Originally published in Derek Sherinian.com · 1999
Dream Theater
ArticleDerek Sherinian1 min read
When I first became aware that Dream Theater needed a keyboardist, I had made the decision to switch to guitar and was about to take over as rhythm guitarist in Alice’s band. Unfortunately, the tour ended up getting cancelled and I ended up being out of work!!
My friend Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani’s band) gave me a call and told me about the opening in Dream Theater. After he gave me the information I needed, I contacted their management and set up an audition. To be honest, I really didn't know anything about these guys, and I was in for a surprise when I received their catalog a few days later. When I heard the songs, I felt pure fear! It was the first time I’d ever had a doubt about whether or not I could cut a gig.
Two weeks later, I flew to New York for the audition. Everyone was there, except for James. We played Caught In A Web, Pull Me Under, and Voices, which were the songs they had assigned, and then we ended up jamming for about half an hour. There was definitely a good vibe happening, and I walked out of the audition feeling that it could go either way. Fortunately, it went the right way, and the rest is history!