Jordan Rudess interview

John Marshall: Dream Theater has been creating music for over thirty years now and Distance Over Time is the fourteenth studio album. Looking back on the longevity of the band and the way the music industry is today, do you feel Dream Theater is very lucky to still be putting music out for over 30 years?

Jordan Rudess: Absolutely. We feel privileged to be one of these bands that has lasted for a long time. It’s not without a lot of hard work and touring all over the world and being in the studio a lot for all this time. It’s been a journey, but it’s really worth it because we put out an album like this one, Distance Over Time, and the reaction is so great and everyone is feeling good and excited to get out there on the road again and keep doing it.

JM: How’s it been working with InsideOut Music/Sony Music, because this is the first album you guys put out with this record label?

JR: They’re amazing, fantastic. The person who’s basically running the show for Dream Theater over at InsideOut is Thomas Waber who’s been following the band since the beginning. He knows the band probably better than anybody else on the planet. He’s just fantastic and totally engaged, and just really, really helping to make this all go smoothly, give it energy and make it work. It’s a wonderful thing.

JM: It is. It makes everything goes smoother when you’ve got somebody that’s actually been a fan and now has signed his favorite band to a record label. That’s pretty cool.

JR: Yeah, it’s really cool! I just think that we are very lucky to have a record company that’s behind us like this. There aren’t that many record companies out there today that would care so much and be able to do this, and InsideOut is just one of those very unique music business entities that can make this happen and do it right. It’s cool to be in that position.

JM: ‘Untethered Angel’ was the first single off the new album. Was it hard to choose between the current set of songs on this new album, which one would be the first single? Also, for the folks who have not got to hear of Dream Theater, when they heard this song what did you hope that they took away from it?

JR: The reason we chose ‘Untethered Angel’ – what made the decision because there were definitely some good choices – we felt like it had all the core elements: it had heavy riffs, it was melodic, it had a good hook. It was offering all the bits that we think make up our core sound. So that’s the reason that we put it out there, and we just wanted to give something to people that they would just enjoy, especially if they’re longtime Dream Theater fans. This album is a bit of a return to the roots, getting back to basics, and that tune was meant to let people experience that.

JM: Any song standing out more to you right now on the album? I know it must change and all these are like your favorite collectible or child, but do you have any that stand out for you?

JR: I would say that from a kind of progressive music point of view – and I’m a tremendous progressive rock fan – maybe ‘Pale Blue Dot’ is probably a favorite from that kind of point of view and perspective. On the other hand, the bonus track we put out, the ‘Viper King,’ is another favorite because it’s almost the other side of the coin; it’s more simple, really just rocking and fun. So those two are cool. But at the same time, I really think that putting out ‘Untethered Angel’ as the initial track was really smart, because it’s a strong track, and again really showing the return to the roots.

JM: Was that something that you guys wanted to do, to add an extra bonus track, or did it just fall into [your] laps? “Oh, let’s just do this.”

JR: It was something we had in mind from the beginning but we weren’t sure. Actually, we didn’t know which one it would be. We were thinking it was gonna be ‘S2N,’ another tune off the album, but then when we were all finished with everything, we were looking at it all and the way everything turned out, it was pretty clear to us ‘Viper King’ was gonna be the gonna be the bonus one.

JM: Now bandmate John Petrucci produced the album; does he push you guys hard once he puts on the producer hat versus bandmate?

JR: He’s a really good producer. He knows how to work with people. He knows the right thing to say at the right time and he’s very smart. That’s why this works; he can really manage it. There’s a lot of personalities in the band, there’s a lot of talent. There’s just a lot to work with, and John recognizes the reality of what’s going on there with all the abilities of everybody and the situation and needing to put out a very together, very happening album. So he does a good job. Everybody, I think, feels good about our process.

JM: The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme. He’s [worked] with Rush, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour. How’s working with him on this?

JR: He’s been with us for a long time and he’s great. He’s notorious album cover world, has done so many important album covers himself. John, as the producer of the album, he’s the one who interfaces with him and goes back and forth with him. I know there’s a lot of discussion, and Hugh takes this very seriously, so by the time they finish their conversations, it’s dialed in and ready to go.

JM: I always like to give the artist a little shout-out because I don’t think they get enough respect in these interviews. I think most people just overlook it, but there’s some great, great artists out there who’s done some cover art that’s just unbelievable.

JR: Totally. Speaking of shout-outs, one of the people who probably could use a shout-out is our engineer for this album; the person who actually recorded it all and that’s James Meslin – we call him Jimmy T. He’s just a wonderful young guy who we’ve been working for years ever since he was an assistant over at Cove City Sound on Long Island where we recorded. He’s been amazing and he has come through the ranks with us all the way to actually recording this album up at the barn where we recorded. He did a great job and he’s coming on the road with us as well. He did the last tour; he was on the road. So he’s become a very vital part of our organization.

JM: What do you hope everyone takes away from this album or message to hear while listening to it or just any of Dream Theater’s music in general?

JR: Well, Dream Theater’s music has never been really so much about fitting into any particular fashion statement or any present scene, if you will. It’s more about creating really cool music that you can kind of sink your teeth into. You spend a little time and energy, an investment in listening, and you get a little out of it. That said, this album is a little bit easier to immediately digest, if you will. We want people to really enjoy it. There are certain songs that you can just sit back and dig, and other ones that maybe you have to not listen to as background music and really go for the ride, fasten your seatbelts and just go for it; then you get a whole lot out of it. We make this music to bring people enjoyment, pleasure, to make their heads spin and it’s an experience; that’s what we’re aiming for.

