Did Dream Theater fans turn their back on Mike Portnoy?

[ariich]

Kev, how am I spinning anything? The full quote is quite balanced because (1) it shows him crediting the fans who have been supportive, and (2) it shows that he was responding to an interview question about haters. Leaving out those two factors was only ever going to cause controversy, and I'm pretty certain that you knew that.

[PS Head]

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.

Couldnt agree more......Im a huge fan of Mike Portnoy,adore his ability and style as a drummer and feel he did a lot of good with DT when it came to the fans.But lets remember...HE WANTED OUT (well,atleast for a 5yr break) and now he's feeling sore.There's nothing to stop him going out and forming a new prog rock band..or a super group if you like and giving himself a whole new project to throw himself into.He might stop feeling sorry for himself then.

[BlobVanDam]

Kev, how am I spinning anything? The full quote is quite balanced because (1) it shows him crediting the fans who have been supportive, and (2) it shows that he was responding to an interview question about haters. Leaving out those two factors was only ever going to cause controversy, and I'm pretty certain that you knew that.

Before I saw the whole quote, it looked like a completely unprompted dig at all DT fans for hating him. In context, it was a response to a direct question that said that some fans hated on him while others have been very supportive.

Putting the whole quote is giving the least biased spin.

[KevShmev]

I linked to the entire interview, but listed the main quote in my OP.  Not sure what the beef is.  RR basically did the same thing by putting that same quote in the headline, while also having the rest of the interview below, so you'd better take it up with them, too, eh?

[Jamesman42]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

[BlobVanDam]

I linked to the entire interview, but listed the main quote in my OP.  Not sure what the beef is.  RR basically did the same thing by putting that same quote in the headline, while also having the rest of the interview below, so you'd better take it up with them, too, eh?

If your argument is that it's ok because BLABBERMOUTH, the tabloid of the music world did it, then you're clearly doing it wrong.
When have they ever not spun an interview?

[CrimsonSunrise]

I haven't abandoned Mike.  Bottom line is I love DT...and he's no longer part of DT.  I'm not thrilled with AM, it's not what I'm looking for musically at this point.  If he does something that excites me , I'll be the first one singing his praises.  That being said, so far it looks like him leaving the band was the best thing.  As far as his comments, he's only human.  It would help though if he applied some tact and restraint publicly. As far as "Us" as the fans abandoning him I have to agree with Rumb...WE are the consumers.

[Bertielee]

I've been very critical of MP for handling things the way he has but, come on, when will interviewers STOP asking him questions relating to DT, for Christ's sake? It's been a year, now, leave him alone and things may come to a lull.

B.Lee

[rumborak]

Dude, it's only been a year. It will be a looong time before they stop asking.

rumborak

[BlobVanDam]

DT are just about to release their first album without him. It's still a hot topic for interviewers. It will be a long time before interviewers stop asking. I'd expect it will only get more frequent at the moment.

[DTGeek]

I've been very critical of MP for handling things the way he has but, come on, when will interviewers STOP asking him questions relating to DT, for Christ's sake?

Never?  He was in DT for 25 years "for Christ's sake", and DT is the reason he's famous enough to be interviewed in the first place.  The only way they'll stop asking him about DT is if he refuses to answer those questions with anything other than "no comment", and makes this well known.  Of course... he wouldn't get a lot of interviews then and would just fade into obscurity, and we all know how MP loves attention.

[hefdaddy42]

I am really getting tired of this MP vs. DT bullshit.  The fact is that most of MP's fans were DT fans first.  They were MP fans because he was in DT.  He's not in DT anymore.  So that's a big part of it.

Even then, most DT fans still didn't "turn their backs" on MP even when he left.  They didn't start turning against him until some of the questionable ways that he has handled himself since.  I'm sure that we all wish he hadn't done that and there had been no controversy, but he did and there was.  So, since this reaction was a response to his actions, the only way there can be any repair will have to be due to his actions in the future.

Having said that, I would really appreciate it if some of the more aggressive anti-MP rhetoric on this forum would be dialed back.

[snapple]

I would just attribute the anti-MP rhetoric to disappointment by the fans. I don't think anyone is actually mad or angry with him, just disappointed that he would continue to act in a manner which many consider to be childish or immature. You could throw me into that category.

The part for me is the noticeable decline in the quality of music. Then seeing how Mike was essentially running the band - and now after a listening to a friend of mine's copy of ADTOE (he knows a guy who knows a guy apparently)- it's obvious that Mike was the reason the music was bland to me. I'll post more later, but there is enough here for food for thought.

