Mike Portnoy on wanting to rejoin Dream Theater

[Miyazaki74]

C'mon guys you're telling me MP didn't know who the drummer was until everyone else knew? I wouldn't be be surprised if he knew it was Mangini before Mangini knew it was him. I mean even Eddie Trunk knew who it was.

[tri.ad]

Eddie Trunk didn't "know" that MM was the new drummer until the beginning of April this year. As for MP, why on earth should DT tell him before they let MM know? I don't see any reasonable explanation for that. He wasn't involved with the audition process in any way and I highly doubt that he would get round to know it.

[ReaPsTA]

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.

Considering that every word and action from the band has said otherwise, why do you think this?  If DT really wanted MP back, they would have done it last year when MP asked.

[Adami]

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.

Considering that every word and action from the band has said otherwise, why do you think this?  If DT really wanted MP back, they would have done it last year when MP asked.

It seems a few posters on this board are in extreme denial about MP leaving.

[bosk1]

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. 

Giving both sides the benefit of the doubt, it may also be that there were several conversations along the way and on one hand, Mike may have felt that a lot of the things he was saying were meant to convey, "Hey, let's rethink this--maybe I should just come back."  But if it was very indirect until he came right out and said something definitive along those lines in November, I can see him feeling like he said it earlier, but the band not feeling like he said it until way after the Mangini situation had been solidified.

[lordxizor]

I think it's actually fairly likely that MP found out from MM that he was the new drummer of DT. MM is friends with and has a lot of respect for MP. I would imagine he'd give MP a call after becoming the new drummer to say "hey... no hard feelings, I still love you" and whatnot.

[Super Dude]

Which he in turn responds to by giving the game away to Eddie Trunk.

[bosk1]

Which he in turn responds to by giving the game away to Eddie Trunk.

You don't know that.

[Dream Team]

Wow, the last 2 pages are just full of false statements. 

[ZirconBlue]

"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.

Yes, but a lot of people seem to think that they have to believe either MP or DT on the timing.  I'm saying that it's close enough that neither camp is necessarily "lying" or even "wrong".  For example, MP could have sent a message (email, voicemail, singing telegram, whatever) at the "end of October" that the band didn't receive or have the opportunity to consider until "the first week of November".

[bosk1]

Oh, I see what you mean.  Yes, I agree.  And I actually think I am saying the same thing, just approaching it from a different angle. 

[KevShmev]

C'mon guys you're telling me MP didn't know who the drummer was until everyone else knew? I wouldn't be be surprised if he knew it was Mangini before Mangini knew it was him. I mean even Eddie Trunk knew who it was.

Oh, I am sure he knew long before the public knew (and while there is no proof, the odds of him being the one who told Trunk are probably pretty high), but the odds are also pretty slim to none that he knew Mangini was in before Mangini himself knew.  Remember that six months passed between Mangini becoming a member and us all finding out.

[Ben_Jamin]

Well, MP talked to DT's lawyers. Also, MM was a member way back in November...only officialy announced in April. He was already recording his parts.

MP I feel did nothing wrong, he said what happened and never knew MM was the drummer until we all knew. But, the MM calling MP scenario could have happened.

[lordxizor]

never knew MM was the drummer until we all knew.

I would be shocked if MP didn't know who the drummer was until the general public found out.

[MarkFitDT]

"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.

Dont think Portnoy will be back period.

[Dublagent66]

Does anybody think that MP still plans on trying to rejoin sometime in the future?

[ricky]

C'mon guys you're telling me MP didn't know who the drummer was until everyone else knew? I wouldn't be be surprised if he knew it was Mangini before Mangini knew it was him. I mean even Eddie Trunk knew who it was.

Oh, I am sure he knew long before the public knew (and while there is no proof, the odds of him being the one who told Trunk are probably pretty high), but the odds are also pretty slim to none that he knew Mangini was in before Mangini himself knew.  Remember that six months passed between Mangini becoming a member and us all finding out.

true, but remember that this is purely speculation. i must be in the minority that believes mike had no idea who the drummer was until we did. the fact that he "spoke with DT's lawyers" proves nothing, as they have no legal obligation to tell him anything. also, since no solid piece of evidence has come out (mp confirmation, dt confirmation through either interview or individual member confirmation, etc.) solidifying that he did indeed know MM was the drummer before the rest of the public further increases my skepticism.

[TL]

Does anybody think that MP still plans on trying to rejoin sometime in the future?

It wouldn't be the most shocking thing in the world to me if he tried to rejoin the band again, but I think it's safe to say the band isn't going to take him back at this point.

[Orbert]

Does anybody think that MP still plans on trying to rejoin sometime in the future?

Apparently some people still think it'll happen.

[rumborak]

What really strikes me in MP's explanation is that he seems to think this was all just about the hiatus thing. I'm only working off my personal impression here, but after MP left, DT almost felt reborn. There was a palatable sense of excitement in all of their statements, and that indicates to me there was more to it than just bad timing.

rumborak

[King Postwhore]

What really strikes me in MP's explanation is that he seems to think this was all just about the hiatus thing. I'm only working off my personal impression here, but after MP left, DT almost felt reborn. There was a palatable sense of excitement in all of their statements, and that indicates to me there was more to it than just bad timing.

rumborak

100% correct.  The way the rest of the band members reacted talks volumes that there was something underlying.

