The Fish era is often categorized as neo-progressive. They originally started as "Silmarillion" (from Tolkien's book) with heavy influences from classic Genesis but went on to develop their own distinctive sound. The band was formed in 1979 by Mick Pointer (drums), Steve Rothery (guitar), Doug 'Rastus' Irvine (bass), and others, soon adding vocalist Fish (real name Derek W. Dick), Diz Minitt (bass), and Brian Jelliman. By the time of their first album, 1983's Script for a Jester's Tear, the bass position had been taken over by Pete Trewavas and keyboards by Mark Kelly.
The studio albums Fugazi (1984), Misplaced Childhood (1985), and Clutching at Straws (1987), as well as the 1984 live album Real to Reel all sold respectably, and the band scored a hit single in Britain with Kayleigh in 1985.
When Fish left the band in 1988 after four albums he was replaced by Steve Hogarth. A former member of The Europeans and some-time collaborator with The The and Julian Cope, Hogarth brought a new energy to the band.
Across a further ten albums, Hogarth – along with existing members Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, and Mosley – have reinvigorated and constantly redefined Marillion’s sound. They forged into new musical territories with a succession of inventive, emotional albums, displaying little regard to the vagaries of hit charts or radio playlists.
After the release of 1999’s marillion.com the band freed themselves from record company pressure once and for all by launching their own record label, the Intact imprint.
Thanks to their pioneering embrace of the Internet through their website http://marillion.com, Marillion have developed a unique and intimate relationship with their fans. From sponsoring entire tours of the USA to funding the recording of recent albums, Marillion’s global fan-base is unique in its affection and dedication. As a result, such passionate, wholesale support has allowed Marillion to step outside of the conventional music industry and find their own path.
In 2001 Anoraknophobia saw Marillion take the groundbreaking step of asking fans to pre-order an album 12 months before release. An amazing 12,000 people signed up, helping to finance the recording. The band once again took pre-orders for the 2004 release Marbles, but this time the money was channelled into a campaign fund to promote its launch. The success of singles Don't Hurt Yourself and You're Gone – the latter making it all the way to number 7 – vindicated the band's independent strategy.
Their 2007 album Somewhere Else reached number 24 in the UK album chart with their most recent single Thankyou Whoever You Are hitting the UK singles chart at number 15. The band shows no signs of fading away after more than 25 years of activity.
Their 15th album, "Happiness is the road", was physically released in October 2008 but was originally available exclusively from the band's website. It was released with little promotion and a deluxe pre-order package was made available as with Marbles. 'Happiness is the Road' is the second studio double album of a long career (2004's Marbles was the other). A UK and European tour followed the album's release, and the band is taking special effort to record every show in the "Happiness on the Road" tour, making the recordings available from the band's website.
Incubus
Marillion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My audience leaves the stage, floating ahead perfumed shift
Within the stammering silence, the face that launched a thousand frames
Betrayed by a porcelain tear, a stained career
You played this scene before, you played this scene before
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
A misplaced reaction
The darkroom unleashes imagination in pornographic images
In which you will always be the star, always be the star, untouchable
Unapproachable, constant in the darkness
Nursing an erection, a misplaced reaction
With no flower to place before this gravestone
And the walls become enticingly newspaper thin
But that would be developing the negative view
And you have to be exposed in voyeuristic colour
The public act, let you model your shame
On the mannequin catwalk, catwalk
Let the cats walk, and the cat walks
I've played this scene before, I've played this scene before
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
A misplaced reaction, satisfaction
You can't brush me under the carpet, you can't hide me under the stairs
The custodian of your private fears, your leading actor of yesteryear
Who as you crawled out of the alleys of obscurity
Sentenced to rejection in the morass of anonymity
You who I directed with lovers will, you who I let hypnotise the lens
You who I let bathe in the spotlights glare
You who wiped me from your memory like a greasepaint mask
Just like a greasepaint mask
But now I'm the snake in the grass, the ghost of film reels past
I'm the producer of your nightmare and the performance has just begun
It's just begun
Your perimeter of courtiers jerk like celluloid puppets
As you stutter paralysed with rabbits eyes, searing the shadows
Flooding the wings, to pluck elusive salvation from the understudy's lips
Retrieve the soliloquy, maintain the obituary
My cue line in the last act and you wait in silent solitude
Waiting for the prompt, waiting for the prompt
You've played this scene before
The lyrics of Marillion's song Incubus explore the theme of self-destruction, success, and fame. The first stanza talks about a performer leaving the stage and the atmosphere being silent, with the face of the performer betrayed by a tear, reflecting a career that has been altered. The second stanza talks about a dark room where the performer unleashes his imagination through pornography where he is always the untouchable star. He is hiding behind the walls, and it's difficult to see him in a negative light. The performer feels the need to be exposed and is satisfied only by the voyeuristic view of others. The third stanza talks about the singer being in charge of the performer's fears and the director of his past. Still, now he has transformed into the producer of his terrifying nightmares that have just begun.
