Marillion were only a big deal for Brits?
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Topic: Marillion were only a big deal for Brits?
Posted By: TexasKing
Subject: Marillion were only a big deal for Brits?
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 13:41
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What do you think? Why a band Marillion are so popular in their homeland - the UK and not anywhere outside, esp.Americans never cared for them? Are they just a band of British taste?
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Replies:
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 13:48
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Stay tuned, this will be good. ------------- |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 14:41
| Honestly, I don't know. You might be right, but since I stop following them a while ago, I don't know what is their popularity outside the uk. |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 14:52
| TBH most people in Britain despised them, back in the day when anyone would actually have heard of them (Fish era). They were certainly the biggest deal amongst British prog-fanciers at the time, but prog was generally ridiculed in the UK during the eighties. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 15:16
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Frankly, what any other country thinks of them is irrelevant. They have a large cult following in Britain which has kept them in business for nearly 40 years. 8 top 10 albums including a no 1, 4 other top 40 albums. That's a good start. And they sold well in Germany and other European nations too. So they never broke the US. So what? Cracking America is not the be all and end all. And no US prog band has ever really cracked the UK. Did Kansas ever chart in the UK? No. And it doesn't matter. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: noni
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 15:29
Prog got ridiculed because Punk entered the scene... Also bands like Genesis left their prog roots behind and went commercial allowing bands like Marillion to fill the gap.... With the introduction of Neo/Symphonic on the scene. We had bands like Twelfth Night, IQ, Pendragon and Pallas who become Prog hero's at that time that supported the fans during that era!.... Marillion lost that edge slightly after Fish left. Hogarth had his good moments though but feel his vocals are a little strained today... Marillion are more well known like Genesis were, maybe it was their smash hits during the period of the 80s... Who knows? ...
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Mascodagama wrote:Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 16:07
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They toured the US in the 90's I think, with Rush. Marillion started just as classic prog was ending in the US and punk, heavy metal, hair metal, thrash were getting bigger here. There is a decent cult following but nothing gigantic. Marillion are also fairly big in Latin America, as are most newer progressive rock bands. Heck even some older ones, King Crimson is doing 5 nights in Mexico City. They also love Steven Wilson, Anathema, Neal Morse, Transatlantic, Dream Theater and many others travel to Mexico and S. America. Marillion are a big deal for many....... -------------   
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 17:11
| Well, I thought they were a 'household name' in the U.K. but whilst on holiday in Fiji, I came across some folks (early-mid 20s) from England and they gave me the vaguest of looks when I mentioned Marillion. So, I'm not certain they're that famous in their homeland as some of us think. They'd never heard of Hawkwind or Ozrics either. Maybe they just didn't listen to music ?? |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 18:03
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^ The average person in the UK under the age of about 40 knows little to nothing about rock music of that or any earlier era. I had to laugh yesterday when talking to a younger colleague (thirty-ish) who mentioned that he and his boyfriend were going to see the Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A this weekend. "I don't really know anything about him, we just wanted to do something cultural." To be fair a couple of similarly-aged colleagues who overheard this did laugh - they were aware Floyd was a band, though knew little else. This is not a complete idiot, by the way - he's a lawyer. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 18:10
| ^ Digressing, but that's like " Oh, Jethro Tull, I have a few of his records " ha ha. |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 18:59
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I first heard them on a college radio station in northern California. The song was Jigsaw from the Fugazi album and it got regular play there for a while. I was probably the only person in town who bought the album, though. I remember seeing posters of Fish for sale in the drug stores, so at least there was some attempt at promotion, but they never really caught on much. The only people I know who are aware of them are fellow proggers and those that know them through me. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 20:11
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You can replace Marillion with just about any prog/prog related band from our catalogs, and the responses will be similar. A good work friend of mine who is Swiss, married to a German lady, lived in Hamburg, worked in France, Zurich, Geneva.......Had no clue who CAN was or many other UK bands. We connect because we both like Scorpions, Iron Maiden as he is a metal head. But any band from the progressive rock genre...he has no clue. -------------
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Posted By: jude111
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 20:15
Didn't Alan Partridge mention being a fan of Marillion? Or maybe it was another Coogan creation, Saxondale  At any rate, I love Marillion, and yet can appreciate the joke
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 16 2017 at 21:07
Yeah I'm going to one of those  . Actually, I was afraid I had messed up. I found out about the concerts, but didn't follow the dates closely, so I found out when the tickets came out the very same day because a contact on FB posted the tickets he had bought. I then checked Ticketmaster and indeed it was already available, but I thought I'd check it out in the night... well, by the night both original nights were just about sold out... fortunatley, they opened a 3rd night, and when the tickets came out I was ready to buy them just as soon as they came out. Later on they added the other 2 dates. I was just curious about the size of the venue (I have actually seen some other concerts there, and if you have seen the live DVD of Steven Wilson "Get all you Deserve" it was recorded in that very same venue), andit seems to be about 3000... so King Crimson sold between 12 000 and 15 000 tickets there.
