Dream Theater

[PrInCiPiEl]

1. Who is Dream Theater?

They are a musical quintet out of New York. I have referred to their style as "metal orchestra" but their style has also been variously described as "rock", "metal", "gothic rock", and "progressive metal", among others. Their songs are written in various time signatures, many of which differ from traditional 4/4 and 3/4 feels, and they have incorporated various sounds, instrumental and synthesized, and sound clips from other media recordings (i.e.: television, movies, etc.) which are used to accent the atmosphere of their songs. "Movements", in the form of tempo and time signature changes along with song lyrics, can also be found in many of their songs. Writing songs with movements in them is a characteristic shared by other musical groups such as Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd and Queen to name a few. Another characteristic of their songs is the average playing time; the length of Dream Theater's songs often exceed *6 minutes, making them less than "ideal" for the tight and quick song rotation play-lists often found on commercial radio.

* One of their songs, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (2002), released on the album of the same name, exceeded 42 minutes in length and was placed on its own disk for this 2-disk release.


2. Who are the members of Dream Theater?

The current members of the group are James LaBrie (vocals), John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Jordan Rudess (keyboards), and Mike Portnoy (drums and percussion). Each add their own signature sound to the band's musical efforts, creating an interwoven tapestry of musical feels and styles ranging from orchestral to speed-metal and everything in between.



3. There are several Dream Theater FAQ pages on-line already; why make another one?

While there are many official and unofficial Dream Theater band and member sites, a number of which have been referenced here, this FAQ focuses more on the spiritual and emotional aspects of Dream Theater's songs and what events happened that inspired the members of the band to write them. This FAQ also takes into account the personal, musical/educational and religious backgrounds of the band members to give the reader a larger frame of reference on the individual(s) that wrote each piece of music beyond their function in the group or the instruments they play. This approach also places a greater emphasis on the intended meanings of the songs; listeners (and readers) can try to identify with what the creator(s) deemed as being the most important aspect, or, the heart, of their songs as opposed to the possible interpretations that could be gleaned from the music by focusing on one reference or segment to the exclusion of everything else.



4. In terms of musical style, who is Dream Theater for?

Dream Theater's style appeals to musicians and non-musicians alike. They are unlike bands like Primus, who are a band heavily focused on instrumental sound experimentation but with often slim offerings in terms of message content, as a group performing "music for musicians", nor are they a group offering strictly poetry or lyrics accompanied by instrumental "window-dressing" (a.k.a. spoken-word artists). With the possible exception of pop, hip-hop, and country music scenes, fans of modern music will find that Dream Theater's music has a lot to offer. Even devotees of classical music can find pieces by Dream Theater that parallel the efforts of orchestral works. Of course, there are always purists who will latch on to a particular song, album, or era of the group, among other groups which they also claim to be fans of, and proclaim that it is superior to all other musical efforts, both from inside and outside of the group, but you can't, and Dream Theater doesn't try to, please everybody (and still remain true to your musical groundings). Musician or not, anybody wanting to broaden their own preconceived ideas on what can be achieved using traditional and cutting-edge instruments for musical arrangements in a rock band setting would benefit by taking a serious look at the material this group has released to date.



5. What are the meanings/messages of their songs?

For the most part, the lyrics of their music deliver messages on current and long-standing issues to listeners, asking important questions, and more critically, compelling the listener to become a participant and ask these questions of themselves. The musical arrangement of their pieces are inspirational and occasionally disturbing. These arrangements work to set the tone of the content that is presented in the song as a whole. This is, however, intentional. Once the listener shifts their focus from the "production" of the notes and rhythms of the music and cadence of the spoken lyrics, they can contemplate what is being said, how these situations effect them and how they are contributing to the existing condition, good or bad as it may be. This is not meant to take away from the artistry with which the group delivers their music to the listener but to allow listeners to reflect on the deeper meanings nestled within each song.



6. What are the themes behind their music?

As mentioned, their music makes reference to current and on-going issues. However, this question is not easily summed up in a few paragraphs. Sometimes the interpretation of the meanings is also created by the context of the listener, attributable to either the place and time or the situation which they or the subjects of the songs find themselves in. "Choices" and "consequences" are two recurring song themes; other common themes include "hope", "despair", "transgression" and "redemption."



