Dream Theater: "It was like Mike went out for a coffee, came back and we just started writing again"

With Dream Theater firmly back in the spotlight, having just completed the first two legs of their most successful tour to date, we had the opportunity to speak with James LaBrie in an all-encompassing discussion. With "Parasomnia" playing on repeat, we got a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the album, how the band is moving forward with Mike Portnoy back in their ranks, and their upcoming performance in our country this summer as part of Release Festival.

Hello James! I'm really happy to get a chance to talk with you coming off of the first phase of Dream Theater’s 40th anniversary tour, which we were lucky to attend twice in Italy, both great shows! How does it feel after the conclusion of the first two legs of the tour with Mike back in the band, and what was the reception from your perspective?

Well we concluded two legs, one in Europe and one in Latin America. I don't know what to say other than it feels great. You know, we're all in a great spot. In our lives and musically, I think that we're all firing on all pistons. So you attended both Milan and Rome shows right? I mean, you know what it's like going to Italy, the crowd is over the top, which is also why I'm looking forward to Greece as well. Can't wait until we get there in the summer. Yeah, I think right now we're all feeling it. It's an amazing situation to be out and obviously we can't wait until everyone else has been able to hear the album from front to back, as you did. To see what it is that we put together because you know, even though it's not a conceptual album, in all intents and purposes, you could interpret it as such. The live shows were feeling great. We are having a great time on stage. The crowds and the fans have been reacting very positively. We're in a really good chapter in our lives, yeah.

That’s great to hear. So let's get to the album a bit. I believe it's a return to a more heavy and dark kind of setting. I was wondering if this was an intentional direction that you decided to take with this new chapter.

Well, I think that we knew what we wanted. Dream Theater's always been inclusive with that heaviness and dark feel, even though we're also referred to as this progressive giant or whatever. And very technical, I think that at the core of who and what we are, we've always been into heavy music. Always been into music that is a bit more aggressive. And that's what's given us that kind of progressive metal title. And also since John Petrucci proposed that we would explore the subject matter of Parasomnia as a phenomenon. So I think because of that, due to the nature of what parasomnia means, which is a very dark place to be that also inspires the placing and and the approach musically. So, you know, one begets the other, so to speak. Definitely it did kind of give us that template and for us to be able to say OK, this is what's going to support that in a truer, more concise and sensible way.

The change in the lineup with Mike Portnoy rejoining the band also led to a shift from the musical direction of "A View From The Top Of The World", towards a darker and heavier tone. How different was the creative process this time, and how different were the dynamics compared to the past, given all the time that has passed from "Black Clouds"?

That's the thing. It was opposite to what people would think or assume and that is all. Did you get that groove? How did you start feeling amongst one another, and was it a little difficult at first? One of the ways I've said it in other interviews, it was like Mike went out for a coffee and came back and we just started writing again. You know, because it just felt very natural and very familiar. The familiarity there of how we used to work together when Mike was in the room.

It's like we didn't miss a beat. Even though it's like 13 years and that's a long time. Mike coming back in and him being involved in the writing once again was like it was in the past. This is the way that it usually is. Is the communication between everyone and it just really just lends itself to unfolding the way that it always has. The only difference was that yeah, he hadn't been around for a while, but once he was back in the room, everything was like, "Oh yeah, that's exactly how this feels". Exactly what we did in the past. And it kind of brings back everything that goes along with it. It brings back that signature, it brings back that feel. The way that he plays his drums, the way that he approaches parts and sections and music as a whole, who and what he is. If you take the door off the car, and you're like, well, I can't really drive it like this. Then you put the door back on. Then it feels ok again, and we can go anywhere we want. And that was what it was like. We can go anywhere we want because we've done this with this individual. For ten albums There wasn't a step missed and it just felt very, very natural.

For "A View From The Top Of The World", due to COVID travelling restrictions you were joining the writing sessions via Zoom calls while the rest of the guys were in the studio. Did this change for "Parasomnia"?

