The Marillion Round Table

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.

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.