Mike Portnoy

To set the record straight for all the naysayers: MP has stated that he has several influences from the Beach Boys to Slayer to Rush to the Dead. Their styles, even though are "Prog-rock/Prog-metal" they do branch off and have varying styles.

Also, to say that Tool is a 'wattered-down-radio-version' wouldn't be 100% accurate either. I can't stand Maynard, but I absolutely love Tool. They are a great band, that plays great music, just like DT.

However, I prefer DT.
 
DTportnoyDT said:
Who gives a crap if he only fits DT's music? I got breaking news, people: HE'S IN DREAM THEATER! Therefore, his drumming need only satisfy DREAM THEATER'S style, no one else's. And if you ask me, he does a pretty damn good job when it comes to that.

Why can't you leave the freakin' bashing out of these threads?

P.S. I don't give a crap if you want to jump on me and say "blah blah it's not bashing blah blah...." Even if it's not bashing by your accounts, it is still negative, and to me, that is bashing.
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Excuse me but didn't you read my post? I also said "While I love Mike Portnoy and consider him to be one of my favorites of all time" But I also made a comment about his drum ability. I am like you, a devoted Dream Theater fan. Seen them 3 times and I'm only 16.

It's a fan's choice as to how much they like the drumming or music. This kind of wining (yours) makes me sick; someone that thinks there should be zero criticism. That's part of a discussion forum. So give me a break. If you can't bear to read anything other than glowing words about your favorite drummer ( as I said, MP IS one of my fave drummers ), I'd suggest logging off the internet now, permantely. Else suck it up.
That was my opinion I still stand by everything I said previously.
 
Ok. I would like to start by saying I was one of those Portnoy-fanatics who think Portnoy is the fastest drummer on earth and his technique is the most incredible thing there is.....
I now know he isnt...But guess what? That hasnt changed my opinion about him. He is still my favourite drummer by far. Technique-freaks like Lang and Donati should bow to him, IMO. He plays advanced and complex parts and still remains very musical and warm and makes it all work in the context of the song.
He has created some of drummings all time most *MEMORABLE* drumparts like: 6:00 and Under A Glass Moon.

Of course I respect Lang and Donati for their dedication to drumming and especially drum technique. But I just dont think they have achieved so much as Portnoy in all of drumming, cos´ Portnoy is so much more than just drum technique.

Portnoy has shown his abilities in playing on a rather small kit(for example O.S.I and Transatlantic). I personally love his playing on a small setup maybe even more than on a big DT setup. But I must still say MP´s new Albino Monster kit is just pure SEX!!
By the way, MP plays a 4 piece set on the future OSI 2.

And one more thing, I have myself had the honor of meeting Mike Portnoy in person and I´ve got to say he is one genuine down to earth nice guy.
 
Pirce said:
He has created some of drummings all time most *MEMORABLE* drumparts like: 6:00 and Under A Glass Moon.
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This is one thing I can agree with. Maybe not 6:00, but Under A Glass Moon has a really great drum intro part. Or it would be if the drum sound wasn't so horrible. If DT still have the original multitrack recordings of that album they should really go back and remix the damn thing minus all the horrible gating, overcompression and cheesy 80s reverb. It sounds like a Yamaha DTXplorer or something.

Anyway. Back on topic, this is one thing that I think makes a pretty big difference between technically proficient drummers and genuinely good ones - being able to come up with unique, catchy parts. Tim Alexander was always great at this in a rock context, as are Matt Chamberlain and Vinnie Colaiuta.

Portnoy is a good drummer. But there are a lot of regular features of his style that I find musically displeasing - the whole skipped 16th thing he uses a lot bothers me, I find it fairly anti-groove ("You not me" being a great example of that, it just sounds like the CD is broken). Likewise the constant re-use of the RLFF/RLFF/RLRLFF type stuff bothers me too.

But there's no denying Portnoy has done some great stuff. I just think he's a little overrated at times.
 
Robin said:
Excuse me but didn't you read my post? I also said "While I love Mike Portnoy and consider him to be one of my favorites of all time" But I also made a comment about his drum ability. I am like you, a devoted Dream Theater fan. Seen them 3 times and I'm only 16.

It's a fan's choice as to how much they like the drumming or music. This kind of wining (yours) makes me sick; someone that thinks there should be zero criticism. That's part of a discussion forum. So give me a break. If you can't bear to read anything other than glowing words about your favorite drummer ( as I said, MP IS one of my fave drummers ), I'd suggest logging off the internet now, permantely. Else suck it up.
That was my opinion I still stand by everything I said previously.
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Sorry, dude.

I was in an unusually bad mood when I posted that, and I must say that I honestly don't agree with most of what I said.
For one, I am a big fan of constructively criticizing someone, which, as I regretfully just contradicted, is WAY different from bashing. I also think it is necessary in a discussion.

