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.
The Web
Marillion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its symphony echoes in my womb
My gaze scans the walls of this apartment
To rectify the confines of my tomb
I'm the cyclops in the tenement
I'm the soul without the cause
Crying midst my rubber plants, ignoring beckoning doors
Stained by the wine from a shattered glass
Meaningless words
Yellowed by time
Faded photos exposing pain
Celluloid leeches bleeding my mind
Christ, you've finished playing hangman
You've cast the fateful dice
Advice, advice, advice me, this shroud will not suffice
And thus begins the web
Attempting to discard these clinging memories
I only serve to wallow in our past
I fabricate the weave with my excuses
Its strands I hope and pray shall last
Oh please do last
Oh please do last
The fly trap needs the insects
Ivy caresses the wall
Needles make love to the junkies
The sirens seduce with their call
Confidence has deserted me, with you it has forsaken me
Confused and rejected, despised and alone, I kiss isolation on it's fevered brow
Security clutching me
Obscurity threatening me
Christ, your reasons were so obvious as my friends have qualified
I only laughed away your tears, but even jesters cry
But even jesters cry
I realize I hold the key to freedom
Oh I cannot let my life be ruled by threads
The time has come to make decisions
The changes have to be made
I realize I hold the key to freedom
I cannot let my life be ruled by threads
The time has come to make decisions
The changes have to be made
Now I leave you
The past does have it's say
You're all but forgotten
A mote in my heart
Decisions have been made
They've been made
Decisions have been made
I've conquered my fears, all my fears
The flaming shroud, the flaming shroud
Thus ends the web, the web, the web, the web, the web
The lyrics to Marillion's song "The Web" are full of images of confinement, isolation, and desperation. The opening lines describe the rain as if it's auditioning to be heard by the singer, while also implying that the singer is trapped within their own body, unable to escape the echoes of their own thoughts. The singer scans the walls of their apartment, trying to find a way out of the tomb they've created for themselves. The imagery of a cyclops in a tenement, crying amongst rubber plants, creates a powerful sense of alienation and loneliness.
As the song progresses, the singer struggles to come to terms with their past and present. They try to discard clinging memories but only end up wallowing in their past. They fabricate excuses and hope that the strands of their life will last. The fly trap needs the insects, ivy caresses the wall, and needles make love to the junkies - these are all powerful metaphors for the singer's own inability to escape their situation.
The turning point in the song comes when the singer realizes that they hold the key to freedom. They cannot let their life be ruled by threads; the time has come to make decisions and changes have to be made. They leave the past behind and conquer their fears, ultimately destroying the flaming shroud that has imprisoned them. The song ends with the repeated refrain of "Decisions have been made, I've conquered my fears, all my fears, the flaming shroud, thus ends the web, the web."
Overall, "The Web" is a powerful examination of isolation, confinement, and the struggle to break free from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
The rain auditions at my window
Raindrops fall on my window and make a symphony of sound
Its symphony echoes in my womb
The sound penetrates deep within me
My gaze scans the walls of this apartment
I look around my small and claustrophobic home
To rectify the confines of my tomb
Trying to make sense of the stifling environment I am in
I'm the cyclops in the tenement
I am the only one, just like the Cyclops, a solitary figure living in a crowded apartment building
I'm the soul without the cause
I am a lonely and aimless person
Crying midst my rubber plants, ignoring beckoning doors
I cry while surrounded by my plants, unable to answer the call of opportunities
Clippings from ancient newspapers lie scattered cross the floor
I have old newspapers scattered everywhere
Stained by the wine from a shattered glass
The spilled wine stains the clippings
Meaningless words
The words have no significance
Yellowed by time
The papers have aged
Faded photos exposing pain
Photos show past pain
Celluloid leeches bleeding my mind
Memories drain me emotionally
Christ, you've finished playing hangman
A lamentation for Christ to stop inflicting pain like a hangman
You've cast the fateful dice
The fate of me, the cyclops, has already been decided
Advice, advice, advice me, this shroud will not suffice
I need advice to escape from the shroud/situation I'm in
And thus begins the web
So I start a plan to change my life
Attempting to discard these clinging memories
I try to let go of my painful memories
I only serve to wallow in our past
But instead, I dwell too much on the past
I fabricate the weave with my excuses
I make excuses for why I can't change
Its strands I hope and pray shall last
I hope the excuses will work
The fly trap needs the insects
