The former drummer of Dream Theater who is currently working with Sons of Apollo, Mike Portnoy, was the latest interview guest of the Consequence of Sound’s YouTube channel last week and talked about what Rush means to him alongside Charlie Benante, Halpern and Arejay Hale of Halestorm.

As you might already know, Rush is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of their legendary Long Play named ‘Moving Pictures’ which was their eighth studio album that arrived in 1981. The album has reached the top spot in Canada and number three in U.S and United Kingdom for a long time. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for the Best Rock Performance with the ‘YYZ.’

In the 40th Anniversary of Moving Pictures, the stars of Anthrax, Periphery, and Halestorm have gathered together and recalled their favorite Rush moments. Ex-Dream Theater Mike Portnoy admitted that ‘Moving Pictures’ was his first-ever introduction to Rush and that lead the way meeting Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart in the 2000s.

Here is what Mike Portnoy said in the interview:

“‘Moving Pictures’ actually was my introduction to Rush. When that came out, that’s what caught my ear. And as far as where was I as a drummer – this album and then digging into the previous albums, and digging into Neil’s drumming completely changed the course of my drumming at that point when I discovered it.

Because up until then, this was ’81 so I grew up in the ’70s, my favorites were The Beatles, The Who, Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cream, all the ’60s classic rock stuff. Then in the mid-70s, that’s when I was really into KISS, and then I went through a period in the late ’70s where I was into punk, like The Ramones, and The Clash, and the Sex Pistols…

But all of those bands had kind of simple… Those were the bands and the drummers that taught me how to play the drums, but when ‘Moving Pictures’ came out, and I discovered Neil, and I discovered the music of Rush, that completely set me on a completely different course, and that was when I discovered more progressive rock.”

He continued:

“And I went back and started listening to Yes, and Genesis, and King Crimson, and ultimately, that became the style of music I made my career in.

So really, discovering Rush and Neil with ‘Moving Pictures’ – it completely transformed my drumming, it took me from being like a John Bonham type drummer to becoming more of a Neil Peart type drummer.

And then I started getting into the giant drum sets, and building my kit, and writing busier parts that were a little bit more musical and developed from section to section… And that was it, that was the course that I went on with my career, so it had a huge impact on my style, my development as a drummer.”

You can watch the whole conversation below.

Click here for the source.