Marillion: A Retrospective (1978-1988)

Marillion The Fish Era: 1981-1988

The Beginning “Melded with a complex and subtle musical tapestry,” WK “Marillion emerged from the short-lived progressive rock revival of the early ‘80s” AJ known as “neo-progressive,” WK “to become one of the most enduring cult acts of the era.” AJ The name was adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. They initially formed as an instrumental group in Aylesbury, England, in 1978 with Steve Rothery on guitar, Mick Pointer on drums, Doug Irvine on bass, and Brian Jelliman on keyboards. Irvine sang on some of the band’s early demos in 1980 but was replaced by Fish in 1981. He gave the band its identity with his “poetic and introspective lyrics” WK and “strong Peter Gabriel-inspired vocals,” JB which, along with elaborate stage costuming and makeup, “enforced critics’ accusations that Marillion owed more than just a heavy debt to Genesis.” JB “The combination of imaginative, enthralling music and image filled lyrics soon found favour amongst their expanding fan base and journalists who had tired of some of the more formulaic music that dogged the live scene of the time. Several sold out nights at the legendary Marquee club forced the record labels to recognise the impact of their music and a deal with EMI was quickly signed.” MC Fish & Co. released their first single, Market Square Heroes, in 1982 and their debut album, Script for a Jester’s Tear, which “ranks as one of the most accomplished debut albums of any progressive rock bands” WK followed in 1983. Note: this page covers Fish’s years with Marillion. For the post-Fish years, check out the DMDB profile page for Marillion: The Hogarth Era (1989-2022). The Players Fish (vocals: 1981-88). Born Derek William Dick 4/25/1958 in Dalkeith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Doug Irvine (bass: 1978-80) Brian Jelliman (keyboards: 1978-81) Mark Kelly (keyboards: 1982-present). Born 4/9/1961 in Dublin, Eire. John Martyr (drums: 1983) Diz Minnett (bass: 1981-82) Ian Mosley (drums: Curve Air, Marillion: 1983-present; Iris for Crossing the Desert: 1996). Born 6/16/1953 in London, England. Jonathan Mover (drums: 1983) Mick Pointer (drums: 1978-83). Born 7/22/1956 in England. Steve Rothery (guitar: 1978-present; Wishing Tree: 1996). Born 11/25/1959 in Brampton, South Yorkshire, England. Pete Trewavas (bass: 1982-present; Iris for Crossing the Desert: 1996). Born 1/15/1959, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, England. Andy Ward (drums: Camel, Marillion: 1983) Links Marillion.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia DMDB encyclopedia entry for Marillion DMDB encyclopedia entry for Fish Marillion/Fish: Top 100 Songs Marillion/Fish: Top 20 Albums

Awards

Studio Albums Compilations/Specialty Albums BE Brief Encounter (EP, released 1986) BS B-Sides Themselves (archives: 1982-87, released 1988) B1 Best of Both Worlds, Disc 1 (1982-88, released 1997) SH Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other (1982-92, released 1992) BM Best of (1982-2001, released 2003) Live Albums RR Real to Reel (1984) TM The Thieving Magpie (1988) ES1 Early Stages: Live at the Mayfair, Glasgow (1982/2008) ES2 Early Stages: Live at the Marquee (1982/2008) ES3 Early Stages: Live at the Reading Festival (1983/2008) ES4 Early Stages: Live at Hammersmith Odeon (1984/2008) ES5 Early Stages: Live at Wembley Arena (1987/2008) RC Return to Childhood (Fish, 2005) LS The Last Straw (Fish, 2018) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the above collections are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Script for a Jester’s Tear (1983)

Script for a Jester’s Tear [8:42] ES2, ES3, BE, TM, B1 He Knows You Know [5:07] (1/31/83, 21 AR, 35 UK) ES1, ES2, ES3, TM, B1 The Web [9:10] ES1, ES2 Garden Party [7:17] (6/6/83, 16 UK) ES1, ES2, ES3, ES4, B1, SH, BM Chelsea Monday [8:17] ES2, ES4, TM Forgotten Sons [8:22] ES1, ES2, ES3, B1

About the Album: By the time Marillion released their debut album, Script for a Jester’s Tear, Irvine and Jelliman were gone in favor of bassist Pete Trewavas and keyboardist Mark Kelly. Pointer was gone after the first album. After a series of short-lived drummers, the band settled in with Ian Mosley. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information about individual songs.

