I don't think he ever said ANYWHERE that the break was "because they weren't friends", and I don't recall seeing anywhere a "hatred" (my word) of the rotating setlists.
I'm quoting them, so that you and we can all read what they (MP and JR in this case) have said about these things:
MP: "There were two moments of clarity for me that happened before this went down that I knew maybe it was time for a break. One was I was out one night in New York with you guys [referring to 'That Metal Show' hosts Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. Ed.]. I was out when FOZZY played. We were out, we went and saw [FOZZY singer Chris] Jericho, our good friend, and the AVENGED guys were there with us that night, and the ANTHRAX guys were there, and Vinnie Paul [PANTERA, HELLYEAH drummer] was there, we went out for dinner with Jericho and Bumblefoot [GUNS N' ROSES guitarist], the ZO2 guys I remember going for dinner with all these guys, you guys and Jericho and the ANTHRAX guys. I looked around and I said [to myself], 'None of the DREAM THEATER guys really know any of these people who are, like, my best friends.' " (Obviously implying DT guys were not his best friends, but only the rest of the guys he mentioned..)
https://goo.gl/RfOaVnInterviewer: You guys are known for mixing it up. You don’t do the same set list every night?
JR: "Well, we have been playing more of a similar kind of set list these days than we used to do. When our last drummer (Mike Portnoy, who left Dream Theater in 2010) was in the band, he was really into changing it up a lot. And one of the things that happened when he left was that we decided that we don’t want to continue along that particular path, because we felt like it was really important to us to have a show that was really dialed in and that we were really proud of and that we knew what was going to happen from moment to moment. So we went with the idea of, let’s just pick a set and maybe make some small alterations to it occasionally but in general keep it the same so our lighting and video people, our crew, we all know what’s going to happen and it can be more like a Broadway show where you feel like you’re watching something that’s really well-constructed and the cues all happen precisely. In the old days it was more like, “OK, let’s see, do I remember, tonight am I fading out of this one and starting this one and is the light going to be on or off and what is going to happen?´"
https://goo.gl/PfPrUr"So after everyone was done listing the songs they wanted to play then we went through a process of purring it together in a good, cohesive setlist. Of course that was one of the things that Mike Portnoy did very well and took care of and we definitely miss that. It’s not impossible to do, but it’s also kind of a pain. But anyway, we had a good time doing it and it’s one of the reasons
we’re so happy, we’re playing the songs we really want to play."
https://www.dprp.net/wp/interviews/?page_id=582[date: 11/29/2010] "And I've really got no problem with him doing what he's doing with Avenged Sevenfold. I think it's pretty cool going out and playing with a really successful rock group. I just have a little bit of a problem with him thinking that he could control Dream Theater. It's like a captain who is trying to command his ship when he's not even standing on the ship. And all the other guys are just sitting there , cruising along with a guy saying, 'The captain has left the ship. Okay, boys, here's what we're going to do: You're going to take a break.' And they're, like, 'But wait a minute, we're standing on the ship.' "
https://goo.gl/dRkY0gThe one that I couldn't find was the interview in which I read JR complaining about the rotating setlist, and how he had to handle with it every show and spending a lot of time just programming his keyboards.. So there is evidence (their opinions) for what we're saying here.. Is not
just our personals "conclusions"..
And I don't agree at all that "the problem was Portnoy". By your own logic, he has NONE of these issues with any of the other bands he is in, and he's a constant, so it MUST be the other guys. But that is false. You can't look at 40 variables, change one, and assume that it is solely and utterly because of that one variable.
If you're talking to me, then you're wrong again.. I don't think that, never said that.. I never even said: "Portnoy had to go".. I'd liked him to stay, but, and here's where the thing become complex (to me at least), now that he's not in the band, they seem to be happier, and doing what they really want to do.. And I'm not the one saying this: they have said it (not only JR, but also JLB, and I'm pretty sure the Johns feel the same about it)..
And there's that video in which JP reads to MM the Urban Dictionary's new word "manginied", that I couldn't find either, but there they're eating dinner together.. Anyway, we don't know if they do that often, or just to film it, but we DO know how Portnoy felt about that when he was in the band.. I quoted him; that was his point of view, not mine or anyone else's..
PS: sorry for the long post but I think it's worth it..