Marillion -

Marillion are an English art-rock band that released a 24-minute EP on EMI in 1982, followed by four studio albums and two live discs on the label between 1983 and 1988. After the departure of frontman Fish for a solo career, the band added ex-Europeans vocalist Steve Hogarth for a lengthy run of albums during the 1990s and into the 21st century.

Members: Steve Rothery (guitar), Doug Irvine (vocals, bass, 1979-81), Brian Jelliman (keyboards, 1979-81), Mick Pointer (drums, 1979-83), Diz Minnitt (bass, 1981-82), Fish (vocals, percussion, 1981-88), Mark Kelly (keyboards, 1981-present), Pete Trewavas (bass, vocals, 1982-present), Andy Ward (drums, 1983), John Marter (drums, 1983), Jonathan Mover (drums, 1983), Ian Mosley (drums, percussion, 1984-present), Steve Hogarth (vocals, piano, guitar, percussion, 1989-present)

Background

Marillion had its roots in Electric Gypsy, an unsigned Aylesbury band with bassist Doug Irvine and (future Solstice) guitarist Andy Glass. In 1977, they welcomed drummer Mick Pointer.

In late 1978, Irvine and Pointer formed a splinter band, Silmarillion, named after the posthumous collection of myths by English writer J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973). After one London show with (future Friday) keyboardist Neil Cockle and veteran guitarist Martin Jenner (Andy Bown, Chris Rainbow, Dave Cartwright), the lineup stabilized under the shortened name Marillion with Pointer, Irvine, guitarist Steve Rothery, and keyboardist Brian Jelliman. Marillion made their live debut on March 1, 1980, at the Berkhamsted Civic Centre in Hertfordshire.

In March 1980, Marillion recorded a demo tape comprised of four originals: “Alice,” “Herne the Hunter,” “The Haunting of Gill House,” and a nameless instrumental colloquially known as “Scott’s Porridge.” Alternate versions of the leaked demo replace “Porridge” with an instrumental second version of “Alice.” Irvine sings lead on the vocal tracks.

The lineup of Pointer, Irvine, Rothery, and Jelliman recorded a second demo in the summer of 1980, comprised of a re-imagined “Alice” and two embryonic epics: “Lady Fantasy” (derived from an Electric Gypsy number) and “Close” (composed of themes later reworked into “Chelsea Monday,” “The Web,” and “He Knows You Know”). Marillion recorded both demo tapes at Hertfordshire at The Enid‘s studio.

On January 2, 1981, bassist William ‘Diz’ Minnitt replaced co-founder Doug Irvine. Marillion found a proper vocalist in Scotsman Derek Dick, aka Fish, who debuted live with the band on March 14, 1981, at Bicester’s Red Lion Pub.

In July 1981, Marillion cut their third demo tape, comprised of “Garden Party,” “Charting the Single,” and “He Knows You Know.” Later that year, Jelliman cleared for keyboardist Mark Kelly. In early 1982, bassist Pete Trewavas replaced Minnitt, who cut two mid-eighties cassettes with Pride of Passion.

In February 1982, Marillion gained nationwide exposure on the Friday Rock Show, a BBC Radio 1 music program hosted by Tommy Vance, whose February 26 broadcast featured the Marillion concert faves “Forgotten Sons,” “Three Boats Down From the Candy,” and “The Web.” The ensuing buzz landed them a contract with EMI Records.

Market Square Heroes (EP)

On October 25, 1982, Marllion debuted with Market Square Heroes, a three-track EP on EMI.

The EP divides into two A-side tracks and a single side-long piece on the 12-inch B-side. The lineup throughout is Fish on vocals, Steve Rothery on guitars, Mark Kelly on keyboards, Pete Trewavas on bass, and Mick Pointer on drums. None of the three tracks appeared on the band’s subsequent debut album. A limited-edition picture disc of the 12-inch was issued in March 1983 in a run of 3,000 copies.

