New DREAM THEATER Drummer: 'I Am Almost Speechless At The Level Of Acceptance I Have Received'

December 7, 2011

Chris Epting of AOL's Noisecreep recently conducted an interview with drummer Mike Mangini of progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Noisecreep: This has been quite a year for you.

Mangini: Just amazing. Almost indescribable. As I see it, as I look back, I really think what happened was that this band kind of started over. They were in a new place as they looked for a drummer, and I when got the news, after the shock wore off, I knew what I wanted to do which was just basically come in and try to support where they wanted to go. They had a vision, they had great ideas, and I just wanted to help them achieve those things.

Noisecreep: How was it at first?

Mangini: Great from the word go. No stress, nothing but smooth ride, deciding how the material was composed, how it would be engineered, how it would be produced it as a lot of hard work. But it was also lots of fun and very rewarding.

Noisecreep: How do you feel you've connected with the DREAM THEATER fans?

Mangini: I am almost speechless at the level of acceptance I have received. After the third song for most of the shows on the first tour I did, they had a chant going for my name in every city, which blew me away. I didn't know if I'd get hit with a tomato, or gourd, or prickly pear or horned melon fruit [laughs]. To be accepted like that? Wow. Best fans in the world. But I think I figured out what it is. It's not about my arms and legs and how I hit drums. I think the fans know what this band means to me. Other than my spiritual faith and my faith, this band is it. And I think fans sense that.

Read the entire interview from Noisecreep.

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