Portnoy Interview Tonight on Eddie Trunk's Show

[2Timer]

First!!!

https://www.yousendit.com/download/UFVyK0dsT01Fd2Z2Wmc9PQ

Well you beat me too it, but only by a minute or two.

Just in case though:
https://www.filedropper.com/mikeportnoyinterview

Thanks for the backup. Rumby's has been used too much, I guess.
Thanks to Rumby too. Without yours the backup link would have been used too much.

[russellmania]

who knows, maybe they have some contractual obligations to their label to release an album/tour within a certain time frame.  It would be a shame for them to lose their record deal or something.  I mean if 4 of the 5 guys feel that strongly about wanting to keep going they must have good reasons for it.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

As much as i want to be pissed off at Mike over this whole thing and as sad as i am about this, I found him to be very genuine in this interview and I can't help but agree with most of what he's saying regarding the band needing a break.  They have fallen into a pretty stale pattern over the last 4 or 5 years and I can't blame him for wanting to mix things up a bit.  I also can't blame the rest of the guys for wanting to keep going if that's where their hearts are at.

Maybe, but we fall into the same thing once again. They're no Muse or Lady Gaga, there are no millionaires on DT that can't have any sort of economic impact by not being DT active for 1 whole year.

[Tick]

I feel a little better at ease after that interview.

I feel a lot better. I actually think now that DT's drummer will be a lame duck who knows his time may be limited going into the project. That's just my gut feeling.

[TAC]

Which of course makes Mark Zondor the perfect choice.

[ScioPath]

https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=145872

[EPICVIEW]

still thinking about Mike's interview..

My guess is that "Dream Theater is a lot of stress for Mike as far as all the business end of it he handles"
I guess he assumed they would wait for him, so he can do that part of what he has been doing..

then couple that with the FUN, NEWNESS of AX7.. and though  he his playing in band, he is NOT that bands leader, and he can take some time off mentally to just focus on playing the drums again, and thats his first love obviously, and to him thats taking a break....but it will be viewed as hes not taking abreak and BSing

then, put the offer of a contract from AX7, as they too have a recored deal to fulfil, and him just now feeling wanted and just finding his way in that band now , ( and their odd but old school style, that part of Mike must be really digging, his uber metal, rock side ) it became a perfect storm...

the bands reaction to this falls in line with this as " they understand " so that tells me there are deals Mike was offered  that they understand.  

[EPICVIEW]

I feel a little better at ease after that interview.

I feel a lot better. I actually think now that DT's drummer will be a lame duck who knows his time may be limited going into the project. That's just my gut feeling.

agree 100%

its not a job that one should feel too comfortable in..
but in todays economy I wouldnt be shocked by a "big name drummer" giving a call to the band to see what the deal could be

[emindead]

It's interesting, really. Many people on this forum, I think I can include myself on that boat, that wanted to DT to take a break and come back with that "flame reignited" like Portnoy said. Repeatedly MP and Trunk said on the interview "stay off the Internet", yet somehow it feels like if MP did read our comments regarding that DT needed a break. True, MP felt the need a year ago to maybe take a break:

and this isn't something that I just started feeling and decided overnight; I mean, this dates back to last year. I was already feeling it [back then]. We were in Europe on the Progressive Nation tour last fall and I even suggested to the guys, "Why don't we not tour as much in 2010?" [And then while and after touring with Transatlantic and Iron Maiden] I knew it was coming to a head.

and the Wither video maybe showed us that.

For some, MP did listen to us [the guys who wanted a hiatus] and some of the Internet comments (I'm obviously exaggerating)... the thing is that it didn't come up as well as we all would have wanted.

Mike was really positive with the idea that after a while they will return stronger than ever. He even cited some of those bands he felt came back better than before:

I really think that the band could have used a few years to recharge our batteries and so many bands have done it — whether it be SOUNDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS, JANE'S ADDICTION, PHISH, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE... A lot of bands, when you're going this long and this strong, they take a break and then come back bigger and better than ever, and that's kind of what I hoped would happen with DREAM THEATER, and I was hoping that would be the path we could take together, but it was not to be.

