Derek Sherinian article-interview

Derek Sherinian and Planet X mesmerized “extreme instrumental music” fans June 25 at Hollywood’s Baked Potato, performing songs from his recently released solo album, Planet X.

Before parting ways with Dream Theater, Sherinian signed a deal for a solo album with Magna Carta Records. “I hooked up with Virgil Donati – a phenomenal drummer – and our collaboration was so strong musically and with conceptual songwriting that we decided to start a permanent band,” explained Sherinian. “The name of the solo album is Planet X, and now we have carried the title over to the new band’s name.”

Along with Sherinian and Donati (a native Australian who received exposure holding drum clinics for Premier Drums), Planet X features guitarist Tony MacAlpine and bassist Philip Bynoe (who toured last year with Steve Vai).

After the performance, Sherinian fans rushed the stage to get a closer view of his colossal rig and his onstage equipment. Korg keyboards has very supportive of Sherinian for the last four years. “I use all the new Korg gear that comes out, and Mark Snyder – a brilliant sound designer – custom builds my amps for me,” he said.

Sherinian was concerned that getting fired from Dream Theater might affect his fan base, but the support he has been receiving has been overwhelming . “It’s so great that the fans are out there and that they care,” he said. “I found great irony in being voted Best Keyboardist from the readers of Metal Edge while being fired from Dream Theater. I want to thank all the readers for voting me number one.”

Regarding his dismissal from Dream Theater, Sherinian had this to say: “The relationship with Dream Theater started getting strange towards the end. I learned a lot of valuable things in the experience of both working with the band and from being released. All in all, I would say that Dream Theater turned out to be a good stepping stone towards launching my own solo career. And I want to state that I have no hard feelings towards the guys. I will always have special memories.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be in the next Led Zeppelin or Van Halen – as I’m sure did every other musician of my age group – but as you get older and you start playing in different bands, you realize that only one out of every two hundred million bands hits that level. I am finding that I am not a great solo songwriter, but more of a musician who needs to collaborate with other musicians in order to come up with songs. My forte isn’t as a pop songwriter who can touch the common denominator of the masses. I get more enjoyment out of not holding back my musicianship and playing freely. This extreme instrumental music is like driving a really fast high performance car with the pedal to the metal. To play with some of the top performers of the world gives me that same rush. Naturally, I would love to be in the most enormous rock band and be a multimillionaire and live the ultra-Derek Sherinian life style, but for now I have to do things that are within my control. Hopefully, people will really enjoy the music Planet X is creating by having it be the best instrumental band in the world.”

Besides Planet X, Sherinian is doing a great deal of session work, as well as soliciting bands and individual artists for production purposes. He is presently completing the installations of a new 24-track home studio for future projects. “I call my new studio the Leopard Room. It has a wild decor with a bubbling Jacuzzi and is located in the Hollywood Hills with a spectacular view,” raves Sherinian. “It’s first class all the way! It’s very Derek Sherinian!” The Planet X album was recorded in this new studio, as was the Platypus CD (featuring Rod Morgenstein on drums). “My goal is to make my records in the same building that I roll out of bed [in],” he laughed.

Planet X will be writing and recording an album this summer and continue playing gigs in Los Angeles. “Towards the end of the year we plan on picking up a support position on a major tour such as G3, Satriani or Steve Vai. Options, of course, are open,” said the keyboardist.

“I’m going to remain in full control of my projects,” he said. “I’m going to be Gene Simmons of the progressive rock instrumental genre!”

– Annamaria DiSanto