The Steven Wilson Megathread - A.K.A The Tarquin's Seaweed Farm
52 replies, posted
[b]Steven Wilson[/b]
[img]http://i.fanpix.net/images/orig/u/5/u5y9pmt97fojujy7.jpg[/img]
Only one of the most awesome musicians and sound producers ever. Get prepared for the longest longest OP!
[b]Biography[/b]
Steven Wilson was born in 1967 in Kingston Upon Thames, London, before moving to Hemel Hampstead at the age of 6. His birthday he says is significant because it's the year that the most influential albums, Sgt. Pepper and Are You Experienced? were released, and he has certainly become one of the most influential musicians, producers and music critics in the music industry at the moment.
His love for music began in 1975, Christmas - his parents exchanged records, both Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Donna Summer's Love to Love You baby. Both LP's have ended up having a huge influence on his song writing.
Initially he was forced to learn guitar, but hated it - before he rescued a nylon string guitar from his attic and set to making the weirdest sounds possible with a multi-track tape recorder. His father, who died only a week ago, was an electric engineer and engineered a lot of primitive forms of technology that were used to record music at the time, including guitar effects, multi-track recorders, etc.
Anyway, when he was 15 or so he started playing in a few bands. Not too important, they released a few vinyls but nothing worth mentioning except for the fact that a few Porcupine Tree songs, such as the Joke's on You, Small Fish and Nine Cats. He also played groups in a prog group known as Pride of Passion, with featured some former players from Marillion.
Wilson's name was made in 1987 when he launched two projects: Porcupine Tree and No-Man. From there, he's worked steadily at various projects, gaining his respect step by step with release after release (Very different to some stars these days that get catapulted to fame after a few releases), to become the internationally respected artist he is today.
Not only does he write songs, but he mixes and masters albums too, doing remixes and 5.1 mixes for bands like King Crimson, Caravan and Jethro Tull.
He is now 44 years old.
[b]MUSIC - BANDS[/b]
[u]Porcupine Tree[/u]
[img]http://www.musikansich.de/ausgaben/0907/news/images/porcupinetree.jpg[/img]
Porcupine tree is the most famous band he is involved in and one of the most innovative, unique bands out there today. It originally started as a joke he had with a mate, a fictional legendary prog-rock band that sold their first EP called "The Tarquin's Seaweed Farm".
Fuck.
Yeah.
PT have moved from an ambient, electronic phase, with releases in the early 90's to a mainstream rock-pop phase and into a darker metal phase - all the while keeping the same sound that make them what they are. Fear of a Blank Planet was nominated for a Grammy as was the Incident for best Surround Sound album.
[u]Members:[/u]
Steve Wilson
Colin Edwin
Richard Barbieri
Gavin Harrison
John Wesley - but only when touring.
[u]Albums:[/u]
On the Sunday of Life
Up the Downstair
Signify
Stupid Dream
Lightbulb Sun
In Absentia
Deadwing
Fear of a Blank Planet
The Incident
[u]Other notable releases:[/u]
Staircase Infinities EP
Nil Recurring EP
The Sky Moves Sideways
Voyage 34: The Complete Trip
Metanoia
Anesthetize Live
Warszawa Live
Arriving Somewhere but Not Here Live
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO_65_GjTTI[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPxqvcTxjXs[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIM5M6FmnmY[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPCGcmCR5v8[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUxsWPPihUk[/media]
[u]No-Man[/u]
[img]http://thatsound.org/files/2010/03/noman2003.jpg[/img]
I don't know too much about No-Man, but it's a collaboration between him and songwriter Tim Bowness that started in 1987. It's hard to pin No-man down to a genre because it changes - there was a pop era, now they're heading towards art-rock. They're pretty cool and probably the poppiest of the projects Steve Wilson is involved in.
