During his appearance on the Office Hours Live With Tim Heidecker , Mike Portnoy , drummer of the legendary Dream Theater , commented on the recent wave of layoffs of renowned drummers.
Among the names mentioned, the drummer recalled Josh Freese ( Foo Fighters ), Zak Starkey ( The Who ), Jason Bonham and Frank Ferrer ( Guns N' Roses ).
Portnoy, who returned to Dream Theater in October 2023 after 13 years away from the band, spoke about the matter, stating that no one is safe. “ I think it’s a Spinal Tap Ringo Starr ’s son John Bonham ’s son were fired, imagine the rest of us,” he joked.
Josh Freese's dismissal from the Foo Fighters surprises Portnoy.
Regarding Josh Freese's departure after two years with the Foo Fighters, Portnoy revealed he was quite surprised by the news. "Honestly, it was shocking. I thought Josh was perfect for the band. It's scary being a drummer these days," he commented.
During the show, when one of the hosts suggested that Shane Hawkins , son of the late Taylor Hawkins , could take over on drums for the band, Portnoy replied that not even the sons of famous drummers are safe.
In a joking tone, Portnoy states that he is worried about his professional security, saying that he is afraid for his career: "I'm in 15 bands, so I have 15 times more chances of being fired!".
Regarding the controversy with The Who, the drummer also commented on Zak Starkey's departure from The Who. According to him, it all started at a show at the Royal Albert Hall.
On that occasion, during the performance of " The Song Is Over , " Roger Daltrey came on early during the second verse, interrupted the show, and, visibly irritated, blamed the sound mixing—more specifically, the drum volume—for not being able to hear his own voice.
However, the problem, according to Portnoy, is that Zak Starkey wasn't even using an acoustic drum kit. He was playing an electronic kit, and the sound engineer was controlling the volume.
For Mike, the blame lay elsewhere: "If anyone should have been fired at that moment, it was the monitor technician, not Zak."
Mike Portnoy's return to Dream Theater
On February 7, 2025, the band Dream Theater released their 16th studio album, Parasomnia , through InsideOut Music. This is their first work with Portnoy since Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009).
Above all, it's worth remembering that Portnoy co-founded Dream Theater in 1985 alongside John Petrucci and John Myung . Mike recorded 10 albums between 1989 and 2009, leaving the group in 2010 and being replaced by Mike Mangini .
Portnoy officially returned to the band in October 2023.
Following their successful 40th-anniversary tour, the band announced their fall tour in the US, titled An Evening With Dream Theater – Parasomnia Tour , which, incidentally, included stops in three Brazilian cities in December 2024.
READ ALSO : Mike Portnoy: “Some people ignore the metal side of Dream Theater”
