Ahead of the release of their 16th studio album, Parasomnia, I had a chance to speak with Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie about a number of topics, including:
- the process of welcoming Mike Portnoy back into the Dream Theater fold, the inspiration for the sleep disturbance-related theme of the Parasomnia, and how each member of the band interpreted that theme on the record during the writing process.
- his approach for writing the lyrics for "A Broken Man," the contrasting lyrical styles of different members of the band, and why he takes a more humanistic approach to his prose.
- how the band curates its setlist with such a deep discography, plans for a Live DVD from their recent European leg of the 40th Anniversary Tour, and a few stories from the 2002 Inner Tourbulence tour with King's X and Joe Satriani.
- a discussion of that Winter Rose tape making it's way to Dream Theater, his initial audition, and reflections on what a fateful moment that was for both James and his bandmates.
Episode 9: James LaBrie (Dream Theater)
Podcast Episode · Where Did Mary Go? · 01/29/2025 · 29m
I’d like to thank James for taking the time to speak with me and for being so generous with his time. As a huge Dream Theater fan who has followed them religiously since my high school days, it was a true thrill and a dream come true. Enjoy!