I was going back and forth, so I went to the studio for a few weeks. I would be in the room hanging out with them and going through the writing process. Other weeks I would be in my studio at my house and connected via zoom. The thing is, the reason that works with me is because I'm not sitting there with an instrument, interacting with them in the room. I can be there and communicate like "I'm hearing this" or "hey guys, you know, what do you think of this", it's no different than me sitting in a chair. It doesn’t really change my position.

If I was playing drums, that would be very disconnecting for me to be at home in my studio playing drums and just pumped into a room with them, that just wouldn't be right. It’s the same whatever your respective instrument would be. When it comes to something that's a little more physical, I think the only way that that works is if people are sitting in the same room, especially with Dream Theater. It's not that we don't do albums like that anymore. We do a lot of my solo albums this way. Throwing audio files back and forth, you know, to the various musicians who I'm working with and it still comes out sounding great. But I think with Dream Theater that it would be almost insincere. You know, like it would just feel very wrong on so many levels. So I think you know with this kind of outfit and the kind of music that we do, it only makes sense that we're all sitting in the same room.

So you also recently released the second single from the album "The Broken Man", which is probably my favorite off of the album. What made you choose the song to write lyrics, and what was the inspiration behind it?

You know, with me, I'm always listening to a song and if it really moves me musically, then it's usually something that I really wanna be a part of lyrically. When we discussed that the theme would be about Parasomnia, which is night tremors, night terrors, a haunting experience each and every night that these individuals go to sleep. It's horrible for them. So I was reading up on parasomnia, doing my research and I found out that there were a lot of people that are veterans, and they're suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). So I just thought, you know what, that's really something that I think i can relate to and and want to be a part of because over the years I've met military personnel, Air Force personnel, Navy personnel that happen to be Dream Theater fans, and I've always said to them, first and foremost, I want to thank you for your service. And secondly, if I get into a conversation with them, I just see that a lot of them have experienced very traumatic experiences. Situations in life that they will never forget.

So I wanted to write lyrics to a song about these unfortunate souls that have had to put their lives on the line to be able to guarantee each and every one of us our liberty and our rights of freedom. And so I just wanted to basically put it and spin it in the sense that this individual was suffering and having to relive those traumatic experiences each and every night. And with him. In a more personal sense, it was something where he felt that he had let his comrades. He had never done the job right or because of him some others had lost their lives and he was never able to regain who and what he was previous to those conflicts. It's a depressing and very dark lyric, but it's also realistic. And it is painting a true story for so many people that unfortunately had to go through that.

Αnother standout track for me is "Bend The Clock", which I also think really highlights your diversity as a singer. I was wondering if there’s a track that’s special for you from "Parasomnia", and one you really look forward to performing live?

Well, I'm looking forward to performing the epic, "The Shadow Man Incident". I think that it really gives me that absolute freedom to explore my style as a vocalist, the sounds that I create as a singer, and my range. I think that it just allows me to be complete as a singer from beginning to end. And then that freedom and that expression and that evocativeness is what every singer looks for and and strives for. That. You want to be able to really pour yourself 100% and put yourself out there. I mean, jeez, they're all in that range. Like for example "Midnight Messiah" which might not be like a higher range, but to me it's still an expression that allows me to show another side of myself vocally. I think on this album, you know, when myself, John Petrucci, Mike and Jordan, when we were writing the melodies for this, it’s a very conscious effort. Because I'm always thinking, this is how I want to express myself. This is how I want to be able to really let myself soar and let myself be who and what I am as a vocalist. And the only way I'm going to truly feel that, is if the melodies are powerful and the melodies support the music. And there's only one way to do that and do it right, you know, so. "The Shadow Man Incident" really kind of epitomizes it. But I agree with you as well for "Bend the Clock", it does allow me to do stuff that I absolutely love doing vocally.

During the shows we attended in Italy, you mentioned that maybe you’ll perform "Parasomnia" live in its entirety. Is this something that you’re considering after the 40th anniversary tour?

