JLB: "We Will Never let Portnoy come back in our band" (Brazil Interview)

[Super Dude]

Again I love MP, but IMO nothing James has said has ever come close to some of the things Mike has said about him.

Or about others, for that matter.

Well to be fair to Mike, (from what I've heard) the only one who he has publicly said anything about, is JLB.  There were times where it seemed like he was implying things about JM, but to my knowledge he never put a name to it.  And I have never heard of him saying anything at all negative about JP or JR.

I don't have the source on-hand, but I believe it's been mentioned a couple times that MP openly bad-mouthed KM both privately with band mates and several times publicly. For doing the same thing he did two years ago.

[KevShmev]

Well, the circumstances were different, but it was always ridiculous how pissy some fans and Portnoy got about the way Moore left the band, as if you are betraying someone by leaving a band.  But hey, it was okay for them to not have the guts to fire Dominic themselves (they had their manager do it) or to fire Sherinian over the phone, right?

[Super Dude]

I will say in the Dominici case, in their defense, if that was their first time firing someone then I can sympathize. How many of us know what that's like?

[DT2003]

If it were all up to MP, Akerfeldt would be the singer for DT.

And he'd fire Myung and have another bassist who could hardly be heard on record, but someone who MP could socialize with.

This is going a bit too far.  I know that Mike didn't get along well with JLB and JM, but to basically say he'd prefer to have guys in the band he could socialize with, but let the music suffer is going too far IMO. 

[KevShmev]

If it were all up to MP, Akerfeldt would be the singer for DT.

And he'd fire Myung and have another bassist who could hardly be heard on record, but someone who MP could socialize with.

This is going a bit too far.  I know that Mike didn't get along well with JLB and JM, but to basically say he'd prefer to have guys in the band he could socialize with, but let the music suffer is going too far IMO.

The existence of Adrenaline Mob kind of blows this theory out of the water.

[Orbert]

True.  And it was a joke anyway (I think).

[DT2003]

If it were all up to MP, Akerfeldt would be the singer for DT.

And he'd fire Myung and have another bassist who could hardly be heard on record, but someone who MP could socialize with.

This is going a bit too far.  I know that Mike didn't get along well with JLB and JM, but to basically say he'd prefer to have guys in the band he could socialize with, but let the music suffer is going too far IMO.

The existence of Adrenaline Mob kind of blows this theory out of the water.

Not really.  Adrenaline Mob was never meant to be Dream Theater.  Completely different situation.  Regardless of JM's personality, he would not fit in Adrenaline Mob.  Just like the guys in Adrenaline Mob would not work in DT.

[lithium112]

Just like the guys in Adrenaline Mob would not work in DT.

I dunno, the drummer might be able to work with DT. Shame he didn't audition...

[Super Dude]

If it were all up to MP, Akerfeldt would be the singer for DT.

And he'd fire Myung and have another bassist who could hardly be heard on record, but someone who MP could socialize with.

This is going a bit too far.  I know that Mike didn't get along well with JLB and JM, but to basically say he'd prefer to have guys in the band he could socialize with, but let the music suffer is going too far IMO.

The existence of Adrenaline Mob kind of blows this theory out of the water.

Not really.  Adrenaline Mob was never meant to be Dream Theater.  Completely different situation.  Regardless of JM's personality, he would not fit in Adrenaline Mob.  Just like the guys in Adrenaline Mob would not work in DT.

M...Mike?

[MoraWintersoul]

I think this thread can't get any more unfocused.

[theseoafs]

I think this thread can't get any more unfocused.

Sure it can.

[Cedar redaC]

I think this thread can't get any more unfocused.

Sure it can.

[LCArenas]

LET'S GET THIS THREAD BACK ON TRACK, Y'ALL

So JLB also did an interview for a Colombian magazine (I'm not sure if I can say the name here, since is a men's magazine and  some few pics are NSFW, can anyone confirm?) then again, it was translated from English to Spanish so I'm gonna translate the Spanish version here. Again it's not the full interview (It's shorter than the one in the OP though) so I might update it later.

A Dramatic Turn of Events is the more appropriate title you could put to the new album, the first one between you and your original founder drummer. What has happened between Mike Portnoy and you?

It really comes down to the fact that we're all adults responsible for our destinies and for what we choose for our lives. Mike chose his [Destiny?]. We didn't think it was a good idea, as we let him know. He searched us eight weeks later with the wish of coming back, but for that moment we had already chosen Mike Mangini as our new drummer and we were assuming a different process. I know that he's mentioned in numerous times his will to come back someday, but that won't happen. It's simple: what we are now is what we're going to be until Dream Theater ceases to exist. We respected his decision when he left, so I assume he'll respect ours in this moment. We all have to carry on.

You've completed with this eleven studio albums with Dream Theater. Are there albums that you feel closer to and others that, on the other side, you wished to never hear again?
To this day I still consider that the Quintessential Dream Theater Album is Images and Words. I'm also very close to Scenes from A Memory, the most recent one, A Dramatic Turn of Events, and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. And I love Octavarium as well. I'm not particularly the number one fan of Falling into Infinity; I think there are good songs in there, but as a whole it reflects that, as a band, we were going through tough times. We had a lot of differences with the Record Company and that in some way ended up altering the final outcome.

