The Mike Portnoy Appreciation/Discussion Thread (merged)

[axeman90210]

At the very least they keep dropping the price. I forget what the tickets started at, dropped to $120 a little while ago, and just today down to $105.

[Stadler]

So, if this is presumptuous, I apologize, but I've had to bail on TA in Jersey and I'm shut out of Morsefest because of a family vacation.

If anyone has the chance to ask Mike anything, at Morsefest or otherwise, I have a question that is sort of lingering with me.  You can blame/attribute the question to me if you want; there was a time that Mike knew who "Stadler" was and I've met him once and he acknowledged me, though I have no illustions he'd remember me.  The question:

I'm six months younger than Mike, so essentially the same age.  The lyrics from "Innocence and Danger" have REALLY resonated with me on a deep level. There's a lot there that I am going through at this stage of my life; contemplations, re-evaluations, that sort of thing, and a sort of understanding of my place in the world.    I want to know two things:  have those lyrics resonated in any special way with Mike, given all he's experienced and gone through in his life, and did any of those sentiments influence his recent peace-making with Dream Theater as a unit (his peace with John was before I&D)?

(I'm going to post this in the Neal thread as well)

[RodrigoAltaf]

So, if this is presumptuous, I apologize, but I've had to bail on TA in Jersey and I'm shut out of Morsefest because of a family vacation.

If anyone has the chance to ask Mike anything, at Morsefest or otherwise, I have a question that is sort of lingering with me.  You can blame/attribute the question to me if you want; there was a time that Mike knew who "Stadler" was and I've met him once and he acknowledged me, though I have no illustions he'd remember me.  The question:

I'm six months younger than Mike, so essentially the same age.  The lyrics from "Innocence and Danger" have REALLY resonated with me on a deep level. There's a lot there that I am going through at this stage of my life; contemplations, re-evaluations, that sort of thing, and a sort of understanding of my place in the world.    I want to know two things:  have those lyrics resonated in any special way with Mike, given all he's experienced and gone through in his life, and did any of those sentiments influence his recent peace-making with Dream Theater as a unit (his peace with John was before I&D)?

(I'm going to post this in the Neal thread as well)

That is an amazing question, Sir. I hope he answers that.

[frogprog]

Happy Birthday MP! Thanks for all you have given me!

[ytserush]

Here's the interview that I saw with DS where he mentions the Anna Lee thing:

https://dreamtheater.club/blog/2012/11/21/derek-sherinian-metalled-out-a-little-bit/

Speaking of Been Here Before, that one pretty much revisits Anna Lee…

Very much so! I thought the music was beautiful and I was never satisfied with the way it turned out on that record. I thought it was too beautiful of a song and I wanted to keep it pure and make it instrumental.

Not a ton to go off. Maybe there are other interviews where he's talked about it.

I might have enjoyed Anna Lee as an instrumental.

[emtee]

I'm hoping that with a rekindled friendship with JP, and thus, working together plus touring soon, that these two will realize the unique chemistry they create together. Maybe an incorrect guess on my part but I have a feeling these two will put together a new side project band with a vocalist and create new music again. They are both on the back nine of their careers and it would seem fitting to create something together before sailing off into retirement.

[ReaperKK]

A new side project would be cool but I think it would entirely depend on DT's schedule. That seems to take priority over anything else.

[emtee]

I agree.

My thinking is that JR is 65 now...the age where he qualifies for Medicare. By the time their next album and tour cycle is over, he will likely be 68. Could he continue onward? Yep. But will he want to? Only time will tell. And if he calls it a day, will DT hire a new keyboardist? Maybe and maybe not.

[MirrorMask]

Jordan seems healthy and as happy and passionate as ever about his craft. I don't see age being a problem for him, until he stays healthy. He clearly loves what he's doing, so if next year he comes out saying he retires because of the big toll life on the road takes, I would be very, very, VERY surprised.

[Kwyjibo]

Seeing how long it took JP to finish his solo record, I doubt that he's in for another side project.

And for me, another band with MP, JP and a singer would only make sense if they stay as far away from prog rock/metal as they can.  For everything else we have DT old and new.

