Originally published in Il Tirreno · July 2015
Dream Theater, the prog-rock warriors
By Dario Serpan · 20 July 2015
InterviewTranslatedJohn Petrucci2 min read
Translated from the original language with Google Translate, so the wording may differ from what was actually said.
“I still remember the first concert I did in Italy: we were in Rome and people sang so loud that I couldn't hear the rest of the band. We have always been received in an incredible way by the Italian public, which is why we are very happy to return and I'm sure it will be a good situation at the Pistoia Blues too”.
Heartfelt words from John Petrucci, guitarist and founding member of Dream Theater, who also choose Tuscany for the tour that celebrates the 30-year career of the band born in Boston in 1985.
The appointment is for this evening at 9.30 pm, in Piazza Duomo in Pistoia. From 6.30 pm, four other groups will perform: Sinheresy, Methodica, Vision Divine and Queensryche. For Dream Theater it will be the only Tuscan stop on a tour that is crossing Europe to promote the band's latest self-titled album (released in 2012) and the very recent live DVD “Breaking The Fourth Wall (Live from the Boston Opera House)”.
Dream Theater, founded in 1985 by the Italian American John Petrucci, is one of the most influential bands in the world of prog-rock, capable of selling over 12 million records worldwide. The current line-up consists of: James LaBrie (vocals), John Petrucci (guitars), John Myung (bass) Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and new entry Mike Mangini (drums). The guitarist Petrucci is also a member of the G3 band together with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. And in addition he has Italian origins: “Yes” he continues, “my family comes partly from Sicily and partly from Naples. For me, therefore, it is always a pleasure to come to Italy, which I consider the best place in the world to perform”.
2015 marks 30 years of career for you. What do you think about it?
It's a fantastic story. We started as a teenager and we are lucky to still be united, as well as having so many fans around the world. We have achieved what we dreamed of doing and I find this quite incredible.
How has your way of making music changed?
At the beginning we just wanted to have fun, without any expectations. We had no experience, but we were happy to be able to travel the world and play. Now we enjoy the shows, our way of playing and presenting the pieces; our sounds, lights and videos. We are also working on the new album, which will be released early next year. The next step will be to go back on tour.