Interview with Mike Portnoy

 

 

Interview with Mike Portnoy (Dream theater)

 

Mike Portnoy - I guess ONE can hardly find another drummer who is talked that much about. Having released his new DVD "In Constant Motion" and with his band Dream Theater the new album "Systematic Chaos" he proved once again, who he is and what musical level he has achieved through the years. So it was my pleasure to meet an amazing Mike Portnoy for a photoshooting with the new "Mirage Monster", at which he even turned on the whole stage lights for me and to talk with him about the new album, his DVD and overall -
of course himself.

Mike first of all thanks for your time. At first let's talk about the new Dream Theater Album "Systematic Chaos". Which adjectives would you use to describe the sound of the new dream theater album?

 

I would say dark, heavy, aggressive and powerful.

 

Will there be a fan studio dvd like the "Ten degrees of turbulent drumming" one?

 

Yeah, if you mean like a drum cam dvd, yeah – actually my hope is to have it ready for the same exact week as the album so that is my hope we will see if we can stay on schedule.
(Note by the editor: SysDRUMatic Chaos is out now, available at mikeportnoy.com)

 

So did you have any changes in your triple bass kit for the upcoming tour with Systematic Chaos?

 

I‘ll have a new kit for the tour, what I used on the album was ehm the same Albino monster that I had on the Octav tour, that is what I used to record on the album. But for the upcoming tour I will have an acrylic Tama Mirage kit. It will be the unvealing of the new Mirage Monster.

 

Does that mean you changed the drum shell setup or even sizes?

 

Well, the left side will be the same as my Albino monster, but the right side will be a 20“ kick, two octobans, and a single headed tom, two floor toms and a gong bass drum. It will be unvealed soon.

 

 

The new album Systematic Chaos is again full of difficult drum parts, was it a hard job for you to play those parts?

 

Well I mean, there are moments that are easy and moments that are difficult. Some of them are more technical passages that were difficult - you know because when I record my drum parts, the songs are brand new – and sometimes have only been written hours or days earlier, so it is not like I have weeks and months to write just the parts and get comfortbale with them and practice them, so I am very much on the spot to be able to execute my parts immediately. So at times the really difficult technical passages take a lot of concentration and a lot of focus to be able to nail but the time we are playing the stuff live starting in june, it will be a walk in the park for me, it‘s easy.

 

One title of the album is Constant Motion, and your new DVD is named Constant Motion, too - is there any connection?

 

Well they are both about me. I mean the DVD came first, I just thought in Constant Motion was a perfect title, because, as I explained in the DVD, as a drummer your limbs are in constant motion and for me as an artist, my brain and body is in constant motion. That is where I came up with the DVD title, then the song title came much later on, once we wrote the song musically, I thought it would be a perfectly song to write about. The song itself felt so driving and energetic, it felt like a car or train moving, or rollercoaster ride. Then I just decided that it could be a good song to have the topic of constant motion which is a matter for what’s going on in my brain in all times.

 

What’s going on in your brain all times, you doing all the merchandise stuff, website stuff,
how do you handle that? Beside playing music?

 

It’s not easy, it is a 24 hour job, I mean the others guys get to go home and spend time with their families and their wifes and their children. And I am still juggling 3000 of the things for Dream Theater, edditing a video, or dealing with the merchandiser, dealing with the upcoming tour, taking the opening bands, well I mean the list goes on and on and on, how do I do it? I dont know, it’s just a constant juggeling, a constant juggeling match you know, just trying to somehow focus and be productive and I dont know – it is a lot of work, a lot of work.And beside that you also have to travel a lot around in the world - do you like that ?Yeah – Yeah I do. I dont like the actual travel part, like being on an airplane or being on a bus. But I do like being on the road and playing.

 

Being in motion

Yeah exactly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

when you think about all the places you have been to, do you have a favourute location for e.g. holidays?

 

home

 

Home?

 

Yeah - yeah, I dont get to spend enough time at home. So actually when we come off tour, some of the band members like to go away with their families, I am actually being very happy just to stay in my house and just to spend time with my wife, kids and pets.

