Mike Portnoy shared the best part of reuniting with his old band Dream Theater.
The current drummer took to Instagram to celebrate James LaBrie’s birthday. He shared an old picture of the two together and wrote a message to his longtime friend about their renewed friendship. He wrote:
“Happy Birthday James LaBrie! Honestly, one of the things I value the most in my reunion with DT, is the renewed friendship with JLB! We’ve been having such a great time together reminiscing over all of our shared experiences through the decades…as well as all of the excitement that lies ahead of us with the new album and upcoming tour… Happy birthday James!”
LaBrie’s Thoughts On Friendship With Portnoy
Before Portnoy joined the band back in October 2023, LaBrie touched on their relationship and how they moved on past the ‘garbage that went on for years and years.’ In an interview in 2022, LaBrie shared his happiness about reconnecting with Portnoy:
“There comes a point in everyone’s lives that you have to really consider what it is that you’re… that monkey on your back, and you have to come to terms with it, you have to confront it, and you have to transcend negativity. So if you’re carrying around something that just eats away at you, what good is it? And I think for Mike and I to come to terms with all that garbage that went on for years and years, I think it just got to the point that, ‘Let’s put this behind us. Let’s move on to a more positive place and be the better for it.’ And I think that’s basically what it came down to.”
The frontman also discussed their friendship in a more recent interview, and as it appears, he is happy that the drama ended. There was no more bad blood because both were very ’emotional and passionate people.’ LaBrie explained:
“Mike and I are both very emotional and passionate people. And I think that led to the reason for us not coming together until we did. But as soon as I saw him, like he said, I came out of my dressing room, I saw him, and I was like, ‘Come here.’ And I gave him a f*cking hug. And that was it. Thank God it happened.”