Dream Theater Guitarist John Petrucci Discusses His Upcoming Solo Tour With Mike Portnoy and Dave Larue

 

John Petrucci is the guitarist for the Grammy Award winning Progressive-Metal band Dream Theater. In support of his most recent solo album “Terminal Velocity” Petrucci has announced a multi date tour which will feature bassist Dave Larue and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Mike recently about the album, reuniting with his former drummer and what we can expect from the upcoming tour which kicks off October 5th.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your most recent solo album “Terminal Velocity”

John Petrucci: I did my first solo album “Suspended Animation” back in 2005. That album came about after performing on the “G3” with Joe Satriani and having to write songs to perform on that tour. Those songs ended up becoming the first album. Being so busy with Dream Theater I never really put much emphasis on doing a follow up record despite getting asked quite often about it. As years went by, I just never seemed to have the time but when the pandemic hit and all touring stopped, I knew there was going to be some time. I had been stock piling ideas and riffs since my last record, and I knew if I didn’t do this now it was probably never going to happen. I put all the material I had together and recruited Dave Larue and Mike Portnoy to play on. It was a lot of work, but I think it turned out really cool.

AL: What was it like going back and revisiting this material that you had been collecting for so long?

JP: A lot of these ideas were not full songs. When I am playing guitar and something hits me, I will just hit record. The quickest way is usually through my iPhone. I am pretty organized, and I keep everything in a folder, so I had the seeds of songs to start with. From there I was able to go back through my collection and pick out different things that I thought would work. I started with idea number one and just began working from there re-learning what I had while also adding to it.

AL: What led to you asking Mike Portnoy to play on the album?

JP: I like to keep my solo stuff separate from what I do with Dream Theater. Even though I had played live with both Mike Portnoy and Mike Mangini on “G3” outside of Dream Theater I really wanted to keep things with the solo album totally separate from the band. I wanted the album to be just about guitar and given the fact that Mike Portnoy is no longer in Dream Theater this followed the rule I set for myself. Mike’s a very busy guy and because of the Pandemic he also had some free time so when I asked him if he would be interested, he said yes.

AL: Did you have what you wanted laid out for both Mike and Dave or were they able to bring in their own ideas?

JP: While I was writing and recording the guitars my engineer James Meslin would program drums. Either he or I would then play the bass so even before Dave and Mike were involved the songs existed as completed pieces. We could have released the album just like that, but it is so much better having these guy play on there. When they came in they basically just had to learn compositions. At one point Mike asked me if I wanted things exactly as they were, and I told him these were basically just a guide and that he could do what he felt would make the song work. With Dave it was the same way. The two of these guys really brought the album to life and I was very happy with the end result. Even though we recorded the parts separately I think the album has a live energy and feel to it.

AL: Being very much a “tone” guy when it comes to guitar, how did you approach that aspect of the record?

JP: Dream Theater recently built a new facility to accommodate all of the bands needs. This included a studio space. My solo album was the first album that was recorded there. It was a little bit new however the guitar recording approach was very similar to how I do it with Dream Theater. I am a purest and have been playing my signature Ernie Ball Music Man guitars for 20 years now. I plug that into my signature Mesa Boogie head and then let the engineer mic up my 4×12 cabinet and we are off to the races. After we finished the solo record we went and did “Liquid Tension Experiment 3” in the same studio as well as Dream Theater’s “A View From the Top of the World” which we won a Grammy for! Having recorded guitar for those three very different projects the guitar stayed consistent from one thing to the next. We do experiment with different microphones and such but its basically me plugged straight into my amp. I like to keep things as pure as I can and capture that sound as it is.

AL: When did the idea to tour behind the release present

JP: That was always something I wanted to do. I had done a lot of “G3” tours but never an actual solo tour. Once I put the record out everyone started asking if I was going to tour behind it. When things started to open back up my priority was Dream Theater, so we got back into our cycle so once again I was left with no opportunity to tour solo despite wanting to. I generally know five or six months out what my schedule is going to look like and I saw that there was going to be a small window in the fall that I was going to have free. I asked my booking agent if we could get something scheduled and he was on it.

AL: Were Mike and Dave onboard with touring right away?

JP: Dave has been touring with me since 2001. He has done all the “G3” tours and of course both my solo albums. We had this running joke about if we were ever going to do an actual solo tour. Prior to that I think the joke was if I was ever going to do a second solo album. (Laughs) Dave said he would be there when the time came and he we are. With Mike we hadn’t played together live since he left Dream Theater twelve years ago. It was in my mind right away to ask him and when I did ask him, he said Yes.

AL: You are bringing out the reunited Meanstreak with you on the run. Can you tell us how that came together?

