Dream Theater
Heavy Metal | 2010Dream Theater is a progressive heavy metal band that was formed in 1985 when Berklee School of Music students Mike Portnoy (born in Long Beach), John Myung and John Petrucci (born in Kings Park) decided to start a band. Originally known as Majesty, the fledgling act recruited keyboardist Kevin Moore and singer Chris Collins into the fold. Collins eventually left, replaced by Charlie Dominici, while another band forced them to drop the Majesty moniker in favor of Dream Theater, which was the name of a demolished California cinema. 1989’s When Dream and Day Unite made an immediate impact on the underground progressive rock scene, but Dream Theater wanted to push further. Replacing Dominici with James LaBrie, the group signed to Atco (later absorbed by Atlantic) and recorded 1992’s groundbreaking Images and Words, which reached No. 61 on the Billboard 200 charts and featured the hit “Pull Me Under.”