New Mike Mangini Interview

[CB]

About the good news in that interview (at least for me): I'm very excited about MMs upcoming solo album and extremely curious because I have NO idea at all how it will sound or what the style will be.

[KevShmev]

I cannot pretend to be excited by a solo album any non-lead singing drummer would release.

[jakepriest]

I cannot pretend to be excited by a solo album any non-lead singing drummer would release.

inb4 it's a compilation of drum solos

[Dream Team]

I really hope to have Portnoy back in the band again, to me DT was way better with him.

If Guns N Roses and Helloween can work it out then anybody can.

There is a huge difference though.  GNR weren't even filling half of arenas towards the end of their run with only Axl as the original member.  With the old guys, they're selling out football stadiums.  They go from pulling in $100K a show to millions. 

With DT, as I said, they would see a temporary bump in sales.  How much I couldn't tell you.  A couple thousand or maybe even 10 - 20 thousand?  After the initial hype wore off, they would be right back to where they are now.  Filling up and occasionally selling out theaters.  For only a temporary raise, I don't know if they would risk the dynamic of the band.

MP returning would be big news for a small subset of hardcore fans. For casual fans it's the JP and JLB show anyway. Not sure if sales would be affected much.

[Bertielee]

I cannot pretend to be excited by a solo album any non-lead singing drummer would release.

Hey Kev, you should listen to John Macaluso's Union Radio. It's a great album albeit a drummer solo album with very good songs and singers. Don't stop at the drummer thing, particularly when the guy knows how to be surrounded (See what I did there?  ) by other great musicians.

B.Lee

[rumborak]

I don't think there's a threat of MM leaving anytime soon. He was just keeping it real and saying that being in a band and touring vigorously isn't the life that it's portrayed to be.

The rigors of touring is barely touched upon in that interview though. His creative influence (or lack thereof) and his resulting frustration is what people are mostly commenting on.

[Bertielee]

I don't think there's a threat of MM leaving anytime soon. He was just keeping it real and saying that being in a band and touring vigorously isn't the life that it's portrayed to be.

The rigors of touring is barely touched upon in that interview though. His creative influence (or lack thereof) and his resulting frustration is what people are mostly commenting on.

Not contributing when he was a hired gun didn't bother him much I guess. Now that he is part of a band as the lasting drummer, I suppose it must be very frustrating.

B.Lee

[?]

I really hope to have Portnoy back in the band again, to me DT was way better with him.

If Guns N Roses and Helloween can work it out then anybody can.

There is a huge difference though.  GNR weren't even filling half of arenas towards the end of their run with only Axl as the original member.  With the old guys, they're selling out football stadiums.  They go from pulling in $100K a show to millions. 

With DT, as I said, they would see a temporary bump in sales.  How much I couldn't tell you.  A couple thousand or maybe even 10 - 20 thousand?  After the initial hype wore off, they would be right back to where they are now.  Filling up and occasionally selling out theaters.  For only a temporary raise, I don't know if they would risk the dynamic of the band.

This 100%. I looked up the American first week sales for the past 6 albums (I know, maybe not indicative of the full worldwide sales), and the drop following MP's departure is relatively minimal:
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dream-theaters-new-album-projected-to-sell-30k-35k-first-week/
https://lambgoat.com/bits/10397/DREAM-THEATER-The-Astonishing-sales-charts-results

8V: 27,000
SC: 36,000
BC&SL: 40,000
ADTOE: 36,000
DT12: 34,000
TA: 30,000

[emtee]

Not sure about world wide sales but the trend lines are not favorable in the US. I had no idea TA only sold 30K. I would have bet far higher.

Up, up, up
Down, down, down

On the positive side you can say there is not a huge difference. On the negative side you have to say they are on the way down.

[Architeuthis]

Not sure about world wide sales but the trend lines are not favorable in the US. I had no idea TA only sold 30K. I would have bet far higher.

Up, up, up
Down, down, down

On the positive side you can say there is not a huge difference. On the negative side you have to say they are on the way down.

Unless their next album is something more accessible to the casual DT fans, but also impressive to the hard core fans.  ( not to take away from TA, it is a brilliant album!)

