Derek Sherinian
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Derek Sherinian
Background information
Born	August 25, 1966 (1966-08-25) (age 42) Laguna Beach, California
Occupation(s)	Musician, Songwriter, Producer
Instrument(s)	Keyboards, Guitar
Years active	1982 - present
Label(s)	InsideOut Music. Magna Carta
Associated acts	Dream Theater, Planet X, Platypus, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Yngwie Malmsteen, Billy Idol
Website	http://www.dereksherinian.com

Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American ‎rock and jazz fusion keyboardist based in Los Angeles, California. After studying at the Berklee College of Music, Sherinian became a keyboardist and sideman for a number of artists, including Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Zakk Wylde. He has also played keyboards for Dream Theater and Platypus, and is the co-founder of the band Planet X. His solo albums feature several prominent artists, including Slash, Allan Holdsworth, John Sykes, and Jerry Goodman.

Sherinian has been called the "King of the Keys" and the "Caligula of keyboards" due to his performing style. His influences include Elton John, Keith Emerson, Jan Hammer, and a variety of guitarists. Sherinian endorses various equipment, including Korg and Clavia keyboards. He is of Greek-Armenian descent and has a special interest in Armenian history.

Biography

1966 – 1999

Sherinian was born in Laguna Beach, California. He began taking piano lessons at age five in Santa Cruz, California.^[1][2] After his junior year at Soquel High School, he received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.^[3][1] He has since studied with other keyboard players, including Mitchel Forman, T Lavitz and Russell Ferrante. His first major gigs after leaving Boston were with fusion drummer Buddy Miles; he then joined the Alice Cooper band in 1989.^[1] After touring with Alice Cooper, Sherinian played keyboards and effects on the 1992 KISS Revenge tour.^[1]

In 1994, Derek replaced Kevin Moore in the progressive metal band Dream Theater, originally just for the band's promotional tour for Awake. In early 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 because of creative differences.^[4][5][3][6] 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 on When Dream and Day Reunite (2004). The band's performance of Metropolis Pt. 1 featured an extended improvisation between Sherinian, Jordan Rudess, and Dream Theater 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. The group released two albums, When Pus Comes to Shove (1998) and Ice Cycles (2000), before disbanding in 2000.^[7] Sherinian did not rejoin the group when it reunited as The Jelly Jam; instead, he helped to create another sideproject with fellow Platypus member Ty Tabor called Jughead.^[7]

1999 – present

Since 1999, Sherinian has recorded several solo albums, featuring performances by numerous well-known musicians. Sherinian's first solo project, Planet X (1999), recorded with Australian drummer Virgil Donati, led to the formation of the group of the same name (Planet X); they recruited guitar player Tony MacAlpine for the new project.^[8] Sherinian has stated that his intention when forming Planet X was to create a group of musicians that "played their instruments so fiercely, that they would strike fear in the hearts of all musicians".^[8] A full live version of the track "Atlantis: Apocalypse 1470 BC" from the Planet X Web site can be heard here.

In 2001, Derek teamed with drummer Simon Phillips and studio guitar player Steve Lukather to record Inertia,^[9] 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.^[10][11] With respect to this fusion-influenced lineup, Sherinian stated, "I have always been a fan of jazz fusion, but from the perspective of a rock player crossing over to jazz, not vice versa. I think that is how Jeff Beck (who Sherinian stated he hopes to play with in a recent interview) approached his classic instrumental records and I like to follow in that path."^[1] Sherinian also calls the album "a lot darker and heavier than [Inertia]".^[12] In Japan, the cover of Black Utopia was altered to remove the cross in the title; Sherinian has commented that the cross "meant nothing" and was added for aesthetic purposes.^[12]

Sherinian extended further into the fusion realm by collaborating with guitarist Allan Holdsworth and violinist Jerry Goodman (formerly of the Mahavishnu Orchestra) on Mythology (2004).^[13] In addition to another appearance by Phillips, other musicians appearing on this recording were Zakk Wylde, John Sykes, Steve Stevens, and Tony Franklin.^[13][1]

Since 2002, Sherinian has toured with several well-known artists, including Billy Idol and Yngwie Malmsteen.^[14] Derek's fifth solo album, Blood of the Snake (2006), features contributions from Idol, as well as former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, and Brian Tichy; Phillips, Franklin and Lukather make return appearances.^[15][16] A video for a cover version of Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" was released along with the album.^[17] Sherinian also worked with duduk master Djivan Gasparyan on the song "Prelude To Battle" on the release, written for his great grandmother who fought the Turks in the Armenian genocide. The third Planet X studio album, Quantum, was released in May 2007 to positive reviews. Also in 2007 he recorded the album Hyperpyrexia with Theodore Ziras

