NOW MIKE PORTNOY IS ACTUALLY TOURING WITH AVENGED SEVENFOLD

In case you’re just joining us, here’s the story thus far: The Rev died, Avenged Sevenfold announced that Mike Portnoy would be playing drums on their new album, and I wondered aloud, “Who will be the new permanent drummer for A7X?” Well, looks like the band can put off answering that last question for awhile, and Portnoy will now tour with M. Shadows and company “through the end of 2010.”

And if you’re worried that Portnoy might end up as a full-time member of the band, don’t be; in a statement, he refers to himself as a “rebound drummer” and says, “Although I wish I could stay on board with Avenged Sevenfold in a more permanent capacity, the reality is that I am commited to Dream Theater as my main priority (that is my baby afterall!), and I will need to resume work with Dream Theater to start a new album at some point in 2011.”

Will this drive Dream Theater fans to actually go see A7X live? Will it allow people have previously written off Avenged’s music because of their ridiculous image to finally take them seriously? Does it give A7X more street cred, or Portnoy less? I dunno I dunno I dunno. I’d actually really like to see Portnoy play with the band; not enough to go to the awful Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Tour, but “through the end of 2010” suggests that I’ll have at least one more opportunity thereafter to see them at some point down the road.

Meanwhile, there’s been no word on whether or not Portnoy will now be re-christened with a ludicrous stage name. If that is going to be the case, I’d like to suggest “The Reb.”

-AR