Portnoy invites the DT guys to play the 12 step with him

[Prog Snob]

My god, we got one huge novel about MP here.
Seriously, he's the Miley Cyrus/Justin Bieber/Bush of rock, I don't think there has ever been someone featuring so constantly at blabbermouth and having so much to say about him. He can't open his mouth without sparking worldwide controversies and tons of hours of chats about him, lol.

Outside of this form, I rarely hear about him. I check Blabbermouth daily, and he's there............rarely. More so than some artists for sure, but way way way less than a ton others. Honestly, outside of MP and DT fan sites, they aren't talked about much, including MP.

Pretty much. To everyone else, it's a total non event, as it should be. To Blabbermouth, it's a non event spun into click bait that most people still consider a non event.

The worst thing he did was when he had that blow up about not getting special treatment at an emergency room and I think that drama died in like two days. If that was a bigger star, like someone like Kanye West, they'd still be making memes about it. So yeah. MP doesn't really get that much attention except for the things he should be getting attention for, like making music and whatnot. His other antics barely resonate throughout the ether.

[BlobVanDam]

The worst thing he did was when he had that blow up about not getting special treatment at an emergency room and I think that drama died in like two days. If that was a bigger star, like someone like Kanye West, they'd still be making memes about it. So yeah. MP doesn't really get that much attention except for the things he should be getting attention for, like making music and whatnot. His other antics barely resonate throughout the ether.

Yeah, that one was inexcusable, but generally my response to these things is whatever.

[mikeyd23]

Oh gosh, I remember that emergency room thing, that was rough. 

He had been silent about them for a while until this recently, and I agree that deep down he probably does regret his decision back in September 2010, but on the flip side, my guess is he probably thought, "They want to prove they can do it without me, and once they get it out of their system, they'll want me back."  But it's been nearly six years and they are currently touring on their 3rd album without him, and the realization that "they really might not let me come back ever" is setting in, which probably stings, and given his mouth, verbally or when typing on social media, it can't help but come out in his words, even when he does try to choose them carefully.  Again, he's still the most in the wrong by far (which I think nearly everyone would agree with, except his hardcore fans, who come off as quite delusional when talking about the split), but his frustration, with the band (which is misplaced) and quite frankly himself (which isn't), isn't that difficult to understand.

Good freaking post Kev, this pretty much is exactly how I feel.

[Chino]

I feel like MP should have tried to put together another LTE before trying to do anything with DT as a whole. It's completely disrespectful to MM if you ask me.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

While it would be cool to see them re-unite for a one-off show (or a LTE show for that matter), I can see why they'd be hesitant when MP says things on twitter like:

Sadly some people aren't as sentimental and forgiving as I am... 😞 Life's waaaaay too short for resentments...

Holy crap. I hope this is his last DT-related post in a long time, for his own sake.

[phentalmyst]

that or his "you can't handle the truth" meme in response to someone respecting his decision not to speak about the current DT...

[mikeyd23]

While it would be cool to see them re-unite for a one-off show (or a LTE show for that matter), I can see why they'd be hesitant when MP says things on twitter like:

Sadly some people aren't as sentimental and forgiving as I am... 😞 Life's waaaaay too short for resentments...

Holy crap. I hope this is his last DT-related post in a long time, for his own sake.

Yikes, yeah man. Saying nothing at all would probably be a wiser choice.

[dtvoices94]

DT has nothing to gain and everything to lose.  Conversely, Mike has everything to gain and nothing to lose.  While I empathize with Mike for wanting this to happen, this should probably have been handled in private as now no one is the winner.

[cramx3]

DT has nothing to gain and everything to lose.  Conversely, Mike has everything to gain and nothing to lose.  While I empathize with Mike for wanting this to happen, this should probably have been handled in private as now no one is the winner.

If he also really wanted to play with the DT guys again, he shouldn't have scheduled a cruise.  If playing with those guys is so important, he should have thought about them when making the plans.  Say do a show in NYC where some of the guys are from and easy to get to for the rest.  A week out in the ocean?  That makes for a logistical nightmare for a band who wasn't planning on doing this on their own.

[Chino]

Oh gosh, I remember that emergency room thing, that was rough. 

"still not feeling much better today, but the show must go on! And to the rest of you, I don't have time to hate people who hate me because I'm too busy loving people who love me."

That sounds like it came out of the mouth of an uptight college girl who says things like "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best"

[cramx3]

That sounds like it came out of the mouth of an uptight college girl who says things like "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best"

I hate those cliche sayings so much

[mikeyd23]

"still not feeling much better today, but the show must go on! And to the rest of you, I don't have time to hate people who hate me because I'm too busy loving people who love me."

That sounds like it came out of the mouth of an uptight college girl who says things like "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best"

Yup that pretty much sums it up.

[phentalmyst]

maybe the invite was extended to the FOUR members so he could "trap" them on the boat and try to convince them how much a permanent reunion is best for everyone (see: THE FANS)...?

it honestly would've been better had he invited ALL of DT to perform shows of their own on the cruise. 12 step would've just been a bonus, not a requirement for them.

[vazquez]

MP is a drama queen.

[vazquez]

I still think MP's OCD is the only thing that kept him in DT the last few years he was there......I think he only stuck it out to complete the 12 Step Suite. BC&SL completed the 12 Step Suite and he was gone soon after that.

I completely agree with that. I have written that years ago, here, and everybody said I was crazy. But I really believe in that. MP thinks only in himself. An egotistical, disturbed man.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

I still think MP's OCD is the only thing that kept him in DT the last few years he was there......I think he only stuck it out to complete the 12 Step Suite. BC&SL completed the 12 Step Suite and he was gone soon after that.

