Transatlantic (band)
Encyclopedia
Transatlantic is a progressive rock
supergroup
consisting of Roine Stolt
of The Flower Kings
, Pete Trewavas
of Marillion
, Mike Portnoy
formerly of Dream Theater
and Neal Morse
formerly of Spock's Beard
. They formed in 1999 as a side project to their full time bands until 2002. They have reunited in 2009.
guitarist
Jim Matheos
, Morse and Portnoy tapped The Flower Kings
guitarist/vocalist Roine Stolt
when Matheos was unable to participate. The band completed their lineup by adding bassist
and progressive rock veteran Pete Trewavas
from the group Marillion
.
The name of the group was originally planned to be "Second Nature", but was changed to Transatlantic on suggestion by the cover artist Per Nordin.
Their first album, 2000's SMPT:e
(a play on words, as both a combination of the members' last initials, as well as a common machine time protocol
used in high end recording studios) received strong critical reviews, including "some of the best progressive rock music ever written" (Robert Taylor in Allmusic)).
A subsequent tour of the United States
led to a double live CD, Transatlantic Live in America, and a video of the same name. The band showed their musical heritage on the live CD, presenting covers of The Beatles
' "Strawberry Fields Forever", as well as a medley of Genesis
' epic "Watcher of the Skies" and "Firth of Fifth".
Though SMPT:e contained the thirty-one minute opus "All of the Above", the band's second studio album, 2001
's Bridge Across Forever
, found the band flexing their muscles further in the long form for which progressive rock is known. The CD contained just four tracks, the twenty-six minute "Duel With the Devil", the fourteen minute "Suite Charlotte Pike", and the twenty-six minute "Stranger in Your Soul" making up the bulk of the disc, with the title track coming in at a relatively scant five minutes. The limited edition also contains a cover of Pink Floyd's
"Shine on You Crazy Diamond".
Morse left his regular band Spock's Beard
in October 2002 stating that 'God wants me to do something else', which meant leaving the mainstream prog scene to launch a new career as a Christian
musician. This move also included ending his activities for Transatlantic. Portnoy reacted: 'This spells the end of Transatlantic as I wouldn't possibly consider continuing it without him.' A live DVD
of the band's last tour was released in late 2003
, featuring all aforementioned epics with "Suite Charlotte Pike" mixed with the Abbey Road medley by the Beatles
. As an added bonus for progressive metal fans, Daniel Gildenlöw
of the band Pain of Salvation
sits in throughout the DVD as a "fifth member" of the band, playing keyboards, guitars, percussion, and even doing some vocals, both background and lead.
In the years to follow Morse continued to collaborate with Portnoy both in the studio and on stage. Morse' concerts frequently included one or more Transatlantic songs. A three-quarter reunion took place on August 23, 2008 when Stolt and Portnoy joined Morse at the Three Rivers Prog Fest in Pittsburgh for "We All Need Some Light" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
On April 16, 2009, it was officially announced that the band had reunited and begun work on a third studio album. The album was released in October 2009 and consisted of a single 77 minute title-track The Whirlwind. A special edition of the album was also released, including a second disc with four additional original tracks and four cover tracks. Additionally, a deluxe edition was released, which included a DVD documenting the making of the album. The album reached #21 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers chart.
The band toured North America and Europe in April–May 2010 in support of The Whirlwind. Dubbed the Whirld Tour, the band was again joined by Daniel Gildenlöw on stage.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
consisting of Roine Stolt
Roine Stolt
Roine Stolt is a Swedish guitarist, vocalist and composer.A major figure in Sweden's rock history, guitarist/singer/composer Roine Stolt led two of his country's most successful progressive rock bands: Kaipa in the 1970s and The Flower Kings in the 1990s onward...
of The Flower Kings
The Flower Kings
The Flower Kings are a Swedish progressive rock group. Formed in August 1994 by veteran guitarist Roine Stolt as a touring band to support his solo album The Flower King, the band stayed together after the tour and have gone on to become one of the most prolific studio recording units in rock music...
, Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas is an English musician. He joined Marillion in 1982, taking over the role of bassist, from Diz Minnett, while acting occasionally as a backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist.Although he was born in Middlesbrough, Trewavas spent much of his childhood in the Buckinghamshire town of...
of Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
, Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
formerly of Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
and Neal Morse
Neal Morse
Neal Morse is an American multi-instrumentalist and progressive rock composer based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background:...
formerly of Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Neal played keyboards and was the lead vocalist, as well as being the primary songwriter before leaving the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career. Alan plays electric guitar...
. They formed in 1999 as a side project to their full time bands until 2002. They have reunited in 2009.
