Kevin James LaBrie's Dream Theater Audition

Рет қаралды 50,367

Күн бұрын

0:00 To Live Forever acoustic
5:14 Learning To Live [sometimes called "4-Part Harmony Demo"]
16:18 Take The Time
These are sourced from a bootleg called "Before I Was Dreaming Of Going To The Theater," and although they are described as "auditions," all of these years later, I'm not certain they actually are - they could be rehearsals or pre-production demos leading up to Images & Words. Here are some tidbits about James' early days with Dream Theater, that I found in a magazine article:
How did you join the band, James?
JLB: I heard the "Images" demo and was completely blown away. I auditioned and we jammed one full night. Next day, we started a 4-track demo.
MP: The day you flew in (9th January '91), the Gulf War started!
JLB: Yeah! ... Then on the 19th, we did the rehearsal.
MP: Gee! I don't remember the exact date!
JLB: It was a very big day or me. We went to John Myung's and worked on the song "A Change Of Seasons." I was only down for five days but we got quite a bit done. Then the guys pursued ATCO.

Пікірлер: 176

@Desto13 5 ай бұрын

This is why he will be the voice of Dream Theater until the end. He was simply perfect. Sad how age hit him. He still does amazing when he’s having a good day.

@williamarendell5328 3 жыл бұрын

If not for James we may have never heard of Dream Theater.

@123612100 3 жыл бұрын

I would have, but than again I'm a nerd for late 80s early 90s prog metal.

@123612100 3 жыл бұрын

@Johnny Dong yeah, gimme da cookie!

@ShatteredWindowpane 6 жыл бұрын

This is about as magical as it gets within the Dream Theater mythos. The youth, enthusiasm and energy of everyone in the band, and James finally coming into the fold to bring it all together as the singer they needed. A Change of Seasons, Images and Words, Awake. That is their legacy.

@byom3100 3 жыл бұрын

For me, SFAM and Octavarium also are great DT albums and belong to their legacy.

@ShatteredWindowpane 3 жыл бұрын

@@byom3100 I agree with that. But those came with Jordan Rudess in the band, after Kevin had left. Kevin, The two John's, and Mike were all the founding members of the band, and spent several years writing what would end up being the albums I mentioned. James came in to complete their line up and bring those albums to life. SFAM and Octavarium are also great albums, but they were written in a different era of DT, one where they had matured and evolved from the sound of their first albums. I love both of those albums too, but the ones I pointed to are what helped to define the genre of progressive metal, as it is today.

@147pablox 3 жыл бұрын

@EnergyDeficit You are wrong. Their legacy is their whole discography. ut if you want to narrow it down to a few albums, then the golden era is definitely from SFAM to BC&SL. And I love every album that came after, especialy The Astonishing. But yeah, those six albums in a row are just the best thing thast ever happended to humanity.

@muhtasimshahriyar8351 2 жыл бұрын

@@147pablox Images and Words/Awake/SFAM is their golden era. Anything other than that is nu-metal/groove metal alternative garbage. Octovarium sounds like a U2 album rather than a prog metal record. The song writing went downhill after Kevin Moore and Derek left.

@LudwigJager7 Жыл бұрын

@@muhtasimshahriyar8351 oh no, one of the annoying DT fans that hates everything after scenes

@DiamondSmileItaly 4 жыл бұрын

Phenomenal voice in both low and high tones... James LaBrie was just perfect. It doesn’t even look like an audition!

@dlemmafred 2 жыл бұрын

That's because this isn't an audition recording. I believe this was a recording of a fanclub day in The Netherlands.

@manifestgtr 4 жыл бұрын

Honestly man...at this point in his development, James might’ve been the best tenor in rock. That high clarity, sheen and effortless belting. Not even Geoff hit these kinds of notes with such ease...

@MrRafa1919 4 жыл бұрын

And Geoff is a baritone, haha. ;)

@manifestgtr 4 жыл бұрын

Rafail Mitopoulos Geoff was such a freak at his best...deep and rumbling to superhuman highs

@MrRafa1919 4 жыл бұрын

@@manifestgtr I know my friend, I know... 👊😎

@NatashaSallesSoprano 4 жыл бұрын

I think that no tenor will ever beat Dio and Bruce Dickinson in metal...

