Mike Portnoy interview-article (excerpt)

The credits on Psychotic Symphony say that the album was produced by “The Del Fuvio Brothers”. That’s a nickname Kevin Shirley gave Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian when they were both in Dream Theater. Kevin Shirley, also nicknamed The Cavemen, has produced and/or mixed albums for many artists including Iron Maiden, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Dream Theater and countless others.

“We were together in Dream Theater in the mid-90s. Derek and I were always the two members in the band that were kind of the goof balls, silly, and always having a good time, joking around, and being sarcastic. Kevin Shirley was producing the ‘Falling into Infinity’ album, and he gave Derek and I that nickname. Any time the two of us were mocking people, or making fun of people, or being sarcastic, or stirring up shit, those were our Del Fuvio personas. Kevin gave us that nickname 20 years ago, and we’re reunited 20 years later”, Mike Portnoy reflected.

The time period between 2010 and 2017 was an interesting one for Mike Portnoy, after being the drummer of Dream Theater for 25 years. After that he played and recorded with Avenged Sevenfold, he was in Winery Dogs, Adrenaline Mob, Flying Circus, and he even drummed for Stone Sour and Twisted Sister. The years after Dream Theater were a liberating experience for the legendary drummer.

“The last seven years have been a very freeing experience for me. I have been able to spread my wings and play so many different kinds of music with different musicians – all of whom I really admire and respect. I never wanted to be just Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, I want to be Mike Portnoy period. I want to have a name for myself as a drummer who has done lots of different things, and not just be in one band for my entire career. It was important for me to branch out and do all these different things with all these different bands. I think those are the pieces of the puzzle that make me who I am”, Mike Portnoy reflected.

In 2010, Mike Portnoy played for a new generation of music fans while in Avenged Sevenfold. He replaced James “The Rev” Sullivan after his sudden death in 2009. He would tour with the band throughout 2010. He also drummed on the Avenged Sevenfold album ‘Nightmare’ that debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. The album would go on to sell 1 million copies.

“Certainly they have a very different audience than what I had with Dream Theater back in 2010 when I had played with Avenged Sevenfold, I was already in Dream Theater for 25 years. I was with Dream Theater longer than most of the people in the Avenged Sevenfold audience had even been alive. I definitely come from a generation before Avenged Sevenfold. When I started Dream Theater, those guys were still kids. Coming out with Avenged Sevenfold meant getting my name out to a different generation of listeners that were not only younger but maybe coming from a punk rock background or a more metal background. It was an interesting experience, and a great merging. Playing with those guys, it was a strong unit. When I was on stage with those guys it was a really good experience. It felt like something very special, and the people who caught those shows got to see something special”, Mike Portnoy recalled.

Mike Portnoy’s father was also into music. He was a radio disc jockey. Because of that, Mike Portnoy had access to lots of great records growing up. When he started playing drums at the age of 11, he was already heavily immersed in music.

“I didn’t get my first drum kit until my 11th birthday, and at that point I had already been a music fan for 11 years. I was already listening to The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, and stuff like that. By the time I got my first drum set, I think it was pretty obvious I was going to be a musician in some capacity, just because I was such a huge music fan from day one. Once I got my first drum set, I immediately taught myself how to play along with all my favourite records”, Mike Portnoy reminisced.