Biographies Needing Attention

Marillion

Pioneers of the second wave of progressive rock

The Early Years

Marillion were formed in 1979 in Aylesbury, England under the name Silmarillion, named after the Tolkien novel.

After some early line-up changes, the first recognisable incarnation of the band was complete by 1982, with Fish (real name Derek W Dick), a charismatic Scottish frontman vocalist, Steven Rothery on guitars, Peter Trewavas on bass, Mark Kelly on keyboards, and Mick Pointer on drums.

The band built their reputation the old-fashioned way by gigging extensively, but their profile was also raised by some clever manipulation of the music press, especially journals such as Sounds, in which Fish often interviewed his proposition that the band were “prog with attitude”, a new force for the post-punk era.

This profile landed them a record deal with EMI records, and, in 1982, they released an EP Market Square Heroes, which, it is fair to say, had more than a passing resemblance to the Genesis classic, The Knife. Also appearing was a monster prog track called Grendel.

However, it was the release in 1983 of their debut long player, Script For A Jester’s Tear, which brought them to the wider attention of the rock world. The album spawned hit singles in Garden Party and He Knows You Know, was critically well received, and reached number 7 in the UK album charts.

The band’s progress and workload were relentless after this point. They proved themselves to be somewhat merciless in the pursuit of musical and commercial success by ditching Pointer, who was felt to be sub-standard, and replacing him eventually with, after what the band described as their “Spinal Tap” period for drumming, Ian Mosley, formerly of The Steve Hackett Band. Pointer went on to jointly form Arena, a classic neo outfit who still record today, and still tours his Script era version of Marillion. The difference Mosley made, though, both live and in the studio, was palpable.

The line-up released three more albums; Fugazi, Misplaced Childhood, and, finally Clutching At Straws.

Misplaced Childhood was a massive hit, reaching number 1 in the UK charts in 1985, and responsible for huge hit singles in Kayleigh, Lavender, and Heart of Lothian. By this time, Fish had ditched his trademark face paint, - the music and his sheer personality were a tour de force in themselves, with no need any longer for gimmicks or theatrics. This spell of activity culminated in a huge open-air gig in front of tens of thousands at Milton Keynes Bowl, supported by, amongst others, Jethro Tull, themselves no strangers to large concerts.

Clutching At Straws was released in 1987, and was an altogether darker affair, inspired by colossal drink and drug use by Fish, in particular, and discussing the many complex personal issues that brought. The relentless touring continued, and EMI were eager for the band to release a quick follow up. The pressure of this was too much, and in 1988, Fish left the band to embark on a solo career which, it is fair to say, had mixed success.

The Hogarth Years

For many acts, losing such a charismatic and important frontman and lyricist would spell the death knell. Not, however, for Marillion.

In 1989, they announced to the world that Steve Hogarth, a vocalist formerly with little known The Europeans, would be Fish’s replacement. It is a little-known irony that Fish, when appearing on a BBC personality programme discussing his favourite music tracks, had actually played a Europeans single whilst still with Marillion.

It is a testament to this inspired choice that the band have recorded and toured constantly, with latterly increasing success again, with the self-same line-up for (at the time of updating this biography) 28 years, an incredible achievement.

The debut album released by the line-up was Season’s End, released in 1989. Much of the music had been recorded prior to Hogarth’s arrival, and it showed. It charted, though, at a respectable number 7 in the UK.

The follow up, Holidays in Eden, was, perhaps understandably, criticised by fans and the press alike, as a misplaced attempt to create a commercial rock album driven by the desire to have hits. Whilst it did not bomb, also reaching number 7 in the charts, it certainly did not sell in the numbers of its predecessors, and the band found themselves playing to (admittedly ultra-loyal fans attending) mid-size venues of 3,000 such as Wolverhampton Civic Hall, rather than the larger arenas of the late Fish era.

The band fought back, though, releasing in 1994 (three years after Holidays) the seminal concept album, Brave. The lyrics behind the music were inspired by a story Hogarth heard on local radio concerning a young lady who had committed suicide by leaping from Bristol Suspension Bridge. Although obviously dark and brooding almost throughout, the album was a statement of intent by a band determined to plough their own furrow in the music world. In later years, the album has been critically praised, and it also spawned a rather arty film of the same name.

EMI, though, dropped the band, and the final album released with the label at the time was Afraid of Sunlight, released in 1995. It only reached number 16 in the UK charts, and sold relatively poorly. It was not much compensation when, upon reviewing the album on release, Q Magazine pronounced boldly that if any other band than Marillion had released this work, it would be a monster hit worldwide. At this time, prog had a bad name again, and the band suffered because of it. Further, more than one member of the band has wondered what would have been had they renamed themselves upon Hogarth’s joining. There has been some wonderful recognition of the storytelling and emotional music inherent in the album when the family of Donald Campbell, famously killed in an accident on Coniston Water in a speed record attempt, following the discovery of his body in 2001, asked the band to perform Out of this World, a track from the album inspired by Campbell, at a memorial service.

Marillion signed for Castle Records, and went on to record three albums with them, these being This Strange Engine, Radiation, and Marillion.com. The band, though, became increasingly unhappy with the poor marketing strategy, and lack of understanding of the music, by their record company, and they parted ways, with no real prospect of a new deal anywhere else in prospect. Once again, the band found themselves on the cusp of disaster.

Disaster was averted, as Marillion set the template for all the crowd funded, internet based, music recording that is so widespread in the second decade of the millennium. Put simply, they asked their fans, still incredibly loyal, to fund the recording of Anoraknophobia before even a note had been recorded. 12,000 fans responded, EMI agreed to distribute it, and survival, on the band’s terms, was ensured. This incredibly far sighted decision was not just the beginning of a return to relative commercial success, but also the template for many other more niche acts to follow.

Marbles, released in 2004, a very well received album with genuine classic progressive tracks, had its marketing funded by the fans, but also had a double cd not commercially available to those who pre-ordered. Again, it was a tremendous success, and the band even enjoyed a return to the top ten singles charts with You’re Gone, even if an appearance on Top of the Pops was denied them.

At the time of writing this biography in 2017, the band have released five more albums, all with increasing commercial success, and continuing to use the fanbase as the model for funds and publicity, together with a more sympathetic press tiring of overtly rubbish commercial pop music. In 2016, the album F.E.A.R. (the acronym being f**k Everyone And Run) was released to large critical acclaim, and marked a return to overtly political lyrics and anger not really witnessed since the halcyon days of Fish ranting against war and Thatcherism in equal measure. It caught the zeitgeist of the times extremely well, that of a tired world increasingly bewildered by greed, corruption, poverty, the loss of traditional England, and an inability by the country’s (and world’s) politicians to deal with such issues effectively. It peaked at number 4 in the UK charts, having been funded by a Pledge Music campaign, and in October 2017 the band achieved a lifetime ambition of playing live at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Tickets sold out within three minutes of being on sale.

Marillion can be said to epitomise the tradition of progressive rock, playing, at times, incredibly complex music, but with an attitude and ethos wholly grounded alongside their fanatical fanbase. People reading this biography should not be fooled, or put off, by the neo-prog label attributed to them on this site. Marillion are far more than that, and they proclaim it very proudly.

Steve Lazenby (Lazland)