Mike Portnoy Plays His Favorite Drum Intros 

I’m a simple man: I see Mike Portnoy in a thumbnail. I click and watch. 👍

1:00 Good Times Bad Times (Led Zeppelin) 1:20 Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin) 1:31 The Crunge (Led Zeppelin) 1:55 When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin) 2:09 The Rover (Led Zeppelin) 2:30 Fool in the Rain (Led Zeppelin) 3:00 Lakeside Park (Rush) 3:15 2112: The Temples of Syrinx (Rush) 3:30 YYZ (Rush) 4:20 Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden) 4:31 The Prisoner (Iron Maiden) 5:02 Where Eagles Dare (Iron Maiden) 5:50 Whiplash (Metallica) 6:22 Subjugator (Anthrax) 6:27 Metal Thrashing Mad (Anthrax) 6:38 Criminally Insane (Slayer) 7:33 Angel of Death (Slayer) 7:50 Welcome Home (King Diamond) 8:27 We're not Gonna Take it (Twisted Sister) 8:48 6.00 (Dream Theater) 9:13 Honor Thy Father (Dream Theater) 9:58 Welcome to the Family - Mike's live version (Avenged Sevenfold) 10:35 Gaslight (The Winery Dogs)

I love how Mike knew he absolutely needed the cowbell at 8:09 for Twisted Sister, so you can actually tell that someone is holding the cowbell for him instead of it being mounted.

Welcome back to DT, MP! 🥁

Love the shout-out to Charlie Benante. Feel he does not get the credit he deserves. Father Benante is a world-class drummer.

His ghost notes are so good, man’s a machine.

That of "Honor Thy Father" is the best intro ever conceived by human ingenuity from the beginning of the story of percussions.

Ringo, Keith Moon John Bonham - Good times bad times, Rock and Roll, The C runge, When the Levee Breaks, The Rover, Fool in the Rain 2:50 - Neil Peart - Lakeside park, 2112: Temples of Syrinx, YYZ 4:15 - Clive burr - Run to the Hills, The prisioner, Another life 5:00 - Nicko McBrain - Where eagles dare 5:25 - Lars - Whiplash 6:10 - Charlie Benente - Subjugator, Metal Thtashing Mad 6:42 - Dave Lombardo - Criminally Insane, Angel of death 7:44 - Mikkey dee - Welcome home (King Diamond) 8:07 - A.J. Pero - We're Not Gonna Take It 8:43 - Dream Theater - 6: 00 , Honor thy father, 9:30 - Avenged sevenfold - Welcome to the family 10:06 - Winery dogs - Gaslight

Finally, finally, finally a drummer mentions Clive Burr! That guy is so overlooked and underappreciated and it's a flerken shame. His playing with Maiden was like a human metronome. I love Nicko equally but they are very different in every way. RIP Clive Burr

God damn, Portnoy still has it. It's unreal to see him cycle through so many different songs flawlessly.

A fan, a master, a real rock star and a humble man. What a talented drummer.

The man is a legend. He plays this most difficult intros like nothing.

I'm a guitarist, but whenever I see Mike I click "HellYeah". What a drummer :)

A quick correction: The song at 4:47 is "Another Life" and not "Run to the Hills" as described. 😉

I’m so impressed that he called out the De La Soul sample. Not only was it unexpected coming from a rock drummer, I also wasn’t aware that it was a sample of Bonham, despite being a fan myself of both songs for decades.

It’s one thing to play non-stop fast, but to also be able to play rhythmic fills, this guy has the chops. Mike is naming all these legendary drummers, when he in fact is a legend himself. Class act

Mike is right up there in legendary drummer hall of fame status with all these iconic drummers, and yet he's equally as much of a music geek as we are!

Yes!!! Mikkey Dee's intro on "Welcome Home". Very cool he mentioned that one. The drumming on that whole album is sooo good.

He's the only drummer whose parts give me chills. The breaks in "The Count of Tuscanny" are breathtaking.

Mike’s name belongs with all of those he just listed. Such a gifted drummer. I never get sick of hearing him play.

When I saw the title of the video, I instantly thought of "Honor thy Father". Definitely my favorite.

6 o’clock man…what a badass song…

I'm so glad he's back in DT. For the first time in about 10 years, I'm excited for what's to come from them.