7. What are the backgrounds of the members of Dream Theater?

This information will be addressed in terms of what is known about them from official group and personal web-sites as well as articles, interviews, and unofficial web-sites maintained by fans of their music.

*Note: the months are not included. All dates, aside from Dream Theater's formative year and birth dates, are either rounded up or down based on the month in which they joined or left the group (i.e.: "Dec. 1990-Nov. 1994" reads as "c.1991-94" inclusive).

Group Name: Dream Theater (originally known as 'Majesty', 1985-87), suggested by Howard (Mike's Portnoy's father), named after a movie-house near to where Howard lived in Monterey, California.
Formed: September 1985
Group Influences: Rush, Queensryche, Yes, Marillion, Genesis, Kansas
Current Group Members: James LaBrie, John Petrucci, John Myung, Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy.
Former Group Members: Chris Collins (CC: vocals, c.1985-86), Charlie Dominici (CD: vocals, c.1987-89), Kevin Moore (KM: keyboards, c.1985-1994), Derek Sherinian (DS: keyboards, c.1995-98)


Shënim : Me kërkesën time , ky artikull (info për këtë grup muzikor) është shkruar nga shoku im A. dhe shpreh pikëpamjet e tija për këtë grup muzikor.

[PrInCiPiEl]

8. What do the members of the group have to say about their songs/albums?

This section will comment on some of Dream Theater's songs, the album the songs came from, who wrote them and what event(s) inspired the members to write them, either in direct responses from one of members of Dream Theater (i.e.: interviews) or in member responses as paraphrased from fan recounts.

Albums (legend): WDADU (When Day And Dream Unite), IAW (Images And Words), AWK (Awake), ACOS (A Change Of Seasons), FII (Falling Into Infinity), SFAM (Scenes From A Memory), SDOIT (Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence), TOT (Train Of Thought)


WHEN DREAM AND DAY UNITE(WDADU)

A Fortune In Lies (WDADU): according to MP, this is about a friend of the band who got caught stealing and what this friend learned from the experience.

The Ytse Jam (WDADU): an instrumental using the original name of the group spelled backwards, it pays homage to the ambiguous way instrumentals are often referred to by the bands that play them.

The Killing Hand (WDADU): according to MP, JP wrote this song as a "Twilight Zone"-ish story about a war where the main character witnesses all of the atrocities committed during this war and sees the names of the dead on a wall; he suddenly realizes he has been causing these atrocities the whole time, at which point he sees his own name on the wall.


IMAGES AND WORDS (IAW)

Pull Me Under (IAW): inspired by Shakespeare's "Hamlet", and according to MP, KM did not specifically write this song about Hamlet (the character), but he did write it in reference to what the story was about.


[The meaning of this song is covered in greater detail on the official Dream Theater FAQ.]


Another Day (IAW): written by JP, there have been three "interpretations" offered up on the reason for this song. One is the struggles of sufferers of mental illness (and those of their supporters) and how they can cope with the ordeals that accompany this condition. Another is addressing the issue of suicide; the attempts of someone trying to talk another person out of killing themselves and how to find hope beyond the moment of desperation. The final, and most likely, explanation put forward was that JP wrote it was when his father (whom has since passed away) had cancer and he was struggling in how to respond/feel in that situation.

Take The Time (IAW): MP stated that it was the first time everyone in the group (at the time consisting of JP, JM, KM, and MP) had composed the lyrics to a song. Each member wrote one verse on their own, giving their own take on the changes and frustrations they had gone through during the previous three years. They completed the process by writing the chorus together for the finished song.

Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper (IAW): it was written by JP as a "fantasy epic" about a pair of twins, based on the mythological telepathically-linked twin characters, Romulus and Remus (fabled to have been first raised by wolves who later went on to become the founders of the Roman Empire).

Wait For Sleep (IAW): KM said it was based on the fears, belief, and grief of a friend for whom a loved one had passed away and dealing with the spiritual emptiness she felt following their death.

Learning To Live (IAW): MP has indicated the writing of this song was inspired by the AIDS epidemic.


