracting a female audience, and that’s mostly from MTV. But we know that MTV is really helping both our sales, and our shows.”

The first place that recognized the genius of Dream Theater was, of all places, Japan. Within days of release, Images And Words shot up their charts, and was quickly certified gold. Obviously, a tour of Japan was a necessity, which the band did just before Christmas. LaBrie recalls the memorable trip to the Orient.

“It was incredible, man! When we got to the airport, there were people there waiting for us, and they had pictures out of magazines for us to sign. We did three concerts, and they all sold-out in a day. What blew us away was how polite and respectful they are of other people. At the gigs we’d be backstage and the place would be packed, but we wouldn’t hear anything! They’d sit there nice and quiet. Then when we’d come on stage they’d scream for 10 seconds, then they’d be quiet while you play your tune. Then they’ll scream at the end of it for five seconds, and await your next tune. It was totally different! It was cool, as they were totally into it.

“What’s really cool there is that they really analyze the music,” he continues. “One night in Kawasaki, during ‘Pull Me Under’, I sang three wrong words in the chorus, and they very next day we got a letter at the hotel from this girl and she wrote, ‘I thought you guys were amazing, but tell James to be a little bit more concerned about his lyrics – he sang three wrong words during Pull Me Under.’ Can you believe it! We were like laughing and in disbelief at the same time! I’m like, ‘Shoot me, man, I sang three wrong words’ (laughs). Other than that, everything was unbelievable... and Japanese women are beautiful (laughs).”

Back in the U.S., things began to pick up for Dream Theater just after the turn of the calendar into ‘93, which may become known as the year in which music such as Dream Theater’s may make a comeback – if not for its sweeping talent and swirling abilities, then for its opposite reaction to the advent of alternative and grunge metal in ‘92. I asked LaBrie if he felt that Dream Theater was part of the apparent revival of interest by rockers and radio alike towards more album oriented, less radio driven or aimed, progressive rock.

“I think we’re a part of it,” implies LaBrie, “but bands like Metallica, and Queensrÿche especially, plus Rush too – who’s been the foremost influence on this band – have always had the radio and fans open to it. But then you have bands too like Skid Row who have the balls to go out with ‘Slave To The Grind’ which wasn’t radio friendly, which didn’t seem to bother the radio or fans, so that’s cool, too. So radio, due to these bands, and bands like Faith No More and the Seattle stuff, is a bit more open minded, so it all helps.”

And helped it has. But, of course, this has had to have an effect on LaBrie. I asked him how circumstances now have changed his life. “Well, let’s put it this way,” begins LaBrie, taking a deep sigh, “I’m finally doing what I dreamed of doing since I was five years old. I guess I was 14 when I first heard (Aerosmith’s) Steven Tyler sing ‘Lord Of The Thighs’, and that got me going in the direction of wanting to be a rock ‘n’ roll singer. So to be now doing what I set out to do half my life ago – to have it finally here in my face – is unbelievable. What more can I tell you? It’s a great feeling to always be pumped up. My dreams have come true, and hopefully this will go on for a while, which I think it will, as Dream Theater is definitely in this for longevity.

“It takes its toll too,” he adds, “as I’m away from Karen [his wife], and there’s that stress. And there’s stress just being on the road as it’s tiring – you’re flying from town to town, but at the same time, you’re so pumped that it doesn’t really affect you.”

This world is spinning around me / The whole world keeps spinning around me / All life is future to past / Every breath leaves me one less to my last – from “Pull Me Under”

For those unfamiliar with the album, Images And Words span the emotions of man throughout its eight mindblowing tracks. On the surface it seems apparent that this is a concept album, but, as LaBrie explains, “It wasn’t originally written or thought of as that, but when we were recording it and putting it together, and beginning to think of a title, we were realizing that we didn’t mean for anything to happen but it was apparent that there was a constant theme throughout of loss and gain, and all the emotional spectrums being dealt with – just the ‘Learning To Live’ message that was being conveyed throughout the whole album. It wasn’t planned at all to come out like this. People are saying this is a conceptual album, but it wasn’t written like that – I can guarantee it. Now that it has become apparent to us that it did take on this we’re totally psyched about it!”