Sherinian also owns Beachwood Manor Studios, located in Burbank, California. He has previously owned an in-house recording studio in Hollywood Hills named "The Leopard Room", owing to its color scheme of leopard print and purple velvet.^[18]

Influences and collaborations

In a 2000 interview, Sherinian cited his early influences as being Jan Hammer (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer and The Nice), Rick Wakeman (Yes), and Elton John.^[2] Other influences include guitarists Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Beck, and Eddie Van Halen. He shares most of his influences with drummer Brian Tichy, a fellow ex-student of Berklee;^[19] Sherinian enjoys co-writing material with fellow musicians, and often finds that he writes better material with drummers.^[20] One of his favorite keyboardists is Jens Johansson, who he deems the "coolest keyboardist out there."^[21] Sherinian cites Van Halen's guitar playing as having a direct influence on his unique approach to keyboards in terms of technique as well as tone; his unique "Monster Lead" lead patch contains numerous elements of guitar sounds such as distortion, harmonics, and palm-muting.

Sherinian's collaborations with top musicians were featured in a 2007 article in Guitar World magazine, where guitarist Zakk Wylde offered “People want to play with him because he’s that good. He can play everything from the easiest licks on a piano to the most complex Beethoven sonatas with ease.” Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci added "...Derek-considering the fact that he’s heavily into guitarists and rock music, his history, and the range of all the great guitarists he’s worked with—plays with a fire unheard of from most keyboardists.”^[22] Sherinian explains that he enlists a variety of guitarists because he "[does not] think there is one guitarist who can cover all the styles featured on [the] albums." Sherinian often tailors songs for specific guitarists, such as Holdsworth and Wylde for "Day of the Dead" (off Mythology);^[22] in this respect, he seeks to take certain aspects of genres and make them "collide in an eloquent way".^[12]

Equipment

A Clavia Nord Modular similar to the one Sherinian uses

The original KORG Triton released in 1999

Derek Sherinian currently uses and endorses Clavia Nord and Korg Triton-series keyboards.^[23][24] Sherinian was presented the G2 Modular synth serial number 001 by Clavia representative Bengt Lilja in January 2004.^[25] As an KORG endorsee, Sherinian was one of the first artists to adopt the Korg Trinity keyboard series in 1996. In collaboration with KORG sound designer Jack Hotop, they created Sherinian's signature guitaristic lead sound (the "Monster Lead") on the Trinity, as well as other, more "modern" and "aggressive" keyboard patches, owing to his fondness of guitar tones and technique. Derek continues to use the Trinity's successors, the Korg Triton and Korg Triton Extreme both in the studio and live. On Yngwie Malmsteen's "Unleash The Fury 2006 Asia/Australia Tour" rehearsals, Sherinian obtained a 61-key Korg Triton Extreme and other Korg keyboards.^[26]. Sherinian feels his "most identifiable sound is on the Korg Triton and Trinity"; he uses the Triton "for 70% of [his] work".^[27].

Derek has also used the Hammond B3 organ; he thinks that "every rock keyboardist should have a Leslie and a distorted Hammond as part of their hammond sound. It just gives it edge."^[28] Sherinian records with a vintage B3 but on tour uses digital emulations from his Nord and Triton keyboards, as well as specifically a Korg CX-3 organ of which he was a beta-tester and has contributed several patches, such as his signature distorted "Rock Balls". [1]. However, he's also describes the sound of lesser digital emulations as "the sound of a puckered..."

Sherinian is also an accomplished guitarist who was going to take over the rhythm guitar spot in Alice Cooper's touring band in 1994 before being offered his Dream Theater audition. He played guitar live with Dream Theater during their Nightmare Cinema performances in 1997 and '98. [2]

Derek is also known for being one of the first keyboardists to use vertical keyboard stands, as well as one of the first to make a "fashion statement" (much like guitarists do with their finishes) by using red-chrome plated stands that match his red Nord keyboards and work well with the neutral silver of his KORG instruments. A more detailed list of equipment can be found at Sherinian's Web site ([3]).

Sherinian currently uses the following gear: Korg Triton Extreme, Clavia Nord Lead 3, Clavia Nord G2X Modular, and Yamaha C9 Conservatory Series Grand Piano. His vintage gear includes: Moog Taurus Pedals, Hammond B3, Leslie 127, Rhodes 73 Suitcase, and Wurlitzer Electric piano.

