Mike Portnoy

Michael Stephen Portnoy ( born April 20, 1967 in Long Beach, Long Iceland, New York) is an American drummer. He is particularly known as a founding member of the band Dream Theater, which he left on 8 September 2010.

Life

Born in Long Beach, New York, Mike Portnoy grew up as the son of a rock and roll disc jockeys. According to its own information of his father's profession had a direct relation to his musical development. At eleven, he taught himself to play the drums when, inspired by the plates of his father. After his time in high school, where he played in several bands, Mike joined the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was John Petrucci and John Myung to know - the other founding members of Dream Theater.

Together with guitarist John Petrucci, he wrote most lyrics for Dream Theater. He also has an extensive archive on the band's history. For example, he has to almost every concert recording.

Mike Portnoy is an avid collector of movies, series and generally everything that is available on DVD. In interviews, he announced that he films probably underestimated even more than music. Furthermore Portnoy served as director and editor of Dream Theater DVD "Live Scenes from New York ", " Live in Tokyo / 5 Years in a Live Time", " Live at Budokan " and " Score".

Through the lyrics of the songs " The Glass Prison", "This Dying Soul ", " Root Of All Evil ", " Repentance " and "The Shattered Fortress" is treated Portnoy himself, using Alcoholics Anonymous, from his many years of alcohol addiction. He is the alcohol abstinent since 2000 and treated in the - the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous sobriety Songs - Fans of "AA- cycle " baptized.

In 2003, Mike Portnoy involuntarily into the headlines when a criminal named Anthony Mendez claimed to be using a stolen card and mobile phones than Portnoy. Mendez booked appearances under Portnoy's name, ordered the drums parts and stole credit cards, etc. The charade was indeed cleared up after a few days, finished and sentenced Mendez to imprisonment, but Mendez appeared in summer 2006 again and cheated, even using his enormous detail knowledge about Portnoy career and personal life, people under Portnoy's name.

On 23 March 2007 Mike Portnoy left his new drum instructional video publish In Constant Motion. This video consists of three DVDs with a total of more than 7 hours of run time on each of the songs from the albums Train of Thought, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Octavarium are played. It is similar to its predecessor, Liquid Drum Theater. For this video Mike Portnoy has extra one drum set, which can be In Constant Motion Kit, customize it to play or perform the songs of Transatlantic better. The end of 2007 there was an opportunity to win it. Mike Portnoy is also known that he with Dream Theater contributes to many live performances the jersey of a sports team of the city, which will take place the concert. In the 2009 released album " Black Clouds & Silver Linings " he wrote the poignant ballad "The Best Of Times " in which he handled his father's recent death.

After the tragic death of the drummer of Avenged Sevenfold Mike Portnoy agreed to help the band in their studio work as a drummer. He was the favorite of the late drummer James Owen Sullivan. After the tour, the new album Mike Portnoy left the band, as it was planned from the beginning.

On September 8, 2010 it was announced on the official Dream Theater website that Portnoy would leave the band, because it will be sent straight back into the studio does not want to start direct new recordings, but the band asked, taking a year off to making. He now wants to move on to other challenges. A short later requested re-entry refused the rest of the band.

In January 2011, Portnoy has teamed up with Steve Morse, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue and Casey McPherson to record an album. The band operates under the name Flying Colors; the album was released on 26 March 2012.

Also in 2011 founded Portnoy along with Russell Allen, Mike Orlando and John Moyer, the Hard-Rock-/Heavy-Metal-Supergroup Adrenaline Mob, released their self-titled EP in the same year. On 13 March 2012, the album Omerta, which in addition to the four original compositions, some cover songs followed.

Since 2012, Portnoy is working with the Mr Big - bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarist Richie Kotzen on a project that bears the name of The Winery Dogs since 2013. The power trio released his self-titled debut album on 23 July 2013.

On April 3, 2013 it was announced that Mike Portnoy of progressive rock band Bigelf connected as the new drummer.

