Without doubt the most important Progressive Rock acts to have emerged in recent years. DREAM THEATER have combined heady acclaim within the genre matched by hard album sales and status. As the first of a second wave of progressively inclined acts, DREAM THEATER were signed to MCA subsidiary Mechanic Records at a time when music of their ilk was totally overshadowed by a myriad of other genres. The group swiftly fostered an enthusiastic degree of support, regularly cracking the charts then novelly keeping pace with demand for product by releasing a series of fan club exclusive releases that has only increased in profusion.

Previously known as MAJESTY, in September 1985 bass player John Myung and guitarist John Petrucci were childhood friends who met drummer Mike Portnoy at the famous Berklee School Of Music in Boston Kevin Moore was engaged on keyboards, having known Petrucci from elementary school once the trio had settled back home in Long Island. At this juncture the teenage Portnoy was also recording tracks with guitarist S.A. ADAMS.

Having initially worked with vocalist Chris Collins, the fledgling band soon replaced him with Charlie Dominici, a former member of Pop-Rockers FRANKE AND THE KNOCKOUTS, and recorded a four track demo that despite its poorly produced frame sold out rather quickly. Further promotional sessions throughout 1985 and 1986 followed before the band was forced to change its name due to MAJESTY already being owned by another party. The new moniker of DREAM THEATER was adopted after a suggestion from Mike Portnoy's father who had recently seen a movie in a cinema of that name.

Releasing a new selection of, better produced, demos, DREAM THEATER was offered a deal by the MCA affiliated Mechanic Records label and, once signed, the group found themselves working with producer Terry Date on what would become the 'When Dream And Day Unite' album. The record was reportedly completed with a three and a half week deadline hanging over their heads. Producer Terry Brown was drafted in to remix the album's tracks for promotional copies. Interestingly the album track 'The Ytse Jam' made reference to their former guise, 'Ytse Jam' being 'Majesty' backwards. 'When Dream And Day Unite' was offered up to the world in June 1989. Reviews would be positive but sales less than buoyant due to the dominating prevalence of hair bands and Thrash.

Wanting to be released from Mechanic Records who, the band claimed, offered no promotion for the first album, DREAM THEATER eventually had to buy themselves out of their contract. Searching for a replacement for Charlie Dominici in 1989, DREAM THEATER had begun to tentatively work with another singer when they received a tape from Penetanguishene, Ontario native James LaBrie, who was about to sign a solo deal with Aquarius Records. LaBrie had previously had tenures with WINTER ROSE, replacing previous vocalist SEBASTIAN BACH, and CONEY HATCH. The singer was invited down to New York to try out for the group and, after one jam session, the Canadian had got the job.

Having been virtually guaranteed a deal with Atco if they found the right singer, DREAM THEATER signed to the label in 1991 and entered Beartracks studios in Suffern, New York in October of that year to record their second album, 'Images And Words'. . Instrumental in securing the band for Atco was Derek Oliver, one time music journalist and noted passionate fan of quality music.

Produced by David Prater, DDREAM THEATER finally found the creative space in which to purvey their art. Upon arrival in March 1992 'Images And Words' turned the curiosity engendered by the debut into hard sales, the record striking home at number 61 on the US charts. These newly acquired fans, relishing the band's lavish use of over expression and musical prowess, would remain resolutely loyal for many years to come. Appeasing demand for live product, the group taped their April 23rd 1993 London Marquee show for an EP release. A later show, on August 26th at the Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo produced film footage for the video 'Images And Words: Live In Tokyo'. European shows in November saw Damn The Machine as support. European shows in November 1993 saw DAMN THE MACHINE as support.

For their next full-length record, 'Awake' produced by Duane Baron and John Purdell, the musicians took an unexpected diversion into darker, more introspective realms to produce their heaviest work to date. Moore quit without warning prior to the final mix down, subsequently resurfacing in 1998 with CHROMA KEY, and was replaced temporarily for live work with Jordan Rudess of SPEEDWAY BOULEVARD before eventually being replaced by ex-KISS associate Derek Sherinian for a full tour. Rudess joined DIXIE DREGS.