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 04:19
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Marillion in the Fish era had a very huge success in Italy (as Genesis did 10 years before, maybe there's a relation...) ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 08:42
| there were some acts that were huge successes in Britain--Marillion and even XTC---but never caught on in the USA----the British always had better taste in music than AMericans---with a much broader sense of good sound |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 09:36
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Marillion had top 10 UK hits in the 80's Fish era and, as Luka stated above, they very popular in European countries like Italy also. They never were big in the States, but I don't know if they were popular in Canada. But the 80's was not a popular time for prog and was not considered cool. Tbh, I'm not sure if there was a time when prog was ever considered to be cool.  ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: noni
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 11:25
Marillion were known in Canada but not as famous as Pink Floyd or Genesis were, due to the amount of radio air time... Prog would be cool if this genre of music would have the airtime required ....... |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 11:36
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I only know 2 people other than myself who regularly listen to prog and one likes them the other doesn't. I'm kind of neutral. I have 3 of the early ones and one of the later ones...but don't play them that often. They always seemed a bit bland to me. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Blaqua
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 11:50
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Only big in the |
Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: June 17 2017 at 22:29
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I am in a prog community in Second Life. One of the people is a huge Marillion lover, loves everything from them, their solo works, spin-offs etc. One is a Marillion hater. The lover is... American! The hater is... English! Go figure! ------------- http://theprogressiveweb.blogspot.de" rel="nofollow - Visit me in Second Life to talk about music. |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: June 18 2017 at 15:55
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Their debut album in '85 was a big deal among our prog loving community in Michigan--and I remember "Kayleigh" being an MTV 'hit.' I, personally, never really caught onto them. They toured as warmup of Sylvian-Torn-Isham in 87--my friend met the massive man that is Fish at the bar--but I was much more into Sylvian, Torn and Isham than the "Gabe-era Genesis revivalists." Never knew anything of their demise and transition into "Hogarth era" until I joined PA in 2008! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: June 18 2017 at 16:05
Debut was Script for a Jester's Tear in '83. The '85 album that featured Kayleigh was their third. |
Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: June 18 2017 at 17:14
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I understand there is a big following in NL as well, all these Marillion weekends etc? But then again UK and NL are little siblings in prog... |
Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: June 18 2017 at 17:30
Carry on Wayward Son charted in the UK, and all the Fish-era albums charted in the US but you're right, that doesn't validate a band, nor does lack of commercial success invalidate one. Personally I loved all the Fish-era Marillion albums and considered them a refreshing departure from a lot of the tripe that was being pushed out in the early 80s on both sides of the pond (you can't blame us for Kajagoogoo or Flock of a Seagulls). Marillion didn't achieve popular success here but I personally know several people who own some of their albums so at least they appealed to some with discerning taste.  ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 05:10
I was going to say pretty much the same. They were pretty big across Europe. I think they suported Rush around the time of Fugazi, in the US/Canada to a rather lukewarm reception, especially in the US. The Real to Reel live album was recorded in Montreal, and that sounded like quite a well recieved gig. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 09:52
The band still have a strong Canadian following, and, in line with other 80's survivors, do well in Eastern Europe. They also seem to be breaking into Latin America. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org |
Posted By: Gully Foyle
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 12:37
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Personally - I remember the video for kayleigh (i was 14 i think), and then getting the album and thinking 'hm', and never listening to it again I think alot of US folks had that experience I do tend to think that like the Kinks, and the Jam, Marillion was slightly too British in certain ways to really click in the US Not knocking anything though - many things that click in the US are horrible crimes against humanity and civilization - sorry
