Mike Portnoy on wanting to rejoin Dream Theater

[Nekov]

Mike Portnoy is now my friend in Facebook. I'll be drumming for DT now!!!

Actual no. It is his personal facebook page. Unless, you know him personally.

Why would you kill my dream like that? You are mean....

[theusualmadness]

Mike Portnoy is now my friend in Facebook. I'll be drumming for DT now!!!

Actual no. It is his personal facebook page. Unless, you know him personally.

Why would you kill my dream like that? You are mean....

sorry...

[Jamesman42]

He's also friends with Virgil Donati, John Macaluso, Charlie Z, Pete Wildoer, and Jordan Rudess.

Screw it, all of them are in the band! Dream Arena is here!

[Samsara]

re: legally putting the DT name into play regarding who owns it.

It's a losing argument. That said, I wouldn't be surprised at all if MP's legal reps TRIED it, but if you took any copyright and trademark law at all, or practiced in the field, you'd see that (assuming certain facts regarding the business side of the band) that Mike really has no claim with the band still together the way it is (particularly with JP and JM still in the band).

In addition, like bosk1, I don't think Mike would try and do that. It just drags the band's name through the mud even more and devalues the brand.

So it's not a good idea legally, because I'm almost certain that it would be a pointless waste of time to argue it, and it's also not a good idea regarding the revenue stream that Mike will continue to receive via royalties and what not from publishing.

If Mike's reps are SMART, they separate his publishing from the DT name (which I am sure they are doing, if not already have done so), and then try and negotiate a percentage of revenue from the band moving forward, permanently (something I personally believe, but have no facts to back it up, just a gut feeling, that Steve Perry has with Journey, especially after recent comments from Kevin Shirley regarding Perry still having an impact on what journey releases).

That is where I'd start from, and then I'd compromise the percentage downward, and work it from there.

I highly doubt MP's attorneys are dumb enough to try the whole "the DT name belongs to me" argument. Like I said, it would not surprise me, but nothing surprises me any longer. But it's just a waste of time to even try it, if they are competent attorneys. It fails almost immediately, regardless if the name was a suggestion of his late father. It became THE BAND'S name, and just on the face of the whole thing, two of the founding members of the band are still in it.

The ONLY argument I'd see is if MP and Kevin Moore banded together and fought for the name. But even then, it's a long shot, and the likelihood of MP and KM banding together and trying to reform Dream Theater with them at the helm, is as likely as me refusing a chocolate chip cookie. No shot in hell.  

[theusualmadness]

He's also friends with Virgil Donati, John Macaluso, Charlie Z, Pete Wildoer, and Jordan Rudess.

Screw it, all of them are in the band! Dream Arena is here!

lol... I know. Just thought it was interesting, because it just happened today and he was not friends before. Like I said in previous post, I am not reading into it.

[emindead]

MP should join Paramore.

[wkiml]

https://www.antimusic.com/news/10/dec/29Dream_Theater_Feud_Erupts_Online.shtml

not sure if its been posted before

[Orbert]

It may only have been posted yesterday, but it references events that happened a while ago.

More than anything else, I just find it amusing that it's "news" to them.  It even mentions that Mike is still touring with Avenged Sevenfold.

[KevShmev]

I think this is worth posting and rebumping the thread.  Portnoy apparently said this recently on his FB page:

On the subject of:"JP & JR stated you wanted the band to just stop for 5 years...how could you expect them to do that?":
 
MP: "I never said '5 years' as they are saying...I suggested an "indefinite" break (which is exactly that...take some time off and when we ALL were ready, re-start)...they said no...I then suggested a compromise of reconvening in Jan 2012...they still said no...I then suggested a further compromise of doing "light work" throughout 2011 in order to keep $ flowing in...and they STILL said no...they basically said 'it's Jan 2011 or we're moving on without you'...with no compromises and no concerns or respect for my need for time off...and I wasn't going to be "forced" into something I wasn't ready to do, so I was left with no choice but to step aside....and then at the end of October, after 6 weeks of reflection, I was willing to do it just for the sake of not losing my own band, but they already started their auditions and their film and it was too late (although Mangini was NOT in the band yet at this point)...and even then, they had their lawyers respond to me...they didnt even do it themselves!! So everybody, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT before making accusations about me!!! or even better yet, let's just drop it and move on...The Serenity Prayer has taught me to "accept the things I cannot change"...and until somebody builds a time machine, you cannot change the past (and even then, the movies have hinted that you still cant)" 

-----

But wait...if you read his post from his forum (that is bosk1's first post that started this thread), he said he reached out to them to try get back in fairly recently (and that was on December 20th), but now it was late October?  Hmmmm.....