Wow! Mike Portnoy is inspired by drummers before him, and even by drummers coming after him. This shows that he's the type of person who is always eager to learn.🙌

At 4:48, he plays another life by Iron Maiden not run to the hills

Damn, this is the most prepared I've seen a musician for one of these videos.

Mike Portnoy has been a huge influence on me as a drummer over the years. It made me so damn happy to hear him play the intros to "Honor Thy Father" and "Welcome to the Family" again after so many years. ☺

Yes , he finally returned to DT

Instant Thumbs up. I’m not even a drummer but Mike is my musical hero

Damn ! This 6.00 o’clock intro ! I miss it 🤯

It CANNOT be understated how HUGE that 6:00 intro was for me, I was at the right place and right time having just exhausted my Rush phase and it changed everything when I heard it!!!!

I love that Mike still has such enthusiasm for the drums and music. He sounds like a 16-year-old that still loves playing!

Those drums sounds so good!

Awesome mention to Mikkey Dee ! Welcome Home is amazing and the drumming... fantastic !

This guy is such a cool dude. He just loves the drums and we love him for it

I feel like i can connect better to his musical genius when he is on a hello Kitty drum kit

6:00 was the very first song I ever heard from DT and I was immediately obsessed.

My favorite drummer always will be Ian Paice. And he have so many iconic intros too, like Fireball or Pictures of Home are so awesome.

He isn't human! I'm so glad he's back home with Dream Theatre!!

idk....something about seeing him play dream theater is soooo refreshing

I was 13 when Piece of Mind came out and I literally fell in love with drumming when I heard that opening fill of Where Eagles Dare. I gad to learn it and play it. I saved all my paper route and lawn cutting money and borrowed the rest from my dad to buy my first drum kit... Never played pro but always had a drum kit and still play today. Nicko McBrain, Lars Ulrich and Scott Rockernfield were my initial drum hero's, they still are.

Nice to hear Clive Burr getting a mention as he very rarely does and came up with some tasty iconic parts!

I will never get tired of listening to Mike talking about his favorite drummers and hearing him play

I might be biased saying this as Awake is my favorite album of all times in any genre, but to me the intro of 6:00 is the greatest drum intro ever.

Mike is undoubtedly one of the greatest drummers in music history... the second youngest person (after Neil Peart) to be inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame

Being a guitarist.. My love for drums was because of Mike Portnoy.. According to me he is the current drumming legend.. I still get excited seeing a post that includes him.. You're the best..

Mike's recall is just phenomenal. His drum sound is fantastic!

Glad he's giving Mikkey Dee and Clive Burr some love. My two favorite drummers from the days.

Man - I could watch this for hours 😊

HELLO, Im from Czech Rep. (Czechoslovakia) When I begun play on drums, my teacher told me about Mike Portnoy. I listen him from my 14 years old. . It change my view on drums. It is 16 years ago. Good bless ✝️✝️✝️ Mike Portnoy 🥁 FUCKING ANIMAL ON DRUMS ♥️♥️♥️ , BADASS

That intro to awake is so epic

Such a legend! He's the best you can think of for such a concept! He's a library, monster drummer and he's so passionate and fast! Love that beast! Thank you Mike for everything I owe you!

Hearing you play Bonham really adds to the appreciation of how good he was. As a guitarist I always said you can have an average guitarist with a great drummer and have a great band, you can have a great guitar player with an average drummer and have an average band. Drummers truly make or break a band to me.

the first song of the first album of liquid tension experimient sent me to the moon when i first heard it and still do. such a great guy and incredible musician, long live MP

AMAZING MIRACLE

Fastest 11 minute video on RU-vid. Now that's 11 minutes I WILL get back... Over and over. Thanks Mike. That 6:00 intro 🔥

This is great, Mike, thanks for sharing -- you will become a legend among them.

One of the humblest drummers ever. He wrote some of the most iconic intros ever and he just played 4 of them. That’s Mikey. ❤️

He just seems like such a cool, down-to-Earth guy but he can play fuckin anything. Huge respect to Mike Portnoy

I love hearing from MP on this channel! He’s such a music fan and has a good mix of technical ability and street cred that he’s a reliable historian for most of this stuff. Plus, he’s really fun!

Portnoy is such a beast, and as influential as any of the guys that inspired him during the years.

The KING is back !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome home Mike....

Cozy Powell - Stargazer by Rainbow....howdja miss that one Mike? One of the most iconic intros of all time dammit!

I miss my all time favourite - painkiller!! For me,by far the best drum intro ever!! Can not get enough of it!

