Gavin Harrison here!

last couple of days i've been listening to "Deadwing" again. it's so nice to actually listen to a band with great playing, great vocals (not metal band "cattle prod up the ass" screaming/growling), dynamics, and music that doesn't insult your intelligence.
 
Hey Gavin, first I just discovered porcupine tree, all I can saw is wow! I cant believe i didn't find this bad earlier

ok so my question....

I read somewhere that you combine triggered and acoustic sounds, Is that true? If so how are you going about doing that?
 
Hi nickg,
glad you like the record - although there's nothing quite like the "cattle prod up the ass" to wake up a singer! It's a production technique I intend to pursue.

Hi Zildjian 242,
Sometimes I use a plug-in called "Drumagog" to add a very short clicky sample to the front of my bass drum sound in post production. The problem can be that if you play some fast notes with the double bass drum pedal - sometimes it gets lost in the music. If I EQ the bass drum to be really clicky enough to cut through the rest of the band - it sounds very nasty (as a bass drum) and it starts to make the cymbals and snare sound nasty too. So if I add a tiny amount of clicky bd sample it doesn't change the sound of the drums - but just gives a bit of clarity to what I'm doing.

Cheers
Gavin
 
So, Gavin,
Did you have a hard time singing the polyrhythms on this dvd? I tried singing along and found myself lightheaded and out of breath with the 5's and 7's. How did singing these make you feel?

Don't get me wrong - you're brilliant - just a little lighthearted question!!

Thanks for being a huge inspiration and for all of the beautiful music! Looking forward to the new cd.

Thanks,
Western New York's only 9-fingered drummer
Paul
 
hi Gavin,

i recently had the pleasure of watching the Porcupine Tree live dvd... and i have to say, it's one of the better live dvd's of ANY band that i've ever seen! awesome!!
Still yet to check out Rhythmic Horizons in full.

I'm definately looking forward to the new Porcupine Tree album!! bring it on!! hope it's all going well.

Hopefully you guys can get out to Australia for some shows this time round?? pleease!!
:D

keep up the awesome inspiring work!

Gethin
 
Hi DanBritt,
thanks for the comments!

Hi Where_She_Wept,
yes it's hard to sing (or grunt in my case) a long pattern of notes - because at some point you have to breathe. So you have to keep singing as you breathe in. Not easy.

Hi crookedrook,
I read your article - a very inspiring read. Keep up the good work.

Hi Gethin,
thanks for the message, glad you're enjoying the DVD. We'd love to come to Australia - let's hope this time round it happens.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

I've just been visiting the musikmesse frankfurt-page and there is an additional date to your performances on the 29th, can you confirm this date or did they somehow get mixed up?
I recently 'infected' a friend of mine with the 'and-now-let's-play-this-in-gavin-harrison-style"-virus and I'm planning to take him to frankfurt and surprise him with your performance, and I would really like to avoid the following conversation:
Me: "Hey, I got a surprise for you!"
Him: "Wow! An empty stage...gee, thanks!"

Thanks for all the inspiration!
Maren
 
Hi Gav!

First, I just heard the Fear of a blank planet preview on myspace.com, it sounds really awesome! Nice sound, great drums, tight guitars. Congratulations, this will be the best PT Album, imo.

I´m really excited to see you in Frankfurt at Musikmesse next month. What will you perform? I hope you will play Futile...
What do you think? Will you get your new SQ2 kit till the show? ;-)

Cheers,
Ivan
 
Hey Gavin

I just listened to the "Fear Of A Blank Planet" preview and now I'm even more excited than I already was. Although I noticed that 2 songs were leaked to torrent sites. Were you guys aware of that? I don't want to spoil the surprise for myself as I know the album will be awesome. I love that you can still find a few bands that make great albums as apposed to the odd good track and a bunch of filler.

The wait is killing me!
Daniel
 
Hi ya Gavin

Love the album preview on the Porcupine Tree Myspace site. WOW! Sounds amazing.
I love the dynamics you and the band have. I can't say that enough. Plus it sounds like you've been given a lot of room to let loose on the drums. Always a bonus :)


Sorry, another pesty question :)
Gavin, I saw a post on a forum a while back that you might be re-recording (if not done already) the drum parts on earlier albums that were done prior to you joining Porcupine Tree. Is this true? If so, which ones? It mentioned something about releasing the early albums as a box set. I wish I could remember the forum, but it was a while ago. That would be pretty cool to hear your drumming on those earlier studio albums. Since I'm new to the Porcupine Tree fan tree, I only have In Absentia, Deadwing, and the Live DVD.

Glen
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Hi There!

The Blank planet preview sounds really cool. I'm really looking forward to the album.

Is there any chance of you doing a clinic in finland? PT is playing at Ilosaarirock in july and i was hoping that you would have a little spare time for a clinic while you are here. I talked with the Deluxe music (Sonor and Zildjian dealer in Finland) guys today and they said, that they are going to look into it. Hopefully it will work out.
 
Well it's nice to know that it's not totally out of the question. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I might even apply the "cattle prod up the ass" -technique to get the Deluxe music / Em Nordic guys moving.
 
Hi lifeisalldynamics,
I understand that I will NOT be performing on the 29th at Frankfurt. I think it's a mistake on that website. I will probably be there in the afternoon of the 29th setting up and adjusting my kit for the following day. You might even find me at the Sonor booth.

Cheers
Gavin


I've just been visiting the musikmesse frankfurt-page and there is an additional date to your performances on the 29th, can you confirm this date or did they somehow get mixed up?

Maren
 
Good Evening Gavin.
Another one who would like to add how awesome the 'FOABPlanet' preview is...can't wait for the album.
Anyway, browsing through my local second hand cd store earlier today when I came across 'Dizrhythmia', the name rang a bell so I find this album features the talents (from '88) of a certain 'Gavin Harrison'. Man, I've had one listen and it's 'out there' for sure. I had a wee google and came across the term 'Indo-fusion'? and checked out that it's you mate. Any recollections of this Gavin? Personally I consider it quite the find.

ps: Hey! MY mention of 'PT opening for Rush' a while back was heartily ignored!? Heh heh.
 
The FOABP preview on the PTree myspace page is awesome - lots of dynamic contrasts, heavy parts, beautiful parts, etc. Everything that I love about PTree seems to be touched on in that preview - I can't wait to hear the whole thing (I'm assuming there are at least some decent transitions between all those cool parts! lol! :) )

The preview gives me the impression that you use a fair amount of double bass on the heavier sections. You have often downplayed your double bass talent (something I would vehemently disagree with :)) I have tried for quite some time to play the ending to "Futile" up to speed - but those short double kick bursts and their relation to the ride/snare pattern is extremely difficult. Do you begin thinking of something like the end of "Futile" by focusing on your lead (right) foot and then try to add the other foot to double it up? Also, I am trying to determine if you hit the kick simultaneously with the snare where the pattern lines up? (This lends to 3 groupings of 5 notes on the kick vs. changing the kick pattern to allow for the snare hit)
 
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