Did Dream Theater fans turn their back on Mike Portnoy?

[Madman Shepherd]

Honestly I don't think many fans have turned their backs on him. The people who are hating on him are just people who didn't really like him to begin with.

Not true.  I used to love the guy and all that he did even though I always kinda wished the band had an equal voice, I thought the Ytsejam Releases were about the coolest thing a band has ever done.

I met him at a meet & greet.  I love his setlist archive.  I never liked his lyrics as much as the others but Constant Motion is one of my favorite songs.  But now, he has acted in such a way that I really can't see myself supporting anything he does.  My loyalty lies with DT, not just because I love their music much more but personally they are much more likable people. 

[Knguro]

I think it is more accurate to say that Mike Portnoy turned Dream Theater fans' backs on Mike Portnoy.

But I think it is more accurate to say that Dream Theater fans are more focused on Dream Theater than on Mike Portnoy now because Mike Portnoy is no longer in Dream Theater.

You said it hef.

[Knguro]

All I can say now is that I'm a fangini.

[Miyazaki74]

Honestly I don't think many fans have turned their backs on him. The people who are hating on him are just people who didn't really like him to begin with.

Not true.  I used to love the guy and all that he did even though I always kinda wished the band had an equal voice, I thought the Ytsejam Releases were about the coolest thing a band has ever done.

I met him at a meet & greet.  I love his setlist archive.  I never liked his lyrics as much as the others but Constant Motion is one of my favorite songs.  But now, he has acted in such a way that I really can't see myself supporting anything he does.  My loyalty lies with DT, not just because I love their music much more but personally they are much more likable people.  

It's your right to not support him but I didn't say he lost any fans, I just don't think it's all that many. But what do I know, it's just a guess.

[DreamerTV]

MP has critiqued JLB only in live situations AFAIK, and rarely at that.  In fact, in Lifting Shadows, he actually sticks up for JLB quite a bit.

He did say, in at least two interviews, that JLB voice wasn't his cup of tea, when he still was in the band. Not nice from a bandmate.

The only time MP has said something about JMX is right after he left the band, where he mainly didn't like JMX's distant personality.

John Myung is mostly a reserved person. Complaining about that, and listing it as one of the reasons he didn't feel well in DT land, meant to criticize JM as a person.  

He didn't "castrate" anyone's musical ability.  The writing process was pretty equal, and if someone wants to do something, they can.

"DT police" (JR interview) didn't sound as everyone felt free to do whatever they want...

MP didn't have a problem with the musical direction at all.  He left because he wanted a break.

I didn't talk about music connection, but about roles and the reason they where like that. Which was MP wanting to do everything.

[Pinga]

Well, i guess most DT fans who turned their backs on MP were disappointed by the musical output of Adrenaline Mob.
Or because of some immature behavior from his part.

It's not because of the musical output of Adrenaline Mob.

Ηow can you be so sure?
I know a lot of people who don't know about all the drama like most of us here, who listened to DT but were really let down by AM's music.

Yeah, but that would just mean they don't like Adrenaline Mob.  That wouldn't mean they've "turned their back on him."

Lots of DT fans didn't like Transatlantic, either.  That doesn't translate into "turning their backs on" MP.

Of course, not liking something he's been involved with shouldn't equal turning our backs on him, right? I think that, after all the drama that has gone through, he has, for one reason or another, adopted a "if you're not with me, you're against me" mentality. So I think he does perceive people who dislike A-Mob as traitors.

[tjanuranus]

Portnoy is practicing revisionist history here. Let's not forget.

This is a true representation of what MP did to DT FANS.

[Miyazaki74]

Well, i guess most DT fans who turned their backs on MP were disappointed by the musical output of Adrenaline Mob.
Or because of some immature behavior from his part.

It's not because of the musical output of Adrenaline Mob.

Ηow can you be so sure?
I know a lot of people who don't know about all the drama like most of us here, who listened to DT but were really let down by AM's music.

Yeah, but that would just mean they don't like Adrenaline Mob.  That wouldn't mean they've "turned their back on him."

Lots of DT fans didn't like Transatlantic, either.  That doesn't translate into "turning their backs on" MP.

Of course, not liking something he's been involved with shouldn't equal turning our backs on him, right? I think that, after all the drama that has gone through, he has, for one reason or another, adopted a "if you're not with me, you're against me" mentality. So I think he does perceive people who dislike A-Mob as traitors.