[Madman Shepherd]

I think it was around 2005 or 2006 when Portnoy said in an interview that he wished DT had a singer like Daniel Gildenlow.  Imagine the shit storm at the time if JLB had said in an interview that he wished DT had a different drummer. 

Exactly.  Quite a double standard.  I think he was free to be so open with it because JLB is sort of an easy target.  Even before I listened to DT, a few of my friends that were fans talked shit about him (this was in the 90s). So I was surprised when I finally gave them a chance and loved his voice.  It is very unique so I can see how some people might be polarized. 

Even though he clearly doesn't like JM either, no one has ever accused Myung of being a crappy bassist so I doubt Mike would have ever said something about him despite leaving him out of all of his lists of favorite bassists even though JP and JR always made the list of guitarists and keyboardists. 

[Madman Shepherd]

I really hope to have Portnoy back in the band again, to me DT was way better with him.

If Guns N Roses and Helloween can work it out then anybody can.

There is a huge difference though.  GNR weren't even filling half of arenas towards the end of their run with only Axl as the original member.  With the old guys, they're selling out football stadiums.  They go from pulling in $100K a show to millions. 

With DT, as I said, they would see a temporary bump in sales.  How much I couldn't tell you.  A couple thousand or maybe even 10 - 20 thousand?  After the initial hype wore off, they would be right back to where they are now.  Filling up and occasionally selling out theaters.  For only a temporary raise, I don't know if they would risk the dynamic of the band.

This 100%. I looked up the American first week sales for the past 6 albums (I know, maybe not indicative of the full worldwide sales), and the drop following MP's departure is relatively minimal:
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dream-theaters-new-album-projected-to-sell-30k-35k-first-week/
https://lambgoat.com/bits/10397/DREAM-THEATER-The-Astonishing-sales-charts-results

8V: 27,000
SC: 36,000
BC&SL: 40,000
ADTOE: 36,000
DT12: 34,000
TA: 30,000

Album sales are going down everywhere so the drop in sales isn't really indicative of anything other than how poor the industry is.  ADTOE entered the charts at number 8. DT12 sold FEWER copies the first week but entered the charts one position higher.  SC sold as many copies as ADTOE in its first week but SC came in at #19...soooo, 36,000 albums in 2011 or 2016 goes A LOT further than it did back in 2007. 

[CB]

I think it was around 2005 or 2006 when Portnoy said in an interview that he wished DT had a singer like Daniel Gildenlow.  Imagine the shit storm at the time if JLB had said in an interview that he wished DT had a different drummer. 

Exactly.  Quite a double standard.  I think he was free to be so open with it because JLB is sort of an easy target.  Even before I listened to DT, a few of my friends that were fans talked shit about him (this was in the 90s). So I was surprised when I finally gave them a chance and loved his voice.  It is very unique so I can see how some people might be polarized. 

Even though he clearly doesn't like JM either, no one has ever accused Myung of being a crappy bassist so I doubt Mike would have ever said something about him despite leaving him out of all of his lists of favorite bassists even though JP and JR always made the list of guitarists and keyboardists.

I was a fan of JLB before I became a fan of DT, I love his voice and ability to express every emotion with it, nevertheless I can understand that people are polarized. But a BAND MEMBER telling in an interview that he'd prefer a different singer is just mean and disloyal imo. Not only unfair to JLB but hurting the band as a whole because it leads to a bad mood in the band and to fans taking sides.

[gzarruk]

I think it was around 2005 or 2006 when Portnoy said in an interview that he wished DT had a singer like Daniel Gildenlow.  Imagine the shit storm at the time if JLB had said in an interview that he wished DT had a different drummer. 

Exactly.  Quite a double standard.  I think he was free to be so open with it because JLB is sort of an easy target.  Even before I listened to DT, a few of my friends that were fans talked shit about him (this was in the 90s). So I was surprised when I finally gave them a chance and loved his voice.  It is very unique so I can see how some people might be polarized. 

Even though he clearly doesn't like JM either, no one has ever accused Myung of being a crappy bassist so I doubt Mike would have ever said something about him despite leaving him out of all of his lists of favorite bassists even though JP and JR always made the list of guitarists and keyboardists.