[orcus116]

There's a discussion going on in the new album thread. It fits better here, actually, but the guy who posted the FB comments didn't wanna raise this thread from the dead.

[KevShmev]

Gotcha.  Yeah, it fits in here better.

Honestly, I think this was his way of trying to say he asked back in before they had hired Mangini (by changing "fairly recently" in late December to late October), especially since popular sentiment has been that DT did the right thing by not letting him come back since they had already hired Mangini. 

Hopefully, the DT guys will continue to take the high road and not take the bait in regards to his little snipes at them.

[tumbok]

actually i can't find that comment on MP's FB fanpage.. help??? 

[tgstk2]

me niehter..it would more be a MP posting on his own forum...than putting that stuff straight on fb.?

[D_Halco]

Going back to MP's forum, he seems so happy and excited about his many current projects. And then I read those facebook comments and they seem to have come out of the blue after he hasnt really said much regarding the DT camp in the last few months. It's just slightly suprising!

[tgstk2]

i still can't find them...

[hefdaddy42]

I think this is worth posting and rebumping the thread.  Portnoy apparently said this recently on his FB page:

On the subject of:"JP & JR stated you wanted the band to just stop for 5 years...how could you expect them to do that?":
 
MP: "I never said '5 years' as they are saying...I suggested an "indefinite" break (which is exactly that...take some time off and when we ALL were ready, re-start)...they said no...I then suggested a compromise of reconvening in Jan 2012...they still said no...I then suggested a further compromise of doing "light work" throughout 2011 in order to keep $ flowing in...and they STILL said no...they basically said 'it's Jan 2011 or we're moving on without you'...with no compromises and no concerns or respect for my need for time off...and I wasn't going to be "forced" into something I wasn't ready to do, so I was left with no choice but to step aside....and then at the end of October, after 6 weeks of reflection, I was willing to do it just for the sake of not losing my own band, but they already started their auditions and their film and it was too late (although Mangini was NOT in the band yet at this point)...and even then, they had their lawyers respond to me...they didnt even do it themselves!! So everybody, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT before making accusations about me!!! or even better yet, let's just drop it and move on...The Serenity Prayer has taught me to "accept the things I cannot change"...and until somebody builds a time machine, you cannot change the past (and even then, the movies have hinted that you still cant)" 

-----

But wait...if you read his post from his forum (that is bosk1's first post that started this thread), he said he reached out to them to try get back in fairly recently (and that was on December 20th), but now it was late October?  Hmmmm.....

According to LaBrie, it was November.

"How it actually went down was that in early November 2010, Mike had contacted us about the possibility of looking at the situation again because he wanted to come back. At that point we'd already auditioned the seven drummers and made the documentary of the process. We'd already decided who our new drummer was going to be, but we didn't let the world know because of all the logistics involved in making the documentary and keeping it exciting in the way it would unfold. We'd already let Mike Mangini know he was in the band and we weren't about to go back on that. Mike Portnoy was saying 'I don't want to have anything to do with the band at this point, my heart's not in it...' and then 10 weeks later saying he was interested again. It just didn't feel right, it didn't strike a good chord with us. We'd already taken on somebody we knew was unbelievably committed to what was going on and where we wanted to go, so it would have been an insult to Mike Mangini to suddenly change our minds. The game was well into play and we weren't about to change it."

https://www.bravewords.com/news/163672

[ZirconBlue]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

[Bertielee]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

A few days can  make a lot of difference.

B.Lee

[phentalmyst]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

[ZirconBlue]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

I'm wondering how MP would even know exactly when MM was notified that he'd made the cut.

[MetropolisxPt1]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

[7StringedBeast]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

You are wrong sir.

[phentalmyst]

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

yes i read it. that has nothing to do with it. DT says Mangini was in the band. MP says he wasn't yet.

and i couldn't disagree with you more on MP being back.

[chrisbDTM]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

k.

[lordxizor]

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

The only way Mike comes back is if MM just doesn't work out or mesh with the guys after this round of touring. I don't see this happening. MM was more committed to being in DT before he even got the gig than MP had been. It is very apparent that MM was the right man for the job and it sounds like the rest of the guys felt a positive change in the studio. It would be very odd to undo all that positive momentum.

[phentalmyst]

and even if MM leaves or is booted, that doesn't instantly put MP back in the band...

[lordxizor]

and even if MM leaves or is booted, that doesn't instantly put MP back in the band...

True. I would imagine there's a lot of repair needed in those relationships before that could happen. Plus MP would have to somehow prove that he's committed to the band again. That would probably mean cutting way back on side projects, which doesn't seem to be what MP wants right now.

