Porcupine Tree
Biography
Though he initially came to wider attention (at least in the U.K.) with No-Man, his long-running collaboration with Tim Bowness, throughout the 1990s singer/guitarist Steven Wilson gained as much of a reputation for Porcupine Tree. Embracing and exploring prog rock inspirations while always keeping an ear out for newer musical connections, thus sidestepping the pointless revivalism of many of the band's peers, Porcupine Tree has created some noteworthy albums and songs over the years, continuing full strength into the new millennium.
The group itself was just Wilson at the start; born in London in 1967, he was too young to participate in the first full flush of psychedelic and experimental rock music, but swiftly made up for lost time, turning out to be a talented musical prodigy. Having learned guitar and keyboards at a young age, he contributed to work by underground prog outfits of the early '80s such as Altamont and Karma while continuing his own musical growth and exploration. 1987 saw the founding of both No-Man and Porcupine Tree, the latter actually starting as a joke between Wilson and a friend about a legendary lost '70s group. Elaborate discographies and other material were created à la Spinal Tap, while Wilson himself created a slew of music meant to be the band's lost recordings. In a humorous twist of fate, two tapes of this material ended up in the hands of other folks interested in hearing more from Wilson, who ended up collating the best tracks for Porcupine Tree's real debut album on Delerium Records, On the Sunday of Life, in 1992. Those songs having been something of a nostalgia exercise, Wilson aimed for a more contemporary approach on his follow-up release -- the extended single "Voyage 34," with a clear debt to ambient techno jokesters the Orb.
Up the Downstair, Porcupine Tree's next full album, found Wilson coming fully into his own, creating a majestic, sweeping album that took the prog inspirations of the past fully into a realm of mysterious hush and beauty as much as full-on rock charge. Two collaborators on other projects, bassist Colin Edwin and keyboardist Richard Barbieri, the latter one of the core members of early-'80s pop-art geniuses Japan, guested on the album. Later that year, the two formally joined Porcupine Tree, along with drummer Chris Maitland, establishing a four-piece lineup.
The first release by the new version of the group, The Sky Moves Sideways, was actually something of a transitional affair, a number of the songs still being Wilson solo compositions and performances. A slew of fine songs stood out regardless, notably "Moonloop," but the bandmembers themselves considered the quartet's true debut to be 1996's Signify, another stunning step forward of the Porcupine Tree sound with new highlights everywhere, including the epic blast of the title track itself. A nice nod to the past came that year with the vinyl-only Spiral Circus album, featuring selections from the first three performances of the four-piece lineup in 1993, while 1997's Coma Divine featured more recent live recordings from the Rome stop on the Signify tour. By this time, Porcupine Tree's reputation had spread throughout Europe and elsewhere, including an increasing cult following in America.
A friendly parting from Delerium led Porcupine Tree to Snapper/K-Scope, which released 1999's Stupid Dream, notable for its stronger song focus and slightly more accessible feel all around. The band's reputation and fan base continued to grow, with another album, Lightbulb Sun, taking its bow in 2000. Porcupine Tree continued to tour and plan ahead for both new recordings and reissues of older, rarer material, the first of which surfaced in May 2001, titled Recordings. Various unreleased cuts from the Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun sessions as well as a few B-sides were included. They spent the rest of the year putting together Stars Die: The Delerium Years '91-97, a box set that looks at their catalog from 1991 to 1997. Many more unreleased and rare tracks found their way onto the set, and the album finally came out in late autumn 2001. Drummer Chris Maitland left the band in March of 2002, but luckily Gavin Harrison was available to take his place. A year later, In Absentia was released, followed by Warszawa and Deadwing in 2005. Up the Downstair was reissued that same year, complete with a bonus disc of the band's 1994 EP Staircase Infinities. Porcupine Tree did some sporadic touring in summer 2006 before fall dates were completed around the U.K., Europe, and the United States. Around the same time, Stupid Dream was reissued with bonus material. In 2007, the band released their ninth studio LP, a loose concept album with an underlying theme of escapism in the 21st century, aptly named Fear of a Blank Planet (not to be confused with the similarly titled Public Enemy classic). ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Fear Of A Blank Planet
2007