“Market Square Heroes” opens on a wide, declaratory frame, with Kelly’s keyboards setting a repeated harmonic figure beneath Fish’s vocal. “Three Boats Down from the Candy” takes a darker, more restrained character, with Rothery’s guitar carrying more of the melodic weight and the arrangement sustained at a lower dynamic. “Grendel” — its lyric drawn from John Gardner’s 1971 novel retelling the Beowulf myth from the monster’s perspective — opens with a slow atmospheric build before moving through several contrasting sections; the early passages establish a heavily textured atmosphere before the piece drives into more forceful stretches. A radio edit of “Market Square Heroes” replaces the line “I am your Antichrist” with “I am your battle priest.”

A1. “Market Square Heroes” (4:20) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Pointer, Minnitt
A2. “Three Boats Down from the Candy” (4:32) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Pointer, Minnitt

B1. “Grendel” (17:15) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Pointer, Minnitt, Jelliman

Market Square Heroes was recorded at Park Gate Studios in Battle, East Sussex, in September and October 1982. Dave Hitchcock produced the record; Mark Freegard handled mixing at Wessex Studios.

EMI issued “Market Square Heroes” as a 7-inch with “Three Boats Down from the Candy” as the B-side, and as a 12-inch with “Grendel” as the full B-side. The single reached number 60 on the UK Singles Chart.

Script for a Jester’s Tear

Marillion released their debut album, Script for a Jester’s Tear, on March 14, 1983, on EMI.

The album contains six tracks, five running between seven and nine minutes, with “He Knows You Know” at just over five minutes. All lyrics are by Fish; the music credits on the original release name the full band, with the 1997 remaster additionally crediting early members Diz Minnitt and Brian Jelliman on four of the six tracks. The lineup throughout is Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, and Pointer. A children’s choir and a newsreader’s voice appear on “Forgotten Sons.”

The title track opens at a measured pace before building through several sections, with Rothery’s guitar and Kelly’s keyboards exchanging the melodic lead in the second half. “He Knows You Know” keeps a tighter, more compact shape with a faster opening section. “The Web” runs nearly nine minutes and moves through a set of distinct instrumental exchanges, resolving in a wide guitar-and-keyboard passage.

“Garden Party” opens with a percussive, syncopated figure and sustains a harder pulse through its middle section before widening in the closing movement. “Chelsea Monday” takes a quieter, more atmospheric approach, with bass, guitar, and keyboards sustaining a long, slow arc. “Forgotten Sons” moves through several contrasting passages — including a forceful, hard-driving section midway through — before closing on a repeated figure over a sustained guitar solo. The album version of “Garden Party” contains the lyric “I’m fucking” where the 7-inch substitutes “I’m miming.”

A1. “Script for a Jester’s Tear” (8:40) — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Pointer, Kelly
A2. “He Knows You Know” (5:23) — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Minnitt, Jelliman
A3. “The Web” (8:48) — Fish, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Rothery, Minnitt, Jelliman

B1. “Garden Party” (7:16) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Pointer, Jelliman, Minnitt
B2. “Chelsea Monday” (8:17) — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Minnitt
B3. “Forgotten Sons” (8:21) — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Jelliman, Minnitt

Marillion recorded Script for a Jester’s Tear at The Marquee Studios in London between December 1982 and February 1983. Nick Tauber produced the album; Simon Hanhart engineered and mixed it.

EMI issued “He Knows You Know” b/w “Charting the Single” as a single on January 31, 1983. The 7-inch carries a 3:33 edit of the title track; the 12-inch carries the album version at 5:07 on side A alongside the edit and B-side on side B. The single reached number 35 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Garden Party” b/w a live version of “Margaret” (recorded at Edinburgh Playhouse, April 7, 1983) on June 6, 1983. The 12-inch adds a live version of “Charting the Single” from the Hammersmith Odeon, April 18, 1983. “Garden Party” reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

Script for a Jester’s Tear reached number 7 on the UK Albums Chart and spent 31 weeks on the chart.