I think when he sees posts like "MP WHO?" or "I'm glad MP is no longer in DT"  or all the negative comments towards him is what gets to him. I don't think he perceives people who dislikes A-Mob as traitors.

[yeshaberto]

I haven't.   I know drama third hand like this always has to be taken with a grain of salt.   I love his devotion to fans and his skills too much to not give him leeway and to support his side projects

[Jaffa]

Just some food for thought, but I've seen several posts on this forum trying to blame Portnoy for everything they haven't liked about Dream Theater recently.  I'm not naming any names or linking any posts, but since I got here, I've seen several people who blamed MP for all of the band's flaws and ignored MP when considering the band's triumphs.  As if he was responsible for every 'bad' DT moment, and the rest of the band was responsible for every 'good' DT moment.  

These are the people who I perceive as genuinely turning their backs on Portnoy.  The ones who are eager to pin the blame on him for anything and everything they don't like, the moment he leaves the band.  

[antigoon]

Portnoy has always felt this way, to an extent. Never Enough, anyone?

[Pinga]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

[hefdaddy42]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

[Jamesman42]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

i think some were just hating on mp a little bit too hard. some of the things people said about him were just sorta mean and i felt bad for mike lol. at the end of the day, yeah he did have a bit too much control over the music which negatively, in my opinion, affected the songs, and yeah he did quit the band, and yeah he didnt really grow technically like the other instrumentalists in the band, but he still did a lot of great things in dream theater for the music and the fans. 

anyway, i think some fans were just frustrated with some combination of those things and it came out as "turning their backs" on him. mp made some great music with DT but it was obvious we were just going to get more of the same from the last albums which were less than stellar. he had his time the band will be better off musically without him. sorry for the digression.

[Perpetual Change]

I think it is more accurate to say that Mike Portnoy turned Dream Theater fans' backs on Mike Portnoy.

This, exactly. No one felt like they had to choose a side between DT and Mike to begin with. Gradually, through his interviews and side comments, Mike has started to change that.

[hefdaddy42]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

It's not a joke.

[The Dark Master]

Well, the short answer to that question is, "Yes", but in all honesty, seriously, what the fuck did he think was going to happen?  What, did Mike automatically assume that just because he directed the albums, picked the setlists, and did things like YtseJam, that all the fans were going to take his side in the split?  Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciated YtseJam, although I wish he had not been such a control-freak over the album direction and setlist selection, but ultimately it is the music that should matter the most, and the music has always been written by Dream Theater as a unit.  Granted, the makeup of that unit has changed over the years, but it is still that melting pot of ideas that defines the Dream Theater sound.  Mike did a lot for the band and the fans, I'll give him that, but he was still just a part of a greater whole.

I think this really just goes to show how, despite his relatively close relationship with the fans, he still really doesn't understand the Dream Theater fanbase, or at least, not as well as he thinks he does.  The thing is, from 1985-2010, the biggest DT fan in world was Mike Portnoy, and because he always viewed himself as a fan of the band, he automatically assumed that all the fans would agree with his view of how the band should be run, and I really think it has come as something of a rude shock every time he is proven wrong.  He never understood why fans would get so put off by his vocal contributions and his general marginalizing of LaBrie.  He was thrown for a loop when the more progressively inclined fans disliked Train of Thought and the Metallica and Maiden covers, and he was once again taken by surprise when the more metal fans were bored out of their minds when the band covered Dark Side of the Moon and played a more musically subdued set when touring with Yes, because he automatically assumed that all Dream Theater fans like Metallica, Maiden, Floyd and Yes, just like him.

I also think he assumed that anyone who was a fan of Dream Theater was also a fan of him, and would follow anything he did with the same level of devotion as they did with DT.  I actually like Adrenaline Mob, or at least what I have heard of them, but that is only partially because of Portnoy.  I also like AM because it has Russ of vox, and because I really like Pantera and Dio, and AM basically sounds like as if Dio had joined Pantera.  As for his other projects, yeah, I'll give them a shot, but they're not really a priority for me in the same way as DT.  I really like Sykes, so I am very excited to hear that project, but the stuff with Morse and others I will check out more out of curiosity rather then a feeling of absolute need just because it has Mike Portnoy.  I don't really follow the non-DT career of any DT member, past of present, with the same dedication as I follow Dream Theater themselves.  The member I follow the closest is Derek, and even with him, I don't really feel the need to own each and every single album he has ever appeared on just because it has DS.  Side projects are cool and all, but they don't really command my attention (and, by proxy, my budget) in the same way as a main band.  