But what they’re most psyched out about right now is the chance to perform this monumental epic. Just where are Dream Theater at right now with this aspect? “It’s all clubs and small theaters right now,” says LaBrie. “We’re getting more to the theater part now, with the bigger promoters. We’re going to be touring this leg to March 17th, and then after a breather we’re going to Europe in April for about a month (beginning at London’s Marquee on April 3rd and going to several countries until April 23rd), and then we’re coming back to the U.S. We may get out with a big ticket concert and do arenas, but, if the big ticket doesn’t happen, then we’re talking about doing a double bill with some band, and doing larger theaters.”

Some band? What band? Divulges LaBrie, “John Sykes, of Blue Murder – who I look up to as a musician – is totally into this album. He called us up and told us he’d love to tour with us. So there’s talk about that, but there are a lot of bands who want to get on a tour like that with us right now.”

And what about peer reaction? Is Dream Theater hearing of any, and are they meeting some peers now? “We’re not meeting them right now,” states LaBrie, “but we’re hearing what they’re saying. We’re told through sources that the guys in Queensrÿche are totally into our album, as well as the guys in Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Metallica... Metallica, we’re told are really eating up our album.”

Not only are Dream Theater reaping accolades for their group efforts, but they’re also receiving monumental individual respect and admiration. In a recent edition of Guitar World from August of ‘92, the review of the Dream Theater album stated that “vocalist James LaBrie deserves a mention here as well, singing flowing melodies with a passionate intensity (no easy task, considering the complexity of the rhythms and overall arrangements) that arguably makes him the hottest vocalist on the scene today.”

So, is LaBrie receiving much vocal recognition? Contends LaBrie, “Not to sound conceited, but every f***ing night I have 15 to 20 tapes thrown in my lap from vocalists, asking ‘Hey, man, what did you do to get so good?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, I studied opera for four years with Rosemary Burns (vocal teacher in Toronto), and I just practiced.’ Then there are guys who are like, “You know, man, Geoff Tate used to rule, but you rule now – you’re on top now. You’re wicked!’ So every night I get comments about my voice, as I do the album just like it sounds each time we play... except at the Toronto gig.”

He elaborates, “After that gig, not only did I get my car towed (laughing at the thought of the $192 towing charge now), I had to go to the hospital that night as I had a throat infection. They put a swab down my throat, brought it to the lab, and the doctor said that I had a virus infection, and that I’ve had it in my throat for about a week and a half. And I’m saying, ‘But I’ve sang each night for the last week and a half!’ and he’s like, ‘Well, you’re not going to even talk for the next four days.’ I couldn’t believe it! So for the next four days we had to cancel out, and then start up again. I guess when I started spitting up green stuff I should have known that there was something in my throat (laughs).”

Back to the recognition factor, how has it been for the other members? Spells out LaBrie, “(Guitarist) John Petrucci is getting guitar mags all over him, claiming him to be one of the top ten guitarists in the world right now, and one of the hottest players around. Kevin Moore, the keyboard player, is doing a big article in Keyboard mag. Everybody is getting endorse – Mike (Portnoy, drums) just signed to Sabian Cymbals. So everybody (bassist John Myung rounds out the band) is being recognized individually for their instruments, and being praised. It’s really cool.

“What really blows people away,” inject LaBrie while on the subject of musical ability, “is that we sound exactly like we do on the record live. They can’t believe that this band can vocally and instrumentally pull this thing off live for these kinds of songs. It’s important to us to give people the same in a live setting what they hear on disc.”

So is all this blowing away bringing them a level of fame? “It’s getting pretty nuts,” remarks LaBrie, “to the point where we have to be escorted out by security and literally thrown onto the bus ‘cause there are people who really are beginning to get nuts around us. But, for the most part, there are a lot of people who respect you too, and give you some room. I think that’s because the genre of metal that we play is attracting a more ‘real’ audience – we’re not a slut rock band, if you know what I mean (laughs).”