Fugazi

Marillion released their second album, Fugazi, on March 12, 1984, on EMI.

The album marks the first appearance of drummer Ian Mosley, who replaced Mick Pointer following the Script for a Jester’s Tear tour. American drummer Jonathan Mover auditioned and briefly recorded with the band during writing sessions and holds a co-writing credit on “Punch & Judy”; he was succeeded by Mosley before recording was complete. Additional musicians include Linda Pyke, who sings a backing vocal on “Incubus,” and Chris Karan on additional percussion.

“Assassing” opens the album with a percussive introduction before shifting into a wider, louder frame, with Kelly’s keyboards taking extended solo space in the bridge. “Punch & Judy” runs just over three minutes, compact and direct relative to the tracks around it. “Jigsaw” moves through a quiet, slow-building verse before opening into a broader, more forceful passage, with Rothery’s guitar solo arriving at the end of the long build.

“Emerald Lies” sustains a harder, more intense character throughout, with Mosley’s drumming prominent in the opening and closing sections. “She Chameleon” takes a darker, more atmospheric direction, sustained largely by Kelly’s keyboard figures and a mid-section solo exchange. “Incubus” runs over eight minutes, its second half opening into a more expansive, lightly scored texture before the final section. The title track cycles through several shifts in tempo and intensity before a wide, driving final passage.

A1. “Assassing” (7:03) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas
A2. “Punch & Judy” (3:22) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mover
A3. “Jigsaw” (6:51) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas
A4. “Emerald Lies” (5:12) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley

B1. “She Chameleon” (6:55) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas
B2. “Incubus” (8:32) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley
B3. “Fugazi” (8:03) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley

Marillion recorded Fugazi between November 1983 and February 1984 at The Manor in Oxfordshire, Sarm East, Eel Pie, and Maison Rouge in London. Nick Tauber produced the album; Simon Hanhart engineered and mixed it.

EMI issued “Punch and Judy” b/w re-recorded versions of “Market Square Heroes” and “Three Boats Down from the Candy” as a single on January 30, 1984. Both B-sides were re-recorded with drummer John Marter. The single reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Assassing” b/w “Cinderella Search” on April 30, 1984. The 7-inch carries an edited version of “Assassing” at 3:39; the 12-inch carries the full album version at 7:01 alongside an extended “Cinderella Search” at 5:24. The single reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

Fugazi reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.

Real to Reel

In November 1984, EMI issued Real to Reel, the first Marillion live album.

The album compiles performances from two separate dates. Four tracks come from the Spectrum in Montreal, Canada, on June 19–20, 1984; three come from De Montfort Hall in Leicester, England, on March 5, 1984. The CD and cassette editions add “Emerald Lies” from the Montreal dates. In addition to tracks from Script for a Jester’s Tear and Fugazi, the original LP includes two tracks not then available on a studio album: “Market Square Heroes” and “Cinderella Search,” the B-side of “Assassing.” The lineup throughout is Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, and Mosley. The album reached number 8 on the UK Albums Chart.

“Assassing,””Incubus,””Cinderella Search,” and “Emerald Lies” come from the Montreal dates; “Forgotten Sons,””Garden Party,” and “Market Square Heroes” come from Leicester. “Forgotten Sons” runs over ten minutes in the Leicester recording, with the full band driving through the harder central sections before a long atmospheric passage close.

A1. “Assassing” (7:18) [Montreal] — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley
A2. “Incubus” (8:31) [Montreal] — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley
A3. “Cinderella Search” (5:24) [Montreal] — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley

B1. “Forgotten Sons” (10:11) [Leicester] — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Jelliman, Minnitt
B2. “Garden Party” (6:30) [Leicester] — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Pointer, Jelliman, Minnitt
B3. “Market Square Heroes” (6:49) [Leicester] — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Pointer, Minnitt

CD bonus track:
“Emerald Lies” (5:28) [Montreal] — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley

Simon Hanhart produced and mixed Real to Reel at The Marquee Studios, London.

