Dream Theater

“The music industry has changed so much, but we still do things in an old-school way,” says Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess from his San Francisco hotel room. “We put out a big record every three years. We’re not recording in a garage. I guess we feel unique in that sense.”

Rudess has been close to the core of the Boston quintet’s potent prog-metal assault for nearly two decades, building a suite of impossibly polished albums that have worked their way into the hearts of high-school metalheads and chin-stroking music majors alike. And Rudess thinks the ceiling is still far above.

“Through all the major changes, the band has continued to do so well. People have always been into it, of course, but these shows have been at another level.”

Those changes include a diverse new album, 2011’s A Dramatic Turn of Events, and new drummer Mike Mangini to replace founding member Mike Portnoy, who quit in late 2010 citing exhaustion. For Dream Theater, a band that relies on ultraprecise synergy, it’s easy to be concerned, but Rudess is plenty optimistic about the future.

“We haven’t written any new songs with Mangini yet, but when we’re soundchecking I’ve had some really energizing experiences just jamming with him. We have a great, great time. I think everyone in the band feels like we’ve upped our playing in the last year just hanging around Mike.”

Rudess is also working on a couple of solo projects, as well as a new iPad app that will use digital orbs to generate dynamic music.

“I’m learning really cool things all the time,” says Rudess. “We feel stronger than ever.”

– Luke Winkie