 

Kids good catchword - if I am allowed to ask you, how is your son max doing on the drums?

 

He is not very attended to it. You know he will play once in a while. I think he is more interested in video games.

 

Let's get back to your brandnew "In Constant Motion" DVD for one moment.
How long did it take from the idea to the finished DVD?

 

It was a long process. The DVD itself has 7 hours. It is just filled with so much stuff. We started shooting in the summer of last year, 2006. It wasnt finished until maybe January 2007. So it was about a six months process from start to finish. There were the shoots themselves which were pretty tedious, and then there was the gathering of all the archival footage, that I had to gather and compile and stuff, and that was another big process and then there is the whole post-production process and editing and every time I had to sit down on with a new card - it took 7 hours to walk through the DVD and make my notes and I had to do that many many times. So it was a long involved process. Basically I was doing it throughout the making of Systematic Chaos. I mean I was juggling two major projects right there, writing recording and playing a new album in the studio. And dealing with the instructional dvd, it was a lot of work.

 

But you managed it as I think very successfully - are you confident with the result of the DVD?

 

Yeah, I am proud of it, I think it covers a lot of ground, I think the guys from Hudson Music do great great quality videos. The quality of the production is great and the volume of the contents which is what I kind of had the control over, I think was very in depth and informative and entertaining, even if you are not a drummer. Yeah I am very proud of it.

 

On the the third DVD of "In Constant Motion" I could see some drummer including Jason Bittner
sitting with you behind your triple bass kit - How do you organise such drum duetts?

 

Well, the last couple of tours, I stopped doing drum solos live. I only do them occassionally and usually only if I have a drummer friend at the show visiting. Maybe I throw it in as an opportunity to get somebody up there to join me. And like I mentioned in the video, I have done drum duetts so far- I have had so many different people sitting at the kit with me, Mike Mangini, Alan White, Scott Rockerfield, Jason, Charlie, Richard Cristy, that are on the video. When you have this big drumset that is build for two people - it is fun to have two people on it.
But it is not like a competetive thing, any time we have done it, it was always just about fun, having fun together - it was not like trying to show of or how we do each other, more just playing
our favourtie drum riffs and fills - just having fun with it.

And as we can see you are having fun there. Mike I read that you have been on the G3 tour?Yes, hat was good. Actually we did a G3 in South America in last november and then Australia in december and then we just did america this past march and april. For me that‘s fun to just play drums and just be a drummer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new album Systematic Chaos is again full of difficult drum parts, was it a hard job for you to play those parts?Well I mean, there are moments that are easy and moments that are difficult. Some of them are more technical passages that were difficult - you know because when I record my drum parts, the songs are brand new – and sometimes have only been written hours or days earlier, so it is not like I have weeks and months to write just the parts and get comfortbale with them and practice them, so I am very much on the spot to be able to execute my parts immediately. So at times the really difficult technical passages take a lot of concentration and a lot of focus to be able to nail but the time we are playing the stuff live starting in june, it will be a walk in the park for me, it‘s easy. One title of the album is Constant Motion, and your new DVD is named Constant Motion, too - is there any connection?Well they are both about me. I mean the DVD came first, I just thought in Constant Motion was a perfect title, because, as I explained in the DVD, as a drummer your limbs are in constant motion and for me as an artist, my brain and body is in constant motion. That is where I came up with the DVD title, then the song title came much later on, once we wrote the song musically, I thought it would be a perfectly song to write about. The song itself felt so driving and energetic, it felt like a car or train moving, or rollercoaster ride. Then I just decided that it could be a good song to have the topic of constant motion which is a matter for what’s going on in my brain in all times. What’s going on in your brain all times, you doing all the merchandise stuff, website stuff,
how do you handle that? Beside playing music?It’s not easy, it is a 24 hour job, I mean the others guys get to go home and spend time with their families and their wifes and their children. And I am still juggling 3000 of the things for Dream Theater, edditing a video, or dealing with the merchandiser, dealing with the upcoming tour, taking the opening bands, well I mean the list goes on and on and on, how do I do it? I dont know, it’s just a constant juggeling, a constant juggeling match you know, just trying to somehow focus and be productive and I dont know – it is a lot of work, a lot of work.And beside that you also have to travel a lot around in the world - do you like that ?Yeah – Yeah I do. I dont like the actual travel part, like being on an airplane or being on a bus. But I do like being on the road and playing.Being in motionYeah exactly