@davethefam7420 3 жыл бұрын

Geoff Tate was amazing noone beat him back in the 80's

@universo-inverso-42 6 жыл бұрын

This version of To Live Forever is so good that you could post it separately.

@DTArchive 6 жыл бұрын

I think Mr. Robo4900 has it posted individually, and it's a version modified from the Subconscious disc.

@woodenhoe 3 жыл бұрын

Another version of this song can be found jn Cleaning The Closet

@sammathis 3 жыл бұрын

Hearing this, it's easy to see why they chose James over everybody else.

@MrKkgr 5 жыл бұрын

What a voice! Unique , clear, powerful...at least theses days

@itstrivial1522 4 жыл бұрын

no matter how much you hate James LaBrie now, you still have to admit that he used to be a very good singer

@majosoadicta 3 жыл бұрын

And he's still being great, just different because of the passage of time and the poisoning that damaged his vocal cords

@MrDuneedon 3 жыл бұрын

@@majosoadicta I actually didn't know that happened. Just looked it up. Wow.

@147pablox 3 жыл бұрын

If someone actually HATES LaBrie (or any other great musician like him) then that person doesn't deserve to be alive.

@aguynamednathan 3 жыл бұрын

Honestly, James has aged better than most rock singers. Have you heard Vince Neil lately? How 'bout Axl Rose? Rock and roll takes it's toll on singers.

@kristofkovacsRisy 3 жыл бұрын

@@majosoadicta That is one thing, but the other thing - pointed out by vocal coaches - is the way he and many other singers used their voices.

@Zelda12592 6 жыл бұрын

Keep up the good work dude. This channel is incredible

@stavomusic2647 3 жыл бұрын

This is just phenomenal. Such an intimate look into the days right before they recorded the album that would forever change their lives. I could listen to this stuff for hours. Just subscribed 🤘

@EstebanSolanoMata 6 жыл бұрын

Man, thank you for share this amazing material with us. I love this channel!

@JohnBobRoger 2 жыл бұрын

I went to school with Kevin and his brother........great great people.....they were funny and would give you their shirt off back.....where he come from we are not groupies...just normal folk...Cheers

@AcidSolid 4 жыл бұрын

What a powerful Labrie's voice

@danl2073 3 жыл бұрын

He sings a hell of a lot better than I do.

@sammathis 2 жыл бұрын

That's how I feel about it too. Yeah he's not perfect, but the dude is the voice of DT for a reason.

@CARNAGE25 Жыл бұрын

James sounds UNREAL in Learning to Live. I could listen to this version everyday.

@prime_time_youtube 2 жыл бұрын

My favorite singer after Neal Morse. This is a very impressive audition, the other guys surely were excited!

@geronimosantacruz4110 9 ай бұрын

Im pretty sure that harmonization with the solo on learning to live is what got him the spot

@rtrooperw8115 3 жыл бұрын

He is one of the greatest, no doubt.

@DanielZh3 4 жыл бұрын

I love his voice! LaBrie rocks!!!!!

@alessandromariani99 4 жыл бұрын

Kevin Labrie Kevin Moore John Petrucci John Myung Mike Portnoy Mike Mangini Jordan Rudess... are we sure that his real name is not Kevin, John or Mike!?!?

@AcidicBiaxident 4 жыл бұрын

maybe his real name is Derek :P

@asabovesobelow2299 4 жыл бұрын

@@AcidicBiaxident hahahah

@wediardin6606 3 жыл бұрын

Or charlie ruddes

@TheDarkEternalKnight07 Жыл бұрын

@@AcidicBiaxident good one

@germdisco 9 ай бұрын

Michael Jordan should join 😛

@Lordiesel 3 жыл бұрын

thank fk for Labrie coming into the band.

@Tumamagringa1 5 жыл бұрын

Woow learning to live!!

@davidbelway6076 Ай бұрын

I always figured it was a no brainer. Labrie seemed to fit in every corner of the Dream Theater realm. He had what they needed and they had what he wanted.

@rocklanrocks 9 ай бұрын

Take The Time is freaking unreal, such a rockin version.

@diegoaxexxx123 2 жыл бұрын

He did a great audition

@LeandroFrancisco-mo2rh 5 ай бұрын

Pra quem curte o que importa é ver a banda mantendo seu nivel e trazendo de volta Mike, então quando jovens os cantores costumam ir onde terão mais dificuldade com a idade. Porém os grandes sabem conduzir a obra! Labrie🎉

@JayMaverick 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah he was a phenomenal singer back then, no doubt.

