Mike Mangini seems to be fitting in with Dream Theater just fine. Having appeared on three albums in the past five years, including the ultra-ambitious The Astonishing, he’s been embraced by both the band and their fan base, who can be pretty particular. However, for 25 years, the drummer and de facto mouthpiece of the band was Mike Portnoy. He’s been keeping himself busy since leaving the band, playing with Avenged Sevenfold, Flying Colors, Bigelf, and The Winery Dogs, to name a few, but there’s a Dream Theater-sized hole in his heart. In an interview with Gigs and Festivals, he said he’s nostalgic for his time in the band:
Look, I’m a very sentimental guy, I’m a very nostalgic guy; I was the guy in Dream Theater that opened up the door to [former keyboard player] Derek Sherinian and [original vocalist] Charlie Dominici to come back and join us on stage [at a concert in Los Angeles in 2004]. I also extended that invite to [keyboardist] Kevin Moore, so I’ve always been that type of person. I look at my past with a fond memory, and I probably shouldn’t even say this – I’m not trying to publically state this – but around Christmas time I sent all the guys in Dream Theater a nice email, just reaching out to say how much I love and miss them, because that’s just the way I am.
So he doesn’t rule out a return at some point, but he’s not ruling anything out, either, stating that he’s been in touch with band members not named John Myung and James LaBrie:
Jordan [Rudess] and John Petrucci, we’ve stayed in touch, so in answer to your question, I’ve never closed the door on doing something with them. It’s not like I’m waiting for it; it’s not like I’m planning it, it’s not like it’s in my career plan, but certainly if the invitation, or if the opportunity arose, I would surely welcome it. It’s just because, you know, I don’t hold grudges, and I like to have an open heart and always cherish the people in my life and in my past. That was twenty-five years of my life.
Portnoy’s had too long of a run in the band, and is too popular of a drummer for Dream Theater to think of never at least having him pop up at some point for a special gig, maybe the anniversary of one of the albums he’s played on. Then again, with The Astonishing just having been released, the band’s going to be deep into touring behind that for at least a year or so.
[via Metal Injection]
