JP/JR Interview 10/4/2011

[johncal]

I'm pretty sure this hasn't been posted here yet.

https://www.musicplayers.com/features/guitars/2011/1011_JohnPetrucci.php

https://www.musicplayers.com/features/keyboards/2011/1011_JordanRudess.php

[Zook]

QUICKLY!

PROPER INTERVIEW THREAD FORMAT!

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

[ResultsMayVary]

QUICKLY!

PROPER INTERVIEW THREAD FORMAT!

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

[SystematicThought]

And link it to the actual interview, not the facebook link

[bosk1]

Yes, please fix the OP.

JP interview link:  https://www.musicplayers.com/features/guitars/2011/1011_JohnPetrucci.php

JR Interview link:  https://www.musicplayers.com/features/keyboards/2011/1011_JordanRudess.php

[bosk1]

Some cool insight into the Myung's input in the lyric-writing department from the JP interview: 

In the case of John's composition lyrically, for "Breaking All Illusions," it's very similar to the last time... to any song John's written. He usually writes a lot of words in a sort of free form, if you will. And then it's a matter of me going in there with him and crafting it into a lyric. Which, all those things I'm talking about, like rhythms and phrasing and syllable placement and all that stuff, that's not something that John really focuses in. So I need to go in there and make that happen because ultimately it has to be sung and it has to sound natural being sung. Phrases have to work for [James] in order for it to be convincing. You can't just have all this esoteric sort of prose and then try to sing it; it doesn't work that way.

So that's the working relationship that I've had with John lyrically from the beginning. And this time around he was, like, "You know what? You got to take credit this time." So we put that on there, the lyrics by Myung and myself, because of all the time spent in that crafting department was something that he valued.

[johncal]

Fixed it at the top. THANKS!

[Tunnel Vision]

I'm really glad JP decided to simplify his guitar rig. His rig had been steadily growing over the years and I was just waiting for him to break it down a little bit.

[johncal]

Well, I think it's safe to say that JP and JR are MM's 2 biggest fans.

[rush-signals]

Great interviews, thanks for sharing!~

[bosk1]

I'm really glad JP decided to simplify his guitar rig. His rig had been steadily growing over the years and I was just waiting for him to break it down a little bit.

Yeah.  He first had to build it up, so it only makes sense that he would later break it down.

[energythief]

I'm really glad JP decided to simplify his guitar rig. His rig had been steadily growing over the years and I was just waiting for him to break it down a little bit.

Yeah.  He first had to build it up, so it only makes sense that he would later break it down.

It had to be either You or Me that made that joke.

[phentalmyst]

Some cool insight into the Myung's input in the lyric-writing department from the JP interview: 

In the case of John's composition lyrically, for "Breaking All Illusions," it's very similar to the last time... to any song John's written. He usually writes a lot of words in a sort of free form, if you will. And then it's a matter of me going in there with him and crafting it into a lyric. Which, all those things I'm talking about, like rhythms and phrasing and syllable placement and all that stuff, that's not something that John really focuses in. So I need to go in there and make that happen because ultimately it has to be sung and it has to sound natural being sung. Phrases have to work for [James] in order for it to be convincing. You can't just have all this esoteric sort of prose and then try to sing it; it doesn't work that way.

So that's the working relationship that I've had with John lyrically from the beginning. And this time around he was, like, "You know what? You got to take credit this time." So we put that on there, the lyrics by Myung and myself, because of all the time spent in that crafting department was something that he valued.

so, the lyric rule is now gone and JP alone (not MP, KM, or JP) always assisted JM?

[bosk1]

Apparently.

[Madman Shepherd]

That's awesome that JM wanted him to be credited as well. 

[fibreoptix]

I'm really glad JP decided to simplify his guitar rig. His rig had been steadily growing over the years and I was just waiting for him to break it down a little bit.

Yeah.  He first had to build it up, so it only makes sense that he would later break it down.

It had to be either You or Me that made that joke.

Constant Motion. Sorry, what were we doing...?

[snapple]

Hearing that JMX was contributing so much more to begin with was awesome.

[fibreoptix]

I am glad the JM lyric thing was cleared up. That's both what I suspected and hoped would be the case. Unfortunately for Adami, that means JM was responsible for the 'life is what you make of it, buddy' content.

EDIT: It was Adami, wasn't it? I'm suddenly second guessing myself.

[Jaffa]

I am glad the JM lyric thing was cleared up. That's both what I suspected and hoped would be the case. Unfortunately for Adami, that means JM was responsible for the 'life is what you make of it, buddy' content.

EDIT: It was Adami, wasn't it? I'm suddenly second guessing myself.

Yes, I believe it was Adami.

[hefdaddy42]

That's awesome that JM wanted him to be credited as well.

I agree.

[Sketchy]

Why is it the first thing that comes into my mind when I see that JR pic "braaaaaaaaaaains"?

[Mladen]

Cool interviews, although I didn't read all of it. I knew that JP and JM wrote the lyrics to Breaking all illusions that way, so it's nice to finally have it confirmed.

[gmillerdrake]

Cool interviews, although I didn't read all of it. I knew that JP and JM wrote the lyrics to Breaking all illusions that way, so it's nice to finally have it confirmed.

If I understood JP's clarification right about he and JMX and how they wrote the lyrics, this isn't the first time JP has helped craft JMX's poetic lyrics into a structure that can fit a song. And with JP having said that JMX actually came to him and insisted that he get the credit "this time" sounds to me like all or at least some of the songs with JMX lyrics in the past have had JP's final touch to get the lyrics to fit. Is that how anyone/everyone else understood it?

[iamtheeviltwin]

Cool interviews, although I didn't read all of it. I knew that JP and JM wrote the lyrics to Breaking all illusions that way, so it's nice to finally have it confirmed.

If I understood JP's clarification right about he and JMX and how they wrote the lyrics, this isn't the first time JP has helped craft JMX's poetic lyrics into a structure that can fit a song. And with JP having said that JMX actually came to him and insisted that he get the credit "this time" sounds to me like all or at least some of the songs with JMX lyrics in the past have had JP's final touch to get the lyrics to fit. Is that how anyone/everyone else understood it?

Basically the role JP is taking is similar to that of an editor, taking an artist's work and tweaking and making suggestions to make it more "reader friendly".  From my understanding of past JMX lyrical involvement he has always brought more esoteric and poetic lyrics to the table which had to be worked into usuable song lyrics.  It is one of the suspected reasons that he has not provided any lyrics since the imposition of the "lyric rule" (where according to some sources the band wanted a lyricist to bring in mostly or fully completed lyrics with some demo work before using them).

So it is nice to hear from one of the members how JMX poetry is converted into lyrics.  Which can be no simple feat...I have attempted to work some of my brother's poetry into lyrics and it can be quite challenging.

[Bertielee]

Cool interviews, although I didn't read all of it. I knew that JP and JM wrote the lyrics to Breaking all illusions that way, so it's nice to finally have it confirmed.

If I understood JP's clarification right about he and JMX and how they wrote the lyrics, this isn't the first time JP has helped craft JMX's poetic lyrics into a structure that can fit a song. And with JP having said that JMX actually came to him and insisted that he get the credit "this time" sounds to me like all or at least some of the songs with JMX lyrics in the past have had JP's final touch to get the lyrics to fit. Is that how anyone/everyone else understood it?

I think that's the case indeed.

B.Lee