Derek Sherinian has earned a well-deserved spot near the top of rock’s unwritten, just understood, “Greatest Keyboardists” list. Besides friggin’ Dream Theater, he’s also worked alongside Billy Idol, Alice Cooper, KISS, Steve Vai, and even Joe Bonamassa throughout his career. That’s a pretty nutty list right there, and the roster of musicians who’ve worked with him on his solo records is even crazier. Allan Holdsworth and Slash were among them, just to namedrop a couple.
This short documentary, “Return to Planet X,” is a flashback to the circumstances leading up to Sherinian’s first solo album in 1999: Planet X. Included is an interesting Mike Portnoy retelling of Derek’s being blindsided by the Dream Theater dudes at what appeared to be a highpoint in the group’s timeline.
With or without the DT, DS has made a hell of a name for himself in the music biz as both a solo artist and guest. To learn more about the man, you can visit him here.
