Mike Portnoy: In Constant “Progressive” Motion

The king of progressive metal weighs in on what it takes to thrive in this style. You wanna play prog? Read this.

by Mike Haid

Mike Portnoy may very well be the hardest-working drummer in the business. His recent three-DVD set, In Constant Motion, which focuses on the past few Dream Theater releases, showcases a slew of Mike’s side projects and tribute bands, and features a ton of bonus footage, speaks for itself. The king of progressive metal never sleeps!

When I asked Portnoy to send me some of his most recent material to study for our interview, he replied with a sinister laugh, “Be careful what you wish for.” I received a package with fourteen DVDs and ten CDs, including Dream Theater’s recent studio release, Systematic Chaos, featuring the drummer’s best performance to date.

Anyone skeptical of the validity of Portnoy’s election into MD’s 2004 Readers Poll Hall Of Fame might take a closer look at his track record in the business, and his contributions to the drumming community in the past twenty years. Mike has won an unprecedented twenty-three MD Readers Poll awards, including this year’s award for best recorded performance for Dream Theater’s Score DVD.

Portnoy doesn’t claim to be the fastest gun in the West – although his technique is still impressive by any measure. He’s not interested in solos and technical drumming achievements. His primary concern is to serve the music. Of course, the music he likes to serve is generally exciting and energetic and prog-based.

Ironically, drumming is a small part of what Portnoy considers to be his most important contributions to his veteran progressive metal group, Dream Theater. But the positive aftershocks of his highly acclaimed drumming skills have made him hugely successful with his legion of loyal fans, and within the drumming industry in general.

For Mike, it’s the constant push of forward motion that defines the term “progressive rock.” Portnoy creates his art with an ever-expanding appreciation, experimentation, and incorporation of all musical styles into his drumming. This is the true essence of a great prog drummer. So climb aboard Mike Portnoy’s train of thought as the master dissects progressive metal drumming.

Mike Haid: A lot has happened in your career since we spoke several years ago, including being voted into Modern Drummer’s Hall Of Fame by the readers.

Mike Portnoy: For me, that’s the crowning achievement of it all. It’s the most rewarding and flattering accolade I’ve ever received.

MH: There’s been some speculation within the drumming community concerning the validity of your being voted in already, given the fact that there are so many other long-standing, legendary drummers that have not yet made the Hall Of Fame.

MP: I can understand how some people might look at it that way, from a certain angle of drumming. But I would hate to think that anyone would see my name on the Hall Of Fame list and just write me off because of whatever their perception might be of my talents.

For me, being a musician, an artist, and a drummer is about the whole package. That’s the focus of my new DVD set, In Constant Motion. I think if there’s any doubt in anyone’s mind about what I’m all about, if you watch that DVD set, you’ll understand exactly where I’m coming from. I think it defines who I am, where I’ve been, and what I’m all about.

For me, it’s so much more than drumming. It’s about what I do for the fans, devoting every moment of my waking life to giving all I can to the people that like what I do, which goes way beyond just the drums. And if you look at the MD Hall Of Fame roster, you’ll see guys like Ringo Starr and Charlie Watts–and not that I’m putting myself in the same boat as them–but what I’m saying is that you can look at several drummers on the Hall Of Fame list and say, “He wasn’t the greatest drummer or technically that great.” I think it’s more about a drummer’s overall contribution to the art of drumming, not just from a technical aspect, but also a musical and artistic standpoint as well.

MH: I would have to agree with you. I feel that you’ve also helped the drumming industry from a business sense, with such a large contribution to keeping the “big kit” in the public eye, when so many other drummers are going for the small-set approach these days.

MP: Absolutely, and I feel that my endorsement companies have realized this from day one. That’s why I feel fortunate that companies like Sabian and Tama have always given me so much attention. You have drummers in bands like Green Day and Coldplay that sell millions of records, and I love both of those bands. But regardless of how many records they sell, I’ve found that even though I’m in a crazy, underground progressive metal band, the members of Dream Theater are also making a big impact on many of today’s young musicians, mainly because our music is aimed towards musicians. They’re at the core of our audience.

MH: Let’s focus on progressive metal. What are the most important “tools” in a prog drummer’s toolbox?

MP: To me, the most important tool is not a physical or technical one. It’s more of a cerebral one. It’s your brain. It’s about having an interest in experimenting musically, perhaps touching on several different genres of music. No doubt, the most important tool is the mind! It’s the willingness to experiment freely.

