In a new conversation with Rolling Stone, Mike Portnoy said that he probably wouldn’t rejoin Dream Theater if the pandemic didn’t break out.
The other members of Dream Theater were also in the interview with Portnoy to talk about having the drummer back in the band. When the host asked if he was surprised by the reunion, Portnoy replied:
“Before the Covid pandemic, if you had asked me or any of these guys, ‘Was a reunion in the cards?’ I probably would’ve said, ‘I doubted that it could happen.’ I think if the lockdown hadn’t happened, you guys probably would’ve been on tour, and I would’ve been on tour with one of my 48 bands.”
The Pandemic Has Been A Chance For The Band
The musician shared how he reconnected with his former bandmates during the pandemic:
“But once we were all locked down, John [Petrucci] asked me to play on his solo album. Then, from there, Jordan [Rudess], John, and myself did the Liquid Tension Experiment album. And then I did John’s tour. So there were just these series of events of reconnecting us — not only on a musical level but also on a personal level for many years prior to that.”
James LaBrie’s First Reaction To Portnoy’s Return
In October 2023, Dream Theater announced that Portnoy returned to the band after 15 years of absence. Following the news, James LaBrie took to X and reacted to Mike’s comeback with the following words:
“Wow, what can I say, I’ve been pretty silent and overwhelmed with the reaction… Thank you for the incredible response to the reunion of Dream Theater classic line up. We are beyond grateful and excited. Gonna be one hell of ride for all. Welcome home, my friend.”
Dream Theater’s New Album Is On The Way
Later, John Petrucci confirmed in a chat with Guitar World that there would be a new Dream Theater album featuring Portnoy. He explained:
“So, we start the new album in less than two weeks. And we’re looking forward to it. It’s really exciting to have [Portnoy] back in the band. We started the band together. I talked [earlier in the interview] about being 18 at Berklee [College Of Music]; that’s where we met. And we’ve been friends ever since. So, having him back in the band is really special to all of us. I know he’s really excited as well.”
Last week, in a video on Dream Theater’s official X account, Portnoy and Petrucci announced they finished writing sessions for a new album. This is the drummer’s first work with the band after 2009’s ‘Black Clouds & Silver Linings.’