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Portnoy - I guess ONE can hardly find another drummer who is talked that much about. Having released his new DVD "In Constant Motion" and with his band Dream Theater the new album "Systematic Chaos" he proved once again, who he is and what musical level he has achieved through the years. So it was my pleasure to meet an amazing Mike Portnoy for a photoshooting with the new "Mirage Monster", at which he even turned on the whole stage lights for me and to talk with him about the new album, his DVD and overall -
of course himself.

Mike first of all thanks for your time. At first let's talk about the new Dream Theater Album "Systematic Chaos". Which adjectives would you use to describe the sound of the new dream theater album? I would say dark, heavy, aggressive and powerful.Will there be a fan studio dvd like the "Ten degrees of turbulent drumming" one?Yeah, if you mean like a drum cam dvd, yeah – actually my hope is to have it ready for the same exact week as the album so that is my hope we will see if we can stay on schedule.
(Note by the editor: SysDRUMatic Chaos is out now, available at mikeportnoy.com) So did you have any changes in your triple bass kit for the upcoming tour with Systematic Chaos?I‘ll have a new kit for the tour, what I used on the album was ehm the same Albino monster that I had on the Octav tour, that is what I used to record on the album. But for the upcoming tour I will have an acrylic Tama Mirage kit. It will be the unvealing of the new Mirage Monster.Does that mean you changed the drum shell setup or even sizes?Well, the left side will be the same as my Albino monster, but the right side will be a 20“ kick, two octobans

 

 

Does "just being a drummer" mean to be out of dream theater?

 

I am used to working outside of DT. I do it a lot. So in fact the G3 is the closest side-project I have, that is like dream theater. Just because I am working with John. So it is not too detached from dream theater, with the same working partner.

 

The G3 tour was on different continents - do you experience a difference among the fans of different countries and or continents?

 

Yeah you can see all the different life styles, and different personalitites. You know the Japanese, and the French and the Germans, the Brazilians - they are all very different types of people and they all react differently at the concerts, they have different ways of showing their affections for you both on and off the stage. And even in America - you can go throughout in America. The people in texas are different from the people in new york and different from the people in california. It's one of the interesting things when travelling around in the world - you get to know so many different types of people.

 

Well after a show wherever it took place - what are you doing after a concert?

 

I am usually absolutely exhausted physically. I get on the bus and deal with my emails and try to watch a DVD or something. But I am usually up for many many hours, I am always the last person to go to sleep on the bus. The other guys go to sleep maybe twelve to one clock, I am usually up to three or four every night. And then I sleep latest the next day. I just try to relax and watch dvds.

 

DVDs good headword- Mike you have a huge DVD-Collection – do you remember the last DVD you added to that library?

 

Oh...you got me....you stumped me. What did I buy..... the last real dvd that I added to my collection, was the new Machine Head album that came with a bonus dvd, so that is the last one I just put into my DVD folder, that is a music DVD.

 

How big is your DVD library?

 

Thousands, I dont know exactly. But maybe 10th of thousands, yeah it is pretty outragious.

 

Mike, beside your DVD collection, you also have a huge Dream Theater "museum" ?

 

Yeah you know a live giant library and archives. I have every show we ever played, every session studio every day in the studio, writing and recording everything is totally d0cumented and organized. The Dream Theater Fans all around the world better pray that my house never catches fire.

 

We just talked about DVDs - I was wondering whether you watch the instructional dvds of other drummers or not?

