The Pineapple Thief

Biography

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.

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. The project's debut album, Abducting the Unicorn×Abducting the Unicorn15 May 1999 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Private Paradise11:482Drain6:363Whatever You Do – Do Nothing6:194No One Leaves This Earth5:565Punish Yourself4:276Everyone Must Perish4:377Judge the Girl6:098Parted Forever18:129[untitled]4:27, 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. 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, 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.
Wayne Higgins left the band in March 2008.

Kscope years

In May 2008, the Pineapple Thief helped relaunch the Kscope label with their seventh studio album, Tightly Unwound×Tightly Unwound12 May 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1My Debt to You5:192Shoot First4:123Sinners4:524The Sorry State4:115Tightly Wound6:356My Bleeding Hand4:207Different World10:448And So Say All of You4:069Too Much to Lose15:12. They also released a mini-documentary film on their website, featuring interviews and two exclusive live tracks.
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. The album features artwork by Storm Thorgerson. It was followed by the download-only album Someone Here Is Live×Someone Here Is Live2011 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1God Bless the Child6:412Tightly Wound6:393Waking Up the Dead4:5143000 Days7:075Shoot First4:216Different World9:507All You Need to Know4:278My Debt to You5:519Counting the Cost4:0910Part Zero6:1811Preparation for Meltdown7:5912Show a Little Love4:0513So We Row8:3014Too Much to Lose14:3715Nothing at Best4:4716Light Up Your Eyes9:2117Snowdrops8:47 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.
On 8 February 2014, the band announced that Dan Osborne had replaced Keith Harrison on drums.
The Pineapple Thief's tenth studio album, Magnolia×Magnolia15 September 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Simple as That4:022Alone at Sea5:213Don't Tell Me3:354Magnolia3:475Seasons Past4:156Coming Home3:067The One You Left to Die4:208Breathe2:509From Me2:3610Sense of Fear4:3111A Loneliness3:2112Bond4:32, 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).
In August 2018, the Pineapple Thief released their twelfth studio album, Dissolution×Dissolution31 August 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Not Naming Any Names2:052Try as I Might4:263Threatening War6:374Uncovering Your Tracks4:295All That You’ve Got3:276Far Below4:367Pillar of Salt1:258White Mist11:059Shed a Light5:20.
On 4 September 2020, their thirteenth studio album, Versions of the Truth×Versions of the Truth4 September 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Versions of the Truth5:402Break It All4:233Demons4:294Driving Like Maniacs3:295Leave Me Be4:116Too Many Voices3:157Our Mire7:258Out of Line4:009Stop Making Sense3:1910The Game4:40, came out.
On 9 February 2024, the band issued their latest record, It Leads to This.

Band members

Current

Bruce Soord – vocals, guitars, keyboards (1999–present); bass, drums (1999–2002)
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