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.
King
Marillion Lyrics
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Tightening up
Avoiding the fight
Avoiding the truth
Tighten the smile
Tighten the lie
Will you get what you want
To be cursed with your dreams
Something gets in the way
How long can you stand
Living under the lens
The kiss of success
The ensuing, all consuming, mess
Message of love
They arrive everyday
People you touch
Wasting away
People you don't know
Give you no choice
And you're sick to your stomach
At the sound of your voice
And the shape of your face
And the sound of your name
They send you pictures of yourself
It's someone you don't know
And they call you a genius
Cause you're easier to sell
But the fire in your belly
That gave you the songs
Is suddenly gone
And you feel like a fake
Is that what you want?
I hope for your sake
You've got what it takes
You've got what it takes
To be spoilt to death.
The lyrics to Marillion's song King touch upon the topic of avoiding confrontation and living a life of constant facade. The first verse exposes the constant struggle to maintain a composed exterior, even when everything inside is a lie. The person referred to in the song is portrayed as someone who is holding back from confronting their own truth, and as a result, they live a life of self-denial. The chorus takes us into the world of fame and success, where the person in question is suddenly confronted with the harsh reality of being a public figure. Instead of being celebrated for their work, they are scrutinized and judged. The message of love and admiration from their fans is a double-edged sword that ends up consuming them from the inside.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the person is struggling to maintain their sanity amidst the overwhelming pressure of success. The second verse describes the mental breakdown that celebrities go through when they become famous. The message of love that they receive every day becomes a burden that they cannot escape from. Even the people they don't know become part of their world, leaving them with no privacy. The chorus continues to build up the pressure, as the person describes how their fire has gone out, and they feel like a fake. The final verse concludes with a bitter-sweet sentiment, where the person is still hoping that they have what it takes to survive this madness.
Overall, King is a hauntingly beautiful song that tells the story of the dark side of fame and how it can consume even the most talented and creative people. It is a warning to those who aspire to be famous, that sometimes being a king is not all that it's cracked up to be.
Line by Line Meaning
How long can you stand
How much longer can you tolerate
Tightening up
Getting tense and defensive
Avoiding the fight
Not wanting to confront the issue
Avoiding the truth
Refusing to accept the reality
Tighten the smile
Force a smile while feeling unhappy
Tighten the lie
Deceive others and oneself
Will you get what you want
Are you pursuing the right goal
To be cursed with your dreams
To suffer the consequences of your ambitions
I hope for your sake
I wish you all the best
Something gets in the way
An obstacle interferes
Living under the lens
Being constantly monitored and scrutinized
The kiss of success
The mixed blessing of achievement
The ensuing, all consuming, mess
The chaotic aftermath of fame
Message of love
Words of admiration and affection
They arrive everyday
They keep coming relentlessly
People you touch
Fans and followers
Wasting away
Fading away and losing their enthusiasm
People you don't know
Strangers who admire or envy you
Give you no choice
Force you to respond or react
And you're sick to your stomach
You feel nauseous and disgusted
At the sound of your voice
When you hear yourself speak
And the shape of your face
When you see yourself in the mirror
And the sound of your name
When you hear your own name
They send you pictures of yourself
They share images of you without your consent
It's someone you don't know
You wonder who took or edited the photos
And they call you a genius
They praise you excessively, using hyperbole
Cause you're easier to sell
Because of your marketability and image
But the fire in your belly
Your passion and drive
That gave you the songs
That inspired your art and creativity
Is suddenly gone
Has vanished or decreased
And you feel like a fake
You doubt your authenticity and worth
Is that what you want?
Is this the desired outcome?
You've got what it takes
You possess the necessary skills and talent
To be spoilt to death.
To be excessively pampered and indulged, leading to complacency or downfall
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVEN THOMAS ROTHERY, MARK KELLY, PETER TREWAVAS, IAN MOSELY, STEVE HOGARTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind