James and Mike, RockOnline, August 14th, 1998

Welcome to Rock Onlines’ LIVE IN CHAT, please join us at 10pm est today to welcome Dream Theater’s James LaBrie & Mike Portnoy.. Thanks to all the Fans who pre registered for this event and submitted some questions in advance. We’ll answer some of those during the event and ask you to submit questions, comments, praises and anything else while LIVE IN CHAT. To make this event run smoothly, please submit your questions, then wait a minute, then hit the click to see new messages button. This is a web based chat system and every once in a while you need to hit the click to see new messages button. If you hit the refresh button on your browser, you’ll post your question again. Thanks and have a great time!!

Doron Golan: Israel Drumming question for Mike: Which drummers out there make you go “wow!”, as shorthand for “Can he DO that?” (particularly in Metal)?

Mike: Virgil Donati Jojo Mayer....

Samuel Salomão Begnami: Brazil, Mike, How was it at the beginning and why did you choice the drums?

Mike: a lot more rock n roll than the piano which is what I started on..

[email protected]: do you guys have any plans for the next dt album? and if so what are they? Dream Theater rules!!

Mike: Double live in October as well as a home video.. No studio plans yet, sometime next year...

Jim BeaverGuys: PA., It seems to me that your DT albums have become less progressive, how come?

Mike: It’s always been a mixture of styles, we don’t want to do the same thing over and over.

Ivan Carvajal: Columbia, I don’t mean to be rude... but, Why didn’t you take Jordan for DT? - Whose idea was Nightmare Cinema? - Have you ever FINALLY think the possibility about a south American tour?

Mike: Jordan wasn’t ready for the full time commitment DT required...Mine and Derek’s, we hate being stuck at our instruments....Looks like we’ll be in South America next month w/Van Halen..

Doug Curran: Ohio, Was there any discussion to possibly touring with Yes this summer, before the Deep Purple tour was decided? I know Alan White is a fan.

Mike: we’ve always wanted too but the opportunity never arose..

Jenn Williamson: MD, This question is for both James and Mike...How do you think DT has changed over your past 3 albums and how do you predict the band will change in the future?

Mike: We’ve gotten older and we all have kids now...

David Marquez Lopez: Mexico, I’m a big Iron Maiden fan too, and I once saw a Dream Theater bootleg with Bruce Dickinson in 2 songs, What kind of relationship do you have with Bruce???? I’ve heard you sometimes play Maiden songs with him???

Mike: Bruce came out and did a whole Maiden medley in LA, and Nicko has come out to do a drum solo with me before. We’ve been fans over the years and we’ve become friends...

Jimmy Kennan: CA, Greetings Guys... Been a fan since I&W. With regards to Infinity, a lot of people have said the inevitable: \”They’re goin’ soft...They’re not metal anymore...They’ve sold out, etc.\” I say that you guys are simply doing some aural exploring, maybe heading in a different direction musically but keeping the “prog” edge intact. So...Which is it? Sell out? Or new directions? Thanks!

Mike: we are just doing that natural comes out and we are naturally doing things....We always want to sound different from the last...

Mike - Will you guys be doing autographs tomorrow night here in Michigan? If so, do you know where? Thanks!

Mike: by the bus.!!!!

Mike, I got your instructional drum video “Progressive Drum Concepts” and it helped me a lot. My friends were pretty impressed when they saw me do that part from “Take the Time”. Anyway, I would like your input on what other instructional drum videos I should get if I want to develop a progressive metal style of drumming. I’m also having a little trouble with my double bass. YOU ROCK! Thanks.

Mike: Next year I’m putting out another one...

Robert Kurerg: Sweden, And would like to ask James LaBrie if you have any good tips for warming up your voice?

James: Ok, biggest tip, I do cleb scales(opera thing), what it is, I start humming very slowly then build up to your higher end. It’s a gradual climb to where you are opened and the breathing exercises do a lot...And a must is lots of sleep, no smoking, and for me to tell someone is hard to do....I studied opera for four years. So a lot goes into it...

James Tolley: PA, James, did you have any influence on the music and/or lyrics for Age Of Impact?

James: no, that was a whole creation from Trent. He composed the music and lyrical content. A lot of the guitar work, John Petrucci did all the guitars....But the creation is Trent’s... He approached me and asked me if I was into it and so I was totally into it. I got involved..

Sandy Nardella: CT, Even though they unfortunately were canceled, what do you think it would have been like to play with Van Halen, and what do you think of VH?

James: it would be amazing and we are playing with them next month.. My favorite lineup is with Roth, they were young, it was charismatic, they are a great band. It will be a treat down in south America...

