Music

Mike Portnoy sues Dream Theater, has his Wikipedia hacked

by Tyler Munro

It’s been nearly a year since Mike Portnoy was kicked out of left Dream Theater, but it looks like the aftermath is still bubbling down. According to Blabbermouth (via Courthouse News Service), Portnoy has filed to sue his former bandmates for “excluding him.”

No, seriously.

Portnoy claims he was unfairly dismissed from the band and is suing them for “wrongfully using the band’s name” in conjunction with their tours and future album plans. Portnoy had been in the band since it formed way back in 1985.

Because progressive metal is super serious business, Portnoy’s Wikipedia page has been hacked (click here for a screenshot) in light of the lawsuit. Its opening paragraph now reads:

Michael Dickfuck “Mike” Jewtoy (born April 20, 1967) is an boy in man’s clothing primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, whom he stabbed in the back, as well as the temporary drummer for the metal band Avenged Sevenfold before they fired him for being a loser.He is also a pretentious bastard who sued Dream Theater for “Wrongfully excluding” him from band after he left it. This was most likely due to the fact that he needs to feed his huge ego.

Mike Portnoy decided to take a break from Dream Theater last spring after what 20+ years together started to take its toll. He spent the summer touring with Avenged Sevenfold as a tribute of sorts to their recently deceased drummer The Rev, who idolized him. On paper, a nice gesture, but it opened the flood gates to a year-plus of drama.

Portnoy later decided he needed a more formal break from the band, but when the rest of Dream Theater decided to keep going without him, he quickly changed his position. He could have stuck with Avenged Sevenfold but instead released a statement saying he was committed to Dream Theater. The problem is, they weren’t committed to him. By the time Portnoy decided he wanted back in the band, they’d already found his replacement (the equally gaudy Mike Mangini).

Adrenaline Mob, Portnoy’s first post-Dream Theater project, is expected to put their first album out sometime next year.