 

Not as much as I used to. I used to follow them and love them and buy them and pick them up and watch them. But I have less and less time. But I do stay up on them, like Hudson will send me whenever there are new dvds - I just got the Thomas Lang one and The Modern Drummer festivals. So I don't have time like to watch every minute, I scan through them and watch a little bit of everything, just to see enough to be inspired and see what other drummers are doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's stay a little bit longer at media related stuff - what do you think about the whole myspace thing?

 

I think it’s great. I only just openend my myspace page for the first time, like in the past months or two. I think the internet is an absolutely amazing thing, a great thing for fans and musicians and artists you know, it is all about sharing, sharing the art, so I think it is cool.

 

I have seen that you have added Derek and Charlie to your top friends in the mike space list, who were former members of Dream Theater - so you still have good contact to them?

 

YeahI am still in touch with both of those guys. I am very good friend with both of them, still. I try to support them wherever I can. I mean Charlie's news album, actually I helped him get the record deal and find the band and helped them. And the same with Derek - we have always been very supportive of his solo carrier. We never a had bad falling out with either of those guys.

 

So it was not like, they quit the job at dream theater, and you never saw them again?

 

Sure

 

Mike some questions about you - can you cook?

 

Not at all. But my wife and even more my wife's mother, my mother in laws, is an amazing cook. And she lives down the block from my family, from me and my wife. So I go to eat there all of the time.

 

Haha that's good for you then - do you have a favourite episode from "The Simpsons"?

Well I lost track of "The Simpsons". I mean I still love it when I watch it, but they have been on for so many years, I can't keep up with them. I watched more of " Family Guy" these days, I think I may like it even more than the simpsons - actually.

 

Just a fun question – why is the color of your beard sometimes blue?

 

My dad always said it’s better to have a blue beard than blue balls.

 

- Meaningful short break -

 

- Actually my dad never said that, I just said that. Laughs

 

OK Mike after we cleared that question - I was wondering when you come to Germany, how do you like the fans here?

 

Germany was the first country in Europe to really embrace Dream Theater, the very first Europe tour we did here in '93, the german show was the craziest for us, they were the fans, the best attendees the best receptions. We have a very long standing relationship with the german fans. You know through the years all the other countries have caught up and even surpassed Germany in terms of numbers. We play bigger places in other countries. But we still have a long relationship with the german fans. We look forwared to building it up even more in the future.

 

 

 

How is it for you know to be who you are - Mike Portnoy - so many drummers talk about you, admire

you and want to be able to play like you do - you are a big idol in the drumming scene, how is that?

 

It is an honor and a privilege to be able to do what I do for a living and be successful at it and it is all you know - we have the greatest fans in the world and they make it possible for me to do what I get to do and it is flattering, the recognition in the drum community and stuff that I‘ve, it is amazing it's falttering, you know all my dreams have come true. I have a lot of gratitude for it.

 

Did you have kind of plan B for job instead of a drummer?

 

On one hand I know I am very busy and creative, doing a million things in my career that don't have to do with drumming so much, but really AT ALL stamps from the drumming, if i wasn't a drummer I wouldn't be able to do all of these other things, like side-projects, videos and editing and touring. The things I do within my life, were all stamped from drumming, so I really thank god that I have that as my starting point. If I didn't have that, I wouldnt be able to do any of those things. I dont know what else to do. I am not a very handy person. I dont know. I thank god that I have my career.

 

Do you sing in the shower?

 

No I dont think so.

 

Being at home do you practice on your drums?

 

No, I mean when Ii am home, I ‘m never really physically playing, I do have bunch of drum set up at my house, never really find myself playing them, cause Ii spend so much time playing them when I am not home.
Most of the time when I'm home, I kind of just tapping away with my hands and my feet, humming things in my head. It is more of a mental kind of practice than a physical one.

 

Let's talk a little bit about movies - did you see the spider man movies?

 

I did not - but my daughter loves the spider-man movies.

 

So what’s your favourite movie in the last months?

 

My favourite movie last year was "Children of Men", I thought that was a brilliant movie really really well made. What have I seen in the past months - oh I’ve just seen "Grind House", Quentin Tarrantino, Rodriguez double feature.
That was fun.

 

Do you go a lot of to the cinema when you are at home?

