When I read this news on the Bravewords.com site I had to check and first make sure that I was not dreaming and then when that was done had to make sure that I didn’t ingest anything strange with the coffee I was now drinking to better process the information. I also took a couple of days to post anything because I didn’t want to be one of “those sites” that posts information at the very second it happens and finds themselves in trouble for doing so by angry managers and record label publicists. I find that those entities are not always fun to work with so why do anything that makes them keep a target on your brand name right? So anyway, here is the big dramatic news that I was getting at – founding member and drummer for the Progressive Metal titans Dream Theater has quit the band!!!! Gosh I hope you were sitting because I don’t want any of my readers injured at any disclosures I make here on the sites official Blog.
It was however based on events such as this that I decided to use the sites blog as a little bit more of an Editorial tool as opposed to just feeding the readers review content and photographs than I had in the past. I think when it comes to these kind of band shattering news items that it works out very well. So where were we? Oh yes. Mike Portnoy has left the ranks of Dream Theater. Pretty shocking right? I mean this is a dude who helped to form the band back in 1985 and has been at the forefront of their public activities ever since. Here’s what was reported to the world in case you missed any of the mass postings about the news.
Earlier in the year Mike had filled in on drums with Avenged Sevenfold as their drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan had died in 2009. After a few months of slamming down the drums with this exciting Metal band Mike made statements how while he was totally committed to Dream Theater, he would be filling in with Avenged at the close of the year. Of course that brings us to the dramatic news about his departure. The musician said in some postings how he had suggested that Dream Theater take some time off and recharge the musical batteries. Let’s face it, each of the players in the band has a side project of some kind and its something that would have been totally doable. In Portnoy’s eyes this was something that would have given fans a bigger and better Dream Theater who would be coming back to action after rest and creativity. He was wrong, the band said “no thanks” to a break and at that point he decided to step down.
Having seen Portnoy in action with Dream Theater a few times I have to say that I feel bad that events turned out this way for him. He made a choice that he felt would be best for the project on the whole and was outvoted and as he said, he had no other choice but to step down. He is always an active person if you have not been aware of his many side projects or drum clinic appearances but this has to be a move that he will regret sooner than later. Dream Theater is already doing the open casting for the role and while they might be able to get another solid player, I am hard pressed to think that they will find someone who is as passionate and as enthusiastic about the band as he was. To many fans, Mike Portnoy WAS Dream Theater’s most visible member. His was the voice we all heard and I don’t mean this in the singing area.
We know he will land on his feet and we wish him well. If you learn of any of his projects doing regional appearances be sure to go out and support him even if you didn’t agree with this incredibly major career move. Good luck Mike. We shall be watching your Official site and Twitter account for sure.
Official Site: http://mikeportnoy.com
Official Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikeportnoy
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial
