Gavin Harrison's Drum Setup on Porcupine Tree's Deadwing (2005) | MetalForge
Gavin Harrison recorded Deadwing (2005) on a Sonor custom maple kit (refined SQ2 specification) kit with a Sonor snare (refined Gavin Harrison signature development) snare.
Gavin Harrison's drum setup on Porcupine Tree's Deadwing (2005) — expanded odd-meter writing, a growing Sonor and Zildjian rig, and the heaviest Porcupine Tr...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drums did Gavin Harrison use on Deadwing?
Gavin Harrison recorded Deadwing (2005) on the same core Sonor custom maple kit he'd used on In Absentia, refined further toward the SQ2 specification he'd fully adopt for Fear of a Blank Planet: a 22" x 17" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms with thin shells for sensitivity. His cymbals were the Zildjian K Custom Special Dry series, unchanged from In Absentia and anchored by a 21" Special Dry Ride and 14" Special Dry Hi-Hats. His primary snare remained a 14" x 5.25" brass drum tuned medium to medium-high.
What is Deadwing about?
Deadwing is built around a screenplay Steven Wilson co-wrote with director Mike Bennion about a ghost haunting a cinema. The album's more cinematic, dynamically dramatic arrangements — especially the shifting structure of the title track and the long build of "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" — reflect that narrative concept, and pushed Gavin Harrison's drumming toward more extended, dynamically extreme performances than on In Absentia.
Who played guitar solos on Deadwing?
Deadwing features guest guitar solos from Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth and Adrian Belew of King Crimson, alongside Steven Wilson's own guitar work. Åkerfeldt also contributes backing vocals to several tracks, including the title track and "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here."
How does Deadwing fit into Gavin Harrison's Porcupine Tree gear history?
Deadwing sits between In Absentia (2002) and Fear of a Blank Planet (2007) in Harrison's Porcupine Tree gear timeline. It carries forward the Sonor custom maple kit and Zildjian K Custom Special Dry cymbals established on In Absentia, refined further toward the fully bespoke Sonor SQ2 setup he would use two years later. See the full lineage at [Fear of a Blank Planet Drum Setup](/articles/fear-of-a-blank-planet-drum-setup).