I am always keeping an eye on Armenia, I am ready to go fight those bastards: Derek Sherinian
Exclusive interview of 168.am with world-famous musician Derek Sherinian.
U.S. famous Keyboard Magazine declared Sherinian a “Keyboard Hero for a new generation” in 2011, and Guitar World called him the “King of the Keys.”
He is a representative of new generation best keyboardists, a musician, who worked with Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Alice in Chains, Kiss.
He has teammed with prominent musicians like drummer Simon Phillips and Brian Tichy, guitarist Steve Lukather, bassist Billy Sheehan, and Tony Franklin, violinist Jerry Goodman, rock guitarists Al Di Meola and Zakk Wylde.
Derek Sherinian was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994–99, is the founder of Planet X and also one of the founding members of Black Country Communion.
Derek, how did you end up with such a talent? Have any of your ancestors had musical abilities? And how did you come to like keyboard instruments?
There was a piano in my house while growing up. As soon as I was old enough to crawl on the bench, I was playing the piano. I am the only musician in my family.
Tell us about your family. Who your grandparents and parents were?
On the Sherinian side my family was based in Sivas. Around 1902, two Mormon missionaries came through Sivas. They told the people that the Turks were eventually going to kill everyone, and they needed to flee for safety. The Sherinian’s and two other families migrates to Price, Utah and became devout Mormons. They all worked in the salt mines and steel companies there. My Great Grandfather Armenag Sherinian migrated to Utah a few years later in 1908.
On my Grandmother Mariam’s side, the story is well documented. Eghisapet Soultanian,(the woman holding the gun) is my Great- Grandmother. She was an Armenian Freedom fighter who put the duties to her country before her duties as a mother. Eghisapet decided to stay and fight the Turks with her husband who was a high ranking officer in the military. To ensure Mariam’s safety, she arranged to have her older cousin Yugapher and her husband bring Mariam to America out of harms way.
The plan was for Eghisapet to rejoin Mariam later in America after the war was over. Yugapher and her husband after not hearing from Eghispat for a long period of time, assumed that she was dead, and ultimately arranged an adoption for money to a wealthy Armenian family called the Manoogians in Boston, MA around 1915. The Manoogian’s would later refer to my grandma as “The $20,000 baby”. The Manoogians told my grandmother early on that if any strangers came to her claiming to be her real parents, that they were lying and to run.
Many years later in the early 70s, Yugapher felt guilty for what happened to Mariam, and somehow reconnected with Mariam, ultimately leading to a reunion with Mariam. By that point, Mariam had a cold heart towards Eghisapet, and the reunion was a bit sour,
Eghisapet lived the rest of her years in Moscow, and died with a broken heart.
She is buried in Yerevan.
What are your compositions about? Nowadays the world is full of aggression and hatred. In your opinion, does it affect the work of singers and their state of mind?
My compositions are instrumental, so there are no lyrics. My music is a reflection of how I am feeling inside, so it will change depending on the mood I am in.
Did you follow the April events in Artsakh? I mean the 4-day war.
I did follow it. I am ready to go fight those bastards!
Do you take any interest in politics, particularly, in the political life of Armenia?
I am always keeping an eye on Armenia. My good friend Karen Karapetyan was just elected to Prime Minister of Armenia. I know that Karen loves his country, and will put Armenia first in his decisions.
Today, many musicians take the advantage of new technologies. In your opinion, do these really help, or perhaps, impede by producing both “cultural trash” and an army of fake musicians?
Technology, like a weapon, can be effective, or dangerous. It all depends whose hands it’s in.
You came on stage during Dorians’ concert in Yerevan. And in an interview, you said, that “when I heard Gor’s voice, I thought – damn it, that’s just great. Perhaps I can help them reach new levels and enter the international scene.” Is this cooperation still ongoing?
I really like Gor, Gagik and the rest of the guys. I think Gor is a major talent, however I am very concerned that by him staying in Armenia, he will not reach his full potential as an artist. I truly feel that Gor has major star potential, he just has to have the courage to take it for himself.
Do you plan visiting Armenia, perhaps with concerts?
There are some things in the works, I will reveal more later. You can always follow my activities on dereksherinian.com.
Please tell us about your upcoming projects.
I own and operate a recording studio in Burbank, CA called Beachwood Manor Studios. I will also reunite with my old band Black Country Communion in January 2017, and maybe some tour dates to follow.
Derek Sherinian’s musical activity
He was a member of Dream Theater, is a well-known musician and song-writer.
Derek Sherinian was born in Laguna Beach, California on August 25. He is of Greek and Armenian descent.
He began taking piano lessons at age five in Santa Cruz, California. After his junior year at Soquel High School, he received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he was the roommate of future Megadeth guitarist and Trans-Siberian Orchestra musical director Al Pitrelli.He has since studied with other keyboardists, including Mitchel Forman, T Lavitz, Russell Ferrante and Alex Alessandroni.
Sherinian’s first professional gig after leaving Boston was with ex-Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles touring the Chitlin’ Circuit. Sherinian received his first big break with Alice Cooper in 1989 to tour in support of the platinum selling Trash album. Sherinian toured and recorded with Cooper on and off until 1998. Sherinian played offstage keyboards on the 1992 KISS Revenge tour.
In 1994, Sherinian replaced Kevin Moore in the progressive metal/progressive rock band Dream Theater, originally just for the band’s promotional tour for Awake. On February 1995, however, he was made a full-time member of the band. He recorded the albums A Change of Seasons (1995), Falling into Infinity (1997), and Once in a LIVEtime (1998) with Dream Theater before being replaced in January 1999 by Jordan Rudess due to creative differences and turmoil within the band. Sherinian remained on good terms with the band, and reunited with Dream Theater for a one-off concert in 2004, which was recorded and released as When Dream and Day Reunite (2004). The band’s performance of “Metropolis Pt. 1” featured an extended improvisation between Sherinian, Rudess, and guitarist John Petrucci.
During the late 1990s, Sherinian released two albums with the progressive rock supergroup Platypus, which also featured Dream Theater bassist John Myung, Dixie Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein, and King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor. The group released two albums, When Pus Comes to Shove (1998) and Ice Cycles (2000), before disbanding in 2000.
In 2001, Derek teamed with drummer Simon Phillips and guitarists Steve Lukather and Zakk Wylde to record Inertia, followed by Black Utopia (2003). For Black Utopia, three new faces joined Sherinian’s group: bassist Billy Sheehan, rock guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, and jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola.
In 2009, Sherinian became a founding member of supergroup Black Country Communion with Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Joe Bonamassa. releasing their debut Black Country in 2010. 1n 2011, Sherinian performed on a second Black Country Communion record titiled 2, followed with a nine-week tour of the United States and Europe. Sherinian recorded with Black Country Communion on their 3rd studio release Afterglow. The band split up in September 2012 due to Bonamassa’s solo touring schedule leaving little time for performing with Black Country Communion. Sherinian went on to join Bonamassa’s solo band in July 2013 until December 2014.
Currently he lives in Hollywood Hills and runs the Leopard Room recording studio.
By Carmen Ghukasyan
