The Mike Portnoy Appreciation/Discussion Thread (merged)

[bosk1]

As do I.  Please do NOT spread unconfirmed rumors from unnamed sources.  "I know a guy who knows a guy that I trust" doesn't cut it.

[King Postwhore]

I just want protect him sir. Didn't want to stir up anything. Plus it was a confluence of things that I said. It's never one thing.

[pg1067]

Obviously, MP was the one who spearheaded official bootlegs, since he was the one with the massive archives, wrote the setlists and was familiar with shows that were noteworthy. And, like official releases, he oversaw many aspects of them, including artwork, packaging, etc. But when it came to the mixing of the recordings, where it wasn't just pulled from a 2-track DAT recording, I'm pretty confident that JP would have overseen that aspect of it. After all, these releases are listed as being produced by both of them. That said, I *do* think most official bootlegs are taken from 2-track DAT recordings.

With regards to the Uncovered 2003-2005 release, I'm pretty sure that all the recordings were just pulled from the 2-track DAT recordings, because in the credits, it lists Nigel Paul as doing the "Live Audio Mix" and Fred Kevorkian as mastering the recordings, but no one is listed as doing the actual mixing for the CD itself. OTOH, their Made in Japan official bootleg includes the same credits for Nigel Paul, and both mixing and mastering were done by Roger Glover.

So in the case of the Uncovered 2003-2005 release, if those recordings were taken from the 2-track DATs, then there really isn't much that could be done to boost JM in the mix, aside from maybe some EQing. And as we all know, JM is not known to be high in the live mix of shows, so that's why he's not high in the mix of that official bootleg, either.

Makes sense.  Thanks for the info.  By the way, any idea where one can read the liner notes for that Uncovered release?

[King Postwhore]

Plus it's 10 years. I'm glad MP & JP worked together again.

[Madman Shepherd]

What I remember is that, at the time, the split looked, in paper (their statements), much more amicable than it actually was.

I bet it was...at first. I bet there were the normal feelings involved in the initial split. Feelings of abandonment, maybe even betrayed, scared for their family's well being and financial security, but nothing like it turned into thanks to...well....we don't need to get into that again.

But yeah, i think it got bad after the first month or two and then when they wouldnt let mike back in, the threats of a lawsuit, etc....that was when it got really bad.

[MoraWintersoul]

Yeah, for the first few years or so I have had this sinking feeling that things would just keep getting worse and worse until they all cross a threshold where it's unlikely that they would be friends again. Fortunately that hasn't happened, and we should probably give MP the bear's share of the credit for that. I don't follow him as actively as other people but aside from a few foot-in-mouth moments, whenever I tune into one of his social media feeds or interviews or videos in the past year or so, he's talking about things with a lot of grace, which I found very new. Like, don't flame me, but out of many positive words I would associate with MP (as I perceive him), "grace" and especially "tact" was never at the top of the list. But he's just very chill and always talks about the good side of things nowadays.

[Setlist Scotty]

Plus it was a confluence of things that I said. It's never one thing.

So will you elaborate on the rest of these things?
 
 

Makes sense.  Thanks for the info.  By the way, any idea where one can read the liner notes for that Uncovered release?

If you can't find them doing a Google search, I couldn't tell ya.

[King Postwhore]

The other things are conjecture on my part. 

Mike wanted to be heavier with DT.  James voice didn't fit that style he had envisioned.  Hence he started to add his lead vocals.

Mike's focus on side projects that influenced him with DT.  He also became tired of his "first wife, DT."

So the other music was alluring.   Add he wanted the break because of these influences and the rest of the bsnd didn't.

Like I said,  I'm guessing in my end but I think a lot is intertwined in his decision. 

[ytserush]

I just want protect him sir. Didn't want to stir up anything. Plus it was a confluence of things that I said. It's never one thing.

Had no idea about this either. Not a hint.

[Cool Chris]

The other things are conjecture on my part. 

Mike wanted to be heavier with DT.  James voice didn't fit that style he had envisioned.  Hence he started to add his lead vocals.

Mike's focus on side projects that influenced him with DT.  He also became tired of his "first wife, DT."

So the other music was alluring.   Add he wanted the break because of these influences and the rest of the band didn't.

I thought that was all basically assumed to some degree.

[Setlist Scotty]

The other things are conjecture on my part. 

Mike wanted to be heavier with DT.  James voice didn't fit that style he had envisioned.  Hence he started to add his lead vocals.

Mike's focus on side projects that influenced him with DT.  He also became tired of his "first wife, DT."

So the other music was alluring.   Add he wanted the break because of these influences and the rest of the band didn't.

I thought that was all basically assumed to some degree.

To a degree the second/third point is true. MP has stated in interviews that (in essence) he noticed how much fun he was having with these side projects and with A7X, in comparison to the time spent when touring with DT. So he wanted to take a break so that the band could recharge its batteries and feel reinvigorated, instead of just plodding along - absence makes the heart grow fonder, as has been proven true by him and JP getting together around the holidays and finally doing something musically.

To the first point, I have to disagree. While MP may have been the most "metal" guy in the band, that didn't mean that JP wasn't in full agreement with it. Everyone's super quick to point to SC and BCaSL as being "metal" albums, but there are a lot of non-metal elements to parts of those albums, too. If they had done back-to-back albums that were like ToT, I'd be more likely to agree, but that's not the case.

