Marillion's beginnings can be searched back to 1978, in Aylesbury, going under the name of JRR Tolkien's novel: Silmarillion. Two years later, with the addition of guitarist Steve Rothery and the name change to Marillion (due to copyrights), the band began to take its familiar form. Performing mainly instrumental sets, that changed when they met a man named Fish.
Fish, whose real name: Derek William Dick, was born in a small town named Dalkeith - just east of Edinburgh Scotland 25th April 1958, an ex-gardner, forest worker auditioned and joined the band in December 1980; immediately contributing his sense of passion, emotion and theatrics into the band's performances. Their first gig together was a small venue: The Red Lion Pub on March 15, 1981.
In the spring of 1982, both Mark Kelly (keyboards) and Pete Trewavas (bass) joined to group, strengthening their line up. With a constant gig schedule and sheer hard work, their brand of advanced and enlightened rock began to appeal to a large audience. EMI signed the group on September 8th 1982, and a month later, they released a single- "Market Square Heroes" and in March of 1983, their first album: `Script For A Jester's Tear.' The album fused Fish's poetic and complex lyrics with the bands fine musicianship.
A year later, drummer Ian Mosley (ex- Steve Hackett), joined the band, and they released their second album, `Fugazi'.
Touring continued, Fish complete with face-paint, a powerful light show, props and the emotional theatrics lifted audiences into an emotional frenzy- clapping and singing along with Fish. The band was gaining popularity.
Songs varied in content from simple fantasy to political issues and social reform.
`Misplaced Childhood' followed in 1985 and gained the number one album spot in the UK. Their single- "Kayleigh" hit #2 on June `85.
In 1987, `Clutching At Straws,' was the last album that included Fish. Fish suddenly and unexpectedly quit the band to pursue a solo career. A 90 min. video- Live from Loreley, UK 1987 of one of the last shows he performed and shows the band toning down the visuals.
About Fish's departure..."During the process of writing the new album it became apparent that differences, both musically and lyrically, between Fish and the rest of the band were irreconcilable". Fish himself said: "I've had a brilliant 7 years with Marillion; however, recently the musical directions of the band have diversified to such an extent I realised the time had come to embark on a solo career." Adding to this, his voice being sytined by escessive drinking and smoking... the break-up was nnevitable.
With the heart and soul of their band gone, most people wrote off Marillion the same as they cast Genesis aside when Peter Gabriel left, but the band survived.
Carrying a red bucket of demo tapes, singer of `The Europeans' and the group- `How We Live,'- Steve Hogarth made an immediate impression with his strong voice, he lead the group to their first album together- `Season's End' was released in 1989 and was mostly penned before Hogarth joined. Steve Rothery recalls about the transition- "Considering some people had written us off after Fish had left, it was a very strong statement that the band still had a lot going for it. And proved that what we found with Steve was something equally exciting and original as we had with Fish. It is an album that I am extremely proud of, and includes some classic songs".
1991's `Holidays In Eden,' album saw the band going closer to mainstream music. It showed that the band could write simpler tunes that still had their characteristic hooks and solid melodies.
On February 7th 1994 `Brave' was released- a dark, often disturbing conceptual work, recorded during lengthy sessions in Miles Copeland's French castle. The story of the album was inspired by a news flash about a girl wandering around the M4 near the Severn Bridge that connects England and Wales. She refused to or could not speak, so the police requested the public to contact them in case they knew who she was. Steve Hogarth wrote the concept of Brave that explained what drove the girl to the bridge.
A disturbing feature film with the same name accompanied the album, directed by Richard Stanley. The low-budget movie cost 100.000 pounds to produce. Unlike the album, the movie makes it very clear that the girl (played by Josy Ayers) does commit suicide.
The following year, in contrast, Hogarth wanted to create an album full of soul and potency and a year later- `Afraid Of Sunlight,' was released. The album was not a big commercial success.
In 1996, Marillion left EMI and formed their own label called- Intact.
In 1997 This Strange Engine, was released, highlighted by a lengthy title track that paralleled closely to Hogarth's life.
Though many cynics could say that they left their progressive roots in the late 80's, I believe that Marillion abandoned them in 1997. The group created `Radiation', then the next year released `marillion.com.'
Anoraknophobia is a new album that is being released under EMI. Rothery states that it shows that they are not 5 dinosaurs repeating past glory, but can show that we are capable of producing music relevant to today's the music scene. Very contemporary.
Marillion is currently planning the `Marillion World-Wide Web Weekend.' It is scheduled for 5-7 April 2002 and will include a performnce of the complete Brave album. To see this, fans will have to be a member of one of the fanclubs to be able to buy tickets.
In 2001 the band released a CD single: Between You And Me / Map Of The World, only availablke through their web site.
After a gig on March 14, 2003, Marillion released a DVD of the show, amazingly 41 hours after the concert was finished. Running 73.41 minutes, the gig is quite watchable, considering the break-neck pace in which it was released.
Some people say that Marillion like Genesis in the 90's has lost their magic. Perhaps they are just evolving or devolving, finding new avenues. I hope they are not embarrassed about their Prog roots, what made them famous. Only time (or their next album), will tell.
