How does writing and recording spontaneously fit into a record companys budget since they don give you carte blanche, or do they?
MP: We are lucky to be in a situation where we are at a point in our career (and in our recording contract) to “lock out” a studio like Bear Tracks for 4 or 5 months and work completely at our own pace and convenience. We would have no problem making a great record in 10 days like we did with the Liquid Tension Experiment CD’s, but Dream Theater’s recording budget is 10 times what Magna Carta would ever give. We have the luxury of plenty of time to “perfect” everything in a high quality studio, but by actually writing in the studio it still provides us with alot of spontaneity and excitement.