MH: How would you define the term “progressive” in drumming?

MP: It applies to so many genres within itself. I feel that it started with bands like Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and ELP. Rush helped bring the heavy rock element into it. Through the years, bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden dabbled in it. In more recent years, our band, Dream Theater, brought it more to the mainstream.

If you look at today’s music, the term progressive can apply to bands ranging from Tool, to Radiohead, to Mastodon, to The Mars Volta. You can see that “progressive” has become a very broad term, a term that comes back to a willingness to experiment and keep an open mind in order to create new things musically.

MH: So a drummer needs to be open-minded to listening and learning from all different genres to really develop the proper tools to become a progressive player?

MP: What I create musically on the drums comes directly from a love of all music in general. That ranges from jazz, to classical, to progressive rock, to death metal, and everything in between. That’s what I feel makes me a progressive drummer.

I have an appreciation for all forms of music. And it doesn’t have to be complex. It can be incredibly simple as long as it’s daring, inventive, and has integrity.

MH: How has progressive music evolved since its inception?

MP: After the heyday of prog rock in the ‘70s, I think prog became a dirty word in the ‘80s. Bands like Yes and Genesis had to reinvent themselves in order to survive. They became more pop-oriented. Dream Theater was born out of the ashes of the early progressive rock era and combined that style with the heavy metal styles of Iron Maiden and Metallica, along with the newer prog metal style of Rush.

Heading into the ‘90s, Dream Theater opened the doors to a whole new generation of progressive players similar to what Rush had done for Dream Theater in the ‘80s. Into the ‘90s, a new generation of retro prog bands came along as well, like Spock’s Beard and The Flower Kings.

I think the biggest difference between DT and all the other progressive bands of today is that we’ve always moved with the times while maintaining our sound and style. Now progressive music has gone in a multitude of directions, but many of the heavier bands do sound like Dream Theater, like Symphony X and Pain Of Salvation.

MH: Talk about the great innovators of prog drumming that got you interested in wanting to explore this music.

MP: My biggest and most obvious progressive drumming influence was Neil Peart. Before I heard Rush I was into The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles. Neil Peart’s drumming was the first time I’d ever heard a drummer playing a lot of odd time signatures, and his massive kit was immediately intriguing to me. The way he created drum parts that played such a lead role on the early Rush albums captured me. I couldn’t listen to Hemispheres, 2112, Permanent Waves, or Moving Pictures without immediately being drawn to the drumming. I was one of the kids obsessed with Rush and the drumming of Neil Peart in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

From there, I became more interested in the prog rock genre and discovered Yes. I was influenced by both generations of Yes drummers, Bill Bruford, and then Alan White. My favorite Yes albums are the early ones that Bruford played on, Close To The Edge and Fragile. Bruford took the progressive elements of odd meters and lengthy composition and brought more of a jazz drumming style to the music. This gave me another perspective on the possibilities of creating new ideas in progressive drumming.

Then Alan White became the Yin to Bruford’s Yang. Bruford was a jazzy, technical player, while Alan was a rock, groove player. Yes albums like Relayer, Going For The One, and Drama were definitely heavier rock albums.

In following Bruford’s drumming, I then discovered King Crimson. I think the massive impact of their music on the progressive genre continues to this day. Bruford’s drumming was a significant part of the King Crimson sound on the Larks’ Tongues In Aspic and Red albums. Then he reinvented himself in a creative new way on the Crimson music of the ‘80s, on the Discipline and Beat albums. His progressive nature grew with each reincarnation of Crimson and became more and more experimental. Bruford’s drumming with U.K. and with Genesis was incredible, and that’s when I got into Genesis and eventually discovered the drumming of Phil Collins. This is how the prog family tree grew for me, by simply following the drummers who were creating new and innovative concepts.

This eventually led me to discover the more instrumental-based progressive fusion drummers, like Billy Cobham, Lenny White, and Rod Morgenstein with The Dixie Dregs. These guys were big influences on me as well because they were playing exciting double bass patterns utilizing interesting odd time signatures.

Then, finally, came Frank Zappa. That was the icing on the progressive cake for me. Terry Bozzio and Vinnie Colaiuta in particular took my interest in progressive music to a whole new level. They were creating amazing odd-time grooves incorporating groups of five, seven, nine, thirteen, and so on, and then superimposing them over 4/4 to a point that I just couldn’t comprehend. So I became totally immersed in the world of Frank Zappa.

