MusicRadar

Jordan Rudess on stage with Dream Theater at the Fezen Festival, Hungary, 2011. © PETER KOLLANYI/epa/Corbis

Dream Theater are just several weeks shy of starting a massive world tour in support of their new album, A Dramatic Turn Of Events, but the band's keyboard master, Jordan Rudess, is still buzzing about their recently completed European festival dates - the group's first with new drummer Mike Mangini.

"It was so great," says Rudess. "Everybody was incredibly happy. I never realized how much a drummer can change the foundation of a band, but it's really true. I just want to have Mike Mangini checked to make sure he's really human, because the things he can do seem totally impossible."

Feats of musical daring do are nothing new to Dream Theater, and they abound on the band's highly anticipated new album, A Dramatic Turn of Events. A glittering thrill ride that runs the musical gamut from mind-numbing progressive metal to lush, heavenly ballads, it's an unqualified triumph for the celebrated, virtuosic quintet.

"I think all of our albums are filled with emotion," says Rudess. "This one might be a little more so, what with all of the changes we've been through. But I think we can all feel very proud, at the end of the day, to have come through it all with something that represents us working at the peak of our abilities. I know I can't wait for people to hear the new record. I'm really psyched about it."

MusicRadar sat down with Jordan Rudess recently to talk about A Dramatic Turn Of Events. In addition, we discussed new hardware and software he's working with, along with a certain poll he just won by a huge margin.

So MusicRadar readers voted you the Greatest Keyboard Player Of All Time. Congratulations!

"Thank you! Yeah, that was so flattering. What was really amazing is the fact that my heroes were right behind me. Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman – those are the guys. It's hard to take it too seriously, because the people I look up to came up behind me. I feel as though they're deserving of the honor. But it's a beautiful thing, of course.

"I'm certainly thankful that I have such great fans. Something like this encourages me. It allows me to feel that the people are really listening and that I have their support. It's a lot of positive energy. But you know what the best thing is? My mom was very happy about it" [laughs]

There you go. We're all about making your mom happy.

"Yeah. Schlepping me off to Julliard every week finally paid off." [laughs]

Let's talk about A Dramatic Turn Of Events. Without belaboring the exit of Mike Portnoy, we're curious about some comments you made recently where you said you felt free to expand the role of the keyboards.

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