Gavin Harrison here!

Hey Gavin!!

This is so cool, I found out about you and Porcupine Tree in January and now I(hopefully) get to talk to the man himself! First of all I have to ask, are you guys planning on adding on Arizona or Las Vegas dates over in the U.S. to your 2009 bill? I would love nothing more than to see PT live but can't afford the drive to California, which is the next closest show to us.

I would like to say that I have the utmost respect for you and the guys in PT, your music has been nothing but pure inspiration for my drumming. You have tasteful chops that you never wear out, I love the variation you use, a strong groove, and a flawless knowledge of time signatures . In Arriving Somewhere Live you guys were absolutely amazing, I especially love Hatesong, you guys are all in complete control of that song, it blows me away how awesome it sounds live!

I see you as a drumming pioneer and innovator, and I hope to see you play near me soon! Me and my friends have spread the word about PT so I'm hoping you'll eventually have a bigger following down here.

Edit: Your work with 05ric blows me away too, I considered my mind blown after listening to Unsettled and the mid section of Okay.. I love it!

Another thing, I know you've probably been asked this plenty of times, whats the word on the new PT album? Can you give us a hint of what it may sound like and if you would, a potential release date?

Thanks for your time man!

Steven
 
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Hi Gavin,

I would really pay to see you play Microburst Alert.....mindblowing, I hope you will use it in one of your clinics and someone post the video.....:)

Ciao
Andrea
 
Hi Abhishek

Wanted to ask, the part before the main chorus, in 'Open Car', is that a very basic Illusion, or just displacing the back one note ahead?

Yes NeuroAxis is correct it's 17/8 but I try to disguise it to sound and feel like 4/4.

Hi Dont Taze Me Bro

First of all I have to ask, are you guys planning on adding on Arizona or Las Vegas dates over in the U.S. to your 2009 bill?

I'm pretty sure that we're not - but we will be back early next year for a much more extensive tour of the US - so there's a good chance we will play closer to where you live.

Another thing, I know you've probably been asked this plenty of times, whats the word on the new PT album? Can you give us a hint of what it may sound like and if you would, a potential release date?

I think it will be released around September time...but I can't describe what it sounds like.

Hi zephead19

I have one question on 19 days what is the splash mounted above your middle rack tom? and would you recommend it for more a rock style setting?

If you're talking about the film from my DVD - it's a Zildjian EFX 8" and it's very versatile - and I've used in many a rock setting too.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

i love your drumming very much but haven't seen you live on stage yet. Maybe there will be an opportunity. Please allow me to ask you one question on behalf of a Porcupine Tree-Fan Group in a German social network community: We heard Porcupine Tree will be on tour in Germany in late 2009. Do you know when the complete schedule is ready? Some fans got first informations and some fear that in the surrounding of Cologne and Frankfurt won't be any concerts.
Can you give further information to that? (Please excuse our impatience ... ;-) )

Thank you very much for your time, your answer and most of all for your very great kind of drumming, which is absolutely inspiring. You are great!!

Greetings from Germany
Muck
 
Hi

Do you know who will be the supporting band in your upcoming Porcupine Tree gig in Helsinki, Finland? Thanks.
 
Hey Gavin,

well first of all, just to let you that you have a fan in Sarajevo :)

Now, I have one question - if you could be so kind to tell me which snare drums did you use on these three songs (on their studio albums respectively):

1. The Start of Something Beautiful
2. Fear of a Blank Planet
3. Nil Recurring

Looking forward to next PT album!

Thanks
 
Hi Gavin,

Have you ever considered to use different heads on the toms? In studio too.I have thought this because sometimes i have little problem,like a very different sustain, for example...thank you!
P.S. I have listen the OSI album,and in "Terminal" your performance is fantastic!!!!! Very musical,expressive and fascinating,you're the usual genius..;)
 
Hey Gavin,

The drumming on Blood is amazing. One of the biggest standouts in the album for me was the time changes (or polyrythms?) about 2 minutes into False Start. I was wondering how that drum part came to be, from the fill to where it later speeds up. Jamming? Pre-concieved concepts? And what was it like playing in a much harder, more metal band than Porcupine Tree?

Can't wait to see you in Toronto this September, it'll be one of the best birthdays I could ask for!
 
Hey Gavin,

i have 2 questions for you.

1. Can you watch yourself playing? Like for reasons of tech. improvement or boredom? ;-)
2. I guess you've been to a lot of very different sounding studios, so i'd like to know what you think how big is the effect on your drumsound and for your playing ( dynamics? ).

Thank you very much!

B.
 
Hey Gavin, recently I've noticed there are days I don't feel I sound tight at all, and others I feel I sound way better, has this happened to you in the past? or even still happens? how do you cope with it? because it's been really annoying not to be able to really perform, and because of no apparent reason at all, the days seem randomly picked!
Thanks a lot.

Fox.
 
Hi Muck

We heard Porcupine Tree will be on tour in Germany in late 2009. Do you know when the complete schedule is ready?

I don't know when the complete schedule is ready - the first place that any announcements are made is www.porcupinetree.com

Hi jez-

Do you know who will be the supporting band in your upcoming Porcupine Tree gig in Helsinki, Finland?

Yes we do have a support band - but I don't think it has been announced yet. Check our website above for the latest info.

Hi Goran Lizdek

Now, I have one question - if you could be so kind to tell me which snare drums did you use on these three songs (on their studio albums respectively):
1. The Start of Something Beautiful
2. Fear of a Blank Planet
3. Nil Recurring

On all of these songs it would be my old 1982 Yamaha RC 9000 14x5 - but as I've said before it's not all about the drum itself - there are many other factors that you're hearing as well. This is just a drum that I know very well and I'm very comfortable playing.