Fugazi (1984)

Assassing [7:01] (4/30/84, 22 UK) ES3, ES4, B1, SH, BM Punch and Judy [3:21] (1/30/84, 29 UK) ES4, TM, B1 Jigsaw [6:49] ES4, TM Emerald Lies [5:08] She Chameleon [6:53] ES1 Incubus [8:30] ES4, ES5 Fugazi [8:12] ES4, ES5, BE, TM

About the Album: “Fugazi, the second album, was not of the same quality (mostly because of apparently ridiculous production circumstances) but contained sophisticated song material” WK and “streamlined the intricacies of the group’s prog rock leanings in favor of a more straight-ahead hard rock identity.” AJ Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information about individual songs.

Real to Reel (live) Marillion

Recorded: March 5, 1984, and June 19-20, 1984 Released: November 5, 1984 Peak: -- US, 8 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK Genre: neo progressive rock Rating: 3.496 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Assassing (2) Incubus (3) Cinderella Search (4) Emerald Lies (5) Forgotten Sons (6) Garden Party (7) Market Square Heroes Total Running Time: 52:05 About the Album: With only two studio albums under their belt, Marillion decided it was already time to release a live album. In addition to cuts from their first two albums, the set featured non-album cuts “Cinderella Search” and “Market Square Heroes.” In 1997, this album was bundled with the band’s 1986 EP Brief Encounter.

Misplaced Childhood (1985)

Pseudo Silk Kimono [2:13] ES4, TM Kayleigh [3:54] (4/7/85, 74 US, 2 UK, 14 AR) ES4, ES5, BE, TM, B1, SH, BM Lavender [2:33] (8/27/85, 5 UK) ES5, TM, B1, SH, BM Bitter Suite [7:53] ES4, ES5, TM Heart of Lothian [4:08] (11/18/85, 29 UK) ES4, ES5, TM, B1, BM Waterhole (Expresso Bongo) [2:07] TM Lords of the Backstage [1:57] TM Blind Curve [9:29] TM Childhood’s End? [4:32] TM White Feather [2:23] TM

About the Album: Marillion’s “third and commercially most successful album, Misplaced Childhood, was quite possibly their most cohesive work.” WK Although “considered hideously unfashionable at the time,” WK the band undertook “the brave decision to create a concept album” WK “reflecting Fish's formative experiences.” AJ The gamble “paid off, with great success both for the album (which was number one in the UK) and for the singles spawned from the album. One of these, Kayleigh, charted at #2 in the United Kingdom” WK “and became a hit in the U.S. as well. The follow-up, Lavender, was also a smash, but the group began crumbling: Fish developed alcohol and drug problems, and egos ran rampant.” AJ Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information about individual songs.

Brief Encounter (EP) Marillion

Recorded: 1983-1985 Released: June 1986 Peak: 67 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 13 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo progressive rock Rating: 3.816 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Lady Nina (2) Freaks (3) Kayleigh (4) Fugazi (5) Script for a Jester’s Tear Total Running Time: 30:16 About the Album: This EP gathered Marillion’s best-known single “Kayleigh” with B-sides “Lady Nina” and “Freaks” alongside live versions of the title cuts from Marillion’s first two studio albums. The collection was bundled with Marillion’s 1984 live album Real to Reel in 1997.

Clutching at Straws (1987)

Hotel Hobbies [3:35] ES5, LS Warm Wet Circles [4:25] (10/26/87, 22 UK) ES5, B1, SH, BM, LS That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) [6:00] ES5, B1, LS Going Under [2:47] LS Just for the Record [3:09] LS White Russian [6:27] ES5, TM, LS Incommunicado [5:16] (5/11/87, 6 UK, 24 AR) TM, B1, SH, BM, LS Torch Song [4:05] LS Slainte Mhath [4:44] ES5, TM, LS Sugar Mice [5:46] (7/13/87, 22 UK) ES5, TM, B1, BM, lS The Last Straw [5:58] ES5, LS

About the Album: “The fourth album, Clutching at Straws, also followed a concept,” WK delving into Fish’s substance abuse issues. The album “did not quite achieve the same popularity [but] the lyrics remained as clever as ever, with the song Warm Wet Circles arguably representing the most carefully crafted piece of poetry in the entire genre.” WK “Musical difficulties between Fish and the band caused him to leave after 1988’s [double live album] Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra).” JB Marillion had “already recorded demos of the next studio album.” WK Those “demo sessions…with Fish vocals and lyrics [are] on the bonus disc of the remastered version of Clutching at Straws…the lyrics [also] found their way into various Fish solo albums such as his first solo album, Vigil In a Wilderness of Mirrors, some snippets on his second, Internal Exile and even a line or two [on] his third album, Suits.” WK Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information about individual songs.

