Mike Leonard

Dream Theater: The Spirit Carries On

A little more than a month after original drummer Mike Portnoy's sudden departure from Dream Theater, the band held three days of auditions in New York City. Over an amazing and productive three-day period, the band played, jammed and spoke candidly with seven of the world's greatest drummers, learning about them musically, personally and professionally, and assessing the fit of each drummer's incredible chops with the band's trademark prog-rock sound. Dream Theater would like to share with its fans some of the intense process, along with the musical joy, that went into choosing a new drummer. Who is the best fit behind the kit?