Mike Portnoy Quits Dream Theater!!!!!! WTF!?

Petrucci mentioned they decided on a new drummer... so now we're all waiting. I bet it's Tommy Lee.

As much as I like his drumming, I have always found him to be a rather weak lyricist, so I welcome some fresh blood into the band.

Who knows, perhaps they'll record the best album of their career.

I love how Portnoy was too "press-release happy," but Avenged Sevenfold will surely have no qualms with doing the same thing when discussing his departure from their band. They'll be asked about this for the next year, and they're answer every single time.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Thinking he "ditched" DT for A7X is indeed laughable.

Saw an interview on a prog board with Steve Morse and he said the Portnoy, Neal Morse, John Aldertete and himself had a new project coming...should be cool.

Anything with Steve Morse has my attention.

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has revealed that he made a recent attempt to rejoin his former bandmates but was rebuffed by the group he formed and led for 25 years. Writing on his official forum, Portnoy states, "Just for the record, this is indeed true..

"Fairly recently, I reached out to the guys to try and make amends and offered to reconcile for the sake of having peace back in our lives… (plus I know how much it meant to a lot of the fans…)

"I figured it was still possible to try and save us, because they hadn't made any announcements yet or begun any public activity with another drummer… but sadly, they declined my offer (well, actually their lawyer did… they didn't even tell me themselves….)

"Sorry, gang, I honestly gave it my all…

"So now the fans on my Twitter and Facebook can please stop asking me to go back to DREAM THEATER… I tried, and the door is now shut… The ball is now in their court, not mine…

"I'm not crying or looking for mercy by posting this… I am merely trying to set the record straight as that is always the most important thing about my relationship with you guys… No BS, no spins, nothing to hide… and for better or for worse, I tell it like it is… I've also recently seen some people accuse my online activity of 'looking for attention or media coverage,' or 'looking for sympathy,' but it's honestly none of the above… I merely value having an open and active communication with my fans… Always have, always will… It is the cornerstone of everything I've done since day #1 with DREAM THEATER…

"This was posted here FOR YOU GUYS to know about... here on MY message board on MY website... If it ends up on Blabbermouth or wherever else, that is THEIR choice to spread, I did not request it or send out a 'press release'...

"Anyways, onward and upward...

"I've got a lot of great music and ideas waiting to come out of me and alot of exciting collaborations in the works....so goodbye 2010...bring on 2011!

DT should have taken him back...

Should have. But business-wise they're better of without him. That's what any lawyer would say. More money for them. Not hard to sway people when there's money and hurt feelings involved.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

DT should have taken him back...

sure, until Stone Sour needs a drummer, right?

Eyesore wrote:

Should have. But business-wise they're better of without him. That's what any lawyer would say. More money for them. Not hard to sway people when there's money and hurt feelings involved.

Yep.

The new guy will take less money, take orders, and not whine as much. The new drummer can use this to get more notoriety.

Eyesore wrote:

Should have. But business-wise they're better of without him. That's what any lawyer would say. More money for them. Not hard to sway people when there's money and hurt feelings involved.

Money-wise, yeah...the other 4 will make more without him most likely...since "new guy" will take a smaller cut.

Quote :

sure, until Stone Sour needs a drummer, right?

Whatever...the only reason he did A7X is because he was asked to do the album since their old drummer idolized him. There was no reason not to do a tour with them. He has always done tons of projects (which easily contributed to his burn out), so the DT guys were used to that.

Had A7X not happened, he could have taken the Summer off, rested up and been ready for DT. His fault was in thinking that DT could not exist without him, or that the other members would agree to a hiatus.

Also, being a hired musician (like he was an A7X) is much easier than being the guy who steers the ship (for the most part) and makes all the business decisions and is basically responsible for the entire band like Portnoy was with DT.

If he has been steering the ship then they need a new captain.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Should have. But business-wise they're better of without him. That's what any lawyer would say. More money for them. Not hard to sway people when there's money and hurt feelings involved.

