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Dream Theater

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Ayreon - The Human Equation
Ayreon - Day Eleven: Love
Ayreon - Come Back to Me

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Day Fifteen: Pride
Day Two: Isolation
No Quarter

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The Human Equation - Teaser
The Human Equation - Trailer

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James LaBrie

James LaBrie - vocals

Studio report - The Human Equation

Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie had told reporters and fans that he really wanted to work with Arjen one day. In November that day had finally come as James flew over from Toronto to enter the Electric Castle and record his vocals. Read the report and check out the pictures (click to enlarge)!

- What made you choose James LaBrie for this Ayreon project?

Arjen: When I first heard Dream Theater I especially liked - besides the excellent instrumentalists of course- the soft and emotional side of James' warm voice. When I bought 'Scenes' and I listened to it, I was convinced. I just had to have that voice on Ayreon, he would fit in very well with my music.

- How did you get in touch with James?

Arjen: My good friend (just in case he reads this ;-) Gary 'Shadow Gallery' Wehrkamp played my album 'Into The Electric Castle' to James, and James absolutely loved it. Gary told me about this, and obviously I sent James an email straight away asking him if he would be interested to guest on one of my projects one day. He immediately answered me and wrote me that he really likes my music and that he would love to be a part of it. He told me he would sing as much as I wanted him to. That was some years ago. I was waiting for the right project to come along for him, and this is it. He plays the main character on the album.

- Describe the recording session in three words.

Arjen: Professional, emotional, well-prepared.

- How would you describe James' voice?

Arjen: Personally I love his warm, emotional and full voice, but I also had him do some really impressive high screams!

- What was the most memorable moment?

Arjen: When James went jogging for 20 minutes before the first session, and he hadn't returned an hour later! He got lost (in the dark) and I had to search for him in my car. He was freezing and just wearing a t-shirt! Luckily he could laugh about the whole thing.

- What was something you absolutely didn't expect?

Arjen: That he would come so well-prepared. He knew the story and the character he had to portray even better than I did! And the amount of emotion he put into his performance, I can easily see why he sells millions of albums.

- What was something James did not expect?

Arjen: I think he came here with pretty high expectations, because he speaks so highly about me to people I know and to the press. I just hope I lived up to his expectations.

- James has the unique ability to...

Arjen: ...become the character he's portraying.

- Describe the endresult of the session.

Arjen: Hey, I've got the voice of Dream Theater on my album!