[axeman90210]

Yeah, I mean I wouldn't rule out them getting together and doing something with a singer, but if they do I think it will be far from DT stylistically.

[wolfking]

Here's the interview that I saw with DS where he mentions the Anna Lee thing:

https://dreamtheater.club/blog/2012/11/21/derek-sherinian-metalled-out-a-little-bit/

Speaking of Been Here Before, that one pretty much revisits Anna Lee…

Very much so! I thought the music was beautiful and I was never satisfied with the way it turned out on that record. I thought it was too beautiful of a song and I wanted to keep it pure and make it instrumental.

Not a ton to go off. Maybe there are other interviews where he's talked about it.

I might have enjoyed Anna Lee as an instrumental.

I might have enjoyed Anna Lee if it never existed.

[Zydar]

If so, would they go full on metal or prog? No prog metal then, it would be too close to DT. Can't see them doing the acoustic thing that JLB have just done.

[gzarruk]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

[HOF]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

Yeah, I think LTE makes more sense as a collaborative project for MP and JP than a new band. Though Tony is getting up there in age, so maybe not too much longer.

[gzarruk]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

Yeah, I think LTE makes more sense as a collaborative project for MP and JP than a new band. Though Tony is getting up there in age, so maybe not too much longer.

They could always get JM if Tony retires

[HOF]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

Yeah, I think LTE makes more sense as a collaborative project for MP and JP than a new band. Though Tony is getting up there in age, so maybe not too much longer.

They could always get JM if Tony retires

Now you’re talking!

[Kram]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

Yeah, I think LTE makes more sense as a collaborative project for MP and JP than a new band. Though Tony is getting up there in age, so maybe not too much longer.

They could always get JM if Tony retires

Now you’re talking!

I agree with both of you, we'll see more LTE.

As for JR.  I would say he's a young 65 and I too don't see him retiring any time soon.  I mean, he has a few months off from DT touring, and what does he do?  He goes on a solo tour across the US.  I'd say he's got a good 10 years left in him at this level.  That's my gut instinct.

[Cocopjojo]

In the latest Inner Circle release, there's a video of the Neal Morse Band (minus Randy) doing Back in the USSR with Neal on drums and Mike on bass, with both of them sharing vocals. It's pretty cool.

Mike jokingly says that it's because Neal had to play the drums because Paul McCartney plays drums on this track, which I never knew!

[The Letter M]

In the latest Inner Circle release, there's a video of the Neal Morse Band (minus Randy) doing Back in the USSR with Neal on drums and Mike on bass, with both of them sharing vocals. It's pretty cool.

Mike jokingly says that it's because Neal had to play the drums because Paul McCartney plays drums on this track, which I never knew!

Yep, Paul played drums on a couple of tracks on The Beatles when Ringo "quit" the band for a hot minute during those sessions.

-Marc.

[Stadler]

In the latest Inner Circle release, there's a video of the Neal Morse Band (minus Randy) doing Back in the USSR with Neal on drums and Mike on bass, with both of them sharing vocals. It's pretty cool.

Mike jokingly says that it's because Neal had to play the drums because Paul McCartney plays drums on this track, which I never knew!

Yep, Paul played drums on a couple of tracks on The Beatles when Ringo "quit" the band for a hot minute during those sessions.

-Marc.

Sorry to be "that guy", haha, but he did it on other occasions as well.  John came in the studio all gung-ho to record "The Ballad Of John And Yoko", and George was on holiday and Ringo was filming a movie.  Famously, in one of the latter day examples of John and Paul working together despite the business disagreements between them, the two of them set down and recorded that number almost entirely between the two of them, including Paul on drums.

I don't usually let the outside stuff influence what I like and don't like but that story has really increased my appreciation for that song.

[bosk1]

I think a DT reunion is much more likely to happen than a new side project from them, and that is highly unlikely unless MM steps down anyway. Let's not forget that LTE signed a two album contract and they still have to make that 2nd one. I also imagine they would like to tour at some point, when their schedules allow them to.

Yeah, I think LTE makes more sense as a collaborative project for MP and JP than a new band. Though Tony is getting up there in age, so maybe not too much longer.