B-Sides Themselves (1988)

Grendel [17:15] (10/25/82, --) ES2, ES3, BS Charting the Single [4:48] (1/31/83, --) ES3, BS Market Square Heroes [3:56] (10/25/82, 60 UK) ES1, ES2, ES3, RR, BS Three Boats Down from the Candy [4:01] (10/25/82, --) ES1, ES2, BS Cinderella Search [4:21] (4/30/84, --) ES4, RR, BS Lady Nina [3:43] (4/7/85, --) BE, BS Freaks [4:04] (8/27/85, --) BE, BS, TM Tux On [5:12] (7/13/87, --) BS LS Margaret (live) [12:17] (6/6/83, --) ES2, BS

About the Album: This cleverly titled collection gathers up the B-sides from Marillion singles released during the Fish era (1982-87) plus singles not featured on studio albums. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information about individual songs.

The Thieving Magpie (live, 1988) Marillion

Recorded: 1984-1987 Released: November 28, 1988 Peak: -- US, 25 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 16 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo progressive rock Rating: 4.105 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Intro: La Gazza Ladra (2) Slainte Mhath (3) He Knows You Know (4) Chelsea Monday (5) Freaks (6) Jigsaw (7) Punch and Judy (8) Sugar Mice (9) Fugazi (10) Script for a Jester’s Tear (11) Incommunicado (12) White Russian Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Pseudo Silk Kimono (2) Kayleigh (3) Lavender (4) Bitter Suite (5) Heart of Lothian (6) Waterhole (Expresso Bongo) (7) Lords of the Backstage (8) Blind Curve (9) Childhood’s End? (10) White Feather Total Running Time: 112:18 About the Album: This double album capped off Marillion’s Fish era, gathering material from their four studio albums from 1983 to 1987. This live set is most notable for its complete performance of the band’s 1985 Misplaced Childhood album.

Best of Both Worlds, Disc 1 (1997) Marillion

Recorded: 1982-1988 Released: February 1997 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo progressive rock Rating: 3.699 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Script for a Jester’s Tear (2) Market Square Heroes (3) He Knows You Know (4) Forgotten Sons (5) Garden Party (6) Assassing (7) Punch and Judy (8) Kayleigh (9) Lavender (10) Heart of Lothian (11) Incommunicado (12) Warm Wet Circles (13) That Time of the Night (The Short Straw) (14) Sugar Mice About the Album: This was the first of a two-disc compilation covering Marillion from 1982 to 1996. The first disc focused on the Fish era (1982 to 1988) and the second (read about it here) on the Steve Hogarth era (1989-1996). “Assassing,” “Kayleigh,” “Lavender,” “Heart of Lothian,” and “Warm Wet Circles” are single versions that differ from the versions on the albums.

Early Stages (live box set) Marillion

Recorded: 1982-1987 Released: November 17, 2008 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: neo progressive rock Rating: 3.513 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Disc 1: Live at the Mayfair, Glasgow (9/13/1982) (1) Garden Party (2) The Web (3) He Knows You Know (4) She Chameleon (5) Three Boats Down from the Candy (6) Market Square Heroes (7) Forgotten Sons Disc 2: Live at the Marquee, Part 1 (12/30/1982) (1) Garden Party (2) Three Boats Down from the Candy (3) Grendel (4) Chelsea Monday Disc 3: Live at the Marquee, Part 2 (12/30/1982) (1) He Knows You Know (2) The Web (3) Script for a Jester’s Tear (4) Forgotten Sons (5) Market Square Heroes (6) Margaret Disc 4: Live at the Reading Festival (8/27/1983) (1) Grendel (2) Garden Party (3) Script for a Jester’s Tear (4) Assassing (5) Charting the Single (6) Forgotten Sons (7) He Knows You Know (8) Market Square Heroes Disc 5: Live at Hammersmith Odeon (12/14/1984) (1) Assassing (2) Garden Party (3) Cinderella Search (4) Punch and Judy (5) Jigsaw (6) Chelsea Monday (7) Pseudo Silk Kimono (8) Kayleigh (9) Bitter Suite (10) Heart of Lothian (11) Incubus (12) Fugazi Disc 6: Live at Wembley Arena (11/5/1987) (1) Slainte Mhath (2) White Russian (3) Incubus (4) Sugar Mice (5) Fugazi (6) Hotel Hobbies (7) Warm Wet Circles (8) That Time of the Night (9) The Last Straw (10) Kayleigh (11) Lavender (12) Bitter Suite (13) Heart of Lothian About the Album: This six-disc live collection was billed as an “official bootleg box set” which is odd since “official” and “bootleg” are opposites. The recordings were collected from five concerts broadcast by the BBC from 1982 to 1987. In 2013, a “highlights” package was released that whittled the six discs down to two.