Life's vices attract people
Ivy caresses the wall
Nature grows and overruns things
Needles make love to the junkies
Drug-users seek temporary pleasure by injecting needles
The sirens seduce with their call
The emergency sounds are dangerously alluring
Confidence has deserted me, with you it has forsaken me
I lost my self-confidence when I lost my lover
Confused and rejected, despised and alone, I kiss isolation on it's fevered brow
I feel unworthy, rejected and alone, embracing isolation
Security clutching me
I hold onto security as conscious support
Obscurity threatening me
But obscurity is a threat to me, a threat to my well-being
Christ, your reasons were so obvious as my friends have qualified
Referring again to Christ - his reasons have emptied meaning, and people's opinions start to seem true
I only laughed away your tears, but even jesters cry
I was a jester who made light of the sadness of the past, but now I am caught in the same grief
I realize I hold the key to freedom
I find the strength within myself to change my situation
Oh I cannot let my life be ruled by threads
I won't let excuses control my life
The changes have to be made
I must take action and make changes in my life
Now I leave you
I say goodbye to the past
The past does have it's say
My past still affects me
You're all but forgotten
But I'm ready to move on
A mote in my heart
The pain is still present but has become a small part of me
Decisions have been made
I have made my choices
They've been made
I am committed to making progress
The flaming shroud, the flaming shroud
The previous shroud is gone and replaced with passion
Thus ends the web, the web, the web, the web, the web
The situation is resolved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN JELLYMAN, DEREK WILLIAM DICK, MARK KELLY, MICHAEL JAMES POINTER, PETE TREWAVAS, STEVE ROTHERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carlos Ferraz
The rain auditions at my window, its symphony echoes in my womb
My gaze scans the walls of this apartment
To rectify the confines of my tomb
I'm the cyclops in the tenement, I'm the soul without the cause
Crying 'midst my rubber plants, ignoring beckoning doors
Clippings from ancient newspapers lie scattered cross the floor
Stained by the wine from a shattered glass
Meaningless words, yellowed by time, faded photos exposing pain
Celluloid leeches bleeding my mind
You've finished playing hangman, you've cast the fateful dice
Advice, advice, advice me
This shroud will not suffice
And thus begins the web
Attempting to discard these clinging memories
I only serve to wallow in our past
I fabricate the weave with my excuses
Its strands I hope and pray shall last
Oh please do last
The flytrap needs the insects, ivy caresses the wall
Needles make love to the junkies, the sirens seduce with their call
Confidence has deserted me, with you it has forsaken me
Confused and rejected, despised and alone
I kiss isolation on its fevered brow
Security clutching me, obscurity threatening me
Your reasons were so obvious
As my friend have qualified, I only laughed away your tears
But even jesters cry
I realise I hold the key to freedom
I cannot let my life be ruled by threads
The time has come to make decisions
The changes have to be made
I realise I hold the key to freedom
I cannot let my life be ruled by threads
The time has come to make decisions
The changes have to be made
Now I leave you, the past does have it's say
You're all but forgotten a mote in my heart
Decisions have been made, decisions have been made
I've conquered my fears, the flaming shroud
Ewelina Szeratics
Lista sprawdzaj ca współuzale-
nienie
W odniesieniu do osoby b d cej w tarapatach, bez wzgl du na płe , u-
ywam zaimka on
jako zaimka uniwersalnego. Zdaj sobie spraw , -
e równie-
wielu m -
czyzn znajduje si
we współuzale-
niaj cych zwi zkach z gł boko udr czonymi -
onami czy kochankami.
1. Rozwi zywanie problemów partnera czy te-
łagodzenie jego cierpienia jest
najwa-
niejsz spraw w moim -
yciu - nie zale-
nie od tego ile mnie to kosztuje
emocjonalnie.
2. Moje dobre samopoczucie zale-
y od akceptacji partnera.
3. Chroni partnera przed konsekwencjami jego post powania. Kłami ; aby go
osłoni , nigdy nie pozwalam innym le o nim mówi .
4. Próbuj ze wszystkich sił nakłoni go do post powania według moich wskazówek.
5. Nie zwracam uwagi na własne odczucia i potrzeby. Obchodz mnie tylko odczucia i
potrzeby partnera.
6. Zrobi wszystko, byle tylko mnie nie porzucił.
7. Zrobi wszystko, aby si na mnie nie gniewał.
8. Doznaj znacznie wi cej nami tno ci w zwi zku, który jest burzliwy i dramatyczny.
9. Jestem perfekcjonistk i obwiniam siebie za wszystko, co si nie udaje.
10. Z reguły czuj si w ciekła, niedoceniana i wykorzystywana.
11. Udaj , -
e wszystko jest w porz dku, cho wcale tak nie jest.
12. Nie ma wa-
niejszej sprawy w moim -
yciu ni-
walka o utrzymanie jego miło ci.
Melanie odpowiedziała twierdz co na ka-
de stwierdzenie! Była zaskoczona widz c jak
bardzo jest współuzale-
niona. Aby pomóc jej rozpocz przełamywanie tego wzorca,
powiedziałam jej, -
e bardzo istotne jest to, aby powi zała współuzale-
nienie ze swoim
zwi zkiem z ojcem. Poprosiłam j , aby przypomniała sobie, jak si czuła, kiedy on płakał.