JP: The history there is the Dream Theater guys met the ladies from Meanstreak many years ago. My wife and I have been married 29 years. Both my wife and Mike Portnoy’s wife played guitar in Meanstreak while John Myung’s wife Lisa played bass. We all kind of got married and had families around the same time. We have been this big family for quite some time. Meanstreak’s disbanded and haven’t played for some time so when I started thinking of doing the solo tour, I mentioned to my wife about the ladies getting back together and opening for me. I am very excited for this. In all the years my wife and I have been together we have never toured together. We have played together a few times but never anything like this. This tour is going to be fun for fans on a few different levels as not only will they get to see Mike and I play together again but a lot of people will be getting to see Meanstreak for the first time as well.

AL: Any other projects or releases you might want to mention?

JP: There have been a lot of big things that happened for me personally over this last year. I have a new line Ernie Ball Majesty and JP15 guitars that came out in June. I released a Neural DSP plug-in that was a lot of fun as well. We just released out first video from the record for the song “Temple of Circadia” it’s an animated “Wayne’s World” meets “Indiana Jones” type story. (Laughs) Dream Theater will be touring next year and will be releasing more info on that later on but the biggest thing right now is this upcoming solo tour which kicks off October 5th in Providence, RI.

For more information on John Petrucci and all his projects visit www.johnpetrucci.com

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: dave, discusses, dream, guitarist, john, larue, ...

GRAMMY AWARD WINNING DREAM THEATER GUITARIST JOHN PETRUCCI ANNOUNCES FIRST HEADLINING SOLO TOUR WITH DAVE LARUE ON BASS AND MIKE PORTNOY

October Performances in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. With More Dates To Be Announced Soon On-Sale This Week At: https://johnpetrucci.com

Recently Reunited Meanstreak Set To Open Entire Tour

John Petrucci – Photo Credit: Rayon Richards

For over three decades, GRAMMY Award winning guitarist John Petrucci has been known for his work in the ground-breaking and influential prog-metal band Dream Theater. Now, John is adding another career milestone to his resume as he is embarking on his first headlining solo tour performing material from his recently released solo album, Terminal Velocity, as well as songs from his widely acclaimed debut release, Suspended Animation. Terminal Velocity marked the first time that John and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy recorded together since Mike left the band in 2010. Now, John will take his instrumental trio on the road performing live with Mike Portnoy, and legendary bassist Dave LaRue in an on-stage reunion that has been 12 years in the making.

The historic tour will run through October and November and promises to be an unforgettable night of live musicianship. The first three shows are scheduled for Boston, MA (October 7th); New York, NY (October 13th) and Washington, DC (October 15th). The recently reunited all-female Meanstreak will be the special guest openers for the tour. Meanstreak is comprised of guitarists Marlene Portnoy and Rena Sands, vocalist Bettina France, bassist Martens Myung and drummer Yael. More shows will be announced in the near future and tickets for the announced shows will be on sale to the general public on Friday, July 15th. For more information on all shows and to purchase tickets, fans can head over to https://johnpetrucci.com.

John Petrucci Solo Tour Dates with Dave LaRue and Mike Portnoy featuring special guests Meanstreak *

October 7th – Boston, MA – Berklee Performance Center
October 13th – New York, NY – Town Hall
October 15th – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theater

* More dates to be announced

About John Petrucci:
John Petrucci is best known as guitarist and co-founder of the GRAMMY Award winning progressive metal band, Dream Theater. A Guitar World Hall of Fame member and recipient of the SENA Performer’s European Guitar Award, John has been named multiple times as the #1 Guitarist, Guitarist of The Year and Best Metal Guitarist by Prog magazine, Total Guitar, Guitar Player, Guitar World, Music Radar and BURRN! Magazine. His first solo album, Suspended Animation, has long been the benchmark of instrumental guitar performance. The even-longer-anticipated 2020 sequel, Terminal Velocity, features former Dream Theater bandmate Mike Portnoy on drums, and the legendary Dave LaRue on bass. The instrumental trio hits the road this Fall in support of both albums, in what will surely be an unforgettable evening. This tour marks John Petrucci’s first headline tour as a solo artist, and the first time in 12 years that John and Mike will perform live together.

