Portnoy Interview Tonight on Eddie Trunk's Show

[Cool Chris]

If you need a break to re-ignite the flame, the flame ain't gonna be re-ignited.

[JustJen]

"i felt like we needed a break from each other in order to reignite the flame"... he wanted "a couple years hiatus" but they didn't agree...

[EPICVIEW]

"couple of years hiatus"?..

[rumborak]

Couple of years hiatus?! Whoa, that's a lot.

[DarkEternalNight]

A hiatus for a couple of years? Woah.

[JustJen]

"they didn't wanna budge - they wanted to start the album in Jan. with or without me"

"I felt if i did it in Jan. my heart wouldn't be in it"

"had to either do the album in Jan. against my will, or say goodbye"

[robwebster]

what happened?

"welll um... i was put in a position where i kinda had to quit in order to move forward.. i mean, i dunno.. i love dt, i love the guys, it's been my baby for 25 years but i just needed a break from dt... not from touring and doing projects, but i just felt like *dt* needed a break..."

Didn't he say on his board that they would be in the studio by January '11? Like, happily announce it? Might be misremembering. But I thought that was the plan already, and I'm sure I read it there.

[EPICVIEW]

Couple of years hiatus?! Whoa, that's a lot.

You sir are Correct again!!! SHAZAM!

[MykeHavoc]

Yeah, what the hell. A couple of years? I don't blame anyone for telling him to forget about it

[Cool Chris]

So far, very diplomatic, no flames.

[JustJen]

"i didn't wanna quit and they didn't want me to leave but here we are - it was the only way that i could move on and that they could move on"

"it was the weirdest kind of breakup because we still love each other!"

"we just strongly disagree"

[wolfking]

Can't blame the other four wanting to move forward.

[MykeHavoc]

And now he's citing bands that have had decade long splits as comparison. He's nuts.

[Sigz]

How is he nuts? He seems completely level-headed to me.

[EPICVIEW]

And now he's citing bands that have had decade long splits as comparison. He's nuts.

AIC? that one Im not getting...

[ScioPath]

Wither vid acknowledgement

[orcus116]

And now he's citing bands that have had decade long splits as comparison. He's nuts.

The only flaw I can see is that those bands (RATM, Phish) were so successful that the members could afford to take a break financially, if that's how the rest of DT is feeling at this point.

[TL]

I definitely don't think it's reasonable to expect a two year hiatus when the other members want to keep going, and especially not at such a pivotal moment in the band's career.

[Cool Chris]

I saw DT play twice this summer, and Mike couldn't have seemed happier playing those shows. I admire him for putting forth the energy and happiness he did in those shows if he felt as he is saying he felt.

[MykeHavoc]

Well, I'm not saying he's insane, but to say "a couple years" and then cite bands that have had indefinite hiatuses doesn't really sound all that hopeful.

[glaurung]

How is he nuts? He seems completely level-headed to me.

This. He's making complete sense.

[JustJen]

how much do you think the other projects you do - how much do you think that had to do with all this going down, if any?

"well it absolutely had nothing to do with my initial motives - i was already discussing this with the guys last fall, and last fall the Rev was still alive and well.."

.." really the feeling has *nothing* to do with avenged sevenfold..."

"all 3 of those projects, not just avenged - all 3 of them showed me how i was feeling happy and refreshed with these other bands and"... something about dt being "a bit strained" ... "we love each others, we're family, but sometimes you start to grow apart - you need some space"...

"i just *really* don't want people to think i left dt for a7x, i'm *not* a member of a7x"

[The Letter M]

Semi-transcription:

Well, uhm, i dunno how to sum it up but i guess i was put into a position where i kinda have to quit in order to move forward. I love dream theater and the guys, been my baby for 25 years. I just needed a break from DT. I didnt need a break from touring/playing/projects, but DT needed a break. Endless cycle for over 12-15 years solid without any real breaks. I was feeling like it was a  pattern that needed to be broken. I didn't feel this over night. It dates bak to last year. I was feeling it in Europe last fall, and suggested to the guys why don't we not tour as much in 2010. I felt the need to shake up the cycle and break the pattern. It was becoming a little stale to me. I'd go off to refreshing projects, but come back to DT and felt like I needed a break to reignite the flame. Dating back to last fall I felt it, then with TA this spring I talked about it with ppl. Then with IM it was coming to a head. I suggested to the guys we take a break, a couple years hiatus to recharge our batteries and be reinspired. Those guys didnt agree with me and wanted to keep going and start a new album in January. We just disagreed and after a week we came back to talk about it earlier this week and didn't want to budge and wanted to start with or without me. I felt my heart wouldn't be in it if I went in the studio in January. I felt i should be getting a breather. Either I had to do the album in Jan. against my will or say goodbye. It's weird that it came to this because none of us wanted it.

I didn't wanna quit and they didn't want me to leave. It's a weird kind of break up because we still love each other. They miss me and I'm all broken up, but we just strongly disagree.

------------

typed VERY hurriedly...

-Marc.

[LCArenas]

LURKING



LURKING CAREFULLY AND METICULOUSLY

[MykeHavoc]

I'm a drummer without a band and they're a band without a drummer. So we're gonna ride this thing out...

Yeah. That sounds like a pretty big hint.

[ZBomber]

Sounds like a legit reason to me. If he wants to take a creative break from DT, then I think thats a great idea and hope the break allows him to come back at a later point and continue making quality music.

[JustJen]

"i mean i almost felt like i had to sacrifice myself from the situation so i wouldn't be holding them back, and so i wouldn't be doing something against my will"

"they've made it blatantly clear that the door is always open to me.. i *would* go back to them in a heartbeat, but just not right now."

[Cool Chris]

"The guys made it clear the door is always open..."

I wonder if it will be open in 2+ years...

[DarkEternalNight]

I know it's way too early but, I think he'll be back in a few years.

[ScioPath]

"i mean i almost felt like i had to sacrifice myself from the situation so i wouldn't be holding them back, and so i wouldn't be doing something against my will"

"they've made it blatantly clear that the door is always open to me.. i *would* go back to them in a heartbeat, but just not right now."

 

[blackngold29]

He almost makes the other four guys sound like the bad guys. He just wanted a year off and they wouldn't go for it.

[MykeHavoc]

Yeah, him saying they made it abundantly clear he's always welcome back is nice. Hope it's true...though still looking forward to the next record.

[rumborak]

He almost makes the other four guys sound like the bad guys. He just wanted a year off and they wouldn't go for it.

Yeah, he's a bit biased there.

[EPICVIEW]

He is coming back at some point...that mystery is now solved..

[The Letter M]

Now he's saying that there are lots of drummers out there that could play his stuff but not cover his other responsibilities. He's acknowledged JP's QnAs.

-Marc.