10 Quick ones with Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

How many siblings do you have and what do they do for a living?

My younger sister Samantha who works with children battling Cancer and other fatal illnesses and my younger brother Rennie who basically smokes pot and surfs!

Have you ever ben arrested? What for?

Yes, back in July 1984 (see attached mug shot). I was 17 and after a night out drinking with my friends, I was arrested after one of the guys smashed a store front glass window. The charges against me were eventually dropped when it was proved that I wasn't the one who broke the window.

How many instruments can you play? What are they?

Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards. None very well (including drums!), but well enough to write and communicate ideas....(Actually, I was the Bass player extraordinaire for the legendary but sadly now defunct band, Nightmare Cinema!)

What is your religion?

Jewish (don't really practice though)

What's your all-time favorite band/musician?

Band: The Beatles

Musician: Frank Zappa

Other than Progressive Rock what type of music do you regularly listen too?

Metal (Pantera, Opeth, System Of A Down, Tool, Slayer), Classic Rock (Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd), Modern/ Alternative Rock (U2, Radiohead, Coldplay, Peter Gabriel), Power Pop (Weezer, Foo Fighters, Ben Folds Five, Super Furry Animals), Extreme/ Avantgarde (Mr. Bungle, Dillinger Escape Plan, Meshuggah, Mudvayne)

What's the one question that you get asked the most?

How can I improve my (drum) technique?

Other than music, do you have a hobby?

VERY serious DVD, Video, CD, magazines collections.

What would your fans be surprised to find out about you? (i.e. you're an Eagle Scout, Minister, Mayor...etc)

My fans seem to already know everything about me!

What country would like to visit that you've never been to before?

I think the only country left that I haven't played in is Russia....but the place I've always wanted to go and still haven't is Hawaii.