In Defense of James LaBrie: A Manifesto

[Ben_Jamin]

I was watching a live video of the last half of 6DOIT from the DreamSonic tour. It made realize how much the background vocals of both JP and MP helped JLBs vocals in a live setting.

I am now realizing how much of a task was put on JLB in the vocal department when MP left.

JLBs vocals are amazing and he is doing his best to fill in for the lost aspects. But, when I was listening to that video, all I could think was, if MPs vocals where there, just how much better that live performance would be.

[Herrick]

+1000. JP's ego needs to take a major step back. I'd like to hear all the instruments. There's no reason at all for them to crank it that high, it's not a death metal show.  There's no way the loudness complaints haven't reached their ears, no pun intended.

Do you really think it's an ego thing? Petrucci always seems so humble and shit in all the interviews I've seen him in.

I was watching a live video of the last half of 6DOIT from the DreamSonic tour. It made realize how much the background vocals of both JP and MP helped JLBs vocals in a live setting.

I am now realizing how much of a task was put on JLB in the vocal department when MP left.

JLBs vocals are amazing and he is doing his best to fill in for the lost aspects. But, when I was listening to that video, all I could think was, if MPs vocals where there, just how much better that live performance would be.

What about all the parts where LaBrie is the only one singing? That makes up the vast majority of the vocals.

[Puppies_On_Acid]

It baffles me when I can go see HAKEN and Symphony X and 'smaller' bands like that and thier mix is spot on where everyone is featured......then go to a DT show and get crushed with nothing but guitar and a hint of keyboard.

I blame the guy running the in house mix on the soundboard. He's either completely deaf (likely) or just mixing it the way JP wants it (also likely) or they are both deaf (another possibility).

[HOF]

I just assume as musicians get older and can't hear anymore their sound (both live and in studio) will get worse. I imagine hearing loss plays a role in James' pitch struggles as well.

[Glasser]

I blame the guy running the in house mix on the soundboard. He's either completely deaf (likely) or just mixing it the way JP wants it (also likely) or they are both deaf (another possibility).

[ZirconBlue]

I've seen DT 9 times and have never had the problems others are describing with volume or mix.  When I saw them on the D/T tour, Myung was really audible.

[Glasser]

I've seen DT 9 times and have never had the problems others are describing with volume or mix.  When I saw them on the D/T tour, Myung was really audible.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I've seen DT 9 times and have never had the problems others are describing with volume or mix.  When I saw them on the D/T tour, Myung was really audible.

Same. I thought the live mixes were great...heard every note clearly which cant be said for some of the bands they toured with.

[TAC]

Listening to some mid-career live material from DT, and I just wanted to say that despite his struggles from time to time, James Labrie has one of my all time favorite voices, probably right behind Michael Kiske for me.
The guy is just incredible when he's on.

[Volante99]

Say what you want about the man- he truly is a key ingredient to the DT sound.

I distinctly remember the first time Dream Theater "clicked" for me was when JLB belts out "WATCH THE SPARROW FALLING..." during Pull Me Under. It was the first "holy shit this is awesome!" moment I had with the band and I have JLB to thank for that.

Shitty cell phone footage aside, I've seen the band 6 times and I've never had any major issues with JLB's performance live, in the flesh. Admittedly, I missed them on the last tour but he's always ranged from serviceable to phenomenal.

[Volante99]

Also, out of all the times I've seen DT, I would say with maybe one exception, they've always had a relatively well-balanced mix and professional sounding live show, at least by hard rock/metal standards.

But I admit, I also like my metal shows loud. If I don't feel the kick drum in my chest or the guitars aren't jingling my bells, then it's too soft. If I can hear the idiot behind me rattle on about seeing Winger in '89 during my favorite song, then, again, it ain't loud enough.

[crystalstars17]

Say what you want about the man- he truly is a key ingredient to the DT sound.

I can't agree more.

I distinctly remember the first time Dream Theater "clicked" for me was when JLB belts out "WATCH THE SPARROW FALLING..." during Pull Me Under. It was the first "holy shit this is awesome!" moment I had with the band and I have JLB to thank for that.

This. When I first heard Images and Words, his voice literally stopped me in my tracks. Just like Faythe says in The Astonishing, I heard his voice and would never be the same...

I'm happy to see some positivity for James. 

[TAC]

Shitty cell phone footage aside, I've seen the band 6 times and I've never had any major issues with JLB's performance live, in the flesh. Admittedly, I missed them on the last tour but he's always ranged from serviceable to phenomenal.

Yeah, it doesn't always stand out live in person. I was really conscious of it last summer so it was awful in real time.

