Drum legend Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs, Flying Colors, Metal Allegiance, ex-Dream Theater) is featured in a new interview with The National Student. An excerpt is available below.

Compared to other names in the modern hard rock world, the Winery Dogs is a relatively young band, having only existed for four years. This alongside Mike’s status as a metal veteran gives the band a great deal of artistic liberty, unlike what the drummer felt in the closing months of his time in Dream Theater.

“The freedom is incredible,” he says. “That’s what being in a band should be, that’s why the first few years of any band – when you’re starting out in your basement without any record deals – are magical. And as soon as you sign your first record deal, all the bullshit and the politics start getting in the way. It fucks everything up! The rest of your career is spent chasing your tail to make the labels and the managers and the lawyers and the booking agents happy. After 25 years in Dream Theater, it was just about the business at that point. The love of making music for the sake of music and that innocence go away so early in most bands’ careers. Sometimes you have to walk away from it and start from scratch to have that freedom again.”

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Prog-rock fans are in for a treat on this February's Cruise To The Edge music vacation, as Mike Portnoy will - for the first time ever - perform Dream Theater's "12 Step Suite" in its entirety on the cruise. The music documents the musician's battle with alcoholism, and is an ensemble of five songs recorded by the band from 2002 to 2009, with titles that reflect his struggles: "The Glass Prison”, "This Dying Soul”, "The Root Of All Evil”, “Repentance" and "The Shattered Fortress”.

Portnoy, who is also celebrating his 50th birthday on Cruise To The Edge with an all-star career retrospective concert, says: "When I came up with the idea of writing a multi-part suite that spanned 5 DT albums, (which ended up taking 8 years to complete), it was always part of my master plan to perform it in its entirely, live on stage. Unfortunately, after completing the final piece of my conceptual puzzle, I was never able to perform this creation with Dream Theater. Now I've decided that I owe it to the fans to finally bring my “12 Step Suite” to life on stage as I always had dreamed. Cruise To The Edge passengers will be the first to ever see this performed live! Joining me for this very special performance will be some great friends and amazing musicians, (yes, it's a surprise,) that I know will kick ass in helping me with my unfinished business of bringing this piece of music to life on stage!"

Sailing out of Tampa, FL February 7th, 2017, Cruise To The Edge hits Cozumel, Mexico with a who's-who of prog-rock prodigies. Headliners YES, Kansas, Steve Hackett and John Wetton join Portnoy on the deluxe music vacation package. Over a dozen other bands are slated to perform.

Other esteemed performers confirmed include: Patrick Moraz, Bad Dreams, Neal Morse Band, IO Earth, Spock's Beard, Alex Machacek, Änglagrd, Stick Men, Haken, Pain of Salvation, Curved Air, Electric Asturias, District 97, Scott Henderson and Focus, with more bands to be announced. In addition, famous YES album design artist Roger Dean will be aboard to talk about the back story of his unique designs and the cruise will be hosted by UK journalist and preeminent YES expert, Jon Kirkman. Watch the 2017 CTTE lineup reveal video below:

Beyond the once-in-a-lifetime intimate music experiences with iconic artists, the guests will get to partake in a wide array of activities. Beyond the sun, fun and exquisite dining, there will be Artist/Cruiser Photo Experience, Q&A Sessions, Late-Night Surprise Performances and more. This year will also feature the unprecedented CTTE Late Night Live, where fans can sign up to showcase their own musical talents in four different performance scenarios: Late Night Live Pro Jam, where you could be invited to play with a with a headline act; Artist's Choice, featuring fans and Prog legends performing together; The Main Event, where it's your choice to shine with fellow Late Night Live musicians and Overtime Jam, where a song of your choosing could be featured in a late-night jam.

Cabins are still available aboard the full-charter cruise starting at $999 per person (double occupancy). Children 11 and under at the time of sailing are free when sharing a cabin with 2 full fare paying adults. Government fees, taxes, and gratuities are mandatory for all passengers regardless of age. For booking and more info, visit CruiseToTheEdge.com.