Former Dream Theater stick-man Mike Portnoy recently gave fans an inside look into his quarter-century career with the band and how, despite his exit, he is more than okay with being referred to as “Mike from Dream Theater.”

It been an transformative couple of years for revered drummer Mike Portnoy –  a few months after stepping into Avenged Sevenfold to temporarily fill the vacancy left by the tragic death of Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, his tenure with prog-rock giants Dream Theater came to an end. “It was twenty-five years of my life and it was something that I poured my heart and soul, blood, sweat and tears into,” Portnoy tells The Nervous Breakdown. “I literally ate, breathed and s–t Dream Theater 24/7 for 25 years.”

Although Portnoy’s offer to rejoin Dream Theater was rejected, he is still proud of the fact that he will be best known by his work within the group. “I’m proud of every song I wrote in that band, every album I recorded in that band, and every show I played with that band,” explains Portnoy. “So I have no problem with the fact that I will forever be known as “Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater”…That’s always how it’s gonna be and I’m proud of that. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Mike has found a new home as the drummer for Adrenaline Mob, whose debut album ‘Omerta‘ hit stores March 13. Portnoy also joined the rock supergroup Flying Colors, who are set to release their self-titled debut album March 26.

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