They could always get JM if Tony retires

Now you’re talking!

I agree with both of you, we'll see more LTE.

As for JR.  I would say he's a young 65 and I too don't see him retiring any time soon.  I mean, he has a few months off from DT touring, and what does he do?  He goes on a solo tour across the US.  I'd say he's got a good 10 years left in him at this level.  That's my gut instinct.

I agree with what you are saying about Jordan.  He certainly could realistically be looking to retire or scale back sometime soon.  But I wouldn't bet on it simply because of his age.  People were saying similar things 10 years ago.  "He's 55!  He probably won't be doing this too much longer."  But he's still going.  And others who are older are still going as well. 

[hefdaddy42]

I would be shocked if JP and MP did a side project with a vocalist.

Of course, I've been shocked before lol

[bosk1]

I wouldn't.  I would be shocked if it was JP putting it together.  But I could absolutely see MP putting a project together, and JP saying, "yeah, OK, I'll play guitar on that."

[Samsara]

I wouldn't.  I would be shocked if it was JP putting it together.  But I could absolutely see MP putting a project together, and JP saying, "yeah, OK, I'll play guitar on that."

Agreed. It was pretty obvious to me that MP always wanted to bring on another vocalist for DT. And now that MP himself is out of DT, nothing is really to stop he and JP from working with a different singer they admire. Especially if said band is mostly a studio project due to JP's touring commitments with DT and MP's usual hectic schedule.

[Kram]

I wouldn't.  I would be shocked if it was JP putting it together.  But I could absolutely see MP putting a project together, and JP saying, "yeah, OK, I'll play guitar on that."

Agreed. It was pretty obvious to me that MP always wanted to bring on another vocalist for DT. And now that MP himself is out of DT, nothing is really to stop he and JP from working with a different singer they admire. Especially if said band is mostly a studio project due to JP's touring commitments with DT and MP's usual hectic schedule.

And if stylistically it's far far from DT.

[emtee]

They would be fantastic if they went straight-up rock. 4 minute songs. Ass-kicking riffs and a new youthful vocalist with a unique, distinctive voice...yet undiscovered. Something along the lines of VH.

[Samsara]

I am sure in this very hypothetical discussion, JP would want some distance between what DT does and what this again, very hypothetical band with MP would be. But not as much as you think. I am sure it would have prog elements in it. That's who they are. But something a bit more straightforward? Absolutely.

Imagine a record with 10 five-minute bangers, a 10-minute opus, and then a slower, six or seven minute track. Maybe a band with a singer like Matt Barlow, and a second guitarist instead of keyboardist. It would be a LOT of fun, and I have to think, DT fans from back in the day would be overjoyed to have MP and JP back in a real band with a singer that would do some touring (just not as much as DT does).

[HOF]

And if stylistically it's far far from DT.

They would be fantastic if they went straight-up rock. 4 minute songs. Ass-kicking riffs and a new youthful vocalist with a unique, distinctive voice...yet undiscovered. Something along the lines of VH.

You know, JP really hasn't done much as a recording artist outside of the prog-metal sphere. I think the JP and JR concert is the most non-metal CD he's ever been involved in. 
 

[HOF]

Heh, you know JP, MP, and Kip Winger would be an awesome power trio.

[Samsara]

Heh, you know JP, MP, and Kip Winger would be an awesome power trio.

Well, at least with Kip they'd have a great songwriter among the three of them. 

[HOF]

Heh, you know JP, MP, and Kip Winger would be an awesome power trio.

Well, at least with Kip they'd have a great songwriter among the three of them. 

 

[bosk1]

Heh, you know JP, MP, and Kip Winger would be an awesome power trio.

Well, at least with Kip they'd have a great songwriter among the three of them. 

My math was off.  I was at only seventeen.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Heh, you know JP, MP, and Kip Winger would be an awesome power trio.

Well, at least with Kip they'd have a great songwriter among the three of them. 

My math was off.  I was at only seventeen.

Don’t get your hopes up, or you’ll be headed for a heartbreak.

[HOF]

I wonder how Carvana managed to get Mike Portnoy to appear in this commercial?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pLUrfaCa3ck