[Super Dude]

Dude, it's only been a year. It will be a looong time before they stop asking.

rumborak

On that note, how long did it take for interviewers to stop asking either DT or KM about one another?

[DTGeek]

I know the dead horse has been flogged enough already, but I just can't help but facepalm nearly every time MP comments about the situation.  If he did get his way, DT would still be on hiatus for four more years and presumably his day to day life wouldn't be much different than it is now.

And somehow I doubt he would be magically happier if the other guys agreed to the 5+ year hiatus, then went out and formed a new band with Mangini and wrote the same music, with an agreement to commit to the new band for 5 years.

He really needs to stop using the marriage analogy too, it's quite unflattering to him if one looks at the whole picture: he wanted to leave his "wife" for five years, and for both of them to go off and see other people during that time.  She didn't want to, so he divorced her, and now he's angry and jealous that she's out seeing other people.  WTF?  "He wants you for a possession, something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.  Something to own and to display.  He doesn't want her to be real, or to think or to live."

[KevShmev]

I linked to the entire interview, but listed the main quote in my OP.  Not sure what the beef is.  RR basically did the same thing by putting that same quote in the headline, while also having the rest of the interview below, so you'd better take it up with them, too, eh?

If your argument is that it's ok because BLABBERMOUTH, the tabloid of the music world did it, then you're clearly doing it wrong.
When have they ever not spun an interview?

How was that spin?  It is pretty common for tabloids or news media to have a headline with one big, attention-grabbing quote like that.  Blabbermouth doesn't have a monopoly on that. 

I've been very critical of MP for handling things the way he has but, come on, when will interviewers STOP asking him questions relating to DT, for Christ's sake? It's been a year, now, leave him alone and things may come to a lull.

Not any time soon.  When you were that important of a member in a band, and you leave, you will be asked about it for a long time.  Roger Waters, much to his chagrin, was almost always asked about Pink Floyd in interviews for years and years.  In fact, as a quite sidebar, he once got so irritated about it, that he cut an interview with MTV short, which resulted in MTV ignoring him for the rest of the 80s and them giving major coverage to the reunited and Waters-less Pink Floyd. 

I am really getting tired of this MP vs. DT bullshit.  The fact is that most of MP's fans were DT fans first.  They were MP fans because he was in DT.  He's not in DT anymore.  So that's a big part of it.

Even then, most DT fans still didn't "turn their backs" on MP even when he left.  They didn't start turning against him until some of the questionable ways that he has handled himself since.  I'm sure that we all wish he hadn't done that and there had been no controversy, but he did and there was.  So, since this reaction was a response to his actions, the only way there can be any repair will have to be due to his actions in the future.

QFT.

[KevShmev]

Oh, and  at this:

He really needs to stop using the marriage analogy too, it's quite unflattering to him if one looks at the whole picture: he wanted to leave his "wife" for five years, and for both of them to go off and see other people during that time.  She didn't want to, so he divorced her, and now he's angry and jealous that she's out seeing other people.  WTF?  "He wants you for a possession, something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.  Something to own and to display.  He doesn't want her to be real, or to think or to live."

[emtee]

We all have faults, strengths and weaknesses. Mike is no different. He is human. In his way he tried to make DT be the best
band it could be. He always tried to reach out to us and communicate. In the few posts I have here it should be clear I'm
a big MP supporter...but I just don't like Amob. Pure and simple. I like all his other side projects and I will probably like the
one with Sykes. I don't feel like getting lumped into a cache of people who supposedly don't support MP just because they
don't like Amob. If he makes music I like I'll keep buying it...same with DT.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

[ResultsMayVary]

He really needs to stop using the marriage analogy too, it's quite unflattering to him if one looks at the whole picture: he wanted to leave his "wife" for five years, and for both of them to go off and see other people during that time.  She didn't want to, so he divorced her, and now he's angry and jealous that she's out seeing other people.  WTF?  "He wants you for a possession, something to look at like a painting or an ivory box.  Something to own and to display.  He doesn't want her to be real, or to think or to live."

You win the thread. Well done.

[aXygnus]

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

LOL.

Where is this from?