Regarding MP adding his vocals, I think you forget that he (and JP) started adding their vocals back on FII, and MP's first featured prominently on SDoIT which is probably one of the most diverse albums in terms of styles. Even after World Tourbulence, they had the big talk with JL, and back then there was the talk that maybe his style of vocal wasn't exactly what they wanted, but chose to continue on with him, if he would make improvements on his performances, which he did.

So this is nothing new and wasn't something that just cropped up within the last 1 or 2 years that MP was still in the band.

BTW, kingshmegland, I am wondering if your unnamed source is getting the split between MP and DT mixed up with the split between Geoff Tate and Queensryche, which has been confirmed that they had security guards to separate Tater from the rest of the band. That seems to be the most logical possibility.

[Anxiety35]

Getting back to MP on JP's new album...

We know JP programmed drums and he said he let MP do his thing. Which means here are the rythms and patterns to the songs but add your personal touch to them.

As a result, I think this is MP's best studio performance since his departure from DT. He sounds fresh and energized.

[HOF]

MP just shared a new song by Richie Kotzen with MP on drums. Not sure the Facebook link will work, but it’s on MP and Richie’s facebooks. Sounds pretty cool.

https://m.facebook.com/?_rdr#!/story.php?story_fbid=10158721788394938&id=9531729937

Good to see them doing something together even if it was sort of a quick one off like this. Hopefully TWD comes back once SOA runs its course and Richie recharges from his busy year of solo stuff.

[RodrigoAltaf]

MP just shared a new song by Richie Kotzen with MP on drums. Not sure the Facebook link will work, but it’s on MP and Richie’s facebooks. Sounds pretty cool.

https://m.facebook.com/?_rdr#!/story.php?story_fbid=10158721788394938&id=9531729937

Good to see them doing something together even if it was sort of a quick one off like this. Hopefully TWD comes back once SOA runs its course and Richie recharges from his busy year of solo stuff.

I LOVED that song, and I think the chemistry between Mike, Richie and Billy is quite unique, especially live. I too hope that TWD does something soon. They were on a roll with album #2, then Richie pulled the plug...

[emtee]

Whoa! Killer song. I dig it.

[cramx3]

Mike retweeted my clip of This Dying Soul from the Shattered Fortress show 3 years ago (and one day). 

https://twitter.com/Cramx3/status/1309339483112865792

but also, that show was so much fun because we played arcade games before and had a solid DTF meet up for this one

And finally Sep. 24, New York City, NY. (Milahhhhhh, El Barto, Stadler, Cram, Nick, Axeman)

Also, no regrets on my middle finger, I got two in. Check between Stads and Bart 

[Stadler]

That was a great fuckin' day, start to finish.   Really a good time.

[TAC]

Well, one guy knows how to do it...

[Zydar]

Well, one guy knows how to do it...

[Fritzinger]

That was a great fuckin' day, start to finish.   Really a good time.

Nice shirt man, I also still have that one 
Bought it at my first DT concert in Munich in June 2009, when I was 16. And it still fits (more or less) 

[Stadler]

Well, one guy knows how to do it...

If you go back, I think there was about a page and a half of commentary critiquing my execution.  I've learned!!! 

[Cool Chris]

If you go back, I think there was about a page and a half of commentary critiquing my execution. 

My first thought was "hey, wasn't that the picture that instigated the discussion about acceptable middle finger flipping techniques?"

[King Postwhore]

Coz is the catalyst for all things middle finger from DTF.

[Setlist Scotty]

Coz is the catalyst for all things middle finger from DTF.

Hey king shmegland - you ever confirm with your unnamed buddy whether the talk about security guards to protect band members was in fact MP and JL, instead of Geoff Tate and Queensryche?

[millahh]

Well, one guy knows how to do it...

If you go back, I think there was about a page and a half of commentary critiquing my execution.  I've learned!!! 

I also feel suitably chastened from that...

[TAC]

Every time I see a picture of Millahh, I have to remember that he is not black.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Every time I see a picture of Millahh, I have to remember that he is not black.

Well obviously. His avatar is clearly blue.

[King Postwhore]

Coz is the catalyst for all things middle finger from DTF.

Hey king shmegland - you ever confirm with your unnamed buddy whether the talk about security guards to protect band members was in fact MP and JL, instead of Geoff Tate and Queensryche?

Check your PM's. I'm still not naming a name.

[TAC]

I know who the security guard was...

[Madman Shepherd]

It just doesn't make sense that they would have security guards. Did they ride on the bus with them? Sleep in the bunk in between them? If not, then why was it so important to have them at the venue? They could magically ride on a bus together but you put them in a room with catering and WATCH OUT!

[DTA]

Did he stop doing the vinyl videos? I was really enjoying them

[ReaperKK]

I was wondering that too, I was really enjoying them.

[Madman Shepherd]

He's been too busy blocking people on twitter.

I actually find it hilarious that people are like "stop posting your political opinions" and he's like "nah, but i'll block you so you dont have to see them." 

[ReaperKK]

I only very recently started following him on twitter, has he always been political?

[Madman Shepherd]

I only very recently started following him on twitter, has he always been political?

Nah. I think since the election of Trump but definitely it has picked up in the last year.