They've released six albums:
- Loveblows and Lovecries: A confession
- Flowermouth
- Wild Opera
- Returning Jesus
- Together We're Stranger
- Schoolyard Ghosts
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zKQp3G1l0o[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sl7Yhm9iZk[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jC4f_6sEY8[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZPCEQEx7ew&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPt7U5QooHc[/media]
[u]Blackfield[/u]
[img]http://www.ilosaarirock.fi/2011/bandit/images/blackfield.jpg[/img]
Blackfield is an art-rock band formed by Wilson and Israeli artist Aviv Geffen which moves in the direction of the 3-minute pop song - The verse-chorus-verse-chorus kind of structure, which Wilson says was mainly influenced by that old Donna Summers record I mentioned before. While incredibly popular in Israel and growing in popularity throughout Europe, Blackfield have been very underlooked in terms of the way it incorporates some of the recent innovations in sound and music with a much more 'easier listening' approach. In March, Blackfield received critical attention for their third album, Welcome to my DNA, which was more Aviv's work in terms of songwriting but was just as fantastic.
[u]Albums:[/u]
- Blackfield
- Blackfield II
- Welcome To My DNA
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dyMp99Q5ss[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNVjRIyoxo[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XFis40qhIE[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN0JfYVJq2Q&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVpGN-zcu88&feature=related[/media]
[u]Continuum[/u]
Collaboration between Wilson's Bass Communion and Dirk Serries which has released two albums. Couldn't tell you much more.
[u]Albums:[/u]
- Continuum I
- Continuum II
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgGpbtUClPQ[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxQbCZwcrtE&feature=related[/media]
[b]MUSIC - SOLO[/b]
[u]Steven Wilson[/u]
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/Steven_Wilson_Insurgentes.jpg[/img]
Wilson released his first solo album, [i]Insurgentes[/i], in late 2008. Though it didn't receive much attention outside the fanbase, it was very well-received critically. Wilson actually toured the world recording this album, going from around Europe into America and specifically in Mexico. Lots of Mexico.
He also released a documentary to go with his first album, titled Insurgentes just as the album. I bought it and its worth the purchase.
He's due to release another album very, very soon, with the release website going up in "early June" which is like, right now. It's not up yet though but here's something to whet your appetite:
[quote= Steve Wilson's Facebook]The new solo album website will probably launch in early June now. The music is done, but we're still working on film material and the deluxe edition. It's presented as two 40-45 minute albums in the same package (which begs the question; when is a double album not a double album? When it's 2 single albums issued together!) The album titles are "Deform to Form a Star" and "Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye".[/quote]
So really it's TWO solo albums :psyduck:
UPDATE:
THE NEW ALBUM is called "Grace for Drowning" and the launch can be found at [url]www.gracefordrowning.com[/url]. It's a double album set with the overall title of Grace for Drowning, with two albums, titled "Deform to Form a Star" and "Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye".
Launch Trailer:
[media]http://vimeo.com/24819409[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BClzBQmZZBc[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8WglDgOsgA[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXxZkNjKsic[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Smc75NTSA[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdHisKZrGF8[/media]
[u]Bass Communion[/u]
[img]http://ulfurinn.net/img/covers/bass-communion-ghosts-on-magnetic-tape.jpg[/img]
This is Wilson's ambient-drone side project. It likes exploring sound textures and suchlike, very Tangerine Dream inspired because of course, Wilson is one of the few men who have listened to the whole Tangerine Dream discography - at 200 albums. He must be a god.
Anyway, not a lot is said about Bass Communion - mostly it's Wilson going solo, but with guest collaborations by people like Robert Fripp and Theo Travis. Robert Fripp is a regular collaborator with Wilson and even opened for PT during one of their shows with a ProjecKt.
Best known for Ghosts on Magnetic Tape - which Steve thinks is some of the best work he has ever done.