I completely agree with that. I have written that years ago, here, and everybody said I was crazy. But I really believe in that. MP thinks only in himself. An egotistical, disturbed man.

I disagree. I think that Portnoy really believed that the band was going to be willing to take that multiple year break that he wanted. And after he quit the band, I think that he really believed that the band would take him back and was genuinely shocked when the band took measures to move on without him. 

[MirrorMask]

I don't think he was tired of the band after Six Degrees and then he was like "Mh, guess I'll have to stick around for four more albums to complete the saga". When he left I remember he said having pondered about it for a year and I don't see no reason to not believe him on that particular detail... at worst, if he was tired after Systematic Chaos, completing the saga may have kept him around for Black Clouds, but no way he was making several albums to get to the end of the saga.

Furthermore, he would have never considered firing James after Six Degrees, since he started to sing on the saga and then another singer would have to complete it.

[Prog Snob]

That sounds like it came out of the mouth of an uptight college girl who says things like "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best"

I hate those cliche sayings so much

His daughter probably said it.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

And the uptight college girl who says that is one of the single most obnoxious and self-absorbed drama queens you will ever encounter on Facebook.

I know a few people like this. 

[Kotowboy]

With those "look at me" updates like

" Actually thought it would be different..."

[TAC]

There's only one boat where this was going to happen!

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

With those "look at me" updates like

" Actually thought it would be different..."

God, that shit makes me irritable.  Either tell everybody WTF your problem is or STFU.  Not this fishing around to try to encourage people to ask you what's wrong, then say "oh, I can talk about it on here, I sent you a PM".

[bosk1]

Stuff like this is off limits:

MP is a drama queen.

An egotistical, disturbed man.

Regardless of whether there might be any truth to any of that, namecalling is in poor taste and against forum rules.  Discuss his conduct and what you don't like about it, but namecalling is out of bounds.

[Prog Snob]

I still think MP's OCD is the only thing that kept him in DT the last few years he was there......I think he only stuck it out to complete the 12 Step Suite. BC&SL completed the 12 Step Suite and he was gone soon after that.

I completely agree with that. I have written that years ago, here, and everybody said I was crazy. But I really believe in that. MP thinks only in himself. An egotistical, disturbed man.

Disagree. His problem is that he wears his heart on his sleeve. People who are like that will sometimes to behave in curious ways without even realizing it. He's just an extroverted person who sometimes crosses the line.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

namecalling is out of bounds

Is that so, Mr. Poopypants?

[CDrice]

If he really wants to have the four DT guys and he's not too picky, he could always contact Chris, Charlie, Derek and Kevin. They're not ''the'' four DT guys, but they're still four DT guys

[Darkstarshades]

Poor Steve

[Orbert]

Steve?

[Kotowboy]

[TAC]

[KevShmev]

If I can put up my psych major hat for a second here...

I honestly don't think Portnoy is egotistical; I think he is a very insecure person.  His actions, the way he talks, the way he acts, just screams of insecurity.  It's why he does so many little things for the various bands he's in, always looking for a way to please others so they like him. Same with wanting the credit for doing such things.  By getting credit, he gets props and makes people like and appreciate him.  Or the fact that both his FB page and the home page of his website are draped in drum magazines where he was on the cover; he's not doing it so much to brag, but to remind everyone, "See, I am good."  He needs that constant validation, which is why he loves his hardcore fans so much, because they constantly validate him.  Meanwhile, an insecure person doesn't take criticism well, even when presented in a constructive way.  A secure person simply doesn't react so negatively to criticism the way he has over the years; a secure person can blow it off and move on since they know that not everyone is going to love them and/or everything they do.   

Now, I do think he had gotten a little too big for his britches in the late 00s with Dream Theater, thinking he ran the show and they could never go on without him, hence him leaving the band and publicly saying so almost immediately, when most people would have waited for the smoke to clear before telling the public.  I am guessing he figured his value at that point was so high that public pressure and everything would persuade the band either that he was right in needing a break or that they could not go on without him.  Plus, he thought he was a good bet to keep the drumming gig in A7X full-time and long term, so he was covered either way.  Or so he thought.  Turns out, DT said, "See ya, we're moving on," and A7X said, "Thanks for the tour, adios."  And he was left with neither.  That would make most people a little bitter and resentful, especially an insecure person who frequently needs validation. 

As one last point, I have said for years that he is almost a different person when he is around Neal Morse, and that is easy to figure out why.  Neal is probably his closest friend and biggest musical soulmate, one who accepts him no matter what, so he is comfortable, relaxed and laid back around Neal, because he always has his best friend right there with him. Really, it's no wonder he does so many projects with him.  It's more than just the music aspect of it, which is strong already.

I am sure this breakdown will go over the heads of some...

[King Postwhore]

Here here Kev.

[Orbert]

I think that that analysis is pretty spot-on.  I would add one thing.

Turns out, DT said, "See ya, we're moving on," and A7X said, "Thanks for the tour, adios."  And he was left with neither.  That would make most people a little bitter and resentful, especially an insecure person who frequently needs validation.

This didn't just make him bitter and/or resentful.  It crushed him.  To be that insecure, to think that things were really going great, and then to be "rejected" by both bands really must have been horrible.  It's easy to say that he didn't handle it well; it's much more difficult to say why.  To most people, it was "His ego just couldn't handle it" and while that's true, it's more complicated than that.

[Prog Snob]

Here here Kev.

where?

[arkdtmp]

I've never seen these many MP haters in one forum