The 'A Change Of Seasons' mini-album in 1996 found DREAM THEATER in looser mode. A 23 minute tour de force title track, scored at Bear Tracks Studios, served an inceptor to an eclectic selection of live cuts captured at the world famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on January 31st 1995. Included would be takes on ELTON JOHN's 'Funeral For A Friend' and 'Love Lies Bleeding', DEEP PURPLE's 'Perfect Strangers', the LED ZEPPELIN medley 'The Rover', 'Achilles Last Stand' and 'The Song Remains The Same'. The evening was capped by a jam through excerpted versions of PINK FLOYD's 'In The Flesh', KANSAS' 'Carry On My Wayward Son', QUEEN's 'Bohemian Rhapsody', JOURNEY's 'Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin', DIXIE DREGS 'Cruise Control' and 'Turn It On Again' originally by GENESIS.

1997's 'Fallen Into Infinity', produced by Kevin Shirley, featured a guest vocal appearance from KINGS X man Doug Pinnick on the track 'Lines In The Sand' and a surprisingly impressive co-write with Desmond Child on 'You Not Me'. The record caused division amomgst the fans, many believing DREAM THEATER had pandered to commercialistic pressures.

DREAM THEATER toured America the same year alongside Jazz Rock maestros DIXIE DREGS which was later to bear fruit with musical liaisons between the two sets of musicians. Portnoy and Petrucci were both involved in the side project group LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT alongside respected sessioneers Tony Levin (PETER GABRIEL / KING CRIMSON) and Jordan Rudess once again. LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT released a self-titled album through Magna Carta in early 1998.

1999 Sherinian was out of the band and in came his logical successor Jordan Rudess for 1999's outing 'Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory' album. The album continues the theme of 'Metropolis Part 1' recorded on the 'Images And Words' album.

Side projects continued unabated though with Rudess pairing off with his ex-DIXIE DREGS drumming colleague Rod Morgenstein for the RUDESS/MORGENSTEIN project album and his inclusion on the classical 'Steinway To Heaven' album alongside his predecessor Sherinian and YES maestro RICK WAKEMAN. Myung would not be left out either as he re-united with erstwhile band mate DEREK SHERINIAN in an unlikely alliance with, yet again, Rod Morgenstein and KINGS X frontman TY TABOR to forge the PLATYPUS project.

A further union of Prog-Rock stars came in 2000 when Portnoy allied himself with MARILLION bassist Pete Trewavas, SPOCK'S BEARD's Neal Morse and THE FLOWERKINGS Roine Stolt to create SMPT releasing the 'Transatlantic' album on Rising Sun.

Sherinian meantime teamed up with guitar maestro TONY MACALPINE for their PLANET X project record 'Universe'.

In September of 2001 a triple CD emerged titled 'Live Scenes From New York' comprising of the band's entire show recorded at the Roseland Ballroom in New York on August 30th 2000. However, in a surreal example of bad timing bearing in mind the September 11th terrorist attacks on America the record, due to a ghastly coincidence of the highest order, was pulled from the retail shelves the day of its release- September 11th. The sleeve artwork unbelievably depicted New York, including the Statue of Liberty and- most presciently of all- the World Trade Centre, in flames. Needless to say the artwork was hastily revised.

In more encouraging news the DREAM THEATER Brazilian Fan Club announced the assembly of a tribute album featuring artists such as SIGMA 5, EVORA, LAST RITES, OPERACT, LONGJAM and ABSTTRAKT.

The DREAM THEATER 2002 album 'Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence' would number only six songs, albeit one of those would be the marathon 40 minute title track. The band added a rather novel twist to their touring activities in 2002. When booked for a two night consecutive venue run the band would perform the entirety of METALLICA's 'Masters Of Puppets' album live. Needless to say, fans who had not been made aware of DREAM THEATER's intentions, would be somewhat mystified. It would seem DREAM THEATER would spend much of the year on the road, also being announced as part of an Autumn package billing for U.S. dates in alliance with KING'S X and JOE SATRIANI.

Portnoy would be revealed as the mentor behind a new ProgRock 'supergroup' in May, having assembled an impressive line up numbering erstwhile DREAM THEATER and presently CHROMA KEY keyboard player Kevin Moore. Also included would be FATES WARNING guitarist Jim Matheos, ex-CYNIC and current GORDIAN KNOT bassist Sean Malone with the whole affair fronted by PAIN OF SALVATION vocalist Daniel Gildenlöw. Before long Gildenlöw was out of the frame and the band project was being billed as set OSI (Orchestra Of Strategic Influence).

DREAM THEATER announced European tour dates, performing two sets with an intermission and no support act, for October.

