Marco Minnemann interview (excerpt)

Marco’s Dream Theater Audition

In 2011, Marco was part of the very public audition process to find a new drummer for Dream Theater. “Jordan [Rudess. Keyboards] is a dear friend, we did the Levin/Minnemann/Rudess project, and they invited me,” says Marco. “When it was filmed, I was like, ‘Guys, I just want to have a little fun here and see where this is going.’ They released it anyway which at first I was a little opposed to. Nice people, good players, not maybe my style of music but it was fun.”

Mike Mangini, who eventually got the gig, and Marco have played together. “We did a tour once with Eddie Jobson, we played two drum kits,” he says. “We go way back. He really wanted that gig, he was totally into the band. In the auditions they asked me, ‘Do you know our material?’ ‘Honestly guys, I don’t.’ That was very important for them, they wanted someone who would be committed and I’m happy for them. Everybody got something out of it.”

Asked whether the exposure was good for his own career, Marco replies, “A lot of people from the Dream Theater camp became fans of my work and it brought attention, so it was a good thing. I’m thankful for that. Of course it’s a bother sometimes when it’s always like, ‘Dude, you did the Dream Theater audition!’ I like to concentrate on my music but like Stewart Copeland’s brother Miles once said to me, every sort of promo is good promo.”