In 2004, the bands new single from the `Marbles,' album- 'You're Gone' (released on April 19th!) charted in both the UK (entering #7 and raising to #4), and Holland and Germany. The song was number one in the www.amazon.co.uk pre-order chart. And in October, a new online single 'The Damage' - entered the UK charts at Number 2! These singles gave Marillion the first hit songs in many a year. The band toured over 60 towns and cities across Britain, Eire, Europe, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Mexico, USA and Canada. Besides the singles- the album- `Marbles,' is a diverse mixed of long and short songs, bring back the older strengths of Marillion with Hogarth's calm command of the mic. reviews have been excellent. Many fan and live albums of the Marbles tours were released in 2005 & 2006 as well as the Christmas messages/CDs.
Besides albums, Marillion and Fish has been releasing new and old tours on DVD including- The Brave movie and a Return to Childhood.
Marillion's 14th studio album- will be entitled- `Somewhere Else.' The album contains more of a personal and topical theme. The CD will be a collection of shorter pieces- ranging from 2 1/2 minutes to 7.
Discography:
Fish-Era
1983 Script for a Jester's Tear
1984 Fugazi
1984 Real to Reel
1985 Misplaced Childhood
1986 Brief Encounter
1987 Clutching at Straws
1988 B'Sides Themselves
1988 The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)
1993 Marillion Music Collection (Italy)
1996 Kayleigh (Holland)
1996 Essential Collection (England)
1996 The Best of Marillion (Russia)
1997 Best of Both Worlds
1997 Real to Reel / Brief Encounter Remaster
1997 Script for a Jester's Tear Remaster
1998 Fugazi Remaster
1998 Misplaced Childhood Remaster
1999 Clutching at Straws Remaster
Hogarth-Era
1989 Seasons End
1991 Holidays in Eden
1992 Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other
1994 Brave
1995 Afraid of Sunlight
1996 Made Again
1997 Best of Both Worlds
1997 This Strange Engine
1997 Seasons End Remaster
1998 Holidays in Eden Remaster
1998 Radiation
1998 Brave Remaster
1999 Afraid of Sunlight Remaster
1999 marillion.com (to be released)
2000 Marillion.co.uk
2001 Christmas 2000: A Piss-Up In A Brewery
2001 ReFracted! (The Making Of Afraid Of Sunlight)
2001 Anoraknophobia
2001 Another DAT At The Office
2001 Christmas 2001: A Verry Barry Christmas
2002 Fallout
2002 Anorak In The UK Live
2002 Brave Live 2002
2002 Caught In The Net
2002 AWOL
2003 The Best of Marillion
2003 View From The Balcony
2003 Christmas 2003: Say Cheese! Christmas With Marillion
2002 Curtain Call (2004)
2004 Crash Course
2004 Marbles
2004: Baubles
2005: A Handful of Marbles
2005: Marbles by the Sea
2005: Marbles Live
2005: Remixomatosis
2005: View from the Balcony
2005: Popular Music
2005 : Merry Xmas to our Flock
2006 : The Jingle Book
2006: Mirrors
2006: Smoke
2006: Crash Course : An Introduction to Marillion
2006: Unzipped- The Making of Anoraknophobia
2007: Somewhere Else
CD-Single
2001 Between You And Me / Map Of The World
2004 You're Gone Released 2004: 1CD (x2), 1DVD
You're Gone (Single Mix)
The Damage
Faith (Live)
When I Meet God (Spirited Away Remix)
Quartz (Dreamtime Remix)
You're Gone (Album Version)
You're Gone (Promo Video)
Interview Footage
Singles
1982 Market Square Heroes
1983 He Knows You Know
1983 Garden Party
1984 Punch And Judy
1984 Assassing
1985 Kayleigh
1985 Lavender Blue
1985 Heart of Lothian
1986 Lady Nina
1986 Welcome to the Garden Party (Live)
1987 Incommunicado
1987 Sugar Mice
1987 Warm Wet Circles
1988 Freaks (Live)
1989 Hooks in You
1989 Uninvited Guest
1990 Easter
1991 Cover my Eyes (Pain and Heaven)
1991 No one Can
1991 Dry Land
1992 Sympathy
1992 No one Can - re-release
1994 The Great Escape
1994 The Hollow Man
1994 Alone again in the Lap of Luxury
1995 Beautiful
1997 Man of a Thousand Faces
1997 Eighty Days
1998 These Chains
2004 You're Gone
2004 Don't Hurt Yourself
2004 The Damage
Videos:
Grendel/The Web ep-
Sugar Mice/Incommunicado-
Live at Loreley- 1987 Festival gig (90 Minutes)
Six of one half a dozen the others
12 Marillion Video Clips.
2004 Brave, The Film (DVD)
Shot.in.the.Dark same as above, but includes The Brave movie the music from Brave with a 30 min. documentary "the making of Brave" (DVD = 140 min)
The EMI Singles Collection
A Piss-up in a Brewery
An acoustic concert (100 Min.)
Before First Light
2003 Recital of the Script (DVD)
2003 From Stoke Row to Ipanema (DVD)
2005: WIsh You Were Here (Documentary/Live Video)
2006: Colours and Sound (DVD)