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PROGRESSIVE MUSIC TITANS DREAM THEATER RELEASE MUSIC VIDEO FOR DEBUT SINGLE “INVISIBLE MONSTER” FROM THE UPCOMING ALBUM A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE WORLD

Watch the Video For “Invisible Monster” HERE: 

THEIR 15th STUDIO ALBUM SCHEDULED FOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON OCTOBER 22nd NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE:

Part 1 of the In-Depth Behind The Scenes Interview About The New Album Can Be Seen Here:

As anticipation grows for the release of their 15th studio album, GRAMMY-nominated and millions-selling progressive music titans Dream Theater are releasing the music video for the first official single “Invisible Monster.” The song comes from their upcoming InsideOutMusic / Sony Music album A View From The Top Of The World scheduled for release worldwide on October 22nd. The new track clocks in at 6:27 and showcases the musicianship and creativity that has garnered the band fans around the globe. The video for the song was directed by William “Wombat” Felch (Mudvayne, HellYeah, Crobot, Static-X, Nefariant) and follows the story of an artist’s internal struggles as the band is showcased performing the track. The piece of art created by Felch in the video now lives inside DTHQ. The video for the song can be seen here: https://youtu.be/s0Wmg7Tq4Pk.

“It was written after we’d written a bunch of material. A lot of the music was super energetic and upbeat tempo-wise. Mike suggested we do something a little different though. So, we started working on a more mid-temp song. The hook, riff, and melody changed so naturally. I equate it to ‘Pull Me Under’ back in the day where we’d just start playing, something would come out, and we’d be like, ‘Whoa, that’s cool’. There’s a serendipitous moment where it happens. Lyrically, it’s about how anxiety plagues people. It’s like there’s an invisible monster beating you. You don’t see it, but it’s haunting you all of the time,” explains John Petrucci.

Dream Theater recently released an in-depth behind the scenes interview about the making of A View From The Top Of The World. The interview is a 3-part docuseries hosted by ProgReport Editor In Chief Roie Avin as he interviews the band about creating the new album. The interview takes place at the band’s new headquarters DTHQ – the space where the band recorded their latest album. Part 2 of the interview will be released on September 29th and the final part will be out on October 10th. The first part of the interview is now live and can be seen here:  Also, an animated video for album opener “The Alien” (viewed over 1.4 million times) that clocks in at 9:32 was released last month and can be seen here: 

A View From The Top Of The World is now available for pre-order in various configurations including a limited Deluxe Box incl. Gatefold 2LP (180g bright gold vinyl) with exclusive alternate cover, limited deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook with exclusive alternate cover, Zoetrope Slipmat, Beanie, Enamel Keychain, 8 x Artcards, Poster, Hand-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity in a Lift-off Lid Box. The album is also available in a limited Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook, Special Edition CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP+CD+LP-booklet. The Blu-ray contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with full album animations, plus ‘Digging For A Spark – A View From Inside DTHQ’, a specially filmed documentary that gives a glimpse behind the scenes of the band’s new home-base and the making of the new album. The album is also available for pre-order digitally and fans that pre-order the digital version will receive an instant download of “The Alien.” A View From The Top Of The World was produced by John Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James “Jimmy T” Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap and available for pre-order here:

Dream Theater – comprised of James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung and Mike Mangini – was in the middle of a sold-out world tour in support of their last release Distance Over Time and the 20th anniversary of Scenes From A Memory when a Global Pandemic brought the world to a stop. The musicians found themselves at home with LaBrie in Canada and the rest of the group in the States. As fate would have it, they’d just finished construction on DTHQ (Dream Theater Headquarters) —a combination live recording studio, rehearsal space, control room, equipment storage, and creative hive. With LaBrie in Canada, he initially wrote with the band via ZOOM on a monitor in DTHQ. In March 2021, he flew down to New York, quarantined, and recorded his vocals face-to-face with Petrucci. The album ultimately threaded together lean and uncompromising hooks with tried-and-true technical proficiency.

The track listing for A View From The Top Of The World is:

1) The Alien (9:32)
2) Answering The Call (7:35)
3) Invisible Monster (6:31)
4) Sleeping Giant (10:05)
5) Transcending Time (6:25)
6) Awaken The Master (9:47)
7) A View From The Top Of The World (20:24)

L to R: John Petrucci, Mike Mangini, James LaBrie, John Myung, Jordan Rudess Photo Credit: Rayon Richards

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DREAM THEATER to Unleash New Live Release “Distant Memories” – Live In London on November 27

Concert Event Recorded in February 2020 Now Availablefor Pre-Order in Audio and Video Formats Here:https://dream-theater.lnk.to/DistantMemoriesLive 

Video for Live Version of “Pale Blue Dot” from theCritically Acclaimed Distance Over Time Can Be Seen Here:https://youtu.be/jsRT8ee97eo

Two-time GRAMMY-nominated and millions-selling progressive music titans Dream Theater are back with the latest live installment to their impressive thirty-one-year catalog of releases. Scheduled for release on November 27th, the band is set to unleash their ninth career live album Distant Memories – Live In London. Recorded at their sold-out show at the Apollo Theatre in London, the live release documents the band’s popular world tour in support of their latest critically acclaimed studio album Distance Over Time and the 20-year anniversary of their seminal concept album Metropolis Part 2 – Scenes From A Memory. Fans can check out the live version of “Pale Blue Dot” from Distant Memories – Live In London here: https://youtu.be/jsRT8ee97eo.  

