Lost your password?

Search Results for

john petrucci

JOHN PETRUCCI: Drummer MIKE MANGINI Is ‘The Right Fit On Every Level’

Manos Spanos
Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind webzine recently conducted an interview with guitarist John Petrucci of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Myglobalmind: Are there any pre-show rituals that you or the band does? John: We do get together before going on stage and we talk to get our heads in the same place and bond. You're about to walk on stage and play together for the next few hours, so you want to feel connected and make sure that everyone is in the same headspace; a good headspace. If someone is feeling out of sorts or detached, it's a great time to bring them in and restate why we are here and what we are trying to do. Many times we talk about the people that have come to enjoy the show. They went through a lot to get here, whatever they needed to work out in their lives; they got babysitters, they traveled, and purchased the tickets. So it's up to us to deliver the goods. We're always in that headspace about the audience and less about us at that moment. Myglobalmind: I thought one of the greatest compliments that anyone can give to a bandmate was what you said about Mike Mangini on the DVD during the drummer auditions that "he's not just playing DREAM THEATER, he's living it." John: We auditioned a lot of great drummers; every one of them was world-class. We had a lot of fun playing with each of them and had some great jams. With Mike, it was just something really special about what was going on. First and foremost, with everybody, we wanted to see if they can pull off the songs, play them correctly, and that they it felt right musically. That's something Mike did; it felt like the band. He really gets the style and delivers in a powerful metal way. He has all the techniques, chops and sensibility; everything just flows musically. Over and above that, there were a few things, like his attitude and dedication to wanting to get everything exactly right, as well as genuinely wanting the position. Not just wishy-washy, "Yeah, if I get it, great. If not, OK too." Personality wise, we are all kindred spirits. I've said this before; if we ever went to high school together, we would have been friends. He is just one of us. We felt that immediate connect. He the right fit on every level. Myglobalmind: He also seems like a funny and entertaining guy too. John: He's hysterical; he keeps us entertained. If you bring somebody into the band, you are going to be with them a lot, whether it's in the studio, on the tour bus, or at dinner every night. You want somebody you enjoy being around. You don't want an annoying guy. [laughs] Myglobalmind: You're an amazing, accomplished guitarist. At what point in your career did you realize that your style was truly unique? John: It's hard to answer that from my own perspective, because when I'm playing, I know where it is coming from and the sources. Guitar players get inward and analytical about their playing, but when you start to get positive feedback from other players, it makes you think that it is coming together. For me, the first time I started hearing comments like that was after "Images And Words" was released. It seemed like there was a jump from the there for me stylistically. It wasn't something I picked up on, it was comments that I received from other people and players. Myglobalmind: When you were young and starting out, was there ever a band that you auditioned for who didn't hire you for whatever reason? John: I didn't try out for bands when I was younger. I got into guitars intensely a couple of years into playing so much, by the time I was graduating high school, I was accepted into Berklee College Of Music. Practicing six hours a day, I was consumed with it. I somehow always found the right people on my own to jam with as well as playing with all my buddies. I didn't get to a point where I was auditioning for any bands. Out of Berklee, DREAM THEATER was born and we've been together ever since. I didn't have to taste that feeling of defeat. [laughs]
04 min read

Warming Up With DREAM THEATER’s MIKE MANGINI (Video)

Manos Spanos
Video footage of drummer Mike Mangini of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER warming up before a show on the band's current European touir can be seen below. Says Mike: "I have had to jump on stage with little or no warm up at for the first three weeks of this DREAM THEATER tour. Whipping into 'Enemy Inside' and 'Shattered Fortress' cold is quite a hit to the body. "This warmup I do is a way to practice polyrhythms and also tighten up the unison playing of my limbs. 12 fast double-kick notes fit in a click. My right hand designates every 19 of every other of the 12 notes. I work with some or all the odd numbers from 19 to 3 when I have time." He adds: "During one part of 'Illumination Theory', my left side does a simple 3/16 pattern while the right side switches through about 7 time signatures (depending on the interpreter). By practicing large groupings like 19/16 down through 5/16, it makes that song section pretty easy to manage and to hear as an 8 bar melody in 6/8 time." In an interview with Myglobalmind, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci stated about Mangini: "We auditioned a lot of great drummers [back at the end of 2010]; every one of them was world-class. We had a lot of fun playing with each of them and had some great jams. With Mike, it was just something really special about what was going on. First and foremost, with everybody, we wanted to see if they can pull off the songs, play them correctly, and that they it felt right musically. That's something Mike did; it felt like the band. He really gets the style and delivers in a powerful metal way. He has all the techniques, chops and sensibility; everything just flows musically. Over and above that, there were a few things, like his attitude and dedication to wanting to get everything exactly right, as well as genuinely wanting the position. Not just wishy-washy, 'Yeah, if I get it, great. If not, OK too.' Personality wise, we are all kindred spirits. I've said this before; if we ever went to high school together, we would have been friends. He is just one of us. We felt that immediate connect. He the right fit on every level." Speaking to The AU Review, DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess stated about having Mangini involved in the songwriting process for the band's new, self-titled CD: "Well, it was really interesting having Mangini there for the whole process. One part of the situation was that he's a very upbeat, energized guy, so just having that personality in the room with us was a good experience for all of us. On a musical level, you know, Mike has one of the most incredible rhythmic minds, I think, of anybody. So he was kind of able to conceptualize these kind of concepts that we would just take and try to compose around. We got some really interesting results form doing that — it was fascinating for us because everyone in DREAM THEATER has a good sense of rhythm, but we never before in our history have had this kind of input where someone would say, "Petrucci, if you play a bar of seven ten times, and Jordan, if you repeat something in five and I play this, it'll all come together" — you know, we would all just smile, because it was some pretty cool wacky stuff that was just purely conceptualized by Mike. And, you know, I guess what helped the most with the writing process was just his drumming — you know, having him be there for the writing, so we could try something and have him do his thing on the drums which would lead us to compose differently."
03 min read