Selected discography

Information courtesy of Allmusic.com.^[29][30][31]

Solo albums

Date of release	Title	Label	Type	Allmusic rating	US Sales
1999	Planet X	Magna Carta	Studio		N/A
2001	Inertia	InsideOut	Studio		N/A
April 22, 2003	Black Utopia	InsideOut	Studio		N/A
November 9, 2004	Mythology	InsideOut	Studio	N/A	N/A
August 1, 2006	Blood of the Snake	InsideOut	Studio		N/A

With Dream Theater

Date of release	Title	Label	Type	Allmusic rating	US Sales
September 19, 1995	A Change of Seasons	EastWest	Studio/Live EP		188,000+
September 23, 1997	Falling into Infinity	EastWest	Studio		160,000+
October 27, 1998	Once in a LIVEtime	EastWest	Live		75,000+
1998	5 Years in a LIVEtime	EastWest	VHS/DVD		N/A

With Planet X

Date of release	Title	Label	Type	Allmusic rating	US Sales
June 6, 2000	Universe	Import	Studio		N/A
April 2002	Live from Oz	Import	Live		N/A
July 23, 2002	MoonBabies	InsideOut	Studio		N/A
May 22, 2007	Quantum	InsideOut	Studio		N/A

With other musicians

A complete list of projects is at Sherinian's website and the Allmusic credits page.

Date of release	Artist	Title	Label	Type	Allmusic rating	US Sales
May 18, 1993	KISS	Alive III	Mercury	Live		N/A
1994	Alice Cooper	The Last Temptation	Epic	Studio		N/A
August 22, 1995	Alice Cooper	Classicks	Epic	Compilation		N/A
August 25, 1998	Platypus	When Pus Comes to Shove	Velvel	Studio		N/A
May 14, 2000	Platypus	Ice Cycles	Century Media	Studio		N/A
2002	Various	Pigs and Pyramids	Musea	Tribute		N/A
January 22, 2002	Gilby Clarke	Swag	Spitfire	Studio		N/A
June 11, 2002	Jughead	Jughead	InsideOut	Studio		N/A
October 15, 2002	Yngwie Malmsteen	Attack!!	Import	Studio		N/A
March 22, 2005	Billy Idol	Devil's Playground	Sanctuary	Studio		N/A
January, 2008	Ayreon	01011001	InsideOut	Studio		N/A
April 25, 2008	Theodore Ziras	Hyperpyrexia	SLZ	Studio	Please specify a rating.	N/A
June 24, 2008	Billy Idol	The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself	Capitol Records	Compilation		N/A

Movie appearances

• 1992 - Waynes World, as himself as part of the Alice Cooper Band

References

Multimedia

• Video for Dream Theater - "Hollow Years"
• Live version of "Atlantis : Apocalypse 1470 BC"
• Clavia Nord sample 1 from Planet X "MoonBabies"
• Clavia Nord sample 2 from Planet X "MoonBabies"

Further reading

• King of the Keys: Derek Sherinian - Guitar World
• Derek Sherinian - Rock Is Life
• Derek Sherinian Interview - ProgSheet
• 2004 Derek Sherinian Interview - DPRP
• Derek Sherinian Interview - Shockwaves Magazine
• Derek Sherinian Interview - Metal Perspective
• Interview with Derek Sherinian - Get Ready to Rock
• Talking with Derek Sherinian - Transending the Mundane
• Derek Sherinian Interview - Progressive World
• Interview with Derek Sherinian - DPRP Specials
• Derek Sherinian: Metal and Fusion, Sideman and Solo - Keyboard Magazine
• Interview of Derek Sherinian - Aux Portes Du Métal
• Derek Sherinian - USA Today
• 1999 Sherinian Interview - Epigram for the last straw
• Derek Sherinian Interview - Yngwie Megafan
• Carvin endorse Derek Sherinian and the Carvin KB1015 keyboard amp - Hitsquad.com
• PRODUCER'S DESK: Derek Sherinian On Black Utopia - Guitar Player
• Derek Sherinian’s utopia for the unlight - Ytsejam.com
• Derek Sherinian interview - Ytsejam.com
• Music Of The Other Spheres: Planet X Boasts Like A Proud Papa About His Moonbabies - Ytsejam.com
• Derek Sherinian: Inertia-lize - Ytsejam.com
• Interview with Derek Sherinian of Platypus - Ram.org

External links

• Derek Sherinian official website
• Derek Sherinian official MySpace page