Charlie Dominici
Encyclopedia
Charlie Dominici is a singer for progressive metal
band Dominici
.
Perhaps he is best known as the second vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater
, having replaced Chris Collins
(while the band was called Majesty) and later being replaced by James LaBrie
.
, in which he played guitar and sang backing vocals. He auditioned for Dream Theater in 1987 and was hired for the job in November of that year.
Dominici performed on the band's debut album, 1989's When Dream and Day Unite
. However, Dominici was older than the rest of the band and there were personal and creative differences at work. It was felt that, despite being a very talented singer, his decidedly "pop" vocal style did not fit in with the distinctive progressive direction that the band's compositions were taking. According to Dream Theater
ex-drummer
Mike Portnoy
, "It was like having Billy Joel
singing in Queensrÿche
." A good singer in the wrong band, they amicably parted ways shortly thereafter.
Dominici remained in contact with Dream Theater throughout their career, despite lapsing out of the music business and obtaining a job as a finance manager in the automobile business. Dominici was hired by Mike Portnoy to sing at his wedding to Marlene Apuzzo. He started working on an album with his brother, guitarist Kane Daily, that never saw the light of day. In 2003 he released a song on his website entitled "Now The Time Has Come" but it was taken down after a few months, and the track did not feature any guitars, only piano.
Dominici's voice was also heard on the YtseJam Records release "When Dream And Day Unite Demos" which featured pre-production and vocal demos of several songs, as well as Dominici singing Beatles Covers and the traditional Christmas song O Holy Night
.
On March 6, 2004, Dominici joined his former bandmates onstage in Los Angeles for the first time in 15 years for a special performance celebrating the 15th anniversary of the band's first album. After the band performed the entire album, they began playing "To Live Forever" a non-album track that was written in the same time period, and singer James LaBrie
announced Dominici, who sang most of the song. The band then launched into "Metropolis" which was also written in that time period, with Dominici and LaBrie singing a duet, and also being joined by former keyboardist Derek Sherinian
. This performance was later released by YtseJam Records on CD and DVD versions entitled "When Dream And Day Reunite". The DVD version also features footage from the band's 1989 tour with Dominici of each song, as well as documentary footage. Despite having not actively sung since leaving Dream Theater
in 1989, this performance gave him the itch to make music again and in 2005, he released a solo album entitled O3: A Trilogy, Part 1, the first album of a three-album concept piece.
Dominici subsequently signed a deal with InsideOut Music
for a worldwide release of the second installment of the trilogy, O3: A Trilogy, Part 2, which was released in February 2007. This album was recorded with a full band under the band name Dominici and showed a heavier, more metal progressive style than the former. The final part, O3: A Trilogy, Part Three, was released in April 2008. Dominici opened for Dream Theater at three shows at their Chaos in Motion World Tour in June 2007.
In November 2010, Charlie Dominici posted on his FaceBook
page that he was considering auditioning for DragonForce
, after the lead vocalist, ZP Theart, left.
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Dominici
Dominici
Dominici is a progressive metal band formed in 2005 by former Dream Theater vocalist Charlie Dominici. Their only released work is the O3 Trilogy, a series of three concept albums about the story of a terrorist sleeper cell coming to the United States and falling in love with the country...
.
Perhaps he is best known as the second vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, having replaced Chris Collins
Chris Collins (singer)
Chris Collins is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as the first vocalist of the progressive metal band "Majesty" that later became Dream Theater.-The Majesty Days:...
(while the band was called Majesty) and later being replaced by James LaBrie
James LaBrie
Kevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...
.
Biography
Dominici originally came into prominence as a member of Franke and the KnockoutsFranke and the Knockouts
Franke and the Knockouts was a short-lived band, formed in New Jersey, USA and fronted by singer/songwriter Franke Previte.Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles and two Top 50 albums...
, in which he played guitar and sang backing vocals. He auditioned for Dream Theater in 1987 and was hired for the job in November of that year.
Dominici performed on the band's debut album, 1989's When Dream and Day Unite
When Dream and Day Unite
-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
. However, Dominici was older than the rest of the band and there were personal and creative differences at work. It was felt that, despite being a very talented singer, his decidedly "pop" vocal style did not fit in with the distinctive progressive direction that the band's compositions were taking. According to Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
ex-drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
, "It was like having Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
singing in Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
." A good singer in the wrong band, they amicably parted ways shortly thereafter.
Dominici remained in contact with Dream Theater throughout their career, despite lapsing out of the music business and obtaining a job as a finance manager in the automobile business. Dominici was hired by Mike Portnoy to sing at his wedding to Marlene Apuzzo. He started working on an album with his brother, guitarist Kane Daily, that never saw the light of day. In 2003 he released a song on his website entitled "Now The Time Has Come" but it was taken down after a few months, and the track did not feature any guitars, only piano.
Dominici's voice was also heard on the YtseJam Records release "When Dream And Day Unite Demos" which featured pre-production and vocal demos of several songs, as well as Dominici singing Beatles Covers and the traditional Christmas song O Holy Night
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
.
On March 6, 2004, Dominici joined his former bandmates onstage in Los Angeles for the first time in 15 years for a special performance celebrating the 15th anniversary of the band's first album. After the band performed the entire album, they began playing "To Live Forever" a non-album track that was written in the same time period, and singer James LaBrie
James LaBrie
Kevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...
announced Dominici, who sang most of the song. The band then launched into "Metropolis" which was also written in that time period, with Dominici and LaBrie singing a duet, and also being joined by former keyboardist Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
. This performance was later released by YtseJam Records on CD and DVD versions entitled "When Dream And Day Reunite". The DVD version also features footage from the band's 1989 tour with Dominici of each song, as well as documentary footage. Despite having not actively sung since leaving Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
in 1989, this performance gave him the itch to make music again and in 2005, he released a solo album entitled O3: A Trilogy, Part 1, the first album of a three-album concept piece.
Dominici subsequently signed a deal with InsideOut Music
InsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
for a worldwide release of the second installment of the trilogy, O3: A Trilogy, Part 2, which was released in February 2007. This album was recorded with a full band under the band name Dominici and showed a heavier, more metal progressive style than the former. The final part, O3: A Trilogy, Part Three, was released in April 2008. Dominici opened for Dream Theater at three shows at their Chaos in Motion World Tour in June 2007.
In November 2010, Charlie Dominici posted on his FaceBook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page that he was considering auditioning for DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
, after the lead vocalist, ZP Theart, left.
With Franke and the Knockouts
- Franke and the Knockouts (1981)
With Dream Theater
- When Dream and Day UniteWhen Dream and Day Unite-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
(1989) - When Dream and Day Unite Demos (2004)
- When Dream And Day Reunite (CD and DVD) (2005)
With Dominici
- O3: A Trilogy, Part One (2005)
- O3: A Trilogy, Part Two (2007)
- O3: A Trilogy, Part Three (2008)