Mike Portnoy interview (excerpt)

Through the years, you’ve helmed most projects you’ve been involved with, from Dream Theater to the fan club. Your reputation for losing sleep while perfecting play lists precedes you. So was it hard to sit back and let Kevin and Jim take the lead?

It was hard. I definitely was in the back seat of it. It was different. Put it that way. I have no problem looking at it that way. I ended up being the passenger. It’s a nice change of scenery from the back seat of the car. The fact of the matter is once it went in Kevin’s direction with samples and loops and those kinds of things, that’s his area and his department. I figure it was smarter for me to go along for the ride than to push myself in something that’s already going in a direction that doesn’t need me to be involved.

What can’t you do – musically – in Dream Theater, or, in Kevin and Jim’s case – Chroma Key and Fates Warning – that you can in O.S.I.?

I think both Jim and Kevin could do what they wanted. Kevin surely can. And Jim sure could do it with Fates Warning. But to me, Dream Theater is all about real players playing their instruments, musicianship. The stuff we do with O.S.I. is more soundscapish. Of course, I’m playing drums, but the focus isn’t on musicianship; it’s on composition and sounds and coming up with real original-sounding soundscapes. At the same time, trying to make something melodic and lyrically interesting, as well.

For me, this style would never work in Dream Theater. [Playing with Dream Theater] is more about playing, more traditional.

I was chatting with Matt Scurfield of Event, and he made an interesting point. He said Dream Theater bridged the gap between ‘70s prog like Yes and Rush with Iron Maiden and Metallica and the more recent down-tuned bands. Any thoughts?

I can see that. When we formed the band, we were interested in the musiciainship of all those (‘70s) prog bands, but we were also long-haired heavy metal kids listening to Iron Maiden and Metallica. It’s not like we invented it, but we at least brought it to the mainstream.

Galactic Cowboys opened for you guys on Images And Words. And Fates Warning opened for Awake, and Star People had the honors on the first leg of the Scenes From A Memory tour. You guys definitely let your eclectic tastes be known!

Yeah, we take all kinds of acts out.

To this day, I still remember Galactic Cowboys running on stage to sing a few bars of “Take The Time.”

Wow, that was 10 years ago. What’s funny is that they did that this year in Houston, after the Dallas show.

What was it like working with Kevin Moore after all these years? I never got the story on whether Kevin’s departure from Dream Theater was amicable or otherwise.

It was a little weird at first. It was eight years since we worked together creatively, so there was a slight awkwardness at first. But he and I have a long and strong history together, so that immediately came back and it was a fun experience for me.

Do you get along personally or just as musicians?

Both. Dream Theater started as friends. We were young friends in college and built a life together. It’s been 18 years now since we started it. Eighteen years later, here we are still doing it.

What does Kevin bring to the table that Jordan Rudess – despite his obvious virtuosity – couldn’t for a project like O.S.I.?

Jordan and Derek and Kevin are three absolutely different types of players. Jordan is the ultimate musician. He lives and breathes practicing and trying to constantly improve. So he’s based on musicianship.

Derek’s the ultimate rock star, born to be a performer and born to be on stage. He loves the whole rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Kevin is from a different mindset altogether. He’s like an artist, a composer. That’s his biggest interest – in creating songs and melodies rather than the technicality of playing keyboards.

Which brings back the original question: What did Kevin bring? Serious composition in terms of melodies, lyrics, loops, samples. All of that kind of stuff, that’s Kevin’s department. He’s doing things in those that Jordan and Derek wouldn’t necessarily experiment with.

What was the songwriting process? Jim sent Sean his sound files, but
where did you come in and add drums? Was there actually any live recording
as a band in a recording studio?

Myself and Kevin and Jim recorded the basic tracks together. It wasn’t done through the mail. I am so against making albums through the mail. It was important for the three of us at least to be in the same room.

Comparing it to Dream Theater, it was completely different. This music is way more simplistic in terms of arrangements. A lot of ideas were already sketched out by Jim and Kevin in Pro Tools (digital recording software), so it was a matter of working with the tapes.

What’s in store for Mike Portnoy in 2003? Here’s your chance to update us on Dream Theater.

We’re starting work on the new Dream Theater in a few weeks. We’ll regroup after a little break. In the meantime, the Transatlantic live DVD is coming out in the next few months

On a personal note, my copy of Dream Theater’s Images And Words: Live In Tokyo video is shredded. Any chance of re-releasing it on DVD?

I’ve been in talks with the record company for years. It’s up to them. The Scenes From A Memory (DVD) went gold, so I’d think that would tell the label something!

You can’t argue with sales. As for the Tokyo video, I think it captures a great moment in Dream Theater’s career. Plus, it’s great watching you guys joke around. And the stage shots are fantastic.

I think Five Years In A Live Time is even better. Hopefully, something will be re-released down the road.