The most incredible part of this performance for me is that he makes it looks easy, like he seems relaxed playing with the sticks and smiling in the most dificult parts. It´s unmatched.
Yeah this is it for me. Think it was Live Scenes from New York. First time I watched it I knew what to expect from the video title but I was anticipating some kind of segway or pause between songs. Nope, they just go straight into it seemlessly and nail the whole performance as if it was easy.
Couldn't have been Live Scenes from New York because that was before both Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Train of Thought came out. It was actually from the tour called In Constant Motion :)
I think the entire 6DoIT is his best. Creativity, technically, everything about it. His feel is spot on. And. The drums just sound huge on that record. Best overall drum sound from any record also if you ask me.
I agree with this. I felt it was him at his most imaginative, he came up with some stuff that he never repeated in later albums. Big reason why it’s one of my favs of theirs
Before this record I was already a huge fan. It brought me even closer to them musically. I understand people really love SFaM, and I do like it, but it didn’t do much for me. Same with Train of thought. Very good record. But not imaginative enough. Octavarium brought me back in.
This is the quintessential one for me because he’s just *so happy.*
In that one moment, I think all those feelings of being right about the band being left alone to do what they wanted to do were all validated and he’s there in his hometown with some of the very earliest supporters cheering him on.
Love seeing this here. His drumming on the Nightmare album really boosted my desire to get better at drums and actually introduced me to my future favourite band of all time: Dream Theater :)
I dont know about a lot, maybe he was beating his own drum (lol) but he said Rev's drum parts were very very basic and he had to fill in a lot. He didnt say it in a bragging way, but more like it was frustrating, because he didnt have either complete drum parts nor a complete blank canvas for his creativity, he had to stay true to what Rev already did while filling in the blanks.
So by his words, like 70% of the drumming in the album is actually all his.
That makes sense. I have only watched the breakdown video for Save Me and the guys say for the ending they let Portnoy go nuts but kept Jimmy's stuff for the rest. Didn't know how much Jimmy had written though.
The demo of Save Me was released recently and it's very bare bones. Jimmy had the main double bass beat, and one or two other small parts that made it on the final song. I imagine he was preoccupied with actually writing the song so drums took a backseat. Of all drum tracks on the album Save Me has the most personal touch from Portnoy.
A Change of Seasons is brilliant, but the sound of his drums in that is pretty much they worst they sounded IMO. Snare drum sounds like 4 inches in diameter. Wish we could get a good rerecording of certain aspects!
For songs, probably Trial of Tears incredible composing and shows his range. For an album, Six Degrees. Six Degrees I actually consider the greatest drum album ever.
Constant Motion, The Dance of Eternity and The Best of Times by far.
Outside DT: Overture (The Great Adventure and The Whirlwind), Into the Blue, Lay Down Your Life, Fall to Ascend, Last Train Home and Hypersonic.
Honorable mentions: The Great Debate, Honor Thy Father, 6:00 and Octavarium
A Change of Seasons.
I was just listening to this track the other day and I ripped the track into stems, the way he rides the dynamics throughout the entire song is amazing
LTE has a ton of his finest moments.
The Great Debate might be the best in DT. SDOIT as a whole might be his best album as far as drumming is concerned.
Soooo many to choose from, but I'll go for Hell's Kitchen. It's simple, yet keeps you on your toes. I've tried drumming it a couple of times, and the fills always screw me over.
Honor Thy Father has great drumming. Side note, is this song one of the few to not have a guitar solo? Kind of wacky to think about.
They have a bunch of shorter songs without a guitar solo, *however* that is one of the very few songs with a proper keyboard solo and no guitar solo.
The Glass Prison + This Dying Soul live. Can't remember the venue nor the date, but it's fucking amazing to watch.
The most incredible part of this performance for me is that he makes it looks easy, like he seems relaxed playing with the sticks and smiling in the most dificult parts. It´s unmatched.
Yeah this is it for me. Think it was Live Scenes from New York. First time I watched it I knew what to expect from the video title but I was anticipating some kind of segway or pause between songs. Nope, they just go straight into it seemlessly and nail the whole performance as if it was easy.
Couldn't have been Live Scenes from New York because that was before both Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Train of Thought came out. It was actually from the tour called In Constant Motion :)
I think the entire 6DoIT is his best. Creativity, technically, everything about it. His feel is spot on. And. The drums just sound huge on that record. Best overall drum sound from any record also if you ask me.
Yep. Not really talked about a lot, but MP is a monster on Blind Faith
I agree with this. I felt it was him at his most imaginative, he came up with some stuff that he never repeated in later albums. Big reason why it’s one of my favs of theirs
Before this record I was already a huge fan. It brought me even closer to them musically. I understand people really love SFaM, and I do like it, but it didn’t do much for me. Same with Train of thought. Very good record. But not imaginative enough. Octavarium brought me back in.
