Jordan Rudess interview (excerpts)

Does the release of a solo album give you more freedom than with Dream Theater where you may work within a defined framework? In what way?

Not especially, look for “The Astonishing” I had a great freedom to write with John. Of course being alone brings a greater freedom because you define the story but it must take into consideration the many guests and their way of playing and therefore a little less freedom than if I were really alone on board.

We can’t miss it: Dream Theater’s new album has been out for a few days now. The group has often been accused of being technical monsters and leaving the emotional side on the road. It seems that with “Distance Over Time” you have become aware of this and offer a more “human” album...

Yes, it is true that we are sensitive to the opinions of social networks and the press in general. It is something that of course affects us and that we take into account while maintaining our integrity. After “The Astonishing”, which was in the form of an assumed musical comedy and surprised many people, we wanted to return to a more powerful, heavy and concise music. Dream Theater’s goal is to offer as many different things as possible from album to album. Our intention was to give the fans an album that returned to the fundamentals of what the band is all about and it is perhaps because of the comparison with “The Astonishing” that you have this impression of having a more “human” album.

Compared to “The Astonishing”, have you changed the way you compose?

In fact the previous album was composed by me and John Petrucci with passages that were imposed on the other members. For “Distance Over Time” we were all involved in the composition and writing process. We spent many weeks by the lake, all at the same time. We shared many moments in addition to the music, we had barbecues, fishing, we had a lot of fun. This I think has allowed the members to get closer around Dream Theater and thus develop our inspiration. I think it was important to us. Everyone was able to express what they wanted, especially John Myung who has some interesting parts on this album.

You seem more discreet in this new album, how do you explain it?

In fact, in the previous album, as a reminder composed in pairs, I had a much more important dimension to bring this musical and symphonic comedy side as I explained it. For “Distance Over Time” there was more involvement of the other members because of the starting point, i.e. going back to an album composed by several people. In fact, my role seems less obvious than before. And so I find a more balanced place, which makes this new album appear as a group record more than a record of one or two members if we compare it to “The Astonishing”.

In Dream Theater you pushed the role of the keyboard player to its climax. You’re not only there to support the melody, you’re the melody just like the guitar more than in any other progressive metal band. The fact of having this freedom, this role was one of the conditions for you to join the group at the time and to stay today?

You know, I feel lucky to be part of Dream Theater and to be able to be around such musicians of John Petrucci’s caliber, Mike Mangini, before Mike Portnoy, John Myung... The group helped me to make myself known and so I was able to develop my own projects in parallel. I think that there is no role to have but just the will to be able to express oneself within a collective and to have the possibility next to being free to be able to participate in other projects, it is precious for me to have had this opportunity and to be able to continue to operate in this way.

Did your new solo album have an influence on “Distance Over Time” and vice versa?

No. “Wired For Madness” was written before and had no influence on Dream Theater’s new album, which has a heavier sound. If you want, it’s a bit like its progressive counterpart.

And will we ever be able to see one of your songs on tour, maybe Dream Theater, one of your songs played?

This is not planned for the Dream Theater tour. There we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of “Scene From A Memory: Metropolis Part.2” which we will play in its entirety and I am very excited about it, there will be new arrangements and new projections. We will of course play songs from the new album, it will be a great tour. For my solo project, why not one day, I would really like to be able to play my songs. I just finished a tour in South America, so to see for the rest of the tour, but for the moment, for the live shows, I’m focusing on the Dream Theater tour.

This double news between the release of “Distance Over Time” and your solo album makes you nervous as if they were the first albums or do you now have some perspective on that?

We’re always a little nervous when a new album is released, maybe not as much as at the beginning, but it’s always an event.

What do you expect from this album?

The fact that it can appeal to fans and listeners, I think that goes without saying.