Interview with Mike Portnoy - 29-6-2012



Last Friday (29-6-12) Rockgig had the pleasure to have a 10 minute talk with drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy who was backstage at Glasgow Kingtuts before new supergroup Adrenaline Mob’s (Mike Orlando – Guitar, Russell Allen – Symphony X vocalist & John Moyer – Bass) first ever UK gig.

R         How has the European Tour been
            going?

MP      It’s been amazing really awesome.  There’s been excitement in the air.  It’s been great to have the fans in your face.  The fans all crowded together sweating it out. It’s been totally old school.

R         You’ve had a great contrast on the European leg with huge festivals and then small clubs. How’s that been?

MP      It’s been a great taste of both.  Our first European gig was at The Sweden Rock Festival that was amazing.  We’ve done Graspop, a huge show in Milan and Bospop next week.  From one extreme to another from big festivals to small club shows.  It’s been a great way to launch Adrenaline Mob in Europe and the UK.

R         Let’s get back to the start of Adrenaline Mob.  Mike Orlando had the songs for many years.  He brought Russell Allen in who called you, what was It that appealed to you when you heard the songs?

MP      I’d finished touring with Avenged Sevenfold with the Uproar Tour in the US.  We toured with Disturbed and Halestorm and I really enjoy that style of music.

            I wanted to do a project in that vein.  I’ve been a friend of Russell’s for many years and he called me up and said “check this out”.  I’ll be honest I was dreading it sounding like Dream Theatre.  The first tune I heard was “Undaunted”.  It had a real groove and something to bang your head to.  It was exactly what I wanted to do at this time of my career.

R         I read that you said it was nearer Avenged Sevenfold than Dream Theatre. Were you trying to get away from the long epic songs and the prog style sound?

MP      When I play with Transatlantic and Neal Morse I’m still playing the long epic songs.  I wanted to have fun, to make music that people want to bang their heads and bounce up and down.

            It’s all within my spectrum of music, it’s not all prog I do have other styles.

R         Were you asked to come in and be Mike Portnoy or did you have much input to the sound?

MP      The tunes were already there.  I did make suggestions and after many years of playing I’m capable of adapting.  It was the same approach with Avenged Sevenfold I do add my character to the music.  I know what’s best and can add to it what’s required.

R         How long did it take to record the CD?
 
MP      My drum tracks took 5 days or so and then the 
            overdubbing took a couple of months.

R         Were you all in the studio together?

MP      The basic tracks Mike did in his studio then Russell did his vocals before Jay Ruston mixed it.


R         When you went on tour last year, you released the EP
            to get some product out but with it not being mixed there was a little critical criticism but the “Omerta” CD sounds huge.  Would you do it again?

MP      Yes we would, no regrets.  We were lucky enough to get a major support on the Godsmack tour and we didn’t want to go on the road with no product available.  Although at the time we were recording the full album.  We wanted to show people what we were about and that it wasn’t prog.  It was all about getting the product out.

R         Do you see it a long term band or a project?

MP      We see it that this band has long term potential with a lot of projects,there isn’t a lot of time, its record then a short series of live dates.  We all have time to make this work.  We are all committed to the band.  We want to spend a year on the road.  Playing live is where this band will be.  We can see a real longevity here and you get that by being a live act, playing to the people.
 
R         You’ve dropped to a 4 piece now will it stay that way?

MP      When Rich Ward and Paul Dileo left we decided to go to the classic 
            4 piece like Black Sabbath, Van Halen or Pantera.

R         You helped bring in John Moyer.What was the most 
            important thing that John brings to the band? What 
            makes it special playing with him?


MP      John is a great guy and good to work with.  It’s a personality that works.  He had the experience and with Disturbed being on hiatus he also had the time to get involved fully.  He works well with a 4 piece band he knows how to fill out the sound.  He’s now committed to the Mob.

R         What are the bands plans after the European Tour?

MP      Some time off.  I have tours with Flying Colours, then the McAlpine, Sheehan and Sherinian tour and then Adrenaline Mob will reconvene in early 2013 for a year on the road.

R         After a long successful career what do you see as success now? Critical acclaim, sales or personal satisfaction?

MP      Personal satisfaction. When I left Dream Theatre I followed my heart.  I wanted play music that inspired me.  I have total gratitude for every single moment but I can’t stand still.  I need something to challenge me.  After 25 years in Dream Theatre it became just a job, like clocking on and clocking off.  It was the same schedules, the same venues I wanted something new, fresh and to be inspired, I wanted creative inspiration.  I had made my money this time it was starting from scratch again in the clubs.

R         “Omerta” has great artwork are you still a big fan of having the CD in hand?

MP      Today me and John went to HMV here in Glasgow I’ve not been to a shop like that for years.  In New York City you can’t find a store like that.  I spent 200 bucks and kept saying to John “Hey look at this?” I really miss doing that.  I like the convenience of downloads I have an Ipod with like 100gb on it but I do miss the shopping.

R         Did HMV have Adrenaline Mob cd today?

MP      I didn’t look but John did look and it wasn’t there.  I’m just about to send an email to the record company to tell them.

R         Congratulations on your recent award as Best Drummer/Progressive Drummer of the Year for 2012.

MP      Thanks a lot.

R         I’m an enormous Dream Theatre fan, now the dust has settled how do you see your time in Dream Theatre? What will be your legacy?

MP      I’m proud of every moment, every song, every CD and every show.  You can take me out of Dream Theatre, but you can't take Dream Theatre out of me.  I’ll always be linked to Dream Theatre, I’ll always be Mike Portnoy of Dream Theatre.  I can live with that.  I’m incredibly proud there is a lot of bands of that style that did what we did all the way from clubs to arenas.  I was overseeing the recording, all the shows, the fan club, the YTSE label I just needed a fresh challenge.

R         Congratulations on the Flying Colours CD I can’t wait for the Shepherds Bush show.  When do you get into Flying Colours mode?

MP      We start rehearsals on September 1st and the shows start the following week.


Sadly due to mobile phone issues between Oxford and Glasgow the interview
had to be cut short with a couple of questions left.

I’d like to thank Mike for his time and after seeing Adrenaline Mob in London can only hope that this is just the beginning.


ME

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