Love Welcome Home by King Diamond, happy it made the list. A personal favorite of mine whom I don't think gets enough credit is Kirk Arrington but hey, I'm not a drummer.

Best thing Loudwire has done in, like, forever

He like the living holy book for rock drummers. The great and the only Mike Portnoy.

In the 80's and 90's i listened to Richie Kotzen, Billie Sheehan and Dream Theater. Now there is The Winery Dogs. How crazy is that. Great intros and fills Mike.

Painkiller has my personal favourite drum intro, maybe even fave intro to any metal song. And to think that Judas Priest almost didn't go with Scott Travis because he's American.

Yes! Mikkey Dee! Great drummer. He later drummed as kind of replacement for other more famous bands...but his work on those early King Diamond albums is fantastic!

Mike's knowledge and skill are incredible. Just saw him with the Dogs and he was great.

And then there is you mikeeeee!! You’re up there with all of those legends ❤❤

A true metal legend. One of the best drummers of all time! And of course he has absolutely impeccable taste 😁🤘

09:08 Honor Thy Father. My favorite Portnoy intro of all!! 03:29 Peart - YYZ (those fills, especially the first fill Mike demonstrates @ 03:47, is to this day, my favorite Neal Peart fill ever.) Megadeth's Countdown To Extinction - the album opener (RIP Nick Menza) - Skin O' My Teeth! Also includes my favorite Megadeth guitar solo (Marty Friedman). My favorite 80s intro is a simple one, yet MASSIVE! Queensryche's title track, "Empire". That snare is like a shotgun!! Vinny Paul's intro to Pantera's "5 Minutes Alone". So many great intros!!

So great watching him geek out over his favourite parts and having fun.

The guy that defined my taste in music for over a decade and is still a referent for me. Thanks, Mike!!🤘🤘

Mike Portnoy is so humble. This guy is a beast! Sooooi great!

Geddy and Alex are getting "itchy"and talking about touring again as Rush !!! I hope to God they are talking to you Mike because "Everyone" knows that you are the guy for the Part !! They know you know each Rush song and would play them as they should be !!! Say Yes Please !!! 👍🥁🎶

I love Mike he's all about music and I like his list of drummers.

Love it!!!! It's amazing how he's able to play so many DIFFERENT drum intros without hearing the music. Insane! Thanks for posting!

I don't even like Dream Theater, but it is a real pleasure to hear him play. Such a fantastic drummer.

It's amazing how versatile this man is. He can literally play anything. He was the soul of DT, and as much as I like MM's drumming, MP just has this "joy" that is so evident in his playing, especially the live stuff. I've been lucky enough to see Mike play with most of the bands he augments so well, and I hope to see more. I'm so happy that he still works with everyone (except 𝘰𝘯𝘦 certain individual) from DT, those guys have so much history and friendship, it really shines through when they work together. A more down to earth, unaffected and humble man you will not meet.... except ME, of course, I'm so humble that I tell everyone I meet how humble I am!😂

And you MIke, are many people's drum hero.. Thanks for this video 😄👍

Mike is such a cool dude.. awesome intros from some of the greats

Glad he added “6:00” and “Honor Thy Father.” They would have been on my list even if another drummer had been doing this video.

Mike Portnoy es uno de los mejores bateros.. super versatil.. te toca cualquier estilo.. Bruuuutal!

Gotta love Mike!

I got it. Mike's an entertainer, that's why his play is so engaging. I can stand watching him doing this all day

4:47 is Another Life, not Run to the Hills

Portnoy é muito divertido de assistir e extremamente técnico ao mesmo tempo, combinação fatal dos grandes heróis da música.

I met Mike here, in Brazil. One of the nicest guy I ever met.

It is always fun to watch Mike play and tell anything, he is professional in that.

Man, I haven't seen a single person mention Danny Carey... Him and Neil Peart are probably my 2 favorite drummers ever

If Rush ever come back, they should hire Mike Portnoy as their drummer

Loved that you filled in for AJ & twisted Sister ! Thank you

Love them fills a great collaboration of my favorite drummers RIP the Professor 🤘

damn he actually said Neils last name correctly

Achiles last stand the masterpiece drumming of john bonham

Mike Portnoy, the one and only! I realy love this guy and his sound, a killer machine! Portnoy and Porcaro are the best "ghost note" maker

I could watch mike’s content all day 🙌