Money-wise, yeah...the other 4 will make more without him most likely...since "new guy" will take a smaller cut.

Quote :

sure, until Stone Sour needs a drummer, right?

Whatever...the only reason he did A7X is because he was asked to do the album since their old drummer idolized him. There was no reason not to do a tour with them. He has always done tons of projects (which easily contributed to his burn out), so the DT guys were used to that.

Had A7X not happened, he could have taken the Summer off, rested up and been ready for DT. His fault was in thinking that DT could not exist without him, or that the other members would agree to a hiatus.

Also, being a hired musician (like he was an A7X) is much easier than being the guy who steers the ship (for the most part) and makes all the business decisions and is basically responsible for the entire band like Portnoy was with DT.

I am sure the rest of the band is very happy that they can now steer the ship instead of someone with OCD doing it. By all accounts, the rest of the band was getting tired of Mike and felt like hired guns under Mike. I am interested in hearing what a new DT album without Portnoy will sound like with the rest of the band writing and arranging. My guess is DT does a an album or two (and tour) with out Mike, then decides to let him back in with lots of conditions, like he isn;t in charge anymore. This is starting to look like a Metal version of Roger Waters/Pink Floyd

Temple of Blood wrote:

If he has been steering the ship then they need a new captain.

Like it or not, DT have become steadily bigger since I&W was released...he did what he set out to do. I have not been the biggest DT fan lately (as much as I was once into them) but DT has firmly entrenched themselves into the musical landscape, and Portnoy had a huge hand in that. He & Petrucci produce all the albums, write most of the lyrics, and Portnoy worked as the mouthpiece/representative of the band for 25 years. He is the lion's share of the reason people know who they are. The are highly respected veterans in Prog and Metal alike...regardless of whether or not we like the current albums.

It'll be interesting to see what they come up with, without him...

Just read this a few minutes ago on Blabbermouth. Kind sucks but what did he think would really happen?

Would have been funny if they just hired him back as a session musician.

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has revealed that he made a recent attempt to rejoin his former bandmates but was rebuffed by the group he formed and led for 25 years. Writing on his official forum, Portnoy states, "Just for the record, this is indeed true..

"Fairly recently, I reached out to the guys to try and make amends and offered to reconcile for the sake of having peace back in our lives… (plus I know how much it meant to a lot of the fans…)

"I figured it was still possible to try and save us, because they hadn't made any announcements yet or begun any public activity with another drummer… but sadly, they declined my offer (well, actually their lawyer did… they didn't even tell me themselves….)

"Sorry, gang, I honestly gave it my all…

"So now the fans on my Twitter and Facebook can please stop asking me to go back to DREAM THEATER… I tried, and the door is now shut… The ball is now in their court, not mine…

"I'm not crying or looking for mercy by posting this… I am merely trying to set the record straight as that is always the most important thing about my relationship with you guys… No BS, no spins, nothing to hide… and for better or for worse, I tell it like it is… I've also recently seen some people accuse my online activity of 'looking for attention or media coverage,' or 'looking for sympathy,' but it's honestly none of the above… I merely value having an open and active communication with my fans… Always have, always will… It is the cornerstone of everything I've done since day #1 with DREAM THEATER…

"This was posted here FOR YOU GUYS to know about... here on MY message board on MY website... If it ends up on Blabbermouth or wherever else, that is THEIR choice to spread, I did not request it or send out a 'press release'...

"Anyways, onward and upward...

"I've got a lot of great music and ideas waiting to come out of me and alot of exciting collaborations in the works....so goodbye 2010...bring on 2011!

Sorry dude there are 4 other guys in the band that have been playing on the albums and tours too, he is a great drummer but if he wanted them to sit with there thumbs up there asses while he dinked around and took a break he should have made sure that it was ok with the other MEMBERS of the band. He did it to himself.

mr.electric39 wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

So Mike was abusive, and the other grown men in the band didn't realize just how abusive? Haha. What about the other guy in the band that admittedly no longer associates with them except when on stage? That is far more indicative of what Portnoy stated: The band needed a break.