MH: From a technical aspect, what did you have to learn in order to be able to emulate these great progressive drummers?

MP: The first thing that captured my attention about every one of these bands was the use of odd time signatures. I was drawn to the numbers! The fives, sevens, and nines were so different from typical 4/4. I was most interested in how each of these drummers created their own unique patterns and grooves within the odd meters.

I became obsessed with getting the songbooks for the bands to learn the music. They didn’t have drum transcription books then, so I had to get the piano or guitar books from the Yes or Rush anthology, and I would follow along, counting the time signatures. That’s how I learned to play in odd meters. This has become such a huge part of what I do, in most every project that I’m involved with.

MH: Did you have a firm grasp on the rudiments when you began to learn these odd meters?

MP: Not at all. I taught myself by playing along to the records. I cut my teeth on Ringo, Keith Moon, John Bonham, and Peter Criss to learn the basics of the drumkit. I never studied the technical aspects of drumming and didn’t have a rudimental background. So when I discovered progressive music, I taught myself to figure out the drum parts by listening.

During that period, which was junior high and high school, I was teaching myself to play in odd meters, but I also took music theory classes, which taught me music notation and how to read music. I was in school band, but it was less about the rudiments or learning the correct way to play drums. It was more about developing my musicality.

MH: It’s impressive that you taught yourself to play so fluently in odd meters.

MP: I’ve never been into the technical side of drumming. I could care less about how to play triple paradiddles. That doesn’t interest me at all. It’s more about the context of the drumming inside the music. It was that way for me thirty years ago and it’s still that way to this very day. I admire guys like Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, and Thomas Lang for their incredible technical abilities, but I’m just not interested in the technical aspects of what I do.

It’s difficult sometimes, because winning these awards in Modern Drummer creates false expectations of who I am and what I do as a drummer. When I play festivals and clinics, it’s as though I’m expected to be a heavy gunslinger, but that’s not what I’m about at all.

MH: As prog rock evolved, it seemed that double bass drums became a big part of the sound and style of prog rock drumming. Was Neil Peart the first drummer to inspire you to play double bass?

MP: Yes. Even though Neil is not considered an advanced double bass drummer, he was the first drummer to influence me to add a second bass drum. But my interest in playing double bass came more from my metal side than my progressive side. It started with guys like Tommy Lee and evolved into guys like Lars Ulrich, Charlie Benante, and Dave Lombardo.

MH: You really helped define the role of double bass drumming in today’s prog rock music. Has double bass become mandatory for most prog drummers?

MP: Not really. A lot of my favorite progressive drummers today don’t play double bass. Guys like Nick D’Virgilio of Spock’s Beard or Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree are not heavy double bass guys. But they’re also not really prog metal drummers as much as they’re prog rock guys. My application of double bass drumming within Dream Theater comes more from my metal side.

MH: You’ve done several prog-related projects outside of Dream Theater over the past few years, which are well documented on In Constant Motion. Can you briefly touch on these projects and how you approached them from a prog drumming perspective?

MP: The first prog-related project outside of DT was Liquid Tension Experiment. That was the first DT spawn. It was similar in many ways to DT music, but it was all instrumental and greatly improvised. Working with Jordan Rudess and Tony Levin in LTE challenged me to rise to a new level of musicality. The heavy progressive elements of the group focused on the odd meters and the improv, which was very challenging and forced me to really listen and react. If you listen to that music you’ll hear that I’m constantly reacting, and occasionally sparking a new idea and direction.

MH: Your next side project, Transatlantic had a more traditional prog sound featuring musicians from the new generation of retro prog bands–Spock’s Beard, The Flower Kings, and Marillion. What drumming elements were vital to this sound?

MP: As we talked about, with most prog-related music, it’s the odd time signatures that establish the rhythmic aspects of the drumming. But Transatlantic does this in a much less metal fashion. There’s a lot less double bass drumming. There’s also a strong pop side to this music. Several tunes are very Beatles-esque, which had me tapping into my Ringo and Bonham influences, playing very simply. That was the first time I’d done this type of drumming in a group setting.

The music required a lighter touch and feel. I recorded a lot with Hot Rods and Blasticks. I also experimented with putting towels over the heads to get that old-school Beatles sound. We mixed with a more retro production vibe, too, using more of a dry sound, which I like a lot.

