During which "era" did you become a fan?

[Super Dude]

Not the same as what was your first album or what was the first you were exposed to, not exactly anyway. Me, for example, I was introduced to Dream Theater by a friend of mine during the summer of 2005, only two months after Octavarium came out. Thing is, he didn't have 8VM; my first album was Train of Thought, and Awake after that (he burned both for me). But what about all y'alls? Did you guys get introduced to DT by their latest album at the time? If so, which era was it?

[Adami]

Right after Metropolis 2000 came out. 6 Degrees was my first new release album.

[KevShmev]

Shortly after I&W came out.  I still remember how cool it was that Pull Me Under, Take the Time and Another Day all had videos that were played on MTV.

[BlobVanDam]

Early 2003, and the current album at the time, SDOIT, also happened to be my first.

[ResultsMayVary]

The same exact day Octavarium came out. It was a day that changed my life. 

[tartarus250]

just after images and words came out i heard pull me under on raw power one night and i have been hooked ever since!!

[devieira73]

1993, I&W (am I that old?!  ). Awake was the first release that I waited anxiously and I was blown away!  After that, Kevin Moore leaving the band was a shock  etc. 

[wasteland]

SC era, first album was SFAM, than Octavarium (song), and then SDOIT and IAW.

[DebraKadabra]

1992/1993, Images and Words era.

[Jaq]

When I saw Pull Me Under on MTV for the first time, so that makes me an I&W era dude. 

[robwebster]

Train of Thought era, early 2004 - just around when Live at Budokan was being recorded. Which is... the best part of a decade ago, now.

Man.

[VioletS16]

May 2010...what era would that be?

[jonny108]

The day Live Scenes DVD came out! I remember watching the whole thing with my ex step-dad. I was only 9 I think!

[Ħ]

Right after Score came out. A buddy showed me The Glass Prison, Metropolis, and The Dance Of Eternity. I had never heard music like that and it blew my mind.

[GasparXR]

I've been hearing about them since 2003-ish from my cousin. I never learned what they were about until I heard Panic Attack and Constant Motion on Rock Band 2 in late 2008. I instantly enjoyed them, and early 2009 I purchased the Greatest Hit compilation. I wasn't fully into them yet -- I didn't get Black Clouds as soon as it came out, but I got it for my birthday in October that year, making it my first true DT album.

Afterwards, I purchased Octavarium, Systematic Chaos, Chaos in Motion, Images & Words, Awake, Scenes from a Memory, Score, Six Degrees, Train of Thought, Falling Into Infinity, When Dream and Day Unite, Metropolis 2000, Live Scenes From New York, Live at Budokan, Live at the Marquee, and Once in a LIVEtime, all in that order. SC, I&W, Awake, SDOIT, LSFNY, LAB, LATM, and OIALT were iTunes purchases. And then of course, I pre-ordered ADTOE.

[wasteland]

May 2010...what era would that be?

Raw Dog era

[TheGreatPretender]

I was first introduced to them during the Scenes From A Memory era, with The Dance of Eternity of all things, although it was 2001, so I guess it wouldn't have been long until 6 Degrees came out. I listened to Dance of Eternity quite a bit back then, but after reformatting my hard drive, the song got deleted and I just kind of forgot about them.

Until 2008 when I was once again reminded of Dream Theater and said, "Hold up. That was some kick ass music. I should look into that." Which was when I actually bought SFAM as well as their latest album, Systematic Chaos, and neither was a disappointment. Before even hearing the rest of their discography, I made the claim that they were my #1 favorite band, and the rest of their discography did not disappoint either.

[ResultsMayVary]

May 2010...what era would that be?

About a month before BC&SL came out, so I'd say BC&SL era.

[TheGreatPretender]

May 2010...what era would that be?

About a month before BC&SL came out, so I'd say BC&SL era.

BC&SL came out in 2009 actually.

[Scorpion]

I heard ITNOG for the first time in 2009, so BC&SL-era, I guess. My first album was L@B.

[DreamerTV]

Right after Metropolis 2000 came out. 6 Degrees was my first new release album.

[Vivace]

Back in 92 I heard Pull Me Under on the radio and loved the song. I would blast it every time I heard it. I bought the cassette single Another Day which had Under a Glass Moon on the other side. I never really got into both at the time. Then in 1993 in college a friend introduced the whole album Images and Words and then played for me When Dream and Day Unite. I bought Images and Words but usually skipped Surrounded, Wait for Sleep and Learning to Live. Then October 1994, Awake came out and I remember waiting in line with the same friend to buy it. We got home and played it and were a bit stupefied by the record. It was quite different from Images and Words. Soon I began to listen to all of Images and Words and after a while Awake was my number 1 album. I also fell in love with WDADU although the production was a little weird. So in a nutshell, everything started in 1992 with my very first song, Pull Me Under.

[Nekov]

It was between TOT and 8VM for me.

[yeshaberto]

just after images and words came out i heard pull me under one day and i have been hooked ever since!!

[Lolzeez]

The same exact day Octavarium came out. It was a day that changed my life. 

[Phantasmatron]

I began looking into the band a few months after Octavarium came out and the first Dream Theater album I bought the week of its release was Systematic Chaos.

[jsem]

A bit after the release of BCSL. That release has nothing to do with me discovering them though.

[TL]

Late Fall of 2004. A friend of mine introduced me to them with the Metropolis 2000 DVD. I checked out some of their stuff over the next while, and bought Octavarium around the time it came out.

[MuumiPeikko]

Between Systematic Chaos and Black Clouds

[Setlist Scotty]

Summer of '89 after reading a review about WDaDU in RIP! magazine (the review was bad, but likened it to Yngwie, Kansas, Metallica and a whole bunch of Rush, so I had to get it). Been a fan ever since picking up the album brand new.

[Dreamer81]

Right before SFAM, actually my first DT gig was 11 april 2000. Mindblowing!!!

[ColdFireYYZ]

Spring/Summer of 2010, so shortly after BC&SL.

[Sycsa]

After Live at Budokan came out, my piano teacher gave the DVD to me, suggesting to pay attention to Jordan Rudess, 'cause he's one of the greatest. Being an avid classic prog rock enthusiast, I remember how disappointed I was after the first two songs, so I decided to fast forward to Jordan's solo, which was even worse. I remember saying to myself: what's the point of a keyboard solo, if he makes it sound exactly like an electric guitar? Fortunately, the second part of the solo was better and after that I checked out Instrumedley which completely blew me away and prompted me to check out their discography. I&W and Scenes became instant favorites because of Instrumedley and since then I came to appreciate all their albums, including ToT.

[Zydar]

I bought I&W and Awake in late 2000 and liked them, but didn't become a fan until I revisited those albums in mid-2007. So that would mean around the release of SC. An album I now rank second to last, just above the debut.

[Gadough]

Systematic Chaos. A high school friend showed me the music videos to Constant Motion and Forsaken one day in computer class. Not exactly the best introduction to the band, I know, but it was enough to make me want to explore further.