"I met Mike when we were 18 at Berklee College of Music — we were kids. So having him back in the band has just been amazing": John Petrucci Talks Mike Portnoy's Dream Theater Return, Parasomnia, New Music Man Majesty Finishes | Interview

John Petrucci Talks Mike Portnoy's Dream Theater Return, Parasomnia, New Music Man Majesty Finishes | Interview

It's hard to believe, but for 40 years, John Petrucci has been shaping the sound of progressive metal and pushing the boundaries of electric guitar — one aggressively picked note at a time. With Dream Theater's latest full-length release, Parēsōmnia (out now worldwide via Inside Out Music), Petrucci sits down with Guitar Interactive's Jonathan Graham to discuss the new album, Mike Portnoy's long-awaited return to the lineup, the latest additions to his Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty signature line, getting emotional on tour — and why he's always ready for another G3 tour if Joe Satriani comes calling.

John, congratulations on Parēsōmnia. Could you tell us a bit about how special it was putting this together from your perspective? The band is clearly so energized.

"Absolutely. Well, first of all, Parēsōmnia is a term — it's a weird word — but it's very appropriate for Dream Theater because it means sleep disturbances: night terrors, sleep paralysis, sleepwalking.

The album is thematic and conceptual and has to do with characters going through these different events. It was a really special album to make because, as most people know, it's the first one with our original drummer, Mike Portnoy, rejoining the band since the Black Clouds & Silver Linings days — so it's been like 13 years.

We entered the studio in February of last year, and it was just like... your brother's back. John Myung and I met Mike when we were 18 at Berklee College of Music — we were kids. So, having him back in the band has just been amazing.

We're also at the point where — this hurts me to say in some ways, but it's also fun to say — it's the 40th anniversary. We're really fortunate to have had a career that long. So this is the 40th-anniversary tour. There are so many milestones: Mike returning, the first record with him in many years, and us celebrating this huge anniversary. It's been incredible."

Did you always feel like Mike Portnoy would rejoin the band?

"You know, it's hard to say. It's not something that you really predict or plan. Everything aligned — the stars aligned — and it was the right time to do it."

As expected, the new album's full of great solos. Picking out the solo section in "Night Terror," what's your process for putting something so challenging together like that?

"It's insane — you wouldn't play that unless you felt it. There are actually three sections to it. One is this crazy unison that Jordan and I are doing, which was me firing up this new technique I've been working on — this crazy, hyper-speed picking thing. I always wanted to do something like that. The main guitar solo section really drew inspiration from our favourite band of all time, which is Rush."

And just to get nerdy for a second — when I played this guitar solo, I limited myself to only using the notes of the certain scale that the song is based on. Not going out of it at all, which was a total challenge.

It's called Super Phrygian, and it has a really exotic, weird sound. Then the third part goes into a more melodic, thematic thing — which is something I really love to do. And that's when you hear everybody singing along in the audience."

This tour and reunion record has been an emotional one for you, right? Especially that opening night at London's O2. Did the intensity of it all surprise you?

"It did. We all feel it every night — from that first O2 show. As soon as our Kabuki thing dropped and we hit the beginning of 'Metropolis,' I mean, the looks on people's faces in the audience... just seeing everybody hugging and crying, and us kind of doing the same thing on stage — pinching ourselves.

There's a definite, palpable energy and elation in the audience — and that feeds through to the stage. It's been incredible, man."

John, you just dropped some new additions to the Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty signature line. How involved do you get with the new tops and finishes? Do you just trust the Music Man team to surprise you these days, or do you still give input?

"Yeah, it's a little bit of both. I do trust them. Like, they're so incredible at it that I'm, you know, I'm like, 'You guys just do your thing.' And then at the same time, I'll have suggestions — 'I'd like to do something like this,' and then they'll make that happen as well. So it's a combination of both.

But I have a hundred percent trust that they're going to come up with something stunning. I always look forward to the call — like, 'Okay, you're on FaceTime, we've got the new one.' And I'm just like, 'Oh my God' — I'm drooling."

Just like with Music Man, in your Ibanez days there were some iconic finishes on those JP models. Do you know who owns the rights to those early graphics? Is it possible those designs could ever be used on a Music Man guitar?

"That's a good question. Yeah, it was certainly an artist who did that, so I don't know what the ownership of it is. I don't think so. I think that stuff will have to stay in its own realm."

Is it true that agreeing to do the G3 tour was the catalyst for your first solo album, Suspended Animation?

"Absolutely was, yeah. In fact, when Joe Satriani asked me — it was 2001 — we were actually recording Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, and I got the call from my manager. I was like, 'Of course I want to do it.'

Then it hit me — 'What the hell am I going to play?' I didn't have any solo material.

So yeah, I wrote a few songs for that tour, and those songs ended up being part of Suspended Animation. Joe completely lit a fire under me to get some solo guitar instrumental music out."

Would you be up for doing another G3 tour if Joe asks the question?

"Well, you know, for me — I would say yes to a G3 invite in a heartbeat. I love Joe, and I love all the guitar players — Steve, and everybody who's always involved with it. So yeah, if Joe asks me, I'm there. I always say that. Absolutely."

How about another solo record down the line?

"Yeah. My last one was Terminal Velocity, which I wrote during the pandemic — when everybody was home.

I thought, 'If I don't do it now, I never will,' because the space between that and Suspended Animation was, I don't know — 15 years?

That was the Eric Johnson thing — except I think I beat Eric with the space between records.

So, hopefully, I won't wait as long to do another one, but I'd love to. It's just a matter of opportunity, because Dream Theater's got so much going on. With all the touring, it's hard to find those pockets of time."

Dream Theater's latest album Parēsōmnia is out now worldwide via Inside Out Music.

For more information, visit www.dreamtheater.net.