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Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 13:44
| "Kayleigh" definitely got airplay on MTV in the US and on some rock radio stations, and even some alt rock stations. I was getting into prog at around this time and a local station had a prog program on Sunday nights and the DJ played full sides of Misplaced Childhood. My college roommate wasn't into prog but had heard of them because of MTV. I saw them when they toured to support Misplaced Childhood in 86 and Clutching At Straws in 87, and they did pack, but these were 1,000 to 2,000 capacity clubs. Thinking back to that time, the type of rock music that my peers listened to was mostly new wave/alternative or hard rock/hair metal, and Marillion did not fit in either space. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 13:53
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I'm surprised to find out that Misplaced Childhood charted at number 47 in the US. Note: The source didn't say for how many weeks however, however. Be that as it may, that one high chart placing seems to represent a brief flash in the pan as opposed to any substantial fan frenzy. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 13:59
| I don't entirely agree. Sure, Marillion can probably sell out 10-15,000 seat venues in the UK and probably nowhere else but I wouldn't say they aren't well known anywhere else. In the US they have mostly a cult following and not much more than that. I live in the US and when I saw them late last year they played to an almost completely full 1,300 seat venue. I would say in the eighties they were just about the only current prog(neo or otherwise)band to get any airplay or recognition over here. I don't think even IQ were known(or hardly at all)among most prog fans in the US in the eighties. Marillion at least did get some attention. I think a lot of their US fans these days aren't even really prog fans but just fans who happen to like Marillion(you could probably say the same about Tool, Mars Volta, PT/SW, Dream Theater and a host of other bands). To answer the question I would say no not really. From what I have heard they are apparently big in South America. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 19 2017 at 14:24
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Oh, no doubt old boy! Marillion are definitely better known in the US than many of their neo prog contemporaries, but they are still a cult band, none the less. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 05:16
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They were known and rather popular in the Netherlands since the release of their debut album. ------------- 
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Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 05:24
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Well - their very early stuff (released on tape - a friday rock show session as well I think) was excellent. But then they released their debut album - and the versions of their best stuff - COMPLETELY RUINED !!! They were far too frightened to play the extended stuff They had played live in the early eighties. My favourite ever gig? - PALLAS at the Gallery in Manchester in front of about ten people - The Atlantis suite (extended to hell) lasting about 90 minutes - with march on Atlantis about 20 mins - mellotron (and bombast) to die for!!! - The album versions just pale imitations - Only the Flower Kings dared to go REALLY to town with extended stuff on recordings...and Transatlantic before the god-squad lyrics....Eighties prog needed to go all-out-prog and they were too frightened !!! ------------- Play me my song.....Here it comes again....... |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 05:58
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^I doubt very much Marillion were "frightened". More likely they were subject to the ever limited nature of the vinyl format unlike the later bands mentioned. Secondly they had to have a certain amount of material on a record to generate concomitant royalties (as this form of income was still possible for a while yet). Thirdly they had to please a record company who were very aware that (thanks to the awful punk thing a few years before) that a rock band had to demonstrate song man ship - general public don't care about musicianship. Fourthly the had material that could be extended - unusual for a prog band as most either did not improvise then had pieces (such as what KC when they rear their head) is have pieces which are improvisations. Marillion know their audience and also had to break through to the public imagination hence the visual aspect. And the reception in the UK was also subject to mindless popular perception. I once got a book about Marillion out from a library. The librarian (female) sneered at my choice of reading matter. I just thought the word then and now is still fugazi. |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 06:23
You were one of those guys shouting for Grendel at every gig eh? 
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 06:54
You can add The Jam to that list, though they and XTC are very British. Mind you, The Jam were sent out as a support act to Blue Oyster Cult.