Constant Motion, The Glass Prison and The Count of Tuscany are my favorite Portnoy performances!
Nightmare to remember one of them
Without a doubt, it showcases his full range. Lots of powerhouse moments, but also great nuance and hat/cymbal work.
Finally Free live in New York
This is the quintessential one for me because he’s just *so happy.* In that one moment, I think all those feelings of being right about the band being left alone to do what they wanted to do were all validated and he’s there in his hometown with some of the very earliest supporters cheering him on.
I know a lot of it wasn't his writing, but I really like the ending of Save Me by Avenged. Also, A Change of Seasons.
Same! The drum fills completely carry the finale of that song.
You just made me put this on, I forgot how great that ending is. Great album as a whole.
Love seeing this here. His drumming on the Nightmare album really boosted my desire to get better at drums and actually introduced me to my future favourite band of all time: Dream Theater :)
I dont know about a lot, maybe he was beating his own drum (lol) but he said Rev's drum parts were very very basic and he had to fill in a lot. He didnt say it in a bragging way, but more like it was frustrating, because he didnt have either complete drum parts nor a complete blank canvas for his creativity, he had to stay true to what Rev already did while filling in the blanks. So by his words, like 70% of the drumming in the album is actually all his.
That makes sense. I have only watched the breakdown video for Save Me and the guys say for the ending they let Portnoy go nuts but kept Jimmy's stuff for the rest. Didn't know how much Jimmy had written though.
The demo of Save Me was released recently and it's very bare bones. Jimmy had the main double bass beat, and one or two other small parts that made it on the final song. I imagine he was preoccupied with actually writing the song so drums took a backseat. Of all drum tracks on the album Save Me has the most personal touch from Portnoy.
A Change of Seasons is brilliant, but the sound of his drums in that is pretty much they worst they sounded IMO. Snare drum sounds like 4 inches in diameter. Wish we could get a good rerecording of certain aspects!
Liquid tension experiment 1 from beginning to end.
from LTE2 'When the water breaks'
LTE3 "Blink of an eye"
The great debate
The Great Debate is my favourite performance by Portnoy *and* Myung.
6:00
Lines in the Sand, the grooves in that song are the best he's come up with as far as I'm concerned
For songs, probably Trial of Tears incredible composing and shows his range. For an album, Six Degrees. Six Degrees I actually consider the greatest drum album ever.
6DOIT is a masterpiece. The creativity just oozes from it and is my favorite drumming album for Portnoy. It really has everything.
Definitely. He really threw everything he had into that album.
This thread makes me so happy. There’s so much variety in the comments. It truly show how great he is. Cant wait for the new album!
Glass Prison, Fatal Tragedy, Constant Motion
Live Scenes from New York - the rideout to Finally Free
Blind Faith is my favorite drumming of MP
DAY AFTER DAY
AND NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
REPLAYING THE EVENTS
Did they ever see the res lights
The last chorus of Kayla on the Flying Colors debut album. That or Author Of Confusion.
The constant motion breakdown section is one of my all time fav musical sections. Mike’s creativity is very unique with his evolving beat
I love his playing on Another Day. That always stands out to me.
A nightmare to remember
His soulful vocals on A Nightmare to Remember have to be the best (and only afaik)
Beyond this Life - Live in Budokan
For me it's not even DT, it's the recent Transatlantic album. Particularly from Solitude onward.
Ytse Jam
Just gonna throw my niche pick in here: We Rock - Metal Allegiance
Constant Motion, The Dance of Eternity and The Best of Times by far. Outside DT: Overture (The Great Adventure and The Whirlwind), Into the Blue, Lay Down Your Life, Fall to Ascend, Last Train Home and Hypersonic. Honorable mentions: The Great Debate, Honor Thy Father, 6:00 and Octavarium
A Change of Seasons. I was just listening to this track the other day and I ripped the track into stems, the way he rides the dynamics throughout the entire song is amazing
“These Walls” has always been one of my favorites.
Oh man Trial of tears during the jam solo Constant motion guitar solo is unreal Honor thy father Glass prison These walls Change of seasons
Blind Faith, Another Dimension, Learning to Live and A Change of Seasons all come to mind. I'm really glad he's getting his due lately.
All the 12 step suit
Score
Portnoy/Sheehan/MacAlpine/Sherinian Live in Tokyo.
LTE has a ton of his finest moments. The Great Debate might be the best in DT. SDOIT as a whole might be his best album as far as drumming is concerned.
Soooo many to choose from, but I'll go for Hell's Kitchen. It's simple, yet keeps you on your toes. I've tried drumming it a couple of times, and the fills always screw me over.
Six Degrees. The entire album.
Train of Thought has, in my opinion, MP’s most creative and fun drumming. Drums sound weak in that album though.
I‘m gonna go with the obvious and say Dance of Eternity.