# Mike Portnoy, butthurt beyond belief, shuts down his forum over complaints about his newest project **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2017, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714 "2017-09-19T10:23:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/1 "2017-09-19T10:23:29Z")
As part of his ongoing effort to become the biggest drama queen in the history of progressive rock, Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) has shut down his long-running and highly active discussion forum due to “bickering and negativity” about his latest musical project. From [Blabbermouth.net:](http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/mike-portnoy-shuts-down-his-official-forum-after-18-years-says-he-can-only-take-so-much-bickering-and-negativity/) > [@](#): > > \*Back in June 1999, the former DREAM THEATER drummer created a place for his fans to interact with each other using Infopop’s Ultimate Bulletin Board software. Since then, he has hosted the forum at [MikePortnoy.com](http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/default.aspx), frequently responding to questions from fans and engaging in mostly light-hearted banter with his longtime supporters. > > After announcing his latest project, SONS OF APOLLO, in early August, Portnoy has seen some his fans embrace the band while others have complained about the that fact that the first two songs from the group were too straightforward and somewhat musically bland. At first, Portnoy claimed that he was amused by the negative feedback on his official forum, insisting that the response to SONS OF APOLLO on all the other web sites he had seen — “even including Blabbermouth” — has been “unanimously positive so far.” […] > > After seeing more critical opinions about SONS OF APOLLO pop up in the last couple of days, Portnoy finally disabled new comments on the forum over the weekend. He explained in a post: “I think it’s time for a Permanent Vacation… Sorry gang… just way too much bickering and negativity.”\* You know, maybe I’m off base here, but it seems to me that when you host an online discussion forum, you need to be thick-skinned. That goes double when you’re a semi-famous rock star who likes to dabble in musical genres that won’t always please his hardcore fans. “Bickering and negativity?” That’s like opening a chain restaurant and complaining about customers who spill drinks on the floor. Even worse, his forum was one of the few places left on the internet to discuss progressive and heavy metal music in general. Discussion forums are a dying breed, many are being shut down merely due to lack of interest, and many popular bands just aren’t that proactive about maintaining that level of connection with their fans. Ironically, Mike Portnoy’s forum was one of the best places to get news and updates about Dream Theater, even though he’d quit that band seven years ago. I can only imagine how he would’ve reacted had he recently upgraded his website to be more mobile-friendly… ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/2 "2017-09-19T22:40:15Z")
This is not the “Portnoy’s Complaint,” I’m familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/3 "2017-09-19T22:49:20Z")
Is this where we come to shit on Mike Portnoy? I don’t really want to shit on him too hard - I don’t really know that much about him. I never cared for Dream Theater. In fact, I really only heard of Portnoy whey I tripped across The Winery Dogs, a “super group” featuring him, Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen, both ex of Mr. Big. I watched a show they recorded in Japan and he so desperately wants to be the front man that it’s pathetic. It’s one thing to be connected with the audience, but he’s constantly standing up behind the kit and leading the crowd to clap or shut up or whatever the show called for – even though the real front man is already doing all that. It just struck me as overly hammy. Great drummer though. And The Winery Dogs broke up anyway, so fuck Mike Portnoy. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/4 "2017-09-19T23:51:58Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > … That’s like opening a chain restaurant and complaining about customers who spill drinks on the floor. Was he charging people to use his web forum? Because it seems more like he’s invited people over to an open party and finally got fed up with all the goddamn spilled drinks so _party over_. However, when I did the same – long ago, in college – I understand that all the butthurt drunks I tossed out groused about how unfair I was for not allowing them to spill beer and margaritas all over my carpet, so the reaction of the forum users doesn’t really surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/5 "2017-09-19T23:53:43Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Is this where we come to shit on Mike Portnoy? > > I don’t really want to shit on him too hard - I don’t really know that much about him. I never cared for Dream Theater. In fact, I really only heard of Portnoy whey I tripped across The Winery Dogs, a “super group” featuring him, Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen, both ex of Mr. Big. > > I watched a show they recorded in Japan and he so desperately wants to be the front man that it’s pathetic. It’s one thing to be connected with the audience, but he’s constantly standing up behind the kit and leading the crowd to clap or shut up or whatever the show called for – even though the real front man is already doing all that. It just struck me as overly hammy. Great drummer though. > > And The Winery Dogs broke up anyway, so fuck Mike Portnoy. I thought they separated to do other things and will be back together. I think Portnoy is great. I am a Dream Theater fan and I also think that Flying Colors is (are?) the best band to come around in a long time. Portnoy obviousiy likes to do a lot of different projects all the time. If he doesn’t feel like having people bitch at him on a message board so be it. God knows I’m only in it for the money. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-portnoy-butthurt-beyond-belief-shuts-down-his-forum-over-complaints-about-his-newest-project/796714/6 "2017-09-20T00:09:20Z")
He should stop monitoring his critics and start making music that people want to hear.