The Pineapple Thief

{{short description|British progressive rock band}} {{More citations needed|date=November 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | name = The Pineapple Thief | image = 20190227 Batschkapp Frankfurt 051 Pineapple Thief.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = The Pineapple Thief performing in 2019 | origin = Yeovil, Somerset, England | genre = Progressive rock<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-pineapple-thief-mn0000347161|title=The Pineapple Thief – Biography, Albums, Streaming Links – AllMusic|website=AllMusic|accessdate=6 October 2018}}</ref> | years_active = 1999–present | label = Kscope, Cyclops | website = {{url|pineapplethief.com}} | current_members = * Bruce Soord * Jon Sykes * Steve Kitch * Gavin Harrison | past_members = * Keith Harrison * Wayne Higgins * Matt O'Leary * Dan Osborne * Darran Charles * George Marios }}

'''The Pineapple Thief''' are an English progressive rock band founded in 1999 by Bruce Soord in Yeovil, Somerset. {{As of|2024|June}}, 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.

==History== ===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.<ref name="brucesoord">{{Cite web |last=Soord |first=Bruce |date=3 June 2015 |title=The Pineapple Thief name |url=https://brucesoord.com/274-2/ |access-date=4 December 2023 |website=brucesoord.com}}{{Better source needed|reason=Citation is Soord's personal website, which may not be entirely objective.|date=June 2024}}</ref> The project's debut album, ''Abducting the Unicorn'', 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.<ref name="brucesoord" /> 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'',{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tunefind.com/artist/the-pineapple-thief|title=Music by The Pineapple Thief|website=Tunefind.com|accessdate=6 October 2018}}</ref>

Wayne Higgins left the band in March 2008.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

===Kscope years=== [[File:The Pineapple Thief in Mexico City (2019).jpg|thumb|The Pineapple Thief playing at Lunario in Mexico City (2019)]]

In May 2008, the Pineapple Thief helped relaunch the Kscope label with their seventh studio album, ''Tightly Unwound''. They also released a mini-documentary film on their website, featuring interviews and two exclusive live tracks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pineapplethief.com/news.php |title=Latest news |publisher=Pineapple Thief |accessdate=10 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802053721/http://www.pineapplethief.com/tpt/ |archivedate=2 August 2012 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kscopemusic.com/thepineapplethief/someonehereismissing/welcome.php |title=The Pineapple Thief's Someone Here Is Missing |publisher=Kscopemusic.com |accessdate=10 March 2011 |archive-date=30 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330092653/http://www.kscopemusic.com/thepineapplethief/someonehereismissing/welcome.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The album features artwork by Storm Thorgerson. It was followed by the download-only album ''Someone Here Is Live'' 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.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

On 8 February 2014, the band announced that Dan Osborne had replaced Keith Harrison on drums.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beleña |first=Pablo M. |date=12 February 2014 |title=The Pineapple Thief anuncian su primer cambio de formación tras casi 10 años de estabilidad |trans-title=The Pineapple Thief announce their first lineup change after almost 10 years of stability |url=https://www.rock-progresivo.com/pineapple-thief-anuncian-su-primer-cambio-de-formacion-tras-casi-10-anos-de-estabilidad/2014/02/ |access-date=4 December 2023 |website=Rock-Progresivo.com |language=es}}</ref>

The Pineapple Thief's tenth studio album, ''Magnolia'', 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).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rebelnoi.se/reviews/your-wilderness|title=Rebel Noise – Your Wilderness|website=Rebelnoi.se|access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kscopemusic.com/2016/05/10/the-pineapple-thief-returns-with-new-album-your-wilderness/|title=Kscope – The Pineapple Thief returns with new album 'Your Wilderness'|website=Kscopemusic.com|accessdate=6 October 2018}}</ref>

In August 2018, the Pineapple Thief released their twelfth studio album, ''Dissolution''.

