Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band from Long Island, New York. The band is currently composed of John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Jordan Rudess (keyboards), Mike Mangini (drums) and James LaBrie (vocals).
Formed in 1985 by guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy and bassist John Myung, the band is completed by keyboardist Kevin Moore and initially by singer Chris Collins before he is replaced by Charlie Dominici. Dream Theater released his first album When Dream and Day Unite in 1989 but it was in 1992 with the album Images and Words that he knows success. The band combines both the complexity of progressive rock compositions, great technical mastery and a sound close to heavy metal. After a long world tour, they released in 1994 the album Awake in the continuity of the previous one and then a long, progressive 23-minute series entitled A Change of Seasons (1995). Their record company then wants to capitalize on their success and encourages them to compose a more commercial album with songs that can be easily broadcast on the radio. The relative failure of the album Falling into Infinity (1998) allows them to regain their artistic freedom. In 1999, they released with their new keyboardist Jordan Rudess the album Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory , a concept-album in the tradition of progressive rock.
In the 2000s, the band went on albums and tours without any major turning point in the band's life or in the music offered, but in 2010 drummer Mike Portnoy, one of the group's mainstays from the beginning, announces his departure from Dream Theater. He is replaced by Mike Mangini.
In addition to their many albums, Dream Theater members all participate in many parallel projects. James LaBrie has recorded several solo albums. John Myung creates with Ty Tabor (King's X) and Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs) the groups Platypus and The Jelly Jam. Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci participated with Tony Levin in Liquid Tension Experiment and Mike Portnoy is part of Neal Morse (formerly Spock's Beard), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) and Pete Trewavas (Marillion) of the rock supergroup Progressive Transatlantic.
