Opeth singer/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt has explained why he hasn’t collaborated with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy yet.
Portnoy, who co-founded Dream Theater in 1985 and rejoined the band in 2023 after 13 years away, has stated several times over the years that he’d love to do a musical project with his friend and fellow prog metal icon Åkerfeldt.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, the Opeth man says that it’s yet to happen because the two have been in different headspaces creatively, and he isn’t sure what the dynamic of their team-up would be like.
“I love Mike,” he tells us, “but I remember, once, we sat down and talked, [and I asked] ‘If we were to do something, what do you wanna do?’ He said he wanted to do something heavy. My mindset at the time was like, ‘I’d rather do something not heavy.’ We weren’t seeing eye-to-eye, at least at that point.”
Åkerfeldt adds that this conversation took place “a couple of years back”, but that the two would “would say something about” playing together every time they saw each other. He continues: “I wouldn’t want to be involved in the project unless it has a musical purpose … I like the initial idea to be there, other than, ‘Let’s make something heavy.’”
Another reason that Åkerfeldt’s been apprehensive is the close personal bond between himself and Portnoy, which he fears could complicate any musical disagreements.
“Mike is a really lovely guy, but I never worked with him, and I can foresee that he would be a bit of an alpha in the studio,” he says. “If we were to have a disagreement, what route would we take? Working with someone, especially if you’re passionate about music, can be a risk if you’re friends.”
Åkerfeldt doesn’t rule out a future Portnoy project, though, saying that if he were to work with the drummer, he’d want to “push him” and his capabilities: “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that he has to be super technical or fast or anything like that.”
He’d also do it if one of them came up with a more specific idea regarding what the music would sound like and what their roles would be.
“Somebody would have to be at the helm,” he says. “If it was him saying to me, ‘I have this project I want to do. Can you play guitar?’, that’d be much easier to say yes to, because it’s his project. I’m completely open to working with him; I just want us to agree on what [it would be].”
Åkerfeldt and Portnoy have come very close to being in a band together. During the early stages of Åkerfeldt’s project with prog maestro Steven Wilson, Storm Corrosion, Portnoy was involved. However, in 2010, it was reported that the drummer was out, with Åkerfeldt explaining “there’s just no room for drums on what we’ve done so far”. Storm Corrosion’s sole album, a self-titled effort, dropped in 2012.
Five years later, Portnoy gave Åkerfeldt an open invitation to make music together via Prog magazine. “It’s the one collaboration that’s still eluded me and I’m still patiently waiting for,” the drummer said. “I would do it tomorrow – Mike knows that – [but] I think he’s a bit more hesitant. I’m obviously very good juggling 87 bands. I think he’s a little more, ‘Can I do this? Is the time right? What will it be?’ I keep trying to nudge him: ‘Mike, dude, whatever it is it’ll be great – let’s just get in a room and play together!’”
Currently, the sole album that both Åkerfeldt and Portnoy appear on is Dream Theater’s 2007 release Systematic Chaos. The Opeth frontman is one of many high-profile rock musicians who provide spoken-word narration on the song Repentance, which is part of Portnoy’s 12-Step Suite: a series of songs about his journey through Alcoholics Anonymous.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
