Mike Portnoy blasts new Pink Floyd album

[That 70s Guy]

ultimateclassicrock.com



If you’re a classic rock fan, chances are you’re excited about the recent news regarding the impending release of Pink Floyd‘s first new album in over 20 years. Not everyone shares that enthusiasm, however.

Winery Dogs drummer Mike Portnoy shared his ambivalence about the idea in a post on his Facebook page, arguing that the group has gone through too many lineup changes to carry on under the Floyd banner in good conscience. “What’s this about a new ‘Pink Floyd’ album?” he wondered. “Last I checked, [Roger] Waters is no longer in the band and [Richard] Wright & [Syd] Barrett are dead.”

Musing further on the news that the new project (dubbed ‘The Endless River’) originated from recordings made during 1994 sessions for the David Gilmour-led edition’s most recent album, Portnoy argued, “If these are leftovers from ‘The Division Bell’ sessions, then just put em on a ‘TDB’ Special Edition release! It’s disrespectful to Roger & everything he built for all those years!” As he sees it, Gilmour should “just do a solo album.”

Given that a deluxe ‘Division Bell’ reissue was recently released, it’s easy to see where Portnoy is coming from on that last point. He admits, however, that his ire really stems from the absence of the creative tension between Waters and Gilmour — something quite a few fans also miss.

In a subsequent post, he added, “OK, I’ll meet the Gilmour fans half-way and say IMO, the ‘real’ Pink Floyd is BOTH Gilmour/Waters TOGETHER….’[Piper at the Gates of Dawn'] was a Syd album, ‘The Final Cut’ was a Waters album and ['A Momentary Lapse of Reason']/’TDB’ are Gilmour albums…the ‘magic’ was Waters/Gilmour TOGETHER.”


Read More: Metal Star Blasts New Pink Floyd Album | Metal Star Blasts New Pink Floyd Album

 

[Johnny-Too-Good]

This is a bit of a joke coming from a guy who jacks around between all sorts of bands and line-ups. He seems to be saying that the original line up is the only one that counts. FFS we all loved the Floyd when they were at the peak of their powers through the '70s, but, compared to the other stuff that was about, the post Waters vintage was pretty damn good. You have to remember very high standards had been set. As for the content, like the rest of us, he hasn't got a f*ckin clue what will come out!

 

[LG]

I like Mike Portnoy a lot but he's off base on this one even though he is right the greatest music Pink Floyd ever made was when David, Roger, Rick and Nick were together but I'll take PF's work after Roger left over any of his solo albums easily.

I'm not sure what to make of the new PF album really but in the end I trust David Gilmour and Nick Mason.

 

[gguerra]

the group has gone through too many lineup changes to carry on under the Floyd banner in good conscience. “What’s this about a new ‘Pink Floyd’ album?” he wondered. “Last I checked, [Roger] Waters is no longer in the band and [Richard] Wright & [Syd] Barrett are dead.”

Too many lineup changes? I know of only one, when Waters left the band and as far as I am concerned they were pretty good after that especially considering they still had 3 of the 4 original members. Barrett was never really in the band except in the very early days when they were of no consequence (commercially). Someone dieing is not really a lineup change (Rick Wright). Take a look at the The Who. Only two remain but they are the guitar/main songwriter and vocalist. What would you have them call themselves? I know of a lot of bands where only one original member remains and they in good conscience still use the name. So everyone's entitled to their own opinion but in my opinion he's full of it.

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

Portnoy is simply trying to keep himself relevant by talking bollocks to the press, since pretty everything he's done since Dream Theater has been forgettable (I know some people disagree and I mean no disrespect – to each their own)! I'm a fan of him as a drummer, but I'm not a fan of him as Mr. Opinion on Blabbermouth etc.

 

[architect]

The album has nothing to do with Waters. Rick Wright supposedly wrote a lot of the songs so it's kind of intended to be his swan song.
So I was quite irritated at that. Insinuating that Floyd is only Floyd when Waters is involved. Hello!!!!!!!! there were three other musicians in that band, not least of which was Rick Wright.

It would have been more disrespectful to Rick Wright to call it a Gilmour solo album.

 

[Khor1255]

If it really does include Rick Wright stuff that is reason enough to call it Pink Floyd. Even though I don't think they've been the same band since The Wall or even Animals.

 

[foreverblue]

Portnoy is simply trying to keep himself relevant by talking bollocks to the press, since pretty everything he's done since Dream Theater has been forgettable (I know some people disagree and I mean no disrespect – to each their own)! I'm a fan of him as a drummer, but I'm not a fan of him as Mr. Opinion on Blabbermouth etc.

it was a facebook post...he made the comments on. and i believe the guy has every right to say what he likes on on his own facebook page.

 

[Riff Raff]

it was a facebook post...he made the comments on. and i believe the guy has every right to say what he likes on on his own facebook page.

Exactly, dunno why people make a big deal out of it.

 

[metalife]

I'm a massive Dream Theater fanatic and was crushed when Portnoy left.

He's really becoming quite the dick as of late.

Hey Portnoy - Performing live (and releasing on your official bootleg site) When Day And Dream Unite in its entirety with Rudess and LaBrie was disrespectful to Moore and Domonici.