[chaotic_ripper]

I don't mean this in an insulting way at all, I have a lot of respect for MP, I've met him twice, and I can tell you he is a cool and gracious guy....however.  Looking back at little things like how he controlled the setlists, a lot of the production for albums, and even listening to the WDADRU commentary you can tell he kind of had a strangle-hold on this band.  JM going from having the worst bass performance of his career on BCSL to now writing lyrics again and participating more in the composition of the music is very telling of the freedom these guys now feel with Mike gone.  Just an observation.

[FlyingBIZKIT]

Just have 2 drummers 

[wammabe]

[sneakyblueberry]

I think it's actually fairly likely that MP found out from MM that he was the new drummer of DT. MM is friends with and has a lot of respect for MP. I would imagine he'd give MP a call after becoming the new drummer to say "hey... no hard feelings, I still love you" and whatnot.

I can't imagine that happening.  That'd be like a man calling his girlfriend's ex-husband and saying, "Hey man, I'm sexing your wife, no hard feelings.'

[Adami]

I think it's actually fairly likely that MP found out from MM that he was the new drummer of DT. MM is friends with and has a lot of respect for MP. I would imagine he'd give MP a call after becoming the new drummer to say "hey... no hard feelings, I still love you" and whatnot.

I can't imagine that happening.  That'd be like a man calling his girlfriend's ex-husband and saying, "Hey man, I'm sexing your wife, no hard feelings.'

Actually it's more like a man calling another man and saying "Hey man, I was asked to join the band you left, I hope there are no hard feelings about it".

[sneakyblueberry]

Or that.  Whatever.

[wammabe]

I think it's actually fairly likely that MP found out from MM that he was the new drummer of DT. MM is friends with and has a lot of respect for MP. I would imagine he'd give MP a call after becoming the new drummer to say "hey... no hard feelings, I still love you" and whatnot.

I can't imagine that happening.  That'd be like a man calling his girlfriend's ex-husband and saying, "Hey man, I'm sexing your wife, no hard feelings.'

Actually it's more like a man calling another man and saying "Hey man, I was asked to join the band you left, I hope there are no hard feelings about it".

I don't find this very logical. In an interview with Mangini, he mentioned that he did not tell anyone about the drummer thing when it happened.
Plus, Portnoy said: "I figured it was still possible to try and save us, because they hadn't made any announcements yet or begun any public activity with another drummer...", he didn't know whether or not there was a new drummer, all that he knew was that there were no public announcements.
Also, I don't think the band would actually lie about this. Why the hell would they?
Either way, the band has mentioned that they've been extremely happy a countless amount of times... and if what they are saying about their progressive approach is true, then I don't think I'd want Portnoy back to the band in a million years. Plus, out of all the drummers that have auditioned in DT and Portnoy, Mangini is the best them.

[KevShmev]

What really strikes me in MP's explanation is that he seems to think this was all just about the hiatus thing. I'm only working off my personal impression here, but after MP left, DT almost felt reborn. There was a palatable sense of excitement in all of their statements, and that indicates to me there was more to it than just bad timing.

rumborak

I don't mean this in an insulting way at all, I have a lot of respect for MP, I've met him twice, and I can tell you he is a cool and gracious guy....however.  Looking back at little things like how he controlled the setlists, a lot of the production for albums, and even listening to the WDADRU commentary you can tell he kind of had a strangle-hold on this band.  JM going from having the worst bass performance of his career on BCSL to now writing lyrics again and participating more in the composition of the music is very telling of the freedom these guys now feel with Mike gone.  Just an observation.

I agree with both of these posts. 

[SystematicThought]

I've always kind of wondered about the whole lawyers talking to MP instead of the band. DT always kind of hints towards they themselves talking to MP.

[Adami]

I've always kind of wondered about the whole lawyers talking to MP instead of the band. DT always kind of hints towards they themselves talking to MP.

Yea, I'd like clarification on that too, I'm sure there's a story to it. I doubt MP called JP's cell phone and his lawyer answered instead or anything.

[SystematicThought]

I kind of picture JP sitting in his living room, his cell phone lights up, it's Mike Portnoy. The lawyers run into the room, DON'T ANSWER THAT!

Yeah, there's definately a story there.

[Adami]

I kind of picture JP sitting in his living room, his cell phone lights up, it's Mike Portnoy. The lawyers run into the room, DON'T ANSWER THAT!

Yeah, there's definately a story there.

"Keep him talking, we almost got a trace."

[bosk1]

I kind of picture JP sitting in his living room, his cell phone lights up, it's Mike Portnoy. The lawyers run into the room, DON'T ANSWER THAT!

Yeah, there's definately a story there.

"Keep him talking, we almost got a trace."

[Jack Bauer voice]

Mike, we need that next batch of Ytsejam releases.  I don't have time to play around with you, you understand me?  DAMMIT MIKE--WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!!!

[/Jack Bauer voice]

[SystematicThought]

According to the tracking thing.... he's on the front steps, right outside.. I can hear him talking through the door