Dream Theater

Mike Portnoy is being a collossal wanker by making nasty comments about James LaBrie. Kind of like the drumming equivalent of KK Downing.


He was on a Brazilian radio show which livestreamed the interview via Facebook. In the interview he said that Liquid Tension Experiment was "like Dream Theater without annoying vocals" and laughed when he realized he'd said that on air. For goodness sake man, have some dignity and show some respect. This is the kind of behaviour I'd expect from teenagers.
 
Mike Portnoy is being a collossal wanker by making nasty comments about James LaBrie. Kind of like the drumming equivalent of KK Downing.


He was on a Brazilian radio show which livestreamed the interview via Facebook. In the interview he said that Liquid Tension Experiment was "like Dream Theater without annoying vocals" and laughed when he realized he'd said that on air. For goodness sake man, have some dignity and show some respect. This is the kind of behaviour I'd expect from teenagers.
Well, LaBrie is probably the only reason he isn’t in the band anymore. He’s still good friends with the rest of the band. But yeah, he’s being a wanker.
 
Oh, how convenient. Just a few days ago I was researching some evidence that James and Mike hate each other.
 
IIRC, it was not just LaBrie, but Myung as well. Allegedly.

Also, I seriously doubt he's the only reason he's not back - kicking him out was a band decision and while he might be on good terms with John and Jordan now, I highly doubt they would want him back in the band, with all the drama that implies and so on. Those two are now the leaders of the band and I'd suspect they would want to keep it that way.

Also, while I agree that the band might have lost something along with him (though ADTOE is still one of my all-time favourites), what's good music-wise doesn't always need to be healthy for the band and the mental well being of the people within. Mike's... "restlessness" and his vivacious, volatile nature might have helped creating some pretty good music, but I don't blame anyone who wouldn't want him as a bandmate.
His behaviour in the past ten years (the above news included) only goes to show that.
 
Portnoy is the only reason Portnoy isn’t in the band anymore. Even if the other guys are fine with him now, that doesn’t mean they would want him in the band again. Portnoy is the one who quit and then proceeded to act like a jackass after. There’s 0 reason to bring him back.
 
Portnoy is a teenager at heart. He's hyper, petty, and a control freak. It's no shock James couldn't get along with him and it's no shock Myung doesn't want the drama. Not diminishing his contributions but I'd be happy if he never played another song with Dream Theater again.
 
Also, while I agree that the band might have lost something along with him (though ADTOE is still one of my all-time favourites), what's good music-wise doesn't always need to be healthy for the band and the mental well being of the people within. Mike's... "restlessness" and his vivacious, volatile nature might have helped creating some pretty good music, but I don't blame anyone who wouldn't want him as a bandmate.
His behaviour in the past ten years (the above news included) only goes to show that.
I don't think the last couple of albums with Portnoy were particularly spectacular. 'Systematic Chaos' and 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' had their highlights but also had their clangers. My least favourite songs from those albums were written by Portnoy, apart from 'The Count of Tuscany' which was written by Petrucci. Obviously Portnoy is a fantastically talented musician and has written some of my favourite songs of all time (e.g. 'A Change of Seasons' and 'Home') but I don't like how he's conducted himself since leaving Dream Theater. They seem to be a more likeable band and a more exciting live experience since Portnoy quit, so I'm happy with Dream Theater as they are.
IIRC, it was not just LaBrie, but Myung as well. Allegedly.
How did Myung communicate that? Via a bass solo? I can't imagine him actually speaking up about anything.
Portnoy is the only reason Portnoy isn’t in the band anymore. Even if the other guys are fine with him now, that doesn’t mean they would want him in the band again. Portnoy is the one who quit and then proceeded to act like a jackass after. There’s 0 reason to bring him back.
I agree completely. He should go form a new band with KK Downing and Max Cavalera. They can write songs about how they quit they band they formed and are bitter that they made the wrong decision.


He has also appeared on an internet TV show hosted by Avenged Sevenfold's bassist and is saying some more dumb things:


Apparently he needed a break from "those guys" when he was the megalomaniac. He comments on all the Blabbermouth headline around the time he quit Dream Theater - I'm sure he loved all the attention! He has to keep talking about Dream Theater so that people don't forget about him. He is even bragging about the 40 albums he's released compared to Dream Theater's four since he quit. What a dumb thing to brag about. There are some great comments on this article, such as this gem from Pierre Delecto:


"Mike left his wife (Dream Theater) because he was overexcited due to an affair with a young damaged and vulnerable woman (Avenged Sevenfold) so he tried to lay claim on the young damaged woman but she never took him seriously because she wanted a young man as her permanent lover. She rejected Mike's offer to be the next woman he would cheat on, so Mike went groveling back to his wife (Dream Theater.) Mike's wife had already found a new man who appreciated her and would make her his whole world, so Mike became the Hugh Hefner of metal and is now bragging that he has 40 illegitimate children with 35 different mothers as opposed to Dream Theater's 4 new children that have both their parents and a stable home life. "
 
So much hate for Portnoy... The quote about LaBrie wasn’t super professional, but it was a bit of a joke as well and not meant for the public, + I can‘t find anything offending in Wiz‘s link. He wants to explore different stuff, which is understandable, and he’s honest imo.
 
