Higher Brain Pattern

While it’s been obvious over the past year or so, it’s been officially announced that Porcupine Tree are now on the dreaded indefinite hiatus. The original plans were for PT to take a break after their Radio City and Royal Albert Hall gigs in 2010. 2011 was going to be Steven Wilson’s solo gig year, where he made his second solo album, Grace for Drowning. I can recall SW mentioning in interviews that he didn’t know exactly when PT would reunite, but perhaps towards the end of 2011 or early 2012 they would get back together and see where they were at with things.

2012 came, and nothing came of anything. SW instead went touring with his newly founded solo band. I think most of us figured he was on roll with these guys (they’re a wonderful touring act) and SW just wanted to capitalize on that momentum. But after we patiently waited more, SW announced plans to work on a third solo album immediately following Grace. The writing was on the wall at this point - Porcupine Tree were initially going on a break, but as soon as SW began touring with his new band, that completely changed his direction as an artist.

SW has since recently announced that as of April 2013, he was going to continue his solo career & pursue scoring films, and that Porcupine Tree were on an official hiatus. This doesn’t change much, they were always on break, but now there are no longer plans to get back together like it initially was planned.

It’s upsetting to hear, but I respect his decision. I wouldn’t want SW to reunite with the guys of Porcupine Tree half-hearted, wishing he was making his solo music tailored for his new band. That would’ve just lead to conflicts and would negatively impact the long-awaited 11th album.

I think a reunion is inevitable, but I no longer expect them to ‘resume’ their work like before. SW is an artist, and he now has a band who with little compromise play HIS music. I’m surprised he didn’t start the solo career sooner (Cover Versions and smaller bands, aside). This might be his way of making up for lost time, and despite his youthful looks, he’s not a spring chicken anymore - I can totally see why he’d want to do this or score movies over Porcupine Tree at this point in his life.

I’d love an 11th album, and I’d love to see them at least one more time. I hold onto hope they’ll get back together one day in the near future and do one or both of those things. Porcupine Tree deserve to go out in a performance to last the ages long after their true departure. They deserve to have the best live performance ever captured, in 4K resolution, full of their most famous songs alongside their cult favorite 90s gems. I hold onto hope that at the very least we’ll have that to look forward to one day.