I have boots of pretty much every DT show I've seen and like you said, he's always been serviceable to phenomenal. The only two exceptions where after playback I was shocked at how rough James actually sounded are the Boston show on the Scenes tour and the Providence show on the Fix for '96 tour.

That '96 show was the first time The Lovely Mrs TAC came with me to see DT, and she has never liked James. 


Still, I have always considered him DT's secret weapon.


Images And Words might be the single greatest vocal album I've ever heard. It's either that or Keepers Pt. 2.

[crystalstars17]

Images And Words might be the single greatest vocal album I've ever heard. It's either that or Keepers Pt. 2.

Also being a fan of Kiske, I've often wondered what it would sound like if he and James were to cover each other's songs. Their voices are actually very different, different strengths and weaknesses, etc, but it would be fun to hear nonetheless. Imagine a Kiske version of Learning to Live?! Or James melting hearts on A Tale That Wasn't Right 🔥

It's fun to think about.

[KevShmev]

Images And Words might be the single greatest vocal album I've ever heard.

Same here. 

Everyone goes crazy for the F# in Learning to Live, but in addition to most of Take the Time, the, "I'm asleep, yet I'm so afraid," line in Metropolis still gives me goosebumps every time.  The way he holds 'afraid' for seemingly forever and then vibratos it at the end...my goodness. 

[TAC]

Also being a fan of Kiske, I've often wondered whatbit would sound like if he and James were to cover each other's songs. Their voices are actually very different, different strengths and weaknesses, etc, but it would be fun to hear nonetheless. Imagine a Kiske version of Learning to Live?! Or James melting hearts on A Tale That Wasn't Right 🔥

It's fun to think about.

Well, it would've been fun to think about. There's way too many miles on James' voice that Kiske doesn't have. James' only shot at A Tale That Wasn't Right would've been in 1992, and 1994. '04-'06 James also would've done a decent job I would think.

[TAC]

Images And Words might be the single greatest vocal album I've ever heard.

Same here. 

Everyone goes crazy for the F# in Learning to Live, but in addition to most of Take the Time, the, "I'm asleep, yet I'm so afraid," line in Metropolis still gives me goosebumps every time.  The way he holds 'afraid' for seemingly forever and then vibratos it at the end...my goodness. 

I think the F# is an internet phenomenon  ....at least in the attention it gets. He's phenomenal throughout the entire album. Every song!

[KevShmev]

I think the F# is an internet phenomenon  ....at least in the attention it gets. He's phenomenal throughout the entire album. Every song!

I think I said this before, but I remember when I first got online, I saw DT fans talking about the F# and I had no idea what moment in Learning to Live they were talking about.

But, yes, every song! 

[crystalstars17]

'04-'06 James also would've done a decent job I would think.

That's exactly the era of his voice that I would've wanted to hear it in. Sigh 😪

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Well, it would've been fun to think about. There's way too many miles on James' voice that Kiske doesn't have. James' only shot at A Tale That Wasn't Right would've been in 1992, and 1994. '04-'06 James also would've done a decent job I would think.

Kiske has an amazing voice and I honestly think he took a lot of inspiration from John Arch. You can hear a lot of similarities between them, or at least I can. I think James is just in a completely different wheelhouse. Not to say early '90s James couldn't tackle some Kiske stuff.

[crystalstars17]

I think James is just in a completely different wheelhouse.

Absolutely. I don't think their voices can be compared at all. There's some crossover, but that's all. They have different superpowers. James melts hearts, but Kiske melts faces. James's voice was never meant to melt faces, his power is something else entirely - that lovely, lilting, lyrical warmth. But he tried, and I think that's where he got himself into trouble.

[HOF]

Same here. 

Everyone goes crazy for the F# in Learning to Live, but in addition to most of Take the Time, the, "I'm asleep, yet I'm so afraid," line in Metropolis still gives me goosebumps every time.  The way he holds 'afraid' for seemingly forever and then vibratos it at the end...my goodness. 

For me it's the "pensive fear" section of Take the Time.

[Herrick]

Same here. 

Everyone goes crazy for the F# in Learning to Live, but in addition to most of Take the Time, the, "I'm asleep, yet I'm so afraid," line in Metropolis still gives me goosebumps every time.  The way he holds 'afraid' for seemingly forever and then vibratos it at the end...my goodness. 


I think the F# is an internet phenomenon  ....at least in the attention it gets. He's phenomenal throughout the entire album. Every song!

Maybe it is but that F# part was what made me a fan of LaBrie. Before that, I didn't really pay much attention to his singing on that album.

[TAC]

Maybe it is but that F# part was what made me a fan of LaBrie. Before that, I didn't really pay much attention to his singing on that album.

