no-man f.a.q.

Is there any connection between Steven Wilson of No-Man and Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree?

They are the same person. Steven works on the two projects in parallel, and his initial work with No-Man predates his work with Porcupine Tree.

No-Man’s first record and publishing contracts enabled Steven to become a full-time professional musician and to concentrate on other projects (including Porcupine Tree).

There are several other connections between the two bands:

Both Richard Barbieri and Chris Maitland recorded and toured with No-Man before joining Porcupine Tree, and both Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison have also played on No-Man recordings. Some of Steven’s compositions have been used (in different contexts) as the basis for songs for both bands.

Additionally, in 1994 Richard Barbieri recorded an album with Tim Bowness - called 'Flame' - which featured both Steven Wilson and Gavin Harrison.

Porcupine Tree and No-Man share a common love of melody and an interest in advanced studio production techniques. However, No-Man is much less directly rock-orientated than Porcupine Tree, tends to use more electronic rhythms, and has an overall softer sound. Tim Bowness’ lead vocal approach (and his contributions to songwriting and production ideas) also strongly differentiates No-Man from Porcupine Tree.

However, both bands can - and do - share fans.

Steven’s electronica project, Bass Communion, has also sometimes informed his work for No-Man. For example, the title track of ‘Together We’re Stranger’ uses elements of the Bass Communion instrumental Drugged.

What kind of music does No-Man produce?

No-Man’s music has tended to sound different on each album. The band’s foundations are predominantly in the classic songwriter ballad tradition, but No-Man has drawn on a variety of sources to explore and orchestrate their songs. These have included

- classic pop music
- the intimacy of solo singer-songwriter material
- dance rhythms and loops from dub and hip-hop (on the band’s earlier material)
- ambitious musical and conceptual aspects from progressive rock, art-rock and jazz
- sonic experiments from ambient music, post-punk and electronica
- the hypnotic repetition of minimalist music

Of the main No-Man albums, the early 1990s releases (‘Lovesighs’, ‘Loveblows & Lovecries’) were indie-dance-pop slanted with an art-pop flavour.

1994’s ‘Flowermouth’ bridged the gap between indie-dance-pop and the more ambitious structures and textures of progressive rock and art-rock.

‘Heaven Taste’ and ‘Speak’ explore No-Man’s more ambient side. ‘Wild Opera’ and ‘Dry Cleaning Ray’ deal with more abrasive and surreal post-punk/art-rock territories.

The most recent three studio albums since 2000 - ‘Returning Jesus’, ‘Together We’re Stranger’ and ‘Schoolyard Ghosts’ – integrate most of the previous approaches in a more subtly rhythmic, fully orchestrated and textured way.

There are also several compilation albums.

‘All The Blue Changes’, ‘Radio Sessions’ and ‘Lost Songs – Volume One’ variously document the changes in the band’s music over time, and some of the more interesting material discarded during the band’s working processes.

‘Flowermix’ compiles a set of mid-90s experimental dance reworkings of tracks from the ‘Flowermouth’ period.

Who do No-Man sound like?

No-Man has a very distinctive sound, but the band has occasionally been compared to the following artists:

Talk Talk/Mark Hollis - Sigur Ros - Japan/Rain Tree Crow/David Sylvian - Scott Walker - Nick Drake - The Blue Nile - Pink Floyd - Elbow - Kate Bush

There are sound samples on each page of the Discography section to help you judge these comparisons for yourself.

Are No-Man a spin-off project from Japan/King Crimson etc.?

No. However, No-Man has frequently collaborated with (or enjoyed guest appearances by) various figures from art-rock, electronica, alt-country, progressive rock and other fields. The best-known of these are:

- King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, Mel Collins and Pat Mastellotto
- Ex-members of Japan, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn (all of whom were members of the No-Man live band in 1992)
- British electronica musicians, Bryn Jones (Muslimgauze), David Kosten (Faultline), David Picking (Gramophone, Rhinoceros), Robin Rimbaud (Scanner)
- British jazz musicians, Ian Carr, Ben Castle, Ian Dixon, Theo Travis
- Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club, Red House Painters)
- Dave Stewart (Hatfield & The North, National Health, Stewart & Gaskin, Egg)
- Lisa Gerard (Dead Can Dance)
- Ben Christophers
- Roger Eno

What is the best way of buying No-Man recordings?

The best way of buying No-Man recordings is to buy them directly from the dedicated No-Man Store at the Burning Shed online record label. There are direct links to the appropriate No-Man Store product page from each of the album and EP pages in the Discography section.

Some No-Man recordings are also available directly from the various record companies who release their records (Snapper Music, 3rd Stone Ltd, Resurgence, One Little Indian) and are also available in record stores on request.

Some No-Man recordings have now been deleted and are difficult to obtain. The band has an active reissue program, but releases depend on the availability of master tapes and on publishing/licensing rights.

Do No-Man play live?

No-Man were an active live band between 1989 and 1993 but are now predominantly a studio-based project.

As well as the full members of No-Man, the live band has featured drummers Chris Maitland (Porcupine Tree), Steve Jansen (Japan/Rain Tree Crow), Andrew Booker (Improvizone) and Kevin van Doort; keyboard players Richard Barbieri (Japan/Rain Tree Crow) and Peter Chilvers; guitarist Michael Bearpark; bass players Mick Karn (Japan/Rain Tree Crow), Silas Maitland (Geno Washington), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) and Pete Morgan (UXB); and percussionist Rick Edwards.

The most recent No-Man live performance was a three-song set at the 2006 Burning Shed festival in Norwich, UK.

The band are currently planning a live European tour to promote the ‘Schoolyard Ghosts’ album in late summer and autumn 2008.

The first of these dates is at the Bush Hall, London, on 29th August 2008 (live band lineup to be confirmed).

Why did Stuart Blagden leave No-Man?

Stuart had previously worked with Tim as guitarist in the short-lived Manchester band, Still. He joined what was then No Man Is An Island (Except The Isle Of Man) during recording sessions in August 1988.

He left No-Man amicably in June 1989 for musical reasons and by mutual agreement.

Stuart is now a well-respected guitarist in jazz and Latin music.

Visit Stuart's page for more details on his work.

Why did Ben Coleman leave No-Man?

Ben joined No-Man as acoustic/electric violinist in spring 1988 during the recording sessions for the ‘Speak’ album’. He left No-Man during the ‘Flowermouth’ recording sessions of 1993 due to personal differences.

Ben and No-Man later repaired their relationship, and Ben occasionally collaborates with Steven (contributing to Porcupine Tree’s ‘Nil Recurring’ in 2007 and guesting on electric violin at one of Steven’s solo acoustic performances in 2002).

Visit Ben's page for more details on his work.

What does the name No-Man mean?

In 1987, the band were originally called No Man Is An Island (Except The Isle Of Man) – a pun based on ‘Meditation XVII’ by the 17th century poet and philosopher John Donne. This was shortened to No Man Is An Island in 1989, and then re-shortened and altered to No-Man in 1991 with the release of the Days In The Trees single.

There is a loose connection between the band’s name and the name of Steven’s studio, No-Man’s Land (at which most band material is recorded). However, the name was chosen without any specific meaning.