Blackfield
Collaborative project by Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen.
Blackfield is a collaborative project between English musician Steven Wilson, best known for founding Porcupine Tree, and Israeli rock musician Aviv Geffen. The duo has released six albums under this name. The first two records, *Blackfield* and *Blackfield II*, were created as equal partnerships. For the third and fourth albums, *Welcome to my DNA* and *Blackfield IV*, Geffen took the lead, writing all but one track across both and handling a much larger share of lead vocals. Wilson announced in 2014 that he planned to leave the project, but instead returned as an equal partner for a fifth album, *Blackfield V*, released on 10 February 2017. A sixth record, *For the Music*, came out on 4 December 2020, with Geffen again in a leading role. Geffen, a fan of Porcupine Tree, invited the band to play shows in Israel in 2000. He became friends with Wilson, and they began recording together. Geffen sang backing vocals on two Porcupine Tree tracks from *In Absentia*: "The Sound of Muzak" and "Prodigal". Wanting to build an audience outside Israel, Geffen suggested they start their own project, which became Blackfield. Originally planned as an EP for 2001, it grew into a self-titled full-length album released in 2004. Wilson sang lead on all but two songs and played guitar or piano on every track except "Scars", which used instrumentation from Geffen's band The Mistakes. Outside Israel, Blackfield was often compared to Porcupine Tree. Wilson explained that Porcupine Tree would never focus on the art of a three-minute pop song, whereas Blackfield is built around verse-chorus-verse-chorus pop tradition. He noted that Porcupine Tree favors long, horizontally complex pieces and treats albums as a whole, while Geffen dislikes heavy music and long songs, so their meeting point became short, melancholic pop songs. In early 2004, Blackfield debuted live with a few TV performances in Israel. The lineup included drummer Chris Maitland, who was replaced by Tomer Zidkyahu for a European tour later that year. The first album was released in Israel and Europe in 2004, and in the United States in 2005. While the first album was made over a long period, the follow-up, *Blackfield II*, was created in a short burst.
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Origin
- Hemel Hempstead, England / Ramat Gan, Israel
- Genre
- Art rock · pop rock · alternative rock · progressive rock
- Years Active
- 2001–present
- Label
- Atlantic · Snapper Music
- Associated Acts
- Porcupine Tree
- Current Members
- Aviv Geffen / Steven Wilson / Tomer Z / Eran Mitelman / Omri Agmon / Hadar Green
- Past Members
- Chris Maitland / Daniel Salomon / Seffy Efrati
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The project began after Geffen, a fan of Wilson's band Porcupine Tree, invited the band to play shows in Israel in 2000. The two musicians struck up a friendship and began recording together, with Geffen performing backing vocals on two tracks of Porcupine Tree's In Absentia. Geffen, seeking to grow his fanbase outside Israel, approached Wilson about starting a joint project. Originally planned as an EP for a 2001 release, it evolved into a self-titled full-length album in 2004. Wilson provided lead vocals on all but two songs and played guitar or piano on every track except 'Scars,' which featured instrumentation by Geffen's band The Mistakes.
The first two albums, Blackfield and Blackfield II, saw Wilson and Geffen working as equal partners. For the third and fourth albums, Welcome to my DNA and Blackfield IV, Geffen took a leading role, writing all but one track across both albums and providing a significantly increased share of lead vocals. Wilson initially announced his intention to leave the project in 2014, but instead worked again as an equal partner on a fifth album, Blackfield V, released on 10 February 2017. A sixth record, For the Music, was released on 4 December 2020, with Geffen again taking a leading role.
Reader's Guide
Blackfield's significance lies in its unique fusion of two distinct musical personalities: Steven Wilson's progressive rock complexity and Aviv Geffen's pop craftsmanship. The project deliberately focused on the art of the three-minute pop song, a departure from Wilson's work with Porcupine Tree, which emphasized longer, horizontally complex pieces. This contrast allowed Blackfield to carve out a niche as a vehicle for concise, melancholic songwriting. The project also demonstrated a shifting dynamic over time, evolving from equal partnership to a Geffen-led endeavor, reflecting Wilson's increasing commitments to his solo career and Porcupine Tree. Despite Wilson's periodic announcements of reduced involvement or departure, the project continued, producing six albums that maintained a consistent sonic identity. Blackfield's legacy includes its role in introducing Geffen's music to international audiences and providing a platform for collaboration that bridged Israeli and English rock scenes. The project's live performances, including a recorded live CD/DVD in New York City, further solidified its presence, though touring was occasionally affected by personal events such as the death of Wilson's father.
Did You Know?
- The first Blackfield album was originally planned as an EP for a 2001 release before evolving into a full-length album in 2004.
- Wilson moved to Israel for six months in early 2006 to work on Blackfield II.
- The track 'Pills' from Blackfield IV was previewed on a sampler disc included with Wilson's solo album The Raven That Refused to Sing.
- Alan Parsons was involved in recording sessions for a future Blackfield album in 2015 and 2016.
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