Misplaced Childhood

Marillion released their third studio album, Misplaced Childhood, on June 17, 1985, on EMI.

The album is a concept record consisting of two continuous pieces of music across the two sides of the original vinyl. All lyrics are by Fish; all music is composed by Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, and Trewavas. The ten tracks play without gaps between them, with melodic material from earlier in the sequence returning in later pieces. “Lavender” uses a grand piano rather than an electronic keyboard; the original sleeve notes credit a Bösendorfer.

“Pseudo Silk Kimono” opens the album at a slow, quiet tempo over a sustained keyboard texture. “Kayleigh” follows at a steadier pace, built around a repeating guitar figure in the verse and a wide, open chorus; the album version includes an extended guitar solo by Rothery. “Lavender” is the album’s shortest track at just over two minutes in the album version, with piano and voice as the primary elements; it flows into the five-part “Bitter Suite,” which moves through a range of tempos and textures — including a faster, syncopated section in “Lost Weekend” and a quieter return of the “Lavender” melodic motif in “Blue Angel.”

“Heart of Lothian” opens with a syncopated guitar-and-keyboard figure at a brisk pace; its two sections, “Wide Boy” and “Curtain Call,” shift in intensity before the side ends. Side two begins with “Waterhole (Expresso Bongo),” a short, fast piece with a forward-driving pulse. “Lords of the Backstage” moves in a repeating ascending figure. “Blind Curve” is the album’s longest track at nine-and-a-half minutes, its five sections covering a wide dynamic range — from quiet atmospheric passages to harder stretches — with a particular stillness in “Perimeter Walk” before building back to full volume in “Threshold.””Childhood’s End?” returns to a melodically open frame. “White Feather” closes the album on a wide, raucous passage driven by Rothery’s guitar and unison vocals.

A1. “Pseudo Silk Kimono” (2:15) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
A2. “Kayleigh” (4:04) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
A3. “Lavender” (2:28) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
A4. “Bitter Suite” (7:53) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
— a. Brief Encounter
— b. Lost Weekend
— c. Blue Angel
— d. Misplaced Rendezvous
— e. Windswept Thumb
A5. “Heart of Lothian” (4:08) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
— a. Wide Boy
— b. Curtain Call

B1. “Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)” (2:13) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
B2. “Lords of the Backstage” (1:53) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
B3. “Blind Curve” (9:30) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
— a. Vocal Under a Bloodlight
— b. Passing Strangers
— c. Mylo
— d. Perimeter Walk
— e. Threshold
B4. “Childhood’s End?” (4:33) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish
B5. “White Feather” (2:24) — Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas / Fish

Marillion recorded Misplaced Childhood at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin between March and May 1985. Chris Kimsey produced the album. Thomas Stiehler engineered the recordings; Mark Freegard handled mixing engineering.

EMI issued “Kayleigh” b/w “Lady Nina” as a single on May 7, 1985. The 7-inch carries a 3:33 edit; the 12-inch carries an alternative mix and an extended version alongside extended versions of both tracks. “Kayleigh” reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Lavender” b/w “Freaks” as a single on August 27, 1985. The 12-inch carries the extended “Lavender Blue” version at 4:20 on the A-side. “Lavender” reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart.

EMI issued “Heart of Lothian” b/w a live version of “Chelsea Monday” (recorded at Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht, October 15, 1985) as a single on November 18, 1985. The 12-inch adds the full album version of “Heart of Lothian.” The single reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.

Misplaced Childhood reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its first week and spent 41 weeks on the chart. It was the band’s only album to reach number 1 in the UK.

Brief Encounter (EP)

In June 1986, Capitol Records issued Brief Encounter, a five-track Marilion compilation EP.