@jascatt3341 Жыл бұрын

In ‘92 on images and words tour I got to go back stage and tell him he sang the Charlie stuff even better! But feel so bad that on the falling into infinity tour I got to talk to him by the tour bus and told him the album sucked oh a fooled asshole I was! James your still awesome!

@iwrutledge1 Жыл бұрын

Priceless

@delucaluigi2 5 жыл бұрын

OMG!!! Powerful :D

@christianaquino8677 2 жыл бұрын

This video its a treasure !!!!!!

@soriaguerrero5799 3 жыл бұрын

Divina voz melodias soñadas lo sinfonicos modernos gracias

@francescoballetta7945 7 ай бұрын

The best audition

@kkrotosongoku2716 Жыл бұрын

Com certeza essa é a melhor execução do hino learning to live na voz do Labrie

@jakeshuster6783 2 күн бұрын

the man.

@talobassprog 9 ай бұрын

On December 30, 1994, while vacationing in Cuba, LaBrie was stricken with a severe case of food poisoning from contaminated pork and while vomiting, he ruptured his vocal cords. He saw three throat specialists who all said there was nothing they could do except have him rest his voice as much as possible.

@AndreCoelhoMatos 5 ай бұрын

I’ve heard this story many times but is there an official source? It makes sense because it was just before Awake.

@rafaellago172 5 ай бұрын

@@AndreCoelhoMatos James himself has said it in interviews.

@nixst80 3 жыл бұрын

James siempre será el mejor.

@dannycastillo_ 4 жыл бұрын

11:52 so LaBrie made the second half of Petrucci’s solo? :0

@asabovesobelow2299 4 жыл бұрын

He did something like that in scene from New York

@TheDarkEternalKnight07 Жыл бұрын

@@asabovesobelow2299 yeah, and the melodies are almost the same

@asabovesobelow2299 Жыл бұрын

@@TheDarkEternalKnight07 yessssss

@AndreCoelhoMatos 5 ай бұрын

So good!

@baptistefall7131 2 жыл бұрын

Labrie is the best singer early 90's, hand down lml

@spudfella4937 Жыл бұрын

LaBrie in the early 90's is easily one of the best metal singers of all time, if not THE best. Check out the gig at Deer Park. Just search on youtube Dream Theater Deer Park, you'll be blown away by LaBrie's performance that night.

@christianaquino8677 2 жыл бұрын

I love this video because afther know the most increíble músic I ever hear with this video know the first steps of the band who makes me fly , thanks DREAM THEATER .

@ArpeggioPegasusMusic 2 жыл бұрын

Feels so weird to hear this demo version of "Take the Time".

@coloargento 4 жыл бұрын

Me imagino las caras de Portnoy, Petrucci, Myung y Moore en 11:41

@asabovesobelow2299 4 жыл бұрын

Todos cargados jajaj

@jayhay8 4 жыл бұрын

He kinda sounds like a mix between Sebastian Bach, Vince Neil, and Geddy Lee here

@robertkrajci1847 4 жыл бұрын

Young LaBrie has charizmaric voice.

@llawma2588 4 жыл бұрын

Wow I'm just reminded how beautiful and unique his voice was... Still love him to this day but the notes of their songs are too much for a 50 year old guy

@thundersnow93 9 ай бұрын

Listen to the classic Petra live concert from 2012 with Greg X Voltz. He killed the high notes with ease in that concert at 62 years old!

@JoeyArmstrong2800 Жыл бұрын

I'm not always a James LaBrie fan but it's clear the was the right guy for the job.

@shiaominglee 3 жыл бұрын

damn those bass lines

@anthonycortez9191 7 ай бұрын

this is why this guy was hired

@DaveDexterMusic 5 жыл бұрын

Can't believe 17.39 made it into the final version.

@whoshotjj Жыл бұрын

Wdym? There's nothing wrong

@GillBoldberg 6 ай бұрын

11:41 What we all came here for.

@silvana2186 Жыл бұрын

He has charismatic voice

@bromomento6998 9 ай бұрын

20:14 sounds like entering heaven

@AndreCoelhoMatos 5 ай бұрын

Which is exactly how DT should feel

@vividimagination5018 4 жыл бұрын

Dream Theater Is This Voice.