I was a fan of JLB before I became a fan of DT, I love his voice and ability to express every emotion with it, nevertheless I can understand that people are polarized. But a BAND MEMBER telling in an interview that he'd prefer a different singer is just mean and disloyal imo. Not only unfair to JLB but hurting the band as a whole because it leads to a bad mood in the band and to fans taking sides.

I also heard a few times about either an interview or a post on his forum or something where MP said that he wouldn't have picked James as a vocalist if he ever was to form the band again. That feels like a stab in the back, if you ask me. After that, when James said on an interview that they would never allow Portnoy back in the band, lots of "fans" took it personal and started insulting James on most MP-related pages. Even Mike responded saying it was disrespectful and all that. Like Madman Shepherd said, quite a double standard there.

Also, don't know if anyone has though about the relationship between Mangini and Portnoy. We all know they were friends many years ago, but after MP left and MM joined, their relationship has, very understandably, shaken a bit. However, every time Mangini has been asked about Portnoy, he's always had something good to say about him. Never a negative thing. Never.
Instead, It really upset me that, on one of the few interviews that MP did about the new Neal Morse album, he was asked about his current role as a drummer and if he misses something from DT, etc. Well, he calls Mangini "their current drummer". Well, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but they actually know each other and were good friends, now, to MP, Mangini is just "their current drummer", you could at least mention his name, couldn't you?
I'll quote the part straight from the interview, which is MP doing his favorite thing, talking about himself and all things he can do/did with DT: (https://noisefull.com/interviews/mike-portnoy)

Interviewer: Even though I pretty much agree with everything you said, I would like to correct you in one thing... You were never just the drummer in Dream Theater, you were so much more...

MP: Well, thank you! I guess I shouldn’t have put it that, way because I agree. And it bothers me when I see people compare their current drummer to me. You really can’t make that comparison, because he right now is just playing drums for that band, while I was always the songwriter, co-writing the music, writing lyrics and melodies, overseeing the fan clubs, the websites and producing the albums and directing the videos... So, yeah, I guess when I’m kind to just reduced to just the drummer for those 25 years it is a bit of an insult. So, thank you for making that correction even though I just said it... (laughs)

[BlobVanDam]

This 100%. I looked up the American first week sales for the past 6 albums (I know, maybe not indicative of the full worldwide sales), and the drop following MP's departure is relatively minimal:
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dream-theaters-new-album-projected-to-sell-30k-35k-first-week/
https://lambgoat.com/bits/10397/DREAM-THEATER-The-Astonishing-sales-charts-results

8V: 27,000
SC: 36,000
BC&SL: 40,000
ADTOE: 36,000
DT12: 34,000
TA: 30,000

The drop-off is in line with the drop-off of the entire industry, so relatively speaking DT are holding fairly level with MM, which is good for a band that's been going for this long, but that drop-off across the music business has been consistent since before Octavarium (even sharper at that time actually), so DT were going against that trend while Portnoy was still in the band. I'm sure the switch to RR is responsible for much of that rise given the huge jump from Octavarium (would love to find some figures from the earlier albums to see what the real trend was there), but it's still very interesting data.
I believe MP played a very important part in DT's success; but more his work behind the scenes and in the producer's chair than behind the drumkit.


And I think some people are going way overboard with predicting MM's departure and trying to dictate terms of MP's potential return based on how they think the band feels here. It was one interview. We're not that starved for drama.

[Prog Snob]

I don't know how Mike meant what he said but I definitely sensed some disappointment. His 10% comment isn't much to be concerned about, or he shouldn't be so concerned about that limited amount of contribution. How much do you really think JM contributes and he's one of the two original members. Normally, JP and JR contribute about 75% and the rest of the band fills in the remaining 25%. On TA it was probably 95% JP and JR and some ancillary contributions for the remaining members.

[BlobVanDam]

I understand MM's frustration. 2/3 of his albums have been abnormal circumstances. With ADTOE he was brought in late in the process after everyone else had recorded. With TA, JP and JR wrote the album alone and then handed it to JM/MM to figure out their parts.
I don't know what the exact process was with DT12, but it was probably the only time MM was there for the writing process to contribute in any way, and since it was his first time being involved with that, he may have still been holding back to not rock the boat.