To me, this sounds like one person saw the writing on the wall. And now it's all about money and business.

Eyesore wrote:

mr.electric39 wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

So Mike was abusive, and the other grown men in the band didn't realize just how abusive? Haha. What about the other guy in the band that admittedly no longer associates with them except when on stage? That is far more indicative of what Portnoy stated: The band needed a break.

I agree... however if you've never had experience in an abusive or dysfunctional relationship i.e. Jason Newsted who is a grown man how long till he finally got the balls to get out..... I've seen too many situations like from a ministerial point of view....

Eyesore wrote:

mr.electric39 wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

So Mike was abusive, and the other grown men in the band didn't realize just how abusive? Haha. What about the other guy in the band that admittedly no longer associates with them except when on stage? That is far more indicative of what Portnoy stated: The band needed a break.

To me, this sounds like one person saw the writing on the wall. And now it's all about money and business.

John Nguyen? He is supposedly hanging out with the band now - sounds like Mike leaving changed the dynamic in the band big time. Plus, he and James didn't get along all that well - Mike wanted to fire him a few albums ago. Kevin Moore didn't get along with Mike either - and Kevin had a huge part in the songs and sound of Awake before he left. Who knows - they can a find a drummer that can play his ass off, but how will it fit with the rest of the band.

Quote :

Like it or not, DT have become steadily bigger since I&W was released

I think they peaked with that record.

thejokeriv wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

mr.electric39 wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

So Mike was abusive, and the other grown men in the band didn't realize just how abusive? Haha. What about the other guy in the band that admittedly no longer associates with them except when on stage? That is far more indicative of what Portnoy stated: The band needed a break.

To me, this sounds like one person saw the writing on the wall. And now it's all about money and business.

John Nguyen? He is supposedly hanging out with the band now - sounds like Mike leaving changed the dynamic in the band big time. Plus, he and James didn't get along all that well - Mike wanted to fire him a few albums ago. Kevin Moore didn't get along with Mike either - and Kevin had a huge part in the songs and sound of Awake before he left. Who knows - they can a find a drummer that can play his ass off, but how will it fit with the rest of the band.

And how do you know all this?

I also heard LaBrie was in danger of getting fired years ago but shaped up (worked on his voice harder, lost the extra weight).

Eyesore wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

mr.electric39 wrote:

thejokeriv wrote:

Looks like this is getting more interesting, kind of like an abusive relationship where the abused doesn't know how bad they were abused until after the relationship ends:

Perhaps that REALLY is the case... An alcoholics dysfunction is not just alcohol.... it never is so perhaps there is more truth to that statement then you realize...

So Mike was abusive, and the other grown men in the band didn't realize just how abusive? Haha. What about the other guy in the band that admittedly no longer associates with them except when on stage? That is far more indicative of what Portnoy stated: The band needed a break.

To me, this sounds like one person saw the writing on the wall. And now it's all about money and business.

John Nguyen? He is supposedly hanging out with the band now - sounds like Mike leaving changed the dynamic in the band big time. Plus, he and James didn't get along all that well - Mike wanted to fire him a few albums ago. Kevin Moore didn't get along with Mike either - and Kevin had a huge part in the songs and sound of Awake before he left. Who knows - they can a find a drummer that can play his ass off, but how will it fit with the rest of the band.

And how do you know all this?

Internet blogs

Temple of Blood wrote:

I also heard LaBrie was in danger of getting fired years ago but shaped up (worked on his voice harder, lost the extra weight).

This is true. He gained weight around FII tour. He and his wife also got food poisoning so bad that all the puking/sickness shredded his voice and he had a hard, hard time getting it back to its original standard...took a few years. He was almost let go...and I think this is chronicled in that DT biography the band put out.

IMO, the fact that they allowed James a few years to get back into shape, but would not allow Mike a couple years break without kicking him out of the band, is unfair no matter how much "personality" Mike has.

Frankly, I think LaBrie is harder to replace.