On October 21st DREAM THEATER gave privileged fans at their second night at the London Astoria by performing the entirety of IRON MAIDEN's 'Number Of The Beast' live. The band, who faithfully represented the album with the exception of a Jazz flavoured 'Gangland', even rigged up a DREAM THEATER logo backdrop executed in the classic Maiden logo script.

Mike Portnoy kept his hand in on the live circuit in March with YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD, a tribute to THE BEATLES also featuring Matt Bissonette and Neal Morse.

DREAM THEATER co-headlined a US ProgMetal extravaganza in June packaged with QUEENSRYCHE and FATES WARNING. With DREAM THEATER's unceasing success demand for live material and earlier MAJESTY recordings prompted drummer Mike Portnoy to establish his own Ytsejam Records to release archive recordings in an effort to beat the bootleggers. The first of these releases would be 2003's 'The Majesty Demos 1985-1986' and DREAM THEATER's 'Live In Los Angeles, California 5/18/98'. These latter tapes saw Ray Adler of FATES WARNING and IRON MAIDEN frontman BRUCE DICKINSON guesting.

A new studio album, 'Train Of Thought', produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy, was readied for November issue with European tour dates being announced for January. In the midst of this activity LaBrie was also active with the FRAMESHIFT project, a collaboration with guitarist Henning Pauly of CHAIN resulting in the album 'Unweaving The Rainbow'. 2003 also saw the formation of MADMEN & SINNERS, a collaboration between LaBrie, fretless guitar hero TIM DONAHUE and the ANNIHILATOR, STEVE VAI and EXTREME credited drummer Mike Mangini.

DREAM THEATER established a ticket ranking system for fans for their Spring US dates commencing 3rd March at the Roseland Theater in Portland. Fans could choose to purchase upgrades into bronze, gold or platinum tickets, the latter granting such privileges as a seat in the first five rows, exclusive T shirt, tour laminate, autographed photograph and a meet and greet with the band.

Celebrating their fifteenth anniversary the band put on a very special show on 6th March at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Performing the 'When Dream And Day Unite' album in its entirety, the band would be joined by original singer Charlie Dominici on the songs 'To Live Forever' and 'Metropolis pt. 1', the latter song also featuring erstwhile keyboard player DEREK SHERINIAN.

Fans would be treated with a slew of 'official bootleg' releases through the Ytsejam Records label with 'When Day And Dream Unite Demos 1987-1989', 'Tokyo, Japan 10/28/95' and 'Master Of Puppets - Cover Series'. The band extended their 2004 tour schedule by partnering with Prog-Rock pioneers YES for an Autumn run of US dates. On the 29th October Mike Portnoy manned the drums for East Coast Thrash veterans OVERKILL, performing at a special show for DJ Eddie Trunk's annual Halloween party at The Hard Rock Café in New York City.

A 2005 solo album from JAMES LABRIE, 'Elements Of Persuasion', would include contributions in the studio from Italian guitar prodigy Marco Sfogli, KIM MITCHELL, bassist Bryan Beller, Matt Guillory of DALI'S DILEMMA on keyboards and Mike Mangini of EXTREME and ANNIHILATOR repute on drums. JOHN PETRUCCI also put out solo product, the album 'Suspended Animation' also emerging in 2005. Pointedly, DREAM THEATER's own album for 2005, 'Octavarium', would gain the distinction of being the very last album to be recorded at the world famous Hit Factory Studios in New York. During March Jordan Rudess took time out to tour the East Coast with BLACKFIELD, a union of Steven Wilson of PORCUPINE TREE and Israeli singer/songwriter Aviv Geffen. Another recording announcement took fans by surprise, as early singer Charlie Dominici revealed plans for the release of a trilogy set.

A G3 "Mini tour" of Japan in May found Petrucci, utilising a band comprising Dave LaRue on bass and DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy on drums, flanking JOE SATRIANI and STEVE VAI. Mike Portnoy also temped for FATES WARNING, manning the drums for their appearance at the 'Headway' festival in Amstelveen, Netherlands on 3rd April 2005. In June Portnoy acted as special guest for New Jersey Thrashers OVERKILL at their 'Sweden Rock' festival appearance, performing on the song ''Elimination'.

