John Myung interview (excerpt)

One recurring criticism that comes from a corner of the Dream Theater fanbase is that Myung’s inventive, technical and regularly alluring bass playing sometimes gets lost in the swathe of time signature changes and complex riffs that form the basis of the band’s sound. As part of The Jelly Jam power trio, Myung’s playing has been given a refreshing prominence.

Many might imagine that this would give him a sense of satisfaction, but it’s clear that he simply enjoys making music in a professional capacity. However, he does hint that his role in each of those bands is vastly different.

“Every band has a chemistry and it’s very natural that in order for a band to work, you have to kind of fall in line and realise what your part is,” he says somewhat carefully. “But I honestly just love being a musician and the fact I can make a living playing. I enjoy what I do on such a fundamental level that everything else is a minor detail, as long as I relate to what’s going on.

“A lot of people say to me that with Dream Theater they can’t hear the bass, and I kind of know what they mean. It doesn’t really stand out. But I’ve been in the mixing room when I’ve questioned it and said, ‘I can’t really hear myself.’ Then they pull the bass out of the mix and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, it sounds empty.’ A lot of that is because the bass and guitar in Dream Theater almost become one instrument. With The Jelly Jam, it’s more dynamic and there’s a different sense of space that has to be filled. But I find it to be just as satisfying. It’s just a different group of people producing different work.”