Right now, Mike's post-DT career is still very much undefined, and he has a lot on his plate that still won't reach the fans for a while.  Obviously, a lot of Dream Theater fans won't like Adrenaline Mob, and given the mixed reaction the more metal DT received over the past decade, I really can't comprehend why he is surprised by this.  The Dream Theater fans will follow his music if they like it, not because it has Mike Portnoy.  I'm sure most of them will like his projects with Morse more the AM, so perhaps whenever that comes out, MP will regain a bit more of their interest, but right now, AM is his top priority, and it really only appeals to a relatively small portion of the DT fans (myself included), so he is going to have to live without their blind devotion for a while until one of his projects strikes the musical fancy of a much larger percentage of the DT fans.

[ReaPsTA]

One basic thing that always confused me - The Ytsejam releases being stalled out.  If MP had said after he left the band "Hey, look, even though I'm not with these guys musically, I'd love to continue releasing Ytsejam records as long as I get a cut of the profits," why wouldn't DT want to agree to that.  Does anyone really think Petrucci would turn down money?  Of course not.  Instead, MP did his whole "OF COURSE Ytsejam records will be affected" thing, which makes no sense to me.  Unless I'm missing something (which due to legal reasons is perfectly possible), it's essentially MP's fault there's no more Ytsejams, and that's created a ton of bad will between him and DT fans.

[Jamesman42]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

It's not a joke.

I know, that's what makes it funny to me.

[Perpetual Change]

Wait, really?

[hefdaddy42]

One basic thing that always confused me - The Ytsejam releases being stalled out.  If MP had said after he left the band "Hey, look, even though I'm not with these guys musically, I'd love to continue releasing Ytsejam records as long as I get a cut of the profits," why wouldn't DT want to agree to that.  Does anyone really think Petrucci would turn down money?  Of course not.  Instead, MP did his whole "OF COURSE Ytsejam records will be affected" thing, which makes no sense to me.  Unless I'm missing something (which due to legal reasons is perfectly possible), it's essentially MP's fault there's no more Ytsejams, and that's created a ton of bad will between him and DT fans.

That is certainly one big thing.

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

It's not a joke.

I know, that's what makes it funny to me.

[Madman Shepherd]

I think when he sees posts like "MP WHO?" or "I'm glad MP is no longer in DT"  or all the negative comments towards him is what gets to him.

Hm, so on that same token it was MP that turned his back on Kevin Moore.   

[blackngold29]

It appears that way... until you read the whole quote.

Have you been facing 'haters' along this process?

Absolutely I have. It has been a tough year for me watching DREAM THEATER fans turning their backs on me, which is unfortunate because I have been the most fan-oriented artist you'll ever meet. And during my time with DREAM THEATER, everything I did was for the fans. So, it is sad when I see someone turning his back on me. But again, there is a big number of fans who have been very supportive and for those people I am so eternally grateful and I will continue trying to make them proud fans.


He's exactly right, some people are real jerks to him, I've seen it. Most seem to be accepting of what he wants.

no, 'cause if he doesn't want people to turn there backs on him, he shouldn't act like such a child. no-one is generally stupid or immature enough to turn their back on someone for no reason. most people will appreciate his efforts for the fans during his time in DT, but that doesn't give him an excuse to act like this. also remember, it was his disicion to leave the band

I'm not saying he's perfect, but I've seen tweets along the line of '@MikePortnoy the new DT album rocks, they did it without you. Thanks for leaving cause you suck.' And nobody deserves to have shit like that said to them.

[Loser1]

He sure seems to think so.

"It has been a tough year for me watching DREAM THEATER fans turning their backs on me, which is unfortunate, because I have been the most fan-oriented artist you'll ever meet. And during my time with DREAM THEATER, everything I did was for the fans. So it is sad when I see someone turning his back on me."



Source: https://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=162788

If he reads this forum, I can see why he would say that. As for me...
Nah I haven't turned my back on him. I will admit Adrenaline Mob does nothing for me. But I suspect in true Portnoy fashion, he will do various styles of music in the future. So I'll keep my eye on him.

[Mebert78]

I think when he sees posts like "MP WHO?" or "I'm glad MP is no longer in DT"  or all the negative comments towards him is what gets to him.

Hm, so on that same token it was MP that turned his back on Kevin Moore.    