“Whether you had a chance to see this tour in person and want to relive what was hopefully an awesome concert experience or enjoying the performance on video for the first time, Distant Memories – Live In London very accurately and very beautifully captures the energy and excitement we all felt together at the Apollo this past February,” explains guitarist John Petrucci. 

Distant Memories – Live In London is the band’s first since 2014’s Breaking the Fourth Wall. The new live release will be available in various configurations including digital only, a 3-CD and 2 DVD multibox, a 3-CD and 2 Blu-Ray digipak with slipcase, a limited deluxe 3-CD + 2 Blu-Ray + 2 DVD Artbook and a limited 4-LP and 3-CD box set. The video components will also feature a Behind The Scenes look at the band as they get ready for the shows. All formats of Distant Memories – Live In London are now available for pre-order here: https://dream-theater.lnk.to/DistantMemoriesLive.

The tracklisting for Distant Memories – Live In London is:

1.   Untethered Angel

2.   A Nightmare to Remember

3.   Fall Into the Light

4.   Barstool Warrior 

5.   In the Presence of Enemies – Part 1

6.   Pale Blue Dot

7.   Scenes Live Intro

8.   Scene One: Regression

9.   Scene Two: I. Overture 1928 

10. Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu 

11. Scene Three: I. Through My Words

12. Scene Three: II. Fatal Tragedy

13. Scene Four: Beyond This Life

14. Scene Five: Through Her Eyes

15. Scene Six: Home 

16. Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity

17. Scene Seven: II. One Last Time

18. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On 

19. Scene Nine: Finally Free

20. At Wit’s End 

21. Paralyzed (Bonus Track)

The world has now had a chance to experience the latest release, Distance Over Time. After landing at the #1 spot on the iTunes Top Album Chart the day it was released, the album has gone on to be an instant classic among fans and critics alike. The album landed at #5 on the Top Current Album Chart and debuted at #24 on the Billboard 200. It also found a home at #2 on the Hard Music Chart and #3 on the Rock Chart. The band also garnered over 10 million total streams for Distance Over Time through release week, a career high for the band in the streaming age. 

Progressive metal pioneers Dream Theater— James LaBrie (Vocals), John Petrucci (Guitars), Jordan Rudess (Keyboards), John Myung (Bass), and Mike Mangini (Drums) — share a unique bond with one of the most passionate fan bases around the globe as evidenced by their two GRAMMY® Award nominations and 15 million records sold worldwide. The 1992 opus Images & Words received a gold certification and landed on Rolling Stone’s coveted “100 Greatest Metal Albums of All-Time.”Guitar World placed the follow-up Awake at #1 on “Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994.” 1996’s A Change of Seasons notably soundtracked NBC’s coverage of Downhill Skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Fans voted the 1999 Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory the “Number One All-Time Progressive Rock Album” in a 2012 Rolling Stone poll. Not to mention, it ranked as the “15th Greatest Concept Album” by Classic Rock.  2009 saw Black Clouds & Silver Linings crash the Billboard Top 200 at #6 as A Dramatic Turn of Events [2011] and Dream Theater [2013] maintained a three-peat in the chart’s Top 10. Consequence of Sound dubbed 2016’s The Astonishing, “An absolutely unique experience.”  Beyond three platinum and two gold videos, the group was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2010. On its 14th full-length and first release for InsideOutMusic / Sony Music, Distance Over Time, the band recharge the brotherhood that has kept them creating music together for over 30 years. It’s Dream Theater at their most dynamic, direct, and definitive.

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Enter to Win Tickets to Disney On Ice Presents “Dare to Dream” in Orlando, FL

To celebrate the arrival of Disney On Ice Presents “Dare to Dream” coming to the Amway Center in Orlando from September 8-10, 2016, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to win a family four pack of tickets to this monumental ice skating spectacular. Please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite Disney on Ice memory from when you were younger or with your family. This giveaway will remain open until August 30th. This is open to our readers in Florida only unless you want to travel. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Here are the available shows that the winner will be able to chose from:
Friday, Sept. 8 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Sept. 9 at 11am.

Amway Center, 400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801

Save 20% off select seats with code SAVE20. Not valid on premium VIP seating. Hurry for the best available seats! Code expires September 7, 2017.