Transatlantic was put together to help rekindle the sound of the great early prog era, due to the fact that all of our favorite prog bands like Yes, Genesis, and Pink Floyd weren’t writing the long, epic material anymore. We all share a love for this early prog sound and style, and each of these guys come from bands that focus on that traditional style. It was a total collaborative group effort that worked very well.

MH: From Transatlantic, you began working a lot with Neal Morse from Spock’s Beard. Where has this led your drumming?

MP: This was my first experience as more of a session guy. Neal and I collaborated as partners on Transatlantic, but I wore a different hat on his solo project. My role as sideman wasn’t to make suggestions or run the show, but to serve Neal’s music in whatever way he needed me to. His material called for me to play some of the most over-the-top–as well as most simple–drumming that I’ve ever done. I felt that I was tapping into something that was very Jeff Porcaro-esque, which was a whole new world for me. It required a total focus on playing relaxed, simple grooves with as few fills as possible.

MH: In a whole other different prog style, OSI brought another new dimension to your drumming. Can you explain the challenges of that project?

MP: OSI was still rooted in progressive music, but in a whole different direction. This involved Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos, whose music is much like Dream Theater, and former Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore, who had left DT to pursue a more techo-electronica style.

Kevin’s influence led me to a new direction in drumming in regards to working with drum loops and samples. He would also have me lay down grooves and then manipulate them in post-production by moving things around in Pro Tools. This music required me to be open-minded about what I played in regards to what would be done with my tracks in post-production. This was also a big lesson in letting go of the reins and not being a control freak. The most challenging part was locking in and playing along with the loops and samples. In Dream Theater, I play along with the click and the band follows me.

MH: When you track with Dream Theater, are you the only one hearing the click?

MP: No. Everyone hears the click. Setting up the click for DT tracks is a long, tedious process because of all the complex time changes, but the band still follows my groove. The difference with OSI is that I had to follow the groove of the machines.

MH: The new Dream Theater release, Systematic Chaos, is almost like a DT greatest-hits release, in that it covers many aspects of the band’s signature classic prog metal sound. This allows you to incorporate all of your drumming influences into the music. Can you explain to drummers what you have to develop to be able to play at this level, from physical and musical perspectives.

MP: It’s about making the most of all four limbs in order to create the right parts for the song. I get a lot of flack for being a busy player and not playing for the song. But I think that if you really listen to DT music, you’ll find that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

It all starts with the groove and creating a feel. Then I can spice it up with fills and put creative icing on the cake. I’ve always developed my technique out of necessity to serve the song and create interesting patterns that I hope are musical and exciting. And I don’t have to be behind the kit to create these patterns. I create ideas while driving in my car, riding on the tour bus, or sitting in my hotel room. My thought process and motor memory skills are just as valid in those situations as they are behind the kit.

MH: You’ve brought up the point many times that you never spent much time learning rudiments and studying various techniques. You didn’t get into any of that when you went to the Berklee College Of Music?

MP: As disappointing as it may sound, I didn’t spend much time at all learning rudiments or any specific drumming techniques. I really learned to play from listening to records and teaching myself. That’s the way it was when I was twelve years old, and that’s the way it is today. If you hear me play some new double bass riff or groove on the new Systematic Chaos CD, it could have been inspired by something I heard Chris Adler do on the last Lamb Of God disc. It’s not something I learned from a book.

MH: You’ve mentioned that drummer Dominic Howard of Muse is another recent inspiration.

MP: Muse is my favorite band of the last few years. Their Absolution CD is easily my favorite of the decade. Dominic’s drumming takes the groove and power of a drummer like Dave Grohl and mixes it up to create a sound that, to me, sounds like Radiohead meets Queen. His drumming is powerful yet delicate.

Over the recording of the last two DT records, when I found myself behind the single bass drumkit, I was focusing completely on drawing from Dominic’s spirit to create my drum parts. I would consider the music of Muse to be the most innovative in a progressive alternative style.

MH: You’ve been inspired by the drumming greats to help create your own unique progressive drumming style, and you’re obviously open to new influences.

MP: All the great drummers from every style of music, and the millions of songs that are constantly swimming through my head, will always be my greatest inspiration to create new progressive drumming ideas. That’s what drives me as a musician, artist, and drummer. I’m proud to continue to wave the progressive banner, and I’m very grateful for all the fans that continue to support me.