Gavin Richard Harrison (born 28 May 1963) is an English musician. He is best known for his long tenures with the progressive rock bands Porcupine Tree (2002–2010; 2021–present), King Crimson (2008, and 2013–present) and The Pineapple Thief (2016–present). Harrison's drumming has received many awards from music publications and earned praise from other musicians.
Career Gavin started to work professionally in 1979. He worked as a freelance session drummer on records and tours for the following artists: Incognito, Lisa Stansfield, Lewis Taylor, Artful Dodger, Paul Young, Iggy Pop, Level 42, Porcupine Tree, OSI, King Crimson, Shooter, Dizrhythmia, The Pineapple Thief, The Kings Of Oblivion, Sam Brown, Tom Robinson, Go West, Black, Gail Ann Dorsey, B.J. Cole, Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin, Nathan East, Yasuaki Shimizu, Camouflage, Kevin Ayers, Claudio Baglioni, Franco Battiato, Chizuko Yoshihiro, Renaissance (1983-4), Mick Karn, Eros Ramazzotti, Nick Johnston, Randy Goodrum, and Fates Warning.
In 2002, he joined Porcupine Tree and has played on the band's albums released since that time: In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet, The Incident, and Closure/Continuation, with each receiving critical acclaim and raising the band's status to one of the most influential modern progressive rock bands. He remained a permanent member of the band until an indefinite hiatus was announced in 2010, and then again in 2021 when the band announced a return to playing together with the release of the album Closure/Continuation.
In 2007, Harrison began a long-term collaboration with singer/extended range bass player 05Ric, which led to the release of three CDs, Drop (2007), Circles (2009) and The Man Who Sold Himself (2012).
In 2008, Harrison joined King Crimson as part of a dual-drummer line-up with Pat Mastelotto. He played a number of shows in the United States in August with the band. He also recorded drums on Steven Wilson's debut solo album, Insurgentes.
On 23 August 2011, he was a featured performer on the 'Late Show with David Letterman' as part of their second "Drum Solo Week", along with such players as Sheila E, Stewart Copeland, Neil Peart, and Dennis Chambers.
From September 2014 to December 2021, Harrison played live in King Crimson as one of the three drummers.
In 2016, he joined The Pineapple Thief as a session drummer for the band's 11th studio album Your Wilderness, which received widespread critical acclaim and an overwhelmingly positive fan reception. He joined the band on the tour following the album in January 2017. In August 2018, just prior to the release of Dissolution, the band announced that Harrison had officially joined the band as a full member. He has since been actively involved and credited in the band's songwriting and album production together with the founder Bruce Soord.
Influences and awards Harrison was influenced by his father's jazz collection and by drummers such as Steve Gadd and Jeff Porcaro.
Harrison won the Modern Drummer readers' poll for "best progressive drummer of the year" consecutively from 2007 to 2010 and again in 2016 and 2019. He won "Best Prog Drummer" in DRUM USA magazine 2011. Prog voted him best drummer in 2011 and 2012, and six years in a row from 2018-2024. He is the featured cover story on Modern Drummer January 2009, February 2015 and July 2022. Rolling Stone polls rate him as the third best drummer in the past 25 years. In 2014, Modern Drummer magazine placed Harrison in the "Top 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time".
Comments from other artists Many artists have cited Harrison as an influence, including Chad Szeliga, Chris Pennie, Ryan Van Poederooyen, Dirk Verbeuren, Andrew Spence, Raymond Hearne of Haken, John Merryman of Cephalic Carnage, Jamie Saint Merat of Ulcerate, Aaron Stechauner of Rings of Saturn, Baard Kolstad of Leprous, Francesco Paoli of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Matija Dagović of Consecration, Vishnu Reddy of Crypted and Abhay Rathore (former Mocaine).
In addition, other artists have been quoted expressing admiration for his work including Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, Mike Portnoy, Devin Townsend, Steve Smith, Martín López, Matt Garstka, Dave Bainbridge, Hannes Grossmann, Blake Richardson, Kai Hahto, Jimmy Keegan, Ian Mosley, Dan Presland of Ne Obliviscaris, Evan Sammons of Last Chance to Reason, Bodo Stricker of Callejon, Joshua Theriot of Abigail's Ghost, and Blake Anderson of Vektor.