[Super Dude]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Good of you to bring up that example, which is an example of handling such criticism well.  Instead of shooting back he demonstrates how foolish it is to take those criticisms seriously.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Good of you to bring up that example, which is an example of handling such criticism well.  Instead of shooting back he demonstrates how foolish it is to take those criticisms seriously.

you think that's an example of handling criticism well? LMAO

[Jamesman42]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Point taken. But that just shows he handles it very well.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

LOL.

Where is this from?

https://www.dprp.net/specials/labrie0304/

[Tis BOOLsheet]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Point taken. But that just shows he handles it very well.

lol how does that show he handles it very well? if anything, it shows that he DOESN'T handle it well; he gets extremely butt hurt and defensive and makes it very apparent

[dbrooks22]

Jamesman - love the new Pauly-D hair

[Jamesman42]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Point taken. But that just shows he handles it very well.

lol how does that show he handles it very well? if anything, it shows that he DOESN'T handle it well; he gets extremely butt hurt and defensive and makes it very apparent

lol he answered the question he was asked. There is nothing wrong with that, even if he sounds a bit harsh.

Jamesman - love the new Pauly-D hair

ya brah

[Tis BOOLsheet]

You can change your attitude, but you can't change your voice.

Uh, no shit? MP hasn't changed his attitude. He is very self-absorbed and can do no wrong in his eyes. JLB can take all the criticisms and even if they hurt him to some degree, you would never know because he doesn't talk about it. JLB handles himself well, and that is the point we're ultimately talking about...MP doesn't seem to handle himself in a good light in the way of criticisms. JLB doesn't need to change his attitude, no matter how bad his voice can sound at times.

MARTIEN: Again there was some criticism about your vocals. Does that still bother you, or do you think, hey, what the h.....?

JAMES: These people are pathetic and need to move on. I say get a life and maybe work on making your life a better one instead of thinking the answer lies in cutting someone else up to raise your miserable spirit.

Point taken. But that just shows he handles it very well.

lol how does that show he handles it very well? if anything, it shows that he DOESN'T handle it well; he gets extremely butt hurt and defensive and makes it very apparent

lol he answered the question he was asked. There is nothing wrong with that, even if he sounds a bit harsh.

Jamesman - love the new Pauly-D hair

ya brah

you failed to make your point, unfortunately. if you got criticized at your job would you say you handled the criticism well if you responded with what james said?

[Jamesman42]

Right, all jobs are the same.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Right, all jobs are the same.

no. handling criticism well is the same though.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

I remember seeing that James quote on Wikipedia awhile back and facepalming. That's a really unprofessional thing to say, particularly when the criticisms are really justified in a number of aspects.

But you can excuse that one quote as being said out of frustration, spur of the moment, bad wording, etc. because it's just one quote. Portnoy's stuff is far worse because it's a pattern. There's a reason people on this forum can do good parodies of MP posts--it's a consistent pattern of behavior. The only consistent thing LaBrie says that stands out is RRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.

[Slain]

lol how does that show he handles it very well? if anything, it shows that he DOESN'T handle it well; he gets extremely butt hurt and defensive and makes it very apparent

I don't think it's the same. That's one of the few times where I saw that James lashed out, and you could tell that it got to him. But MP isn't criticized for his ability to play drums. James was being criticized for his voice, and obviously he became a bit sensitive after the vocal accident because of how much his voice changed. It seems a bit unprofessional to say, but come on. I don't want to say this is the only time he's said something like this because I don't know for sure, but it's a rare occasion as opposed to the stuff MP says all of the time.

[Jamesman42]

^Those. Kinda makes sense that I didn't even know about that one JLB quote you pulled out. MP is way worse.

[Madman Shepherd]

lol how does that show he handles it very well? if anything, it shows that he DOESN'T handle it well; he gets extremely butt hurt and defensive and makes it very apparent

I don't think it's the same. That's one of the few times where I saw that James lashed out, and you could tell that it got to him. But MP isn't criticized for his ability to play drums. James was being criticized for his voice, and obviously he became a bit sensitive after the vocal accident because of how much his voice changed. It seems a bit unprofessional to say, but come on. I don't want to say this is the only time he's said something like this because I don't know for sure, but it's a rare occasion as opposed to the stuff MP says all of the time.

Great post. 

I for one actually love what James said.  He was asked about it and responded.  It's a lot different than reading random crap and then thinking it over and deciding to make a statement.  If he did that I would think that he needs to let it go but no one can fault him for reacting to that.  I always thought James was a bit too passive, ya know, a friendly Canadian but this shows he can have a fiery attitude if he wants.