Interview with Derek Sherinian

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>By Doug Rausch www.usaprogmusic.com</strong></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxPdBNEYJ3c1MGeEbdtIrvgq5utxlWfWMMAgkxDaLeJo1YSBzc-Cz0LM6pMtZxU1nsfxTlE9CxhpUYkC5j-s3VDiNDeylkhFLer4pTi0vihBL7t3LSHvTAhXjb4BDnbqhKKdbptmgZcZC/s1600/Derek2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxPdBNEYJ3c1MGeEbdtIrvgq5utxlWfWMMAgkxDaLeJo1YSBzc-Cz0LM6pMtZxU1nsfxTlE9CxhpUYkC5j-s3VDiNDeylkhFLer4pTi0vihBL7t3LSHvTAhXjb4BDnbqhKKdbptmgZcZC/s400/Derek2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>From Alice Cooper to Kiss to Dream Theater to Yngwie Malmsteen to Planet X to…well, DEREK SHERINIAN, maestro Sherinian’s resume is as diverse and broad in scope as is his own musical palette from which he draws to compose, perform and record. He’s worn all the hats, played with the “who’s who,” and pushed the boundaries of music to improbable new heights. But why be nostalgic when you’re in top form and have yet to leave your full legacy? There’s still work to be done! Derek was kind enough to take some time with Doug Rausch to reflect on the nature of creating forward-thinking music, and just how we’re supposed to get it out there.<span>   </span></em></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong><em> </em>So few keyboardists in rock have actually studied music. What exactly is the extent of the formal training that you’ve had as a pianist, as a keyboardist? I know you’ve spent some time at Berklee…<em> </em></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek Sherinian: </strong>I studied classical music at a young age, took lessons until I was 12, studied jazz and fusion, and had a lot of different teachers. I always tried to play with musicians who were more advanced than me to keep my chops up. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong><em> </em>Would you say your background is more classical or more jazz oriented, or more a nice balance of everything?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>I’m not a master in either, but I keep a good balance.<strong> </strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Are there any other pianists/keyboardists in the world of rock who share the high level of playing and proficiency that you have?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>There are a lot of great guys out there. One that really stands out to me is Jens Johansson. His playing is excellent. I listen to his stuff and I like everything he does.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> A lot of musicians, especially in the progressive world say, “If people like our music that’s great, but we’re doing our own thing and if they don’t like it then that’s fine, too.” But some do acknowledge a cognizance of, “Will this have commercial appeal?” or put more bluntly, sales. Even for adventurous progressive bands out there, the concept of selling doesn’t completely go away. Do you see yourself more closely associated with one of these two mentalities, or a balance of each, trying to get your artistry as much exposure as possible?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>Everyone wants to sell a record; if it doesn’t sell you can’t go on and do what you do. Anyone who says they don’t care about record sales is lying. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> With the new Planet X album <em>Quantum </em>(which is just awesome by the way), there’s a perfect example; what exactly is the business attempt? Is there an opportunity to be commercially successful with an album that is so wonderfully artistic and envelope pushing?<span>  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>The problem is when you’re being totally artistic you have a select fan base, and there are not enough people into that style of music to keep it alive. Planet X does not sell a lot of records…you may not see another Planet X record. We haven’t seen the up side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> But isn’t the entire goal of a label like Inside Out to take a chance on artistry and achieve a way to financially support the experimentations?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>Planet X was signed because of fame with Dream Theater. In hindsight, I should have put together a band with a vocalist, but at the time, you know, I didn’t want to hear a vocalist.<strong> </strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Ah, I see. So in a way you benefited from a gamble and got to make some really great records in the process! Would you venture to say your solo career was also a springboard from the Dream Theater spotlight? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>Absolutely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> So that’s not a bad thing…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>Well there just aren’t enough people listening to this kind of music.<span>  </span>I don’t think that we’ve ever heard the envelope pushed the way you have on this record [<em>Quantum</em>]. That may sound like a loaded statement but music still has not reached its limits. The boundaries can still be pushed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Agreed…and that was my exact next question! Are there any specific musical elements that you’ve gravitated to that you are most preoccupied with focusing on and trying to evolve music? Quantum is such a wonderful example of this; do you focus on any one element more than the others?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>No, it’s everything put together, I try not to make too much of a big deal about analyzing one specific thing. It depends on the song.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic: </strong>So that begs the question: in the immediate future, to the extent that you know, where are we heading with your musical vision at this point? Another solo album, another band effort?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>I’m working on a new solo record right now [also on Inside Out]; that’s my complete focus. We’re shooting for a spring release.<strong> </strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> So then the record label is wonderfully supportive of whatever you decide to do? “Carte Blanche?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>They’re wonderfully supportive of solo records, where I have complete creative control.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Ok then…I know you’re saying you don’t like to analyze too much, but you’ve got Planet X records, you’ve got solo records; what’s the significant contrast with the solo records? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>Planet X is a collaboration.<span>  </span>A lot of that record was written by Virgil [Donati].</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Speaking of collaborations, you got Slash involved with something recently. How did that come to be?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>“In the Summertime” (Mungo Jerry) was a hit in 1970. Billy idol was singing it and we thought it would be cool to cover and get Slash to jam; we ended up shooting a video.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Are there any other bands these days – musicians, artists – who push the envelope in ways you like to see it pushed and who are having a certain level of commercial success – that you really enjoy?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>There’s a band Meshuggah; they’ve been around for a while, they totally push the envelope - it’s brutal, really heavy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Do you get a lot of time to actually listen to music given you are a professional musician yourself, or are you so busy doing your own thing that you just don’t have much time anymore?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Derek: </strong>I should listen more than I do. My sole focus right now is my solo record.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>USAProgMusic:</strong> Looking back on your history thus far, do you have a period that you can point back to and feel is your favorite? You were with several big commercial bands in several different phases of your life…</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Derek:<span>  </span></strong>I don’t want to look back at any particular time in the past. My sole focus at the moment is the writing and recording of my new solo album. With that I have complete creative freedom. I’m still looking to push the envelope.</span><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div>

Interview with Derek Sherinian

By Doug Rausch www.usaprogmusic.com From Alice Cooper to Kiss to Dream Theater to Yngwie Malmsteen to Planet X to…well, DEREK SHERINIAN, ma...

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