Warszawa
2005

Deadwing
2005

Up The Downstair (2004)
2005

Stars Die: The Delirium Years (1991-1997)
2005
I heard Porcupine Tree a few years ago and immediately went out and bought everything I could get my hands on. Steve Wilson is a musical genius of the prog genre. Blackfield is another great listen. No Man is a little too "ambient" for me.
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Ok, so I'm new to the PT bandwagon and am slapping myself as to why it took me so damn long to find them. Simply great stuff; complicated, daring, masterful, original, and yet pays homage to Floyd, Creme and Rush at the same time. Can't get enough - in fact, I'm headed to San Fran in August to see them.
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Gavin Harrison is rock's best drummer - by far - and I think he's even better than Danny Carey, who WAS my favorite 'til I saw PT live. GH played with Pat Masteletto and Crim last summer in Chicago and blew me away some more! I already have my tickets for the 09-09 show in Cleveland - As j.novak says - they're even more awesome live!!
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I have seen this band 4-5 times live.....the i r albums are just part of the experience. They are one of the few bands that are more amazing live! I personally own everything they have put out......obs e s s e d much? LOL
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Thank god they won't go commercial. This is a band that musicians appreciate. Gavin Harrison is the most inspirationa l , original drummer the world has seen in a long long time. The rest of the band is simply amazing as well.
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I believe I am their newest but altimate fan. There is and are other bands to compare with my altimute favs floyd.
thanks porcs |
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Sophie Grunge, you went from rap to Porcupine Tree? That must be like being blind all your life and then suddenly being able to see.
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Always looking forward to what these guys will churn out next. Melancholy and atmospheric might be inspired too. Their rock grooves are inspired, worthy of prophetic lyrics. Prophetic lyrics, whether they know it or not, whether they be religious or atheist.
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Steven Wilson is the most talented artist of ALL times.. you can possibly say that he is the reason for Opeth's current style and depth.. I truly love Opeth but I do give lots of credit to Steven... he is really inspiring.
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Why is it that Steven Wilson gets a paragraph all to himself, yet the other members of the band are hardly mentioned?
Bad bio, my friend. Rewrite it with more information about the BAND. |
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I heard Signify, never heard Porcupine Tree before. Good drummer, guitarist didn't impress me much though. Maybe I just heard the wrong song. I'm not gonna say they suck though.
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Gavin Harrison is the best drummer in progressive rock today. Yes, better than Neal Peart and Mike Portnoy. Modern Drummer agrees. And, is there a better front man (singer, songwriter, musician, producer) anywhere than Steven Wilson? Like Pink Floyd, Radiohead, King Crinson, and other greats, every album is a unique, interesting experience instead a simple collection of songs like so many artists put out these days. My favorite band right now by far.
Btw, a new PT album is due this summe |
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PURE GENIUS....JU S T GOT THE LIVE DVD....AND TO WATCH EM PERFORM THESE
"JOURNEYS" IS INCREDIBLE.. . . I DONT KNOW HOW ANYONE CAN COMPARE EM TO ANY OTHER PROG. BAND.....THE Y ALL STAND ON THEIR OWN. |
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It appears there are some critical albums missing from this discography. Noteably Lightbulb Sun, Stupid Dreams, and Recordings. Amy particular reason? I consider those to be some of their most interesting work.
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Porcupine Tree is rock perfection. I told my friend recently that I thought they were BETTER than Pink Floyd and he laughed at me. Then I strangled him to death.
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You are sadly very wrong. This is no "floyd wannabee band". This is an awesome progressive little jewel that should be experienced live. Visionary and just awesome. Nothing more to say.
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Absolutely the best band you could ever experience live. If you ever get a chance to see them, GO! You won't be disappointed .
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PT never ceases to stop exploring new sounds and i'd love to see them live. I got Wilson's solo album and it is quite good. I always get really into their albums and play them start to finish but FOABP i haven't warmed up to yet (with one exception being sentimental. )
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I died recently...a n d awoke to clouds, cherubs and the music of Porcupine Tree. If I had known, I would have liked to die sooner...
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Quinoa! That was cool. The Led Floyd! Next we need some Jethro Giant and some Dream Crimson to bridge the gap.
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Porcupine Tree is Led Floyd for the new millenium.
First Hawkwind thru open the gates and there is GONG. Along comes Ozric Tentacles who looped me into a Porcupines Tree. |
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Sophie Grunge,have you considered letting the music get you high and then see what kind of places you get to? Try it,you'll like it.
As for the band,they really do take me to good places.Wish I had heard of them before I quit doing drugs twenty years ago.Yeah I know,they weren't around. |
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Amen to rakenscrape. I've long thought the same thing about RS. They fall all over themselves for Mars Volta, a band I find almost unlistenable
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First time ever, listening to Porcupine Tree. It certainly won't be my last! Atmospheric, yet edgy. Very impressive.. . . If you like this, check out Marillion.
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Porcupine Tree is one of the bands that lured me to rock music and away from rap... they take me to a pretty cool place when I'm high...
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They are fantastic, I love using their music to help my mood improve. Crazy as that sounds but it works. Good quality music has that effect on me.
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These guys have to spend more time playing gigs in the states. I need to see them live!
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PORCUPINE TREE IS ONE OF THE BEST BANDS EVER....IT'S JUST THAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT GOOD MUSIC IS....
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Too mellow? You obviously haven't listened to their last three albums!
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