Publications Harrison authored two instructional drum books entitled Rhythmic Illusions and Rhythmic Perspectives. He also wrote and produced his own instructional DVDs, Rhythmic Visions and Rhythmic Horizons, at his home studio. 2010 saw the release of Rhythmic Designs, a book of transcriptions by Terry Branam, and a 3-hour DVD of Gavin's explanations and demonstrations. It won 'Best in Show' at the summer NAMM Show in the USA. 2014 sees the release of Rhythmic Compositions, a book of 20 detailed drum transcriptions (by Terry Branam) of recorded Porcupine Tree performances – plus photos and stories of the recording and creative process.
Discography +PerformerYearAlbumHarrison / Johnston2025Early MercyJakko Jakszyk2025Son Of GlenThe Pineapple Thief2024Last To RunThe Pineapple Thief2024It Leads to ThisGavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard2024Perpetual MutationsSaro Cosentino2022The Road to NowGleb Kolyadin2022The OutlandThe Pineapple Thief2022Give It BackKing Crimson2021Washington & AlbanyThe Pineapple Thief2021Uncovering the TracksThe Pineapple Thief2021Nothing but the Truth - LiveTuesday The Sky2021The Blurred HorizonGavin Harrison & Antoine Fafard2020Chemical ReactionsFates Warning2020Long Day Good NightClaudio Baglioni2020In questa storia, che è le miaThe Pineapple Thief2020Versions of the TruthRandy Goodrum2020Red EyeJakko Jakszyk2020Secrets and LiesThe Pineapple Thief2019Hold Our Fire - LiveThe Pineapple Thief2018DissolutionDave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin2018Star ClocksKing Crimson2017Meltdown: Live in Mexico CityGianluca D'Alessio2018Sunrise MarketsGleb Kolyadin2018Gleb KolyadinKing Crimson2016Live In ViennaThe Pineapple Thief2017Where We StoodKing Crimson2017Live in ChicagoKing Crimson2016Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey MindDizrhythmia2016Dizrhythmia TooThe Pineapple Thief2016Your WildernessNick Johnston2016Remarkably HumanKing Crimson2016Live in TorontoFjieri2016Words Are All We Haveiamthemorning2016LighthouseFranco Battiato2015Anthology - Le nostre animeKing Crimson2015Live at the OrpheumCarlo Berton2015Planetariumiamthemorning2014BelightedKing Crimson2014The Elements of King CrimsonAmadeus Awad2013SchizanimusThe Tangent2013Le Sacre du TravailLo-Fi Resistance2012Chalk LinesPorcupine Tree2012Octane TwistedFusion Syndicate2012The Fusion SyndicateFranco Battiato2012Apriti sesamoKompendium2012Beneath the WavesHarry Shearer2012Can't Take a HintEd Poole2012RoutesDario Zeno2010L'incoscienza di ZenoAlberto Rigioni2011RebirthAlice1992Mezzogiorno sulle AlpiAngela Baraldi2001RosasporcoB. J. Cole1989Transparent MusicB. J. Cole1995Heart of the MomentBlack1988ComedyBlackfield2004BlackfieldBlackfield2007Blackfield IICamouflage1991MeanwhileCarlo Fimiani2007Too EarlyChizuko Yoshihiro1993Conscious MindClaudio Baglioni1992AncorAssiemeClaudio Baglioni1992AssiemeClaudio Baglioni1995Io sono quiClaudio Baglioni1996Attori e spettatoriClaudio Baglioni1997Anime in giocoClaudio Baglioni1998A-LiveClaudio Baglioni1999Viaggiatore sulla coda del tempoClaudio Baglioni2000AcusticoClaudio Baglioni2003Sono ioClaudio Baglioni2005Cresendo e CercandoClaudio Baglioni2006Quelli degli altri tutti quiClaudio Baglioni2009Q.P.G.AClaudio Baglioni2013Con voiDave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin1990The