Seen as one of the most exciting progressive rock bands the UK has produced over the last two decades, The Pineapple Thief was formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord. The band has steadily evolved and refined its sound with the bass playing of Jon Sykes and the production and keyboards of Steve Kitch now so integral to the sound. “After so many years, The Pineapple Thief has become way bigger than the sum of its parts.” explains Soord.
After the worldwide acclaim generated by the 2014 anthemic rock release Magnolia, The Pineapple Thief returned in 2016 with its most ambitious studio album to date. Your Wilderness, their 11th studio album, showcases the band performing without any inhibitions providing a springboard for the ongoing creative growth of The Pineapple Thief.
For the first time, The Pineapple Thief brought in several special guest performers. “Since our last album Magnolia, the most eye catching change is obviously having Gavin Harrison contribute drums throughout the album” explains Bruce Soord. “This has not only redefined our sound but also redefined how we approached the songs as a band. Gavin’s drumming is technically brilliant but also incredibly musical, and it inspired all of us to raise our game. I’ve also rediscovered my progressive roots in terms of song-writing and arrangement. Added to that, we were lucky enough to have John Helliwell from Supertramp contribute some beautiful clarinet parts and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan) provided a string quartet. We were also joined by a lovely 4 piece choir and to cap it all off, my friend Darran Charles (Godsticks) added some jaw dropping guitar playing… You’ve never heard a The Pineapple Thief album like this one! I am convinced people will love this record as much as we do.”
The Pineapple Thief embarked on a 25 date European tour in 2017, reinforced by Gavin Harrison (King Crimson) on drums with Darran Charles (Godsticks) on guitar. As anyone who witnessed the shows will attest, the new five-piece line-up has allowed Bruce, Steve and Jon to expand upon their signature sound, enabling the band to truly shine on stage. The undoubtable highlight of the tour, their most successful so far, was the sold-out show at Islington Assembly Hall in London; a truly awe-inspiring gig which was serendipitously recorded and became the band’s first official live concert film. Titled Where We Stood, the film showcases an iconic performance from the band on new tracks from Your Wilderness, including “In Exile”, “No Man’s Land” and “The Final Thing On My Mind”, and classics from previous albums, “Nothing At Best”, “Show A Little Love” and “Simple As That”. Prog Magazine described their live show as “a dynamic, dramatic experience” while Manchester Rocks commented that it’s “The Pineapple Thief, like you’ve never heard them before”.