Artist Profile: Bruce Soord (The Pineapple Thief)

During our Musicians Blog interview last month, Gavin Harrison spoke about his work on the latest album release from The Pineapple Thief, 'Your Wilderness'.  The perfect opportunity we thought, to catch up the band's founder, frontman and driving-force, Bruce Soord.

What inspired you to become a musician?

Rewind a couple of years, I was thirteen years old.  I was pretty musically illiterate back then (I was a Madonna fan and my parents were into Cliff Richard).  Then I met my childhood musical buddy Neil Randall.  His dad had a massive record collection and we would spend our lazy summer days listening to all this amazing music on his posh turntable, a lot of it progressive rock from the 70s.  Neil and I then went on to form a band together (Vulgar Unicorn) and that was that.  I always felt like I was playing catchup, but I didn’t care because it was such an exciting new world to explore.

What are some of your earliest influences?

I started with 70s prog, which made me a bit of a nerd being a teenager in the 80s at the time.  Bands like Yes, Camel, Supertramp, Floyd, Zeppelin.  I was never into the more pompous prog and I think that informed how I went on to write music.

The very first influence was - ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ by the Alan Parsons Project.  A concept album with a big gatefold sleeve and booklet.  But not too pompous mind! 

How and when was The Pineapple Thief formed?

So my old mate I was telling you about Neil Randall?  He didn’t want to play live and got a bit disillusioned with the music business.  So I started my own band and toured the London circuit trying to get a record deal. When that inevitably failed, I decided to give up on any commercial ambitions and set up a studio at home.  That’s when I started TPT, back in 1999.  I wrote a song called Private Paradise and the label I was on with Vulgar Unicorn at the time agreed to put it out.  I thought it was a ‘try anything once’ deal...

Readers of our Musicians Blog will know that Gavin Harrison joined you on your latest record ‘Your Wilderness’.  How did this relationship come about?

Well we found ourselves without a drummer.  I was ready to throw in the towel with TPT but Kscope (my label) said I should ask Gavin to drum on the new record.  At least to do one more studio album.  So I sent Gavin an email.  To my surprise Gavin responded and when he heard my demos agreed to drum.  He made a huge impact, it was a real shot in the arm for us.  And when we convinced him to play live, the band’s rehabilitation was complete.

Have you played with any other artists? 

It’s been great to be associated with Katatonia.  This came about through the Wisdom of Crowds project, when I was introduced to Jonas.  We’ve been friends ever since which is how I ended up on stage with them for the Dethroned acoustic tour.  I haven’t played with anyone else though, although it’s something I’d love to do.  As a front man I loved being ‘the guy at the back’ for a change.

How did the Wisdom of Crowds project come about?  Do you plan to work together again?

The project started out as a collaboration with Johnny Wilkes who is the marketing director at Kscope.  We get on really well and were exchanging musical ideas over email.  All of sudden we had an album but no vocalist.  When I first joined Kscope I remember playing ‘The Great Cold Distance’ and was blown away by the band and especially Jonas’s voice.  No one in the world sounds like Katatonia.  So Kscope hooked us up and the rest is history.  Jonas and I keep talking about doing the next one.  It will happen one day.

If you could work with anybody who would it be?

Beck.  I think he’s a genius.  And I’d predictably have to have Nigel Godrich producing and mixing.

Do you have a record that you are most proud of?

I think 'Little Man'.  Not exactly a fan favourite but I’m very proud of that record.

In terms of the current music scene, who are you a fan of?

Tricky one that!  I have a lot of respect for all the hard working bands in my genre - Steven Wilson, Opeth, Katatonia,  Anathema.  They live and breath music and to keep doing what they’re doing is inspiring.  And as I said before, Beck is just great.

What are your plans for the rest of 2017 and beyond?

I’ve just finished working on our live blu-ray which is out next month - it was probably the most stressful thing I’ve ever been involved with because it was such a huge undertaking - but i'm very proud of it.  The band is off on a short tour in September and then it’s  back to the studio to write another album.

Big thanks to Bruce Soord for taking the time out to speak to us.

The new The Pineapple Thief Live DVD/Documentary 'Where We Stood' is available 8th September 2017 via Kscope.  Pre-order here.

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