The fourth stanza reveals the singer's real identity, the snake in the grass and ghost of film reels past. The performer's perimeter of courtiers is like celluloid puppets, doing his every move. The performer is stuttering and paralyzed, trying to pluck elusive salvation from the understudy's lips while waiting in silent solitude. The performer has played this scene before, and it has resulted in a misplaced reaction. Ultimately, the song is about the pitfalls that come with fame and success, the pressure to perform, and the mistakes that can cause irreparable harm to one's career.
Line by Line Meaning
When footlights dim in reverence to prescient passion forewarned
As the lights dim in respect of the anticipated passion, something is about to happen
My audience leaves the stage, floating ahead perfumed shift
I watch as the crowd exits, disappearing into the fragrant night
Within the stammering silence, the face that launched a thousand frames
Amidst the silent hesitation, a face that inspired countless artistic depictions
Betrayed by a porcelain tear, a stained career
A career tainted by a single tear falling from a delicate face
You played this scene before, you played this scene before
This is a familiar occurrence for you
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
I am the minor flaw in your grand scheme
A misplaced reaction
Your emotions are out of place
The darkroom unleashes imagination in pornographic images
An unlit room releases one's mind into a world of explicit artwork
In which you will always be the star, always be the star, untouchable
Your image will remain the central focus, untouchable and immortalized
Unapproachable, constant in the darkness
You are unattainable, a constant in the world of shadows
Nursing an erection, a misplaced reaction
Your body is in a heightened state of arousal, a reaction not belonging in this context
With no flower to place before this gravestone
There is nothing to offer to pay respects to what has been lost
And the walls become enticingly newspaper thin
The walls are so thin that it's easy to get interested in what's happening on the other side
But that would be developing the negative view
Looking or listening in would be tantamount to succumbing to negative behavior
And you have to be exposed in voyeuristic colour
You must be revealed, in the bright colors of voyeurism
The public act, let you model your shame
Your shameful act becomes a spectacle, and you are the model
On the mannequin catwalk, catwalk
You walk the path of a lifeless, plastic body
Let the cats walk, and the cat walks
Let the spectators witness your dance of shame
I've played this scene before, I've played this scene before
I too have been in this scene multiple times
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
I am your fault, your flaw, your weakness
A misplaced reaction, satisfaction
Your inappropriate behavior brings you pleasure
You can't brush me under the carpet, you can't hide me under the stairs
You can't hide or bury the truth about me forever
The custodian of your private fears, your leading actor of yesteryear
I am the keeper of your personal demons, your former star actor
Who as you crawled out of the alleys of obscurity
As you emerged from the shadows of oblivion
Sentenced to rejection in the morass of anonymity
Sentenced to be ignored in the depths of oblivion
You who I directed with lovers will, you who I let hypnotise the lens
I used to guide you, directing your every move for the camera
You who I let bathe in the spotlights glare
I let you bask in the limelight, and its harsh shine
You who wiped me from your memory like a greasepaint mask
You erased me from your past, just like wiping off stage makeup
Just like a greasepaint mask
Just like putting on and taking off a mask
But now I'm the snake in the grass, the ghost of film reels past
I am now an unbidden danger, a reminder of films long gone
