How has becoming a family man changed Mike?
MP: It changed me entirely! My priorities are different – now everything I do is involved is around the kids and their future. If push comes to shove, they come first over everything and the hardest thing about being a musician and being in a busy touring band is trying to balance the two worlds and letting them both co-exist. Luckily, everyone in Dream Theater has wives and families, so we’re all very understanding of each other’s personal needs which really help. I have brought Marlene, Melody and Max on tour many times and I’ll continue to do so in the future – it’s the perfect scenario as you get the best of both worlds, having the people you love and miss with you, but you also get to continue playing and being productive.
