The Mike Portnoy Departure Poll

[Perpetual Change]

So many topics about MP, and not one poll. Oh well. Here's a poll.

How will being forced to adapt creatively affect Dream Theater's sound?

[orcus116]

Change for the better. Better meaning different, a creative spark they've needed for the better part of a decade.

[Zydar]

My gut feeling tells me they will move towards prog and give the metal direction a rest, if they indeed continue as a band.

[cthrubuoy]

My gut feeling tells me they will move towards prog and give the metal direction a rest, if they indeed continue as a band.

Bolded my fear. I see solo projects and a full break up on the horizon

[Cyglade]

I have a feeling that the best is yet to come.

[PixelDream]

I personally do not see myself enjoying DT that much in a live setting. Mike Portnoy was a huge part of the live show. I mean, Gavin Harrison can play circles around him, but MP is nonetheless a very impressive powerhouse, with GREAT stage presence. He's definately my favorite drummer to look at. I´m SO glad I saw them live last year during the Progressive Nation tour in Rotterdam (Ahoy). Opeth were excellent, and DT were really, really great. BC&SL was just out, and the moment they kicked off ANTR I was practically in heaven. I'd seen them 5 times before, but this last gig was just through the roof.

[Perpetual Change]

Hm. I'm pretty shocked at the results of this so far. I'm not sure whether to take it as people genuinely being optimistic about DT's ability to turn things around or not.

[PixelDream]

Yo Mike, I'm real happy for you and I'mma let you finish, but Dream Theater is one of the greatest bands of all time. Of ALL TIME!

Those are essentially my thoughts on it. Not excited at all about DT carrying on without MP, but that could change if they release a good album.

Though I'd rather see JP become a profilic solo guitarist. He and the whole G3 club can come around here every year, so I can have an amazing show to watch. Preferably Satch/Petrucci/Johnson. Hell yes.

[RoeDent]

They'll change for the better. The metal elements were starting to take over from the prog. Three words that prove that:

EVERYONE SURVIVED!! RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!

Hopefully they'll move back towards prog, as in the pre-Train of Thought days.

[ariich]

There's no option for "They'll change somewhat, but there's no telling what will happen beyond that". So I didn't vote.

[hefdaddy42]

I voted "for the better."  There will be a large transition as they decide how to distribute all the things that Portnoy took care of, but I think once they get in the studio, things will be exciting.

[ThroughHerEyesDude6]

I said for the worse because of the whole divvying up portion of the transition. After everything is split up, then they start writing. Sure, they'll try and get used to it, but it won't be the same. Pretty soon they'll experience, in little ways, all the stress Portnoy was under, and it will surely effect their writing.

Hopefully this will be the wakeup call they needed to see that not giving Mike time to recharge was a mistake. Consequently, Mike will feel a filthy, filthy emotion as he sees a new DT album on stock in Best Buy and know he had nothing to do with it. Hopefully this will be the wakeup call he needed to get his head out of his ass and get back with DT.

IMHO, take it or leave it.

[robwebster]

I said for the worse because of the whole divvying up portion of the transition. After everything is split up, then they start writing. Sure, they'll try and get used to it, but it won't be the same. Pretty soon they'll experience, in little ways, all the stress Portnoy was under, and it will surely effect their writing.

Hopefully this will be the wakeup call they needed to see that not giving Mike time to recharge was a mistake. Consequently, Mike will feel a filthy, filthy emotion as he sees a new DT album on stock in Best Buy and know he had nothing to do with it. Hopefully this will be the wakeup call he needed to get his head out of his ass and get back with DT.

IMHO, take it or leave it.

I think I'm gonna be on the leave it side. Sorry.

A bit of pressure doesn't mean they'll crumble. I mean, okay. A lot of pressure. But it's not gonna be anything like as bad as it was in, say, the pre-SFAM days, back when they used to fight tooth and claw amongst themselves and power their own ideas through. And listen to how well some of those turned out! Images and Words was probably the most tense, didn't have MP as a band leader per se, and that was their most successful album in the long run.