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 07:30
Oh man, that must of been interesting. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 09:14
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I can say that I had never heard of Marillion until I started listening to Transatlantic and decided to check out The Flower Kings, Spock's Beard and Marillion since I had never heard those bands before. I was later surprised to find out that Marillion had toured with Rush (but this was prior to my Rush listening days) and that they had had a "hit" on MTV with Kayleigh. I watched MTV quite often back in the day and discovered a lot of new bands that way, but I don't recall ever seeing the Kayleigh video. ------------- 
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Posted By: Andis
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 11:00
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In Sweden Marillion was a big deal. In 1987 they sold out Isstadion wich was (by then) Swedens biggest hockeystadium. Their songs were played on national radio and most people I knew listened to them. I remember when they released the single Incommunicado from Clutching at straws, the day it was released, it was announced as that days big happening at the national radio's music show. So, not only a big deal for Brits. ------------- "Be yourself. The world worships the original." - Ingrid Bergman |
Posted By: dr prog
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 14:50
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Just sound like another horrible mid 80s band ------------- All I like is prog related bands beginning late 60's/early 70's. Their music from 1968 - 83 has the composition and sound which will never be beaten. Perfect blend of jazz, classical, folk and rock. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: June 20 2017 at 19:03
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"Kayleigh" always reminded me of a bad Phil Collins vocal impression over an Allan Parsons' karaoke soundtrack.
I considered Marillion to be one of those eccentric Brit indulgences that no one else got. Sort of like Cliff Richard. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: June 21 2017 at 04:33
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^ ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 21 2017 at 06:05
 ..and cricket and Morris dancing..? ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: June 21 2017 at 06:18
| WTF ?? I just spun Misplaced Childhood earlier today. I realised why and how much I love these guys........and I'm not British !!! |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: June 21 2017 at 07:24
Hey, careful what you say about cricket!! ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: miamiscot
Date Posted: June 22 2017 at 14:37
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I got a promo copy of Script a week or two before its release and have been a fan ever since. Are they the best band ever? No. But they're pretty damned great. Don't remember ever selling a copy of any Marillion LP in my entire time at the ol' record store. (This was Florida and we sold a lot of salsa records...) (and punk)
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Posted By: TexasKing
Date Posted: January 21 2018 at 06:05
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie95bwwZbfs" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie95bwwZbfs Here is a rare audience recording of early Marillion, live at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City opening up for RUSH. Unfortunately the audience was less than receptive and booed the band after most of the songs.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 21 2018 at 15:28
| I guess they regularly play in front of 10-15,000 people in the UK and more like 500-1200 in the US. Yes, they are probably bigger in the UK than anywhere else having mostly just a relatively small cult following in the US(although still much bigger than most other neo bands here). However, from what I understand they are also quite big in South America and even get played on the radio down there(or at least used to). |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: January 21 2018 at 17:12
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Prog was big in the suburbs around Buffalo, NY in the 80s, irrespective of the rest of the country (or its urban center, which gravitated toward blue collar rock like Springsteen and Mellencamp). The attraction to Prog there may have been influenced by proximity to Canada and Toronto specifically, which brought Rush to town quite frequently, as it did a Genesis tribute band named Over the Garden Wall. Old Genesis, especially the Lamb, was very highly regarded there. Buffalo just didn't produce many Prog bands of its own, aside from a Jazz-Rock Fusion band that spun off from Spiro Gyra. Marillion always had an enthusiastic reception in the Buffalo region, albeit appearing in smaller venues. I liked them until Misplaced Childhood. I didn't care for that album at all. The first two were quite alright. ------------- A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now) |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: January 21 2018 at 17:44
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....only a big deal in Britain? Couldn't care less..... Everybody else's loss then. ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: Magnum Vaeltaja
Date Posted: January 21 2018 at 18:23
Quebec, too, as far as I know. Which isn't too surprising, since Quebec has always been a hotbed of prog appreciation in North America, especially with respect to Genesis and other symphonic-oriented bands. ------------- when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: January 22 2018 at 01:35
IIRC, Blondie supported Rush in the UK on the Hemispheres tour. I don't think they were very well recieved either. An odd combo, although I admit the Jam and BOC doesn't make any sense at all. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: January 22 2018 at 23:09
| The premise that Marillion is only big in Britain is mistaken. They have a big following in Canada where they tour, parts of Latin America and followings in Holland, Germany and Italy. The key to their popularity is where they tour, because they're essentially a live band who don't sell a lot of albums. If they toured to more parts of the globe and more often, their popularity would increase, but the problem is, it costs money to tour and they have to be self financing to recoup the costs of touring, so for instance we never see Marillion touring down this way to Australia and New Zealand. |