Jens Johansson interview (excerpts)

Well, perhaps the reason your name came up seriously in the prog rock discussions of late is due to your possible involvement with Dream Theater. What do you think of DT, their older and perhaps more keyboard-oriented pieces, and their present, more metallic style?

I liked “Images & Words” a lot when it came out...actually BOUGHT myself a copy. The new one is good too, an itsy bitsy bit grungy but perhaps I need to listen to it more. The first Dream Theater album I haven’t heard I’m afraid.

What did happen with Dream Theater? There seemed to be a bit of a keyboard musical-chairs recently. Many of us were secretly wishing that you got the gig, as your skills are incredibly sufficient to handle Kevin’s parts. So what did happen? Was it an incompatibility in style, or was it something else?

No idea what happened there I’m afraid. I was ready, willing, and able, at least at the time. I did an “audition”, actually the first one of my life. I thought it went great, but then maybe I have nothing to compare with. (No fist fights broke out means it was a good audition, right? ) I don’t think it was a musical problem myself, perhaps a money thing, or something. I also got the impression that it wasn’t a “permanent” gig, rather, a “road sideman” type of situation where you don’t get to be in the videos, don’t get to do interviews, etc. Effectively, to be able to write and participate on the next record you’d have to pass a one-year-long audition. I would have been a bit unhappy with that part of it, perhaps they realized that. If so, I’d have to give them credit. I had quite enough of the “Them vs. Us” bullsh*t with Yngwie I guess, so perhaps I’m a bit allergic.

Was there an incompatibility with Dream Theater, being that you’re from a classically influenced style while the band was of the ‘Berklee’ school?

I kind of doubt it, I was actually more of a fusion freak myself although the stuff I did with Yngwie of course was ‘neo-classical’. I was never “classically trained” or anything. And I think the Dream Theater guys never graduated from Berklee. (Which, if it’s true, in my mind is good, I don’t really think you can be taught how to be a good musician. Technically proficient, yes, but then pretty much anyone can learn how to type really fast and accurately too.)

I’ve also heard elsewhere about DT’s lack of desire to fill a permanent keyboard spot at this time. Did you think that you would of been a “sideman” as with Yngwie? I do hear that at this time, that’s what Derek (Sheranian, present live keyboardist for Dream Theater) is going through....

That’s the impression I got as well. I think it is worse for him than it was for me with Yngwie, I mean, when we were with Yngwie, at least we got to be in the videos, and do interviews and such. Perhaps they will put this Derek guy in the next video.