MP: "Hearing New Dream Theater is Painful!"

[CrimsonSunrise]

I don't see why it's painful at all.  This was all Mike's decision, why should he be upset in any way?  I decided to get a divorce, yet I'm not bitter at my ex that she has someone new in her life.  I do understand the no comment part just because of the shitstorm of scrutiny that will inevitably follow to any comment he makes.

[ReaperKK]

I've been critical of MP's actions post break-up but come on. You have to be blind if you can't see why he doesn't feel bad about the situation. There was an ex that I dated years ago who is getting engaged now and I'm very happy for her but there is still a part of me that wonders "what if?", and I was the one that broke it off. That was years ago and in MP's case it a year hasn't even in passed.

[Super Dude]

THE ALBUM!  IT BURNS!!!

[wammabe]

Although I think MP made a lot of wrong choices regarding this situation, its certainly very understandable in a way.

THE ALBUM!  IT BURNS!!!

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

THE ALBUM!  IT BURNS!!!

[SystematicThought]

That was years ago and in MP's case it a year hasn't even in passed.

Wow, that just made me realize that today is exactly one month until it is a year...

[Super Dude]

THE ALBUM!  IT BURNS!!!

Must...resist...avatar quote.

[bss4life15]

I don't see why it's painful at all.  This was all Mike's decision, why should he be upset in any way?  I decided to get a divorce, yet I'm not bitter at my ex that she has someone new in her life.  I do understand the no comment part just because of the shitstorm of scrutiny that will inevitably follow to any comment he makes.

Think about working for a band for 25 years and when they carry on without you, even if you wanted to leave, it still hurts to hear something you started and worked on for so long be taken over by another person and continue to work without you

[Adami]

But he didn't start it.

[SystematicThought]

But he didn't start it.

Didn't MP's site always say THE founding member? Even before all this happened

[Adami]

But he didn't start it.

Didn't MP's site always say THE founding member? Even before all this happened

I have no idea. He's THE founding member of DT in as much as he suggested the name to the rest of the guys. But John and John were playing together before they met MP.

[Super Dude]

Right.  Like the three of them coming together helped form what would become Dream Theater, but without JP and JM, MP could never be Dream Theater.

[SystematicThought]

Ah, nope. It never did, only the acclaimed drummer of Dream Theater. Carry on

https://web.archive.org/web/20000301034056/https://www.mikeportnoy.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20060209033623/https://www.mikeportnoy.com/

[bss4life15]

But he didn't start it.

You're right, my bad.

[Madman Shepherd]

But it does say that on the Adrenaline Mob site:

"Mike is the founding member of Dream Theater and is widely regarded as one of the best drummers in the world."

It then goes on to list how he's sold millions of things and won trillions of awards and has close to 45 hundred billion zillion fans on facebook.  Ok, so I exaggerated that a tiny bit...but his bio is three times longer than the other guys.

https://adrenalinemob.com/band/

[Adami]

Well while he's still not the founding member of DT, it makes sense that his bio is much bigger. He's a huge name in music, Russel Allen is somewhat big amongst extreme prog fans and no one has ever heard of Michael Orlando before and I don't even know the name of the bassist.

[TL]

Ah, nope. It never did, only the acclaimed drummer of Dream Theater. Carry on

https://web.archive.org/web/20000301034056/https://www.mikeportnoy.com/
https://web.archive.org/web/20060209033623/https://www.mikeportnoy.com/

Holy shit, his site from the year 2000 has OVER 160 MEGABYTES OF MULTIMEDIA!
Not a dig at MP as much as it always being amusing to remember what was impressive back in those days.

But yeah, MP billing himself as 'the' founding member of DT on the AM site is a bit irritating. "A" founding member wouldn't be a problem, but JP and JMX were the original members. Anyone who saw the Score documentary knows the story. They came across MP in a practice room at Berkley, and the three of them formed a band. The Johns are at least important to DT's founding as MP if not moreso, and JLB, while he came along later, played a pretty critical role.

[ZKX-2099]

Say what you guys want about him. I still think it's refreshing to see somebody be as open with people as Portnoy is.

[tofee35]

Do I wish this never went down and MP was still the drummer of DT? YES!

Do I like the fact that DT moved on with Mike Mangini? YES!

Can I patiently wait for the album release and 10/11 (NJ) and 10/12 (NY)? NO!

I like this post... It's absolutely possible to be cool with either way the band went after BC&SL. I feel like DT isn't the same DT without MP. With MM they feel like a different band to me. A really good band, but a different band. But, I'm also a drummer, so I would feel that way when a focal point for me is drumming. I've always loved MM and have seen his clinics etc. I bet the new album will be great and I can't wait either!

[Slain]

Well while he's still not the founding member of DT, it makes sense that his bio is much bigger. He's a huge name in music, Russel Allen is somewhat big amongst extreme prog fans and no one has ever heard of Michael Orlando before and I don't even know the name of the bassist.

It's strange, Orlando actually toured with my guitar teacher Matthew Mills for a while, I never met the guy but I heard a lot about him at the time. I was fairly surprised when I read that he was in the lineup for Mike's new band.

[tjanuranus]

Well while he's still not the founding member of DT, it makes sense that his bio is much bigger. He's a huge name in music, Russel Allen is somewhat big amongst extreme prog fans and no one has ever heard of Michael Orlando before and I don't even know the name of the bassist.

It's strange, Orlando actually toured with my guitar teacher Matthew Mills for a while, I never met the guy but I heard a lot about him at the time. I was fairly surprised when I read that he was in the lineup for Mike's new band.