I am a Feld Entertainment Blogger Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and other exclusive opportunities

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Disney’s Smash Hits Moana and Beauty and the Beast Redefine Heroism as Part of Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream

Moana, Maui and Friends from Disney’s Moana Take the Ice for the First Time; Tickets On Sale Now for the 2017 Dates

Disney’s Moana voyages onto the ice for the first time as Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream, produced by Feld Entertainment Inc., brings courage and adventure to hometowns across North America. Hosts Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse bring audiences on an expedition across raging seas and snow covered mountains in this action-packed extravaganza featuring Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Tangled and Cinderella with other beloved Disney characters to help tell these extraordinary tales. Tickets are on sale today for the 2017 tour dates.

Dare To Dream takes families on a high-sea adventure as Moana sets sail on a life-changing quest to save her island with help from the demigod Maui. With the ice floor transformed into the vast oceanic scape, Disney On Ice allows Moana’s strength and determination to take center stage. This engaging atmosphere lets audiences deepen their existing connection to their favorite wayfinder and discover one’s true identity is never out of reach.

“As parents, we strive to find role models who embolden our children to choose kindness and exhibit the values we aim to impart, and this production of Disney On Ice truly embodies this goal,” said Executive Vice President of Feld Entertainment and Producer of Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream, Nicole Feld. “With Dare To Dream, I want to inspire the youngest members of our families with the heroic stories of their favorite Disney characters and allow them to discover the hero within themselves.”

Beautiful production numbers invite audiences into the world of Beauty and the Beast, as Belle shows what it means to be fearless. Along with her new friends in the enchanted castle, Belle is encouraged to step outside the ordinary and find joy in the bleakest situation. As she looks beyond the harsh exterior of the Beast to reach his gentle heart, fans learn there are teachable moments in everyday life.

Through the athleticism and grace of Anna and Elsa, Rapunzel and Flynn, and Cinderella, brave heroes from Frozen, Tangled and Cinderella ignite passions to believe. Showgoers will witness each characters’ unique qualities and talents inspiring children around the world to discover their inner hero.

“One of the most magical things about Disney On Ice is the performers’ ability to authentically showcase the best qualities of Disney characters,” said Director Patty Vincent. “At our shows, moms and dads are able to experience the magic through the eyes of their children, allowing them to reconnect with their favorite characters and once again experience the childlike wonder and hope that inspires us all.”

Visit DisneyOnIce.com for the shows and dates coming to your hometown. Stay current on the latest developments through social media, including instructions on how to access presale codes for future Disney On Ice productions:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce
Twitter: @DisneyOnIce #DisneyOnIce #DareToDream @NicoleFeld (Show Producer)
YouTube: www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce
Instagram: @DisneyOnIce

About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that uplift the human spirit and bring people together. With millions of people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 75 countries and on six continents to date and include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information about Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

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New Five-Part ESPN Series “Snoop & Son: A Dad’s Dream” Set for January 14

ESPN will televise a five-part documentary style series Snoop & Son: A Dad’s Dream beginning Wednesday, Jan. 14, with an unprecedented look at entertainment icon Snoop Dogg’s journey with his football star son Cordell Broadus. The series will air four consecutive Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN (re-airs on ESPNU) with a fifth and final episode airing in mid-February.

Cordell, 17, is a standout student and prep player, and one of the most sought after recruits in the nation with top schools from Notre Dame to USC vying for him to play for them. Snoop is a constant presence in his football life. He’s a regular attendee at practice and is in constant contact with Cordell’s head coach. When Snoop is on the road and can’t attend a game, he has the game streamed to him, no matter where he is in the world. Over 10 years ago, Snoop started the Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) because of his passion for coaching kids. The League has provided thousands of young boys and girls a positive environment to learn skills for life – championing kids to be better citizens on and off the field. Cordell began his football career under his father’s guidance as a player in the SFYL.

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Snoop and Cordell as he prepares for the next level, the half-hour show will take viewers into the Broadus home for family dinners, on Snoop’s tour bus as he breaks down game film and on the sidelines for each game of Cordell’s senior season.

Rory Karpf, executive producer, said, “People will see a very different side of Snoop. They’ll see a man navigating the line between father and friend. They’ll see someone whose interest in his son’s life reflects what he himself never had. Above all, they’ll see a father extraordinarily proud of his son.”

“I’ve been known for my work in many industries, but what I am most proud of is my beautiful family. My son is an extremely talented athlete and my wife and I will be by his side wherever he chooses to play. I’m looking forward to the world watching me go through this journey with my family,” said Snoop.