Having the freedom to play your own parts to the music is one thing, but being involved to influence the direction as the band is shaping the music is different. The next album will hopefully satisfy that creative urge for him more than the previous three.

[Cool Chris]

Exactly.  Quite a double standard.  I think he was free to be so open with it because JLB is sort of an easy target. 

And because DT was MP's "baby" remember.

Also remember they got James back at a time they were heavily in to Queensryche, and that type of vocal style was more prominent. That type of singing isn't as big in metal as it used to be, at least more mainstream metal, and DT has outlived most of the bands of that period.

[Jester]

And I think some people are going way overboard with predicting MM's departure and trying to dictate terms of MP's potential return based on how they think the band feels here. It was one interview.

You couldn't be more right.

We're not that starved for drama.

You couldn't be more wrong.   

[Madman Shepherd]

Also, don't know if anyone has though about the relationship between Mangini and Portnoy. We all know they were friends many years ago, but after MP left and MM joined, their relationship has, very understandably, shaken a bit. However, every time Mangini has been asked about Portnoy, he's always had something good to say about him. Never a negative thing. Never.
Instead, It really upset me that, on one of the few interviews that MP did about the new Neal Morse album, he was asked about his current role as a drummer and if he misses something from DT, etc. Well, he calls Mangini "their current drummer". Well, maybe I'm reading too much into it, but they actually know each other and were good friends, now, to MP, Mangini is just "their current drummer", you could at least mention his name, couldn't you?

Yeah, this hasn't been spoken much about but I noticed it, too.  I also noticed that in the beginning, Mangini always emphasized that Portnoy was a friend.  I saw him at a clinic and he said it then and he said it in many interviews.  Lately, MM hasn't said such a thing.  He has been nothing but respectful but it is odd that he no longer points out MP is a friend when he used to every chance he got. 

Portnoy's last interview bothered me as well.  Even though it is clear that MM is not contributing at the same level that MP was, we know MM did contribute more to DT12 than the other two and like Blob said, the other two were odd circumstances so I'm willing to give DT a pass on that. 

It just sucks that MP said that being referred to as "just the drummer" is an insult and then goes and refers to their "current drummer" as "just playing drums for the band." That type of language really must hurt Mangini who has always been nothing but gracious and respectful to Portnoy. 

[Prog Snob]

Portnoy being spiteful isn't some new development.

[erwinrafael]

I understand MM's frustration. 2/3 of his albums have been abnormal circumstances. With ADTOE he was brought in late in the process after everyone else had recorded. With TA, JP and JR wrote the album alone and then handed it to JM/MM to figure out their parts.
I don't know what the exact process was with DT12, but it was probably the only time MM was there for the writing process to contribute in any way, and since it was his first time being involved with that, he may have still been holding back to not rock the boat.

Having the freedom to play your own parts to the music is one thing, but being involved to influence the direction as the band is shaping the music is different. The next album will hopefully satisfy that creative urge for him more than the previous three.

I remember one interview with MM on the self-titled and what I could sense then is not frustration but more along the lines of "shit, these guys are good." As they throw ideas around, he has barely written anything on his tablet when one of the guys already comes up with a riff.

He is contributing to the songwriting indirectly, though. JR once said that having MM aboard helped them think of ideas in big numbers and in combinations they haven't thought of before.

For the next album cycle, MM already prepared riffs and drum patterns (that FB post about doing 4/4 beats with some habanero spice). Unfortunately, they did the album differently. I guess that is another source of frustration.

I think him doing a solo album is an indication that he will not leave. I think he even has a post saying he is composing some riffs for use not only in his solo album but also for the next DT album.

[BlobVanDam]

For the next album cycle, MM already prepared riffs and drum patterns (that FB post about doing 4/4 beats with some habanero spice). Unfortunately, they did the album differently. I guess that is another source of frustration.

I think him doing a solo album is an indication that he will not leave. I think he even has a post saying he is composing some riffs for use not only in his solo album but also for the next DT album.

This is the stuff I want to hear more of from MM. I'd love to hear a song written around a fresh rhythm idea, something atypically prog metal, and have the band inspired by something different. A lot of my favourite moments in older DT are the things that if you analyze it, don't really fit the mold. My favourite moments on TA are those moments too, I just want more of them, instead of having these little sections go and soon as they appear.
The solo album may be MM's way of scratching some of that itch to contribute musical ideas, but hopefully it also helps him to integrate more into the future writing process with DT.