We're definitely talking about it now, whether we would actually see that through to fruition, I think time will tell. It might make sense as time goes on. We will maybe bust out the epic or a few songs. I think that the true testament to that will be once the fans from around the world hear this album from beginning to end. I think they're also going to want to at least experience that here and there. So maybe we would do a whole leg of a tour where the album is being played from front to back each and every night. Or we can pick certain nights that we would be playing it, which would make it even that much more of a special unfolding, right? So there's many ways we can go about it. We either do it and we commit ourselves to doing it every night, along with a lot of other songs from previous albums or we play it here and there and just make it something that is very unique. We’ll see.

Now that Mike is back in charge of setlist, we saw some tracks that we didn't hear live for a while. Of them was my personal favorite of the entire Dream theater catalogue, which is "Octavarium", and it was an amazing experience for me. If you could choose a couple of deep cuts or tracks that haven't been played as much live that are your personal favorites, maybe one or two, which ones would that be?

Oh my God. Well, we could play the 12 steps suite, couldn't we? You know that would be pretty amazing. "In The Presence Of Enemies" doing Part 1 and 2 back to back would be really cool, that would be something. Obviously "The Count of Tuscany" but you know we were playing that on the previous tour. I remember I was talking to Mike and I was like "It'd be great to bust that song up". But you know, we just played it and he was like, "yeah, man, I really wanted to include that and but yeah, you guys were just playing it", I mean, I think those that I just said would be a real treat for the fans to hear. It's really a hard one because we, you know, we have some beautiful and classic epics that could really be put out there.I'm sure you know, the diehards would just fully and 100% embrace, no doubt about it. But yeah, I guess you know the future will be the decider for sure.

How does it feel for a band at this level of your career to have fans who are requesting new music to be played live? I think this happens for everything that you put out, asking for new tracks to be performed live instead of only playing the classics. How does it feel for you to have this anticipation from the fans?

Well, I think it's the most sought after place for any band or any artist to be in.You're not just expected to play the top ten or whatever it might be. With us, it's always been an extremely coveted situation to be able to know that our fans want to hear so much of who and what we are musically is that it has nothing to do with whether it was a hit or something like that. It's always more about the songs as a whole. About our catalog. It's about who and what we've been for, all those albums and I think what band wouldn't want that? Like I said, I think it's the best situation or position for any band to be in. We've got so much music to choose from, but we also know that our fans are going to be excited about it and pretty much are going to support what it is that we pull out and play. And that's an amazing situation to be in and I think it keeps us fresh. It keeps us attuned to the ultimate experience. At that moment, it's a phenomenal situation. It really is.

So you have a show coming up in Greece in the summer, this time as headliners for Release Festival. It's been a while since your last visit, so should we expect any changes to the setlist compared to what it was in the first two legs of the tour? Maybe any surprises for your Greek audience?

Well, first, I think it's gonna be a phenomenal experience for both the fans and the band. Yeah, you're right, we haven't been there for a while. What's that venue called?

It’s called Plateia Nerou, really close to the sea.

Yes, it's one of the places i’m really looking forward to playing in, as well as the place in Italy where Pink Floyd had played…

In Pompei, right!

Yeah, there's also that that we're playing, you know, in Italy that's another venue that I can't wait to play, but Greece has always been amazing. Were you there when we played up at the top of Athens at this outdoor venue?

I think you refer to Lycabettus theater, you played there in 1998. Unfortunately I wasn't there.

Yeah, oh my God. What a phenomenal venue. That was just incredible. You know, I really can’t wait to be back in Greece. I guarantee you it’ll be an incredible show, both visually and musically. And yes, we'll probably have new songs that we'd be putting in the setlist. And it's just going to be a night on fire. It's been awhile since we've been there, so we're really looking forward to it for sure.

We're looking forward to for sure as well, as well as the public release of the album which is highly anticipated by your fans, and I'm sure will make a lot of people happy!

It’s going to be great, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Will you be at the show in Athens?

For sure I'll be, we even travelled to Italy to see you guys! (laughs)

We’ll have a great time, I'll be sure to look for you, thanks and I'm looking forward to see you all in the summer. Take care.