I'm not really responding to your comment, but it's kinda intereting how differently MP and KM handled their departures from DT.  Kevin barely ever discussed DT again and just went about his own business.  MP, meanwhile, has been very vocal.  I guess it's just their different personalities.  But if you're gonna leave a band, just leave.  Making these kind of pity-seeking comments as he did in this interview, even if you do balance it out by thanking the supportive fans, is not doing yourself any favors in my opinion.  

Personally, since MP left DT I've supported him.  I attended a meet-and-greet he held at a local drum store in May and I saw the Adrelanine Mob's first show in NYC.  I'll always support him if I can, as a thanks for what he did for my favorite band for 25 years.

[Loser1]

as a thanks for what he did for my favorite band for 25 years.

I agree with this. Portnoy went above and beyond for us fans. I can relate to this personally, as he went above and beyond for me. Yea it was only a moment of effort to him, but how many other fans have similar experiences? Probably quite a few. I still appreciate Portnoy in that respect.

[j]

I am unapologetically critical of Portnoy because of the painfully childish and immature way he has behaved over the past year or so.  Not that he wasn't immature prior to that, but his actions of late have fully exposed some really off-putting personal characteristics.  Granted, this is all based on what I have read and continue to read on the internet.

Portnoy is obviously an incredible drummer, and I love a lot of the projects he has been involved with.  I'll still probably check out most of what he puts out musically.  But I can't imagine that anybody could consider the guy a good role model as a person at this point.

The other thing I'll say is that I get the distinct impression that he was the primary driving force behind a lot of the direction, emphases, and various aspects of recent DT which I found unappealing.  This is based mostly on reading interviews and comments, as well as what I've heard of and read about the new album.  I know this kind of negative speculation is often met with vigorous opposition from some individuals (despite the fact that it often turns out to be true), but we'll see here in a week or so, I suppose.

-J

[Dr. DTVT]

Do I like the way MP has handled himself regarding DT after the split?  Not in the least.
Would his presence on an album or live show stop me from supporting him if I like the project?  Hell no.
Would I give him my kidney if he needed it?  No, but I'd certainly line up a *volunteer* for him    Whereas the other members that answer would be Very Yes.

[Pinga]

Exactly. To this day, I don't know who that song is for.

It's for KevSchmev.

It's not a joke.

um, could you please elaborate?

[bss4life15]

I don't get this whole taking sides thing.  I still love both sides.  I will continue to love Dream Theater's and MP's musical output.  Also while his actions have been rather unpleasent since his departure, he is human and i believe he will regret his actions in the future and i wont let a few bad decisions on his part make me hate him or turn my back on him and his music.  I will continue to be a fan of Dream Theater and Adrenaline Mob or whatever MP's future musical endeavors will be.

[BlobVanDam]

I'm not saying he's perfect, but I've seen tweets along the line of '@MikePortnoy the new DT album rocks, they did it without you. Thanks for leaving cause you suck.' And nobody deserves to have shit like that said to them.

I think people ignore just how much shit like this he's had to put up with since the split. Whether or not people think he "deserves it" is irrelevant.
MP's comment about fans turning their back on him is 100% justified, and this thread is further proof of it, just like the other 20 threads we've had in the past week that have devolved into the exact same thing. MP has made mistakes in how he's handled himself, no doubt. And it was his own choice for leaving DT, so that is on him. But if any person here got the same amount of hate thrown their way as MP has for his mistakes, I'd like to see how well they handle it.

[3xodus]

Well said Blob.. I would personally become an introverted agorophobic if I had as much hate thrown at me as MP did and still does.

[theseoafs]

- he has always complained for how the bassist, as a person, is and always has been. And i really love Myung personality

Is this fact? I knew about the JLB thing, but seriously.

[LCArenas]

I've tried to be cautious on the Criticize MP stuff because I admired what he did for the fans. Sure the dude had problems and the recent stuff he's been saying recently surely has caused me more than one , but still he did a lot of things in 25 years of the band and I appreciate that a lot. I don't think he'll be returning any day to DT. He might have a different opinion about JLB and JR now and about DT fans and I don't think he'll be comfortable with that. That's just sad. I miss his energy in the concerts and his Portnoy-ish ways of entertaining the crowds.

He's human. He has done good stuff and has fucked a lot of shit up. So as a human I'm trying not to judge him and be as fair as I can to him. I think he needs to understand that a turning point has happened in DT history and has divided people in three sides, And there's one side who has turned indeed their back on him and has treated him like shit regardless of what he did for them... That doesn't mean all the DT fans have.