JOE SATRIANI: ‘The Complete Studio Recordings’ 15-CD Box Set Due In April

Manos Spanos
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release "Joe Satriani: The Complete Studio Recordings", a 15-CD library box housing the rock guitar virtuoso's most comprehensive anthology ever, on Tuesday, April 22. "Joe Satriani: The Complete Studio Recordings" will also be available as a collectible limited-edition USB drive exclusively on Satriani.com. One of the most influential and respected instrumental rock guitarists to emerge in the past three decades, Joe Satriani is that rare "musician's musician" who's crossed over into the mainstream with music sublime and complex, appealing to a wide variety of tastes. A true master of the six-string, Satriani worked as a guitar teacher in his early career, with a number of his students — among them Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett (METALLICA), Larry LaLonde (POSSESSED, PRIMUS), David Bryson (COUNTING CROWS), Charlie Hunter and more — achieving their own considerable successes. While in considerable demand as a sideman throughout his career — he's toured with Mick Jagger, DEEP PURPLE and many others — Satriani has pursued his own musical vision over the years through a series of instrumental rock albums (many of them Grammy nominated) which chronicle his evolution as an artist and his eloquence as a guitarist. All 14 of Joe Satriani's landmark studio albums, from "Not Of This Earth" (his 1986 debut) through "Unstoppable Momentum" (2013's masterpiece), are included in the new collection alongside "Added Creations And Bonus Tracks", a newly curated anthology disc of rare compositions and performances falling outside the purview of Satriani's official album canon, and "Surfing With The Alien", 1987's platinum-selling breakout. "When the good people at Legacy approached me with the idea of a comprehensive box set featuring my studio recordings in their entirety, plus bonus tracks, all remastered, I answered with a resounding, 'YES!,'" said Joe Satriani. "The only person who could pull this all together logistically and sonically was mastering engineer John Cuniberti. "John and I have recorded quite a bit of music together going way back to the early '80s. I've made more records with John engineering and co-producing than anyone else, so who better to help me put this box set together the right way? His attention to detail has made this project exciting, illuminating and ultimately awesome sounding." "Joe Satriani: The Complete Studio Recordings" presents brand-new digital masters, overseen by Joe Satriani, with each CD packaged in a replica cardboard jacket. The library collection is housed in a specially designed clamshell box with a booklet filled with photos and memorabilia from across the decades. "Joe Satriani: The Complete Studio Recordings" is the ideal audio accompaniment to "Strange Beautiful Music: A Musical Memoir", Satriani's autobiography, also coming in April. A tireless performer who draws strength and inspiration from live shows, Satriani is consistently one of the world's top concert draws. He is a core member of the rock supergroup CHICKENFOOT (with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith) as well as founder of the highly successful G3 tours, each teaming Satriani with a pair of top-flight guitarists with shows often featuring special guest artists and other musical surprises. A nearly annual event, G3 launched in 1996 with Steve Vai and Eric Johnson and has showcased a wide variety of axemen over the years, including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Neal Schon, Brian May, Billy Gibbons, Steve Lukather and many others. Most recently, the G3 tour played South America in 2012. Over his career, Joe Satriani has earned 15 "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" Grammy nominations alongside platinum ("Surfing With The Alien", "Flying In A Blue Dream") and gold ("The Extremist", "Time Machine") certifications for his solo recordings. He also racked up gold and platinum certifications for the DVD "Live in San Francisco" and two G3 DVDs, "G3 Live" and "Live In Denver". Satriani is extending his decades-lo
05 min read