Rich Benson: NV, James I enjoy your vocals to the utmost. my question is where is your opera teacher located so I can get training like yours

James: Oh my god. My opera coach is located on the outskirts of Toronto. Rosemary Patricia (she’s 73), she’s very selective and not taking as many students as she used too...Look locally for a good coach, she was my third and it didn’t feel right, feel a connection and a lot of it is very visual...Imagine it and then make it a reality...Settle for the one you’re getting something out of

Christian Dufault: Canada, What’s your favorite Canadian city your performed in? Why?

James: right now it’s Toronto....Quebec and Vancouver, so I see us playing there....eventually

Chris Morris: NH, Do you have enough banners for your studio and are you still looking for fans banners?

James: ya, mike is still interested, fans are bringing them to us ..Keep makin em

Justin Rubinstein: CA, I was at the second House of Blues show in LA in may, which I first want to tell you both that that was THE best show I’ve ever been to without a doubt, you destroyed previous bests: Santana and The Rolling Stones. That was an amazing show, not only from a standpoint of quality music and venue, but you also had great guests: Bruce Dickinson... I heard rumors that this show was going to be put on a live album. Is there any truth to that rumor, because I would LOVE to get my hands on a copy of that show!

James: no...The first night was broadcast live on the internet, then the second night Westwood one recorded it, but we are not putting it out as a live album, but I’m sure there’s boots out there..

BAILLY: Paris, Why are DT members so involved in the internet thing ? Cause the fans are pretty lucky about that!!

James: I think it’s something a lot of people are interested if. For me, I like to see what’s happening and it’s very easy to access whatever you’re interested in... Are fans are soo into it, so to be introduced to DT, it’s a great thing...Cyber Moon is an amazing website. So we are lucky..

Steve Auld: UK, Do you think that collaborative projects like these are a good step for prog / rock music?

James: Ya, Being in DT, we all know are priorities, but there are a lot of other musicians we like to play with. So it’s great experience....It’s great to do other type of music. It’s always an experience. So they are valuable in many ways..

Alex Galanti: Italy, What do you think about your future after the commercial success of “Falling into ...”? Do you think there’ll be a place for DT as the century’s next most important prog band (YES, RUSH)??? YOU’RE GREAT

James: WELL...I think that ya, we are going to go on, and it will be important for us to put out high quality music and grow. If that helps DT become a bigger band, that is a goal of ours. Each album will be reflective of where we are at that point...So yes...

How do you like opening for ELP and Deep Purple, two great bands. Would you ever like to Open for Rush, Genesis or even Gentle Giant?

Mike: great great and yes yes yes

My heart always yearns for more whenever I hear Images and Words...What mental imagery helped/helps you write??? You always hear of writer’s block, but never the solution to finding the way to overcome it...

Mike: the music comes from other music inspirations...

Who do you listen to for inspiration as a drummer, if anyone?

Mike: Bonham, Moon..etc,etc

Scott L. Christensen: WA, Is the story behind A Change of Seasons true? If so, who is the story about?

Mike: It was taken from a few realized incidents in my life like my Mom passing away..

Andy Meyer: PA, When do you have plans to release Metropolis part 2?

Mike: hopefully next year....

Roee Yaniv: Israel, Will there be parts from the uncovered album in Once in a Livetime?

Mike: There will be additional uncovered material on the home video. The whole video was taken from Paris 98

Jeremy Garman: Ohio, How do you guys feel about these projects being on a small record label like Magna Carta; do you feel you could release albums like LTE or Explorers Club on a major label without record company pressures about the music being not mainstream or “commercial” sounding?

Mike: Magna Carta is the best prog label. Major labels would never put out records like this...

Jessie Bannon: CA, Mike, what finally made you guys decide to make Under A Cyber Moon the official Dream Theater page? (Nice move btw :o)

Mike: Because mark does daily updates without having to rely on us...

Liam Murphy: NY, My question is with the coming release of the live album and home video, do you plan on releasing an ep’s worth material that wasn’t on FII, ex. “Eve”, “Speak to Me”, or ( had to ask) M2?

Mike: no, whatever wasn’t used will be for B-sides. Unreleased tracks on the video...

James & Mike: Thanks for coming, sorry we couldn’t get to every question, there are too many of you great fans out there. Trent Gardner asked me to pass on that any comments on EC can be emailed to [email protected] and look for Dream Theaters Once In A LiveTime Double cd, and 5 Years and a LiveTime home video in October and look for LTE2 sometime next year and a tour.....

Thanks.. time to get on the bus...bye bye everyone..got to go!!!