Drums

The Albino Monster

The " Albino Monster " was created between the images of Train of Thought ( 2003) and the eighth studio album of the band, Octavarium ( 2005). With several other musicians (including Daniel Gildenlöw of the Swedish band Pain of Salvation ) gave Mike a handful of concerts as the " Hammer of the gods ," a Led Zeppelin cover band. The drum set used in this case in the John Bonham - style had him here so much, that Mike let it be for the right half of the albino monster.

Mike Portnoy - Albino Monster Kit Configuration

A: OCT343N 343mm x 6 " Octoban
B: OCT390N 390mm x 6 " Octoban
C: OCT443N 443mm x 6 " Octoban
D: OCT472N 472mm x 6 " Octoban
E: MP125 12 " x 5" MP Signature Snare Drum
Q: SMF1616 16 "x 16 " Floor Tom
G: SMB2218 22 "x 18" Bass Drum
H: SMT0808 8 " x 8" Tom Tom
I: SMT1009 10 "x 9" Tom Tom
J: SMT1210 12 " x 10" Tom Tom
K: SMB2218 22 "x 18" Bass Drum
L: MP1455 14 " x 5.5" MP Signature Snare Drum
M: SMT1406 * 14 " x 6" Tom Tymp ( Custom model with resonant head )
N: SMT1410 14 " x 10" Tom Tom
O: SMB2614 26 " x 14 " Bass Drum
P: PBS265 14 " x 6.5 " Brass Snare Drum
Q: SMF1616 16 "x 16 " Floor Tom
R: SMF1816 18 " x 16 " Floor Tom

* not standard size

Ultimately, Mike Portnoy changed its configuration of the albino monster after the recording of the album Systematic Chaos; However, only the right side of the kit. It was him, in his own words, too large and thus he left them in a "normal " change so rather corresponding to the standard drum shape ( Toms smaller, and instead of the 26 "x 14" a 20 " x 18" bass drum ). From this idea, the Mirage - monster emerged.

The Mirage Monster

The " Mirage Monster " is a Tama Starclassic Mirage set, so a huge, transparent set. There are always two sides as the Siamese and albino monster exists, but the right side of the kit is a mix of the right side of the Siamese and albino monster, which has the consequence that the large floor tom of Albinokits and the gong bass drum from Siamesekits both are available.

Mike Portnoy used this set on the "Chaos in Motion Tour 2007 ". The set debuted at the Gods of Metal festival in Italy on June 3, 2007.

Discography

2011: Adrenaline Mob (EP)
2012: Omertà
2013: Covertà (EP)

2003: A Twist of Fate

2010: Nightmare

2012: Flying Colors
2013 Live in Europe

2003: Testimony
2004: One
2005:?
2011: Testimony 2
2012: Momentum

2003: Office of Strategic Influence
2006: Free

2013: The Winery Dogs

2000: SMPTe
2001: Bridge Across Forever
2002: Live in America
2003: Live in Europe
2009: The Whirlwind
2010: Whirld Tour 2010 - Live from the Shepard 's Bush Empire, London
2014: Kaleidoscope

Awards

Awards from 'Modern Drummer' Readers

Best Progressive Rock Drummer ( 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 )
Best Clinician (2000, 2002)
Best Up & Coming ( 1994)
Best Recorded Performance of the Year Awake ( 1995)
A Change of Seasons (1996 )
Falling into Infinity (1998)
Scenes from a Memory (2000)
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)

Liquid Drum Theater ( VHS) (2000)
Liquid Drum Theater ( DVD) ( 2002)

Mike Portnoy was admitted in 2004 into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. In addition to Neil Peart Mike is one of the youngest members, which this award was for the glory.

A special honor was Mike Portnoy with the 3 CD album - proved, which has the producer Anthony Morse collected and made freely available " Honor Thy Drummer A Tribute to Mike Portnoy ".

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