 

I go more when Im on tour actually, cause when im home when I'm home my wife wants to see all the crappy movies (laughs) so I'm stuck seeing all the hollywood blockbuster crap, when I'm home. But when I'm on tour that is when I like go to the local independent theater and see the stuff I really like which is more independent.

 

Do you have a favourite musical record at the moment, you mentioned the Machine Head DVD?

 

My favourite album...actually I just got the new "Porcupine Tree" so that is my favourite one.

 

Mike what would you prefer - would you prefer an ice cream or a cup of tea?

 

A cup of tea, more than an ice-cream, but really a cup of coffee more than either of them. I am a coffee addict.

 

Back to drumming after this interesting part - what do you plan for the future in reference to DVD?

 

A drum cam dvd for the new dream theater album. And Ytse Jam Records which is our official boot leg series there will be a new dvd out through that later in the year ehm but thats it actually for now. Thats the only stuff that is currently in the works in my world.

 

Dream Theater music and of course the drumming is full of so many elements. A lot of drummers try to find out what you play - But how do you create them? Do you listen to a special guitar riff for example and think: ok there has to be the sound of an Octoban for example?

 

I dont think about it - as much as you would think I do. When we are writing I am concerning myself more with the writing of the song and the music and listening to what everybody else is doing and changing the arrangements, so when we are actually writing the drums just flow out of me, they just happen. You know I guess when we were writing these parts, I have time to you know play or try a groove on the hihat or try a groove on the right...experiment with different phrasings and patterns, but it usually is pretty obvious to me what I am supposed to be doing, it just flows, I dont have to think about it very much, it just happens.Like for us is it is my legs, my bassdrum patterns, I have no idea what they are doing. Even to this day. When I watch my drum videos, and they show just the bassdrums I get like really nervous watching it, cause if I thought about it, I think I would fuck it up. I dont think about it when I am playing, it just flows out of me.

 

Do you count any special parts ?

 

I do, when we are recording new songs. Well time intros, I have to count them, in order to probably execute them and learn them and play them, it takes concentration in those early stages, but like I said to earlier, by the time we are playing live, it is already embedded in my brain.

 

To be in a good physical constition do you go to the gym?

 

No I don't, playing drums is my only workout. I am very bad in staying in shape and staying healthy. I should do that more. I just turned 40. I need to take better care of myself. I dont take as good care of myself as I should.

 

Well seeing you and Jason Bittner on the Constant Motion DVD - are you good friends?

 

Yeah - yeah we have become good friends.

 

Do you jam sometimes together?

 

No the only time we played together was in my video. He has been to my house a few times and sat down in my drum room and played on the different kits. But usually when we hang out we're just hanging out.

 

Different kits - So how many different kits at home?

 

In my drum room I have got my Neil Peart kit, my John Bonham kit, my Ringo kit, my Keith kit, from the 4 tributes I did, then I have one of the Siamese Monsters, the black one that is setup too, Max's kit tama made, my sons custom kit, too. I think 6 kits setup at my house.

 

When you are at home and do not practice on drumkits or pads are you as good as you have been before when you are back on for example the stage?

 

Ehm I think so (laughs) maybe not, maybe not, I just think so and I could be wrong. But I think I have never been the type that has to practive every day. I was never like I had to do that. Couple of the guys in Dream Theater, feel like they have to practice every day. I think for me there are certain people that have natural abilities, and there are some people that have learned, and polished and practiced abilities. I think I am more the first type. You know I could not play for 5 months and sit down behind the kit and boom and actually there.
Maybe I am rusty and dont notice that, but I dont feel myself struggling. I feel like I am always ready. Probably not a good role model. I wouldnt suggest to younger drummers to not practice.
When I was younger I practiced a lot.

 

Mike how is it to give over 20 interviews on one day?

 

Tyiring...(laughs)...but you know what? I could imagine of worse things.

So it was really a problem for me to find some interesting new questions that I could ask you, when I looked at the MP FAQs on your website!

But you did good. Especially the one with the ice cream and the cup of tea - I never got asked that before.

 

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