Biography
Originally intending to include Fates WarningFates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
guitarist
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
Jim Matheos
Jim Matheos
Jim Matheos , is the American guitarist and primary songwriter for the progressive metal band Fates Warning. As of bassist Joe DiBiase's departure in 1996, he is the band's only permanent member...
, Morse and Portnoy tapped The Flower Kings
The Flower Kings
The Flower Kings are a Swedish progressive rock group. Formed in August 1994 by veteran guitarist Roine Stolt as a touring band to support his solo album The Flower King, the band stayed together after the tour and have gone on to become one of the most prolific studio recording units in rock music...
guitarist/vocalist Roine Stolt
Roine Stolt
Roine Stolt is a Swedish guitarist, vocalist and composer.A major figure in Sweden's rock history, guitarist/singer/composer Roine Stolt led two of his country's most successful progressive rock bands: Kaipa in the 1970s and The Flower Kings in the 1990s onward...
when Matheos was unable to participate. The band completed their lineup by adding bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and progressive rock veteran Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas
Pete Trewavas is an English musician. He joined Marillion in 1982, taking over the role of bassist, from Diz Minnett, while acting occasionally as a backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist.Although he was born in Middlesbrough, Trewavas spent much of his childhood in the Buckinghamshire town of...
from the group Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
.
The name of the group was originally planned to be "Second Nature", but was changed to Transatlantic on suggestion by the cover artist Per Nordin.
Their first album, 2000's SMPT:e
SMPT:e
-Limited edition bonus disc:-Personnel:Transatlantic*Neal Morse — Vocals, keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Electric Guitar*Mike Portnoy — Drums, Backing Vocals...
(a play on words, as both a combination of the members' last initials, as well as a common machine time protocol
SMPTE time code
SMPTE timecode is a set of cooperating standards to label individual frames of video or film with a time code defined by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in the SMPTE 12M specification...
used in high end recording studios) received strong critical reviews, including "some of the best progressive rock music ever written" (Robert Taylor in Allmusic)).
A subsequent tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
led to a double live CD, Transatlantic Live in America, and a video of the same name. The band showed their musical heritage on the live CD, presenting covers of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Strawberry Fields Forever", as well as a medley of Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
' epic "Watcher of the Skies" and "Firth of Fifth".
Though SMPT:e contained the thirty-one minute opus "All of the Above", the band's second studio album, 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
's Bridge Across Forever
Bridge Across Forever
-Limited edition bonus disc:-Personnel:Transatlantic*Pete Trewavas — Warwick Bass, Taurus Bass Pedals and Vocals*Mike Portnoy — Drums and Vocals*Roine Stolt — Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals, Mellotron, Additional Keyboards and Percussion...
, found the band flexing their muscles further in the long form for which progressive rock is known. The CD contained just four tracks, the twenty-six minute "Duel With the Devil", the fourteen minute "Suite Charlotte Pike", and the twenty-six minute "Stranger in Your Soul" making up the bulk of the disc, with the title track coming in at a relatively scant five minutes. The limited edition also contains a cover of Pink Floyd's
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
"Shine on You Crazy Diamond".
Morse left his regular band Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Neal played keyboards and was the lead vocalist, as well as being the primary songwriter before leaving the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career. Alan plays electric guitar...
in October 2002 stating that 'God wants me to do something else', which meant leaving the mainstream prog scene to launch a new career as a Christian
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
musician. This move also included ending his activities for Transatlantic. Portnoy reacted: 'This spells the end of Transatlantic as I wouldn't possibly consider continuing it without him.' A live DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
of the band's last tour was released in late 2003
2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
, featuring all aforementioned epics with "Suite Charlotte Pike" mixed with the Abbey Road medley by the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. As an added bonus for progressive metal fans, Daniel Gildenlöw
Daniel Gildenlöw
Daniel Gildenlöw is a Swedish musician and songwriter. He is best known as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for Pain of Salvation, a Swedish progressive metal band. In the band, he is the main songwriter, lead guitar player, and the mastermind behind each album's concept...
of the band Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation
Pain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
sits in throughout the DVD as a "fifth member" of the band, playing keyboards, guitars, percussion, and even doing some vocals, both background and lead.
In the years to follow Morse continued to collaborate with Portnoy both in the studio and on stage. Morse' concerts frequently included one or more Transatlantic songs. A three-quarter reunion took place on August 23, 2008 when Stolt and Portnoy joined Morse at the Three Rivers Prog Fest in Pittsburgh for "We All Need Some Light" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
On April 16, 2009, it was officially announced that the band had reunited and begun work on a third studio album. The album was released in October 2009 and consisted of a single 77 minute title-track The Whirlwind. A special edition of the album was also released, including a second disc with four additional original tracks and four cover tracks. Additionally, a deluxe edition was released, which included a DVD documenting the making of the album. The album reached #21 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers chart.
