Derek Shulman comments

I am very proud to have played a part in the success of Dream Theater.

At the end of 1991 Mike Portnoy came into my office with my head of A&R Derek Oliver with a tape of 4 instrumental tracks. The music was superb. Mike told me they were looking for a singer but I knew what I heard could be amazing. So I offered the band a development deal which allowed them financing to find their singer and to write more music.

Several weeks later Mike came in with the 4 songs complete with vocals from the band’s new singer James LeBrie and other tracks they had worked on. It was brilliant.

I immediately signed them to a longterm deal.

In July 1992 Images And Words was released. The edited version of ‘Pull Me Under’ became a huge hit for the band and Dream Theater were on their way to becoming one of the most successful progressive metal bands ever. My friend Jordan Rudess joined Dream Theater 26 years ago and I cannot thank him enough for his kind words about Gentle Giant and becoming a member of this very special band.

I’ll let Jordan’s words speak for themselves..

Gentle Giant’s music had a profound impact on me. It revealed a whole new level of possibility in rock—especially their use of counterpoint, which was incredibly rare and bold in that context. Their intricate, layered approach opened my ears and inspired me to explore complexity and depth in my own music. That influence has stayed with me ever since. I even covered “Just the Same” on my album The Road Home as a way of honoring the role their music played in shaping my path. Although I wasn’t in Dream Theater yet when Images and Words was released, I’ve now been part of the band for over 26 years, and I know how pivotal that album was. Derek not only fronted one of the most inspiring bands of my life—he also believed in Dream Theater early on and signed the band to ATCO, helping launch a whole new chapter for progressive music. That connection means a lot to me.