Originally published in Heavy Metal.dk · December 2019
Interview with Dream Theater
by Jesper Bækgaard · Interviewed on 9 December 2019
InterviewTranslatedJohn Petrucci4 min read
Translated from the original language with DeepL, so the wording may differ from what was actually said.
To be, or not to be: theater of dreams meets Hamlet
Return to the roots
Dream Theater is currently on tour with the album Distance over Time and will play a concert at Kulturværftet in Helsingør on January 24. The prog kings have scaled back ambition and replaced quantity with quality on their latest release. Ahead of the concert, we caught up with Dream Theater’s guitarist John Petrucci for a chat about how the prog-metal band has rediscovered the joy of playing and the band’s identity.
Inspiration from pictures and words
On their latest concert album, the American band have chosen to tone down their technical skills and instead draw on the band’s original expression. John Petrucci explains, “On our last tour, we played the 1992 album Images and Words in its entirety. It gave us inspiration on how we – as a new band – wrote our music. Less focus on complicated and intricate song structures. But instead more back to basics and focusing on what we do best.”
To be or not to be – version 2
As well as giving both band and fans a rehearsal of Images and Words on the previous tour, the album also inspired the songwriting on Distance over Time. “In a way, you could say that the inspiration for the new album came from when we debuted as musicians. The album is therefore a combination of 30 years of experience and our original expression.”
Distance over Time is based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet and is a modern tale about the eternal question: to be or not to be. The cover features a skull held by a robotic hand – a futuristic iteration of the iconic monologue from Shakespeare’s 1603 play. “On the album we try to challenge Shakespeare’s questions – but in a modern context, where robots and technology are increasingly part of our everyday lives”.
Upgraded stage show
When Dream Theater plays in Elsinore in January, the band will repeat the success of playing an album in its entirety. This time, the 1999 album Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory will be played in its entirety. But unlike the original tour, this time it will be with the stage show that the album deserves.
John Petrucci explains with enthusiasm in his voice: “In practical terms, that means updated video sequences and a whole new lighting setup that wasn’t technically possible at all back in 1999. The concert will evolve from a modern universe to a 1920s one – almost like a graphic novel – with each track marking a whole new world.”
“It will thus be a reinterpretation of the album, and finally the concert-goer will have the experience that was intended back in 1999. We look forward to playing Distance over Time with Hamlet’s Crown Castle in the background. It will be a unique evening for us and for the audience.”
Original text
Interview med Dream Theater
af Jesper Bækgaard
Interviewet den 9. december 2019
At være, eller ikke være: Drømmenes teater møder Hamlet
Retur til rødderne
Dream Theater er netop nu på turné med albummet Distance over Time og spiller koncert i Kulturværftet i Helsingør den 24. januar. Prog-kongerne har skruet ned for ambitionerne og erstattet kvantitet med kvalitet på deres seneste udspil. Forud for koncerten fangede vi Dream Theaters guitarist John Petrucci til en snak om, hvordan prog-metalbandet har genfundet spilleglæden og bandets identitet.
Inspiration fra billeder og ord
Det amerikanske band har på det koncertaktuelle album valgt at nedtone de tekniske færdigheder og har i stedet taget udgangspunkt i bandets oprindelige udtryk. John Petrucci uddyber: “På vores forrige turné spillede vi albummet Images and Words fra 1992 i sin helhed. Det gav os inspiration til, hvordan vi som et nystartet band skrev vores musik. Mindre fokus på indviklede og snørklede sangstrukturer. Men i stedet mere back to basics og med fokus på det, vi er bedst til.”
At være eller ikke at være – version 2
Udover at både band og fans fik et genhør med Images and Words på forrige turné, blev albummet også inspiration til sangskrivningen på Distance over Time. “På sin vis kan man sige, at inspirationen til det nye album kom fra den gang, vi debuterede som musikere. Albummet er derfor en kombination af 30 års erfaringer og vores oprindelige udtryk”.
Distance over Time tager udgangspunkt i Shakespeares Hamlet og er en moderne fortælling over det eviggyldige spørgsmål: At være eller ikke at være. På coveret ses et kranium, der er holdt af en robothånd – en futuristisk gentagelse af den ikoniske monolog fra Shakespeares skuespil fra 1603. “På albummet forsøger vi at udfordre Shakespeares spørgsmål – men i en moderne kontekst, hvor robotter og teknologi fylder mere og mere i vores hverdag”.
Opgraderet sceneshow
Når Dream Theater spiller i Helsingør til januar, gentager bandet succesen med at spille et album i sin helhed. Denne gang er det 1999-albummet Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory, som bliver spillet i sin helhed. Men i modsætning til den oprindelige turné vil det denne gang være med det sceneshow, som albummet fortjener.
John Petrucci forklarer med entusiasme i stemmen: “I praksis vil det sige opdaterede videosekvenser og en helt ny lyssætning, som slet ikke var teknisk mulig tilbage i 1999. Koncerten vil udvikle sig fra et moderne univers til et 1920’er-univers – næsten som en slags grafisk tegneserie – hvor hvert nummer markerer en helt ny verden”.
“Det bliver dermed en nyfortolkning af albummet, og endelig vil koncertgængeren få den oplevelse, som det var tænkt tilbage i 1999. Vi glæder os til at spille Distance over Time med Hamlets Kronborg i baggrunden. Det bliver en helt unik aften for os og for koncertgængerne.”