The Mike Portnoy Appreciation/Discussion Thread (merged)

[Stadler]

 I know it will never happen but hypothetically speaking, if Geddy and Alex decided to do an album and tour, Mike could pull that off too. It may sound a bit different, but it would be effective.

No.  Just, no.

Yea. Rush is those three guys and only those three guys.

But that has been proven to be false time and time again.    Dream Theater WAS Mike Portnoy for a while (or so some though) and well...     Led Zeppelin WAS Bonham, and while they never really recorded anything "as" Led Zeppelin without him, by all accounts both Michael Lee and Jason Bonham acquitted themselves well playing the Zeppelin material.    The Dead wasn't "The Dead" without Jerry, but in fact, they are, literally and figuratively "The Dead" without Jerry.  Floyd was supposed to be NOTHING without Roger, and the Division Bell is here to tell you otherwise.

No, that has never been proven false, that Rush is only those three guys. If I had said "other rock bands are only the key members", that has been proven false. Luckily, I was not talking about Dream Theater Zeppelin, The Dead, Floyd, or any other band.

When Rush go out there with a new drummer and are accepted, then I will be proven wrong. Possible, but not terribly likely, since they have all said so.

Anyway, this is going very off topic. Better off in the Rush thread.


As far as MP goes, I'm hoping there is a next Flying Colors album, and that it's good. Don't care much for his other projects.

No, no, you're right; my only point was, I'm skeptical of the "[XYZ band] wouldn't be the same without [certain member]".   

[TAC]

No, no, you're right; my only point was, I'm skeptical of the XYZ band wouldn't be the same without [certain member]".

[Stadler]

That's my point; when  Joey Pafumi left, they didn't self-combust, did they?  Did they? 

[TAC]

Yup. Nothing beats the Pafumi Era.

[Adami]

Oh I agree that XYZ band doesn't necessarily hold that rule, but that the YYZ band just might. 

[Adami]

Also, there are VERY few bands I would say that about.....that they need to exist as current members only.....and Rush is basically that list. I can't really think of many others off the top of my head.

[KevShmev]

The only rock bands I can think that about would be Rush, U2 and ZZ Top.  All are looking at around 40+ years with the same members.

[Adami]

The only rock bands I can think that about would be Rush, U2 and ZZ Top.  All are looking at around 40+ years with the same members.

Ohhh ZZ Top is a good call. I thing long lasting trios are special in that regard. 5 members, and I might not know who everyone is. Like, I'm not a U2 fan and therefore only know Bono and The Edge. I'm also not a big ZZ Top fan, but I'd notice if anyone was gone.

[Cool Chris]

Could you hypothetically slap a long ZZ Top-style beard on any random guitarist and fool 90% of the audience?

[TAC]

You rang?

[Anguyen92]

^^ The beard needs to be longer dang it for him to qualify.  Like down to his chest.

[ErHaO]

The only rock bands I can think that about would be Rush, U2 and ZZ Top.  All are looking at around 40+ years with the same members.

For me it's the Golden Earring, who have been with the same formation for 48 years now, two of them even 57 years, from when the band was founded. Though I am aware that they have limited their career to their own country for a good while now. I imagine that if one of them calls it quits, they will stop.

[Kwyjibo]

Billy Gibbons and (to lesser extent) Dusty Hill are more important for what ZZ Top is than Frank Beard. You could probably change drummers and not change the sound of the band too much.

[pg1067]

I'm not a U2 fan and therefore only know Bono and The Edge. I'm also not a big ZZ Top fan, but I'd notice if anyone was gone.

Could you hypothetically slap a long ZZ Top-style beard on any random guitarist and fool 90% of the audience?

As far as Chris's question, the answer is yes, as long as that person also had virtually no musical talent (especially the guy who "plays bass").  JP would break down in tears from boredom, but it would be rather hilarious to see him with ZZT.

As far as "Don't Call Me Sonny" Bono and "The Edge," I just can't take seriously a man who's almost 60 and still calls himself "The Edge."  But yeah, if you replaced U2's bass player or drummer, virtually no one would notice or care.

[Architeuthis]

Maybe at some point MP will become omnipresent and be the drummer for every band in the world!
 

[Stadler]

I'm not a U2 fan and therefore only know Bono and The Edge. I'm also not a big ZZ Top fan, but I'd notice if anyone was gone.