Na pocz tku to mnie przera-
ało, poniewa-
my lałam, -
e ojciec umiera, a wtedy kto byłby
moim tatusiem? Potem zacz łam czu si zawstydzona widz c go w takim stanie. Ale
najcz ciej czułam straszn win , -
e to jest mój bł d, poniewa-
to ja zacz łam kłótni z
bratem, czy cokolwiek innego. Tak jakbym to ja go zawiodła. Najgorsze było to, -
e czułam
si ogromnie bezradna, poniewa-
nie mogłam go uszcz liwi . Najciekawsze jest to, -
e
on nie -
yje od czterech lat, ja mam czterdzie ci dwa lata, dwoje własnych dzieci i nadal
czuj si winna. Lista sprawdzaj ca współuzale-
nienie
W odniesieniu do osoby b d cej w tarapatach, bez wzgl du na płe , u-
ywam zaimka on
jako zaimka uniwersalnego. Zdaj sobie spraw , -
e równie-
wielu m -
czyzn znajduje si
we współuzale-
niaj cych zwi zkach z gł boko udr czonymi -
onami czy kochankami.
1. Rozwi zywanie problemów partnera czy te-
łagodzenie jego cierpienia jest
najwa-
niejsz spraw w moim -
yciu - nie zale-
nie od tego ile mnie to kosztuje
emocjonalnie.
2. Moje dobre samopoczucie zale-
y od akceptacji partnera.
3. Chroni partnera przed konsekwencjami jego post powania. Kłami ; aby go
osłoni , nigdy nie pozwalam innym le o nim mówi .
4. Próbuj ze wszystkich sił nakłoni go do post powania według moich wskazówek.
5. Nie zwracam uwagi na własne odczucia i potrzeby. Obchodz mnie tylko odczucia i
potrzeby partnera.
6. Zrobi wszystko, byle tylko mnie nie porzucił.
7. Zrobi wszystko, aby si na mnie nie gniewał.
8. Doznaj znacznie wi cej nami tno ci w zwi zku, który jest burzliwy i dramatyczny.
9. Jestem perfekcjonistk i obwiniam siebie za wszystko, co si nie udaje.
10. Z reguły czuj si w ciekła, niedoceniana i wykorzystywana.
11. Udaj , -
e wszystko jest w porz dku, cho wcale tak nie jest.
12. Nie ma wa-
niejszej sprawy w moim -
yciu ni-
walka o utrzymanie jego miło ci.
Melanie odpowiedziała twierdz co na ka-
de stwierdzenie! Była zaskoczona widz c jak
bardzo jest współuzale-
niona. Aby pomóc jej rozpocz przełamywanie tego wzorca,
powiedziałam jej, -
e bardzo istotne jest to, aby powi zała współuzale-
nienie ze swoim
zwi zkiem z ojcem. Poprosiłam j , aby przypomniała sobie, jak si czuła, kiedy on płakał.
Na pocz tku to mnie przera-
ało, poniewa-
my lałam, -
e ojciec umiera, a wtedy kto byłby
moim tatusiem? Potem zacz łam czu si zawstydzona widz c go w takim stanie. Ale
najcz ciej czułam straszn win , -
e to jest mój bł d, poniewa-
to ja zacz łam kłótni z
bratem, czy cokolwiek innego. Tak jakbym to ja go zawiodła. Najgorsze było to, -
e czułam
si ogromnie bezradna, poniewa-
nie mogłam go uszcz liwi . Najciekawsze jest to, -
e
on nie -
yje od czterech lat, ja mam czterdzie ci dwa lata, dwoje własn
Dean Pattinson
steve rothery is by far the most underrated guitarist of all time, the solo on this song is sublime.
Cock Ouwehand
Steve is one of the greatest guitar players of all Tine!!!!!!
Maceta
I swear to god thats one of the best guitar solos i´ve ever heard in my life, and you wont find it in any "guitar world" or "rolling stone" magazine. Sad, for all the people who will never hear of Rothery and his tremendous guitar solos in Marillion.
Jan de Jongh
Don't worry; after so may years, you and I still agree upon its greatness... True music lovers in the future will still find their ways to Marillon/Rothery/Fish, as they will find their ways to David Gilmour, Jimi, Frank Zappa, Michael Brecker, Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau, Jaco Pastorius, Mark Knopfler, Little Feat, Mozart #39 and #41, Beethoven #9, Bach, Haendel's Water and Fireworks, and Shostakovich 13 BABI YAR (just to name a few), and a whole bunch of other greats...
Cimetiere Dany
Maceta gff
Michel Rochon
Steve Rothery is one of the best unknown lead guitar there is ....
Kyle Katarn
not even close , lol
Michel Rochon
Wasn't my kind of music but , PRINCE , what a guitar player .... see him play while my guitar gently weeps , along Tom Petty , Jeff Lynn (E.L.O.) etc etc he's nothing short then outstanding , mind blowing performance .. i didn't knew i could play guitar that well
Red Kop
Old School Marillion... nothing better...even more so with Fish on vocals. 👊👊
vomtu ddc
this was the first album i ever heard from marillion and is still in my hearth . i remember being amased at the lyrics it was poetry at its best