What if MP wants to come back now?

[Super Dude]

Yeah, Howard's his dad.

[Global Laziness]

We have no idea what Mike is going through (DT related or not), BUT, for the sake of this thread, I'll respond. When I think of Dream Theater, I think of 3 things:
1) Musical genius
2) Technical prowess
3) Michael Howard Portnoy

As much as I was so extremely hurt and pissed off at MP for leaving, and while I do feel doing an album NOT under Mike's control will be good for the band, I'd welcome him back RIGHT NOW with arms extended!

No matter who they have chosen to replace him, they are not, nor cannot be MIKE's equal. IMO, he is the greatest drummer I have ever seen and although he's made a few bad "choices" (leaving, dumb tweets and posts), he's still da man in my book!

Mike's middle name is Stephen

[SnakeEyes]

We have no idea what Mike is going through (DT related or not), BUT, for the sake of this thread, I'll respond. When I think of Dream Theater, I think of 3 things:
1) Musical genius
2) Technical prowess
3) Michael Howard Portnoy

As much as I was so extremely hurt and pissed off at MP for leaving, and while I do feel doing an album NOT under Mike's control will be good for the band, I'd welcome him back RIGHT NOW with arms extended!

No matter who they have chosen to replace him, they are not, nor cannot be MIKE's equal. IMO, he is the greatest drummer I have ever seen and although he's made a few bad "choices" (leaving, dumb tweets and posts), he's still da man in my book!

Well, that settles that! 

[The Dark Master]

We have no idea what Mike is going through (DT related or not), BUT, for the sake of this thread, I'll respond. When I think of Dream Theater, I think of 3 things:
1) Musical genius
2) Technical prowess
3) Michael Howard Portnoy

As much as I was so extremely hurt and pissed off at MP for leaving, and while I do feel doing an album NOT under Mike's control will be good for the band, I'd welcome him back RIGHT NOW with arms extended!

No matter who they have chosen to replace him, they are not, nor cannot be MIKE's equal. IMO, he is the greatest drummer I have ever seen and although he's made a few bad "choices" (leaving, dumb tweets and posts), he's still da man in my book!

I agree completely.  However, Mike was, by his own admission, burnt out on Dream Theater, and I really do not believe that someone who feels like they are out of ideas and therefore has nothing meaningful to contribute creatively should be the one calling the shots.  In retrospect, there were three options for Mike and DT: 1) Mike could just lay back on the next album and let all the other guys write the music and lyrics while still remaining part of the band, 2) DT could take a break, or 3) Mike could take a leave of absence from DT.  Personally, I would have preferred the first option most of all because it would keep Mike in the  band while still allowing the other guys free reign to spread their creative wings, but it seems like MP couldn't have that.  He needed all or nothing, and now he's out of the band.  I totally understand why the rest of the band would want to go right back into the studio, with or without him.  The last album was #6 on Billboard; why on earth would they want to give up that kind of momentum just because one guy out of five is feeling burnt out?

Just to be clear, I feel for Mike Portnoy, I really do, and I am not blaming him for anything.  If he wasn't happy with DT, then he has every right to go find whatever it takes to make himself happy.  But there are four other careers on the line here, and they can't be expected to just sit around while Mike does some soul searching, especially when some of those members feel that they still have something worthwhile to contribute to future Dream Theater projects.  Ultimately, I think this will be best for both parties.  Mike gets his break and has time to reignite his creativity, and the other guys get the chance to play around a bit musically under less constraint then before.  If the next album is good, and Mike does return afterwords, then I hope that he respects the new balance of power in the band and doesn't try to just take over again.  He is a great band leader, no question, but I do very strongly feel that there is no reason why the others (mostly LaBrie, Myung and Rudess) can't have an important part in key band decisions as well.

[Daso]

One thing that people tend to forget is the week that went by. This walk-out wasn't just at the spur of the moment; MP offered the hiatus, DT declined, MP said he'd quit, and then they gave each other a full week to think about it. After which both stood their ground. So, based on that I think there was quite a bit going on that would make both parties stand their ground.

rumborak

That's just another example of his control issue. I mean, think about it this way: He suffested the hiatus, the guys said "no, we have to keep going on". By chance, Portnoy could've said "if you go on I'll quit" only to push them towards the hiatus, but it was an unexpected call to recieve the "ok, quit, we'll get a new drummer". Most likely he thought "I'll give them a week for them to react properly" (more like "to react the way I want them to"), but he's out in the end.

