Written by In his recent Prog Interview, Porcupine Tree’s Richard Barbieri looked back on how his work with Japan colleagues Mick Karn and Steve Jansen led to his connection to Steven Wilson in the 90s, and revealed his thoughts on the mercurial Wilson’s approach to making things happen.
How did you get to be involved with Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson’s No-Man?
They got in touch with Mick, Steve and I as they wanted us to work with them. We went to a showcase and thought it was good. At the end, Tim did a dramatic throwing-down of his microphone and walked off. Mick said, “Well, I’m not working with them!”
Tim was the mouthpiece of the band, constantly talking and telling you the intention of the music and what he listens to. You wouldn’t hear from Steven – he’d be at the mixing board.
Even at that stage he had the confidence to walk into a studio and head for the desk. He probably didn’t know how half of it worked, but he’s the kind of guy that thinks, “Well, hang on… yeah, I can probably do that!”
And then you kept being in Steven and Tim’s orbit?
I got to know them as friends and they kind of reinvigorated my interest in music. I was a bit jaded, and they’d be, constantly, “Have you heard this sound?”
I then started working with Steven. He asked me to come in and play some electronics on these tracks he was working with for his projects, and Porcupine Tree. I was quite amazed then – and now – by how confident he is. You’ll meet up and he’ll say, “Right, we’re going to do a track… Now let’s do this.” I’m like, “Wait a minute!”
It would take Steve, Mick and I a good four hours just to get in the mood to do something, then you’d be discussing an overdub for the next two hours.
Suddenly I felt very rushed, but I went along with it. And Steven was right. Things started happening… he makes things happen.
What did you like about Porcupine Tree?
It was a love of that proggy thing mixed with electronics. I got on well with Colin Edwin and Chris Maitland; and Steven was gonna make his way in music. There’s nothing I love more than talented people. I always felt we’d get somewhere with it. It just took a lot longer than I thought it would!
Did you see Steven Wilson striking out on his own as inevitable?
Yeah – but I thought he would do alternate albums, his own and Porcupine Tree. The hiatus was a bit of a shock, and he was very negative about the group in the press. I hated reading his interviews in those days; I didn’t feel it reflected what he actually thought.
He says now that he wanted to put the emphasis on his solo work. Looking back, we should have had a break after Fear Of A Blank Planet because we were working continuously. I don’t think I was the nicest person to be around then.
But when the break came, I was still sending him music and he was saying, “That sounds great, Richard, but you really should use it for your solo album.” I thought, “OK, I’m getting the message.”
I went and recorded the best solo album I’ve ever made, called Planets + Persona. I also looked at the situation and made some adjustments. I wanted to have better friendships with Steven and Gavin Harrison.
That’s why I loved the last Porcupine Tree album so much – Closure/Continuation was a step up musically and personally. I could be relaxed, and be a nice person on the tour – at last!
The door is open for Porcupine Tree to return, but is there a musical itch left to scratch?
It’ll never be scratched probably, but I always wanted to compose a soundtrack for a film. I would have thought that would have happened by now, but the scene seems to be a bit of a closed shop.
With Porcupine Tree, we get together every so often and we’ve been writing new stuff. We’re determined that if we make another album it’s going to sound different – and it does already. It’s totally collaborative; it’s easier to expand and push the boundaries more this way.
