Is this a bad thought?

Bo Eder

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Hey all, I just thought about this the last time I saw a Mike Portnoy ad. Now that he's no longer with Dream Theater (right?), how long before he fades back into the woodwork?

I'm not being mean, but this has happened before. I recall in the 90s when Dave Abruszze (I can't spell his last name) played for Pearl Jam, and he was a big drum star - endorsements, videos, outside projects. Then nothing after he was let go from the band. Sure, there was alot of support for him after he left the group and he had a big outside project in the works, but then he faded back into the woodwork. That was clear evidence to me that the songs really drive your career when you're in a band, because the larger audience is the non-drumming one that buys the CD's for the music and not the drumming.

I'm just speculating. If Mike has other projects going on to keep his name in front of all of us, more power to him. If not, I wonder how long Tama let's you be an "independent" if you're not actually out there producing product for you to be playing their drums on? Or maybe I'm wrong and he's been doing other stuff already? Who is that and how are they?

Just a thought. I'm not expressing any negativity, I'm just speculating.
 
He has a new band called Adrenaline Mob, whose main claim to fame so far seems to be that their drummer is Mike Portnoy, formerly of Dream Theater. he has still got his endorsements going, as Tama has got him a new acrylic kit, and LP is making a lot of press on his use of their percussion doodads in his new setup (which, since it's a straight-ahead rock/metal thing, I'm sure he uses all the time).

How long has it been since Steve Smith was in Journey... or since Travis Barker last played with Blink-182? Yet their names and images still sell stuff. Mike has proven himself a shrewd self-promoter and organizer, so I doubt he'll fade away as quickly as a Dave Abbrubezze, who to be fair was only in PJ a fraction of the time Mike was in DT.
 
The funny thing about Portnoy is he left Dream Theater and played on Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare album and tour, which probably generated more airplay for him than all his DT work combined. But that band has moved on with another full-time drummer, so Mike will have to find another avenue.

DT had developed a cult following over a span of 20 years, something that very few bands do, so the odds are against Portnoy finding a comparable vehicle for his music. I'm not sure how fair the comparisons to Abbruzzese are, though. Mike was the leader and most visible member of his band, which nobody could say about Abbruzzese
 
You guys are probably right. I haven't been keeping up with what he's been doing, and he's been in DT alot longer than Pearl Jam has been around. I guess so long as you're in the spotlight and still in the minds of the masses, everything is good. I wasn't being fair about the comparison - I just recall that whole period when Dave was 'let go' and he continued to appear in the magazines, people wishing him well, and then....nothing. It didn't have anything to do with talent level or music. I wasn't a fan of PJ either so I never kept up with what they were doing either. Just making an outsider's observation.
 
There are no bad thoughts... Only bad people.
(j/k of course...)
 
Honestly, he's busier than ever.

From a very recent interview

http://www.prog-sphere.com/tag/mike-portnoy-drummer/
So I am incredibly fulfilled and to be honest, if I had stayed with Dream Theater, in the last two years, I would have made one album and just done one tour with one band, playing that same album over and over and over, but what I’ve done in less than two years, I’ve made six albums and I’ve played live on stage with, I think, ten or twelve bands now. Not only the bands that I am a part of, but I also got to fill-in gigs with Stone Sour, Hail and Fates Warning and I did the Metal Masters gigs with the Slayer, Anthrax, Pantera and Megadeth guys… I mean, it’s the last two years have been maybe the two most creatively fulfilling years of my entire career.
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I wonder, from a financial point of view, how long he can keep it all going given none of his assorted main bands sell as many records as DT.

But from the perspective of keeping in the public eye, being worthy of keeping his endorsements and keeping his face in ads, he's knocking it out of the park.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
I wonder, from a financial point of view, how long he can keep it all going given none of his assorted main bands sell as many records as DT.
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Maybe he's wealthy enough for that not to be a problem, as long as his new projects break even or run a modest profit?

I'd imagine some players would be satisfied with their 15 minutes once they'd made their bundle and then they shift to a more laid back mode. I'm sure it's tricky to maintain relationships when touring all the time. Not saying that applies to Mike, who is obviously enjoying his musical life ATM
 
Anon La Ply said:
Maybe he's wealthy enough for that not to be a problem, as long as his new projects break even or run a modest profit?

I'd imagine some players would be satisfied with their 15 minutes once they'd made their bundle and then they shift to a more laid back mode. I'm sure it's tricky to maintain relationships when touring all the time. Not saying that applies to Mike, who is obviously enjoying his musical life ATM
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Perhaps.

alparrott mentioned Steve Smith with Journey, and Steve has the fact that Journey has sold some 100 million albums, and their Greatest hits is (was) selling 100,000 copies a year long consistently year after year to help Steve through any project that don't turn a profit. Compared to DT with 10 million world wide sales.

But unlike Smith, Portnoy got writing credit on almost every single song, so he's getting publishing income. Plus Portnoy was co-producer on the last 6 or so DT albums. So as long as he's not spending it like crazy, I suppose probably has a nice chunk of change stored away some where.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
I wonder, from a financial point of view, how long he can keep it all going given none of his assorted main bands sell as many records as DT.
Click to expand...
Anon La Ply said:
Maybe he's wealthy enough for that not to be a problem, as long as his new projects break even or run a modest profit?
Click to expand...
Well, he's got a net worth of about $8 million, and he's not a dumb guy. He's pretty much set, as long as he doesn't buy an island, or something stupid. Seems pretty happy living in Pennsylvania, so he'll probably hold on to his wealth.​
 
harryconway said:
Well, he's got a net worth of about $8 million, and he's not a dumb guy. He's pretty much set, as long as he doesn't buy an island, or something stupid. Seems pretty happy living in Pennsylvania, so he'll probably hold on to his wealth.
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Set up financially with a great rep that would open many musical doors. It's a hard life!

Good point about the LTE, Thud - a lot of players would be happy with that gig alone, finances permitting.
 
Thud said:
Nobody has mentioned Liquid Tension Experiment. They apparently played to packed out halls a few times. You don't get many instrumental bands doing that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPya80o-xyA&list=FLfgtBvBzOlz-58Rt526dbRQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video
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Anon La Ply said:
Set up financially with a great rep that would open many musical doors. It's a hard life!

Good point about the LTE, Thud - a lot of players would be happy with that gig alone, finances permitting.
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Very cool video. From the 2008 reunion tour. I saw them, first time around, in 1998, at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, in LA. Far as I know, they only played 2 shows back then. Then they busted out the 10 year reunion tour. Great stuff, but they've only played a handful of times, to my knowledge.​
 
harryconway said:
Very cool video. From the 2008 reunion tour. I saw them, first time around, in 1998, at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, in LA. Far as I know, they only played 2 shows back then. Then they busted out the 10 year reunion tour. Great stuff, but they've only played a handful of times, to my knowledge.​
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I was at the same show at the Whiskey.

And yes, LTE rarely ever plays live. After Jordan joined DT, it made LTE sort of redundant.

And now that Mike is out of DT, I very much doubt LTE will continue.
 
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