View source for Richard Barbieri

{{Short description|English musician  (born 1957)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=August 2014}}
{{Original research|date=June 2014}}}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Richard Barbieri
| image             = Porcupine Tree live at Wembley, 111122 - 52509662967.jpg
| caption           = Barbieri with [[Porcupine Tree]] in 2022.
| landscape         = yes
| birth_name        = 
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1957|11|30|df=y}}
| birth_place       = London
| instrument        = {{flatlist|
*Keyboards
*synthesiser
*programming
}}
| genre             = {{flatlist|
*[[Progressive rock]]
*[[post-punk]]
*[[art rock]]
*[[synthpop]]
*[[New wave music|new wave]]
*[[alternative rock]]
}}
| occupation        = {{flatlist|
*Musician
*composer
}}
| years_active      = 1974–present
| current_member_of = {{flatlist|
*[[Porcupine Tree]]
*[[Steve Hogarth]]
}}
| past_member_of    = [[Japan (band)|Japan]], [[No-Man]], [[The Dolphin Brothers]], [[JBK (music)|JBK]], [[Rain Tree Crow]]
}}

'''Richard Barbieri''' (born 30 November 1957) is an English musician, composer and sound designer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1531835/richard-barbieri/biography|title=Richard Barbieri - Biography {{!}} Billboard|website=Billboard.com|access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref> Originally a member of [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Japan (band)|Japan]] (and their brief 1989–1991 reincarnation as [[Rain Tree Crow]]), he became the keyboard player in the [[progressive rock]] band [[Porcupine Tree]] in 1993.<ref>Hayes, Kelvin "[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-barbieri-mn0000346370/biography Richard Barbieri Biography]", [[AllMusic]]. Retrieved 17 August 2014</ref> Besides its founder [[Steven Wilson]], he is the longest tenured member of Porcupine Tree.

==Biography==
After finishing school in the mid-1970s, Barbieri held a job at a bank for a year before beginning his musical career. His main influence starting out as a keyboardist were [[Brian Eno]], and also the French composer [[Erik Satie]] who would both be major influences on his work.<ref name="fl">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lifeintokyo.net/articles_fl_lowkeyman.html |title=Low Key Man |publisher=Fan Library |date=July 1982 |page=28-30 }}</ref>

===Japan (1975–1982)===
Barbieri joined his school friends [[David Sylvian]], [[Mick Karn]] and [[Steve Jansen]] in Catford band [[Japan (band)|Japan]] in 1975.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.electricityclub.co.uk/a-beginners-guide-to-japan/|title=A Beginner's Guide To JAPAN - The Electricity Club|date=8 July 2015|work=The Electricity Club|access-date=19 June 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref> The band was eventually signed to [[Hansa Records]]. While receiving negative reviews and poor sales in Britain, the band initially gained a huge popularity in Japan in the late 1970s. Their greatest artistic and commercial success came with their fifth and final album ''[[Tin Drum (album)|Tin Drum]]'' in 1981, which Barbieri played a central role in producing along with songwriter David Sylvian.<ref name="fl" /> Following its release, Barbieri contributed keyboards and programming to Mick Karn's 1982 solo album ''[[Titles (album)|Titles]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jazzrocksoul.com/albums/mick-karn-titles-1982/ |title=Mick Karn Titles |publisher=jazzrocksoul.com }}</ref> Japan split up after a world tour in December 1982.

===Dolphin Brothers and collaborations (1983–1997)===
After the break-up of Japan, Barbieri continued his association with David Sylvian, playing on the latter's early solo albums (and on the 1988 in Praise of Shamans tour).{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} He also composed music for

In 1984 he started a long musical association with another Japan colleague, Steve Jansen. This has produced six collaborative albums to date. Under the name [[The Dolphin Brothers]] they released the album ''Catch the Fall'' in 1987.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.electricityclub.co.uk/lost-albums-dolphin-brothers-catch-fall/|title=Lost Albums: THE DOLPHIN BROTHERS Catch The Fall - The Electricity Club|date=19 June 2017|work=The Electricity Club|access-date=19 June 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref> As Jansen / Barbieri they have released a number of works including ''Worlds in a Small Room'', 1985, ''Stories Across Borders'', 1993, ''Other Worlds in a Small Room'', 1996, and ''Stone to Flesh'', 1997.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

===Rain Tree Crow (1989–1991)===
In late 1989, the members of Japan (minus guitarist [[Rob Dean]]) reunited under the name [[Rain Tree Crow]] to make new recordings for [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]. This resulted in a single eponymous album which extended the work of late Japan and the solo/collective work of all four members, featuring a variety of influences from pop to [[art rock]], [[jazz]], [[Ambient music|ambient]] and [[world music]]. Other contributors to the album included [[Bill Nelson (musician)|Bill Nelson]]. ''[[Rain Tree Crow]]'' charted in 1991 in the UK Top 25 and brought critical acclaim.<ref>{{Citation|title=Rain Tree Crow - Rain Tree Crow {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rain-tree-crow-mw0000263355|access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>