Hi daniele

Have you ever considered to use different heads on the toms? In studio too.

I've been using Remo coated Emperors on the toms since 1995. I haven't felt the need to change them as I'm very happy with the sound (live and in the studio).

Hi AndrewL

The drumming on Blood is amazing. One of the biggest standouts in the album for me was the time changes (or polyrythms?) about 2 minutes into False Start. I was wondering how that drum part came to be, from the fill to where it later speeds up. Jamming? Pre-concieved concepts? And what was it like playing in a much harder, more metal band than Porcupine Tree?

Thanks. I think I remember Jim asking me to do something 'creative' over that guitar riff - and I had an idea to play that polyrhythm. I worked it out so that 2/3 of the way through it seamlessly turned into a straight 4/4 beat. There's no speeding up - that's just part of the illusion - it's all in the same 4/4 tempo from start to end. It was good fun to play harder stuff - but I've never played it live so I don't know how strenuous that would be.

Hi Trains'

1. Can you watch yourself playing? Like for reasons of tech. improvement or boredom?

I don't quite understand your question - do you mean: 'can I bear to watch myself playing?' or 'do I have the facility to watch myself playing'?

2. I guess you've been to a lot of very different sounding studios, so i'd like to know what you think how big is the effect on your drumsound and for your playing ( dynamics? ).

The sound of the room is VERY important - it would effect the way that I play for sure. Some rooms can make you feel inspired - and others make it feel like a real struggle.

Hi Fox622003

Hey Gavin, recently I've noticed there are days I don't feel I sound tight at all, and others I feel I sound way better, has this happened to you in the past? or even still happens? how do you cope with it?

To play consistently from gig to gig is one of the hardest things to do - because some days you really don't feel like playing - sometimes you don't sleep well - or eat well - or you have flu - or food poisoning - or the sound in the room is very different to what you like - or it's too hot - or the lights are annoying you - or someone in the front row is smoking a massive joint...there's a million reasons why you might not feel good (and by the way I've had all those things and more on nearly every tour I've done) - but you have to remember that the folks who came to see you play - are not aware of that - so you must strive to put those things out of your mind and really concentrate on the songs.

cheers

Gavin
 
Hey,

Sorry "bear" is the right word.. i ment if you sometimes watch your own dvds or setup a camera while playing live .

Greetings
 
Hi Gavin,

I've had a long time interest in syncopation and rhythmic illusions in general, and I've spent some time studying your books and the work of other drummers like Tomas Haake. I was wondering what do you think of bands like Meshuggah, that take concepts like syncopation to such extremes?

Also, could you take a quick listen to a short syncopated piece I've written for one of my projects and tell me what you think of it? It's straight 4/4 but I try to make it interesting, I improvised the whole part. It was recorded on my electric kit which ran midi through Toontrack's Drumkit From Hell (Though for some reason this clip export has a few blips);

http://members.upc.ie/rachel.whelan/project.mp3
 
Hi Gavin,

Sorry,i don't have write well. I intended: What do you think (in your experience) of the idea to use different head on every tom? For example if i use pinstripe on the small tom and emperor on the floor tom in the same drumset for to attempt improved the "sound homogeneity"? I don't have tried again..
 
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hi gavin,

what do you do, if the audience is clapping the pulse but speeds it up? do go along with it a little or do you strictly try to keep your tempo steady?
 
Hi Trains'

Sorry "bear" is the right word.. i ment if you sometimes watch your own dvds or setup a camera while playing live .

Yes it can be quite educational to see yourself playing - I don't love watching myself play (because I usually make too many bad faces).

Hi mp3guy

I've had a long time interest in syncopation and rhythmic illusions in general, and I've spent some time studying your books and the work of other drummers like Tomas Haake. I was wondering what do you think of bands like Meshuggah, that take concepts like syncopation to such extremes?

I love Meshuggah - and I love their rhythmic approach - it's some of the most interesting rhythmic designing I've ever heard.

Hi daniele

Sorry,i don't have write well. I intended: What do you think (in your experience) of the idea to use different head on every tom? For example if i use pinstripe on the small tom and emperor on the floor tom in the same drumset for to attempt improved the "sound homogeneity"?

I don't think I would try different heads on different toms if you're attempting to get a nice balanced tone from one to another. I have played on rented drumsets that have had that and to my ears it didn't make sense.

Hi Gunnarsen

what do you do, if the audience is clapping the pulse but speeds it up? do go along with it a little or do you strictly try to keep your tempo steady?

That is a tough situation and one that I've been in many times. For some reason Finland has it the worst - and I don't know why. Maybe they're just excited - but to have a whole audience speed up whilst you fight against them is very hard.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

Love your drumming! , and it is so great that you find time to write on this forum, it is one of my favorite threads:)

Recently I decided to buy your booklet :
"Rhythm Illusions"

Yesterday I read it for the first time, and I have a question.
In your booklet you say, that rhythm illusions are about making small changes to our main beat (which means, that the drummer don't need to do much ) in order to create a complicated rhythm illusion.

But when I see the exercises, I see that in many cases to play "the illusion" (the B mode, which as far as I understand it, should be what the listener feel ) is much more easy then to create the illusion :) (the A mode) , then what is the idea?
Am I missing something here??
 
Gavin Harrison said:
Hi Overg,

you ONLY play the A Status. The B Status is what it will sound like to the listener.

cheers
Gavin
Click to expand...

yes, this one I understand.

What I am saying is that playing B (in most cases ..) is much more easy then to play A, so the question is , why to play A in the first place? if I can just play B and get the same effect.

(I understand from the booklet, that you only play A, and you create a very complicated rhythmic illusion that sound LIKE B , but in many cases the B is much more easy to play.)

Or I am missing something here ?

Thanks!
 
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