Clearly, Mike Portnoy doesn't believe in summer vacations. In just a week, he and the rest of Dream Theater will head off as special guests on the sold-out Final Frontier Tour. And as soon as the master drummer is finished with Eddie and co, he'll hit the road with Avenged Sevenfold, subbing for the band's late drummer, Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan.
Mike Portnoy behind just part of his mammoth Black & Silver Monster kit. Image: © David Atlas/Retna Ltd./Corbis
Even so, Portnoy isn't so busy that he can't sit down for a MusicRadar interview. And being the good guy that he is, as he did two years ago, he's up for answering some of your questions.
What to ask? Well, you can get his thoughts on the Iron Maiden tour. Inquire about playing on Avenged Sevenfold's upcoming album and tour. Want to know about his new Tama Black & Silver Monster drum kit (and it is a monster, folks!)? We're sure he'll spill the beans. Or you could always see if he'll reveal some secrets about the next Dream Theater disc, due sometime in 2011.
What to do now
Get involved! Choose your question for Mike Portnoy and submit it like this:
Via MusicRadar (log in and leave a comment below with a link as usual)
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We'll pick the very best questions and ask them during the interview next week - good luck!
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Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.
“It’s a beautiful instrument that suits many different styles of playing”: Lerxst celebrates 40 years of Rush’s Grace Under Pressure by unveiling Grace – a limited edition replica of Alex Lifeson’s Hentor Sportscaster
"For me (it’s) the last, most egregious oversight in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”: Tom Morello says he’ll “chew” his leg off to get this band in