About Snoop Dogg
An entertainment icon and with more than 20 years in the business, Snoop continues to pave the way in the hip-hop industry, serving as a mentor to many new and established artists. Being the trendsetter he is, Snoop stands at the forefront of popular culture with award-winning and multi-platinum albums and songs, critically acclaimed films and television shows, lifestyle products, philanthropic efforts and digital ventures, including his YouTube original series “GGN News.” Snoop defines hip-hop history and is set to spark the fire in the beginning of 2015 with his new album, ‘BUSH’, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams.

 

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Book Review “Once Upon a Dream: From Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty to Disney’s Maleficent”

Author: Charles Solomon
Series: Disney Editions Deluxe (Film)
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Disney Editions
Release Date: June 17, 2014

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

One of my sister and I’s favorite Disney films growing up was “Sleeping Beauty”. We used to watch it over and over. So we were both really excited for the new Disney film “Maleficent”. Right after seeing the new film, I immediately went online to see if there was an art of book released for the film. What I found was this book. I have to admit, I am a little disappointed personally. I would have thought that Disney would have released a nice hardcover solo art of/making of book for “Maleficent”. This does still contain a great wealth of information covering all aspects of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”. This book still is worth checking out if you love “Sleeping Beauty” but in no way should it be considered an acceptable replacement for an art of book for “Maleficent”.

Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” remains one of the most beloved of all fairy tales. The story itself was originally published by Charles Perrault in 1697. For more than 300 years, this story has been adapted by many different artists and authors. The best part of this book (if you can look past the lacking cover art) is that is is jam-packed with great illustration that folow the history of that fascination of this story of “Sleeping Beauty” from literature, fine art, poetry, music, and film. Author Charles Solomon is an internationally respected critic and historian of animation. He has written numerous amazing books for Disney including “The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey”; “Tale As Old As Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast” and many more. He is a guy that knows Disney and he is definitely the write before for this job. I was am just hung up on the fact that Maleficent didn’t get more focus.

Briar Rose/Aurora was and still is one of the most beautiful and beautifully animated of the Disney princesses. The film also featured one of Disney’s best villains still to date, Maleficent. Perrault’s created such an amazing character here that she has still leaves fear in the heart of its viewers/readers. As well as covering the literature and animated film of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”, this book also touches (I use that lightly, since “Maleficent” could have fill a book on its own) on the new film “Maleficent” with interviews with Angelina Jolie, Imelda Staunton, Linda Woolverton, Sean Bailey, Joe Roth, Don Hahn, and director Robert Stromberg (Oscar-winning art director of Avatar and Alice in Wonderland). There is some behind-the-scenes details and photography; costumes, props, and makeup included as well.

 

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Dream Theater’s James LaBrie talks about solo project with Matt Guillory titled “Impermanent Resonance”

James LaBrie is probably best known for his work as the vocalist for the progressive rock band Dream Theater. Outside of his work with Dream Theater, James is also a successful solo artist. Together with keyboardist Matt Guillory, James has released a new solo album titled “Impermanent Resonance” and Media Mikes had the chance to recently to speak with both of the guys about what it was like working on the album.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about the new album “Impermanent Resonance”?
Matt Guillory: The album is a continuation of what we establish with the “Elements of Persuasion” album and more so with the “Static Impulse” album. With the new album we tried to make everything more heavy and melodic. We really wanted to push the melodic side of things by strengthening the hooks and melodies. I also believe that “Impermanent Resonance” is a much more dynamic and diverse.

AL: At what point of the writing/recording process James do you bring in your lyrics?
James LaBrie: There are two ways that we go about things. Matt will often approach things by writing lyrics or subject matter ahead of time prior to the music being written. He also works the more traditional way as well in that you craft the lyrics to fit the melody. That is the way in which I will usually write. I like everything to be established. It’s much easier for me to wrap things around a preconceived melody. The process can sometimes take 3 different stages in that I may present an idea to Matt and he takes what he wants from there. Matt is the main composer so he is the one creating where the song is going to go. The 3rd stage is one where we bring in other writers to collaborate with. On the new album we brought in Peter Wichers to help with a few songs. We have a few different ways in which we write.

AL: Is this also the way that your work when writing material for Dream Theater?
JL: Yes. We use three different stages when it comes to the Dream Theater material. Things may come out of jams we do during sound checks. Other times we all just sit down in the studio and start showing each other ideas we have stored on our iphones. A lot of the material really is created through our interactions with one another and bouncing those ideas back and forth.

AL: Matt for you what was it like bringing in outside writers?
MG: It was really seamless. We have done this before in the past but things went really great this time around. Bringing in Peter Wichers was great. His contribution with riff writing and ideas for verses was a very nice collaboration.