Wow! How could you not? You mean to tell me you made it up through halfway through the last song on the album and didn't think anything of his singing??

I don't know man. That album is likely the greatest vocal I've ever heard.
(My Top 3.. I&W, Keepers Pt2, and O:M)

[Cool Chris]

I think the F# is an internet phenomenon  ....at least in the attention it gets. He's phenomenal throughout the entire album. Every song!

Right. I fell in love with this band, and what James brought to it, back with I&W in 92/93. I never would have known, or even cared much, about the F# if it didn't come up on DT commentary tracks and this forum. That album is riddled with vocal moments that still give me chills in 2024. The F# isn't even the top 10.

[wolfking]

The whole album is one of those moments where the stars just aligned.  I've grown to appreciate it and love it more these days than 20 years ago when I first discovered it.  ACOS was my first intro to DT and I immediately went to the CD store and picked up I&W as it was the only album they had.  It was like a whole new experience, James' vocals included.  I also am in the camp that the F# didn't really stand out as much as anything else, because the whole vocal performance from start to end has always floored me. 

Listening to some mid-career live material from DT, and I just wanted to say that despite his struggles from time to time, James Labrie has one of my all time favorite voices, probably right behind Michael Kiske for me.
The guy is just incredible when he's on.

This.  I just love listening or watching DT shows from all different eras.  Even the nights James' isn't 100% I for some reason still love hearing him, warts and all.  Most the time, he's fine.  His mid season performances really are fantastic, he just gets a rough deal playing with the 4 fellas around him.  If he were in most other bands, you wouldn't even blink at some of his performances that are a little off.

[Herrick]

Wow! How could you not? You mean to tell me you made it up through halfway through the last song on the album and didn't think anything of his singing??

I don't know man. That album is likely the greatest vocal I've ever heard.
(My Top 3.. I&W, Keepers Pt2, and O:M)

I don't normally pay a lot of attention to singers unless there's something that grabs me right away like Mercury or Dio. LaBrie's voice wasn't immediately likeable for Herrick. I didn't dislike him either. And there was so much shit going on with all the instrumentation on that album that grabbed my attention. It was like nothing I ever heard before.

But yeah I agree that it's at least one of the best vocal performances. It took me a little while to realize that but better late than never LaBrie was a godamned god back then.

[Dream Team]

I'm a little curious whether JLB will be even more exposed on this upcoming tour . . . with no click, there won't be any background or harmony vocals being piped in to make it sound better. What do you guys think?

[Herrick]

I'm a little curious whether JLB will be even more exposed on this upcoming tour . . . with no click, there won't be any background or harmony vocals being piped in to make it sound better. What do you guys think?

I thought they dropped most or all of the pre-recorded backing vocals on the middle of the last tour.

[gzarruk]

Yes, they dropped all pre-recorded vocals at the start of last year and turned JP's mic on again after a decade

I think it's safe to assume John and Mike will do all backing vocals libre moving forward, but I don't expect any miraculous comeback from James' vocals. It is what it is.

[WilliamMunny]

Yes, they dropped all pre-recorded vocals at the start of last year and turned JP's mic on again after a decade

I think it's safe to assume John and Mike will do all backing vocals libre moving forward, but I don't expect any miraculous comeback from James' vocals. It is what it is.

I agree with this in general, but I do think that while his range and tone are probably never going to fully return, he certainly has control over what register he chooses to sing in.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, someone should do him a favor and send him a link to virtually any Fates performance from the last decade. Alder is proof positive that there's a smarter way to sing all those operatic songs.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

with no click, there won't be any background or harmony vocals being piped in to make it sound better. What do you guys think?

I get the concerns about not having a click track, but let's be real—James LaBrie is going to absolutely slay it this tour. The guy has been killing it for decades, and his experience is going to shine through, click or no click. James and the rest of the band have the chops to deliver an incredible performance regardless. They've been doing this for so long that their chemistry and musicianship are off the charts. They know how to adapt and make it work, even in challenging conditions. Just think of how having Mike Portnoy back in the band, and his incredible energy, is going to boost James' performance to new highs. James has been working hard on his vocals, and it will show. His recent performances have been top-notch, and there's no reason to doubt that he'll bring that same energy and precision to this tour. The harmonies and background vocals are a big part of Dream Theater's sound, but let's not forget the raw talent and passion that James brings to every show.

[crystalstars17]

there's a smarter way to sing all those operatic songs.

The smart way to sing "operatic songs" is with a solid classically-based vocal technique.

He can do it. 💙

[TAC]

but let's not forget the raw talent and passion that James brings to every show.

Yup. He sounded pretty raw on the last tour.

[crystalstars17]

Yup. He sounded pretty raw on the last tour.