@vintarusproximus2854 8 ай бұрын

LaBrie in his prime was superb vocalist. He fitted the band perfectly. Now he is their weak spot.

@Dolores5000 5 жыл бұрын

Pristine lovely

@flipandr3123 5 жыл бұрын

wow

@claudioalejandrosantislara2597 6 ай бұрын

Aunque a muchos no le guste James labrie es Dream Theater. Pues la voz de un vocalista es lo primero que te entra de la banda. Pues si alguna vez es cambiado pareceria una banda de cover de Dream. Es verdad que a tenido un desgaste muy grande en su voz, pero todos ya saben porque fue.

@panchoroldanz 6 жыл бұрын

I can't understand what does he say from 4:30 to 4:45, anyone can help me please?

@imagez11 5 жыл бұрын

Francisco Roldan This just in from Baghdad, seven Patriot missiles (SAM) have been spotted *among cuepacs*

@phabi0 5 жыл бұрын

@@imagez11... Have been spotted *above Cuba*

@trenken 3 ай бұрын

Jeez i didnt know that rich chycki was in winter rose with james. Rich engineered some later rush albums like snakes and arrows i believe. Small world.

@DTArchive 3 ай бұрын

Rich is also complicit in slopping up some of the more recent Dream Theater albums with bad vocal editing and bad drum engineering. Not a man I respect.

@kevztunz 3 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure why James was so fond of the short shorts, but I'm glad he ditched them.

@shiaominglee 3 жыл бұрын

maybe Canada is so cold that US is hot in comparison lol idk

@shiaominglee 4 жыл бұрын

So when he came down in late 90 did he sing with the live band? Or sang over a recorded track?

@nikostheater 2 жыл бұрын

With the band.

@facundorozada1091 2 жыл бұрын

HOW did you get this?

@joeking9760 6 ай бұрын

bribery and intimidation.

@RBKluuzGH 3 жыл бұрын

11:41 :O

@Lithuania8634 3 жыл бұрын

Still sad there was never an official studio recording on any of the albums. I suppose the "Best Hits" one counts but I don't like the lyrical change at the end.

@fixxxer7786 6 жыл бұрын

Not related but would you happen to have the Grateful Dreams’ 5 Days In a Livetime bootleg? I’ve tried looking almost everywhere for this one and only found one song off of it on KZfaq.

@DTArchive 6 жыл бұрын

I have it, but the Grateful Dreams people didn't want their stuff being shared electronically. I think it's a stupid rule.

@fixxxer7786 6 жыл бұрын

DT Archive Considering that the bootleg itself is out of stock on both Discogs and their own website, therefore making it impossible to get, is pretty stupid but thanks anyways!

@DTArchive 6 жыл бұрын

The only thing that stands out as being particularly interesting from that show is the Pink Floyd Run Like Hell cover, which is on the Dark Side Of The Moon official bootleg. Beyond that, it's pretty similar to the other December 1998 shows. I want to eventually get Acoustic At The Electric Factory and Heading For Planet X up on this channel.

@fixxxer7786 6 жыл бұрын

DT Archive The electric version of Cover My Eyes from that show also surfaced but that’s about it. I was honestly curious how good the recordings were for The Way It Used To Be, Hell’s Kitchen and a few others. Since other live recordings of those songs are not really the best from that era.

@DTArchive 6 жыл бұрын

The quality is OK. The drums sound pretty good.

@kevinstewart8120 3 жыл бұрын

Did they tell him what to sing or did he do his own thing?

@kevinstewart8120 3 жыл бұрын

@Johnny Dong yes what 😐

@percyrobles8897 3 жыл бұрын

Dream Theater already gave the vocal melodies for each song to all the singers in the auditions. You can see in ACOS or Metropolis demos with another singers, and they sing the same vocal melodies.

@PerfectSense77 Жыл бұрын

Perhaps he made it big too late, and peaked too early in terms of recording anything that anyone actually listened to. And then he had that vocal rupture in '94 which was pretty much the end. At least we had the first two albums with him.

