Mike Portnoy is the drummer’s drummer. His propulsive rhythms and inventive fills were the original engine behind progressive metal kings Dream Theater’s rise to their throne, but he also wrote entire songs, co-produced, and provided ‘big picture’ musical direction for the band.
When he quit in 2010, he kept busy with a plethora of supergroups and other projects that proved he was always in high demand. Portnoy’s return for 2025’s Parasomnia and the band’s 40th-anniversary tour delighted fans, with Dream Theater’s classic line-up restored. But will Hammer readers show him any mercy with their questions? Fat chance…
