MIKE PORTNOY's Project With STEVE MORSE, NEAL MORSE, DAVE LARUE: First Photo Released

January 12, 2011

Drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, TRANSATLANTIC),guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS),multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse (TRANSATLANTIC, SPOCK'S BEARD),bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) and vocalist Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV, ENDOCHINE) have joined forces in a brand new project. The as-yet-unnamed band recently entered the studio to begin work on a new album, due later in the year.

The first photo of the new group has just been released and can be viewed below.

The latest installment of the "Iron City Rocks" podcast (web site) features a brand new interview with Neal Morse about the new band. The podcast is now available for streaming using the audio player below.

Check out Portnoy's reports from the studio at his official web site, MikePortnoy.com:

* Intro
* Day #1 (January 3)
* Day #2 (January 4)
* Day #3 (January 5)
* Day #4 & Day #5 (January 6-7)
* Day #6 (January 8)
* Day #7 (January 9)
* Day #8 (January 10)

Commenting on McPherson's involvement with the project, Portnoy said, "I've been a huge fan of his for years (ALPHA REV's latest is in my top 10 of 2010 and ENDOCHINE's album is in my top 10 of the last decade.

"In addition to the obvious prog and metal sides of my taste, I am also huge fan of that kind of musical style (think THE BEATLES, QUEEN, JELLYFISH, GREYS, U2, COLDPLAY, BEN FOLDS, etc.),but I have yet to really dip my toes into that side of my musical taste.

"I'm hoping Casey's more pop/indie edge will help bring me and Neal (Team Transatlantic) and Steve and Dave (Team Dregs) into some new, unchartered musical territory. And we now essentially have two singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalists fronting the project which will be able to really open up the vocal and instrumentation options as well. The musical possibilities are endless!!"

Regarding how the new project came together, Neal Morse said, "Last April I got together with Steve Morse to do some writing and to see what would happen with a collaboration between the two of us and how I went down to his house in Florida and spent some days with him, getting to know him and writing some music and we had a really good time. So we've been talking about doing a project together for a while."

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