Marko Syrjala at Metal Rules recently caught up with drum legend Mike Portnoy to discuss his lengthy career and his involvement with Twisted Sister, The Winery Dogs, The Neal Morse Band and Dream Theater. In the excerpt below Portnoy takes on the touchy subject of Dream Theater.

Marko: Have you heard their latest album?

Mike Portnoy: "I won’t talk about, because there is no winning. Any time I say anything about Dream Theater…Honestly, I’d rather not talk about it. Because no matter what I say, it will be twisted and… So I kind of have made myself promise, that I won’t talk about Dream Theater anymore. If you want to ask me about my 25 years in the band, I could talk about that. But talking about them now, it’s a no win situation."

Marko: I totally understand so can you then briefly sum up your 25 years with the Dream Theater?

Mike Portnoy: "Yeah. I’m proud of everything I did for those 25 years. That was my life for a quarter of a century, my half of life-time. Dream Theater was my baby. I formed it from the beginning, out of college and I lived a life-time with them. So I’m proud of every one of those albums and every one of the shows. I left behind a legacy and there is a lot of people that still talk about seeing me with them. I don’t count on that happening, I wouldn’t count on it. I wouldn’t bet money on it. If it happens, then sure I’m up for it. Because I’m a very sentimental person and I still love the guys and I love the fans. But I surely don’t count on it and I don’t plan on it, and I’m happier than ever with everything I’m doing now."

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.