The easy option isn't always the right one. I don't think they have made a mistake.

"I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater..."

That sounds to me like a split that was made for all of The Right Reasons™. On both sides.

[ThroughHerEyesDude6]

I said for the worse because of the whole divvying up portion of the transition. After everything is split up, then they start writing. Sure, they'll try and get used to it, but it won't be the same. Pretty soon they'll experience, in little ways, all the stress Portnoy was under, and it will surely effect their writing.

Hopefully this will be the wakeup call they needed to see that not giving Mike time to recharge was a mistake. Consequently, Mike will feel a filthy, filthy emotion as he sees a new DT album on stock in Best Buy and know he had nothing to do with it. Hopefully this will be the wakeup call he needed to get his head out of his ass and get back with DT.

IMHO, take it or leave it.

I think I'm gonna be on the leave it side. Sorry.

A bit of pressure doesn't mean they'll crumble. I mean, okay. A lot of pressure. But it's not gonna be anything like as bad as it was in, say, the pre-SFAM days, back when they used to fight tooth and claw amongst themselves and power their own ideas through. And listen to how well some of those turned out! Images and Words was probably the most tense, didn't have MP as a band leader per se, and that was their most successful album in the long run.

The easy option isn't always the right one. I don't think they have made a mistake.

"I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater..."

That sounds to me like a split that was made for all of The Right Reasons™. On both sides.

I can understand that, but did you just reference a Nickelback album on DTF?

[hefdaddy42]

That's OK.

[guysullavin]

Neil Peart.

Rush don't need 'em anymore.

[robwebster]

I said for the worse because of the whole divvying up portion of the transition. After everything is split up, then they start writing. Sure, they'll try and get used to it, but it won't be the same. Pretty soon they'll experience, in little ways, all the stress Portnoy was under, and it will surely effect their writing.

Hopefully this will be the wakeup call they needed to see that not giving Mike time to recharge was a mistake. Consequently, Mike will feel a filthy, filthy emotion as he sees a new DT album on stock in Best Buy and know he had nothing to do with it. Hopefully this will be the wakeup call he needed to get his head out of his ass and get back with DT.

IMHO, take it or leave it.

I think I'm gonna be on the leave it side. Sorry.

A bit of pressure doesn't mean they'll crumble. I mean, okay. A lot of pressure. But it's not gonna be anything like as bad as it was in, say, the pre-SFAM days, back when they used to fight tooth and claw amongst themselves and power their own ideas through. And listen to how well some of those turned out! Images and Words was probably the most tense, didn't have MP as a band leader per se, and that was their most successful album in the long run.

The easy option isn't always the right one. I don't think they have made a mistake.

"I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater..."

That sounds to me like a split that was made for all of The Right Reasons™. On both sides.

I can understand that, but did you just reference a Nickelback album on DTF?

Hahahaha. Not consciously. I take it the Right Reasons is a Nickelback album?

[RazielSR]

Man, this topic now...well...I'm not sure wht's gonna happen. Who knows? But please, do not mention that they will break up the band soon like i'm reading around here.

[Gadough]

There's no option for "They'll change somewhat, but there's no telling what will happen beyond that". So I didn't vote.

Exactly

[Amoniz]

Honesty, I can't imagine DT without Mike...He was the driving force...
And things will change for the worse I think.

[Perpetual Change]

There's no option for "They'll change somewhat, but there's no telling what will happen beyond that". So I didn't vote.

Of course, yours is the correct answer. However, the point is to speculate. That's where all the fun is.

[wolfking]

How will being forced to adapt creatively affect Dream Theater's sound?

None of us will know until we hear new material.

[KevShmev]

Neil Peart.

Rush don't need 'em anymore.