[MirrorMask]

I remember reading too that "current drummer" interview, I found it weird as well.

Even though I remember a Q&A, probably on MP's forum itself, where someone asked him if he was pissed at him for getting the gig and Portnoy replying "Of course not! He had a chance and it would have been foolish to not take it", or something to that extent.

Then again, he could have never replied "He should have told them that DT shouldn't have any drummer but me", but still he acknowledged how Magini just couldn't let the chance pass by.

[erwinrafael]

This is the stuff I want to hear more of from MM. I'd love to hear a song written around a fresh rhythm idea, something atypically prog metal, and have the band inspired by something different. A lot of my favourite moments in older DT are the things that if you analyze it, don't really fit the mold. My favourite moments on TA are those moments too, I just want more of them, instead of having these little sections go and soon as they appear.
The solo album may be MM's way of scratching some of that itch to contribute musical ideas, but hopefully it also helps him to integrate more into the future writing process with DT.

Here's the relevant quote from Mangini last April:

"I'll probably use my hotel time for the rest of the year to record anything from single riffs, to partial songs to full ones after I get a consistent song writing protocol. I want to get it right from the start so I can play drums to it no matter what I end up using it for. That may take the rest of this tour as I usually get sleep #1 and am busy with DT related things before shows."

So he did not specifically say that he would use some ideas for DT. My bad.

[YtseJam]

I think all of the negative vibes from this interview come from the shitty interviewer. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

[TAC]

I think all of the negative vibes from this interview come from the shitty interviewer. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

I had said right off, that MM appeared to have zero interest in doing this interview. Only watched it once, but didn't he make reference about a time limit at the beginning?

[erwinrafael]

I think all of the negative vibes from this interview come from the shitty interviewer. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

And yeah, all the "negative" posts by MM on FB came after the intervieq so I blame the interviewer for making Mike think those nega thoughts.

[TAC]

Are you the interviewer?

[Prog Snob]

I think all of the negative vibes from this interview come from the shitty interviewer. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

I had said right off, that MM appeared to have zero interest in doing this interview. Only watched it once, but didn't he make reference about a time limit at the beginning?

That's unusual for him. He's usually very gracious and excited to do interviews.

[erwinrafael]

Are you the interviewer?

No, I just inadvertently clicked that blush emoticon. Hahaha

[rumborak]

What part was shitty about the interviewer? He just asked questions, and very calmly I might add.
I'm getting a distinct "shoot the messenger" vibe.

Regarding the JM vs MM comparison, I think it's apples and oranges. First of all, I would posit that JM just has no interest at this point to participate in the writing outside of maybe a "guest credit" thing.
Also, it's the nature of songwriting that a bass player can be emulated very well by a guitar player and a keyboard player. Whereas, a drummer can't, and that's why drummers are usually tied into the songwriting process. I can totally understand MM being frustrated because he *wants* to contribute, and probably expected to be part of the songwriting since that's what most bands do.

[TAC]

I haven't heaped on the interviewer. I've only stated that MM clearly didn't want to be there. 

[noxon]

All interviews are on a time limit, especially while on tour. This is enforced by the tour manager, so that the band members do not have to appear rude in wrapping up interviews and whatnot. And the bandmembers do choose for themselves who want to make themselves available for interviews. This is why you seldom see any JM interviews...

I think people are reading WAAAAAAY to much into this interview than what is actually there.

[nikatapi]

All interviews are on a time limit, especially while on tour. This is enforced by the tour manager, so that the band members do not have to appear rude in wrapping up interviews and whatnot. And the bandmembers do choose for themselves who want to make themselves available for interviews. This is why you seldom see any JM interviews...

I think people are reading WAAAAAAY to much into this interview than what is actually there.

Yeah true that.

Funny story from when i interviewed Mike, we were talking about his contributions on DT12 and how i thought Enigma Machine and Illumination Theory were indicative of his involvement in the writing process, and then the manager came in to tell us that time was up, and Mike himself made a gesture for him to wait until we were finished. Very classy and it showed me that he was really interested in the conversation.