The Mike Portnoy Appreciation/Discussion Thread (merged)

[Grappler]

I'd love to see them live - they have great setlists and awesome guests and really nail the songs.  But the studio albums offer no surprises - the songs all sound just like the singer's primary band's output.  So it's a fun album based on the guest singers, but boring at the same time because it leaves me with this feeling like I've heard it all before.  I can see myself listening to the second album more than the first one, though. 

[RodrigoAltaf]

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

That`s EPIC!!!!

Hey, didn`t MP, Andreas and Dave have a project called `Hail!` a few years ago which sorta had the same intention as Metal Allegiance?

[Samsara]

Holy shit. Who did Aces High?

[cramx3]

I'm expecting the SOA meet and greet line to be very long tonight, but I do hope to be able to get in and meet the guys, including MP for the first time. 

[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

That`s EPIC!!!!

Hey, didn`t MP, Andreas and Dave have a project called `Hail!` a few years ago which sorta had the same intention as Metal Allegiance?

Yeah, I was kind of wondering about that when I was reading Andreas's wiki this morning (I was pretty unfamiliar with him before the last night).

Holy shit. Who did Aces High?

John Bush and Alissa. And then everybody came out for Hit the Lights.

[gzarruk]

I didn't care too much for the first MA album and haven't checked the new one yet. Are they worth a listen or I should just stick with each members' original bands?

[deggs37]

I didn't care too much for the first MA album and haven't checked the new one yet. Are they worth a listen or I should just stick with each members' original bands?

If you didn't like the first one, I doubt this will do much for you either. But if there is a singer on here that you enjoy, either them or their respective bands, then you will find enjoyment out of it. I personally really like the John Bush and Max Cavalera tracks, although I haven't had much time to give the album a good listen yet.

So far I really like that they just have one singer per track rather than their last approach of several singers per track. Feels a lot more cohesive, in my opinion.

[cramx3]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

[gzarruk]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

You should’ve told him DTF is still a thing

[Ben_Jamin]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

You should’ve told him DTF is still a thing

That was the best ever...haha his eyes lit up all fierce.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

[cramx3]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

Really cool, it was quick for them so not much time to say anything else.  But I told JSS that I tweeted the video of him dancing at the NYC show and he laughed and said he was really drunk for that.  Told Billy I loved his work with DLR which he said that was a surprise compliment and laughed.  Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me.  Bumblefoot is great, such a nice dude too.

[Architeuthis]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

   Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me. 

That sounds about right. I ran into Derek after the Seattle show as he was walking by. I just quickly told him he did a great job and thanks for coming to Seattle. He almost seemed annoyed and shined me on. He did begrudgingly say thanks in a undertone but it didn't seem sincere, and he never even looked at me. Lol!

[mikeyd23]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

Really cool, it was quick for them so not much time to say anything else.  But I told JSS that I tweeted the video of him dancing at the NYC show and he laughed and said he was really drunk for that.  Told Billy I loved his work with DLR which he said that was a surprise compliment and laughed.  Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me.  Bumblefoot is great, such a nice dude too.

That’s hilarious about DS

[deggs37]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

   Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me. 

That sounds about right. I ran into Derek after the Seattle show as he was walking by. I just quickly told him he did a great job and thanks for coming to Seattle. He almost seemed annoyed and shined me on. He did begrudgingly say thanks in a undertone but it didn't seem sincere, and he never even looked at me. Lol!

It must be really stressful being the 'king of prog'. Having to deal with lowly peasants like us in between autograph signings and making history. Only the Queen of England understands how stressful this life of royalty can be. Quit picking on Derek you guys!!!!!  God save the Derek!!!!

[ReaperKK]

Ok I have to ask this. Am I the only one who doesn't find the making history joke funny at all? It wasn't funny on the original FII video, it's definitely not funny now.

[deggs37]

Ok I have to ask this. Am I the only one who doesn't find the making history joke funny at all? It wasn't funny on the original FII video, it's definitely not funny now.

I'm pretty sure the only people who ever found it funny was MP and DS. 21 years and counting.

[Cool Chris]

It's funny in the context of someone making home movies while in the studio recording. But I feel it is more something that isn't as funny for someone who wasn't there. Like when you are up late at three in the morning with your buddies and everything is funny when it never would be any other time.

And no it certainly isn't funny now.

[Madman Shepherd]

I found it funny the first 20 or 30 times but the fact that Derek seems pretty full of himself and ungrateful of the support he gets makes it lose all comedic value.

[axeman90210]

Encore covers from the other night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhADWVGKyqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=230&v=viCuuaR7WjA

[The Walrus]

Wow Derek wouldn't even look at you? What a fragile insecure little man he is. That's fucking hilarious. I'm glad I didn't watch his band even more now

[Ben_Jamin]

Wow Derek wouldn't even look at you? What a fragile insecure little man he is. That's fucking hilarious. I'm glad I didn't watch his band even more now

I enjoyed it mainly because of JSS and Bumblefoot.

[DT2003]

Good to see Derek hasn’t changed his ways. What a dick! 