Ya know, I have seen the "This is like Peart leaving Rush" comment made in several places in regards to this, but I think that is ludicrous. 

First off, Rush and Dream Theater are very different bands.  The three members of Rush are like family; all one needs to do is watch their dinner at the lodge on the extras of the new documentary to see this.  There is a camaraderie, a friendship, almost a kinship, that exists between Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.  That did not exist with all of the members of Dream Theater when Portnoy was a member of the band.  It might have existed between some of them (like JP and Portnoy), but not all of them.  It is just a different dynamic.  As as such, Peart IS irreplaceable in Rush, just like the other two guys are irreplaceable. 

Portnoy is not irreplaceable in Dream Theater.  The fact that they are going on without him shows this.  They have now changed their lead singer, their keyboard player twice, and now their drummer since the release of their first album.  They survived the first three changes, and they will survive this one.  Sure, Portnoy is the biggest loss, simply because of everything he did for the band and because of how much his personality was a part of the band, and it will take some time, but they will survive it. 

[ariich]

There's no option for "They'll change somewhat, but there's no telling what will happen beyond that". So I didn't vote.

Of course, yours is the correct answer. However, the point is to speculate. That's where all the fun is.

Indeed, but even an option of "They'll change, but not for the better or worse" would have allowed me to vote, because I think things will change, but I don't think we'll see a significant change in quality of output (although obviously we might, but purely from a speculative standpoint, that's what I'd go with). Forcing me to choose between "better" or "worse" is just mean.

[Mat JB]

It's been said, but...

DID THEY EVER SEE THE RED LIGHT?

I predict that good things will come of this artistic renewal.

[tumbok]

my opinion is on the mainstream, they will changer for the better.

[Slain]

I hate voting this, but this in a way will make things more interesting for me. I've been casually listening to DT, but not as much as I used to. I've been saying I'd like them to go a new direction, and I doubt they would've with Mike. No disrespect to him at all, but for the better.

[GuineaPig]

I'm surprised by how optimistic the results are.

[MetalMike06]

I can't see another drummer giving the flavor he gave. There are a gazillion with the chops, but that's it. Though I know the other guys can put out amazing stuff...I still can't get rid of that "it's just not the same" feeling.

I voted for the worse.

[rumborak]

One thought: It might also mean a return of JM writing, now that all responsibilities are up in the air.

rumborak

[KevShmev]

I'm surprised by how optimistic the results are.

I am not. 

I think a lot of Dream Theater fans realize that the strength of the band has always lay in all of the members, not just one, so one leaving is not the end of the world.  Well, if that one were John Petrucci, then that optimism would probably not be there, as he is probably the only truly irreplaceable guy in the band from a musical standpoint.

[TL]

Trying to find the silver lining; in the past, the band has always released some of their best material when everything was on the line. Hopefully, that trend will continue.

[rumborak]

I'm surprised by how optimistic the results are.

I am not. 

I think a lot of Dream Theater fans realize that the strength of the band has always lay in all of the members, not just one, so one leaving is not the end of the world.  Well, if that one were John Petrucci, then that optimism would probably not be there, as he is probably the only truly irreplaceable guy in the band from a musical standpoint.

This, definitely. I don't think DT would have survived a JP departure.

rumborak

[ariich]

I'm surprised by how optimistic the results are.

I am not. 

I think a lot of Dream Theater fans realize that the strength of the band has always lay in all of the members, not just one, so one leaving is not the end of the world.  Well, if that one were John Petrucci, then that optimism would probably not be there, as he is probably the only truly irreplaceable guy in the band from a musical standpoint.

Agreed 100%. I don't know whether any new material will be better or worse than their previous output, but as saddened as I am by the news, change is an inherently exciting thing, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

[fadetoblackdude7]

They'll get someone to drum in the studio for them (sound familiar??) and then tour with someone, but Mike will feel pain when he sees a new DT disc without his name/playing on it. Then he'll want back in.....as he says, DT 'was his baby'