Much like KK Downing, this seems to come up whenever Portnoy is hyping up a big event or release. This time it’s the next Sons of Apollo album.


My least favourite songs from those albums were written by Portnoy, apart from 'The Count of Tuscany' which was written by Petrucci. Obviously Portnoy is a fantastically talented musician and has written some of my favourite songs of all time (e.g. 'A Change of Seasons' and 'Home')
The problem with this is that Portnoy only writes the lyrics to these songs. Rudess and Petrucci write the music with occasional input from other members. For example, the main riff in Home was written by Myung. Listening to demos and live recordings also suggests that Kevin Moore contributed ideas to A Change of Seasons. Portnoy would’ve contributed stuff in the way of arrangement (which parts go where), but that goes for all songs and not just ones where he receives lyric credit.
 
"And I knew that the whole DREAM THEATER thing sparked up so much drama at the time, with all the Blabbermouth headlines. Any time I did an interview, it became a fucking headline. It was horrible, and believe me, I never wanted that."

A quote from the Blabbermouth article "MIKE PORTNOY Looks Back On His Exit From DREAM THEATER: 'I Needed A Break From Those Guys'"

Blabbermouth's unwavering immunity to irony marches ever onward.
 
It's been almost 9 months since Distance over Time came out and it just keep growing on me. Like, until month or so I didn't at all appreciate At Wit's End until I've heard it on proper sound system. And the tune is just... wow.

And they also on tour! Distance over Time + Metropolis pt. 2.! I've just started listening DT recently so it may be new-band-enthusiasm , but yes, I think both albums are great. Rest of the setlist - also great. They're coming to Europe - even better!

I've been waiting for these European dates for months only to get another cold shower. It seems that SE of Austria is a black hole for majority of bands in last couple of years. Still, I've passed over that. Seeing whole Metropolis was once in a lifetime opportunity. And then I saw ticket prices.... Fuck me, and no disrespect but DT are not 70-80 EUR a ticket band. At least, that's been the case until this tour. And I've payed for Maiden and Roger Water less in last two years. And the arenas they've booked are like... OK, bigger production, huge push from the management (since this last summer's fiasco) but come on!

So yeah, not going to this one too.
Well, since I'm new to them, I've still got first 2 and 2 Mike Mangini era albums still to listen to, so that's something at least.
 
At the Houston date back in April, I went to the merch booth before the show and they said no tour programs. I thought that was odd as for the last few tours they have had huge nice programs. Few weeks ago, I went on the band's website and saw now there was a program...for $40 with shipping! About double what I usually pay for a program. It had a note that said "once these are gone they will not be printed again". However today I went back to the band's website and the program is no longer listed.

I find this hard to believe as they still have the Europe tour next year. Hope they bring it back (for a more decent price)
 
Ok friends, I have heard Images and Words, and Metropolis Part 2 and absolutely loved them start to finish. Where to go next? I have a box set with all of their albums from 1992-2011 in addition to Distance Over Time although I have heard the latter.
 
Ok friends, I have heard Images and Words, and Metropolis Part 2 and absolutely loved them start to finish. Where to go next? I have a box set with all of their albums from 1992-2011 in addition to Distance Over Time although I have heard the latter.
I have a soft spot for Black Clouds and Silver Linings. But listen to Awake as well, it kicks ass.
 
Ok friends, I have heard Images and Words, and Metropolis Part 2 and absolutely loved them start to finish. Where to go next? I have a box set with all of their albums from 1992-2011 in addition to Distance Over Time although I have heard the latter.
If you have the box set then just make your own mind up. You are a free man with no need to be swayed by the wishes of others. You don't have to be a sheep. Choose your own path.

Just don't describe every single song. Please.
 
I recommend Awake next, but at this point any order is probably fine. When I first got into Dream Theater, I just listened to whichever CD I could find. It was more exciting that way.
 
Just don't describe every single song. Please.
Why not? I'm actually looking forward to his reviews and finding out which albums, and songs, he enjoys the most upon his first listens. Sure, he could keep all the reviews confined to the new Random Album Review thread, but these band topics are the better place for them to have them actually seen by people familiar with the band, and to get some good discussions generated.
 
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