[rumborak]

In summary, Dream Theater is not Mike Portnoy. I for one am very interested what a new member can bring to the table. And if it's good, I'm happy to go along with DT 5.0.

rumborak

[orcus116]

5.0? More like 6.0. How dare you crap on Chris Collins like that.

[Super Dude]

MAJESTY YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!

[JasonScandopolous]

They did say that the door is always open for him to come back.

The door was wide open, but then a window broke or something, so who knows where we stand right now...

[TheKillingHand]

The MP homepage and Facebook page has changed from "founding member and ex-drummer of Dream Theater" to ""founding member and drummer of Dream Theater"....strange..

[ricky]

are we ever going to learn who the new drummer is?

[nineaxe]

The MP homepage and Facebook page has changed from "founding member and ex-drummer of Dream Theater" to ""founding member and drummer of Dream Theater"....strange..

Does this mean he's back in?

[hefdaddy42]

are we ever going to learn who the new drummer is?

Yeah, it's Jizmak Da Gusha.

[TheKillingHand]

The MP homepage and Facebook page has changed from "founding member and ex-drummer of Dream Theater" to ""founding member and drummer of Dream Theater"....strange..

Does this mean he's back in?

I highly doubt it...but it is strange that he would change it

[Super Dude]

The MP homepage and Facebook page has changed from "founding member and ex-drummer of Dream Theater" to ""founding member and drummer of Dream Theater"....strange..

Unbelievable.

[Pyroph]

Honestly it's a little petty seeing all the comments about MP. Yeah, speak of his personality but after this long with the band who wouldn't be upset? At first everyone's up in arms about him leaving, and now everyone seems to hate him. People are acting as if DT/MP now are enemies and MP is all to blame. The thing I notice no one saying is the rest of DT. MP was the front man/person blamed in DT criticism. I'm not saying that he isn't to blame, but what stopped the rest of the members from arguing about it then? Sure, we don't know the full story, maybe they did argue, but the fact remains that they could have done something about it if they felt "constricted" by him.

As for MP rejoining DT, you don't build a band without friendship over all these years. Seeing posts condemning MP (the same people who would lavishly praise him if he was still in the band) are laughable. I myself would fully welcome MP back in the band. If things need to be changed, and seeing how this is being construed I can't imagine MP not realizing this, they will.

[blackngold29]

The MP homepage and Facebook page has changed from "founding member and ex-drummer of Dream Theater" to ""founding member and drummer of Dream Theater"....strange..

Unbelievable.

I think he just means "founding drummer." I thought the weirder change was "current touring drummer with A7X" to "he has also recorded &/or toured with Avenged Sevenfold."

[Dublagent66]

What if MP wants to come back now?



He pretty much made his bed on this one...

[Super Dude]

Honestly it's a little petty seeing all the comments about MP. Yeah, speak of his personality but after this long with the band who wouldn't be upset? At first everyone's up in arms about him leaving, and now everyone seems to hate him. People are acting as if DT/MP now are enemies and MP is all to blame. The thing I notice no one saying is the rest of DT. MP was the front man/person blamed in DT criticism. I'm not saying that he isn't to blame, but what stopped the rest of the members from arguing about it then? Sure, we don't know the full story, maybe they did argue, but the fact remains that they could have done something about it if they felt "constricted" by him.

As for MP rejoining DT, you don't build a band without friendship over all these years. Seeing posts condemning MP (the same people who would lavishly praise him if he was still in the band) are laughable. I myself would fully welcome MP back in the band. If things need to be changed, and seeing how this is being construed I can't imagine MP not realizing this, they will.

Well first off, most of those bashing MP would probably bash him had he not left anyway.  Also it's true we don't know that relations were so tense or poor, but we do all know from comments and videos over the years that MP is a rather domineering individual, and by the looks of writing credits on their albums, kinda chokes the musical creativity of the band.

[SnakeEyes]

There was an interview with one of the DT members..... I think it might have been Rudess, but I can't remember.  It was only posted in the past week or two.  Anyway, he (whichever guy it was) said that one of the reasons they chose to move on without Portnoy was because the "hiatus" kept getting longer.  First, it was push the album back.  Then, it was take a couple of months off.  Then, it was two years, then five years, etc.  Apparently, Portnoy kept lengthening the amount of time for the break and it concerned the other guys because they didn't want to just hang around, waiting for Portnoy to have his cake and eat it too, so to speak. 

