various Mike Portnoy comments

comment: Since MP hinted that the cover versions for BC&SL will be from the following bands:

Metal Band, Metal Band (2), Hard Rock Band, Classic Rock Band, Progressive Rock Band, Progressive Rock Band (2)

Let's try and guess the bands they will cover ("chances are" they won't do any band that they've already covered)

MP: Maybe I should get this out of the way now, so there's no disappointment....

The 6th cover (one of the metal ones) is actually a DT cover that was released last year elsewhere....

So, there's actually 5 "new" studio covers...

You also should know that my picks were alot more obscure (bands or song choices) than you may think....I'd be shocked if you got any of them in advance...(two of em maybe, but the other 3, no way....)

Finally, those genre descriptions may be debatable...of course, no band can be so easily pigeon-holed in strictly one catagory....for instance, the other "metal" band, many would actually classify more in the "hard rock" catagory...

OK...have fun guessing...

I'm sitting here in the studio right now while one of the "prog" ones is being mixed and it sounds AWESOME!!

comment: One of my wishes is to one day hear DT cover Firth of Fifth, if only to hear JP tackle Steve Hackett's glorious guitar solo. And to hear JR do Peter Gabriel's flute stuff on the keys.

MP: Already did it with TransAtlantic....

comment: does everyone in the band just do what Mike requests?

MP: Pretty much.... :-p

comment: I actually think that they stole/borrowed this idea [instrumental versions of songs on BCaSL] from Frost*!

MP: Actually I got the idea from The Flaming Lips, Muse, Protest The Hero and Nightwish all of whom released instrumental versions of their albums....

(I wasn't even aware Frost did it til I saw you guys talking about it...)

I thought it was a total natural for a band like DT....

comment: I can guarantee you that DT would never cover anything by a band who first released an album in the '00s (whose members are half DT's age) I really doubt any '90s bands either. There were no mention of "alternative" bands, so you can eliminate Radiohead and such. I don't think DT would cover a song by Queensryche or Watchtower or any of their contemporaries.

MP: Of course I "never say never" and there are always exceptions to the rules....but this is pretty much true....

Most, if not all, covers I've ever chosen for DT are bands that were around before we were...

[in reference to ARoP]

comment 1: I don't like the sampled voices.

comment 2: I love the sampled voices.

MP: This ladies & gentleman, sums up DT fans perfectly in a nutshell!!!

(and people wonder why I make myself crazy bending over for the fans and trying to keep them all happy....)

It's looking like this *may* be all the dates....

I wish we could play everywhere, but there are many variables that make it impossible...

I must go on record and let you all know that I have been FIGHTING for shows specifically in Houston, Dallas and Phoenix...really, I've been totally pullin for em...but its just not looking good....

Frankly, the promoter's offers in those markets are not very good and for us to stay out those few extra 3 or 4 days at the end will put us in the red (we have to pay *alot* of overhead to make Progressive Nation happen.....the 3 extra bands, extra crew, catering, stage and venue time, etc. all comes from DT's pay)

So I made my manager and agent *promise* me if we can't swing it this time, it will happen regardless of the expense, when we do another US run in the spring....

comment: Yeasterday one of my friends, who joined UK voices received the regular fan's magazine, saw an interview that you made about the Beijing show. It really made him (actually quite a lot of DT's chinese fans), we called it--"a little bit unpleasant"

I saw from the word you said that you have some unpleasant feelings about Beijing's show because of the lack of audience, the unformal venue and some needed preparations didn't get finished when DT had already arrived Beijing.

I apologize to you for the mistakes that we have made. But you know, this is the first time the Promoter (GuitarChina) handling a famous metal band's show. They are unexperienced and just have limited funds at that time, but now they've really improved a lot and held really a lot of Metal shows after DT's show. I promise that they can do a much better job than the first time.

For the matter of venue, i know it's small and didnt accommodate your show etc. Please Blame it on the Olympic Games Mike! The fact is not that the Promoter can't afford a decent, formal venue. But you know, all the good venue were unavailable at the very close of Olmypic in order to the improvement and repairment.

For the lack of audiences,you know, because the excessively optimisitic market anticipation of the promoter, the price of ticket is just high out and many die hard Dt fans just cant afford it, that really made a bad effect on the attendence. But the fact we must admit that there are really a lot of DTfans in China and they concern about you guys everyday, every single moment. If you come to China next time, maybe i can't promise you a attendence of 6000 audience likes SCORE or even a clear number, but i can promise you a great, passoinate, awesome audience like me and many friends of mine who didnt miss one single word of lyrics, even though there may just 1500 audience in the venue but they are really passionate!

For the lack of needed preparations, this is a terrible mistake we made. I really beg for you apologise about this! But you know now the promoter's really improved and they can do better than first time and they know how to do it!

You said you will never come to China again and pick us into your blacklist.. it really really hurts.. really... I just want you to know, there are really a lot of DT die hard fans in China, and they really hope you guys come to see us and give a great show!

I (and all the chinese Dt fans) welcome you to come to Beijing next tour,we promise and we really have a different, better , decent condition.

MP: I apologize if my words came off too harsh.

Sometimes in interviews I can say things lightly and with (what I think is) a bit of humour and of course it gets misinterpreted, misread and I am then the bad guy...

Mind you, I usually dont go out of my way to EVER say anything negative....it's just when I am asked questions in interviews I tend to tell the truth without pulling punches (you can see I even debated before answering this particular question) and often "the truth hurts!"

(OMG - the beating I am currently taking elsewhere for honestly answering why I don't work with OSI anymore!!!)

Sometimes I think I'd be better off not being honest (like some artists I know)or not caring about the fans and doing any interviews at all (like some other artists I know...)

I can never win!

Anyways, as much as the last experience in China was very difficult for us all...(the show was very close to being cancelled) - it was of course not AT ALL due to the fans...

We surely felt the love and passion from the audience during the show!!!

It was simply the surrounding accomodations before and after the show that were very difficult....but of course we fully understand this was not the fan's doing....

My saying we LITERALLY blacklisted the entire country of China was just an exaggeration for the article and was meant to be light-hearted.

Of course, if we can ever find ourselves in a situation where we can come back and put on the show under the conditions we expect from everywhere else in the world we play, then we'd love to see all of your wonderful smiling faces again!

Please everyone - gimme a break!

I'm not the bad guy....I really am a nice guy and mean no harm!!!!

comment: Since I have less than no interest in the other bands at these "Prog Nation" shows, I won't be attending this year. I'll just have to hope for a DVD. I know it's financially difficult for Dream Theater to tour the US as a standalone act, but that is probably the only way I'd ever see them live again, unless they come around with some bands I actually like.

MP: Dont want to hijack the thread, but just for the record....

it's not "financially difficult" for us to tour as a "standalone act" - in fact, it is waaaay more expensive for us to tour with Progressive Nation as *WE* are paying for all of the extras ourselves...(meaning paying the 3 other bands, extra catering, extra crew and union costs, etc.)

If we were touring ourselves, ALL of the money would go to us...but not with PN09...so trust me, its not for financial reasons we are doing PN09...quite the contrary....

comment: I'm just not going to plunk down $200+ to go to a concert with 4 bands, where I don't have any interest in 3 of them.

MP: I don't know where you are buying tickets...but tix to PN09 do NOT cost $200+

Last I checked they are very reasonably priced....

I'm sorry you dont have any interest in any of the other 3 bands, but have a feeling if you went to the show with an open mind, you would surely enjoy all 3 of them....