BLOTTED SCIENCE Drummer CHARLIE ZELENY's DREAM THEATER Audition Videos Available

Drummer Charlie Zeleny (BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS, BLOTTED SCIENCE) has uploaded video footage of him playing along to three DREAM THEATER songs as part of the audition process for DT's drummer slot left vacant by the recent departure of Mike Portnoy.

Zeleny's performance footage of the following tracks can be viewed below:

* Dance Of Eternity
* Metropolis Pt. 1
* A Nightmare To Remember

When asked about whether he actually landed the DREAM THEATER gig, Zeleny wrote on his Twitter profile yesterday (Saturday, November 20),"Everyone wants to know about me and DT. I'm unable to say. I can only say that the three tunes everyone auditioned with are found on my YouTube."

***UPDATE*** - Charlie Zeleny has released the following update/clarification regarding his DREAM THEATER audition videos:

"Wow, I really appreciate all the love with the comments on the DREAM THEATER videos but everyone seems to be misinterpreting what I've been saying. I just got wind of the audition tunes and put them up myself on my YouTube for everyone to see. DREAM THEATER saw them but I was not asked down to audition live.

"I wish whoever gets the drum chair in DREAM THEATER the best of luck and have a good idea of who it is. I personally don't think I am a drummer who is big enough or popular enough to fill the shoes of a drumming legend like Mike Portnoy. But I really appreciate all the support and love everyone has been giving me. I definitely have a busy New Year to try to keep anyone who has checked me out on the DREAM THEATER scene into things I do and hope to continue to make music and videos people like. Thanks everyone!"

Zeleny is a professional New York City session drummer who is also a music director, bandleader and producer. He specializes in all styles of music, especially pop, rock, jazz, fusion, progressive metal, hip hop, funk and R&B.

Charlie previously toured Japan with DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess and has also performed double drums with Terry Bozzio for The Drum Channel. Charlie is also a member of the internationally acclaimed band BLOTTED SCIENCE, featuring Ron Jarzombek of SPASTIC INK and Alex Webster of CANNIBAL CORPSE and was an original member of BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS, signed to Metal Blade Records.

Zeleny studied under Tommy Igoe, Nick Schebule and Joe Bergamini before being accepted to graduate school for jazz drumset performance at New York University. He did not attend but instead decided to become a professional musician and has never looked back.

On October 26, DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie was interviewed by "Démentièllement Vôtre" on Québec City's CKRL 89.1 FM radio station. When asked about DREAM THEATER's current status following the recent departure of Portnoy, LaBrie said, "DREAM THEATER, we're communicating a lot to one another — John Petrucci [guitar], myself, Jordan Rudess [keyboards] and John Myung [bass] — we're staying in close contact with one another. Obviously we just did the drummer auditions last week in New York. So right now we're going to take our time and really be sure of the decision that we make, which is one of the most important decisions ever made within the band. So right now it's all about preparing for the future and making sure that the next chapter will be an exciting and really amazing ride. So that's what we're taking care of at this moment in time."

Regarding how the drummer auditions went, LaBrie said, "[The auditions] were phenomenal. I mean, it was something, obviously, unprecedented for this band, and it is for most bands, but it was just a really unique and very surreal experience for us. But I can't really comment on it any further than that other than that we're moving forward and everything is very positive. And that's about it. It's really touchy as to what we can really talk about in that area right now."

In a recent interview with DJ JC Green of Metal Messiah Radio, LaBrie stated about which qualifications are desired in a potential new drummer for DREAM THEATER, "We are looking for the right chemistry, the right vibe, the right attitude, the right personality, the right look — somebody that we feel really will embellish upon what DREAM THEATER has stood for and what we plan on standing for in the future."

According to LaBrie, the caliber of candidates that were lined up to audition for DREAM THEATER was second to none. "There's seven drummers that [were scheduled to try out for the band], and out of those seven, we will definitely have our drummer," he said. "They're all world-class drummers. I can't tell you who — I'd love to tell you, but I can't. I can't divulge or disclose that information. Not at this point. It's too sensitive at this point."

(Thanks: DJ JC Green of Metal Messiah Radio's "Heavy Metal Thunder" show)