Mike Portnoy Imposter In New York!

Famous progressive metal drummer, Mike Portnoy, of Dream Theater, has an imposter roaming the streets of New York City.

* March 31, 2003, NYC *

Several people have e-mailed Portnoy’s website to say that they have been a victim of this impersonator. This guy appears to look just like Mike Portnoy, i.e. long black hair, beard and tattoos. He hang out in bars and restaurants, where he tries to get in contact with innocent fans. The victim’s stories all have one thing in common; the imposter knows a lot of detail about Mike’s personal life and musical career. After he has convinced his victims that he is Mike Portnoy, he tries to steal some of their belongings. He even stole one of his victim’s house keys, which he later used to try and sneak into the house.

One of the victims is Savatage guitar player, Chris Caffery, who wrote the following account:

“It is pretty scary actually, I had played some shows with Dream Theater, but never really talked to Mike. I was put on the phone with the imposter who said he knew me from a Monsters of Rock gig we did together in Brazil. I met up with him a few days later; though he was trashed, he knew everything there was to know about Dream Theater and Savatage. He was very convincing, but also very suspicious. I was with him as people recognised this guy, in bars and on the street, saying “Hi Mike” and “I love Dream Theater!” He had obviously been pulling this off for a while and even went as far as to call drum companies and order stuff using Mike’s name. I became skeptical when I listened to him attempt to play drums. I later checked Mike’s web site and saw that it was clearly not him. The situation was a bit embarrassing at first, as I did not want to disrespect Mike until I knew the truth... I immediately contacted the real Mike!”

Although this imposter seems to have to same looks as Mike Portnoy, there are still some notable differences:

• Mike doesn’t drink alcohol; this guy has been seen drinking in bars.

• Mike is happily married; the impersonator tells stories that aren’t true with regards to sexual problems and even goes as far as to try and get intimate with the guys he picks up.

• The real Mike CAN drum, as proven by the numerous prizes he has won in the Modern Drummer magazine; as you can see from the Caffery account, the impersonator can’t drum!

If you happen to have met this guy or think that you’ve seen him, please e-mail your story to webmaster@mikeportnoy.com