2009 Portnoy Interview

[JasonScandopolous]

If I'm committing some kind of faux pas by posting a new thread for something like this (or for posting something like this at all), feel free to delete/move...

But I just came across this https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-chattman/the-best-of-times-for-dre_b_250544.html while trying to find something unrelated... does anyone find the last paragraph kind of interesting given recent events?

[blackngold29]

I do and I don't. He said something along the same line on Score (although obviously things could've changed in the meantime). However, supposing the relationships weren't great would he, or anyone in any band, come out and actually say that?

[bosk1]

Same here.  The fact that things may have seemed a bit "strained" to him and that, after saying that, he toured with three other bands and just found those environments to seem a bit more "fresh" doesn't really seem that surprising or somehow undermine any statement that he thought things were "smooth" enough back in 2009.

[Perpetual Change]

I think it just kinda goes to show that you have to take these interviews with a grain of salt. Of course a band like Dream Theater who, against all odds, are just hitting their stride now, almost 30 years in, aren't going to come out and start trouble with one another.

[Samsara]

Being someone who interviews folks for a living, you always have to take everything with a grain of salt. Sometimes you catch someone having a good day, having an emotional day, having a shitty day, and their answers will change, or at least the way they express them will change, day by day, hour to hour.

E-mail interviews (it appears this is one) allow a bit for people to sit and write up and edit their answers, but when you do real interviewing, one on one, via phone or face-to-face, it really depends when you catch the person.

I've done them where I got a heated, passionate exchange from someone, with really pointed answers, which was great, and made a great story. But then a few days later, a colleague from a different publication, speaking to the same artist, got answers that could be viewed in a different light.

[rumborak]

Interviews are like corporate PR statements. They tout the obvious and positive facts, and sweep under the rug the negative ones. That's why one has to look at the context of things.

rumborak

[IdoSC]

It actually kinda makes sense to me...Portnoy thought he's the biggest decision maker in the band, but when he made a decision and the band didn't agree for once, the bubble they (he) lived in for the last decade finally blew up.

[robwebster]

E-mail interviews (it appears this is one) allow a bit for people to sit and write up and edit their answers, but when you do real interviewing, one on one, via phone or face-to-face, it really depends when you catch the person.

Doesn't look like an emailer to me, given that he's transcribed something Mike said as "(Ma-neesh-tana-halila-hazed?)". Could be wrong, though, given the number of brackets.

EDIT: It does look like it might be an emailer cunningly presented to look like a face-to-face.