The truth is out there
Reinvention is the key to success. At least that’s how The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord sees it. Since King Crimson’s Gavin Harrison joined full-time, the band have become tighter and more focused than ever. Mainman Soord and drummer Harrison share their Versions Of The Truth from their powerful 13th studio album and discuss how they’ve been able to keep things fresh.
Words: Johnny Sharp Images: Joe del Tufo
The Pineapple Thief, L-R: Steve Kitch, Jon Sykes, Bruce Soord, Gavin Harrison.
If any band has got off lightly from the carnage wreaked on the music scene by Covid-19, it’s surely The Pineapple Thief. Their new album Versions Of The Truth was finished shortly after coming off a successful first tour of North America, before lockdown came into force, and while other bands ended up unable to share a rehearsal room or studio, let alone stage, this band’s MO of remote songwriting collaboration didn’t require any adjustment.
“Bruce is actually the easiest person to work with in the world because whatever I suggest, he’s pretty much up for trying it. He’s got a very open mentality.”
Gavin Harrison
“We’ve been really lucky,” admits Yeovil-based singer-guitarist Bruce Soord. “The process has always been me and Gav [Harrison, London-based drummer] sharing ideas online, so we just carried on doing what we’re doing.”
He also says the fortuitous timing of tours meant they had natural breaks in writing and recording to recharge creative batteries. So could it be that this is a band whose fortunes have permanently turned since the middle of the last decade? That was when they first began setting their sights a little higher than carrying on as something of a subsistence-level, cult concern prog band, and began working with guest musicians such as Caravan’s string arranger Geoffrey Richardson, Godsticks’ guitarist Darran Charles and, most notably, King Crimson and former Porcupine Tree percussionist Gavin Harrison.