Yet we all know that those bands never came back "bigger and better". Guns 'N' Roses didn't. Genesis didn't. Bon Jovi is not the same as they were in the 80s. Not even The Police tour a couple years ago was that big. Hell, the odds are against his wishful thinking. It is even against what we thought as a good idea.

It would give us each a chance to recharge our batteries and be re-inspired.

Sadly, that almost never happens. Even if we all agree that it sounds like a good idea.

Having said that, the band will carry on without him. I hope that Dream Theater will write a terrific album and I'm looking forward to all that will be happening these next years. But I know that this will be really hard. Iron Maiden wasn't that big and good after Bruce left. Some of the guys here at DTF are big fans of what came after Brave New World, but to me, that album is just OK, and the rest is just sub-par. If it weren't for their tours and live performance that band would be done. IMHO.

[EPICVIEW]

sorry double post fail by me

[Adami]

Why did you just quote yourself?

[Pyroph]

[Iron Maiden part]

Yeah, but this is DT, not Iron Maiden. They're fully capable of making great music without Portnoy. Not that IM wouldn't be able to without Bruce, but that's just how it turned out.

[hefdaddy42]

Why did you just quote yourself?

[lateralus88]

I don't think Iron Maiden is a very good example. Bruce wasn't the only one to leave the band, people. Adrian Smith was absent as well.

[cygnusaz]

I don't think Iron Maiden is a very good example. Bruce wasn't the only one to leave the band, people. Adrian Smith was absent as well.

Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Judas Priest...all these bands had something Dream Theater never did:

Platinum albums.

Dream Theater's biggest selling album was I & W in 1992/93, it went gold (500K). Awake moved about 250K, and then that was it, they've been around the 100 - 150K mark since.

When those bands came back with the members who left them, the millions of fans who bought those albums came back in droves to the tours. But they didn't buy their new albums in droves.

I disagree with Mike that DT would have come back bigger then ever after a few year break. DT have continuously been building momentum that started in 1999 with SFAM. Every album is charting higher, and its not unreasonable to think that if it was good enough and the buzz was strong enough (and no one big acts were releasing that week) DT could score a #1 on the Billboards in 2011.

If DT were to take a few years off, they would lose that momentum and have no chance at getting to the next level, which Mike seems to be concerned with. In fact, they might sell 50% less albums and lose part of the fan base who was impatient. Probably not in Europe, but we know how fickle people are in the States.

All of those bands he mentioned did not achieve new hieghts after there hiatus, lol. Look a Smashing Pumpkins. Took 7 years off, and came back to poor sales and lackluster concert attendance. And this was a band that went platinum!

I really think they should have continued to work towards a compromise. Instead of recording in January, push it back 6 months. Unfortunately it seems niether side was willing to budge.

We are lucky that all 4 members want to move forward with DT, if just one 'took Mike's side', we might be looking at a break up.

I disagree with Mike's assessment, taking a hiatus would hurt DT much more than it would help. However, they could slow down and do an album every 2.5/3 years instead of every 2 years. Hell most bands these days take 3 years inbetween albums anyway.

[EPICVIEW]

Why did you just quote yourself?

well...I thought it was sorta awesome,, so I quoted it..LOL

In reality it was a double post "typo edit" FAIL by me..

[RuRoRul]

To be honest, after reading this I can't help but imagine that in the future this will be like one or maybe two Dream Theater albums done with a kind of half replacement for Mike Portnoy, then he comes back and they continue as normal. Maybe, just maybe, if A7X keep going, he might do an album with them. But I don't know if it will really be Portnoy permanently leaving DT, more just like getting his break, except they do a few albums without him in the mean time. A blip in Portnoy's association with them.

Either way, even though I've loved the past 6 DT albums, maybe this will stop some of the criticisms of the albums since they have some new material to write about and a different writing dynamic, and then Mike Portnoy will be "refreshed" in a few years.

Either way, I just hope this causes no problems for the next DT album. It looks like they're determined to get itout there ASAP, so that's good.

[MykeHavoc]

I don't think Iron Maiden is a very good example. Bruce wasn't the only one to leave the band, people. Adrian Smith was absent as well.

Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Judas Priest...all these bands had something Dream Theater never did:

Platinum albums.

