Mike Portnoy interview (excerpt)

Does that [the deaths of many older musicians] not make you think that perhaps you’d like to play with Dream Theater again at some point?

Look, I’m a very sentimental guy, I’m a very nostalgic guy; I was the guy in Dream Theater that opened up the door to [former keyboard player] Derek Sherinian and [original vocalist] Charlie Dominici to come back and join us on stage [at a concert in Los Angeles in 2004]. I also extended that invite to [keyboardist] Kevin Moore, so I’ve always been that type of person. I look at my past with a fond memory, and I probably shouldn’t even say this – I’m not trying to publicly state this – but around Christmas time I sent all the guys in Dream Theater a nice email, just reaching out to say how much I love and miss them, because that’s just the way I am.

You’re friendly still with some of the Dream Theater guys, aren’t you?

Jordan [Rudess] and John Petrucci, we’ve stayed in touch, so in answer to your question, I’ve never closed the door on doing something with them. It’s not like I’m waiting for it; it’s not like I’m planning it, it’s not like it’s in my career plan, but certainly if the invitation, or if the opportunity arose, I would surely welcome it. It’s just because, you know, I don’t hold grudges, and I like to have an open heart and always cherish the people in my life and in my past. That was twenty-five years of my life.