Drummer talks about his role in the band
In an interview with Noisefull magazine, drummer Mike Portnoy was asked about his role in Dream Theater, and he spoke about how he was much more than just a drummer:
“It bothers me when people compare me to the current drummer [of Dream Theater]. You can't make that comparison because at the moment he's just playing drums for the band, while I was a composer, co-writer of the songs and writer of lyrics, melodies, supervisor of fan clubs, websites, producing the albums and directing the videos. So yes, I think being reduced to just a drummer for those 25 years is kind of an insult.”
The magazine then asks if the drummer misses the role of leader:
“Well, the only thing I miss, to be honest, is being the captain of the ship. Because since I left Dream Theater, everything I’ve done since Dream Theater, I’ve never been the clear leader. Everything I’ve done with Flying Colors, The Winery Dogs, are more collaborative roles, and to be honest I miss the control I had in Dream Theater. I made 90% of the decisions and directions for Dream Theater myself and didn’t really discuss everything, and those guys kind of trusted me with that. So I miss that.”