AL: Do each of you try to bring in a finished product before presenting to the other guys or is it more of a collaborative effort during the creating process?
MG: Before I present something to anyone else I try and get it pretty well developed. Most of my ideas start as vocal melodies that I then build everything else around. I try to have things pretty solid before sending the song out. From there it becomes more about tweaking the song.
JL: When Matt and I decide that it’s the right time to start putting together ideas for another album we do like to feel like we are starting fresh. We want to basically have a new canvas to paint on. I think it is always important for Matt and me to feel that we are representing ourselves musically with what we are creating. It’s definitely a combination of things.

AL: Did having the same line up for this album and the last album makes things easier from a writing/recording standpoint?
MG: Absolutely. It was really cool to do another record with the same line up. I love consistency. I think it’s cool how everyone has their own unique identity as a player that they bring to the table. It makes things really special. Everyone is such a high caliber musician that it made things super easy. I feel very fortunate to be working with such a great group of people.

AL: Are there plans to tour in support of the album?
JL: I think ultimately we want to do a tour that would be considered extensive. I think the immediate situation is that I have an obligation to Dream Theater and we start a world tour come January. This band that Matt and I have is one that has to be a little more patient. Everyone is behind wanting to tour the album but that won’t probably start to become a reality until the Dream Theater to conclude. We are definitely going to do a tour and try to get into as many areas as possible.

AL: With both of you having other priorities is it hard to put something like this on the back burner because of those commitments?
MG: It is for me. When I poor my heart and soul into something that is what I want to do. I have to try and stay focused. Working that way is better for me even though at times I feel like I have bitten off more than I can chew. This is so important to me and I want to make it the best it can be.
JL: The same stands for me. Dream Theater is my main gig but this thing Matt and I have is something that has developed over 14 years. We are both very much committed to it. I think every time there is a release it shows that it is in fact a priority for us. This is something we are both dedicated to as we realize that you are only as good as your last outing. It is something that fortunately we are able to let things develop. We feel this release is complete and probably our best album to date.

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: dream, guillory, impermanent, james, labrie, matt, ...

Marc & Shannon Parker from Parker Brothers Concepts chats about working on Syfy’s “Dream Machines”

Marc & Shannon Parker are the owners of Parker Brothers Concepts, which is located in Melbourne, FL.  They are also the stars on Syfy’s “Dream Machines”.  They have created cars for 50 Cent, WWE’s John Cena and Universal’s recent film “Battleship”.  Media Mikes recently had a chance to visit the shop in our first collaboration with MyGarageShop.com and got a chance to sit down and chat with the guys about the show and their inspiration behind it.

Mike J. Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of Parker Bros Concepts?
Shannon Parker: It actually happened by accident. We started out just building things just to be building things. To begin with Marc and I talked about just building choppers, just regular bikes. I thought with the economy the way it way, I thought it was a bad idea because there are a lot of chopper builders out there. We only had enough money to build one…
Marc Parker: We didn’t even have enough money to build one [laughs]
SP: We didn’t have quite enough money to build one vehicle. So we talked about it a little bit and I really wanted to do a replica of the Batpod from “The Dark Knight”. I thought if we run out of money or can’t sell it at least I got something I wanted anyway. So we built it and put it out on the internet to get attention to sell it. We put it out there for $100,000 and when we did that it drew all kinds of attention. We weren’t able to sell it right away but it gave us some great attention and a step towards what we should do next. I think the next step we built our Xenon Light Motor Bike. After that we were off and running…

MJG: How did you get involved with SyFy and “Dream Machines”?
MP: Once the Xenon Light Motor Bike hit the internet it started going viral and before we were even done, we got a call from the TV people. At that point we were only in business for a couple of months. A guy named Edwin Zane called us up and asked “How would you like to do a TV show because the stuff you do is really cool?”. The company he was with at the time threw out a couple of numbers to us and at the time went with out gut and didn’t go with it…luckily. Especially now that we know what we know. He left that company and went to another company and pitched us again.
SP: In the meantime, we were getting pitches from other production companies as well but we never felt comfortable. We liked Edwin as a person and felt comfortable with him. Edwin then moved to another production company called Triage, Inc. and we ended up going with him full circle around.
MP: Triage is taking good care of us. It is a good show for them. They are a big enough company that they are able to do what needs to get done but still small enough to where we are important to them. Once we signed up with him then he pitched it to seven-eight networks. Literally the next day, he had four of the networks interested in the show. Syfy stepped up and said the first day “He is a contract we will take it”. No messing around. They are revamping that network right now and our show fits in well with them.

