Mike Portnoy leaves Dream Theater

YYZDMV46&2 · #1 09-08-2010, 06:47 PM

I know he's not a bassist, but he is one of the most talented musicians in the industry. im not sure if its been confirmed yet, but i hope its a lie. I <3 dream theater.

Marco A. Mayer · #2 09-08-2010, 06:54 PM

It's real. Check Mike's twitter and facebook pages.

Sonic_Death · #3 09-08-2010, 06:59 PM

Just read this recently on the mikeportnoy.com forums.

It is real, and I can't even believe it. He is the last person in that band that I thought would ever quit. I can't even believe that his experiences with Avenged Sevenfold (and other things) would've changed his outlook that much. Especially given Avenged Sevenfold (IMO) hasn't put out a decent album since city of evil.

I'm definitely disappointed, and I find it hard to believe that DT will be able to go on without him.

YYZDMV46&2 · #4 09-08-2010, 07:40 PM

for hardcore DT fans, today is the september the EIGHTH, octavarium was released FIVE years ago. Octavarium message is full circle, and Iron Maiden opened for DT at some of there very first gigs, and DT opened for Iron Maiden at their last gig with MP. Eight years ago they also covered Iron Maidens Number of the Beast. coincidence? or do i have too much time on my hands?

iamlowsound · #5 09-08-2010, 09:32 PM

Meh, maybe now they can find a decent drummer.

lowsound

NateS · #6 09-08-2010, 09:41 PM

i was just coming here to open this very thread..

i don't listen to DT that much, but they got me into heavy music, and i still see them as an awesome band - my name is on the pre-order list in the back of their biography.

they had said that if a band member ever left that they'd just quit as DT...i had read that in multiple places - it might even be in their biography. for them to go on is just...bleh.

they aren't the same band they used to be. Honestly, they changed WAY too much when they signed to roadrunner.

FunkyMan · #7 09-08-2010, 11:53 PM

Wow..!
I can't simply imagine the tons of work that a new drummer would have to do, every fills, every rhythm, every phrase of each song.. from a prog band? and not only that, also keep the same character? the same concept characteristic of DT..

boriology101 · #8 09-09-2010, 12:01 AM

OMG, I just can't even imagine the DT without Mike Portnoy...

millahh · #9 09-09-2010, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YYZDMV46&2

for hardcore DT fans, today is the september the EIGHTH, octavarium was released FIVE years ago. Octavarium message is full circle, and Iron Maiden opened for DT at some of there very first gigs, and DT opened for Iron Maiden at their last gig with MP. Eight years ago they also covered Iron Maidens Number of the Beast. coincidence? or do i have too much time on my hands?

OMG NUGGETZ!!!!11!!

champbassist · #10 09-09-2010, 08:45 AM

I HATE THIS YEAR SO FAR!!!!

First Peter Steele dies, then Isis break up, now Mike Portnoy leaves DT.

I honestly think it can't get any worse for me

Edit: Apparently, they're going to go on without him. If so, it will lessen my sadness. Maybe they can get somebody who's less obsessed with "epic-ness" than Mike. Hopefully John Myung will come back into the fold as a considerable song writing force in the band.

Disco Batman · #11 09-09-2010, 08:47 AM

Pretty sad news. I sure hope he doesn't continue on with Avenged Seven Fold. They suck ass.

rockstarbassist · #12 09-09-2010, 08:50 AM

If he's leaving DT for A7X full time, today is an epic day indeed.

Nightmare was probably the best thing they've put out since Waking The Fallen, and having him get to write on their next record would be FTW!!

champbassist · #13 09-09-2010, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco Batman

Pretty sad news. I sure hope he doesn't continue on with Avenged Seven Fold. They suck ass.

Sad to break it to you, but that's the case, apparently.

http://www.thatsfamous.com/4564-mike...aves-the-band/

Disco Batman · #14 09-09-2010, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by champbassist

Sad to break it to you, but that's the case, apparently.

http://www.thatsfamous.com/4564-mike...aves-the-band/

Yeah it's on DT's official site. What a joke, I mean I undertand that Avenged has it's fans, but listening to them seriously gives me a headache.