JM: This band’s been creating music for many years. Do you do anything differently during the writing and recording process to help not let the music get stale, not get bored with it? Do you guys do anything differently?

JR: For this album, we were up in the country. We found a remote location and we just had a great time. We were working really hard, but we were enjoying hanging out together. Even though we were working long hours, it didn’t really feel like that. We were just getting into it. We were enjoying it; it was a lot of fun, a lot of energy. That was the key to the recording and the making of this music and this album was that fun factor of all being together up at this barn, and I think it really came through in the music.

JM: Jordan do you still see this band growing musically, and including yourself from album to album, do you still see that growth?

JR: Oh definitely. We learn a whole lot every time we record, every time we make music. There’s always lessons to be learned. We take what we do very seriously. This is a tremendous thing for us. It’s a responsibility, if you will, to the fans, to each other, to our business; it’s our livelihood, it’s our music. There’s so much to learn from it and we tend to really take those lessons into everything that we do. And personally speaking, I’m always practicing, whether it’s keyboard techniques or compositional techniques. I’m always looking to reach a higher level and not just maintain what I’ve got. I’m interested to get better and improve.

JM: What can fans expect at any show from Dream Theater that have not got to see you guys live as of yet?

JR: We have a really great show coming up. It’s intense, it’s not only full-on music. This next tour is gonna feature all of Scenes From a Memory, which was an album I did with the band 20 years ago when I first joined, so it’s an anniversary of that album. So we’re doing that, and then the first set we’re gonna do music from Distance Over Time and some catalogue stuff. But plus the musical part, it’s also really amazing visual things that are gonna be going on. We have our long-time, number one lighting guy, Steve Baird, is gonna be out with us doing some beautiful lights, and then Wayne Joyner who’s done some great visuals for much of the music that we’re playing, and that’s gonna be on the screens. So when you come out to a Dream Theater show, you gotta be ready for a full full-on experience.

JM: We’re living in a digital-era of recording albums to get music out quicker, and now we’ve got social media to reach out to more folks who may have not got to hear of Dream Theater as of yet. Do you like this that we’re in right now to get albums out quicker and plus reach out to more folks?

JR: Well, yeah. There’s so much about social media that I like. It’s fun to be able to engage people more quickly. If you’re invested in social media, you can really have a good time with it and get some excitement and energy. And again, the engagement is what’s really cool. I’m a big fan of it. I do a lot of live-streaming myself and really enjoy being able to reach out to fans all around the world and get the messages quickly and bring them into fun things that I’m doing.

JM: Dream Theater has a huge library of music. Is there a song that has not been played live as of yet that you would like to add to the setlist eventually?

JR: Good question. I can’t think of anything actually off the top of my head that I’m just dying to add to the setlist. We played most everything. Maybe some things off the new album, but I can’t tell you what we’re gonna play, what we’re not gonna play. We’ll have this discussion next year.

JM: I’ll take you up on. [laughs] Is there a Dream Theater album that you thought should have gotten more respect or that gotten overlooked that people have missed out on? Because I know you guys got a lot of stuff out there.

JR: There’s a lot of stuff, and I guess what personally comes to mind is the last album we did, The Astonishing, which was a bit polarizing to the fans because it was different than a lot of our stuff. It’s a little bit more time-sensitive or dynamic, emotional, not quite as consistently heavier. With that album, I’m actually fine with what happened, but I think that over time, we’ll talk in five or ten years and see where it sits. Something like that takes more time for people to understand and see where it fits in the grand scheme of things.

JM: Any bands you’re interested in or listening to these days that impress you or give you hope metal will be in good hands once Dream Theater steps away?

JR: Sure. There’s a lot of talent out there. One of my favorite young bands is Haken. I just really like that music and their particular blend of progressive and metal, and they’re really good guys so I always support them.

JM: I know you guys have played all over the world and things like that, but is there a country that stands out or even shocks you that Dream Theater get support from or your music even gets played?

JR: Our touring life and international life is really amazing and we go places that I’m sometimes blown away with the amount support. We were in Costa Rica some years ago, and I was like, “Oh my God!” It was one of the best audiences we’ve ever played to; it was so supportive. So we’re constantly being surprised by our international reach. We were in Manila actually on the last tour – that was amazing – what a fantastic audience it was.

JM: I’m sure you guys get this a lot, but what’s it mean to you when you receive an email from a fan [and] they say your music has pulled them through a bad experience or gave the inspiration to overcome obstacles or just let them relax and get away from the everyday bulls*** that we go through?

JR: That’s amazing. From a personal point of view I use music as almost like a personal healing. Mostly I would say honestly I use my piano playing and my piano music to almost like heal myself, and then I put that out to other people to hopefully touch them and relax them or heal them. But with the rock stuff with Dream Theater, I think it’s great. When you can share something that helps somebody, they listen to the music and they’re going on a great ride with the changes, with the energy and it just takes them out of whatever kind of trouble they’re going through, that’s fantastic. You can’t ask for more than that really.