AWAKE (AWK)

6:00 (AWK): this was written by KM, inspired by a story JL told him. The story was about a guy that JL used to work with at a factory years ago, but whom he met up with recently. He was also a musician who, like JL, dreamt of "becoming a serious musician and making a career out of it" someday, but as they talked, he boasted about having benefits, a secure job, steady income, etc., meeting the necessities for survival without acknowledging that this came at the expense of a personal dream "left to wither on the vine of his ambitions."


[This song is about those people that don't have enough confidence in their abilities to try and make something of them and opt to live the lesser of life. This brings to mind the lyrics from the Rush song "Losing It": "Sadder still to watch it die, than never to have known it; For you - the blind who once could see, the bell tolls for thee..."; only they, the ones for whom the dream has been all but lost, can confront it, but first they have to stop hiding from it. If they are ever going to live their dream instead of letting it continue to decay around them like a tattered rag draped over their shoulders, they have to get up and "do something about it."]


Caught In A Web (AWK): JL said that this song deals with a person, having lived with suppressed feelings for so long, they finally decide they can only live a full life if it is a genuine life with values that are established internally and expressed outwardly. They have come to terms with the idea that they can only go on by living a life unfettered by socially imposed norms in favor of a life that they feel "embodies" the truth.

Voices (AWK): written by JL, the subject is relating their plight as being similar to that of the character "Cassandra", described as a figure in Greek mythology blessed with the gift of prophecy but cursed with being regarded by others as "hysterical" (unbelievable).


[A "Cassandra" struggles to share their knowledge of impending danger, even if this puts them in harm's way, in the hope that others will be compelled to act swiftly and provide a response appropriate to the consequences of the expected event.]


The Silent Man (AWK): it is speculated, but not necessarily confirmed, that this song is based on "1001 Arabian Nights" and the character of "The Silent Man", the custodian of the middle way (balance), is the barber in these tales. He acts as a saviour, a mediator, and purveyor of tall tales as an agent for the virtues of calm and perspective in his efforts to restore order to situations that have descended into chaos and violence.


[The meaning of this song is covered in greater detail on the official Dream Theater FAQ.]


Lie (AWK): according to KM, betrayal and disillusionment are the central ideas. It is rife with religious symbolism and is said to share a connection with "The Mirror" in terms of theme.


["The Mirror" appears to deal with self-destructive behaviours and actions, manifesting as a means of coping, and how these behaviours can be hurtful to oneself and others.]


Lifting Shadows Off A Dream (AWK): according to JM, this song addresses "the duality that exists between a man and a woman".; This is the paradigm of how the two opposites join to create the spiritual union or "whole" of the relationship, made stable when balanced, as a result of the way they "can compliment one another."

Space-Dye Vest (AWK): KM was inspired to write this song after witnessing a girl in a clothing catalogue modelling the aforementioned vest. In that instant, he "felt" in love with her, acknowledging what he had just admitted but not why. He later realized that, having been recently dumped, the relationship ended before having exhausted his reserve of affections for spending on "another."


[The love reserved for one is foreign currency for any other. What can foreign currency buy without a means of exchange? When love cannot be redeemed on a loved one, the bearer must see what value another recipient assigns to it. Love devoted to some 'one' only retains its original value when given to and received by that 'one' and starting love anew is usually very hard to do; embracing the future means letting go of the past without forgetting the things that gave it worth in having experienced it in the first place.]



A CHANGE OF SEASONS (ACOS)

A Change Of Seasons (ACOS): written by MP, it is a part-autobiographical, part-fictional song dealing with the death of his mother. This piece includes a sound-bite, a reading, from the Robert Herrick poem "To The Virgins, To Make Much of Time."


["Carpe Diem: Seize the day", for there is only the promise of today and there's no telling what tomorrow may bring, as one of the themes of this song, is something MPs mother told him before she passed away; he has lived by this motto ever since (I read this last summer in a newsletter interview with MP). The meaning of this song is covered in greater detail on the official Dream Theater FAQ.]



FALLING INTO INFINITY (FII)

Peruvian Skies (FII): inspired by an article JP read, of the same title, about an abused girl in Peru.

Take My Pain Away (FII): originally written by JP as an acoustic piece in memory of his late father.

