For those of you that may not know, Dream Theater (with Mike Portnoy) is my favorite band. Just for the record, this song is what got me into them, and listening to the drums intently really made me a HUGE Mike Portnoy fan. James LaBrie is a studio vocalist though... not very good live. Portnoy left the band over ten years ago, and some have believed it was due to tensions with LaBrie. Portnoy has maintained a relationship with every band member BUT LaBrie, even furthering the hunches that something was afoot between the two.

Well, recently, the guitarist John Petrucci announced his new solo album will be released in the fall.... and also announced his drummer will indeed be Mike Portnoy. Just a few days prior to that, Jordan Rudess, the keyboardist, announced that he, Portnoy, and Petrucci will all be doing a third album with Mr. Tony Levin, the world famous bass player.

My heart is full.

 

Ohio, What's up with the hood? Did you or someone else put the brown on over an original white paint? It looks almost like the Dupli Color peel off paint once it's hit its "sell by" date.

 

10 years already? Doesn't seem like it was that long ago and I still remember the videos of auditions for Mike's replacement. I'll bet they're all back together again soon. Of course 10 years seems soon now. lol

 

Technically it's not 10 years until September 9th.... but close enough, LOL.

 

I think I overdid it with 2400# of rock.
(I had no idea as I was loading it up!)




The rear tire isn't flattened out like it looks, and I had about an inch to the bump stops. Jack stands will take the stress off the springs until I can unload it.

 

Spent my night getting the drive shaft in, then the putting the damn H-pipe in it. It is an SN95 H-pipe that I had laying around. Hopefully it doesn't leak. I think it is going to leak on the drivers side connection to the flow tube. It doesn't quite line up right. Whoever welded the flow tube onto the muffler has the angle off just a bit.

 

That's a hood I traded for the one off the '99. The paint was cracked/crazed all over when I got it, but it was the right color, and looked better that the hail-damaged one it replaced. It's gotten worse and worse over time.

EDIT: That hood is gray, but the sky reflection and/or lighting is making it look brown. The white is the factory primer.

 

White, Came across this and thought you'd like to see it.

 

White,

This was the first I'd ever heard of the guy. He's an online drum teacher from Spain, doesn't play with anyone although he obviously could and it seems his goal is to demonstrate that any drummer can cover any other drummer on a 3 piece drum set while using a single bass drum and pedal. He's an interesting guy but the closed caption translation sucks. He also must have the attention of drum manufacturers from all the stuff he's tried out and gives away. He says Portnoy is his favorite prog drummer but I'm blown away by how effortless he makes what he's doing look. Mangini playing the same song looks like he's going to pop a blood vessel while Estepario looks like he doing the crossword puzzle while on the throne and adding all the stick tricks at the same time.

 

I have some video from the Sons of Apollo show I went to back in January.... you know, before we couldn't do anything?

It is absolutely amazing to watch Portnoy play. He has so much going on all the time.... and he uses "down" moments to either twirl a stick or pump up the audience. His singing has come a long way over the past decade too. The singing he did on Comfortably Numb was so good. I did hear him mention Mike being his favorite prog drummer, and I also see that Estepario has adapted a lot of the same characteristics of MP. He is a huge influence on Prog.