DREAM THEATER: ‘The Looking Glass’ Video To Premiere Next Week

Manos Spanos
Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have released the video below to promote their current tour and self-titled 12th studio album. The clip also includes footage from DREAM THEATER's video for the song "The Looking Glass", which will premiere on Monday, February 3. DREAM THEATER has invited the esteemed Berklee College Of Music to join them for a one-of-a-kind show on the band's upcoming "Along For The Ride" North American tour when they visit the Boston Opera House on Tuesday, March 25. DREAM THEATER was founded in 1985 when founding members — guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and former drummer Mike Portnoy — attended the Berklee College of Music. Also adding to the significance of this collaboration, Mike Mangini (drums), who joined the band in 2010, is a former faculty member of the Berklee College of Music. DREAM THEATER will be joined by special guest ensembles the Berklee World Strings and the Berklee Concert Choir for the second half of the set. The ensembles will layer distinct dramatic elements to DREAM THEATER's production. The World Strings are an international group of creative improvisers who play with rhythmic qualities seldom heard from string instruments. The Concert Choir stretches its repertoire from traditional and contemporary music through a wide range of genres. This special homecoming will be captured and recorded for a later release. DREAM THEATER's "Along For The Ride" tour will pick up on March 20 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada following the band's European tour and then continues through the end of April where it will eventually wrap up in Guadalajara, Mexico. DREAM THEATER's spirit of adventure and fearless musical virtuosity continues to reap dividends for the progressive metal titans who've just earned their second Grammy nomination, this time for "Best Metal Performance" for their single "The Enemy Inside" from their current self-titled album on Roadrunner Records. The band — John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards & continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — received its first-ever Grammy nomination in 2012 for "On The Backs Of Angels" (from their "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album) in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category.
02 min read

PERIPHERY: Entire ‘Clear’ Album Available For Streaming

Manos Spanos
"Clear", the new experimental album from Maryland-based progressive metallers PERIPHERY, is available for streaming in its entirety below. The effort is set for a January 28 North American release via Sumerian Records. Comments PERIPHERY guitarist Misha Mansoor: "'Clear' is an experiment to explore all of the different writing styles in the band. "It's rare when you have a band where every member is capable of writing and producing music. "With each member controlling their own track, this recording enabled us to go down any path we chose in terms of style and sound. Every track also contains a melodic theme established in 'Clear''s intro track, 'Overture'. This common thread links all of the songs together, even though they all sound wildly different. "'Clear' shouldn't be confused with our new third full-length album that we're currently working on, nor should it be considered an EP as it rides somewhere in between clocking in at 30 minutes." PERIPHERY's latest album, "Periphery II: This Time It's Personal", which sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 44 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in North America on July 3, 2012 via Sumerian Records and was made available in Europe on July 16, 2012 through Century Media Records. It features guest appearances by John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER), Guthrie Govan (THE ARISTOCRATS) and Wes Hauch (THE FACELESS).
01 min read

DREAM THEATER Releases Free Compilation Of Live Tracks

Manos Spanos
Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have released the following statement: "To our fans all over the world! It is because of all of you that 'A Dramatic Tour Of Events' was such a success. We enjoyed playing to you all each and every night on the road! "As a special 'Thank You,' we are releasing a compilation of live tracks that were not included on 'Live At Luna Park'. With these now being available, you have a complete documentation of all the songs that were played during the tour (with the exception of cover songs.) "Happy Holidays, and we look forward to having you 'Along For The Ride' in 2014." CD1: 01. Under A Glass Moon (Phoenix, AZ 12/4/11) 02. Forsaken (London, UK 7/24/11) 03. Peruvian Skies (London, UK 7/24/11) 04. Endless Sacrifice (Austin, TX 10/26/11) 05. Drum Solo (Austin, TX 10/26/11) 06. YtseJam (Austin, TX 10/26/11) 07. The Great Debate (London, UK 7/24/11) CD2: 08. Another Day (Austin, TX 7/7/12) 09. Through My Words/Fatal Tragedy (Montreal, QB 10/7/11) 10. To Live Forever (Huntington, NY 7/19/12) 11. Learning To Live (Tel Aviv, Israel 7/19/11) 12. The Count Of Tuscany (London, UK 7/24/11) 13. As I Am (Shibuya, Japan 4/24/12) Concept: Rai "Weymolith" Beardsley Produced by John Petrucci Archive management and selection: James LaBrie, John Petrucci Keeper of the archives: Maddi Shieferstein Live sound engineer: Nigel Paul (Tracks 1-3, 7, 11-13) Mixing and mastering: Richard Chycki Artwork: Hugh Syme
02 min read