Special Report from BW&BK
DREAM THEATER's new triple-live album, Live Scenes From New York was pulled off shelves this past week so it's artwork could be replaced. In a ghastly coincidence, the album came out Tuesday, the day of the attacks, and the cover shows the band's flaming sacred heart symbol altered so that 1) the heart is replaced by a Big Apple and 2) parts of the NYC skyline, including the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center, are in the flames. According to dreamtheater.net, the album "will be re-released as soon as possible with a new cover."
About the artwork, Mike Portnoy posted the following recently: "I can only say that it is a horrible coincidence that we obviously could have never foreseen. The timing of the release of the CD happening on the very same day as this tragedy is merely an incredible coincidence. Obviously, the recovery of everybody's personal lives here in New York is the first priority."
In more upbeat news, six songs have been recorded for the new Dream Theater studio album. Not all of the recorded material will fit on one CD. No lyrics have been written yet. Once again, most of the lyrics will be written by Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, with a possible lyric by John Myung and James LaBrie. The album is scheduled for January 2002, with a tour starting in Europe in January or February. As well, the Metropolis 2000 PAL DVD due out on September 10th, 2001, has been delayed until the end of October.