DREAM THEATER co-headlined the 'Gigantour' festival trek alongside MEGADETH for US action in late July, topping a bill comprising FEAR FACTORY, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X, NEVERMORE, DRY KILL LOGIC and West Virginians BOBAFLEX. The 2nd August 'Gigantour' stop proved memorable when DREAM THEATER's set at the Nokia Live venue in Dallas saw the inclusion of an encore tribute to fallen guitar hero "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott of PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN. The band performed a rendition of PANTERA's 'Cemetery Gates' with onstage guests Dave Mustaine from MEGADETH, Burton C. Bell of FEAR FACTORY and Russell Allen of SYMPHONY X. DREAM THEATER fulfilled the 'Gigantour' dates until September, when their position was taken by ANTHRAX. Back on European soil, DREAM THEATER performed PINK FLOYD's 'Dark Side Of The Moon' in its entirety as their second set on 11th October at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. Gigs across South America in December duly wrapped up the year.

During the band's Japanese tour in January 2006 DREAM THEATER used their second night stands in Tokyo and Osaka to perform DEEP PURPLE's 'Made In Japan' in its entirety.

Mike Portnoy assembled AMAZING JOURNEY, a one-off tribute band assembled to pay homage to THE WHO. On vocals would be Gary Cherone, of VAN HALEN and EXTREME repute, with PAUL GILBERT of MR. BIG and RACER X on guitar and BILLY SHEEHAN from MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH, UFO and TALAS on bass. This impressive quartet undertook a brief burst of US shows in May 2006.

DREAM THEATER entered a New York City studio with engineer Paul Northfield in early October to cut new album tracks. At the same juncture it was revealed the band had severed their longstanding business relationship with Atlantic Records.

DREAM THEATER keyboard player Jordan Rudess took on a number of unusual assignments, first appearing at Teatro in Rimini on November 25th as a special guest jury member at a battle of the Italian DREAM THEATER cover bands PROGENY, from Milan, and YTSEJAMKR, of Crotone, organized by Italian Dreamers, the official Italian DREAM THEATER Fan Club. Rudess also guested of Israeli Rock singer and composer Aviv Geffen of BLACKFIELD at his solo shows on November 27th through 29th at Zappa venue in Tel Aviv, Israel.

John Petrucci partnered with JOE SATRIANI and ERIC JOHNSON to undertake G3 dates in South America during October, reaching into Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico. Petrucci and Satriani then hooked up with STEVE VAI for G3 concerts in Australia in December. Meantime, erstwhile DREAM THEATER singer Charlie Dominici returned to the scene fronting a new band, entitled DOMINICI, to release an album 'O3 A Trilogy, Part Two'.

In February 2007 DREAM THEATER announced signature with Roadrunner Records for their next opus 'Systematic Chaos'. Petrucci's next stint on the G3 tours came in March for North American shows packaged with JOE SATRIANI and PAUL GILBERT. That same month Mike Portnoy issued an instructional DVD entitled 'In Constant Motion'. Jordan Rudess was also active on the road, in a solo capacity opening for BLACKFIELD, the collaboration between PORCUPINE TREE leader Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen, on all their East Coast US shows.

In mid 2008 DREAM THEATER recorded a cover version of the IRON MAIDEN track 'To Tame A Land' for a tribute album, entitled 'Maiden Heaven', that was released in July via Britain's 'Kerrang!' magazine. The group performed a one off show on 31st August at the 'L'International Weekend' festival at the Hippodrome in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada alongside BRYAN ADAMS, COLLECTIVE SOUL and NICKELBACK.

The album 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' was released through Roadrunner Records in June 2009. 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' sold 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at no. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Variants included a vinyl edition and a deluxe 3 CD set featuring the regular album, a disc of instrumental mixes and a set of cover songs comprising 'Stargazer' by RAINBOW, 'Tenement Funster' / 'Flick Of The Wrist' / 'Lily Of The Valley' by QUEEN, 'Odyssey' by DIXIE DREGS, 'Take Your Fingers From My Hair' by ZEBRA, 'Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part II)' by KING CRIMSON and 'To Tame A Land' from IRON MAIDEN. The QUEEN tracks were also issed as a single through iTunes.

In side activity. James La Brie (as 'Soldan-Shah Omra') featured on the ROSWELL SIX project, unveiled in 2009 as an ambitious Progressive Rock project conceived by international bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, manifesting itself with the album 'Terra Incognita: Beyond The Horizon' released by Prog Rock Records.

DREAM THEATER issued the 'Wither' EP in October 2009.

Garry Sharpe-Young