B'SIDES THEMSELVES

The official end of Fish discography with Marillion comes in early 1988, when EMI released the archival/compilation album ''B'Sides themselves'', the complete farewell to a unique generation of Prog music and the legend of Fish-era Marillion.This album contained unlrealesed studio tracks, live cuts and pieces from the band's singles, which date back from 1982.

The 17-min. opener ''Grendel'' was originally part of the expanded version of the ''Market square heroes'' single/EP from 1982.It's not only one of the best compositions Marillion ever created, but it is also much closer to the classic GENESIS sound than anything the band ever produced.A magnificent epic with even some CAMEL influences in the guitar solos, a completely epic atmosphere with Fish in his best form and some emphatic keyboard pyrotechnics by Mark Kelly, featuring multiple variations and lots of changing climates with a certain symphonic atmosphere coming out of the 70's, despite the strong synth component."Charting the single'', "Market square heroes" and ''Three boats down from the candy'', all three among the favorites in Marillion lives, are characterized by both symphonic and flashy keyboards and Trewavas' impressive bass work, introducing Fish'es unmet lyricism and the more accesible tunes of Neo Prog music, the two later come from re-recorded versions from the ''Punch and Judy'' 84' single.''Cinderella Search'' is the only track, that made to a Marillion full-lenhth album, here comes the single edit version from the ''Assassing'' 84' single, no more words, this is music poetry dressed with dramatic keyboards and great guitar soloing by Rothery."Lady Nina" and "Freaks" are both leftovers from the recordings of ''Misplaced childhood'', the first is accesible Neo Prog with rhythmic lines, among the least impressive tracks of the album, second one is typical Marillion-esque dark, lyrical Neo Prog with bombastic keyboards and spacey, almost PINK FLOYD-ian guitar work.''Tux on'' was included in the ''Sugar mice'' 87' single, among the last recordings of Fish with the group, this is narcotic, lyrical music, which slowly develops into a fantastic solo by Rothery, featuring the discreet keyboards of Kelly.The live version of one of Marillion's obscurities, ''Margaret'', comes from a performance at Edinburgh Playhouse in April 83', quite 70's influenced keyboard Prog with a jamming mood and a frenetic crowd supporting the band.

The band said goodbye to Fish with an awesome document on the unkown side of Marillion.If you don't own any of Marillion's singles or special CD versions with additional material, this is more than a must-have.