DT, says it will soldier on without him. I'm sure they will have many amazing drummers coming to audition for them.

jpTron · #15 09-09-2010, 08:57 AM

Serious business http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppA_F...layer_embedded

Hollow Man · #16 09-09-2010, 08:58 AM

Official press release here: http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2585154.aspx

**john turner** · #17 09-09-2010, 08:59 AM

wow, that's an amazing development. tbh, though i see this as a good thing. the dude was a control freak. you can see it in everything he writes about the band and even about the split : http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2585154.aspx . i wouldn't be surprised if there's legal action in the future when the band doesn't stop without him, regardless of what he says now. he actually expected folks to quit because his heart wasn't in it anymore? talk about ego.

frankly, i think he was the worst thing wrong with that band - chops aside, he was overbearing and a ridiculous show-boater, and in many of their songs that i would have otherwise really liked he would consistently wreak it for me with his overplaying.

now don't get me wrong, i love love LOVE busy, technically amazing, chops-hound drummers, but they have to be integrating with their bass player, and i don't think portnoy really did that very well with myung. i don''t blame myung, either - i get the impression, being a DT fan since before images and words was released, that portnoy was just overpoweringly overbearing with his personality, and got what he wanted ALL THE TIME at the expense of the rest of the band, and specifically myung.

acoustically he was a total frequency spectrum hog in the mixes - he consistently clobbered the bass in the mix, to the point that, while i've listened to every song they've done, i haven't been able to listen to anything more than once since change of seasons. maybe we'll finally get a different sound from that band, where the bass sounds a bit more musical and a bit less subservient to the "lead drums".

agreatheight · #18 09-09-2010, 09:00 AM

Wow. Portnoy in a lot of ways was Dream Theater. It will be very interesting to see who they tap as his replacement - I mean, how many people can play on his technical level? More importantly, it'll be interesting to see how their songwriting direction changes.

champbassist · #19 09-09-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco Batman

DT, says it will soldier on without him. I'm sure they will have many amazing drummers coming to audition for them.

From MP's facebook page:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Portnoy

This is a sad, sad day....I'm afraid I have some bad news....
MP/DT Sept 1985 - Sept 2010

Does he mean MP with DT from Sep '85 to Sep '10 or is he expecting DT to break up as well?

Disco Batman · #20 09-09-2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john turner

wow, that's an amazing development. tbh, though i see this as a good thing. the dude was a control freak. you can see it in everything he writes about the band and even about the split : http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2585154.aspx . i wouldn't be surprised if there's legal action in the future when the band doesn't stop without him, regardless of what he says now. he actually expected folks to quit because his heart wasn't in it anymore? talk about ego.

frankly, i think he was the worst thing wrong with that band - chops aside, he was overbearing and a ridiculous show-boater, and in many of their songs that i would have otherwise really liked he would consistently wreak it for me with his overplaying.

now don't get me wrong, i love love LOVE busy, technically amazing, chops-hound drummers, but they have to be integrating with their bass player, and i don't think portnoy really did that very well with myung. i don''t blame myung, either - i get the impression, being a DT fan since before images and words was released, that portnoy was just overpoweringly overbearing with his personality, and got what he wanted ALL THE TIME at the expense of the rest of the band, and specifically myung.

acoustically he was a total frequency spectrum hog in the mixes - he consistently clobbered the bass in the mix, to the point that, while i've listened to every song they've done, i haven't been able to listen to anything more than once since change of seasons. maybe we'll finally get a different sound from that band, where the bass sounds a bit more musical and a bit less subservient to the "lead drums".

I have to agree with you here completely. He has always seemed like an ego maniac control freak. And he certainly does overplay just because he can.

I always just look at Neil Peart, the man can pretty much do anything he wants and blow anyone else away behind a kit. But he plays to the song, not to show off.