The Marillion Round Table

All about Fish for me. Kelly plays some nice piano, especially on Script.. song, Trewavas's basslines on some songs, especially He Knows You Know, remind me of Geddy Lee for some reason and Rothery has a nice blend of Gilmour and Hackett, coming up with tearing solos that are often as memorable as the stuff those two legends have produced.  But Fish...the man has become my favourite prog rock singer.  His strengths in terms of flexing his voice to alter the mood and to emote very convincingly and directly in ways I have never heard from any other prog rock singer far outweigh the limitations of his range.  The band produced a great blend of driving, rockin' music with the theatrical and poetic flavour of say Genesis.   As for Hogarth, I have only heard one album of the ones he did with Marillion and didn't like his vocals at all, so pass.  

Eric - firstly, big clappies to you for starting this thread

We have spoke a few times about the band, and neither of us need to be converted, but I hope this thread will persuade a few more people that the band did not end after Fish left.

As I post this, I am listening to Thirteenth Star, a great LP, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing Fish in Pontardawe, South Wales, last year. Fish was the original reason that I, as a younger and especially classic Genesis prog freak, went to London to see them at the Marquee before most people had even heard of them.

I followed them throughout. The Garden Party in Milton Keynes to celebrate the success of Misplaced Childhood was a seminal moment, when I knew that neo prog could combine great music and commercial success.

Fish left, and then this bloke from The Europeans, who Fish had actually exalted on a BBC programme a couple of years before, took over. I saw him at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, brought Seasons End, and the love affair started all over again.

I almost gave up after Holidays in Eden, a shocking album, but Brave put its hooks in me, and I have kept the faith ever since. Forget The Lamb, TAAB, and all - Brave is simply the most intense and beautiful concept album ever made.

The break from EMI gave us This Strange Engine, a remarkably beautiful creation, and from then on in, the music has been driven by the fans, and not by the record companies.

I defy anyone to listen to Marbles and not be blown away by the creative emotional force behind the lyrics and musicianship. The latest, HITR, shows the band at their creative finest, with tracks such as Essence and Real Tears for Sale proving that they are still capable of tearing away all of the conventional prog boundaries.

I look forward to contributing to this thread for many years to come, and invite all sceptics and fans alike to join in the celebration of the finest band ever to walk and play this earth.

Cheers Eric.

I used to love the Fish era back in the 80s and saw the band twice at that time.  Nowadays I can't get into those Fish albums much. 

But I have discovered the Hogarth era.  I started with Brave and was captivated by that album.  Really wonderful stuff.  I'm now onto my 2nd "new era" album in "Sunlight" and the jury is still out.  I'm trying to decide what my next step should be. 

I love the atmosphere of Brave and the willingness to be patient.  I also love the story they wrote about recording the album, the ghosts they felt, etc.

Brave and Marbles are considered masterpieces from the Hogarth era. I'd have to agree.

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Finnforest wrote: I used to love the Fish era back in the 80s and saw the band twice at that time.  Nowadays I can't get into those Fish albums much.  But I have discovered the Hogarth era.  I started with Brave and was captivated by that album.  Really wonderful stuff.  I'm now onto my 2nd "new era" album in "Sunlight" and the jury is still out.  I'm trying to decide what my next step should be.  I love the atmosphere of Brave and the willingness to be patient.  I also love the story they wrote about recording the album, the ghosts they felt, etc.

Your next choice from the H era should probably be... MARBLES - Also insanely good.

I did get the Early Stages box set for Father's Day. Some of the best live stuff from the Fish era that I've heard. I would still like to get these remasters of Recital, Magpie, and Loreley, though.

And Steve mentioned 13th Star. Absolutely brilliant disc! I think it's Fish's masterpiece and is extremely emotive.

E

P.S. Sorry for bringing this up in an appreciation thread... I know it's rude. 

I had three phases with my reunion with Marillion

PHASE 1 : The Lightening Experience with The Fish period (5 years of true happiness)
PHASE 2 : The Frustration of a Divorce with the Departure of Fish (20 years)
PHASE 3 : Reconcilliation with the band with the cd Happiness is The Road (a year)

It took me 21 years to accept the new singer... Now i can appreciate Marillion music without comparaison to Fish.

Jake Kobrin wrote: Can someone please help me get into this band??? I own both S f a J's T and Misplaced Childhood (an Austrian version with Austrian and German tour dates on it...  ). I find the emotion to be quite... forced... and campy in a way. (Actually I find them to be blatantly cheesy.) The problem is that I'm not someone that gravitates towards lyrics at all and they are essentially a vocal-centric band and the instrumentation isn't quite interesting enough to pull me in. Also I'm not to fond of the Fish's voice (and neither am I too fond of Peter Gabriel's ) It's a shame because the album artwork is damn cool...

I love Misplaced and CaS, but I do find the vocals on the first two to be a bit grating for me. I do see your point, though. I think that's one reason I tend to gravitate towards the Hogarth because (to me) the emotion seems more natural. It's too bad that the Brave Live 2002 DVD is out of print because aside of being right there at a live performance, this DVD really shows Hogarth in his element and full of emotion.

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