Mike Portnoy interview (excerpts)

Asked why he bothers still answering Dream Theater-related questions in interviews when he seems to get criticized no matter what he says, Portnoy replied: “Because when I get asked it, and then I say, ‘I don’t wanna talk about it,’ then that’s what goes in print and that becomes the headline and then I’m still a bad guy; there’s no winning.”

He continued: “My problem is that I care too much and I’m too honest; to be honest, that’s the problem. I wish I could say I have thick skin and I don’t give a shit what people say, but the reality is I do care what people say, and I’ve always been that way. I read the Internet, and I care what the fans have to say, and when they tear me apart, I wish I could say it doesn’t bother me, but the reality is I’m human. I guess that’s the bad that comes with the good. The good is that I do care and I read the Internet and I try to be a very fan-oriented artist. But the bad that comes with that is that I’m also subject to all the ridicule and the criticism and things like that.

“So, what can I say?! It is what it is, and I try my best to ignore it and try to... The reality is that for every one person that tears me apart and hates me, I see 99 other people that are supportive and get it and are behind me. And I guess that’s what I really need to focus on and appreciate.”