[Chino]

The last bit of the DT bio on Road Runner

"We're in an amazing situation now, where we have complete creative freedom," Portnoy concludes.  "We can make any kind of record we want, and know that fans and our label will support it.  We're basically making records for ourselves and our fans, and not having to worry about what anyone else thinks.  It's taken 24 years to earn that, but now that we have, it's a great place to be."

[El Barto]

I gotta say, I'd be hugely bummed.  Aside from the fact that it'd just be another massive chunk of needless MP melodrama, I like the future for both camps better this way.  I think I'll probably like DT-11 better than the last few albums, and I certainly like MP's side project stuff better than the recent DT material.  I think if he were to be announced the new drummer, I'd be both highly pissed off and highly disappointed. 

The one potential upside is the touring aspect, which I think MP greatly improves.  But then, I live in Dallas so why should I care. 

[lordxizor]

I could see there being some sort of conflict over whether Mike left on his own or was kicked out. Perhaps there is some legal bickering around that having to do with their contract.

[Super Dude]

Sometimes I think DT knows drama better than DTF does.

[Gorille85]

The last bit of the DT bio on Road Runner

"We're in an amazing situation now, where we have complete creative freedom," Portnoy concludes.  "We can make any kind of record we want, and know that fans and our label will support it.  We're basically making records for ourselves and our fans, and not having to worry about what anyone else thinks.  It's taken 24 years to earn that, but now that we have, it's a great place to be."

I feel like they found an soft spot, or a comfortable position. But now there is a new challenge for the DT guys.

And, I don't really wish to see MP back, and I want to know what the next album will be like without him.

[ariich]

I still can't believe anyone is seriously considering MP returning now a possibility. The other members have specifically said that they've chosen someone and that they're really excited about it.

[Metabog]

"Surprise fans, it was Mike all along! Ain't that unexpected and cool? Do we win now?"

[orcus116]

I still can't believe anyone is seriously considering MP returning now a possibility. The other members have specifically said that they've chosen someone and that they're really excited about it.

People like to play pretend I guess.

[ariich]

I still can't believe anyone is seriously considering MP returning now a possibility. The other members have specifically said that they've chosen someone and that they're really excited about it.

People like to play pretend I guess.

I suppose.

I mean, technically it's a possibility. I just think the chances are so remote that it's not worth any more than maybe a brief mention.

[The Letter M]

The thing about MP's site changing his bio could mean one of two things:

1) Mike Portnoy is rejoining Dream Theater
2) Mike Portnoy is taking Dream Theater name and thus, he WOULD (have been) the one and ONLY drummer for Dream Theater, and if the band including Petrucci/Myung/Rudess/LaBrie/(Drummer) would be forced under a new name, the statement that "Mike Portnoy is the drummer for Dream Theater" would technically be correct.

The second scenario would explain why the website is down...perhaps there is fighting over the name, so the first thing to go would be the website as changes are being made to resolve both the name-dispute and the new drummer announcement.

-Marc.

[lordxizor]

I don't know, the grammar of the statement on his site is still correct. He is the founding member and drummer of DT. "Founding" applying to both member and drummer, though I can't say it the most clear way to state it if he's no longer in the band. It would be really low of Mike to try and keep the name. JP and JM have just as much claim to it as he does.

[The Letter M]

I don't know, the grammar of the statement on his site is still correct. He is the founding member and drummer of DT. "Founding" applying to both member and drummer, though I can't say it the most clear way to state it if he's no longer in the band. It would be really low of Mike to try and keep the name. JP and JM have just as much claim to it as he does.

Right, but I'm pretty certain it once said "ex-drummer". Also, the change in his status with A7X is a bit odd as well.

-Marc.

[Super Dude]

I don't know, the grammar of the statement on his site is still correct. He is the founding member and drummer of DT. "Founding" applying to both member and drummer, though I can't say it the most clear way to state it if he's no longer in the band. It would be really low of Mike to try and keep the name. JP and JM have just as much claim to it as he does.

Well I guess in his defense, it was his dad who came up with the name.

[ariich]

Yeah but I don't think 1) the rest of the band would be so excited about the new drummer, and 2) he would be posting about how sad he was.

He probably just doesn't like how "ex-drummer" looks.

[Metabog]

I don't know, the grammar of the statement on his site is still correct. He is the founding member and drummer of DT. "Founding" applying to both member and drummer, though I can't say it the most clear way to state it if he's no longer in the band. It would be really low of Mike to try and keep the name. JP and JM have just as much claim to it as he does.

Yes, but the previous one was also correct, why would he actively change it?