Big IdeaDave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin1991SpinDave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin2009Green & BlueDave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin2009TLG CollectionDavid Devant & His Spirit Wife1996GingerDevogue1997DevogueDizrhythmia1987DizrhythmiaDonna Gardier1990I'll Be ThereEd Poole2008ED 4Ed Poole2010DepthEugenio Finardi1990La forza dell'amoreEugenio Finardi1991MillennioFiorella Mannoia1992I treni a vaporePeter Cox2004Desert BloomsFranco Battiato1993Caffè de la PaixFranco Battiato1996L'imboscataFranco Battiato1998GommalaccaFranco Battiato2012Apriti sesamoFroon1987FroonFjieri2009EndlessGail Ann Dorsey1988The Corporate WorldGavin Harrison1997Sanity & GravityGavin Harrison & 05Ric2007DropGavin Harrison & 05Ric2009CirclesGavin Harrison & 05Ric2012The Man Who Sold HimselfGavin Harrison2015Cheating the PolygraphHeraldo Zuniga2001Triangulo de MusgoIggy Pop1986Ritz N.Y.C Live / Real Wild Child LiveIncognito1991Inside LifeJakko Jakszyk2006The Bruised Romantic Glee ClubJakko Jakszyk1994Kingdom of DustJakko Jakszyk1994Mustard Gas and RosesJakko Jakszyk1996Are My Ears on Wrong?Jakko Jakszyk1997Road to BallinaJakszyk Fripp Collins2011A Scarcity of MiraclesKevin Ayers1992Still Life with GuitarKing Crimson2008Park West, Chicago, Illinois – 7 August 2008Lene Lovich1990MarchLewis Taylor2000Lewis IILewis Taylor2005In SessionLisa Stansfield1997Never, Never Gonna Give You Up (Live)Lisa Stansfield1999Swing – Original Motion Picture SoundtrackManfred Mann's Earth Band1996Soft VengeanceManolo García2002Nunca el Tiempo es PerdidoMarco Tafelli2010ResetMick Karn1995The Tooth MotherMieko Shimizu1990A Road of ShellsMiss Thi1991LoverNo-Man2008Schoolyard GhostsOSI2009BloodOSI2012Fire Make ThunderPaolo Gianolio2009Pane e nuvolePaolo Gianolio2012Tribù di NotePatty Pravo2002Radio StationPaul Cusick2011P'dicePaul Young1995Grazing in the Grass LivePeter Cox2001Flame Still BurnsPorcupine Tree2002In AbsentiaPorcupine Tree2003FutilePorcupine Tree2003XMPorcupine Tree2004The Sky Moves Sideways reissuePorcupine Tree2005DeadwingPorcupine Tree2005Up the Downstair reissuePorcupine Tree2005XMIIPorcupine Tree2006RockpalastPorcupine Tree2006Arriving Somewhere...Porcupine Tree2007Fear of a Blank PlanetPorcupine Tree2007Nil RecurringPorcupine Tree2009IlosaarirockPorcupine Tree2009The IncidentPorcupine Tree2010AnesthetizePorcupine Tree2010AtlantaPorcupine Tree2022Closure/ContinuationProgetto Cavani1993Alza la testaRaf1993CannibaliRichard Barbieri/Tim Bowness1994FlameRichard Barbieri2008Stranger InsideRob Cowen/Beverley Craven2004Lady AdvertiserSam Brown1987Stop!Sarah Jane Morris1988Can't Get to SleepSaro Cosentino1997Ones & ZerosShari Belafonte1989ShariSharon Rose1994Never Be the SameSheila Nicholls2002WakeShooter1999...And Your Point?Shooter1999Life's a BitchStefano Panunzi2005TimelinesSteve Thorne2007Part Two: Emotional CreaturesSteve Thorne2009Into the EtherSteven Wilson2008InsurgentesStorm Corrosion2012Storm CorrosionThe Kings of Oblivion1987Big Fish PopcornThree Blind Mice2007Good GriefTom Robinson & Jakko Jakszyk1988We've Never Had It So GoodYasuaki Shimizu1989AdunaZerra One1986The Domino Effect+
See also List of drummers List of jazz drummers
References
External links
Gavin's official website Gavin's Drummerworld.com page