Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Interview date: 22.02.2013
We sat down with Bruce Soord, frontman and mastermind of indie prog act The Pineapple Thief. Soord hinted that he’s already smitten with Slovenia, and their upcoming gig definitely won’t be their last here (more about the gig itself HERE).
RockLine: Hi! First off, I’d like to thank you for this opportunity. I’m sure there’s a lot of interest in your band among our readers. To ease into it – how are you?
Bruce Soord: Knackered! We’ve had an insanely packed schedule with TPT, so I’m looking forward to catching up on some sleep on tour.
RockLine: All the Wars has been out for a while now. It’s a fantastic album – both your fans and the press agree. But I’m curious – what do you think of All the Wars?
Bruce Soord: I’m so glad you like it! I’m extremely proud of this album. I know that with every release we both lose and gain fans, but I honestly think All the Wars is the most fruitful thing I’ve created so far. Not to mention the production and the orchestra itself. Of course, I’m always thinking about how I can take things up another notch, which is what keeps me going to make a new album.
RockLine: Your sound has changed a lot over the years, yet every release has had that TPT sound. Obviously each one comes under slightly different influences. What were the biggest ones this time? And how will those influences show up on your upcoming EP?
Bruce Soord: Oof, great question. My influences haven’t changed all that much, though obviously I’m constantly listening to new music. What shaped All the Wars the most was the idea of playing the album live. That’s probably why All the Wars sounds less “studio” and captures the spirit and energy of a live performance better. There’s something indescribable about it – not just with the band, but with the crowd too. It’s a magical feeling.
RockLine: On the latest album you worked with an actual, honest-to-goodness orchestra. Was it hard? As a band you’ve always used orchestral sounds, most likely via backing tracks, but this must have been a whole different experience.
Bruce Soord: Oh, and how. I can’t deny that a 22-piece string orchestra completely knocked me over emotionally. That said, I still create and convert my ideas digitally, through samples, and let our arranger Andrew Skeet work with the orchestra itself. My only regret is how much gets lost when you “turn the orchestra into tape.” So my biggest dream is to go on tour with a full orchestra.
RockLine: So how will you translate the orchestral parts to your live shows? With samples, like before?
Bruce Soord: It’ll be a mix of samples and reinterpretation. For example, the title track of the latest album will be played with acoustic guitar, Rhodes, bass guitar and drums. It works. Of course the studio version still matters a lot, but I’m very skeptical about backing tracks.
RockLine: So now you’re heading out on tour and getting ready for a new release. What comes after that? Another new release, another tour… Does this same old cycle ever wear you out? Or is it always exciting, always something new?
Bruce Soord: For me it’s always something new. The band has only recently started traveling in earnest; we haven’t done many proper tours yet. We’ll be in Slovenia for the first time, which will definitely be a very interesting experience. I can’t imagine ever getting sick of all this. Of course, it helps that we all get along so well. It’s like one really long party. And I’ve just started writing for a new TPT album, so I’m full of energy.
RockLine: I’ve always enjoyed your lyrics. They feel so alive, like they come straight from real life. That’s what I’m wondering about, too – do they? Or are they purely a product of imagination?
Bruce Soord: Thank you so much! They do. I don’t think I could write a good lyric that was purely a product of my imagination. The best songs come from experience.
RockLine: As a musician myself, I’m never completely satisfied with my work. Do you feel the same way? How do you look back on your earlier work, especially some of the first stuff, like the 1999 debut?
Bruce Soord: I’ve learned to live with them! I’ve just remixed 137, the 2001 album, which is being reissued on Kscope. Obviously I’d never write those songs now, but back then I was doing my absolute best, the most I could in the situation I was in. That’s exactly why I’m at peace with my past.
RockLine: Any (famous) last words?
Bruce Soord: Slovenia won’t be seeing the last of us this time!
RockLine: Thank you so much for everything. We can’t wait for your show.
Interview translated and edited by: Tine Kolenik
