DREAM THEATER Singer JAMES LABRIE: I Care About MIKE PORTNOY Dearly

Steven Rosen of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: When Mike Portnoy, who's always done a lot of side projects, went out to do the AVENGED SEVENFOLD record, did you sense that anything might be different with him? That things were different and that things were gonna change?

LaBrie: No, not at all. I mean, Mike had mentioned that The Rev, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's drummer [the late James Owen Sullivan], was heavily influenced by Mike and that it was the rest of the guys' decision to want to honor his memory by bringing, you know, obviously in his main influence as far as drumming. So we said, "Yeah, you know. That's a great opportunity and we're not gonna stop you." I mean, obviously we all make our decisions and do what we feel is something that is a professional and sound decision, and that's exactly what it was. At that point it was all about him going there, recording the album. Initially it was just for him to record the album, and then it was maybe a few months later that he said, "The guys have asked me if I would tour with them."

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Did that feel a little strange?

LaBrie: At that point it kinda felt a little weird, like, "Hey, wait a minute, our drummer's gonna be drumming with somebody else?" Not that he hasn't done that; he's done that in the past. Other projects and jammed with other various musicians here and there, which is cool. So you have to put it into perspective and realize it for what it was. But there was no indication that he was unhappy with who and what DREAM THEATER is or represents at this current point in our lives or career. It just came about that we were enlightened to that mindset when we had our meeting in New York, which was originally scheduled for what we were going to be doing with the next album and what it was about and when we were gonna tour again. So it was only at that point that we really… it was a shock. You know, it was kinda like, "What? [laughs]. What did you just say?" I think it's unfortunate. You know, I just did an interview the other day and obviously my words were taken outta context. One of the questions was, "Are you sad?" and I said, "I'm not sad." And, you know, in retrospect, yeah. Should I have answered it so brashly? Maybe not, but basically, what I was trying to say is, "You know, I think it's unfortunate that he left and that this is where he is. But at the same time, we as DREAM THEATER and as a band, we have to think of our current situation and what our options are and our only option that we want is that we have to move onward and upward."

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Of course.

LaBrie: You know, I think it's really unfortunate that he left. I think I could've been clearer by saying, "Am I sad? Well, I felt bad about it when it went down," but I can't linger in that ‘cause life just doesn't exist like that. It doesn't afford those luxuries to wallow in our sorrow and not do anything about it, right? And, unfortunately, too many people just kinda misconstrued my words and said, "Oh, shit, he's insensitive, he doesn't care." Bullshit, that's the furthest thing from the truth. I care about the man dearly.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Maybe hurt might've been a little more accurate?

LaBrie: Yeah, absolutely. But, hey, obviously when you're in this industry, that's what it's all about. It's controversy and it's people twisting your words and it's rumor and it's circumspect and it's all that shit. So, whatever, you gotta take it with a grain of salt and move forward.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Without any disrespect intended, it will be difficult to replace Mike, but not impossible. Your fans will still be there with you.

LaBrie: I think the important thing to remember is that still four-fifths of the band are there. And that, and I've mentioned this in other interviews, we're all quite capable of doing things individually that's musical. For instance, my solo album that's out now, "Static Impulse", and various things that we've done within DREAM THEATER. It really is unfortunate that this man at this point, Mike, has decided to go his separate ways, but we have to accept that, and there's no doubt in my mind that DREAM THEATER will still go on forward and be strong and come out with incredible music. Absolutely; no doubt.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: "Black Clouds and Silver Linings" was the last record with that lineup with Mike. It's still pretty recent history, but can you look back at it as sort of the last testament or statement of that lineup that will close that chapter with Mike?

LaBrie: No, I mean, I'm biased obviously. I absolutely loved the album. I think it was great. When I was doing interviews for that album I always said, "The thing I especially love about this is that I think we really went back to our roots as far as who and what we were as a band as DREAM THEATER." We pulled upon a lot of those influences and inspirations that earlier in our career really kinda formed and created who and what we were. So I think a lot of those elements are present on "Black Clouds and Silver Linings". You know, I don't even like to say that. [laughs] Like, you know, "Was it a great last album with Mike Portnoy?" Yeah, sure, it was a great last album with Mike. Who knows what the future holds? At this point our focus is on getting a drummer that we feel connected to both in the chemistry and personality and absolutely he has to be more than capable of playing what Mike played, which is incredible drumming. But yeah, I think it is a great testament for who and what he was. He was extremely passionate about everything that went into "Black Clouds and Silver Linings", so it's a true testament as to what he was within DREAM THEATER.

Read the entire interview from Ultimate-Guitar.com.