Originally published in Twitter.com · November 2010
Blotted Science Drummer Charlie Zeleny’s Dream Theater Audition Videos Available
November 21, 2010
Article2 min read
Drummer Charlie Zeleny (Behold... The Arctopus, Blotted Science) has uploaded video footage of him playing along to three Dream Theater songs as part of the audition process for DT’s drummer slot left vacant by the recent departure of Mike Portnoy.
Zeleny’s performance footage of the following tracks can be viewed below:
* Dance Of Eternity
* Metropolis Pt. 1
* A Nightmare To Remember
When asked about whether he actually landed the Dream Theater gig, Zeleny wrote on his Twitter profile yesterday (Saturday, November 20), “Everyone wants to know about me and DT. I’m unable to say. I can only say that the three tunes everyone auditioned with are found on my YouTube.”
***UPDATE*** – Charlie Zeleny has released the following update/clarification regarding his Dream Theater audition videos:
“Wow, I really appreciate all the love with the comments on the Dream Theater videos but everyone seems to be misinterpreting what I’ve been saying. I just got wind of the audition tunes and put them up myself on my YouTube for everyone to see. Dream Theater saw them but I was not asked down to audition live.
“I wish whoever gets the drum chair in Dream Theater the best of luck and have a good idea of who it is. I personally don’t think I am a drummer who is big enough or popular enough to fill the shoes of a drumming legend like Mike Portnoy. But I really appreciate all the support and love everyone has been giving me. I definitely have a busy New Year to try to keep anyone who has checked me out on the Dream Theater scene into things I do and hope to continue to make music and videos people like. Thanks everyone!”
Zeleny is a professional New York City session drummer who is also a music director, bandleader and producer. He specializes in all styles of music, especially pop, rock, jazz, fusion, progressive metal, hip hop, funk and R&B.
Charlie previously toured Japan with Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess and has also performed double drums with Terry Bozzio for The Drum Channel. Charlie is also a member of the internationally acclaimed band Blotted Science, featuring Ron Jarzombek of Spastic Ink and Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse and was an original member of Behold... The Arctopus, signed to Metal Blade Records.
Zeleny studied under Tommy Igoe, Nick Schebule and Joe Bergamini before being accepted to graduate school for jazz drumset performance at New York University. He did not attend but instead decided to become a professional musician and has never looked back.