Hopefully your guitar teacher tried to teach him proper technique. Obviously he didn't listen but maybe he tried...

[Bill Carson]

I do feel sorry for Mike, it must be very difficult for him to be such an integral part of something for over 20 years and then it's not there anymore.
Maybe its just a natural progression of his life that he needs to come to terms with.
There are very few people, like for example Kevin Moore, who get to a place in their life where they do not want to be and decide its time for a change. Having the courage to stay on this new road no matter how painful it is to turn their back on old friends etc
Most people will act like MP trying to keep hold of what they've always had regardless of where their life is being pushed.

What I liked so much about DT, especially in the early days, was that it really felt like a band, a democracy. You know everyone was contributing and you really couldn't tell who the leader was.
However the last ten years its fair to say that Mike was the leader, JP the second in charge, then followed by JR and the other two were just there.
There was always going to be a time where MP was gonna get exhausted because he was taking on too much. But this is the way he wanted it, he wasn't prepared to relinquish any kind of control and that's why he needed the break. To re-charge his batteries so that he could assume his leadership role.
I'm glad they didn't give in because the band dynamic has improved. I mean it won't be the same, how can it be without MP but its moving forward and feels far more healthy.
I for one can't wait for the new album so Mike....thanks for the memories, i'll miss you but this was the only logical conclusion.

Its funny how two of the founding members have been replaced with arguably superior technical players. Has it improved the music ? Probably not but it has allowed the band to evolve and progress and a world without a new DT album would be a very dull place indeed !

[Harpejji]

I think MP should have stopped with his projects to get more rest instead of quitting with DT. DT is in my eyes a higher priority.

[Cruithne]

"Nobody wants to see their ex-wife of 25 years with a new husband moving into the house that you built with her for 25 years."

"But they've chosen to move on after I quit and I just have to kind of sit on the sidelines and watch and listen."

FTFY.

Clearly MP quit DT reluctantly so it's not entirely surprising that he's not dealing very well with them moving on without him but he could really do with simply not answering any DT related questions without a publicist filtering his answers to stop him putting his foot in it.

[rumborak]

double-post!

[rumborak]

What's really gonna burn is that he will most likely never be able to outgrow his own shadow. It doesn't matter what new project he will pull off, they will all be touted as, and compared to, "ex-DT drummer Mike Portnoy..."
He's gonna be Kevin Moore, but 10 times so.

rumborak

[robwebster]

What's really gonna burn is that he will never be able to outgrow his own shadow. It doesn't matter what new project he will pull off, they will all be touted as, and compared to, "ex-DT drummer Mike Portnoy..."
He's gonna be Kevin Moore, but 10 times so.

rumborak

I dunno! If he'd become a full member of Avenged Sevenfold - writing and recording and doing his backing vocals - then I could've seen him becoming better known for that, eight years or so down the line. He'd need a pretty high-profile role, but these shifts do happen.

I don't, however, think he has a snowflake's chance in hell of pioneering a new band that'll topple DT's profile. It'd have to be something seriously sensational. Which is always the intention, but dear me. What an ask.

[nikatapi]

I think it is expected for Mike to feel this way, after all he wanted a break, not a split.

But sometimes people have to face the consequences of their decisions, and he should just move on. He has said over and over again how happy he is with his new bands - projects, so he should focus on them in order to stay happy.

It sure is painful for him though, but not as painful as his vocal part in Psychosane is to my ears.

[obscure]

I really do enjoy Mangini's presence in the band now... But it was painful for me to read those lines.... it brought me to tears as well as it did Rudess.....

[Dream Team]

Perhaps MP should start approaching the situation with tongue-in-cheek humor for a change. Imagine if he had said:

"Pretty cool tune, but it needs more MP vocals and blastbeats".

[Super Dude]

Perhaps MP should start approaching the situation with tongue-in-cheek humor for a change. Imagine if he had said:

"Pretty cool tune, but it needs more MP vocals and blastbeats".

I think that would come off as pretty high and mighty of him, personally.

[ACID_FOX]

Perhaps MP should start approaching the situation with tongue-in-cheek humor for a change. Imagine if he had said:

"Pretty cool tune, but it needs more MP vocals and blastbeats".

I think that would come off as pretty high and mighty of him, personally.

How so?

[Super Dude]

I'm just saying, considering the internet cannot read sarcasm. People would read it like he's actually saying the song sucks without him.

[snowdog]

But it does say that on the Adrenaline Mob site:

"Mike is the founding member of Dream Theater and is widely regarded as one of the best drummers in the world."

It then goes on to list how he's sold millions of things and won trillions of awards and has close to 45 hundred billion zillion fans on facebook.  Ok, so I exaggerated that a tiny bit...but his bio is three times longer than the other guys.

https://adrenalinemob.com/band/

True his bio is twice is big as the other guys.  But to be fair, outside of Russel Allen I hadn't even heard of the other guys.

[Jalis]

But it does say that on the Adrenaline Mob site:

"Mike is the founding member of Dream Theater and is widely regarded as one of the best drummers in the world."

It then goes on to list how he's sold millions of things and won trillions of awards and has close to 45 hundred billion zillion fans on facebook.  Ok, so I exaggerated that a tiny bit...but his bio is three times longer than the other guys.

https://adrenalinemob.com/band/

True his bio is twice is big as the other guys.  But to be fair, outside of Russel Allen I hadn't even heard of the other guys.

well... he is obviously the "leader"...
I was eagerly waiting to hear the ep... when i streamed it... i was soooo disappointed because i really think its bad... well... their skills is not bad, the music just doesn't do anything for me... If Mike is fine with his mob, then let him do his mob...