An interview with Mike Portnoy

Transcribed from French by Bruno Biordi

Hard Rock: On ACOS, we found a lot of covers, but not all of them you’ve played. The Choice of the songs weren’t too hard?

M.Portnoy: Oh Yeah, It’s was very difficult! At the start, we’ve choice to put just some of them on ACOS, and our label (Warner) just wanted include one or two covers. Then we said “Forget it! Let’s make a full cd man!!!”

HR: For the concert, you invited a lot of guests, especially those from the progressive scene : Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, Steve Howe, Steve Hackett...

MP: All the Steves from progressive rock were there... (laugh)

HR: Okey, but it wasn’t by chance...

MP: Yeah, it was depending their own occupations! When the rumour about our special concert was know by many guys, a lot of them contact us. A the beginning, this concert was organised because many guests were free in London that day. And not necessary guys from the progessive scene. For information, we have contacted Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne and Glen Tipton from Judas Priest...

HR: What about the missing covers on ACOS?

MP: All titles we played with guests don’t appear on ACOS coz we wanted that CD still be only played by DT! But we played “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” from The Beatles with Steve Hogarth, “Easter” from Marillion with Hogarth and Steve Rothery, “Damage Inc” from Metallica with Barney Greenway from Napalm Death – a very interesting one – and a last intrumental medley (20 minutes long!) with Steve Howe, including exclusively titles from Yes : “Machine Messiah”, “Close To The Edge”, “Starship Trooper”, “Heart Of The Sunrise” and “Siberian Khatru”. So, we played some songs with our traditional line up : “Tears” from Rush, “Red Hill Mining Town” from U2, “In The Dead Of Night” from UK and “Winter” from Tori Amos.

HR: You’ve choice to play a title from Genesis, epoch Phil Collins! It’s surprise me!

MP: Yes, it’s strange! I prefered to play something like “Firth Of Fifth”, “Supper’s Ready”, “In The Cage”, from the epoch Peter Gabriel. But when we worked that medley, “Turn It On Again” was THE perfect conclusion!

HR: Will DT play another gig like that?

MP: Yes, I think so. The idea of this first secret show in London was mine! If it only depending of me, we’ll play a gig like that between each albums and/or at each new tours! Since this concert, fans say “Argh, We need another one like that!” (laugh)

HR: Does Dream Theater is the principal group with the label “New Progressive Guys”?

MP: I Hope so... In fact, I’m sure! Currently, the progressive scene grows very fast, but it doesn’t touch the ‘Big’ public contrary groups like Queensryche. Most of new groups are signed on small labels. In fact, we have a lot of chance to play that kind of music and to have a deal on a major! Anyway, have a look to our sales, and let’s recognize that there are people asking this kind of music. I Hope others labels will sign that kind of groups because, at the moment, only some small ones -Magna Carta, by exemple, who’s signed Magellan & Shadow Gallery- searchs & signs progressive groups. These news goups have many probems to be know by people, but it’s gr8t that these labels exist!

HR: What’s the thing you bring to the progressive music?

MP: From the opposite direction than older progressive groups, we make longer songs, with a lot of instrumental and technical sections. That were things who are missing these last times... We are influenced by the metal and pop scenes! We get ideas from the senventies and we adapt them to the nineties. Most of others groups stay prisoner in ‘THE’ style.

HR: English papers say that you’re ‘snobbish intellectual guys’!

MP: I think progressive disturbs english journalists, and it’s put me in a temper!!! They says we are pompous? There are pompous! These men who’re listing to White Zombie (laugh)! We are much eclectic as them! Look our fans: 1/3 of them are ‘real & hard progressive guys’,rather ‘Old’, with influences like Cactus and Gentle Giant. 1/3 see us like great instrumentists, and the rest of fans : The hard-rockers, who are fans of Metallica, Alice In Chains,... They came at our Gigs ‘coz they like one of DT songs they have listened on radios.

HR: We often reproach to progressive bands the fact that they’re too concentrate on their technical parts, and not on their stage performances.

