Originally published in Guitar World magazine · October 1992
Dream Theater’s John Petrucci – Cold Cuts, Hot Licks
InterviewJohn Petrucci1 min read
Making a nice roast beef sandwich while simultaneously memorizing classical guitar fingerings can be really difficult, according to Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci. “I was working in a New York deli all day and rehearsing all night, and one day I thought, ‘Why the hell am I doing this?’” laughs Petrucci.
So, fresh out of Boston’s Berklee School Of Music, Petrucci retired his apron and turned to a nobler pursuit: teaching. “It keeps you on your toes,” Petrucci says. “When you’re alone, it can be tough to find the motivation to play. But when you’re around kids asking millions of questions, you’re forced to analyze everything you play.”
Petrucci remains a popular instructor in his native Long Island, and on the new Dream Theater album, Images And Words (Atco), he practices what he teaches. With the assistance of his multicolored Ibanez custom, Petrucci offers a brilliantly conceived lesson on the art of fusing metallic crunch with art-rock texturing. It’s a master course in contemporary progressive rock.
But who taught Petrucci?
Berklee, yes, but he reserves his greatest praise for the instructor of his youth: a Mickey Mouse record player that could be played at 16 rpm. “I learned almost everything I know by listening to records at half speed,” says Petrucci.
And that’s no baloney.
—Michael Moses