Mike Portnoy is the acclaimed drummer of Dream Theater as well as various side-projects such as Liquid Tension Experiment, TransAtlantic, O.S.I. and tribute bands such as Yellow Matter Custard, Hammer Of The Gods, Amazing Journey and Cygnus and The Sea Monsters.
Mike was born and raised in Long Beach, New York, where his interest in music started at an early age. "My father was a rock n' roll disc jockey, so I was always surrounded by music constantly. I had this huge record collection when I was real young and loved The Beattles and then later on KISS. It was inevitable that I'd become a musician." Although Mike taught himself how to play the drums, he did take music theory classes in high school. During that time he began playing in local bands Intruder, Rising Power and Inner Sanctum, the latter which released their own album. Mike left the band after being awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee Music College in Boston.
Mike says his biggest influences are Rush drummer Neil Peart and the late Frank Zappa. Other favorites include drummers Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Colaiuta, Simon Philips, John Bonham and Keith Moon and bands such as The Beatles, Queen, Yes, Metallica, Jellyfish, Iron Maiden, U2 and Jane's Addiction. He is also a fan of rap music.
Mike's long list of Awards include 24 Modern Drummer Magazine Reader's Poll Awards including: 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee, Best Progressive Rock Drummer (12 years in a row!!), Best Clinican (twice), Best Educational Video/DVD for Liquid Drum Theater, and Best Recorded Performance of the Year (6 times) for Dream Theater's Awake, A Change of Seasons, Fallin into Infinity, Scenes From A Memory, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence and Score.
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