The release was produced for the American market to coincide with Marillion’s US tour, on which the band supported Rush on the Power Windows tour and also played headline dates at smaller venues. It contains two studio tracks and three live recordings: the studio versions of “Lady Nina” (originally the B-side to the European “Kayleigh” single) and “Freaks” (originally the B-side to “Lavender”), alongside live recordings of “Kayleigh” and the title tracks of Fugazi and Script for a Jester’s Tear. The EP was not officially released outside the United States, though it circulated as an import. “Lady Nina” is the only Marillion song from the Fish era to use a drum machine throughout. The EP’s liner notes credit the live tracks to Hammersmith Odeon, January 9–10, 1986, though Fish can be heard saying “Leicester, goodnight” at the end of the live “Fugazi,” suggesting some tracks originate from a different performance.

“Lady Nina” sustains a steady pulse built partly around the drum machine pattern, with Rothery’s guitar melodically prominent and the arrangement building into a wider frame at the close. “Freaks” keeps a harder, more direct character throughout. The live “Kayleigh” runs close to the studio version’s length; the live recordings of “Fugazi” and “Script for a Jester’s Tear” both run considerably longer than their studio counterparts.

A1. “Lady Nina” (5:45) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley
A2. “Freaks” (4:05) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley
A3. “Kayleigh” [live] (3:52) — Fish, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley

B1. “Fugazi” [live] (8:14) — Fish, Kelly, Rothery, Trewavas, Mosley
B2. “Script for a Jester’s Tear” [live] (8:20) — Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Pointer, Kelly

Chris Kimsey produced “Lady Nina” and “Freaks.” Mark Freegard produced and engineered the live tracks.

Capitol issued “Lady Nina” b/w “Heart of Lothian” as a single in April 1986. The 7-inch carries an edited version at 3:39; a 12-inch promo carrying the extended version was sent to radio stations. “Lady Nina” reached number 30 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.

Clutching at Straws

Marillion released their fourth studio album, Clutching at Straws, on June 22, 1987, on EMI.

Fish’s final album with the band, Clutching at Straws is a concept record built around a character named Torch — a twenty-nine-year-old out-of-work singer whose life has collapsed into alcohol and isolation — though its tracks function as individual songs rather than a continuous suite. Additional musicians include Tessa Niles, who sings backing vocals on “That Time of the Night” and “The Last Straw”; Chris Kimsey, who sings a backing vocal on “Incommunicado”; and John Cavanagh, who provides a speaking voice on “Torch Song.” The CD version of the album includes “Going Under” as a bonus track positioned between “That Time of the Night” and “Just for the Record”; this track did not appear on the vinyl or cassette versions. The album reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.

“Hotel Hobbies” opens the album at a moderate tempo, with bass and keyboards building before the full band enters. “Warm Wet Circles” sustains a wide harmonic frame through the verses before rising in the later sections, with an extended guitar solo in the second half. “That Time of the Night (The Short Straw)” runs six minutes, the band moving between a quiet, atmospheric verse and a louder, more forceful delivery in the central section. “Going Under” builds over a slow, spare guitar arpeggio figure with Fish’s vocal close in the mix throughout. “Just for the Record” moves in a fast 7/4 meter with keyboard and guitar figures traded across a compact structure. “White Russian” opens in a quiet verse before driving into harder sections and resolving in a second extended passage titled “Racing the Clouds Home.”

“Incommunicado” opens with a 5/8 figure before settling into a fast-paced verse and a repeated chorus, with a prominent Kelly keyboard solo in the bridge. “Torch Song” takes a slower, more intimate pace, with piano and guitar forward in the mix. “Slainte Mhath” builds steadily from a restrained opening to a fuller conclusion. “Sugar Mice” opens quietly, building through two verse-chorus cycles before a slow, extended guitar solo carries the track to its close. “The Last Straw” ends the album in a hard-driving frame with a wide, repeating final passage and a closing section of overdubbed vocals. “Happy Ending” is a brief eight-second fragment that follows.

