The Pineapple Thief

The Pineapple Thief
The Pineapple Thief performing in 2019
The Pineapple Thief performing in 2019
Background information
OriginYeovil, Somerset, England
GenresProgressive rock[1]
Years active1999–present
LabelsKscope, Cyclops
Members
Past members
  • Keith Harrison
  • Wayne Higgins
  • Matt O'Leary
  • Dan Osborne
  • Darran Charles
  • George Marios
Websitepineapplethief.com

The Pineapple Thief are an English progressive rock band founded in 1999 by Bruce Soord in Yeovil, Somerset. As of June 2024, the group consists of Soord on vocals, guitars, and keyboards, Jon Sykes on bass, Steve Kitch on keyboards, and Gavin Harrison on drums. They have released 16 studio albums, 6 EPs, and several live and compilation albums.

History

Early years

Bruce Soord started the musical project Pineapple Thief (named after a dialogue in the movie Eve's Bayou) as an outlet for his music in 1999.[2] The project's debut album, Abducting the Unicorn, was released by Cyclops Records in 1999 and followed in 2002 by 137.

In 2003, Soord released Variations on a Dream and subsequently decided to form a band, adding "The" to its name, to differentiate its initials PT from Porcupine Tree, another English progressive rock band.[2] Its first lineup consisted of Soord on vocals, Jon Sykes on bass, Wayne Higgins on guitar, Matt O'Leary on keyboards, and Keith Harrison on drums. As a full band, they released 12 Stories Down in 2004, re-recorded and remixed as 10 Stories Down a year later. O'Leary subsequently left the band, and Steve Kitch, who co-produced and mixed 10 Stories Down,[citation needed] joined on keyboards.

Following the release of Little Man in 2006, the band published What We Have Sown in late 2007 as a final Cyclops release before being signed to Kscope, a division of Snapper Music. In 2007, the Pineapple Thief's music featured in the third season of the MTV reality series The Hills; the song "Snowdrops" can be heard in episode 28.[3]

Wayne Higgins left the band in March 2008.[citation needed]

Kscope years

The Pineapple Thief playing at Lunario in Mexico City (2019)

In May 2008, the Pineapple Thief helped relaunch the Kscope label with their seventh studio album, Tightly Unwound. They also released a mini-documentary film on their website, featuring interviews and two exclusive live tracks.[4]

This was followed in 2009 by the EPs The Dawn Raids Volume 1 and The Dawn Raids Volume 2 as well as the box set 3000 Days, a 2-CD remixed and remastered collection of songs from their ten-year history to date.

The band's next release, Someone Here Is Missing, came out in 2010.[5] The album features artwork by Storm Thorgerson. It was followed by the download-only album Someone Here Is Live later that year.

The band entered the studio in 2012 to record their ninth full-length record, which included a 22-piece orchestra and choir.[citation needed]

On 8 February 2014, the band announced that Dan Osborne had replaced Keith Harrison on drums.[6]

The Pineapple Thief's tenth studio album, Magnolia, was released on 15 September 2014.

In August 2016, they issued Your Wilderness, the first record to feature drummer Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson).[7][8]

In August 2018, the Pineapple Thief released their twelfth studio album, Dissolution.

On 4 September 2020, their thirteenth studio album, Versions of the Truth, came out.[9]

On 9 February 2024, the band issued their latest record, It Leads to This.[10]

Band members

  • Soord
    Soord
  • Sykes
    Sykes
  • Kitch
    Kitch
  • Harrison
    Harrison

Current

  • Bruce Soord – vocals, guitars, keyboards (2002–present); bass, drums (1999–2002)[11]
  • Jon Sykes – bass guitar, vocals (2002–present)
  • Steve Kitch – keyboards (2005–present)
  • Gavin Harrison – drums (2017–present)

Past

  • Keith Harrison – drums, vocals (2002–2013)
  • Wayne Higgins – guitars, vocals (2002–2008)
  • Matt O'Leary – keyboards (2002–2005)
  • Dan Osborne – drums, vocals (2013–2016)

Session/live

  • Darran Charles – guitars, vocals (2014–2017)
  • Gavin Harrison – drums (2016)
  • George Marios – guitar, vocals (2018–2021)
  • Beren Matthews – guitar, vocals (2021–present)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Live and video albums

  • Live (2003) – DVD/CD + 4 new studio tracks
  • Live at the Half Moon, Putney (2008) – video
  • Someone Here Is Live (2010) – download only, recorded October 2010
  • Live at the 013 (2013) – download only, recorded November 2012
  • Live 2014 (2014) – download only, recorded November 2014
  • Where We Stood (2017) – DVD/CD, recorded February 2017
  • Hold Our Fire (2019) – CD, recorded September 2018
  • Nothing But the Truth (2021) – DVD/CD, live studio recording

Compilations and box sets

  • 3000 Days (2009)
  • Introducing the Pineapple Thief (2013)
  • How Did We Find Our Way (1999 – 2006) (2023)

EPs

  • 4 Stories Down (2005)
  • The Dawn Raids Volume 1 (2009)
  • The Dawn Raids Volume 2 (2009)
  • Show a Little Love (2010)
  • Build a World (2013)
  • Uncovering Your Tracks (2020) – re-recorded songs

Singles

  • "Sherbert Gods" (2001) – 7" single
  • "Shoot First'" (2008) – download-only single
  • "Nothing at Best" (2010) – download-only single

Music videos

  • "Shoot First" (2008)
  • "Nothing at Best" (2010)
  • "Show a Little Love" (2010)
  • "Someone Here Is Missing" (2010)
  • "All the Wars" (2012)
  • "Someone Pull Me Out of Here" (2012)
  • "Build a World" (2013)
  • "Simple as That" (2014)
  • "A Sense of Fear" (2014)
  • "In Exile" (2016)
  • "Try as I Might" (2018)
  • "Demons" (2020)
  • "Break It All" (2020)
  • "Versions of the Truth" (2020)
  • "Driving Like Maniacs" (2020)
  • "The Frost" (2023)
  • "It Leads to This" (2024)

References

  1. ^ "The Pineapple Thief – Biography, Albums, Streaming Links – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b Soord, Bruce (3 June 2015). "The Pineapple Thief name". brucesoord.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.[better source needed]
  3. ^ "Music by The Pineapple Thief". Tunefind.com. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Latest news". Pineapple Thief. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  5. ^ "The Pineapple Thief's Someone Here Is Missing". Kscopemusic.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  6. ^ Beleña, Pablo M. (12 February 2014). "The Pineapple Thief anuncian su primer cambio de formación tras casi 10 años de estabilidad" [The Pineapple Thief announce their first lineup change after almost 10 years of stability]. Rock-Progresivo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Rebel Noise – Your Wilderness". Rebelnoi.se. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Kscope – The Pineapple Thief returns with new album 'Your Wilderness'". Kscopemusic.com. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Progressive Music Planet – The Pineapple Thief – "Versions of the Truth"". progressivemusicplanet.com. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  10. ^ "The Pineapple Thief return with incredible new album 'It Leads to This" out Feb 9th (Kscope)". pineapplethief.com. 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  11. ^ The Pineapple Thief – 137, retrieved 15 July 2022
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