I'm the producer of your nightmare and the performance has just begun
I am the one who creates the nightmare that rules your life, and my show is just beginning
Your perimeter of courtiers jerk like celluloid puppets
Your followers resemble puppets, their actions scripted like a film
As you stutter paralysed with rabbits eyes, searing the shadows
You are immobile, struck with fear and searching for escape
Flooding the wings, to pluck elusive salvation from the understudy's lips
Frustrated with lack of solutions, you seek help from an unlikely source
Retrieve the soliloquy, maintain the obituary
Bring back the monologue, keep the funeral speech
My cue line in the last act and you wait in silent solitude
I deliver the final line, leaving you alone in silence
Waiting for the prompt, waiting for the prompt
Waiting for the cue that will never arrive
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DEREK WILLIAM DICK, MARK KELLY, PETE TREWAVAS, STEVE ROTHERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Felipe Neira
"Incubus"
When footlights dim in reverence to prescient passion forewarned
My audience leaves the stage, floating ahead perfumed shift
Within the stammering silence, the face that launched a thousand frames
Betrayed by a porcelain tear, a stained career
You played this scene before, you played this scene before
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
A misplaced reaction
The darkroom unleashes imagination in pornographic images
In which you will always be the star, always be the star, untouchable
Unapproachable, constant in the darkness
Nursing an erection, a misplaced reaction
With no flower to place before this gravestone
And the walls become enticingly newspaper thin
But that would be developing the negative view
And you have to be exposed in voyeuristic colour
The public act, let you model your shame
On the mannequin catwalk, catwalk
Let the cats walk, and the cat walks
I've played this scene before, I've played this scene before
I the mote in your eye, I the mote in your eye
A misplaced reaction, satisfaction
You can't brush me under the carpet, you can't hide me under the stairs
The custodian of your private fears, your leading actor of yesteryear
Who as you crawled out of the alleys of obscurity
Sentenced to rejection in the morass of anonymity
You who I directed with lovers will, you who I let hypnotise the lens
You who I let bathe in the spotlights glare
You who wiped me from your memory like a greasepaint mask
Just like a greasepaint mask
But now I'm the snake in the grass, the ghost of film reels past
I'm the producer of your nightmare and the performance has just begun
It's just begun
Your perimeter of courtiers jerk like celluloid puppets
As you stutter paralysed with rabbits eyes, searing the shadows
Flooding the wings, to pluck elusive salvation from the understudy's lips
Retrieve the soliloquy, maintain the obituary
My cue line in the last act and you wait in silent solitude
Waiting for the prompt, waiting for the prompt
You've played this scene before
Caroline Wolf
Jeden z pierwszych utworów Marillion co Tata mi przedstawił, jeszcze na kasecie magnetofonowej, pocharatanej przez ząb czasu. I tak piękne wspomnienia 💕 Dziękuję Ci Tato ♥️💕😢😣🙏
Kamil Boro
Szacunek za wychowanie muzyczne 🙂
Kamil Boro
Miałem szczęście kupić tą kasetę jakiś czas temu na allegro 😏
J N
Dokladnie tez tak mialam. Wszystko dzieki tacie.🖤
Niesamowita plyta i niesamowity gust.
grzegorz zajaczkowski
To jest muzyka
Jagoda K
@Kamil Boro U mnie do tej pory "Fugazi" śmiga na kasecie - oczywiście wydanie pirackie, ale kupione w legalnym sklepie :))) na początku lat 90-tych. Ech, te czasy transformacji... :)))
Dan Kershaw
From 3:57 to the end. This is to me the best Marillion piece of music they've ever done.
Nyfeee_RL
The guitar solo is soooo good
Alaska to burning men
I agree, but it has stiff competition.
J S
I always thought the same too.. amazing