Monster Drum – Kit

Purple MOnster

Drumset: Starclassic in custom violet/white/violet finish

A. 51/2x14 snare drum (with custom foot-operated snare strainer)
B. 16x24 bass drum
C. Octoban (model 343)
D. Octoban (model 390)
E. Octoban (model 443)
F. Octoban (model 472)
G. 8x8 tom
H. 8x10 tom
I. 9x12 tom
J. 10x13 tom
K. 14x14 tom
L. 14x20 gong bass
M. Octoban (model 536)
N. Octoban (model 600)
O. 9 1/4" timbalito
P. 10" timbalito
Q. tambourine
R. cowbell (LP Ridge Rider)
S. percussion table

Cymbals: Sabian (all with Brilliant finish)

1. 6" CD Cymbal Disc on top of an 8" CD Cymbal Disc on top of a 10" Bell Disc
2. 18" AA Chinese
3. 8" HH China Kang
4. 14" AAX hi-hats
5. 17" HH thin crash
6. 12" AAX splash
7. 18" AA medium thin crash
8. 8" AAX splash
9. 10" HH China Kang sitting on top of a 10" AAX splash
10. 18" AA medium crash
11. 22" HH rock ride
12. 19" HH medium thin crash
13. 13" AA Rock hi-hats
14. 6" AAX splash on top of a 6" LP Icebell
15. 12" AA mini Chinese on top of a 14" Jack DeJohnette Encore crash
16. 20" HH thin Chinese
17. high-octave crotales
18. 20"x30" Thundersheet

Hardware: Tama StarClassic Maples, including their 1st Chair throne, DW 5000 Accelerator bass drum pedals.

Sticks: Pro-Mark 420 model with nylon tip (Mike's signature stick).

Heads: Remo coated CS on snare batter, clear Pinstripes on toms and bass drum batters, clear Emperors on Octobans and gong drum.

(Mike also has two duplicate setups of this kit. One that was used in Japan, the other in Europe for his performances there. The kit that was used in Japan has a red/white/red finish and the kit that was used in Europe has a green/white/green finish.)

Albino monster

                     

Drumset: Tama StarClassic Maples

Cymbals: Sabian

A 14" AAX Stage Hats
B 14" HHX Studio Crash
C 18" HHX Chinese
D Signature Max Stax (high)
E 18" HHX Studio Crash
F 7" Signature Max Splash
G 9" Signature Max Splash
H 18" AA Medium Thin Crash
I Signature Max Stax (mid w/Ice Bell upside-down on top)
J 20" HHX Chinese
K 22" Hand-Hammered Rock Ride
L 13" HHX Groove Hats
M Signature Max Stax (low)
N 22" Hand Hammered Rock Ride
O 11" Signature Max Splash
P 18" AAX Stage Crash
Q 19" Vault Crash
R 20" Hand-Hammered Chinese
S 28" Zodiac Gong

Hardware: Tama 1st Chair thrones, Tama Iron Cobra Rolling Glide Pedals and Hi-Hats. Slick Nut Fastener locks on all cymbals.

Sticks: Pro-Mark 420 model with nylon tip (Mike's signature stick).

Heads: Remo Clear Emperors on tops, Diplomats on bottoms. Coated Ambassadors with Black Dot on Snares. Power Stroke3 on Kicks. Pinstripe on 10" Tymp Tom.

Siamese Monster

Drumset: Tama StarClassic Maples

1. 2, 18" X 22" Kick Drums
2. 16" X 20" Kick Drum
3. 5.5" X 14" Melody Master Snare (maple)
4. 5" X 12" Melody Master Snare (steel)
5. Octobans: 343mm, 390mm, 443mm, and 472mm
6. 8" X 8" rack tom
7. 9" X 10" rack tom
8. 10" X 12" rack tom
9. 11" X 13" rack tom
10. 10" X 10" rack tom
11. Octobans: 536mm and 600mm
12. 10.25" LP steel Timbalio
13. 16" X 16" floor tom
14. 6" 14" tymp tom
15. 14" X 20" Gong bass drum

Cymbals: Sabian

A 14" HHX Studio Crash
B 18" HHX Chinese
C 18" HHX Studio Crash
D 18" AA Medium Thin Crash
E 20" HHX Chinese
F 19" Hand Hammered Fierce Crash
G 17" Hand Hammered Thin Crash
H 20" Hand Hammered Chinese
I 16" HHXtreme Crash
J 14" AAX Stage Hats
K 7" Max Splash
L 9" Max Splash
M Medium Max Stax with 7" Radia Bell on top
N 22" Hand Hammered Rock Ride
O 13" HHX Groove Hats
P Low Max Stax
Q 12" Ice Bell
R 11" Max Splash
S High Max Stax
T 8" Max Stax (2 combined to make hats)
U Triple Hi-Hat

Hardware: Tama 1st Chair thrones, Tama Iron Cobra Rolling Glide Pedals and Hi-Hats. Slick Nut Fastener locks on all cymbals.