[LCArenas]

loldoublepost

[Madman Shepherd]

Really interesting.  Tone was much more even keeled. 

[ResultsMayVary]

I was more interested in the second question. Now its time to start a campaign to hear Octavarium (the song) played live again!!!

[Super Dude]

I don't know whether or not the FII answer surprises me. I thought it was MP who was the most bitter about the record company bs.

[54_diplomats]

Nice to see James say he likes Octavarium, that album doesn't get enough love

[TheGreatPretender]

I will say in the Dominici case, in their defense, if that was their first time firing someone then I can sympathize. How many of us know what that's like?

I do, and it's absolutely brutal. It's easy to understand why losing and gaining band members is often compared to divorces and marriages. The awkwardness and tension are extreme, especially when that band member had no idea that they were ever on thin ice or whatever. And there's no way around it, you feel like a jerk afterwards.

[MoraWintersoul]

So JLB likes all the proggiest albums. Not surprised.

[Zydar]

He named my Top 4 DT albums as his favourites. I always knew he had a good taste

[wasteland]

His tastes are quite similar to mine, barring Octavarium which is probably my least favourite DT record. 

[BlobVanDam]

JLB named my "big 3" of SDOIT/SFAM/IaW.

WHY YOU NO PLAY MORE SDOIT?

[?]

I will say in the Dominici case, in their defense, if that was their first time firing someone then I can sympathize. How many of us know what that's like?

I've also read that Derek was fired via phone since they didn't want to fly him from LA to New York just to tell him he's fired.

I haven't commented on the JLB/MP thing yet but basically everything I think about it has been said already. James was just telling the honest truth that there's no way MP will return.

You've completed with this eleven studio albums with Dream Theater. Are there albums that you feel closer to and others that, on the other side, you wished to never hear again?
To this day I still consider that the Quintessential Dream Theater Album is Images and Words. I'm also very close to Scenes from A Memory, the most recent one, A Dramatic Turn of Events, and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. And I love Octavarium as well. I'm not particularly the number one fan of Falling into Infinity; I think there are good songs in there, but as a whole it reflects that, as a band, we were going through tough times. We had a lot of differences with the Record Company and that in some way ended up altering the final outcome.

James' picks are mostly good but WHERE'S AWAKE?!

[Orbert]

I will say in the Dominici case, in their defense, if that was their first time firing someone then I can sympathize. How many of us know what that's like?

I've also read that Derek was fired via phone since they didn't want to fly him from LA to New York just to tell him he's fired.

I've read that, too, and I think that in this case, the phone call was probably more merciful.  The other option would've been for the rest of the band to fly to him and fire him in person.  That might have been the classier move, but might not have been any less awkward.  What are they gonna do, call him, set up a meeting, and all show up to fire him like some kind of hit squad?  He'd have to know what's coming when they call him and say they're all coming out to L.A., and they'd have to do that because they couldn't fly across the country only to find out he's gone to Hawaii for a week or something.

Derek's situation was also different in that he had a history as a session guy, playing with different bands and going on different tours.  He seems to regard his time in DT in a positive light and a cool gig that he got to do for a while.  Yeah, he was supposedly a regular member of the band, but shit happens.

[KevShmev]

Good points, and I think it is safe to say that there is no easy way to fire from someone from a band or to tell a band you are leaving.

[robwebster]

My top three are Images, Six Degrees and Octavarium. It is fair to say that I heartily approve of James's list.

I will say in the Dominici case, in their defense, if that was their first time firing someone then I can sympathize. How many of us know what that's like?

I've also read that Derek was fired via phone since they didn't want to fly him from LA to New York just to tell him he's fired.

I haven't commented on the JLB/MP thing yet but basically everything I think about it has been said already. James was just telling the honest truth that there's no way MP will return.

You've completed with this eleven studio albums with Dream Theater. Are there albums that you feel closer to and others that, on the other side, you wished to never hear again?
To this day I still consider that the Quintessential Dream Theater Album is Images and Words. I'm also very close to Scenes from A Memory, the most recent one, A Dramatic Turn of Events, and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. And I love Octavarium as well. I'm not particularly the number one fan of Falling into Infinity; I think there are good songs in there, but as a whole it reflects that, as a band, we were going through tough times. We had a lot of differences with the Record Company and that in some way ended up altering the final outcome.

James' picks are mostly good but WHERE'S AWAKE?!

Just chilling in the pile of pretty good Dream Theater albums. No shame in it - it's a wonderful pile!

[MoraWintersoul]

They recorded the album prior to Awake at Beartracks, right?



Just saying

[wolfandwolfandwolf]

And Jay Beckenstein was with...Spyro Grya?

[Cedar redaC]

While recording, they were living off of a strict diet of Dr. Pepper and barbecue chips...

[As I Am]

All I know that is in MY opinion, I'd rather have MP in DT than JLB!

[54_diplomats]

All I know that is in MY opinion, I'd rather have MP in DT than JLB!

No comment.

[Cedar redaC]

All I know that is in MY opinion, I'd rather have MP in DT than JLB!

[wolfandwolfandwolf]

That statement was so groundbreaking...I bet it's never even been discussed.

[GasparXR]

That statement was so groundbreaking...I bet it's never even been discussed.

It was so groundbreaking that my house is now upside down in Russia.