Page 12 - ION Indie Magazine November December 2019 Issue
P. 12
KP: I know how pivotal it was for you meeting I had two distinct needs that I reached out to my
the founder/composer of Trans-Siberian friends in Dream Theater for: one was a song
Orchestra, Paul O’Neill. What was the best entitled “Christmas Wishes,” composed of just
piece of advice that this visionary bestowed piano and voice. The other was “Every Doubt Has
upon you? an Answer,” which has the biggest, highest male
notes in the show, but also requires the singing of
PO: What a gracious man he was! He was literally reflective verses. Jordan Rudess, one of the
passing in the hall when I got his attention just great keyboard players in the world, did a
long enough to tell him how much his music had phenomenal job taking my composition to new
meant to me. I think he sensed a deeper story heights. James Labrie gave the song he sang a
because he pulled me into his private green room feeling of longing and declaration that I knew few
and spent a long while talking to me. I was honest vocalists could achieve. I’m incredibly fortunate
with him about my desire to do this album, but that both guys are on the album.
how life had taken different turns. What he said
really resonated with me -- that the world needs KP: Speaking of Dream Theater, as an author,
more good Christmas stories and music. He you were selected to write the companion
kindly but firmly told me to get my record written novel to the Grammy-nominated band’s
and he’d be disappointed if I didn’t follow through recent concept album, The Astonishing. Talk
on my dream. The things he said continued to about that experience a bit.
build inside me until I finally had a moment in time
to do as he encouraged me to do. PO: A few years before, I’d been talking to John
Petrucci. I joked with him that he should let me
KP: Tell me about the contributors and the write a story to underpin a concept album they
process for enlisting this level of talent for could write. He acknowledged that could be
The Bell Ringer. interesting. When The Astonishing was
announced, I reached out to him and said, “Hey,
PO: I knew I needed some talent on the record now’s the time.” He told me that his vision for The
that understood the approach. This kind of album Astonishing was that it would find its way into
isn’t a straight-up rock album. There are multiple book form, film, theater, etc. He invited me to
characters, necessitating multiple voices that write a sample chapter and sent the completed
needed to be able to not only hit the notes, but album several months prior to release. I asked
also give life to the characters and the words. I him which song he wanted me to focus on, and
began reaching out to a few vocalists who had he picked “Savior in the Square.” I wrote a
done this kind of recording. My good fortune was chapter, really building out the characters,
that when they heard the music, they jumped on setting, and motivations. He loved it and we
board. formalized me writing the full novel.
The first was Jody Ashworth, a former TSO He and I spent long phone calls late at night
vocalist and a consummate pro with a booming where he took me through everything he’d
voice. Next was Michael Lanning, also from TSO. conceived about the story. He gave me carte
Michael has been called “the most soulful white blanche to build on it. A few months later, I sent it
singer in America.” He gives the tunes some real off. He spent three hours telling me all the things
grit. Then came Tim Hockenberry. Tim also had he loved about it. He couldn’t put it down.
been with TSO, but he also got to the semi-final
round on America’s Got Talent. Tim has a very John had a lot of writers wanting to do that
distinctive voice and I knew immediately which adaptation and I personally know many writers
songs I wanted him to sing. I reached out to them who are DT fans and wanted to write that book.
because I knew which songs on the album their But I’d studied voice and the main character was
voices could pair well with. Last from TSO, was a singer and I’d toured as a performer and had
Valerie Vigoda, a multi-talented performer and written books where music is a key factor in the
known foremost for her incredible ability on the plot and motivations. I understood the story in a
violin. She was the concert mistress for the TSO personal way. John told me he could really tell
West Coast Company. I had songs incorporating that when I sent him the sample chapter. It
violin that ranged from slow and thoughtful, to fast became a perfect match.
and anthemic. I knew Val could handle both
extremely well.