The group parted company shortly after recording the album, for which there was no supporting tour. However, the project was key to the reuniting of Jansen, Barbieri and Karn as a creative unit (sometimes referred to as "[[JBK (music)|JBK]]").<ref>{{Cite web|title=JBK|url=https://jbkmusic.bandcamp.com/|access-date=31 March 2021|website=JBK}}</ref>

===With Alice (1989–1992)===

Jansen and Barbieri played on many songs of two pivotal albums by the Italian singer [[Alice (singer)|Alice]], i.e. on all of [[Il sole nella pioggia]] and on two songs from [[Mezzogiorno sulle Alpi]], co-written by Barbieri. Other notable players on those albums were [[Peter Hammill]], [[Gavin Harrison]], [[Jakko Jakszyk]], [[Danny Thompson]] and [[Jon Hassell]].

===No-Man (1992)===
The next work by Jansen, Barbieri and Karn was as the rhythm section for British art-pop band [[No-Man]], who recruited them for a 1992 UK tour and for recordings which later appeared on the ''Loveblows & Lovecries'' album and on the ''Painting Paradise'' and ''Sweetheart Raw'' EPs (one of these EP pieces, the 20-plus-minute ''Heaven Taste'', later appeared on the album of the same name). This marked Barbieri's first work with [[Steven Wilson]], with whom he would then go on to work in [[Porcupine Tree]], and [[Tim Bowness]], with whom he would later record the collaborative album ''Flame''.

===Medium Productions (1993–2003)===
In 1993, Barbieri formed the [[Medium Productions]] label in 1993 with Jansen and Karn. They commenced with the Jansen/Barbieri/Karn album ''Beginning to Melt'' (a collection of varied pieces including some trio work and other recordings featuring various permutations of the basic trio with other collaborators including [[David Torn]] and Robbie Aceto). Thirteen diverse albums were released during a ten-year period; Jansen and Barbieri's collaboration with DJ Takemura on the album ''Changing Hands'' being one of the highlights.<ref>{{Citation|title=Changing Hands by Jansen Barbieri Takemura - RYM/Sonemic|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/jansen-barbieri-takemura/changing-hands/|access-date=31 March 2021}}</ref>{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}}

During this period Barbieri also made two other collaborative albums, one with his wife Suzanne J. Barbieri under the name ''Indigo Falls'' (1996), and one with [[Tim Bowness]] from the band [[No-Man]] titled ''[[Flame (Richard Barbieri and Tim Bowness album)|Flame]]'' (1994).

===Porcupine Tree (1993–2010, 2021–present)===
[[File:Porcupine Tree Richard Barbieri TS Wisła Kraków 002.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Barbieri in 2007]]
In late 1993, Barbieri joined the progressive rock band [[Porcupine Tree]] (having previously played as a guest performer on the album ''[[Up the Downstair]]'').<ref>{{Cite web|title=Up The Downstair|url=https://stevenwilsonhq.com/sw/recordings/up-the-downstair/|access-date=31 March 2021|website=Steven Wilson}}</ref>  The band released eight studio albums to increasingly greater chart success, and toured in support of many of them.  Initially employing many aspects of [[psychedelic rock]], they later transitioned to a more pop-oriented style before settling on [[progressive metal]].  Their first major success was the album ''[[In Absentia]]'', which enjoyed chart success around Europe with sales of over 120,000.  The following studio albums ''[[Deadwing]]'' and ''[[Fear of a Blank Planet]]'' met even greater success, charting highly worldwide, and picking up two Grammy Nominations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 November 2020|title=Porcupine Tree|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/porcupine-tree/8328|access-date=31 March 2021|website=GRAMMY.com}}</ref> Increased radio airtime and favourable mainstream magazine reviews and interviews further increased their public exposure. The band transitioned somewhat away from metal with their 2009 album, ''[[The Incident (album)|The Incident]]'', with leader [[Steven Wilson]] expressing a desire to enter a different genre. After years of speculation and diffusion of rumors from Wilson, the band announced its reunion in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/porcupine-tree-return-with-new-single-harridan-and-closure-continuation-album-announcement-3084235|title=Porcupine Tree return with new single 'Harridan' and 'CLOSURE/CONTINUATION' album announcement|access-date=1 November 2021|date=1 November 2021|last=Krol|first=Charlotte|publisher=[[NME]]}}</ref>