Mike P. Gencarelli: What made you switches from Parker Bros Choppers to Parker Bros Concepts?
SP: It was the show. More than anything, we didn’t want to come across as old school bike builders and that is it.
MP: When we first started, the original idea and name of the business was going to be Parker Bros Concepts but then we thought no one would know what that is. The original thought was choppers sell, the stuff we are building is weird and not sure if it would sell or not. We were probably going to end up building a couple of choppers local and build our way up. Then on the side build the concept and if people like them great and if they don’t we can just keep them. We went with Parker Bros Choppers for the name and then it came around full circle since the stuff we were doing was more important to the TV people. They didn’t want us to look like the Orange County Choppers. We switched it over to concepts.

MJG: What was it like shooting a reality show and working your day to day business?
MP: Oh my God!
SP: It was difficult…
MP: …and a lot different than we thought it was going to be. SP: You think it is just going to be a camera standing there off in the background and shooting but it doesn’t really work that way. There is a lot of interviews. It is a totally different world for us. It was a cool experience but it was pretty difficult to build something when they are asking us to do it over. Sometimes they may not get it the first time or may need a different angle.
MP: Or before you do anything you need to check it first with the showrunner or director and make sure it is something if they want to get on camera or not. Then we need to wait for them to get the cameras ready before we do the work.

MPG: On the show you guys have these ridiculous deadlines. Is that due to the show and now that we know about filming; how does that affect the deadlines?
MP: It kills the deadlines.
SP: Normally you would think the deadline is reality. All of these things were needed for certain events or premieres. It was one of those “have-to” situations. You have to have it done by this time.
MP: In addition all of these projects, like 50 Cent’s car, if 50 came to us normally and said I want this car, wewould say give us a year/year and a half and we will have this car for you. But you can’t build a show around something like that. All of the deadlines came into play since we only have “X” number of months to film “X” number of episodes. So a lot of these we had to cram into a shorter period of time just because of being able to film them.

MPG: Got a funny question, why is the logo on the roof?
MP: It is actually not!
MPG: It’s not? CGI?
MP: On the show they will show the roof two or three times and sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not. They spent a lot of money on this helicopter for one day. One of the shotsthey wanted was a building shot. The building looks kind of plain and didn’t really stand out against everything else on the road. They wanted to use the shot since they spent the money on the helicopter and so they CGIed it up there.

MJG: What was your most challenging project to date?
MP: Filming a TV show [laughs].
SP: I don’t know I think John Cena’s car was very difficult. Trying to figure out all the things that go into it. That was was also weird for us beecause we started out with a frame, since normally we don’t. We had a lot of issues…
MP: …trying to work around it. Sometimes starting from scratch makes it a lot easier on you with the crazy designs we are working with. It is hard to take sometime and make it fit into that design. If you just start from scratch, even though there is a lot more hours into it, it makes the design and the build come together a little easier. The most difficult in my mind was the Shredder from “Battleship”. With the Shredder we really got to showcase what we wanted to do. When we started this show, we threw a bunch of really over-the-top project out there at the network. They had us tone it down a bit but not completely insane.
SP: Like the single man sub-marine.
MP: Yeah we wanted to do a one man attack sub-marine and some flying vehicles. But that was personally the hardest but also my favorite build.

MPG: Besides plans for season two of “Dream Machines”; what do you see yours doing years down the line?
MP: Hopefully, we get to execute our plans from the very beginning. We want to be the go-to guys for Hollywood. We want to be the guys to build the vehicles for the movies and TV shows. Whether we are on TV or not, if we are building these things that is what we are into.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: brothers, chats, concepts, dream, machines, mark, ...

DVD Review “The American Dream”

Directed by: Jamil Walker Smith
Starring: Malcolm Goodwin, Jamil Walker Smith, Michael Trotter
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Running Time: 79 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

With patriotism high with fourth of July around the corner, “The American Dream” delivers…for he most part. The film is delivers the rawness and truth behind being in war and the journey of a soldier serving one’s country. Writer/director and co-star Jamil Walker Smith really aims to deliver that and more. You can tell that he is not only trying to make a movie but also deliver a message.

The film follows the last 36 hours of two best friends, Luis and Ronald before into the war in Afghanistan. We get a chance to see their countdown moments and leading up to their enlistment. Though the two have completely different personalities, they both share similar memories and both are dealing with the mixed emotions about their decision to fight in the war.

The DVD release is lacking any special features at all, so that is a bit of a disappointment.  The performances are strong and yet even though the running time is only 79 minutes, the film seems to drag through its scenes. It is worth it to watch just for the performances alone but overall I think it will primarily only appeal to people interested in film’s about war, then the average film goer.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: american, dream, dvd, review
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