Because Dream Theater’s music is obviously rooted in ‘70s bands such as Rush, Yes, and ELP, I asked LaBrie if he was noticing a wide range in fan age. Replies LaBrie, “We’re getting the Rush and Yes crow that’s 30 plus, some into their late 40’s, who are into us – the husband and wife thing who haven’t had anything new for years to listen to. Then, at the same time, we’re getting really young fans in their early teens. And a lot of musicians... mostly musicians. And, like I said before ‘cause of MTV we’re getting lots of girls. It’s an incredible range of fans.”

But are these fans, and others in the biz, realizing that you’re from Canada? “Oh yeah, man!” LaBrie exclaims. “I pump that all the time during interviews that I’m from Toronto, Canada. They’re all really stoked about it. They all connect that I’m from the same town as Sebastian Bach, and they also comment that there seems to be a lot of musicians coming to the U.S. from Canada. And why shouldn’t there be? There’s a lot more money behind the bands here, so it’s a lot more attractive.”

Okay, so now that LaBrie’s well set within the U.S. music market, what does he wish could happen to Canada, with his experience to date, to make metal music a better thing here? “I’ve learned that Canada’s radio has to be a bit more open minded,” he begins. “That’s one definite aspect that I see lacking in Canada that is different down here. What blows me away is that I’m Canadian, and we’re kicking ass down here, while up in Canada I’m an unknown still. We’re being pumped large on radio, large on MTV, and in Canada we’re nothing... yet. I know the market here is bigger – it’s like night and day – but there’s no excuse for why material that is being given recognition down here isn’t getting the same in Canada. It’s unfortunate ‘cause I find that a lot of people in Canada are missing out on a lot of really cool stuff that is being played in the U.S., that you never hear on radio up there. I’m hearing and meeting bands now who are on their second and third record, and I’d never heard of them before. I just wish there was a bit more support up there, especially since I’m a Canadian.”

The U.S. support, of course, can be linked directly back to their label, Atco (now known as East/West). “We can thank our label for a lot of things,” LaBrie acknowledges. “They’re totally f***in’ behind us. Let’s face it... they could have been pricks when we first went in to record ‘cause of the length of our songs. But they said, ‘Just do what you guys do best,’ so we went in and recorded our songs, and since the moment we came out they’ve been pumping us.”

The pumpitude continues with the forthcoming release of a video for “Take The Time” (shot in LA on Valentine’s Day), with LaBrie revealing that the next singles are to be “Another Day” then “Surrounded” – then maybe they’ll lengthen (yes, you read it right... lengthen!) the showstopper “Wait For Sleep” for single release. As far as shows for Canada are concerned, a rumoured show at Toronto’s Massey Hall is in the works for spring or summer.

I asked LaBrie if he has a touring fantasy. “We’d love to go out with Rush. Could you imagine me playing on the same bill as Rush at Maple Leaf Gardens?! That would be a dream come true.”

The way things are shaping up for Dream Theater, it seems that they’re destined to spend the best part of ‘93 out on the road. But, considering the fact that the band spent the best part of two years in their search for a singer, I wondered if the band has a backlog of material just awaiting its due time.

“We’ve got so much f***in’ material it’s unbelievable,” expresses LaBrie, “and we’re coming up with more all the time. When this round is all over it’s going to take us months just to sort through it all. [The label] figures we’ll be out for all of ‘93 – with tours here, and maybe returns to Japan and Europe – that we probably won’t get to it ‘til ‘94... and, by then, who knows what we’ll have written and waiting (laughs)!”

By then, will the world be seeing a glutton of mini-Queensrÿche’s and Dream Theater’s? “There are a lot of bands trying to get into this format,” claims LaBrie, “but they’re still finding themselves for writing this style. There are a lot of bands who are trying to jump onto this bandwagon now as they see that progressive metal is taking a big leap forward, but a lot of them don’t understand the music before they try to go in and write it. Everybody deserves to do what they want, but I feel that this style of metal is definitely coming back, getting bigger, and coming to the forefront again.”

And we, at M.E.A.T, couldn’t be happier to see that, once again, it’s taken the recognized and respected vocal ability of a Canadian performer to set the standards that others are judged by. Because of LaBrie, and Bach before him, we, as Canadians, are becoming world renown for more than just our “Images And Words”, but for our true metallic musical talent. Hats off and good luck to James LaBrie, our newest Canadian metal hero who is having his “dreams” come true.