Sticks: Pro-Mark 420 model with nylon tip (Mike's signature stick).

Heads: Remo Clear Emperors on tops, Diplomats on bottoms. Coated Ambassadors with Black Dot on Snares. Power Stroke3 on Kicks. Pinstripe on 10" Tymp Tom.

My Top 5 Favorite Band

Dream Theater

Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would ultimately become Dream Theater. Though a number of lineup changes followed, the three original members remained together along with James LaBrie and Jordan Rudess until September 8, 2010 when Portnoy left the band. In October 2010, the band held auditions for Portnoy's replacement drummer. Mike Mangini was announced as the new permanent drummer on April 29, 2011

Linkin Park

Linkin Park is an American alternative metal band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries. Its following studio album, Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200 album chart in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.  In 2003, MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium behind Oasis and Coldplay. Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart.

Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold (often abbreviated A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of M. Shadows (vocalist), Synyster Gates (lead guitarist), Zacky Vengeance (rhythm guitarist), and Johnny Christ (bassist).They are known for their diverse rock sound and dramatic imagery in album covers and t-shirts. Avenged Sevenfold emerged with a metalcore sound on their debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet but their style had evolved by their third album and first major label release, City of Evil into a hard rock/heavy metal sound. The band continued to explore new sounds with their self-titled release and enjoyed continued mainstream success before their drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan, died in 2009. Despite his death, the band continued on with help of now-former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and released and toured in support of their fifth album Nightmare in 2010 which debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200, their first number one debut.

Gun n rose’s

Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The classic lineup, as signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. Today, Axl Rose is the only remaining original member, in a lineup that comprises Use Your Illusion–era keyboardist Dizzy Reed, lead guitarists DJ Ashba and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, lead and rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardist Chris Pitman. The band released six studio albums, accumulating sales of more than 100 million albums worldwide, including shipments of 45 million in the United States

Cold Play 

Coldplay are a British rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a drummer, backing vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, completing the line-up. Manager Phil Harvey is often considered an unofficial fifth member. The band renamed themselves "Coldplay" in 1998, before recording and releasing three EPs; Safety in 1998, Brothers & Sisters as a single in 1999 and The Blue Room in the same year. The latter was their first release on a major label, after signing to Parlophone

My Top 5 Favorite Song

Nightmare – Avenged Sevenfold

“Nightmare” summons the heavy metal gods with a brooding riff, a scorching solo, and M. Shadows’ fist-pumping call and response chant. Shadows recently explained in an interview with Las Vegas’ X107.5 how the song wasn’t originally meant to make the album, but to honor how much The Rev loved the song’s lyrics, the band went ahead with it. But The Rev was dead and Mike Portnoy that accidentally out from Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy had replaced The Rev place and he is the drummer that playing this song.

                                                                                  

Nightmare To Remember – Dream Theater

 A better way to begin a record with the words “Black Clouds” in the title than to include a disturbingly haunting intro on the first number — think stormy earth like the opening to “Black Sabbath” combined with the spooky keyboards of Jordan Rudess that would make the Crypt keeper grin. After 1:42 of the opening horror show, John Petrucci shifts gears with a heavy riff for James LaBrie’s vocal entrance. Mike Portnoy’s double bass drum playing during the first movement is as fast and devastating as ever.

The Beast And the Harlot

The song is taken from the book of Revelation, the last book of the bible. The seven headed beast represents the political governments of the world. The meanings of the horns escapes me at the moment. The woman or harlot represents the world empire of false religion, a cage for demons to mislead. The seven headed beast turns on the women (The political governments will turn on religion) and "strips her naked and eats up her fleshly parts". Merchants and the political leaders will mourn her loss for practical reasons, like 'Christmas was good for the Economy' and 'Religion kept the people moral and peaceful'. The harlot has fornicated with the kings of the earth much like false religion has contributed to an excessive degree to almost every war. As the bible says "Get out of her my people do not wish to share her in destruction, for her sins have climbed clear to the heavens... or sky... all lyrics in this song...

Welcome To The Family – Avenged Sevenfold

This song is about how people suffer everyday. It's about how so many people are going through hardships everyday. The guys said they realized this when The Rev passed. To them it was like being part of a group, or "family", hence the title "Welcome to the Family

The Best Of Time – Dream Theater

This song is produced by Mike Portnoy. He write this song because his love towards his father. This song show us the expressions of love towards our parent. This song started with a subtle and beautiful piano solo by Jordan Ruddes who the keyboardis for the Dream Theater group. So… enjoy the song…