Liquid Tension Experiment Biography

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Biography Liquid Tension Experiment

Liquid Tension Experiment is an instrumental progressive rock / metal project initiated by Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy.

Band Members

Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) - drums
John Petrucci (Dream Theater) - guitars
Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) - keyboards
Tony Levin (King Crimson) - basses

History

Mike Portnoy invited Jordan Rudess (keyboard) and progressive rock icon Tony Levin (bass, Chapman Stick) of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's band to join him. In his instructional video "Liquid Drum Theater", Portnoy said that his first choice for the guitar was the late Dimebag Darrell, but he was unable to join because of conflicting schedules. Two other primary choices, Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Kansas, Deep Purple) and Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) were also unavailable. Portnoy then turned to fellow Dream Theater member John Petrucci to fill the position (despite initially wanting to keep the project completely separate from Dream Theater). The combo was formed as a side project to Dream Theater in 1997. Some theorise that Rudess was asked to join Dream Theater largely because of the success of Liquid Tension Experiment. He had already declined a previous offer to join in 1994 and instead became a member of the Dixie Dregs, known for complex, "Southern fusion" instrumental music.

Liquid Tension Experiment released two albums, Liquid Tension Experiment (1998) and Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (1999) on Magna Carta Records. They also played a few live shows in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Mike Portnoy has previously stated in numerous interviews (and on his web site FAQ) that there would not be a third LTE album, as 3/4 of the band is in the current Dream Theater line-up and the material would be too similar; yet there can always be live shows with the same line-up. In 2007 however, he said that a third release is possible, but that his problems with the Magna Carta label are more of an obstacle than getting the band members together to record. http://ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/liquid_tension_experiment_3_is_possible.html

Several songs and riffs from the project have been incorporated into Dream Theater's live performances, such as "Instrumedley" from Live at Budokan.

On October 23rd 2007, a CD of jams from the 2nd LTE recording sessions were released under the name Liquid Trio Experiment. The album, Spontaneous Combustion, includes studio improvisations from the trio of Portnoy, Levin and Rudess which occurred while John Petrucci was with his wife and newborn daughter, Kiara. A few songs from LTE2 were spawned from these jam sessions including "914," "Chewbacca," and "Liquid Dreams." Once Petrucci returned to the group, he added in his guitar parts, sometimes learning Jordan Rudess's improvised keyboard solos note-for-note in order to double them and create a more composed feel for the song.

On October 4th 2007, it was announced that LTE would headline NEARfest 2008 in June.