Just seeing this now...
Despite everyone in Dream Theater adamant that it'll never happen and that if Mangini were to leave then the band would be over.
...as if this means anything. It had been stated previously in the past that the lineup with MP and JR was the final lineup and that the band would break up if anyone left, and we know where that went. So while I'm not holding my breath for MP to return, I'd take that statement with a HUGE grain of salt. BTW, care to share the link of where the guys in DT made such statements?
One of the first interviews with Mangini I read after he joined - he flat out said " Portnoy's never coming back ".
Now - if the guy replacing him can flat out state that - then i'd go along with it.
...as if he's gonna state "well, he'll be coming back some time in the future." C'mon man - this point of your reasoning is just silly. Of course the new guy is gonna make such a statement!
Plus we know he didn't get along with James ( for definite ) and Myung ( strong implications ) - so I can't see the band lasting very long if he ever came back full time.
True, but while unlikely, they could patch things up and work out their differences, just as MP and JP previously worked out their differences, and if memory serves me correctly, JL and MP had issues many years ago that they worked out. Again, I don't expect it, nor am I waiting for it to happen now, but never say never...