[u]Albums[/u]
- I
- II
- Atmospherics
- III
- Ghosts on Magnetic Tape
- Indicates Void
- Loss
- Pacific Codex
- Molotov and Haze
- Chiaroscuro
- Cenotaph
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75jCDevHkKE&feature=related[/media]
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[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsBbQiXUVLM&feature=related[/media]
[u]I.E.M - The Incredible Expanding Mindfuck [/u]
[img]http://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_band/SW%20IEM%202-20070103-230651.jpg[/img]
This shit is fucked. Like honestly. It's so obscure, he rarely talks about it but it experiments so much and freaks me right out. All I know is that its his "Krautrock" inspired stuff but its purpose is basically to extend on the early Porcupine Tree electronic stuff, and the joke stuff too.
[u]Albums:[/u]
- I.E.M
- An Escalator to Christmas
- Arcadia Son
- I.E.M have come for your children
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiOqHrPI12s[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YPurWGeNk&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hQcR1-iBT0&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_LvhG4CuLA&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NLb0B71d50[/media]
[u]Cover Versions[/u]
From 2003 Wilson started releasing some two-track singles, where he would release one original song, and one cover version. He's covered Alanis Morissette, The Cure, and even ABBA.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZNrCru7X8&feature=related[/media]
[u] FUN FACT [/u]
Steven Wilson is in Pendulum's new album, 'Immersion'.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmykCp10Anc[/media]
He could also shame everyone in his prog knowledge
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2InJpqo_bw[/media]
He's a massive critic of the digital ipod culture. He also plays all his concerts with bare feet. Fun fun.
[b] Production Work [/b]
He's also a fantastic and well-known Sound producer. He produces all the music he writes, from preproduction through to production through to the end. He also collaborates with other bands including:
- Opeth in Blackwater Park, which he produced and did songwriting duties for in a few songs.
- Anathema in We're Here Because We're Here, produced.
- Marillion
- JBK
- Orphaned Land
- Paatos
- Theo Travis
- Yoko Ono
- Fish
- Cipher
- Anja Garbarek
- Dream Theater
Furthermore, he does remixes and remasters including 5.1 mixes and remasters for bands like:
- King Crimson and their entire back catalogue from 1969 to 1984.
- Jethro Tull's Aqualung
- Caravan's In the Land of the Grey and Pink
And that's about all there is to inform. Now discuss :smug:.
I don't know much about the guy, I've heard of Porcupine Tree. But I'd just like to say this a brilliant OP and I would like to listen to some of this guys music :)
Thank you very much :buddy:
Best. OP. Ever.
Also, Best. Musician. Ever.
Fun Fact: He's also hilarious!
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4twRhdv_Dos&feature=related%22[/media]
I need more Porcupine Tree, they're probably my favourite band yet I own a comparatively small amount of their work :saddowns:
I do have the Steven Wilson Covers Box Set, In Absentia on blue marbled vinyl, The Incident book, the limited Anesthetise DVD, Insurgentes DVD with Vapour Trail Lullaby and the 5.1 FOABP so I'm doing better for rare(ish) stuff than for the actual work :v:
Absolute inspiration, my biggest musical idol without a doubt
He hates ipods :v:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sad-xhIZgz8&feature=related[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06JWDLTx4l0[/media]
How fitting that I am listening to In Absentia right now.
I fucking love Steven Wilson
[editline]7th June 2011[/editline]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dyMp99Q5ss[/media]
I cannot fucking wait for the new solo albums.
Also, here's what I reckon is the best cover version: The Day Before You Came by ABBA
[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UZjXqbNWvQ[/MEDIA]
Man's a genius. Really fucking good musician.
People always call him the successor of such and such but it's really hard to say that, because he listens to so much music - he's a sound producer, not a musician so he listens to music for very different reasons. He's not the new King Crimson because of stuff like Bass Communion and Blackfield.
He just is what he is, total genius who wears John Lennon glasses. Bit pretentious :v:
[QUOTE=killerteacup;30326680]People always call him the successor of such and such but it's really hard to say that, because he listens to so much music - he's a sound producer, not a musician so he listens to music for very different reasons. He's not the new King Crimson because of stuff like Bass Communion and Blackfield.
He just is what he is, total genius who wears John Lennon glasses. Bit pretentious :v:[/QUOTE]
But because he's pretentious, he does very new and interesting things that other people wouldn't because they're not pretentious.