===With Steve Hogarth (2012)===
Barbieri collaborated with [[Steve Hogarth]] on the album ''Not The Weapon But The Hand'', which was released by Kscope Records in 2012, but a proposed tour was cancelled for financial issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kscopemusic.com/hogarthbarbieri/nottheweaponbutthehand/|title=Not The Weapon But The Hand|website=Kscopemusic.com|access-date=7 January 2019}}</ref> Barbieri wrote the music and Hogarth provided the lyrics for the album.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.popmatters.com/156774-marillions-fantastic-power-an-interview-with-steve-hogarth-2495865983.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1 | title= Marillion's Fantastic Power: An Interview with Steve Hogarth | website=[[Popmatters]] | first=Stephen | last=Humphries | date=8 April 2012 | access-date=7 January 2019}}</ref>

===Lustans Lakejer (1982/2017)===
In 1982, Barbieri produced the album ''En plats i solen'' by the Japan-influenced Swedish band [[Lustans Lakejer]]. In 2017 he joined them on a Swedish tour to perform the album in its entirety.<ref>[http://zeromagazine.nu/2017/10/12/lustans-lakejer-infor-en-plats-solen/ Zero Magazine 2017-10-12] (in swedish)</ref>

=== Solo recordings (2004–present) ===
Barbieri has released four solo albums: ''Things Buried'', 2004/5, ''Stranger Inside'', 2008, ''Planets + Persona, 2017''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.electricityclub.co.uk/richard-barbieri-interview/|title=RICHARD BARBIERI Interview - The Electricity Club|date=23 January 2017|newspaper=The Electricity Club|access-date=29 January 2017}}</ref> and ''Under A Spell'', 2021. Barbieri also released a series of 5 EP's on cd and vinyl under the title ''"Variants".'' These releases featured new compositions, improvisations, live performances and reworkings of older material.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deejay.de/Richard_Barbieri_Variants_1_+_2_KSCOPE1012_Vinyl__344705|title=Richard Barbieri - Variants 1 + 2 - KSCOPE1012|first=Dieter|last=Teinert|website=Deejay.de}}</ref>

==Other activities==
Besides recording and touring, Barbieri has written articles on analogue synthesis for various publications and programs for music software and synthesizer manufacturers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=V-Synth.com: Artist Interview|url=https://www.rolandus.com/go/v-synth/Artist/01.html|access-date=31 March 2021|website=rolandus.com}}</ref> He has guested many times with [[The Bays (band)|The Bays]], an electronic improvisational group. Recent work with The Bays includes two [[BBC Radio 1]] sessions for the late [[John Peel]] and concerts at the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]] and [[Brighton Dome]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 October 2011|title=Preview: The Bays With Richard Barbieri & Matt White, Queen|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/preview-the-bays-with-richard-barbieri-amp-matt-white-queen-elizabeth-hall-london-495273.html|access-date=31 March 2021|website=The Independent}}</ref> Richard and The Bays performed an improvised soundtrack to ''[[Run Lola Run]]'' in [[Darling Harbour]], [[Sydney]], in 2009. He also undertakes occasional keyboards duties for the live outings of [[Marillion]] vocalist [[Steve Hogarth]]'s fronted H-Band, appearing on the 2002 album ''Live Body, Live Spirit''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Steve Hogarth Discography|url=https://www.stevehogarth.info/discography.php|access-date=31 March 2021|website=stevehogarth.info}}</ref>

==Discography==
===with Japan===
*1978 – ''[[Adolescent Sex]]'' ([[Hansa Records]])
*1978 – ''[[Obscure Alternatives]]'' (Hansa Records)
*1979 – ''[[Quiet Life]]'' (Hansa Records)
*1980 – ''[[Gentlemen Take Polaroids]]'' (Virgin records)
*1981 – ''[[Tin Drum (album)|Tin Drum]]'' (Virgin Records)
*1981 – ''[[Assemblage (album)|Assemblage]]'' (compilation) (Hansa Records)
*1983 – ''[[Oil on Canvas]]'' (live album) (Virgin Records)
*1984 – ''[[Exorcising Ghosts]]'' (compilation) (Virgin Records)

===with Rain Tree Crow===
*1991 – ''[[Rain Tree Crow]]'' (Virgin Records)

===with Jansen/Barbieri===
*1985 – ''Worlds in a Small Room'' (Pan East (UK) / JVC Victor (Japan))
*1991 – ''Stories Across Borders'' (Venture / Virgin)
*1995 – ''Stone To Flesh'' (Medium Productions)
*1996 – ''Other Worlds in a Small Room'' (Medium Productions)
*2015 - ''Lumen'' (Kscope) (Recorded in 1996)

===with Alice===
*1989 – ''[[Il sole nella pioggia]]''
*1992 – ''[[Mezzogiorno sulle Alpi]] ''

===with Jansen/Barbieri/Karn===
*1994 – ''Beginning to Melt'' (Medium Productions)
*1994 – ''Seed'' (Medium Productions)
*1999 – ''ISM'' (Polydor / Medium)
*2001 – ''Playing in a Room with People'' (Medium Productions)