Anna Lee (FII): based on a fictional character invented by JL after being "deeply moved" by books he had read which contained disturbing accounts of child abuse and incest.


SCENES FROM A MEMORY (SFAM)

Scenes From A Memory (SFAM):
** it is difficult to break this album down into component "songs" because this was developed as a concept album. As such each part has what could be most closely considered "movements" within the music, each movement contributing to the whole. The story, as a whole, is about a man who learns more about himself after undergoing "regression therapy" with his therapist. He comes to discover he was a woman (Victoria Julian), in a previous life, romantically involved with two brothers before one of them killed her and his brother in a fit of jealous rage.


SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE (SDOIT)

Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (SDOIT):
** I have read that it is about the stories of six different patients at a mental institution, struggling with some of the effects of their condition(s): a sort of walking tour of what happens to the humanity of others when they commit the "crime" of being unable to cope with illness, depression and the demands of society at large.
** I found other background remarks (i.e.: from DT fans) about songs from the albums SFAM and SDOIT, but nothing that I could confirm through official Dream Theater web sites or interviews available on-line.



TRAIN OF THOUGHT (TOT)


[One trademark of Dream Theater's music has been that it changes as they move forward from one album to the next; does that not encapsulate the definition of "progressive?" If so, their music is primarily about the members of the group pushing their own creative boundaries and letting this process take them wherever it leads, not just becoming what some people think they should be by going back to dwell on where the group has already been.]


As I Am (TOT): a response to people who criticize Dream Theater's musical style. Written by JP after having a conversation with one insider in the music industry whom suggested the band should abandon their sound in favour of more "trendy" (read: pop-radio) ones.

In The Name Of God (TOT): written by MP, this song questions the motives of those who use religion to incite violence and hostilities against others.



Shënim : Me kërkesën time , ky artikull (info për këtë grup muzikor) është shkruar nga shoku im A. dhe shpreh pikëpamjet e tija për këtë grup muzikor.Versioni komplet i këtij artikulli do të publikohet në web-sitin tim.

[tom]

DREAM THEATER i kom pa live veres qe shkoi .ishin tull fare...i kom vetem 1 album"images and words"....dua te kem edhe ndonje tjeter po me thon te drejten nuk e di se cili ja vle me ble....

[MI CORAZON]

Shijet muzikore të TOM-it tashmë i dimë, por të Principielit po i zbulojmë.
Go Princ, go !!!

Nga albumi "Train of thought" do të veçoja :

Vacant

Hey you, Hey you
I'm right here
Conscience fading
Can't get through

Oh Lord
Helpless
Confused
Head swayed
Eyes glazed
And mine teared

She's losing control
What can I do
Her vacant eyes
Black holes
Am I losing you

[PrInCiPiEl]

What are the backgrounds of the members of Dream Theater?(continued)


This information will be addressed in terms of what is known about them from official group and personal web-sites as well as articles, interviews, and unofficial web-sites maintained by fans of their music. Each will be listed, if known, by name, role in group*, origin or birthplace and date of birth, musical education, listed (role) and influences.

• *Note: the months are not included. All dates, aside from Dream Theater's formative year and birth dates, are either rounded up or down based on the month in which they joined or left the group (i.e.: "Dec. 1990-Nov. 1994" reads as "c.1991-94" inclusive).

Group Name: Dream Theater (originally known as 'Majesty', 1985-87), suggested by Howard (Mike's Portnoy's father), named after a movie-house near to where Howard lived in Monterey, California.
Formed: September 1985
Group Influences: Rush, Queensryche, Yes, Marillion, Genesis, Kansas
Current Group Members: James LaBrie, John Petrucci, John Myung, Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy.
Former Group Members: Chris Collins (CC: vocals, c.1985-86), Charlie Dominici (CD: vocals, c.1987-89), Kevin Moore (KM: keyboards, c.1985-1994), Derek Sherinian (DS: keyboards, c.1995-98)



Name: (Kevin) James LaBrie (JL)
Performs: vocals (c.1991-present)
Born: Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada, May 5, 1963
Musical Education: Vocal Coach (Rosemary Patricia Burns) Training - Operatic Study
Influences: Steve Perry, Freddie Mercury, Sting, Paul Rodgers, Nat King Cole