So no hard feelings. I'll try to keep my raging moods locked safely inside.

*Goes back under blanket now that he is done making a blithering idiot of himself*
 
In my opinion, Mike Portnoy is a good drummer. I see no reason for people to bash him for anything he does.

- Marc
 
DTportnoyDT said:
Sorry, dude.

I was in an unusually bad mood when I posted that, and I must say that I honestly don't agree with most of what I said.
For one, I am a big fan of constructively criticizing someone, which, as I regretfully just contradicted, is WAY different from bashing. I also think it is necessary in a discussion.

So no hard feelings. I'll try to keep my raging moods locked safely inside.

*Goes back under blanket now that he is done making a blithering idiot of himself*
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Hey! No worries! =) Can't wait for the DVD to be recorded in New York!
 
I can play a little of mike's stuff but most of it is extremely complex, there are shadow beats which you some times cant even hear unless you have your music up loud or watch a dvd of their concert. Mike Portnoy is a great inspiration to me and im yet to find a band that i like as much as Dream Theater. And no im not saying he's the best, im just saying that i find him really quite amazing. The best drummer i have ever heard is Eloy Casagrande his video is just plain awesome, this kid is fourteen years old and thats whats soo amazing (Check out his Video, just search it in the drummer world search bar.)
As for another band that is similar to DT, about the nearest you will get is Rush, but you could also try Opeth, both are progressive but Opeth is more heavy than Rush.
 
Slipknot0008TO said:
Does anybody have a link to a web site. Im looking for how and who invented the double kick pedal
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Travis Barker created it..........

Staying on topic with Portnoy. I've only heard a few Dream Theater songs, so my knowledge of them is limited.....but what I've heard made me not want to buy any of their cd's. However, I did enjoy the videos of him on this site. He looks like a very solid player, with a lot of powerful yet tasteful fills.
 
I've seen Dream Theater 2 times and he amazed me every time. I agree that he is a little overrated at times, but he is still one of the best. His chops may not the best in the world but I want to see someone come up with some of the parts he does on the CD's. I believe that he is one of the most down to earth people too. I mean how may pro musicians stand out in the freezing cold after a 2 1/2 hour show and sign autographs for 30 minutes and talk to fans for a while. He is a class act and his playing is up there with the best of them.
 
I saw him last night here in Montreal. Guys, he is not underated.

Seriously though, he may not have the most complex chops of all metal drummers out there, but he is perfectly on time and percise, even with all those tempo and time signature switches. And personally, I prefer a drumming who is tight and percise when playing w/ mega chops rather than someone who is not tight w/ ridiculous chops.

thinkintriplets.
 
And "tight" is the word for Portnoy and the whole band. I didn't hear a single obvious messup the whole night. (Okay, the singer cac'd a bit, but I think he's still feeling sick, so I won't fault him.)
 
Actually, Labrie have been singing awesome on this Octavarium tour!
 
Robin said:
Actually, Labrie have been singing awesome on this Octavarium tour!
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Yeah, I don't get why so many people thing LaBrie is annoying. I mean, I guess I could see it a little bit on some stuff, but he really is a great singer, and who else do you know with that range in pitch?
 
Just got some nice pictures from Paul La Raia (Modern Drummer) to share....

Bernhard
 

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i honestly dont care about chops. i respect more the drum tracks from dazed and confused than some death metal blast beat. i have a couple dream theater albums and i think portnoy is amazing. definatley a solid drummer, creative, and he plays with emotion. although i have to admit his solos are crappy(still 10 times the drummer i am but still). ive seen 3. i saw one from a long time ago when he had long hair. it was just a bunch of crowd pleasers, and i saw one from japan. he brought some people on stage to play with him it was pretty cool. but that solo honestly you just sit around one day in a music store and some guy is bound to come in and play the same stuff he did. it was just dbl kick and 16th note rolls and stuff. and the other one is a solo from a clinic he did. id have to say that is his best one. i belive its on this website

you can find these on video.google.com. you should just go there and type in band names you get a lot of cool stuff i have found a lot of cool drum videos. theres people that post themselves playing dream theater songs. some of em are not that legit because some young kids attempt he songs but there is people out there that play it note for note

but anyways i have the liquid dream theater dvd and he is able to groove really well he also has some really cool fills. o and if you go on the video google site. type in "yellow custard matter". he made a beatles cover band. they covered "while my guitar genly weeps" its really good if you havnt seen it
 
juuh.. portnoy is one f my favorites.. I love her style to play and its sounds gooood... speed isnt so important.. but he can play speedy stuff also
 
figure_02 said:
Bernard; I've subscribed up for a whole year of Modern Drummer, but the first exemplar hasnt come yet, was those pictures in the magazine with an interview?
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None of those pictures, and no Portnoy interview in recent issues.
 
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