Mike Portnoy interview (excerpt)

What impressed me the most after your departure from Dream Theater was your fear of becoming Roger Waters of Dream Theater and never coming back to the band you founded. Have you now come to terms with this fear?

I hope it isn’t just another Roger Waters situation. It was always very sad, as a Pink Floyd fan, that Roger never came back to the band, except that one Live 8 show. All I ever wanted in Dream Theater, was to take some years off, because everything else I thought was great. I wanted all the band members to take it and to be for some time on our own. I want it to take it, but the others wanted to go on. I surely hope that it will not have the same result as Pink Floyd and as far as Waters, but the ball is in their court. I think I could come back in the band in a few years when I think everybody will have a little of a probate. But the ball is in their court.

Back in the early ‘90s, I think Dream Theater were the first band which made public that they liked bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd and Yes. How difficult was that decision? 

That wasn’t a conscious decision. I always have been and I always will be a music fan and person foremost and I will always speak about the bands I love. The other guys in Dream Theater they are not so much fans as I am, so I don’t think they have ever spoken as much as I do. For me, there was never a conscious plan to talk about my influences. I did naturally do it because I’m a fan. I love talking about the music I’m listening to and the bands I grew up with.

But you were the first who did that!! I think only Voivod had done it before Dream Theater, covering Syd Barrett’s songs.. You were pioneers, even in this one.

I never really cared about what is cool or what isn’t or if prog bands are out of fashion. I don’t give a shit, I just talk about what I like and I’m still expressing the same way.

How do you decide while you are writing a song, which band this will fit with?

I don’ t know. Writing comes on its own. During all these years in Dream Theater it was always collaborating and collective writing. So, it isn’t like I’m sitting at home and write a song to say “Ok, which band this will fit with?” I just write with the band I work with, whether it’s Transatlantic or Dream Theater. In general mode, I just stick with those I ‘m working with and that’s why I’m collaborating and that’s where I put my creating energy. To those I ‘m working with, I focus myself and put myself down on the floor for working together with the other guys.