Update, 9:15am EDT, May 2nd: Melody and Sami have changed the name of the podcast to The Manic Episodes Podcast. You can find it on Instagram here.

Original Post:

Normally I’d greet any venture launched by the offspring of famous musicians with skepticism, especially when it’s a musical endeavor. Good news for Melody Portnoy and Sami Petrucci, then — daughters of founding Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci — not only is their new collaborative project not a band, but it sounds intensely fascinating.

Melody and Sami are getting set to launch a podcast called Bunk Buddies, all too fitting a name given the subject matter it’ll explore. Via Instagram:

“It’s about growing up on tour buses, surviving on after-show food, crashing our dads’ meet&greets, and premature hearing loss because #progrock we will also interview other kidz who have daddy issues. Our first episode will include a Q&A so like comment subscribe below xox MAY 8th PLAYAAAAS”

For some context, Sami is currently 23 and Melody turns 22 tomorrow, May 2nd. That means they were three and two, respectively, when Scenes From a Memory came out in 1999, and likely spent a good chunk of the ’00s and early ’10s either home with their mothers while their dads were out on the road or out on tour buses during summer vacations. That’s quite a lifestyle, and I can’t imagine it was easy. What’s more, if the description is any indication, the podcast will take a humorous approach, at least at times… and lord knows, there’s plenty to be humorous about when it comes to Dream Theater (love ’em as I do). I’m sure Melody and Sami spent a ton of time together growing up and have endless material to riff on.

Very much looking forward to this one! As the Instagram post says, the first episode will be released on May 8th.

For those wondering, Mike and John are still pals even though Mike is longer in DT and left on less than amicable terms.