Colin Edwin
Encyclopedia
Colin Edwin is a member of the British
progressive rock
band Porcupine Tree
, where he plays both fretted and fretless
bass guitar
as well as double bass
and guimbri. He joined the band in December 1993. He is also a member of Ex-Wise Heads, a three-piece group that mixes ethnic, ambient, and post-modern influences, as well as a metal-influenced project, Random Noise Generator.
In 2001 Colin played double bass
on one of the most acclaimed albums by the British
duo No-Man
, which is Porcupine Tree
's Steven Wilson
's side project. Colin and Steven are friends from school. "Steven was instrumental in introducing me to several types of different music," he explains.
Colin is known to be a big jazz
fan, and incorporates an atypical jazz-inspired style into his playing in a rock band. Also unusual for a rock bassist, his main bass was a 1994 Wal
Mach I four-string fretless bass for 10 years of live and studio use until giving it "a break" and semi-retiring it from the rigors of live touring in 2004. He used a Music Man
StingRay and after a Music Man Bongo
for the Deadwing
tour, which can be viewed on Porcupine Tree
's DVD release Arriving Somewhere.... During the same time period Colin was introduced to Spector
basses and purchased a EuroLX 4-string model in Natural Oil. The company then gave him as a gift one of their extended scale-length models (35" as opposed to the "standard" 34" scale for 4-string basses), a Euro 4LX-35 in transparent black. This proved to be useful as over 1/2 of their 2007 album, Fear Of A Blank Planet
was downtuned C/F/Bb/Eb to which the 35" scale length give better definition to the lower notes as well as the general rigors of touring ("The Euro 4LX-35 has a graphite-reinforced neck, which means it can come out of a freezing-cold trailer into a hot gig every night for a month without going out of tune or having any trussrod problems.") For the second leg of the Fear Of A Blank Planet tour starting in October 2007 a ReBop Deluxe FM unlined fretless bass in Natural Oil was brought out on tour for the song "A Smart Kid" among others, and well as using his Music Man
Bongo bass guitar as his spare/encore bass.
However, as of late September 2009 Colin is currently back to using his fretted and fretless Wal Mach I 4-strings basses for the majority of the tour supporting the Porcupine Tree
release of "The Incident" which is being played in full on this leg of the tour and which he plays approximately 85% of "The Incident" song-cycle on his Wal basses. His black Spector Euro 4LX-35 is used for the other 15% "heavy parts" that are downtuned to C Standard. In the liner notes for "The Incident" Colin still endorses and thanks Spector and Basslab basses as well as EBS amplifiers, speaker cabinets, and effects pedals. He also endorses Ernie Ball
Bass Strings for use on his Wal fretless bass and Spector Medium Stainless Steel Bass Strings on his fretted Spector basses.
In 2009, Colin released his debut solo album titled Third Vessel, available through Burning Shed
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
progressive rock
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...
band Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
, where he plays both fretted and fretless
Fretless guitar
A fretless guitar is a guitar without frets. It operates in the same manner as most other stringed instruments and traditional guitars, but does not have any frets to act as the lower end point of the vibrating string...
bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
as well as double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and guimbri. He joined the band in December 1993. He is also a member of Ex-Wise Heads, a three-piece group that mixes ethnic, ambient, and post-modern influences, as well as a metal-influenced project, Random Noise Generator.
In 2001 Colin played double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
on one of the most acclaimed albums by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
duo No-Man
No-Man
No-Man are a British art-pop duo formed in 1987 as No Man Is An Island by singer Tim Bowness and multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson . The band has so far produced six studio albums and a number of singles/outtakes collections...
, which is Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
's Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson
Steven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
's side project. Colin and Steven are friends from school. "Steven was instrumental in introducing me to several types of different music," he explains.
Colin is known to be a big jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
fan, and incorporates an atypical jazz-inspired style into his playing in a rock band. Also unusual for a rock bassist, his main bass was a 1994 Wal
Wal (bass)
Wal is a brand of electric bass manufactured by Electric Wood Ltd. in High Wycombe, England. It was started in 1974 by electronics expert Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens...
Mach I four-string fretless bass for 10 years of live and studio use until giving it "a break" and semi-retiring it from the rigors of live touring in 2004. He used a Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
StingRay and after a Music Man Bongo
Music Man Bongo
The Bongo bass guitar was introduced on March 21, 2003 at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA by Music Man, a division of Ernie Ball. Ernie Ball president Sterling Ball designed the guitar in conjunction with the Music Man Research and Development department and BMW's Designworks team...
for the Deadwing
Deadwing
American edition10. "Shesmovedon " – 4:59DVD-A edition10. "Revenant" – 3:04 11. "Mother and Child Divided" – 4:59 12. "Half-Light" – 6:20 13. "Shesmovedon " - 4:59 LP edition...
tour, which can be viewed on Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
's DVD release Arriving Somewhere.... During the same time period Colin was introduced to Spector
Spector
Spector is an American based company that manufacturers bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship...
basses and purchased a EuroLX 4-string model in Natural Oil. The company then gave him as a gift one of their extended scale-length models (35" as opposed to the "standard" 34" scale for 4-string basses), a Euro 4LX-35 in transparent black. This proved to be useful as over 1/2 of their 2007 album, Fear Of A Blank Planet
Fear of a Blank Planet
Fear of a Blank Planet is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree and their best selling . Released by Roadrunner on 16 April 2007 in the UK and Europe, 24 April 2007 in the United States through Atlantic, 25 April 2007 in Japan on WHD and 1 May 2007 in Canada by WEA...
was downtuned C/F/Bb/Eb to which the 35" scale length give better definition to the lower notes as well as the general rigors of touring ("The Euro 4LX-35 has a graphite-reinforced neck, which means it can come out of a freezing-cold trailer into a hot gig every night for a month without going out of tune or having any trussrod problems.") For the second leg of the Fear Of A Blank Planet tour starting in October 2007 a ReBop Deluxe FM unlined fretless bass in Natural Oil was brought out on tour for the song "A Smart Kid" among others, and well as using his Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
Bongo bass guitar as his spare/encore bass.