Could you hypothetically slap a long ZZ Top-style beard on any random guitarist and fool 90% of the audience?

As far as Chris's question, the answer is yes, as long as that person also had virtually no musical talent (especially the guy who "plays bass").  JP would break down in tears from boredom, but it would be rather hilarious to see him with ZZT.

As far as "Don't Call Me Sonny" Bono and "The Edge," I just can't take seriously a man who's almost 60 and still calls himself "The Edge."  But yeah, if you replaced U2's bass player or drummer, virtually no one would notice or care.

Sometimes the impact isn't on stage.  I feel very strongly that U2 would not exist without Larry Mullen, Jr.   Even Bono and Edge say "it's his band". 

[cramx3]

Maybe at some point MP will become omnipresent and be the drummer for every band in the world!
 

So he will become a hologram drummer?

[Architeuthis]

Maybe at some point MP will become omnipresent and be the drummer for every band in the world!
 

So he will become a hologram drummer?

Well that would give him time for side projects too.

[ytserush]

 I know it will never happen but hypothetically speaking, if Geddy and Alex decided to do an album and tour, Mike could pull that off too. It may sound a bit different, but it would be effective.

No.  Just, no.

Yea. Rush is those three guys and only those three guys.

But that has been proven to be false time and time again.    Dream Theater WAS Mike Portnoy for a while (or so some though) and well...     Led Zeppelin WAS Bonham, and while they never really recorded anything "as" Led Zeppelin without him, by all accounts both Michael Lee and Jason Bonham acquitted themselves well playing the Zeppelin material.    The Dead wasn't "The Dead" without Jerry, but in fact, they are, literally and figuratively "The Dead" without Jerry.  Floyd was supposed to be NOTHING without Roger, and the Division Bell is here to tell you otherwise.

The Division Bell never told me otherwise....ha ha, but I get your point even if I'm not sure I agree with it.

[ytserush]

The only rock bands I can think that about would be Rush, U2 and ZZ Top.  All are looking at around 40+ years with the same members.

Ohhh ZZ Top is a good call. I thing long lasting trios are special in that regard. 5 members, and I might not know who everyone is. Like, I'm not a U2 fan and therefore only know Bono and The Edge. I'm also not a big ZZ Top fan, but I'd notice if anyone was gone.

I'd add LIVE to that list and maybe The Fixx. Live did break up when Ed left, but the band continued on under another name until they got back together. The Fixx broke up in the 1990's for a few years but reformed with the same members.

I guess you could say Kings X and Living Colour (bass player change in 1993.) too.

Clearly not the longevity of ZZ Top, U2 or Rush but I'd guess those bands at this point wouldn't continue with the same name if anyone left.

Still a somewhat short list though.

[Adami]

Also RATT. Hard to imagine them changing members much.

[ReaperKK]

I never got to see LIVE after ED left but I did see them a few months ago with Ed back and I can't imagine it without him.

[cramx3]

I never got to see LIVE after ED left but I did see them a few months ago with Ed back and I can't imagine it without him.

True, I was surprised that they had a short era without him. 

also 311 is one band that still has all original members and never had a break up moment or anything like that.  I couldn't see them with someone else in the band although I'm sure they could do it, but they are such a tight group of friends that it just would seem odd.

[Architeuthis]

This discussion has turned into the other thread about members being changed or replaced. 

[Elite]

The only rock bands I can think that about would be Rush, U2 and ZZ Top.  All are looking at around 40+ years with the same members.

Ohhh ZZ Top is a good call. I thing long lasting trios are special in that regard. 5 members, and I might not know who everyone is. Like, I'm not a U2 fan and therefore only know Bono and The Edge. I'm also not a big ZZ Top fan, but I'd notice if anyone was gone.

I'd add LIVE to that list and maybe The Fixx. Live did break up when Ed left, but the band continued on under another name until they got back together. The Fixx broke up in the 1990's for a few years but reformed with the same members.

I guess you could say Kings X and Living Colour (bass player change in 1993.) too.

Kings X is a great call, they're going on 35 years with the same line-up, but they haven't been too active in recent years.

Another one I thought of is Radiohead, who have been with the same group for 25 years. I don't see anyone leaving that band anytime soon and they're bound to continue for a while as while. Add Muse to the trio list, 24 years strong with the same line-up. Also not quitting anytime soon.

