Let the Music Do the Talking

"I found this band in Sardinia, on an island off the coast of Italy," says former Dream Theater singer Charlie Dominici, who for the past four years has been a La Mesa auto-finance accountant. "They don't even speak English, but I flew over there to record, and we just let the music do the talking."

The band -- named Dominici -- will make its concert debut June 5, opening for Dream Theater in Linz, Austria, before an estimated 20,000 people, as well as opening DT dates in Hungary and Croatia.

"I wanted to get some opening gigs [with Dream Theater], and I talk to Mike [Portnoy, drummer] all the time, but I didn't want to approach him personally and have him feel obligated and under pressure. But then I talked to Mike and the booking agent, and they offered us the slots."

Dominici was asked to leave Dream Theater after their first album. Wikipedia.com quotes Mike Portnoy saying, "It was like having Billy Joel sing in Queensrÿche."

In March 2004, Dominici rejoined the group onstage in L.A. for two songs. Any chance of a reunion at the June gigs?

"It could happen," says the 54-year-old, "but I don't know... They already thought I was too old in 1989."