The departure of Portnoy

[drum_addict_48]

Yes..... as you may know I'm pretty bummed about the departure of Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. He and the band are my biggest musical influence, learning their songs and his parts in particular taught me more about music, theroy, and the anatomy of flow around the drum kit. So naturally it has been on my mind a lot since yesterday...
Just for kicks, for anyone who cares I will make a few predictions regarding the pending outcome. Prediction #1 Mike joins Avenged sevenfold full time. Because Im sure they offered him a small fortune and all he has to do is play....not Manage. Prediction #2 Dream Theater brings on Mike Mangini as Portnoy's replacment. My basis for this prediction is that James Labrie and Mike Mangini have a previous relationship because Mangini played on Labrie's solo album. He is one of the few drummers that In my opinion could handel the material with ease and could bring it up a notch.......( the guy holds the current world record for speed. He can play in excess of 20 beats per second) Not to mention he is a professor of drums at Berklee, and is an authority in poly rhythmns. When I asked Mike Portnoy about poly rhythms in 2000 he told me to ask Mangini.
(True story I have wittnesses)

 

[ken from canada]

Time will tell; but prediction #2 I see coming true before prediction #1.

I think we will see Mike become for a gun for hire and play with a multitude of bands and artists both in the studio and in live settings - Avenged Sevenfold being just the first (not counting LTE and Transatlantic). I see him wanting to put his stamp on as many projects as he can.

And yes, Mangini seems to me to be a logical successor to the now vacant drum stool.

 

[drum_addict_48]

Don't you think A7X would be thowing a boat load of money his way to join???

 

[ken from canada]

I do not think for a moment that A7 has not been doing their best to get him to remain, and that probably includes a boat load of money. But I am sure most bands on bigger labels would do the same. I guess it may come down to how much he enjoys the material he is playing and how long it will interest him.

 

[drum_addict_48]

I agree, he has always been about being true to your self musically and doing what sastifies the itch. I also know.... (being a married man myself,) our wives can be very influential when dollar signs are flashing. I think A7X is progressive enough to tide him over musically, while his bank account gets fat. Then who knows, maybe he'll come back to Dream Theater well rested and finiancially free! I know it sounds a lot like Im saying he selling out, But when your a musician and have to support a family it is a very hard business to navigate. Unless you do popular music, unfortunately there too much money in it. I'm sure Dream theater makes him comfortable finiancially, but he has had to literally work himself to death 24/7 to do it. Based on what I read in the press release, he was burned out.... A bunch of money with a fraction of the responsibilty is probably pretty tempting.

 

[ken from canada]

I was wondering if A7X having Mike on the drum stool is creating any cross over effect? Do you think the majority of DT, LTE, and Transatlantic have, or will be getting the latest A7X disc or going to the shows?

 

[drum_addict_48]

I was wondering if A7X having Mike on the drum stool is creating any cross over effect? Do you think the majority of DT, LTE, and Transatlantic have, or will be getting the latest A7X disc or going to the shows?

I don't know man...Its hard to say! Most hard core prog fans despise anything deemed mainstream. I for one admittedly see the musical value in A7X's stuff. They're talented guys and they definately have done a good job bringing progressive elements to the mainstream. I have never been to one of their shows or bought any of their albums. So are fans going to cross over???? Some I would suppose. If I could have afforded to go to their show in SLC this summer to see Portnoy.....I would have gone!

 

[drum_addict_48]

Yes..... as you may know I'm pretty bummed about the departure of Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater. He and the band are my biggest musical influence, learning their songs and his parts in particular taught me more about music, theroy, and the anatomy of flow around the drum kit. So naturally it has been on my mind a lot since yesterday...
Just for kicks, for anyone who cares I will make a few predictions regarding the pending outcome. Prediction #1 Mike joins Avenged sevenfold full time. Because Im sure they offered him a small fortune and all he has to do is play....not Manage. Prediction #2 Dream Theater brings on Mike Mangini as Portnoy's replacment. My basis for this prediction is that James Labrie and Mike Mangini have a previous relationship because Mangini played on Labrie's solo album. He is one of the few drummers that In my opinion could handel the material with ease and could bring it up a notch.......( the guy holds the current world record for speed. He can play in excess of 20 beats per second) Not to mention he is a professor of drums at Berklee, and is an authority in poly rhythmns. When I asked Mike Portnoy about poly rhythms in 2000 he told me to ask Mangini.
(True story I have wittnesses)

So I got the part about Portnoy joining A7X all wrong.... Naw well he's better off anyway. I did however want to gloat a little about my prediction regarding Mike Mangini. It looks like I nailed it! I know, I know It's a little gay to pat yourself on the back, but I'm freaking stoked! I do have to admit I would have been happy with 5 of the 7 that auditioned. I love Donati, Lang, Minnemann, Roddy, and obviously Mangini. They are all huge influences on me. Truth be told though it was Mangini that caused my first ah ha moment that made me decide that I wanted to be a drummer for the rest of my life. When I was a kid the very first big rock show I went to was G3. It was the year that Kenny Wayne Sheppard was on the tour. I got to the show late and heard the last half of Kennys last song... And thought....Well that's cool. A few minutes later the lights went out and sirens started blazing. I was Steve Vai entering the stage in the dark and they were kicking off "There's a fire in the house". Then Mangini starts flying around his kit like lightning and his arms we crossing over in blurs accross the lights. My jaw dropped and my gut sank and I realized that I wanted to do THAT for the rest of my life. So needless to say... I couldn't be more happy!!!!!

 

[ken from canada]

On a brief aside, have you seen the videos that the band/label has put on the web regarding the auditions? I see that there has been a fair bit of negativity towards them, on various message boards and on blabbermouth; but I have enjoyed the snippets they gave us. And if people cannot see the whole toungue in cheek approach that is employed, they need to get out a lot more to smell the fresh bloomed flowers.
I do hope that the new album or some other media source will show more audition footage.
And Mangini was picked by both of us last fall, we should have taken that Vegas .

 

[ken from canada]

I really like the Dream Theater track that they released a bit ago "...backs of angels" and it shows Mangini was the man for the job.

Outside of Adrenaline Mob (which I really have not heard outside of their "mob rules" cover), I have not heard much of Portnoy's other projects he has lined up. Hopefully soon.

 

[drum_addict_48]

I really like the Dream Theater track that they released a bit ago "...backs of angels" and it shows Mangini was the man for the job.

Outside of Adrenaline Mob (which I really have not heard outside of their "mob rules" cover), I have not heard much of Portnoy's other projects he has lined up. Hopefully soon.

Sorry I have been a little distant from the forum lately... My apologies! I have to agree with you Ken. He was definately the right man for the job. I do have the whole album now and have listened to it several times now. I believe that on the backs of angels is a great track to reference. One thing that Mangini did that Im sure portnoy could not have pulled off was this PolyRhytmic pattern between one hand and the rest of the groove.(just after the 2 minute mark) He maintained the complex syncopation matching the guitars. Then with the one hand matches beat for beat the insane rhythms that jordan is laying out during his solo on his stacked cymbals. Few drummers could do that, and I may be burned at the stake for saying so, but i believe Portnoy is not one of them. Portnoy is and will always be one of my biggest influences, however as my playing and knowlege have evolved, I have had a harder time finding new and innovative things from Portnoy. Everything was becoming a little predictable, because he uses the same basic tricks over and over and will just voice them differently. Not to say I don't do that as well, but Magini I believe will help the band get to a new level musically!