Mike Portnoy Almost Drummed With Nickelback

Whereas the listing of bands that Mike Portnoy has performed with has been intensive, unbeknownst to many followers, he virtually gigged with Nickelback as nicely. The story got here up as a part of Portnoy’s Drumeo problem video, by which drummers are tasked with taking up drums on tracks that they do not know.

So if Portnoy was set to probably play with Nickelback, how was it that he wasn’t aware of the music, you would possibly ask. Because the returning Dream Theater drummer defined, “I bought a name from Nickelback in spring of ’22, their drummer [Daniel Adair] was I suppose having surgical procedure and so they requested me to play a present with them, and I stated yeah, Nickelback, that’d be a enjoyable gig.”

In response to Portnoy, it was a competition date that he was set to play however the competition ended up getting canceled. “So I by no means performed the gig, however I used to be this near taking part in a gig with Nickelback.” He then revealed that whereas Chad Kroeger had despatched him a setlist and his spouse and daughter had been certain he would know the fabric, however he swears he was unfamiliar with the band’s catalog on the time of the request.

“All people on the planet is aware of these songs, however I do not. I do not take heed to the radio so I do not know any Nickelback songs. So I do not know what this tune is,” admitted Portnoy after Drumeo started sharing the band’s hit, “Burn It to the Floor.”

“I assumed it might need been Mammoth, then I assumed it might need been Excessive, there is a tune on the brand new Excessive album that has a little bit of that vibe. After which, I used to be like, ‘Is that this Godsmack,'” admitted Portnoy firstly of the phase, earlier than Chad Kroeger’s vocals kicked in and he acknowledged that it was Nickelback regardless of not realizing the tune.

Sharing what he knew of the band he virtually carried out with, Portnoy acknowledged, “I do know nothing about Nickelback however I do know that as a lot as they’re hated, they’re simply as cherished much more and so they had been down with the Pantera guys too, which is nice sufficient for me.” Admittedly, Nickelback are conscious of their divisive place in popular culture, going as far as to call their 2023 documentary movie, Hate to Love: Nickelback.

READ MORE: Why Chad Kroeger Will Finish Interviews if Nickelback Hate Is Introduced Up

After fastidiously listening to the tune and taking notes, he then carried out the tune as he felt it could be carried out, making notice of the tune’s “untimely evacuation” abrupt ending.

“That was an excellent tune, man,” beamed Portnoy after his preliminary efficiency. “I may effective tune that and make a very cool drum half, however I believe it is higher simply the primary impression.” He added, “I am certain if I ever did find yourself touring with them it will be probably the most enjoyable reveals ever in my life. So yeah, I form of remorse that that gig did not occur, however there’s a little bit style of what that would have been proper right here on Drumeo.”

However then got here the playback of how the tune was truly carried out with Daniel Adair on drums. Portnoy famous that he would possibly’ve added an “additional odd bar” firstly, and rapidly caught on that there was no double bass as he was performing, with Adair submitting with a pump and kick drum. “I’d’ve been fired instantly,” laughed the drummer. “So if these guys see this video, they’re gonna be like, ‘Thank god that gig did not occur. This man would’ve fucked up all of our songs.'”

Whereas Portnoy now will get a style of what might need been, he is returning to acquainted floor in his day by day life, lately reuniting with Dream Theater in late 2023. The band, with Portnoy again behind the equipment, are anticipated to start out engaged on a brand new album in early 2024.