East West Records is an American record label. They are known among Dream Theater fans for being Dream Theaters record label from Images and Words until Octavarium. They are also known by Dream Theater fans for pushing the band to write more accessible music in the mid-late 90s, resulting in the album Falling Into Infinity.
Signing Dream Theater
Originally known as Atco Records, they signed Dream Theater in 1991. They soon merged with EastWest Records America, becoming Atco-East West Records America. They dropped the Atco and became EastWest Records America in 1994.
Falling into Infinity
Due to changes at EastWest, Dream Theaters' main contact at EastWest was fired. The new team that was hired was unfamiliar with Dream Theaters' relationship with former employees and they encouraged the band to write more accessible material. Whenever Dream Theater entered the studio in mid-1997 to start working on their next album, EastWest continued to encourage them to write more accessible material and they hired writer/producer Desmond Child to work with Petrucci on his song You or Me, which would become You Not Me. Child also influenced the overall album, helping to make it more radio-friendly and less complex. EastWest also shot down the idea for a double album, forcing the band to cut out songs such as a 20-minute follow up to Metropolis Pt.1: The Miracle and the Sleeper.
Failure of Falling into Infinity
Falling into Infinity didn't sell as well as the previous two albums and recieved mixed reviews from fans. Due to an ultimatium from Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, the label gave the band complete creative control over the bands' music.
Post-Falling into Infinity
Dream Theater had complete creative control over their music after Falling into Infinity, and they released Scenes from a Memory, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Train of Thought, and Octavarium under the label. With Octavarium, the bands seven-album contract with EastWest expired.