=== with The Dolphin Brothers===
*1987 – ''Catch the Fall'' (Virgin Records)
*1987 – ''Face To Face'' (Japanese T.V.C.M. 7" single) (Virgin Records)
(Also included on Virgin Japan CD release of
Catch The Fall)

=== with Jansen/Barbieri/Takemura===
*1997 – ''Changing Hands'' (Medium Productions)

===with Indigo Falls===
*1996 – (Richard Barbieri/Suzanne Barbieri) (Medium Productions)

=== as Richard Barbieri/Tim Bowness===
*1994 – ''[[Flame (Richard Barbieri and Tim Bowness album)|Flame]]'' (One Little Indian)

=== with Barbieri/Roedelius/Chianura===
*2001 – ''T'AI'' (Auditorium)

=== with Steve Hogarth/Richard Barbieri ===
*2012 – ''Not The Weapon But The Hand'' (K Scope)
*2014 – ''Arc Light'' (Racket Records)

===Richard Barbieri===
*2005 – ''Things Buried'' (Intact Records)
*2008 – ''Stranger Inside'' (K-Scope/Snapper)
*2017 - ''Planets + Persona'' (K Scope)
*2017 - ''Variants.1'' (K Scope)
*2018 - ''Variants.2'' (K Scope)
*2018 - ''Variants.3'' (K Scope)
*2018 - ''Variants.4'' (K Scope)
*2018 - ''Variants.5'' (K Scope)
*2021 - ''Under a Spell'' (K Scope)<ref>{{cite news |title=Richard Barbieri announces new solo album for 2021 |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/richard-barbieri-announces-new-solo-album-for-2021 |access-date=5 February 2021 |work=Louder Sound |date=15 December 2020}}</ref>
*2021 - ''On High'' (Bandcamp/Orange Asylum Records)

===with Porcupine Tree===
*1993 – ''[[Up the Downstair]]'' (Delerium Records)
*1995 – ''[[The Sky Moves Sideways]]'' (Delerium Records)
*1996 – ''[[Signify (album)|Signify]]''* (Delerium Records)
*1997 – ''[[Coma Divine]]'' (Delerium Records)
*1998 – ''[[Metanoia (Porcupine Tree album)|Metanoia]]''* (Delerium Records)
*1999 – ''[[Stupid Dream]]''* (Snapper Records)
*2000 – ''[[Voyage 34: The Complete Trip]]''* (Snapper Records)
*2000 – ''[[Lightbulb Sun]]''* (Snapper Records)
*2001 – ''[[Recordings (album)|Recordings]]''* (Snapper Records)
*2002 – ''[[Stars Die: The Delerium Years 1991-1997]]'' (Snapper Records)
*2002 – ''[[In Absentia]]''* (Lava / Warner)
*2005 – ''[[Deadwing]]''* (Lava / Warner)
*2007 – ''[[Fear of a Blank Planet]]''* (Roadrunner / Warner)
*2007 – ''[[Nil Recurring]]''* EP (Peaceville Records)
*2009 – ''[[The Incident (album)|The Incident]]''* (Roadrunner / Warner)
*2022 - ''[[Closure/Continuation]]''* (Music for Nations)
* Albums marked with an (*) include Barbieri compositions

=== As producer ===

* 1982 [[Lustans Lakejer]] – ''En Plats I Solen'' (Stranded / Polar Records) (Sweden). In 2017, he joined them on a Swedish tour to perform the album in its entirety.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 October 2017|title=Lustans Lakejer – inför En Plats i Solen: "Det ligger vanligtvis inte i mitt DNA att återuppliva något"|url=http://zeromagazine.nu/2017/10/12/lustans-lakejer-infor-en-plats-solen/|website=Zeromagazine.nu}}</ref>
* 1983 [[Akira Mitake]] – ''Out Of Reach'' (Epic/Sony Records) (Japan)
* 1985 Die Werkpiloten – ''Faith'' (Dean/Ariola Records) (Germany)
* 2003 Adom - ''Idiot Savant'' (Storm Records/Universal) (UK)
*2009 - ''Endless'' (with Stefano Panunzi, Nicola Lori, Mick Karn, Gavin Harrison, Tim Bowness) (Forward Music Italy)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.richardbarbieri.net}}
*[https://richardbarbieri.bandcamp.com Official Bandcamp site]
*[http://www.innerviews.org/inner/richard-barbieri Richard Barbieri - Exploring dualities]

{{Porcupine Tree}}
{{Japan (band)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barbieri, Richard}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English synth-pop new wave musicians]]
[[Category:English people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:English pop keyboardists]]
[[Category:English rock keyboardists]]
[[Category:British musicians of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Japan (band) members]]
[[Category:Porcupine Tree members]]
[[Category:Progressive rock keyboardists]]