Talks about Porcupine Tree hiatus and how it came about. Talks about Fripp asking him to join KC and Gavin admitting he does not know any KC music...so awesome!! Always knew he was a big jazz fan but as a teen he states he was a big US funk listener including Earth Wind & Fire (my #3 all time band), brilliant! He did not listen to Floyd, Genesis, Zeppelin or even Beatles.....I like Gavin more and more. 

The Pineapple Thief working on a new album.

True dat....also one of the best with ghost hits, he is so musical with that talent. What struck me that he said,  I also came to progressive rock via the funk/R&B world. EW&F, Parliament, Funkadelic, Bar-Kays, Ohio Players and others that recorded some amazing songs, long jams and instrumentals that helped me explore different music from other countries really when I was a teen. Much of the prog I was hearing took me awhile, years to get and really like.

SteveG wrote: Nice. He's an awesome drummer that, I think, doesn't get his due from people. His rapid bass drum kicks in the break on "Lazarus" is sublime.

Funny you say that. I think he's widely recognized as one of the best "rock" drummers alive today. Bill Bruford already included him on his list of his 10 favorite drummers of all time years ago:

https://billbruford.com/faq/#06792cf4f25413591

And he was one of the drummers chosen to play a solo on Letterman for their "Drum Solo Week".

https://youtu.be/igDSyZMy8_E

Never mind the fact that he was picked up by KC.

All in all, he's an absolutely mind-blowing drummer. Thanks for posting the interview!

I'm with you, its seems Gavin gets little love from the "music fan" but in his industry and among his peers he is regarded as a highly talented musician....I've seen it and heard it since first being exposed to him what almost 20yrs ago.

Mr Peart will always be my fav drummer of all time, I made this decision as a teen in late 70's . Gavin is easily right behind him.

I remember those episodes on Letterman, I was really surprised Gavin was one of the chosen due to his limited popularity....He nailed it though with excellent jazz skills.

My wife is a huge Peart and Portnoy fan, she was very impressed with his performance when we saw Pineapple Thief past December. Seeing him with KC and 2 other drummers is difficult to appreciate him on his own she said...

Had heard where he did not know any Crimson songs before joining the band, awesome.

Good interview.  Thanks for sharing.

I like Marco, but Gavin is more musical to my ears.

Hi,

To my ears, Gavin is more "mechanical", or maybe  the right word is "mathematical" than Marco ... but that is just a feeling from what I hear, and can not tell you if it is true or clear at all. Although I do not dislike what I hear, be it on PT or PT, or KC, of all drummers I much prefer the easy going and touch related drummers that know how to be very quiet when they need to be, like Jaki Liebezeit or even Steve Gadd who colored Rickie Lee Jones so well, and when he left, she never again could do a strong album. And Steve's stuff with Kate Bush is amazing ... there is no "beat" ... it's all a touch and fell and compliment to her flow in "50 Words for Snow".

In another interview, GH has said that Steve Gadd is one of his favorites BTW.

Nah, totally musical Gavin is. He has such a strong jazz background, remember his father was a jazz musician and that is what he grew up with, not rock music, as he has stated many times. I love watching him play some jazz........

I love Jaki, another very jazzy drummer.