MP: Well, it’s a problem doesn’t directly concern us. We try to keep a certain skill of energy on stage. Many progressive groups do so many things and there aren’t able to move. I remember when I’ve seen Rush on stage : Geddy Lee sings, plays bass and keyboard in the same time!!! Each musicians are so concentrated that they can’t do more on stage. From the opposite direction, groups like Queensrÿche or Pink Floyd turn it for their own advantage : They present to the public wonderfull light-show, big screens,... When we play live, we always try to be as energetic as possible. Even when I play difficult parts behind my drum, I ‘headbang’ like a devil (laugh).

HR: Kevin Moore left Dream Theater to do easier music. Do you understand his choice and do you yield to the temptation for making easier songs, like him?

MP: We always liked that kind of music, but Kevin was ONLY intesting by very basic music. We also like that kind of easy songs, and some of our songs are easy but we like harder stuffs. Fans of Nirvana will find us definitely too technical, but I think there are a lot of kids who are looking for something more. It’s that kind of public we want to convince. =20

HR: What prominence do you give to the lyrics?

MP: I confess to you that lyrics seems to be for me the last priority. For me, the essential is the music. After, I give a lot of importance to the technique. Then comes the lyrics. Of course, the 3 parts are indispensable! If the melody sounds great,but the lyrics suck, all the song is fake!

HR: What are your favorites groups?

MP: Rush and Yes. Rush is THE group! As a teenager, they already were my favorites ones. They are extraordinary musicians, who are able to play very complex parts with the ‘heavy’ touch. I also like groups like Queensrÿche and Marillion.

HR: In the category ‘Future Big Groups’?

MP: Unhesitatingly Fates Warning – unfortunately not considered at their just values. They are like us, in their music way. I always think FW must be liked by our fans. There are also the group echolyn, who opened for us. That’s like Genesis but adapted to the nineties. Another group called Spock’s Beard – a formation who’s working with our ex manager – and unfortunatey without any contracts. It sounds like a mixing between Yes and Kansas. Finally, there are groups from Magna Carta: Shadow Gallery and Enchant. They make great job!

HR: These last groups sound like Dream Theater, no?

MP: Yes, I agree with you because many groups signed on Magna Carta sounds like us, and I can’t tell you if it’s good or bad (laugh). It’s fun because Magna Carta was contacting me for the tribute to Rush. And I’ll make the drum parts with Billy Sheehan on bass guitar. That will be great!

HR: For you, Queen & Iron Maiden can be called ‘progressive groups’?

MP: Absolutely! Iron Maiden isn’t so progressive than there are ten years ago, with their songs of ten minutes, including long instrumental parts. Queen was progressive, because it’s was inventor : Not necessary by the technique, but by the original sound. Don’t forget Deep Purple, who mixed metal and classic.

HR: About Deep Purple, why choosing a title from 1984, and not a much traditional one?

MP: A the start, we have chosen to play “Child In Time” and we worked on it. The day before the gig, we were invited for a radio interview at the BBC. That programme was animated by Bruce Dickinson. It was cool, and we decided to record a version of “Perfect Strangers” with him. It sounded so great then we decided to play it at the show.

HR: Can you recommend to our readers – more metal than progressive – some CDs?

MP: “Awake” from DT, “Images & Words” from DT, “A Change Of Seasons” from DT... (laugh). No, seriously, my selection is : “Permanent Waves” & “Hemispheres” from Rush, “Close To The Edge” & “Fragile” from Yes, “Danger Money” from U.K., “Misplaced Childhood” from Marillion, and “Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” from Genesis! Oops, I forget “Two For The Show” from Kansas!

HR: Is the song “A Change Of Seasons” most representative of DT?

MP: I think we can say that, because it includes a lot of different parts. But if I play only one song for a man who’s discovering DT, I play “Take The Time”! It’s not so long but it’s also complete than ACOS. But if he can support a 22 minutes track, ACOS is a good introduction to the DT style, yes!

HR: What about the new album?

MP: We just start to work on it and we will compose while 3 or 4 month again. We have just finished one track, called “Raise The Knife” and I’ve just finished to write the lyrics. It’s a typical DT song, with a longer of 12 minutes. I think the new album will be in the same way that older ones. I think it will be the best DT album because we are very motivate! And Derek SHERINIAN brings a lot of fresh air to DT.

HR: Soon in France?

MP: I think the new album will be ready for the next summer, but if the tour doesn’t start by Europe, don’t expect to see us before 1997.