[Dream Team]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

LOL

[bosk1]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

Actually, it makes a HUGE difference in this case given that DT made the offer to Mangini on or before November 5th.<sup>1


1</sup>According to Peter Wildoer, auditionees were notified on November 5th.  It is possible Mangini was notified earlier since, typically when you are offering someone a job, you notify the person you want before you notify the people you are rejecting.  That way, if your top pick ends up turning down the offer, you can go down the list and extend an offer to your #2 guy, and on down.  So it is possible Mangini received his offer before that date, but highly unlikely he received it after.

[bosk1]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

Incorrect.  He is not a "session drummer" for DT.  They made him a full member.

[wasteland]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

Incorrect.  He is not a "session drummer" for DT.  They made him a full member.

Which has been said more than once in the last five/six months in every interview they gave. So I guess we're stuck with Mike Mangini, and I'm happy with that. 

[KevShmev]

I think this is worth posting and rebumping the thread.  Portnoy apparently said this recently on his FB page:

On the subject of:"JP & JR stated you wanted the band to just stop for 5 years...how could you expect them to do that?":
 
MP: "I never said '5 years' as they are saying...I suggested an "indefinite" break (which is exactly that...take some time off and when we ALL were ready, re-start)...they said no...I then suggested a compromise of reconvening in Jan 2012...they still said no...I then suggested a further compromise of doing "light work" throughout 2011 in order to keep $ flowing in...and they STILL said no...they basically said 'it's Jan 2011 or we're moving on without you'...with no compromises and no concerns or respect for my need for time off...and I wasn't going to be "forced" into something I wasn't ready to do, so I was left with no choice but to step aside....and then at the end of October, after 6 weeks of reflection, I was willing to do it just for the sake of not losing my own band, but they already started their auditions and their film and it was too late (although Mangini was NOT in the band yet at this point)...and even then, they had their lawyers respond to me...they didnt even do it themselves!! So everybody, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT before making accusations about me!!! or even better yet, let's just drop it and move on...The Serenity Prayer has taught me to "accept the things I cannot change"...and until somebody builds a time machine, you cannot change the past (and even then, the movies have hinted that you still cant)" 

-----

But wait...if you read his post from his forum (that is bosk1's first post that started this thread), he said he reached out to them to try get back in fairly recently (and that was on December 20th), but now it was late October?  Hmmmm.....

According to LaBrie, it was November.

"How it actually went down was that in early November 2010, Mike had contacted us about the possibility of looking at the situation again because he wanted to come back. At that point we'd already auditioned the seven drummers and made the documentary of the process. We'd already decided who our new drummer was going to be, but we didn't let the world know because of all the logistics involved in making the documentary and keeping it exciting in the way it would unfold. We'd already let Mike Mangini know he was in the band and we weren't about to go back on that. Mike Portnoy was saying 'I don't want to have anything to do with the band at this point, my heart's not in it...' and then 10 weeks later saying he was interested again. It just didn't feel right, it didn't strike a good chord with us. We'd already taken on somebody we knew was unbelievably committed to what was going on and where we wanted to go, so it would have been an insult to Mike Mangini to suddenly change our minds. The game was well into play and we weren't about to change it."

https://www.bravewords.com/news/163672

Gotcha.  And JLB is saying that Mangini was already in the band by the time Portnoy asked back in, while Portnoy is saying he wasn't.  Given that I am not sure how Portnoy would have exactly known for sure the exact particulars, especially given how guarded they were about keeping everything quiet prior to the documentary in late April, I am inclined to believe JLB.  There is no reason not to. 

[phentalmyst]

more from JR regarding MP's timing...

https://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Music/Article.aspx?id=225548

"Mike wanted to come back after we had gone through all the emotional turmoil and pain of losing a friend, and the effort we went through to get back on our feet. We were well past our recovery phase and had made a commitment to Mike Mangini," said Jordan Rudess, Dream Theater's inventive keyboard player, explaining the wrenching decision to reject Portnoy's appeal.

[hefdaddy42]

"End of October" vs "early November".  Not much of a difference there.

that's not the issue though. it's that MP says Mangini wasn't in the band yet (how he would know that is beyond me) and DT claims he was. weird.

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

You are a silly person.

[sirbradford117]

did you read the part about them not telling anyone but mangini, Mp will be back either next album or the one after guarantee it, mm was a session drummer for labrie he will be a session drummer for dt mark my words.

Incorrect.  He is not a "session drummer" for DT.  They made him a full member.

You are a silly person.

/thread