Name: John Petrucci (JP)
Performs: guitar (c.1985-present)
Born: Long Island, New York, USA, July 12, 1967
Musical Education: Berklee College of Music, Boston
Influences: Steve's (Morse, Howe, Vai), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alex Lifeson, Al DiMeola, Allan Holdsworth




Name: John Myung (JM)
Performs: bass (c.1985-present)
Born: Chicago, Illinois, USA, January 24, 1967
Musical Education: Berklee College of Music, Boston
Influences: Chris Squire, Steve Harris, Geddy Lee




Name: Jordan Rudess (JR)
Performs: keyboards (c.1999-present)
Born: New York, New York, USA, November 4, 1956
Musical Education: Juilliard School of Music
Influences: Classical




Name: Mike Portnoy (MP)
Performs: drums and percussion (c.1985-present)
Born: Long Beach, New York, USA, April 20, 1967
Musical Education: Berklee College of Music, Boston
Influences: Neil Peart, Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Colaiuta, Simon Phillips, John Bonham, Keith Moon


Shënim :
Me kërkesën time , ky artikull (info për këtë grup muzikor) është shkruar nga shoku im A. dhe shpreh pikëpamjet e tija për këtë grup muzikor.
Thank you A..

[StormAngel]

Dream Theater jane thjeshte fantastik.
Nuk e dija kete gje deri para ca ditesh,kur nje shoqja e imja me incizoi te gjitha albumet e tyre ne mp3.
"A change of seasons" eshte kenge 23 minuteshe qe nuk harrohet kurre.
Pastaj "Metropolis" dhe ca kenge tjera qe me te vertete vlejne shume shume.
Urimet e mia per temen Principiel!


Stormi

[PrInCiPiEl]

Dream Theater

[darwin]

PrInCiPiEl,

sugjerim te vecante per CD-te LIVE te ketij kompleksi.. Sidomos, diskun e dyte nga "Once In A LiveTime" ku eshte e regjistruar pjesa e dyte e koncertit ne Paris.

Aty do te gjesh kenge te paharrueshme te luajtura live.. kulmet jane nje "Trial Of Tears" te luajtur ne 14 minuta, dhe "Take Away My Pain" me nje saksofon te mrekullueshem qe futet ne kenge..

Gjithashtu, edhe CD-te me koncertin live ne New York, jane shume te mira, po kjo e dyta ne France, eshte superlative..

me beso

[PrInCiPiEl]

Lifting Shadows Off A Dream (AWK): according to JM, this song addresses "the duality that exists between a man and a woman".; This is the paradigm of how the two opposites join to create the spiritual union or "whole" of the relationship, made stable when balanced, as a result of the way they "can compliment one another."

Dream Theater
"Lifting Shadows Off A Dream"
(John Myung)

• • He seems alone and silent
    thoughts remain without an answer
    Afraid and uninvited
    he slowly drifts away
    
    Moved by desire and fear
    Breaking delicate wings
    
    Lifting shadows
    off a Dream once broken
    She can turn a drop of water
    Into an ocean
    
    As the rain is pouring down
    Tears of sorrow wash his mind
    Drifting with the current
    This stream of life flows on
    
    He seems alone and silent
    waiting on his hands and knees
    The chill of winter's darkness sits quietly
    
    Moved by desire and fear
    he takes a few steps away
    
    Lifting shadows
    off a Dream once broken
    She can turn a drop of water
    Into an ocean
    
    And she listens openly
    
    He pours his soul into the water
    reflecting the mystery
    She carries him away
    and the winds die slowly
    
    And she listens openly
    And she listens openly
    
    Lifting shadows
    off a Dream once broken
    She can turn a drop of water
    Into an ocean
    
    Lifting Shadows off a Dream
    Lifting Shadows off a Dream

Superb!

[metalmania]

DREAM THEATER i kom pa live veres qe shkoi .ishin tull fare...i kom vetem 1 album"images and words"....dua te kem edhe ndonje tjeter po me thon te drejten nuk e di se cili ja vle me ble....

ke mare me te mirin e tyre (mendimi im)