Least he's very honest about it all. I think people often scream pretentious about people who talk about themselves in a way that makes it seem like they think they're 'important'.
Cept he actually is quite important now
[QUOTE=killerteacup;30327339]Least he's very honest about it all. I think people often scream pretentious about people who talk about themselves in a way that makes it seem like they think they're 'important'.
Cept he actually is quite important now[/QUOTE]
Yeah, he's earned the right to be up himself :v:
A true genius! His side-projects are all awesome, especially Bass Communion and his solo-project. Porcupine Tree is fantastic as well of course.
He's a wonderful songwriter and producer. He's made some pretty weird shit though haha
for instance:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-vE5PjyreE[/media]
I was expecting Linton Samuel Dawson :colbert:
[QUOTE=Dopey Trout;30328994]I was expecting Linton Samuel Dawson :colbert:[/QUOTE]
That was the first related video lol
eh he's okay
but he's no THOM YORKE
Shut up Bjork fan
[editline]8th June 2011[/editline]
jk ilBjork
hehhe just teasing
i must say i liked that insurgentes album more than anything porcupine tree's ever done, but then again i never was a big fan of the metal direction porcupine tree seems to be nodding towards
Speaking of Solo Albums!
[quote= Facebook]There is now a website for my forthcoming solo record, which will bear the overall title "Grace For Drowning". Over the next weeks leading up to release, audio, video and other information about the album will be posted on this site. It's my biggest project to date![/quote]
[url]http://www.gracefordrowning.com/[/url]
omgomgomg!
[media]http://vimeo.com/24819409[/media]
Also yes, can't say I've been as much a fan of the Incident as I have been of In Absentia, Deadwing or Stupid Dream, but I think he's right to go in that direction so long as he doesn't stray too far.
I would hate to have death screams in my Porcupine Tree.
[QUOTE=killerteacup;30341704]Speaking of Solo Albums!
[url]http://www.gracefordrowning.com/[/url]
omgomgomg!
[media]http://vimeo.com/24819409[/media]
Also yes, can't say I've been as much a fan of the Incident as I have been of In Absentia, Deadwing or Stupid Dream, but I think he's right to go in that direction so long as he doesn't stray too far.
I would hate to have death screams in my Porcupine Tree.[/QUOTE]
Sounds like he's going in yet another new direction. Awesome.
And I'm fairly sure Steve knows to leave the prog death to Opeth.
[QUOTE=thisispain;30340239]hehhe just teasing
i must say i liked that insurgentes album more than anything porcupine tree's ever done, but then again i never was a big fan of the metal direction porcupine tree seems to be nodding towards[/QUOTE]
I don't [I]mind[/I] it but I'm kind of with you on the Porcupine Tree front.
Something like "Stupid Dream" reminds me that they can be about "mood" rather than exploding.
[QUOTE=AK'z;30348782]I don't [I]mind[/I] it but I'm kind of with you on the Porcupine Tree front.
Something like "Stupid Dream" reminds me that they can be about "mood" rather than exploding.[/QUOTE]
I think In Absentia and Deadwing got a perfect balance. A few darker heavier songs (Strip The Soul, Open Car, Creator Had a Mastertape), as well as their softer more moody stuff (Trains, Prodigal, Mellotron Scratch)
Steven Wilson is a really cool guy. Porcupine Tree are a great band, and his solo project's really awesome too. Looking forward to his next remastering. :frogc00l:
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:smugdog:
[editline]adsf[/editline]
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init
[QUOTE=OctopusGuy;30365810]
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:smugdog:
[/QUOTE]
That is awesome
He just picked up a note someone threw on the stage.
Yeah I don't think he actually agreed
Listening to Blackfield's latest album is a bit weird for me, I don't think the production is as up to scratch as a lot of his other stuff, which is a shame.
Aviv's lyrics are definitely a lot weaker on this one, overall it's a good album, while I would say the others were great
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