The band toured North America and Europe in April–May 2010 in support of The Whirlwind. Dubbed the Whirld Tour, the band was again joined by Daniel Gildenlöw on stage.
Studio albums
- SMPT:eSMPT:e-Limited edition bonus disc:-Personnel:Transatlantic*Neal Morse — Vocals, keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Additional Electric Guitar*Mike Portnoy — Drums, Backing Vocals...
(Regular release and limited edition with bonus disc) (2000) - Bridge Across ForeverBridge Across Forever-Limited edition bonus disc:-Personnel:Transatlantic*Pete Trewavas — Warwick Bass, Taurus Bass Pedals and Vocals*Mike Portnoy — Drums and Vocals*Roine Stolt — Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals, Mellotron, Additional Keyboards and Percussion...
(Regular release and limited edition with bonus disc) (2001) - The WhirlwindThe Whirlwind-Special edition bonus disc:*Note - "Soul Sacrifice" ends at 8:38, followed by silence and a hidden track.-Personnel:Transatlantic*Neal Morse — keyboards, acoustic guitars, percussion, and vocals*Mike Portnoy — drums and vocals...
(Regular release, special edition with bonus disc, and deluxe edition with bonus disc and DVD) (2009)
Live albums
- Live in America (2001)
- Live in EuropeLive in Europe (Transatlantic album)Live in Europe is the second live album by the progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic. Released in 2003, it documents the November 12, 2001 show by the band at the 013 Club, Tilburg, Netherlands. The show was also filmed and released on DVD with a bonus disc featuring additional performances...
(2003) - Whirld Tour 2010: Live in LondonWhirld Tour 2010: Live in LondonWhirld Tour 2010: Live in London is the third live album by the progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic. Released in 2010, it documents the May 21, 2010 show by the band at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, England...
(2010) - More Never Is Enough: Live In Manchester & Tilburg 2010More Never Is Enough: Live In Manchester & Tilburg 2010More Never Is Enough: Live In Manchester & Tilburg 2010 is the fourth live album by the progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic. It documents the May 22, 2010 show by the band at the Manchester Academy, Manchester, England and the May 20, 2010 show at the 013 in Tilburg, Holland...
(2011)
Other albums
- Bridge Across Europe Tour 2001Bridge Across Europe Tour 2001This promo was made by the Dream Theater International Fan Club "Theater Of Dreams" in collaboration with the Flower Kings fan club "World Of Adventures" and Inside Out Records in celebration of the European Transatlantic tour 2001 and given away at only three shows...
(2001) - Transatlantic DemosTransatlantic DemosThe Transatlantic Demos is an album of demo tracks by Neal Morse. Released in 2003, at the suggestion of Mike Portnoy, Neal put together a disc of demos and a few clips from his hand held cassette recorder from as far back as 1992 and up into 2000...
by Neal MorseNeal MorseNeal Morse is an American multi-instrumentalist and progressive rock composer based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background:...
(2003) - SMPT:e - The Roine Stolt Mixes (2003)
Videography
- Live In America (vhs, 2001)
- Building The Bridge (vhs, 2002)
- Live In Europe (2 dvd, 2003)
- Building The Bridge & Live In America (dvd, 2006)
- The Making Of Whirlwind (bonus DVD to The Whirlwind's deluxe edition, 2009)
- The Official Bootleg DVD (2010, exclusively sold at gigs)
- Whirld Tour 2010: Live in London ( 2dvd, 2010)
- More Never Is Enough: Live In Tilburg 2010 (2 dvd, 2011)
Members
- Neal MorseNeal MorseNeal Morse is an American multi-instrumentalist and progressive rock composer based in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background:...
- lead vocals, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Mike PortnoyMike PortnoyMichael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals - Roine StoltRoine StoltRoine Stolt is a Swedish guitarist, vocalist and composer.A major figure in Sweden's rock history, guitarist/singer/composer Roine Stolt led two of his country's most successful progressive rock bands: Kaipa in the 1970s and The Flower Kings in the 1990s onward...
- guitar, lead vocals - Pete TrewavasPete TrewavasPete Trewavas is an English musician. He joined Marillion in 1982, taking over the role of bassist, from Diz Minnett, while acting occasionally as a backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist.Although he was born in Middlesbrough, Trewavas spent much of his childhood in the Buckinghamshire town of...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocals
Touring members
- Daniel GildenlöwDaniel GildenlöwDaniel Gildenlöw is a Swedish musician and songwriter. He is best known as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for Pain of Salvation, a Swedish progressive metal band. In the band, he is the main songwriter, lead guitar player, and the mastermind behind each album's concept...
- guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (2001 and 2010 tours)