DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci recently took on a Roadrunner Records year-end Q&A.; Check it out below.

Q: What was your personal theme song this year and why?

Petrucci: "'I Will Survive' (for obvious reasons!)."

Q: What’s the most embarrassing or funny thing that happened on tour this year? Tell us the story!

Petrucci: "While on tour with IRON MAIDEN this summer, during our set, Mike Portnoy decided to go off on a medley of Maiden covers which I would normally be able to hang with in my sleep since I know just about every song. Unfortunately however, in all the excitement I forgot the fact that the guitar I was playing was in a drop D tuning and I just butchered one song after another! Turns out unbeknownst to me that Adrian Smith was standing right beside me the entire time. Oh well, it's not like it was in front of an Iron Maiden crowd or anything!"

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you learned this year?

Petrucci: "Don't let your drummer fill in for another band."

Q: What’s the coolest thing you discovered this year?

Petrucci: "I've mastered the art of smoking meat."

Q: What’s your new year’s resolution?

Petrucci: "To use all my creative resources in making the next DT album and tour the best possible and to be more connected with our fans."

As previously reported, Petrucci recently addressed the band's parting of ways with drummer Mike Portnoy during an interview with UK-based Classic Rock's Prog Magazine for the latest issue:

Petrucci: "You know, I've played with Mike for so long and we have done so many things together that at some point we will play together again, and we told each other that. It would be ridiculous to think that we won't play together again. That's kind of silly. Whether it's in Dream Theater or something else or we reunite down the line, who knows? If that's the way the planets align and things work out in both of our lives, then I'm certainly open to that. But in the meantime, I think we owe it to ourselves to carry on with focus and intention. Right now, we have to find an ass-kicking drummer…"

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Petrucci recently revealed at the Long Island Music Hall Of Fame awards that they're almost ready to announce a new drummer, and they were shocked and saddened at Mike Portnoy's decision to leave while on the road with AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

'We had some auditions several weeks ago and we are going into the studio in January to start recording our latest album. It wasn't easy," says Petrucci. "We'd been in the band together with Mike for 25 years and him leaving the band was a major shock and a major heartbreak to us. We look ahead to the future positively."

Check out an Artisan News report below: