Porcupine Tree - I Miss These Guys

[Jerjo]

On Facebook, our Dear Leader asked for songs that should be in Steven Wilson's set list this tour. I threw in that I didn't care what else was in the list as long as the show ended with "Even Less". But many were suggesting PT songs. I put on Stupid Dream yesterday which took me right back into my fave PT era, that run from Signify to Deadwing. I'm working to Signify right now.

It reminds me of how emotionally invested I was in this band and this music. As much as I like (and occasionally love) Wilson's solo stuff, there was just something about those PT albums when they were hitting on all cylinders and every song was a revelation. I understand why Wilson put them on hiatus, the last couple albums seemed to be played out. But oh, what a peak they had.

[Tom]

^ Seems to start in 11/8 and then switch to 7/8 (feels more like 3.5/4 though). It's like a King Crimson audition!

[Scott Bails]

I'm right there with you, Jerol - word for word.

As much as I enjoy Wilson's solo work, and I understand how busy he is, it sure would be nice if he mixed in a new PT project every so often.

[jamesmanzi]

^ Seems to start in 11/8 and then switch to 7/8 (feels more like 3.5/4 though). It's like a King Crimson audition!

I've always counted it in 7, with the snare on the 3 and the 6.5. It's one of the greatest grooves ever grooved.

[Man In The Mountain]

Please come back....

[Steve983]

I don't miss PT as such, SW has just kept on progressing and trying new things and directions. I too love the Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun era but I don't think SW needs to reform PT to explore those avenues again, it was always mostly his songs anyway. PT gained more fans in the FOABP/Incident era so that is probably what most PT fans would want. I am very confused when people say they want PT back - which PT do you want? It's all SW's music anyway.

[jamesmanzi]

I am very confused when people say they want PT back - which PT do you want? It's all SW's music anyway.

I feel the same way. The only way what people are looking for to happen would be for Wilson to regress musically. Putting him in a room with Barbieri, Edwin, and Harrison doesn't automatically make an album that sounds like "Porcupine Tree" appear. They would all also need to forget any musical evolution they've been thru in the past 15 years, forget everything they know now, and play with the mindset they had when they were 15 years younger, while ignoring any influence that the last 15 years of their life experience might have on their approach to music.

Sadly, life moves on. People change. The art that artists produce changes, not because they're dicks and they refuse to make the music we want them to make just to spite us. But because life.

[JKL2000]

I don't miss PT as such, SW has just kept on progressing and trying new things and directions. I too love the Signify/Stupid Dream/Lightbulb Sun era but I don't think SW needs to reform PT to explore those avenues again, it was always mostly his songs anyway. PT gained more fans in the FOABP/Incident era so that is probably what most PT fans would want. I am very confused when people say they want PT back - which PT do you want? It's all SW's music anyway.

This is how I feel, but I've always been a dabbler when it comes to Wislon. I can understand how people have affection for certain strings of albums, but it all just seems like Wislon to me.

[Paulrus]

My reply to the "fans create the setlist" thing (blatant personal info vacuum and click bait) was "Just play all of Signify and Stupid Dream and call it a day." I also noted that Fear of a Blank Planet was oddly NOT on the list for some reason (label shenanigans?) I wouldn't mind hearing "Anesthetize" again.

[Man In The Mountain]

My reply to the "fans create the setlist" thing was "Just play all of Signify and Stupid Dream and call it a day.".

Mine was very similar. "Just play all of Stupid Dream & Lightbulb Sun, and throw in a few from the new record."

[TheH]

Colin Edwin recorded some Bass (don't know how much) for the second album of "Gran Turismo Veloce" (which might never see the light of day).
(Craig Blundell plays drums on the whole of the album, Tony Levin plays Bass on a track)

[battema]

Thing is...no one seems to be screaming for a full performance of The Incident

Some of those mid/late era albums have some of Wilson's finest moments, and the Harrison-era band was one of the best (and hardest working) live prog bands I've seen. But by The Incident, things were losing some of their shine (IMHO as a full-album song cycle, Hand Cannot Erase is far more successful than Incident). The writing and approach felt redundant, even the live performances (while impressive technically) weren't connecting as well.

I miss the harder-edged sound of PT sometimes and wouldn't mind seeing them back through on tour but I don't personally feel that it's one of those bands that disappeared too soon.