@mootbooxle 9 ай бұрын

yeah he was definitely not the same after that incident in 94…but it seems to me that he started pushing his vocals waaaay too hard on the 95 tour, trying to add this more aggressive edge…not humanly possible to keep that up forever! As long as the muscles and joints and tendons hold out, a musician can play their instrument at a high level for many many years…but the human voice seems to be much less resilient! His singing in the last several years is what we’re left with after all the years of him trying to keep up that same intensity and range he had in his 20s…Tragic in a way but it is just nature!

@Dieterbe 8 ай бұрын

What are the odds of damaging your vocal chords after food poisoning ? Now same question, but combined with the odds of being one of the best singers in the world. Talk about terrible luck 😮

@grannen2258 7 ай бұрын

Kevin James?!

@AndreCoelhoMatos 5 ай бұрын

Yup. He joined the band as James bc there was already two Johns, and so they didn’t want two Kevins, with Kevin Moore being one of the original members. I think DT went down creatively after Moore left. JR is technically great but can’t match Mr. Moores’ energy, soul and creativity. In my opinion

@grannen2258 5 ай бұрын

@@AndreCoelhoMatos Yeah I agree, Images is yhe best album much thanks to Moore. Kevin Moore was the Dream and Mike Portnoy the theater.

@beaumanikoth9142 3 жыл бұрын

I saw 'Take the Time' on MTV in 1992 at the age of 18 and was hooked...until 2016 when "The Astonishing" happened...blah...haven't bought anything since.

@lowdz68 2 жыл бұрын

You’re missing out. The Distance Over Time album is excellent xcellent

@beaumanikoth9142 2 жыл бұрын

@@lowdz68, not one memorable song to my ears. Kinda sad, really. The latest single, 'The Alien,' sounds like a leftover from Systematic Chaos. But, being a fan, I will probably buy AVFTTOTW. Lets hope it won't end up at Goodwill like "The Astonishing."

@hayalaln2302 2 жыл бұрын

I recommend listening to A View from the Top of the World, awesome album from start to finish

@kristenbuildsstuff Жыл бұрын

A View From the Top of the World is much better than Distance Over Time, which I wasn’t a huge fan of.. The Astonishing, I don’t speak of - I’m covered in DT tattoos and just couldn’t rock with it. I would definitely give the new album a try, though. Even if just for the title track!

@alfredoooooooooooooooooooooooo 2 ай бұрын

astonishing may have a cheesy story but the songwriting and playing is amazing

@LucaScavolini 6 ай бұрын

R.I.P. Charlie Dominici

@byom3100 4 жыл бұрын

How can this be a real audition if there are at least two james labries singing o.Ô ? (7:15)

@blackholesun2836 4 жыл бұрын

Maybe they arranged it later

@TobiaTesan 4 жыл бұрын

I suppose they dragged JLB in the studio, recorded a demo, overdubbed a few things and decided they liked how this guy sounded overall?

@byom3100 4 жыл бұрын

@@TobiaTesan Exactly, I would rather call it a demo than an audition.

@camilomoreno6396 3 жыл бұрын

@@byom3100 bla bla bla bla bla

@byom3100 3 жыл бұрын

@@camilomoreno6396 Thank you for this interesting comment :D

@Arnaldotb2 2 ай бұрын

Our lives in 2024, why lord..why tell me why?

@FS-ue1zz 10 ай бұрын

È bravo ma non si applica. Si distrae ed è poco preciso. Comunque le faremo sapere...😂

@cunjoz 13 күн бұрын

honestly, idk if there was anyone ever who sang better than James of that era. he's not doing the operatic thing of the metal of the decade prior, his voice isn't thin like in classic prog rock. it's somehow natural, both clear but still substantial. it's interesting, as much as I'm drawn to DT's music as such, what keeps me away from other prog metal bands is their vocals cuz they all try to do that power metal shit, which I can't help but perceive as pretentious and fake. James is just authentic. Sorry Charlie, but DT made the right call with James.

@iftea7 8 ай бұрын

He's still an amazing singer, it's hard to sing this way LIVE.. James on his worst day is a king compared to Dave Mustaine lol

@tvnja 5 ай бұрын

I think Labrie should be replaced. He's too old now and is struggling way too much to reach a mediocre at best level. I like the guy but even years ago he was off.

@DTArchive 5 ай бұрын

100% this. I don't get the people who act like he's entitled to remain in the band indefinitely because he was a good singer once. That's like saying Jeffrey Dahmer never turned into a serial killer because you can point to a time in history when he was not a serial killer.