Kevin Moore interview (excerpt)

2112: Was that song [“Another Permanent Address” from You Go Now] coming from the same place as “Space Dye Vest”? The lyrics seem to have a similar theme.

KM: (long pause) Sort of. But I think “Space Dye Vest” is definitely the most tragic thing I ever wrote (chuckles). I mean, that was really in the middle of it. All of You Go Now came after the relationship, well after it. So You Go Now is sort of when you have a chance to step back and look at it really objectively, and say something about it. Whereas when I wrote “Space Dye Vest” I was right in the middle of it, and it was a mess. So that’s where that song is from.

2112: What is more important -- technical skill, or the emotion that one elicits when they play?

KM: The challenge for me is really song-writing. (pause) I think with people who get too involved with the technical stuff, people who practice six hours a day like I did when I was starting with Dream Theater, you get carried away with that. All you have is technique, and you can’t even write a song that anyone wants to listen to (chuckles). I still think I have a lot of work to do. I mean, I spent so much of my life not working that way, just concentrating on technical stuff. I think for someone who is just starting out, a good idea is to balance song-writing and technical stuff. If you’re going to practice for three hours doing scales, practice for three hours writing songs and recording, also.

2112: I’ve just got three Dream Theater questions now. Is that fine? 

KM: Yeah.

2112: Do you still keep in touch with the band?

KM: By email, occasionally. But, we’ve pretty much gone our own way, I’d say. For the most part.

2112: Do you resent the fact that a lot of people still know you from Kevin Moore from Dream Theater, the player on Images and Words and Awake? Or are you happy you still have that legacy attached to your name?

KM: If people don’t know me as Kevin Moore from Dream Theater, people don’t know me. It’s either that or nothing (chuckles). It’s not like Chroma Key is huge. I really don’t have a problem with the Dream Theater thing at all. I mean, I’m happy with the work I did with Dream Theater. We did some interesting stuff.

2112: What was your favorite Dream Theater album to record?

KM: To record?

2112: Or maybe just your favorite Dream Theater album, sound-wise.

KM: I don’t know. I think the best sounding album is Images and Words. I think my sound is better on Awake, even though I hate the mix. The mix is terrible on Awake. But I like the sounds used on Awake better.

2112: Are you glad that Dream Theater recorded “Space Dye Vest”? I read an interview with Mike (Portnoy), and he said that if he had known you were leaving, they wouldn’t have recorded the song. Because it’s really your song, you wrote it. Are you glad you presented it to the band and it ended up on Awake?

KM: Yeah. I’m glad because that song kind of helped indicate the direction I was going to go with Chroma Key. Because that song might fit on a Chroma Key album. So it really gave people a hint, and I’m really just talking about Dream Theater fans, what kind of music I was going to be doing. Once they found out I left, they had that song to refer to.

2112: Have you heard the new one, Scenes From A Memory?

KM: I haven’t. Mike was supposed to send it me, but he hasn’t.