We caught up with Dream Theater co-founder/guitarist John Petrucci ahead of the group’s upcoming UK tour this month…
You’ve kicked off your Top Of The World tour, how is it all going so far?
It’s been going great! After the Holiday break, it feels awesome to be starting off the new year continuing our Top Of The World tour and performing live on stage throughout Europe and the UK.
You’ll be heading to the UK this month, are you looking forward to the shows?
Absolutely. DT have been coming to the UK for many many years now and we always look forward to playing to our amazing fans here.
You will be joined by very special guests Arion which is very exciting, are you all a big fan of their music?
I am new to their music but they are a great band from Finland and really nice guys as well.
What can we expect from the show?
We are playing material from our latest album, A View From The Top Of The World along with many songs from our growing catalogue including a 3-song excerpt from our epic, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. The show is 2 hours long and features visuals created by our video animation artist, Wayne Joyner.
Tell us about the creative process around your new album ‘A View From The Top Of The World?
When we entered the studio in the Fall of 2020 to begin writing, it was in the heart of the pandemic. We really weren’t sure when the album would be coming out or when we’d be able to play live again. This freed us up to just ‘go for it’ and see what happens. The first song we wrote was ‘The Alien’ which set the tone for the album.
You guys won your first ever Grammy last year for Best Metal Performance for ‘The Alien’, how did it feel to win?
It was absolutely amazing! Very surreal to hear our name called and to run up to the stage to receive the award and give an acceptance speech. It was definitely a childhood dream come true. And a tremendously proud moment for me, the band, our families, our organisation and of course our fans. Still can’t believe it!
What is the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?
Practice a lot, every day.
What does 2023 have in store for the band?
We will be touring throughout Europe, Asia and N. America for most of the year.
Have you got any messages for your fans?
Thank you for your devotion and continued support of the band and our music for all these years! We realise how important our relationship is with our fans and feel a very special connection to our friends in the UK. We are looking forward to playing for you once again! Cheers!