On 4 September 2020, their thirteenth studio album, ''Versions of the Truth'', came out.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://progressivemusicplanet.com/2020/09/04/the-pineapple-thief-versions-of-the-truth/|title= Progressive Music Planet – The Pineapple Thief – "Versions of the Truth"|website=progressivemusicplanet.com|date= 4 September 2020|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref>

On 9 February 2024, the band issued their latest record, ''It Leads to This''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pineapplethief.com/it-leads-to-this/|title= The Pineapple Thief return with incredible new album 'It Leads to This" out Feb 9th (Kscope)|website=pineapplethief.com|date=2023|access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref>

==Band members== <gallery> The Pineapple Thief live (32370646032).jpg|Soord The Pineapple Thief live (32482442896).jpg|Sykes The Pineapple Thief live (31679485704) (cropped).jpg|Kitch The Pineapple Thief live (32400885251) (cropped).jpg|Harrison </gallery>

'''Current''' * Bruce Soord – vocals, guitars, keyboards (2002–present); bass, drums (1999–2002)<ref>{{Citation |title=The Pineapple Thief – 137 |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/530845-The-Pineapple-Thief-137 |access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref> * 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''' {{Unreferenced section|date=June 2024}} * Darran Charles – guitars, vocals (2014–2017) * Gavin Harrison – drums (2016) * George Marios – guitar, vocals (2018–2021) * Beren Matthews – guitar, vocals (2021–present)

'''Timeline''' {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:811 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:110 top:0 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1999 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1999 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1999

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==Discography== '''Studio albums''' * ''Abducting the Unicorn'' (1999) – re-released in 2017 as ''Abducted at Birth'', remastered with one bonus track * ''137'' (2002) * ''Variations on a Dream'' (2003) * ''10 Stories Down'' (2005) – initially released as ''12 Stories Down'' in 2004 * ''Little Man'' (2006) * ''What We Have Sown'' (2007) * ''Tightly Unwound'' (2008) * ''Someone Here Is Missing'' (2010) * ''All the Wars'' (2012) * ''Magnolia'' (2014) * ''Your Wilderness'' (2016) * ''8 Years Later'' (2016) * ''Dissolution'' (2018) * ''Versions of the Truth'' (2020) * ''Give It Back'' (2022) * ''It Leads to This'' (2024)

'''Live and video albums''' * ''Live'' (2003) – DVD/CD + 4 new studio tracks * ''Live at the Half Moon, Putney'' (2008) – video * ''Someone Here Is Live'' (2010) – download only, recorded October 2010 * ''Live at the 013'' (2013) – download only, recorded November 2012 * ''Live 2014'' (2014) – download only, recorded November 2014 * ''Where We Stood'' (2017) – DVD/CD, recorded February 2017 * ''Hold Our Fire'' (2019) – CD, recorded September 2018 * ''Nothing But the Truth'' (2021) – DVD/CD, live studio recording

'''Compilations and box sets''' * ''3000 Days'' (2009) * ''Introducing the Pineapple Thief'' (2013) * ''How Did We Find Our Way (1999–2006)'' (2023) * ''Retracing Our Steps (2007–2014)'' (2025)

'''EPs''' * ''4 Stories Down'' (2005) * ''The Dawn Raids Volume 1'' (2009) * ''The Dawn Raids Volume 2'' (2009) * ''Show a Little Love'' (2010) * ''Build a World'' (2013) * ''Uncovering Your Tracks'' (2020) – re-recorded songs * ''Last to Run'' (2024)

'''Singles''' * "Sherbert Gods" (2001) – 7" single * "Shoot First'" (2008) – download-only single * "Nothing at Best" (2010) – download-only single

'''Music videos''' * "Shoot First" (2008) * "Nothing at Best" (2010) * "Show a Little Love" (2010) * "Someone Here Is Missing" (2010) * "All the Wars" (2012) * "Someone Pull Me Out of Here" (2012) * "Build a World" (2013) * "Simple as That" (2014) * "A Sense of Fear" (2014) * "In Exile" (2016) * "Try as I Might" (2018) * "Demons" (2020) * "Break It All" (2020) * "Versions of the Truth" (2020) * "Driving Like Maniacs" (2020) * "The Frost" (2023) * "It Leads to This" (2024)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commonscat|Pineapple Thief}} * {{official website|pineapplethief.com}} * [https://brucesoord.com/ Bruce Soord] official website

{{The Pineapple Thief}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pineapple Thief, The}} Category:English indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Somerset