[ErHaO]

Would still love to see Sons of Apollo, I recently listened to their album and I still like it, some really solid and accesible prog metal. Nothing original and I agree with the common criticisms, but a good effort. I think that a second album that adresses some of the issues could be ace.

Personally don't care that Derek is a dick or not. I like his work as a musician from what I have heard and I love the body of work of the other artists involved in the band.

[Ben_Jamin]

Labryinth was an amazing song live.

[Stadler]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

Really cool, it was quick for them so not much time to say anything else.  But I told JSS that I tweeted the video of him dancing at the NYC show and he laughed and said he was really drunk for that.  Told Billy I loved his work with DLR which he said that was a surprise compliment and laughed.  Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me.  Bumblefoot is great, such a nice dude too.

Dude nice call with the DLR stuff.  I still love Skyscraper.  What a weird, but still rockin', record.

[cramx3]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

Really cool, it was quick for them so not much time to say anything else.  But I told JSS that I tweeted the video of him dancing at the NYC show and he laughed and said he was really drunk for that.  Told Billy I loved his work with DLR which he said that was a surprise compliment and laughed.  Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me.  Bumblefoot is great, such a nice dude too.

Dude nice call with the DLR stuff.  I still love Skyscraper.  What a weird, but still rockin', record.

DLR was my intro to Billy.  I didn't even know it then, just knew that I absolutely loved the bass playing and it wasn't until years later when I discovered Billy from something else (not sure what that was, maybe Steve Vai) and I recognized that familiar sound in bass and then made the connection.  And of course since then he's done TWD and SOA that has had me continued to be interested in his work.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

Really cool, it was quick for them so not much time to say anything else.  But I told JSS that I tweeted the video of him dancing at the NYC show and he laughed and said he was really drunk for that.  Told Billy I loved his work with DLR which he said that was a surprise compliment and laughed.  Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me.  Bumblefoot is great, such a nice dude too.

Dude nice call with the DLR stuff.  I still love Skyscraper.  What a weird, but still rockin', record.

DLR was my intro to Billy.  I didn't even know it then, just knew that I absolutely loved the bass playing and it wasn't until years later when I discovered Billy from something else (not sure what that was, maybe Steve Vai) and I recognized that familiar sound in bass and then made the connection.  And of course since then he's done TWD and SOA that has had me continued to be interested in his work.

Same here...I got to know Billy in DLR, then started following him on Mr. Big and all the million other things he's done. Quite a distinguishable bass one the man has.

I recently spoke to another musician whom I had no idea had worked with DLR before: Craig Goldy, from Rough Cutt, Dio, Budgie etc. He has a new band out called Dream Child, and he wrote a bunch of songs with Dave for "A Little Ain't Enough". He said that in the entrance of Dave's mansion there's a sing that says "nothing here worth dying for". Cool, eh?

[Stadler]

I love how most of the people that mention where Dave lives call it "Dave's mansion", not "Dave's house".  It's always "Dave's mansion"; Craig, John 5, Billy...  I'd love to see the inside of that place.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I love how most of the people that mention where Dave lives call it "Dave's mansion", not "Dave's house".  It's always "Dave's mansion"; Craig, John 5, Billy...  I'd love to see the inside of that place.

His dad already had a mansion even before he was successful with Van Halen, and he only added to that. A LOT.

[Stadler]

I love how most of the people that mention where Dave lives call it "Dave's mansion", not "Dave's house".  It's always "Dave's mansion"; Craig, John 5, Billy...  I'd love to see the inside of that place.

His dad already had a mansion even before he was successful with Van Halen, and he only added to that. A LOT.

Yeah, his dad was a doctor, right? And his uncle owns/owned one of the best jazz clubs in NYC (Cafe Wha?).

[Grappler]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metal-allegiance-joined-by-sepultura-arch-enemy-overkill-accept-members-at-new-york-city-concert-video/

Plenty of video....and holy shit - John Bush and Alissa completely crushed Aces High.   

[RodrigoAltaf]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/metal-allegiance-joined-by-sepultura-arch-enemy-overkill-accept-members-at-new-york-city-concert-video/

Plenty of video....and holy shit - John Bush and Alissa completely crushed Aces High.   

That was awesome!!!! Thanks for posting.

[TAC]

Great stuff!

[bosk1]

Told MP I was from DTF and he got a laugh and said I need to defend him here    I think I'm pretty fair on him (I am a fan, but I can be critical too)

That's awesome!!! How was the meet and greet otherwise?

   Derek didn't want to even look at me.  He was next to MP and definitely heard me talk about DTF, he didn't say a single word to me. 

That sounds about right. I ran into Derek after the Seattle show as he was walking by. I just quickly told him he did a great job and thanks for coming to Seattle. He almost seemed annoyed and shined me on. He did begrudgingly say thanks in a undertone but it didn't seem sincere, and he never even looked at me. Lol!

Not to beat a horse that hasn't already been beaten to death in the Sons of Apollo thread, but this band really needs to realize that Derek's attitude is costing them fans.  And it's a shame, too.  They put out an album of solid music, and they for the most part put on a really good live show.  If they somehow think Derek being a jerk and JSS's drinking scores them points, they are sadly out of touch with reality.

As for Metal Allegiance, those are some great videos!  I might actually have to check these guys out.