Sons Of Apollo

Derek Sherinian talks supergroups, keeping egos in check and getting “back into the trenches” playing clubs.

Sons Of Apollo, the new band comprised of Derek Sherinian, Jeff

Scott Soto, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy, are putting in some serious miles in support of their debut album Psychotic Symphony. The record combines Portnoy and Sherinian’s prog chops alongside 80s rock riffing from former GN’R guitarist Bumblefoot.

Ahead of their visit to the UK, which includes playing Ramblin’ Man Fair, we talk to keyboard player Sherinian about the virtuoso supergroup.

Sons Of Apollo reunites you with your one-time Dream Theater bandmate Mike Portnoy. How did the band come about? I reunited in 2012 with Portnoy. We had played with each other before in Dream Theater and we had this inbuilt chemistry. We wanted to take it to the next level with a new band when time permitted. Fast forward to 2017, and we formed Sons Of Apollo.

How quickly did you realise that the line-up would work in terms of ability and personality?

Mike and I would obviously work, and we’d played with Billy before as well.

The unknown factor was Bumblefoot, because I had never played with him, but Mike had and Mike was confident that Bumblefoot was the right person for this band. He was absolutely right. Ron is a spectacular player. I was blown away by Bumblefoot’s ability.

Was there pressure to ramp up the prog elements, given your background in Dream Theater?

On paper, Mike and I thought it would be a continuation of the sound we did on [Dream Theater’s 1997 album] Falling Into Infinity. But once I started writing, my classic rock roots really started coming out. I don’t know if that has to do with re-sparking Black Country Communion, but I was going for memorable, killer, hooky riffs and then inserting the virtuosity in the midsections, without making it the primary focus of the songs.

How do you make a supergroup with five egos work?

The key is being a chameleon stylistically and personality-wise, yet also imposing your musical will into the equation and making sure your DNA is prominent. It has been a struggle in Black Country Communion to get my DNA in there, but in Sons Of Apollo my DNA is everywhere on this record. Sons Of Apollo is my primary focus and I see a great future for this band.

“This is a new band and we have to grind

it out.”

Each member of this band has decades in the industry under their belt. What’s the secret to longevity?

You need to know how to play, for sure. And then you need to be able to withstand long periods of time where you’re not working. You have to love it and be willing to fight for what you do. Everyone in this band has played in bigger bands to bigger crowds and venues. But this is a new band, and we’re getting back into the trenches and playing clubs and we have to grind it out. But it feels so real because I know those people in the crowd are there because they love our record. It isn’t like playing with Alice Cooper or Billy Idol, where five thousand people are going to come whether I’m there or not. That’s like fake success, and this is real. RC

Sons Of Apollo tour the U K and Ireland from July 1 to October 1.