Resources/References: Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists AJ Jason Ankeny and Dale Jensen, All Music Guide (Marillion bio) JB John Bush, All Music Guide (Fish bio) MC Marillion.com WK Wikipedia.org Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/10/2011; last updated 8/5/2025.

Elliott Smith Either/Or

Either/Or Elliott Smith

Released: February 25, 1997 Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 0.43 US, 0.06 UK, 0.50 world (includes US + UK) Genre: indie alternative rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Speed Trials (10/1/96, --) Alameda Ballad of Big Nothing (6/29/98, --) Between the Bars Pictures of Me No Name No. 5 Rose Parade Punch and Judy Angeles Cupid’s Trick 2:45 AM Say Yes Total Running Time: 36:52

Rating: 4.185 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Intimate Poet “Among modern singer/songwriters there are few who can match Elliott Smith for intimacy.” RD He “was a poet of the late ‘90s, channeling a gritty and melancholic voice” PM alongside “lo-fi, home-recording techniques” RD and “delicate guitar playing” RD that drew “the listener inexorably into the artist’s world.” RD “In 2003, he died at 34 in a possible suicide, though the circumstances of his death remain murky.” EW’12 The Third Album His third album, Either/Or, captures an essential turning point in Elliott Smith’s career. PM This was his final independent album before signing with DreamWorks. He recorded more than 30 songs over nearly a year’s time at a variety of locations, including both his apartment and his girlfriend’s. RD It is “widely considered to be his most acclaimed album” PM and “possibly his richest work.” RD “In a voice barely louder than a whisper, the preternaturally gifted, emotionally fragile folkie…unfurled one of the most quietly devastating bedroom records ever made.” EW’12 It “conjures both grief and wonder as we see Smith fully coming into his own as an artist for the first time, a feat done with such tangible vulnerability that few artists have achieved since.” PM “The low, smoky tone of Smith’s acoustic guitar on the album feels iconic and instantly recognizable.” PM He expanded his sound with “more expansive and complex structures and themes beyond just the stripped-down acoustic reflections of his past” PM but still plays all the instruments himself. “The most alluring numbers, however, are still his quietly melancholy acoustic ones.” AM “The humbler arrangements are better suited to the sparse equipment.” AM The Songs For example, on Between the Bars, “an ode to a whiskey bottle,” RD “he sings, in his endearingly limited whisper, of late-night drinking and introspection, and his subdued strumming creates a minor-key mood befitting the mysteries of self.” AM On the “equally ethereal” AM Angeles, his “acoustic fingerpicking spins out notes which briskly move around a single atmospheric keyboard chord, like aural minnows swimming toward a solitary light at the surface of the water.” AM The album also features Ballad of Big Nothing, “an uplifting anthem to freedom,” RD and Pictures of Me, “a snapshot of destructive relationships.” RD “But it with the last two songs that the album really delivers…2:45 AM – documenting the terrors of the wee small hours, in achingly beautiful fashion – and Say Yes – hopelessly, wonderfully optimistic.” RD Good Will Hunting Smith won “the acclaim of Hollywood’s biggest, brightest, and best” AM via an Oscar nomination for Miss Misery, a new song on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack. That soundtrack also featured “Angeles” and a different version of “Between the Bars.” Smith met Gus Van Zant, the director of Good Will Hunting, while living in Portland. Notes: A 20th anniversary edition of the album added five live performances from 1997 along with four other songs.

Reviews: AM AllMusic.com review by Darryl Cater RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 817. EW’12 Entertainment Weekly (9/27/2012). “Top 100 Albums” PM PasteMagazine.com (6/3/2024). “The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time” WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Links: First posted 11/4/2025.