Dream Theater's biggest selling album was I & W in 1992/93, it went gold (500K). Awake moved about 250K, and then that was it, they've been around the 100 - 150K mark since.

When those bands came back with the members who left them, the millions of fans who bought those albums came back in droves to the tours. But they didn't buy their new albums in droves.

I disagree with Mike that DT would have come back bigger then ever after a few year break. DT have continuously been building momentum that started in 1999 with SFAM. Every album is charting higher, and its not unreasonable to think that if it was good enough and the buzz was strong enough (and no one big acts were releasing that week) DT could score a #1 on the Billboards in 2011.

If DT were to take a few years off, they would lose that momentum and have no chance at getting to the next level, which Mike seems to be concerned with. In fact, they might sell 50% less albums and lose part of the fan base who was impatient. Probably not in Europe, but we know how fickle people are in the States.

All of those bands he mentioned did not achieve new hieghts after there hiatus, lol. Look a Smashing Pumpkins. Took 7 years off, and came back to poor sales and lackluster concert attendance. And this was a band that went platinum!

I really think they should have continued to work towards a compromise. Instead of recording in January, push it back 6 months. Unfortunately it seems niether side was willing to budge.

We are lucky that all 4 members want to move forward with DT, if just one 'took Mike's side', we might be looking at a break up.

I disagree with Mike's assessment, taking a hiatus would hurt DT much more than it would help. However, they could slow down and do an album every 2.5/3 years instead of every 2 years. Hell most bands these days take 3 years inbetween albums anyway.

All of that. Seems to be where my head is at. Think about the logistics as far as the dollar goes. More buzz = more album sales and concert attenders. Going dormant at your peak of popularity is not a good business decision.

[The Letter M]

Perhaps the buzz about MP's departure will entice even the most casual of fans to pick up DT11, just to hear the band without their former drummer? It could be a HUGE boost in sales that could push DT11 to BC&SL's debut-week spot of No. 6... or higher!

-Marc.

[MykeHavoc]

Well, this could go either way honestly. You get all the sad sacks hung up on Mike leaving to boycott the album and the band till he's back, but it appears that most of us here at least are adamant about the next release...even stimulated at the thought of a record without Mike. How could it work? That's not a hopeless statement. That's one of intrigue. "I have no idea what DT sounds like without Portnoy...I MUST know." - That's my stance.

[Dream Team]

No matter the topic, you can always count on the same exact posters to be critical of MP  . . .

The funniest thing is that some of those same posters have suggested in the past that DT take a hiatus, but when MP suggests it, it's suddenly a bad idea. Haters gotta hate.

[orcus116]

I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with him on that count, it's his actions as a result of the rest of the band saying no that people are being critical of.

[MykeHavoc]

I was more of the belief that they should write better material. Although not complete busts, the Roadrunner releases thus far have been a step down in quality. I don't think years off is necessary. Sure, it could help, but also cutting out the rule to write in the studio might help. If they properly demoed songs prior to going into the studio and really crafted the songs, that would likely help. More so then a hiatus I imagine.

[Dcrupi]

You know, after listening to this interview, many things hit home for me, but one stuck out in particular.  

MP sounds really sad.  I genuinely feel bad for the guy...it's very obvious that he didn't want this to happen (nor did DT), and I think he is very hurt by the whole ordeal.  I completely understand both sides of the issue, and I think this probably is the best move for both parties to make at the moment.

But still, I do feel bad for Mike.  It must be really hard for him to watch Dream Theater carry on without him.  His line about looking forward to watching a Dream Theater concert one day was incredibly sad.

[orcus116]

Well it usually is a shock for someone who thinks they're in control to suddenly not get their way for once. Not to disrespect all that he's done for the band but from the way I'm interpreting all the things I'm hearing I think he honestly expected all the guys to go "You're right, that's a great idea Mike" when asking for a break purely on clout. If DT is really comprised of the five completely different personalities he said it was during the interview then there is no reason to be surprised that they acted the way they did when he confronted them for the final time.

[rumborak]

One thought I had during the interview when he said that he had only ever gone into an album recording when he was 100% into it, I thought :"That's nice, but in a group of five that make their living from this activity, you can't always get 100%.  Sometimes you have to stick it out to keep it going for the sake of the others."

rumborak