Reflecting on Hertfordshire’s progressive rock band Porcupine Tree’s 2021 reunion, founding member Steven Wilson has hinted at the possibility of more new music from the band in the near future. Porcupine Tree, formed in 1987, built up a considerable cult following in their more than two decade existence before disbanding 2010, with members citing a preference to devote attention to solo projects.
Porcupine Tree reformed in 2021 to release a new record, Closure/Continuation and embark on a worldwide tour. According to Wilson, working together to produce new material and playing live once more as group rekindled the motivation to continue Porcupine Tree and that a further reunion project may be on the cards.
Speaking to The Prog Report, Wilson said, “We really enjoyed it in a way that we probably never enjoyed it in the previous incarnation. I think there was a sense of it being, I wouldn’t say without any sense of pressure, but there was a lot less pressure this time around. There was no pressure to try and make it into something it wasn’t, because it was kind of a one-off thing.”
Wilson added, “We had a great time touring together, and it was great to see so many people that probably never got the chance to see the band 15 years ago — a lot of young kids coming to the shows and whole families coming, dads bringing their sons and daughters to shows and stuff like that. And it was great to play that old music….I don’t think we’re ruling out another possible reunion somewhere in the future. But if this was the end, it felt like a much more pleasing way to end the story than I think had been left hanging in the air prior to that.”
Closure/Continuation marked the band’s first new album since 2009 and, amidst the member’s various busy work schedules on other projects, Porcupine Tree began recording the album in relative secrecy. With the Covid pandemic effectively making it difficult to devote time to solo endeavours, the band found the perfect excuse to finally finish Closure/Continuation and release it in 2022.
