During a recent appearance on The Prog Report, Mike Portnoy revealed that he believes this period might be Dream Theater’s last chapter due to their ages.
The drummer talked about his return to Dream Theater and how it affected his other bands like The Winery Dogs and Sons of Apollo. He said he’s proud of his work outside Dream Theater over the past 13 years, but now Dream Theater is his main focus, especially for the next few years. He then continued, addressing the new album and upcoming tour of the band:
“We start working on a new album after the New Year. And I cannot wait to tour and get on stage with those guys again. That’s gonna be the most exciting thing about it, of it all. So, where the future lies for any of my other bands and projects, time will tell. Some will probably slip away; some will survive. And we’ll see; it might have future chapters. But right now, my focus is just on Dream Theater.”
Finding Closure And Looking Ahead
Portnoy also looked back on his career with Dream Theater, explaining:
“But I do have a tremendous sense of closure for all of that stuff I did do over the last 12, 13 years. And it was an amazing adventure and an amazing ride and I couldn’t be happier with the fruits of my labor. Really, it was an incredible time. But I’m ready for this — I don’t wanna say ‘final act,’ but the reality is if you look at our ages, it probably is the final act…”
Reconnecting With Band Origins
The musician added the following about the band’s early days:
“And there’s really no better place that I should be spending it than where it all began with my brothers in Dream Theater. We formed that band when I was in college. The three of us formed it in college as teenagers. It’s poetic justice that we should ride off into the sunset together and end it together as well. It really seems like that’s the way it should be.”
At a Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp Q&A in November, Mike discussed his uncertain role in Dream Theater after rejoining on October 25, 2023. The drummer said he was open to whatever the band decides about the setlist and looks forward to revisiting old and new music alike, but acknowledged he needs to adapt to the current collective working style of the band.
You can watch the full interview below.
