Musician

I live a very open life. I value my relationship with the fans, and I utilize Twitter and Facebook and my web site, so my day-to-day activities are an open book for me to share with the fans, for better or for worse.

It's all about the music, and I work as hard as I do strictly because of the music. It's not a money thing; it's not a career thing. It's simply to do with me being a music fan with a broad taste, wanting to do different styles and wanting to work with lots of different people.

I can't possibly overstate how much influence Rush had on me as a young teenager. I would say from about 1981 to 1987, they were my gods.

Normally, when I write the setlist for a Dream Theater show, I'll change it up every night, and we can basically play whatever we want.

I surround myself with incredible musicians who inspire me to always do my best.

Richie Kotzen is such an unbelievable talent as a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter.

After I left Dream Theater, and I was doing Avenged Sevenfold, Twisted Sister... all these other things, I made a lot of new fans in a lot of new areas.

After I wrote 'The Best Of Times' for my dad and after I completed the '12 Steps Suite' with Dream Theater, I very much felt like I had said everything I wanted to say lyrically.

I've always had lots of side projects in my life, but what's exciting for me is knowing that Adrenaline Mob is bigger than that.

I love when people know me from things other than Dream Theater.

When you're putting together a concept album, it's all about the flow and the story.

My time and my legacy with Dream Theater will always be a part of me. It's something I'll always be proud of.

I'm not a politician; I'm a very open, honest guy, and that's the way it is - that's the way I am; take it or leave it.

You don't have to be a great drummer to be the most important guy in the band.

I kind of always made it a tradition, whenever Dream Theater played Toronto, to play a Rush cover.

I usually have three to four bands a year going at any given point.

I love the Dream Theater guys dearly and have a long history, friendship, and bond that runs incredibly deep with them - it's just that I think we are in serious need of a little break.

Any time I say anything about Dream Theater... Honestly, I'd rather not talk about it. Because no matter what I say, it will be twisted and... So I kind of have made myself promise that I won't talk about Dream Theater anymore.

I really do care what people think, and I revolved my whole career and all the twenty five years with Dream Theater... I ran that band and made decisions based on caring what the fans thought and wanted.

You can put me in front of any kit, and it is a fun thing to have to adapt. It inspires me to try different things. I like that.