“In pursuing my own fake band, I stumbled upon something that had real potential”: How Porcupine Tree unexpectedly grew out of Steven Wilson’s “shameless pastiches”

Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree performs at the Moore Theater in Seattle Washington October 18th, 2005 (Photo by Dana Nalbandian/WireImage).

Porcupine Tree started in 1987 as nothing more than a distraction for Steven Wilson, who at the time was more focused on No-Man. But the surprise success of debut album On The Sunday Of Life… demanded a change of attitude. The band continued to confound expectations until, in 2005, they were poised to release eighth LP Deadwing, which truly put them on the map. In 2016 Prog republished an interview with Wilson and keyboardist Richard Barbieri, in which they looked back on their story so far.

Steven Wilson cloaked himself in subterfuge from day one of Porcupine Tree. At the band’s birth in 1987 the vocalist, guitarist, keyboard player and guiding light – concocted a fictional biography of his so-called “70s group,” complete with a lengthy “discography.” Along with friend Malcolm Stocks, Wilson recorded hours of music; but in reality Porcupine Tree were intended as a joke – little more than a diversion from Wilson’s main focus, art rockers No-Man. But the its growth was so sudden that Floyd freak Wilson hastily switched lanes.