[RodrigoAltaf]

  I had to turn down a chance to interview a couple of the Metal Allegiance guys...it would have been Mark Menghi, Dave Ellefson, Alex Skolnick and Trevor Strnad. Unfortunately this was too short notice, and i have no time to prepare questions. Also, it would be tomorrow at 2:30 pm, and I'll be at work then.

[Architeuthis]

I had to turn down a chance to interview a couple of the Metal Allegiance guys...it would have been Mark Menghi, Dave Ellefson, Alex Skolnick and Trevor Strnad. Unfortunately this was too short notice, and i have no time to prepare questions. Also, it would be tomorrow at 2:30 pm, and I'll be at work then.

Dang, that would have been awesome!  I know what you mean about work pinning us down..

[ytserush]

I never got to see LIVE after ED left but I did see them a few months ago with Ed back and I can't imagine it without him.

As far as I know LIVE, was done when Ed left. Ed did two solo albums, toured and the rest of the band formed  The Gracious Few with another guy and as suddenly as it ended LIVE reformed.

[ReaperKK]

Speaking of the Gracious Few, that was a good album.

[Grappler]

So, the new Metal Allegiance disc is out.  It suffers from the same problem as the first - the songs seem to be tailored towards each respective singer and offer nothing in terms of variety or putting the singers into something out of their element a little.  The song with Max Cavalera sounds like something he would write.  The song with Blitz sounds like Overkil, the one with John Bush sounds like recent Armored Saint, and so on.

But I do like the lineup of singers - Blitz, John Bush, Johan from Amon Amarth, Floor Jansen, Max Cavalera and Mark Osegueda.  A fun listen, but not groundbreaking in the slightest.

[Samsara]

So, the new Metal Allegiance disc is out.  It suffers from the same problem as the first - the songs seem to be tailored towards each respective singer and offer nothing in terms of variety or putting the singers into something out of their element a little.  The song with Max Cavalera sounds like something he would write.  The song with Blitz sounds like Overkil, the one with John Bush sounds like recent Armored Saint, and so on.

But I do like the lineup of singers - Blitz, John Bush, Johan from Amon Amarth, Floor Jansen, Max Cavalera and Mark Osegueda.  A fun listen, but not groundbreaking in the slightest.

That was what I was afraid of. I may just figure out the tracks by Bush, Jansen, and Osegueda and buy those.

[Grappler]

Here you go:

01. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)
02. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)
03. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)
04. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)
05. King With A Paper Crown (feat. Johan Hegg)
06. Voodoo Of The Godsend (feat. Max Cavalera)
07. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)
08. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)
09. Power Drunk Majesty (Part I) (feat. Mark Osegueda)
10. Power Drunk Majesty (Part II) (feat. Floor Jansen)

I keep forgetting about Mark Tornillo, probably because there's two Mark's on the album.      I need to get some of his Accept albums.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Here you go:

01. The Accuser (feat. Trevor Strnad)
02. Bound By Silence (feat. John Bush)
03. Mother Of Sin (feat. Bobby Blitz)
04. Terminal Illusion (feat. Mark Tornillo)
05. King With A Paper Crown (feat. Johan Hegg)
06. Voodoo Of The Godsend (feat. Max Cavalera)
07. Liars & Thieves (feat. Troy Sanders)
08. Impulse Control (feat. Mark Osegueda)
09. Power Drunk Majesty (Part I) (feat. Mark Osegueda)
10. Power Drunk Majesty (Part II) (feat. Floor Jansen)

I keep forgetting about Mark Tornillo, probably because there's two Mark's on the album.      I need to get some of his Accept albums.

The track with Tornillo is probably my favourite one in this release. Very cool drumming on that one!!!

[Samsara]

Thanks, Grapp.

[axeman90210]

I have to say, the show last night was an absolute blast. Andreas Kisser from Sepultura served as the second guitarist for the whole show and they probably had half a dozen different vocalists rotating onstage (including Alissa White-Gluz  ). They played a few tunes from each album and a good amount of covers, with the encore of Aces High and Hit the Lights being particularly \m/

Full setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metal-allegiance/2018/the-gramercy-theatre-new-york-ny-43e8535f.html