Just my $0.02.

[BobM]

Probably one of the best shows I've ever seen - Porcupine tree at Radio City Music Hall. Huge long show that never seemed to end. I miss those days too.

[winkersnufs]

Good Day Friday folks!

I find myself fortunate that Porcupine Tree crossed my path when they did. That path being somewhere close to the release era of 'Signify'. I was living and working in Wooster, Ohio - and a Cleveland Ohio based (area entertainment) publication wrote very positively of PT. Took in a live show at a very small little club in Greater Cleveland in that era also. Yeah... they certainly satisfied a THEN time music listening need.

Here's my thought - Something suggests that SWilson has brilliantly orchestrated (heh!) his every step along the way. Just think how it appears that he has certainly broadened his 'potential reach' with each style/era that he has moved through. Perhaps with just ENOUGH cross over from those styles/eras to at least keep his all along growing fanbase at least CURIOUS as to what he is up to.

Am I a fanboy?.... not wholly. I just like a fair amount of his musical output.

Carry On
Chris Buckley

[Scrotum Scissor]

PT today would hardly be different from Nils solo.

But I still get kinda 'young' when listening to "Fadeaway" and reminiscing of 1992. Not on behalf of "prog", though.

[JKL2000]

Probably one of the best shows I've ever seen - Porcupine tree at Radio City Music Hall. Huge long show that never seemed to end. I miss those days too.

I had a good seat for that show and couldn't make it - had to eat the ticket. Aargh!

[markwoll]

I found them back in the The Sky Moves Sideways/Signify period. Got to see them once.
Lost track and saw that they were playing locally in 2006 during the Deadwing shows. Too Nu-metal for me.
Then I heard the Octane Twisted/Atlanta recordings and the love came back.
Even the metal stuff, which I really like 10 years later.
If he wants to reconstitute PT, Wilson has the luxury of being able to pick a period and follow the current trend of recreating an album.
He will sell tickets, I will buy them.

[olias]

I miss them too. I respect that he's doing what he needs to do, and continue to buy his albums and see his tours, but Wilson solo will never be as near-and-dear to me as the music he made with Porcupine Tree.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I liked their early stuff pretty much, but I lost interest after Signify

[begnagrad]

I don't think SW needs to reform PT to explore those avenues again, it was always mostly his songs anyway.

The only way what people are looking for to happen would be for Wilson to regress musically. They would all also need to forget any musical evolution they've been thru

I think Fripp would disagree and Crimson's discipline era are a clear example of what can happen after experience is gained and new influences come into the mix.

[profusion]

Maybe it's just me, but Wilson's solo career strongly resembles the pre-In Absentia PT. I don't really miss PT that much, even though I very much enjoy even the later albums they did.

[proggy_jazzer]

I came on board with Deadwing, and subsequently moved through the back catalog. Enjoy it all, but return to the pre-FoaBP most often. Since there's so much variety there, I don't really see the point of SW re-constituting the band unless he's going to do something different, and that's how I view his post-PT solo career. He's a talented cat, and I'll continue to follow his music in whatever way he chooses to release it.

[noisynoise]

Got to see PTree in Winooski, VT in 1999 supporting Stupid Dream, great show! Big fan of everything through Lightbulb Sun/Recordings, started to lose the plot with the metal albums (I actually rate The Incident above the three previous albums). I miss the partnership with Barbieri, he's a unique sound-sculpter.

[mellotron storm]

Huge fan but I don't wish them back. One of my favourite memories is back in the mid 00's and my oldest daughter was working for me, she was in her early 20's. Anyway On the way home one night we stopped at HMV and I picked up In Absentia, we had a 50 minute commute and man that night was magic on the way home for both of us. Pristine sound quality and I remember it was dark. We would look at each other occasionally smiling. She went on to become a massive fan, we've seen PT together a few times along with solo Wilson. It was pretty cool to discover a mutual favourite band at the same time.

[JohnTG8]

I miss them too. Thought their output from Up The Downstair to Fear Of A Blank Planet was really good. The Incident I liked about half of. It was only ok to me. That's how I have felt about Steven's solo career. It has only been ok to me although I will say his latest seems to me to be his best one.