A1. “Hotel Hobbies” (3:35) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
A2. “Warm Wet Circles” (4:25) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
A3. “That Time of the Night (The Short Straw)” (6:00) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
A4. “Just for the Record” (3:09) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
A5. “White Russian” (6:27) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas

B1. “Incommunicado” (5:16) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
B2. “Torch Song” (4:05) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
B3. “Slainte Mhath” (4:44) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
B4. “Sugar Mice” (5:46) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
B5. “The Last Straw” (5:50) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas
B6. “Happy Ending” (0:08) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas

CD bonus track (between A3 and A4):
“Going Under” (2:47) — Fish, Kelly, Mosley, Rothery, Trewavas

Marillion recorded Clutching at Straws at Westside Studios, London. Chris Kimsey produced the album.

EMI issued “Incommunicado” b/w “Going Under” as a single on May 11, 1987. The 12-inch and CD single carry an alternative mix of the title track alongside the full version of “Going Under.””Incommunicado” reached number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Sugar Mice” b/w “Tux On” as a single on July 13, 1987. The 12-inch and a limited CD single sold at concerts both carry an extended version of “Sugar Mice” at 6:08. “Sugar Mice” reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Warm Wet Circles” b/w a live version of “White Russian” (recorded at Loreley, July 18, 1987) as a single on October 26, 1987. The 12-inch adds a live version of “Incommunicado” from the same concert. “Warm Wet Circles” reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Thieving Magpie

In November 1988, EMI issued The Thieving Magpie, a two-record compilation of Marillion tracks from the preceding Fish years.

Released after Fish’s departure from the band and before the arrival of Steve Hogarth, the album was intended to document the Fish years. It draws from three separate recording dates: Sheffield City Hall on March 6, 1984; De Montfort Hall, Leicester, on March 5, 1984; and Edinburgh Playhouse in December 1987. It complements Real to Reel with no overlapping tracks. The double LP opens with the Rossini overture the band used as their entrance piece during the Clutching at Straws tour; its second side carries the first half of the live Misplaced Childhood from Hammersmith Odeon, January 9–10, 1986. The CD and cassette editions place the full live Misplaced Childhood on a second disc and add “Freaks,” recorded at Maimarktgelände, Mannheim, June 21, 1986. Some vocals were overdubbed in the studio after recording. The album reached number 25 on the UK Albums Chart.

The Sheffield tracks present the early Mosley lineup, with “Jigsaw,””Punch & Judy,””Fugazi,” and “Script for a Jester’s Tear” drawn from that date. “He Knows You Know” also comes from Sheffield; “Chelsea Monday” comes from Leicester. The Edinburgh tracks, recorded during the final leg of the Clutching at Straws tour, include “Slainte Mhath,””Sugar Mice,””Incommunicado,” and “White Russian.” The live Misplaced Childhood on the CD follows the album sequence in full.

A1. “Intro: La Gazza Ladra” (2:45)
A2. “Slainte Mhath” (4:49) [Edinburgh Playhouse, Dec 1987]
A3. “He Knows You Know” (5:12) [Sheffield City Hall, 6 Mar 1984]
A4. “Chelsea Monday” (8:00) [De Montfort Hall, 5 Mar 1984]

Side B (Misplaced Childhood Part 1 — Hammersmith Odeon, Jan 1986):
B1. “Pseudo Silk Kimono” (2:19)
B2. “Kayleigh” (3:52)
B3. “Lavender” (2:27)
B4. “Bitter Suite” (7:38)
B5. “Heart of Lothian” (5:12)

C1. “Jigsaw” (6:24) [Sheffield City Hall, 6 Mar 1984]
C2. “Punch & Judy” (3:23) [Sheffield City Hall, 6 Mar 1984]
C3. “Sugar Mice” (6:03) [Edinburgh Playhouse, Dec 1987]
C4. “Fugazi” (8:39) [Sheffield City Hall, 6 Mar 1984]