However, as of late September 2009 Colin is currently back to using his fretted and fretless Wal Mach I 4-strings basses for the majority of the tour supporting the Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
release of "The Incident" which is being played in full on this leg of the tour and which he plays approximately 85% of "The Incident" song-cycle on his Wal basses. His black Spector Euro 4LX-35 is used for the other 15% "heavy parts" that are downtuned to C Standard. In the liner notes for "The Incident" Colin still endorses and thanks Spector and Basslab basses as well as EBS amplifiers, speaker cabinets, and effects pedals. He also endorses Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
Bass Strings for use on his Wal fretless bass and Spector Medium Stainless Steel Bass Strings on his fretted Spector basses.
In 2009, Colin released his debut solo album titled Third Vessel, available through Burning Shed
Burning Shed
Burning Shed is an independent record label established in April 2001 by musicians Tim Bowness and Peter Chilvers, in association with duplication company manager and former Noisebox Records boss, Pete Morgan....
.
Current equipment
- 1983 WalWal (bass)Wal is a brand of electric bass manufactured by Electric Wood Ltd. in High Wycombe, England. It was started in 1974 by electronics expert Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens...
Mach I fretless 4-string bass (Natural finish, Ebony fingerboard) with a Hipshot Bass Extender installed for downtuning the E-string to D. - WalWal (bass)Wal is a brand of electric bass manufactured by Electric Wood Ltd. in High Wycombe, England. It was started in 1974 by electronics expert Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens...
Mach I fretted 4-string bass (Natural finish, Ebony fingerboard) with a Hipshot Bass Extender installed for downtuning the E-string to D. - 2006 SpectorSpectorSpector is an American based company that manufacturers bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship...
Euro 4LX-35 4-string bass downtuned to "C Standard" (C/F/Bb/Eb) in Transparent Black. http://www.spectorbass.com/images/artists/ColinEdwin4_lrg.jpg strung with Spector Medium Stainless Steel strings. - BassLabBassLabThe company BassLab produces stringed instruments, mainly basses and guitars, and also some versions of the Chapman Stick and a viola model for Ned Steinberger. Each instrument is crafted of a mixed material, "Tunable Mixed Composite"....
Soul-IV in Black (used mainly as a studio bass and also as a backup/encore bass on the "Fear of a Blank Planet" tour http://www.basslab.de/pics/friends/colin_edwin/colin_edwin3.jpg) strung with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky strings. - BassLabBassLabThe company BassLab produces stringed instruments, mainly basses and guitars, and also some versions of the Chapman Stick and a viola model for Ned Steinberger. Each instrument is crafted of a mixed material, "Tunable Mixed Composite"....
Soul-IV in Metallic Orange (prototype bass borrowed from Heiko Hoepfinger used as a studio/recording bass(http://www.basslab.de/pics/friends/colin_edwin/coln_edwin1.jpg) - EBS TD 650 amplifier and two 4x10" Proline neodymium cabs.
- EBS ValveDrive tube preamp/overdrive pedal, EBS MultiDrive distortion, EBS OctaBass octave, EBS MultiComp compressor, EBS UniChorus Chours, EBS Bass IQ Envelope Filter, EBS Tremolo, Boss HR-2 Harmonist, Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner.
- Gigrig Pro-14 switching system
Previously used equipment
- 2007 SpectorSpectorSpector is an American based company that manufacturers bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship...
ReBop Deluxe FM unlined fretless bass in Natural Oil. - 2004 Music ManMusic Man (company)Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
StingrayMusic Man StingRayMusic Man StingRay is an electric bass guitar by Music Man, introduced in 1976.- History :In 1971, Fender employees Forrest White and Tom Walker, unhappy with the way CBS was managing the company, left their positions with Fender to start their own venture. First known as Tri-Sonic and then later...
fretted 4-string bass (Natural ash finish, Rosewood fretboard http://www.home-of-rock.de/Konzertberichte/Porcupine_Tree/Pics/Porcupine_Tree_201.jpg) with a Hipshot Bass Extender installed for downtuning the E-string to D. - 2005 Music ManMusic Man (company)Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
BongoMusic Man BongoThe Bongo bass guitar was introduced on March 21, 2003 at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA by Music Man, a division of Ernie Ball. Ernie Ball president Sterling Ball designed the guitar in conjunction with the Music Man Research and Development department and BMW's Designworks team...
4-string bass in "Stealth (flat) Black" (used for the majority of the "Deadwing" tour as seen on the band's "Arriving Somewhere..." Live DVD and as a backup/encore bass on the 2007-08 "Fear Of A Blank Planet" tour). - Trace Elliott AH350 amplifier and speaker cabinets
- Tech 21Tech 21Tech 21 is a New York based manufacturer of guitar and bass effect pedals, amps, and DI boxes which allow the user to emulate the tone of many popular guitar amps and record those sounds directly into a mixer....
LM300 amplifier and two 4x10" speaker cabinets ("trashed on a European tour by some slack local crew" )
