The Pirate Ship Quintet

Formed in England during 2004, the eight-piece post-rock ensemble Pirate Ship Quintet drew inspiration from Mogwai and Blueneck. Core members arrived from Bristol’s We Were Nice Today, where guitarist Alex Hobbis and drummer Jonathan Sturgess had previously played, and from Bournemouth’s Fashion Police Brutality, whose guitarist Terry Smith joined the lineup. Trumpeter Moo and bassist Matt Fernandez soon augmented the roster. Following several early performances under the shorter name Pirate Ship, keyboardist Gwyn Williams entered the fold, prompting the addition of “Quintet” to the band’s title. When Matt Fernandez departed, John Ziapour stepped in as replacement and the group pressed forward. Cellist Sandy Bartai, whose credits include the Bournemouth Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra, augmented the sessions for the debut EP. That self-titled release appeared in 2007 via the Sonic Devastation label.