D1. “Script for a Jester’s Tear” (8:45) [Sheffield City Hall, 6 Mar 1984]
D2. “Incommunicado” (5:23) [Edinburgh Playhouse, Dec 1987]
D3. “White Russian” (6:14) [Edinburgh Playhouse, Dec 1987]

CD Disc 1 bonus track:
“Freaks” (4:06) [Maimarktgelände, Mannheim, 21 Jun 1986]

CD Disc 2 — Misplaced Childhood complete (Hammersmith Odeon, Jan 1986):
“Pseudo Silk Kimono” (2:19) / “Kayleigh” (3:52) / “Lavender” (2:27) / “Bitter Suite” (7:38) /
“Heart of Lothian” (5:12) / “Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)” (2:16) / “Lords of the Backstage” (6:07) /
“Blind Curve” (5:34) / “Childhood’s End?” (2:48) / “White Feather” (4:22)

Christopher “Privet” Hedge produced The Thieving Magpie. Hedge had served as Marillion’s front-of-house engineer from early in their career.

EMI issued a live version of “Freaks” as a single on November 14, 1988. It reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.

Seasons End

Marillion released their fifth studio album, Seasons End, on September 25, 1989, on EMI.

The first album with vocalist Steve Hogarth, who replaced Fish in late 1988, Seasons End was largely written before Hogarth joined, with lyrics by John Helmer on most tracks. Hogarth contributed lyrics and music to “Easter” and partial music to “The Space,” the latter drawing partly from material by his former band How We Live. Hogarth also plays additional keyboards alongside Kelly across several tracks. Additional musicians include Phil Todd, who plays saxophone on “Berlin,” and Jean-Pierre Rasle, who plays pipes on “Easter.””After Me” was included as a bonus track on the original CD and cassette but did not appear on the vinyl edition. The album reached number 7 on the UK Albums Chart.

“The King of Sunset Town” opens the album over eight minutes, with Kelly’s keyboard work prominent in the early sections and the band building into a harder, more sustained frame in the second half. “Easter” moves from a quiet, acoustic-guitar-based opening through a long, slow build to an extended guitar solo in the final third. “The Uninvited Guest” is the album’s most compact track at under four minutes, sustained at a hard, direct pace throughout. “Seasons End” opens quietly and builds over eight minutes to a full, sustained keyboard and guitar texture in the closing section.

“Holloway Girl” keeps a steady forward motion through the verses and lifts into a harder refrain, with Trewavas’s bass pedal work prominent. “Berlin” opens at a slow tempo, with Todd’s saxophone solo in the middle section and a harder, louder close driven by guitar and drums. “After Me” begins on twelve-string guitar before the full band enters for the closing section. “Hooks in You” runs under three minutes in a hard, fast frame. “The Space” closes the album with a wide arrangement that shifts between quieter, more atmospheric passages and louder, more fully scored sections.

A1. “The King of Sunset Town” (8:04) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley, Helmer
A2. “Easter” (5:58) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley
A3. “The Uninvited Guest” (3:52) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley, Helmer
A4. “Seasons End” (8:10) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley, Helmer

B1. “Holloway Girl” (4:30) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley
B2. “Berlin” (7:48) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley, Helmer
B3. “Hooks in You” (2:57) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley, Helmer
B4. “The Space” (6:14) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley

CD/cassette bonus track:
“After Me” (3:20) — Hogarth, Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, Mosley

Marillion recorded Seasons End at Hook End Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, in 1989. Nick Davis and Marillion co-produced the album.

EMI issued “Hooks in You” b/w “After Me” as a single on August 28, 1989. The 12-inch and CD single carry a longer “Meaty Mix” of the title track at 3:53. The single reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “The Uninvited Guest” b/w “The Bell in the Sea” as a single on November 27, 1989. The single reached number 53 on the UK Singles Chart. EMI issued “Easter” as a single on March 19, 1990. The single reached number 34 on the UK Singles Chart.

Discography: