Originally published in Mike Portnoy.com · April 2006
Mike Portnoy comments on feud with GT (plus Eddie Trunk comments)
ArticleMike Portnoy5 min read
MP: I’m tired of being politically correct...
For the record, Geoff Tate is a 2-faced douchebag. Since he has begun doing O:M2 press, he has been consistantly bashing DT and even me personally in the press... (why, I have no idea?) But I’m tired of biting my tongue, when he obviously can’t.
When he was on Eddie Trunk’s show Friday night, he was incredibly rude and insultful when talking about me off the air to Eddie and Chris Jericho (he having no idea they’re my bros)... Eddie and Chris were FUMING at him and Chris immediately texted me from the studio saying he was ready to body slam him on the spot.
His new name on this board should be Geoff Taint... Screw him...he’s now on my shitlist....
MP: Also...for the record before this blows up any further... I have absolutely no issues with the other guys who were always straight up and cool all throughout the tour and ever since... Scott and Eddie in particular are two guys who I really like and am proud to call “friends”...
Geoff was and is the 2-faced BS artist to everybody he comes in contact with...either professionally (or “Un” for that matter) as well as to his poor fans that still believe his bullshit after all these years.
I’m sorry that such good guys as Scott, Eddie and Michael are being “led” by this babbling idiot...
Like I said...I was willing to bite my lip, be professional and politically correct and continue to not EVER say anything bad about him in the press...but Taint boy had to open his big ass mouth to two of my best bros (Eddie Trunk and Chris Jericho) which was a big mistake and the final straw...
MP: BTW - in case there’s any question as to who started this war of words and threw the first stone, here is a quote with Mr. Taint from the new issue of Classic Rock magazine:
Given Queensrÿche’s undoubted pedigree as a live act this will undoubtedly be worth seeing, although from a British person’s perspective the past few years have allowed Dream Theater to gain valuable ground on progressive metal’s once seemingly unassailable leaders. Have the apprentices caught up with, or perhaps even overtaken, their mentors?
“The truth is that I’d never even heard Dream Theater until they toured with us [a co-headline jaunt in 2003],” winces Tate, failing to hide his distaste. “People compare our bands all the time but I don’t hear us in what they do. We’re very different animals. We’re about writing songs and they’re about playing a lot of notes. What I believe music is about is anathema to them.”
Let it be known for the record that I *NEVER* once said anything bad, negative or distasteful about him or the band since our tour in 2003. No matter my true feelings on Mr. Taint or the band’s music, I was always very diplomatic and kind worded about the experience and our relationships....
OK, I’ve had enough of this soap opera...I’m outta here!
In a posting on his web site, Eddietrunk.com, Trunk writes, “Lots of news this week as once again the radio show made some noise about the statements Mike Portnoy made and the revelation that he and Geoff Tate do not get along. The truth about what happened is this: Geoff was a guest on the radio show [March 31]. I have interviewed Geoff many times on both TV and radio and he has always been great to talk to — always outspoken, which is what you want a guest to be. Chris Jericho co-hosted the show, as you heard. Chris is a huge metal fan and loves Queensrÿche and Dream Theater and always brings much to the show.
“Prior to going on the air, we were all hanging out in the kitchen of the Q104 studios when I mentioned to Geoff that we were all going to the big Dream Theater show at Radio City Saturday night [April 1]. It was at that time that Geoff asked that Dream Theater not be a subject during his time on the air and that he had some differences with Mike Portnoy stemming from their tour together a couple years ago. Geoff said some things about Mike and clearly had no problem that the entire room was hearing how he felt. Jericho and I were surprised since we thought the two were cool and were unaware there was an issue. We also explained to Geoff that Mike was a friend of both or ours and that was pretty much the end of it. Again, this happened OFF the air. I played a Dream Theater song and talked about the show the next night early in the radio show, then had Geoff come in. He did 2 1/2 hours of radio and we played all of ‘Mindcrime II’. During the show Jericho decided to text-message Portnoy to alert him to what Geoff had said and to find out what triggered it. At the Dream Theater show the next night we all discussed it a bit and then Sunday Portnoy decided to go public and give his thoughts on his site about Geoff.
“There has also been considerable email from people upset at Geoff’s comments about Ozzy-era Sabbath and his dislike for it. I do not agree with his statements about Ozzy/Sabbath but I sure as hell believe he has a right to his opinion! It is what I have always encouraged on my show and what makes it real.
“So at the end of the day we learned there is clearly an issue between Tate and Portnoy. Hopefully one day it will be resolved but in all honestly it’s not up to me to get involved or comment further. I have been flooded with email about this and once Mike took the story public, many have asked for my take. So there you go.
“Trust me folks, in my 23 years of radio I have seen stuff like this countless times with so many artists. Not the first, will not be the last! Look for me, Portnoy and Jericho to have a Metal Summit special next month, details soon.”