John Myung

How has the writing process been for you this time around?

It’s been going really good, the further we’re going into it the better the stuff that’s coming out. We just wrote a track that everybody is psyched about. So hopefully we’re just gonna keep writing away and hopefully more songs like we’ve been writing lately.

I hear that there is a more, not commercial, but a more accessible side shall we say to the new stuff?

Yeah. It’s not as eccentric, I don’t think commercial is the right word for it but, I mean it’s still Dream Theater. The amount of eccentric journeys that we sometimes take, are trimmed down a bit.

When we spoke last year, you relayed some of the thoughts and feelings behind your lyrics. Have you any strong ideas as to subject matter for lyrics that you’d like to put on this record?

Well, right now I don’t have any lyrics yet, that’s the way it is right now, and I’m just waiting for the right song.

In the past the lyrics have been dominated by a lot of personal feelings, and things that have affected you in life or what is going on in the world. Do you feel that this will be the same on the new album?

Oh yeah. To me it’s pretty much like, to write something and have it mean anything, I think it would have to have substance.

There is talk of a more melodic side to the writing this time, are you conscious of this, or is it something that has just come out in the writing?

I’m more conscious of it, when we write, to maintain a sense of continuity with the parts. Kind of let things gel from an initial idea into a song, rather than just connecting a series of parts. I think we’re more conscious of that, to concentrate more on songwriting.

What sort of sound are you personally looking for on this album, and are you using any different basses for recording?

Well right now I’m just using pretty much the same gear I had on the last record. Sounds-wise, I can’t really say, I just want to get a better sound, a more fuller sound than I did on the last record.

The choice of producer may help enhance that. Mike mentioned to me the name of Trevor Horn. Who would you like to see do it?

All you have to do is take Trevor Horn, Peter Collins, Brian Eno, that would be amazing, it would be up to them whether they would be willing to work with us. That’s to be seen.

Do you think that one day you might like to produce yourselves, or do you prefer to have that objective ear in the studio?

I don’t think for us to produce ourselves would be very healthy. All you have to do is get five guys in a mixing room to kill a record. No, I think we’ll always need that objective ear.

You had an instructional video released, just for the Japanese market. How was that, and has it been going well?

It was a really good thing for me to do, the timing was right, so I did it. It was really helpful for me because it got me really thinking about what you have to do to improve, and that in turn made me concentrate on the everyday basics that you need to stay in line with playing.

What is your connection with (Mark) Wood?

Mark Wood? Violinist right?

Yeah. He has an album ‘Against The Grain’ and you and John get a mention in the credits.

Really? I didn’t know that!

What sort of stuff are you listening to at the moment?

At the moment I’m listening to Young Gods, I really like that new album they had out. Marcus Miller, Yellowjackets, Smashing Pumpkins, Ministry, Nirvana.

There is talk of this Italian movie soundtrack as a possibility sometime. Is this an area that particularly interests you?

Absolutely. It’s just a matter to be seen whether we get an offer that is compatible with us, and get something that’s gonna go through. We’ve gotten offers before and you know.....