Marillion is an English group formed in Aylesbury in 1979 by Mick Pointer and Doug Irvine. Quickly joined by Brian Jelliman, Steve Rothery. "Fish", singer and master of thought from the original group (real name Derek William Dick) will not arrive until a year later.
A group that can boast of having sold around 15 million albums worldwide. They will place no less than 8 albums in the Top10 albums across the Channel between 1983 and 1994, including a N° 1 in 1985.
The group is also reputed to be one of the first to connect with fans over the Internet. The name of the group would be a reference to JRR Tolkien's book "The Silmarillion". Silmarillion which was the name of the group originally but which will become Marillion thereafter to avoid possible lawsuits for plagiarism.
After having released some demos which will only find a relative echo, the first real Single from the group "Market square heroes" was released in 1982. Followed in 1983 by their first album "Script for a Jester’s tear". Album which turns out to be a real success notably thanks to titles like "Garden party". The machine is this time launched.
New successes in 1984 with the release of the more electronic sound album "Fugazi". Which will mainly come from “Punch and Judy” and “Assassing”.
And the ultimate consecration came a year later in 1985 when the album "Misplaced childhood" was released. Dark album about drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, rebirth and redemption. And which however will offer them their best score in terms of sales, as paradoxical as it may seem. The title "Kayleigh" will be the flagship single and will be the only title of the group to enter the American Billboard Hot 100.
Two years passed before the album "Clutching at straws" was released in 1987, an album which once again dealt with serious subjects. It will be the last album where “Fish” will be present, the latter preferring to embark on a solo career following multiple disagreements with manager John Arnisson. Album with lesser success but success nonetheless. Especially thanks to titles like "Incommunicado", the magnificent "Sugar mice" and "Warm wet circles".
"Fish" is then replaced by Steve Hogarth, ex The Europeans and from a much more new-wave current, from where a rather striking contrast compared to "Fish". Hogarth made his first steps in 1989 on the album "Seasons end" and his arrival did not seem to destabilize fans from the start because the album was a success.
1991 saw the release of the album "Holidays in Eden" but its pop side divided and destabilized the fans. The penalty was immediate : the album produced no major hit.
The next album "Brave" only came out in 1994 (it took the group no less than 18 months to realize it ...!), Again with relative success. "Afraid of sunlight" in 1995 will not do much better despite the rather particularly glowing reviews.
Other albums will be released later but the group will no longer find the same level of inspiration that was theirs in the 80s. Which will not prevent them from continuing to produce titles of significant quality.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Market square heroes 1982
He knows you know 1983
Garden party 1983
Punch & Judy 1984
Assassing 1984
Kayleigh 1985
Lavender 1985
Heart of Lothian 1985
Lady Nina 1986
Incommunicado 1987
Sugar mice 1987
Warm wet circles 1987
Freaks 1988
Hooks in you 1989
The uninvited guest 1989
90s Decade :
Easter 1990
Seasons end 1990
Cover My Eyes (Pain & Heaven) 1991
No one can 1991
Dry land 1991
Sympathy 1992
The great escape 1994
The hollow man 1994
Beautiful 1995
These chains 1998
Go 1999
2000s Decade :
Between you and me 2001
Quartz 2001
When I meet god 2001
You're gone 2004
Don't hurt yourself 2004
Angelina 2004
See it like a baby 2007
Thankyou whoever you are 2007
This train is my life 2008
Wrapped up in time 2008
Whatever is wrong with you 2008
It's not your fault 2009
This is the 21st century 2009
2010s Decade :
Sounds that can't be made 2012
Power 2012
El dorado the gold 2016
El dorado demolished lives 2016
Living in F E A R 2017
Estonia 2019
Fantastic place 2019
The sky above the rain 2019
2020s Decade :
Be hard on yourself 2021
Murder machines 2022
Care 2022
A friend of the earth 2022
Tracks :
1982 ... the beginnings of "Fish" and his friends. A style, a voice recognizable among all, the foundations are laid
1983 ... a rise in power from the second title which opens the doors of American Charts to them. Rather auspicious for the continuation of the events ...
1983 ... the title that will really reveal them to the general public. A BIG year 1983 which propels them to the front of the stage and for a little while !
1984 ... an obvious sound evolution where the rock side increases. Where the general level of the group goes up very short !
1984 ... unfortunately, despite all their efforts, the group does not manage to pass the upper level in terms of success. They will have to be a little more patient ...
1985 ... the group finally reaches its best level. Here they simply sign their first global mega hit and the biggest success of their entire discography. HU-GE !
1985 ... they follow directly with a magnificent Intimist title which shows all their versatility and above all another facet of their talent
1985 ... the year 1985 will undoubtedly remain the year of the great takeoff. A year that allowed them to show the full extent of their talent. And talent, there is in this group, it's clear !
1986 ... a very pretty Lady Nina but who will unfortunately know her hour of glory only in the USA. It's already that !
1987 ... a global mega hit every 2 years. Certainly, some do better but we will be largely satisfied with it. MAS-TER-FUL !
1987 ... the WONDER. An absolutely sumptuous title which once again shows the full potential of the group in this area. And there are, it's clear. MA-GIC !
1987 ... this one is not bad either ! A HUGE year 1987 with a group at its peak and 3 huge hits including 1 mega. Who says better ?
1988 ... the transition phase between two singers and two eras. A page that turns and another story begins ...
1989 ... ah, that, to change, it changes ! It beats slightly stronger than before, it's clear. Sensitive ears refrain !
1989 ... come on, let's calm down. We suspected that they were not going to be able to continue on such a pace. And my faith, this title has something to please !
1990 ... the group signs here a magnificent ballad, one more. Who has nothing to do with others but who is incredibly effective !
1990...and what can we say about this title ! A top-notch inspiration that allows them to produce extraordinary titles that manage to suspend time as if by magic...
1991 ... an obvious quality but a style that destabilizes the fans. Anyway, the sales scores are still high ...
1991 ... it is clear that between the Marillion before and after, there are not many similarities. Yes, one and of size : talent !
1991 ... a BIG year 1991 which saw them line up 3 very large titles. A group that renews himself with disconcerting ease !
1992 ... when the group plays in the luxury cover. They deliver here a sumptuous cover of the title of Rare Bird and dating from 1969
1994 ... decidedly, the Intimist register becomes their field of predilection. Another sumptuous and highly inspired title. MA-GIC again !
1994 ... and it continues ! A year under the sign of sweetness and finesse and decidedly, they excel. Completely outside the standards of the time ...
1995 ... the last notorious hit of the decade. Again in the 'With emotions' register. They excel there, why change it !
1998 ... come on, one last ballad to end the decade in style. An adventure that is not about to stop. See you in the next decade ...
1999...a decade that is not quite over. A decade of the 90s which will have seen them maintain a level of excellence that is more than certain. We are therefore eagerly awaiting the sequel...
2001...the start of the 2000s saw them struggling surprisingly. Few titles produced and the few produced will pass 'through' unfortunately...
2001...the band finds himself in a rather uncomfortable position since he has to juggle between new and old influences. Those of its glorious past and those much more current...
2001...whatever it may be, even if he finds it difficult to situate himself in this new decade, he nevertheless loses all his means. The essential is therefore preserved...
2004...it will have taken them a little time to find the measure of the necessary adaptations but it is now done. And inevitably it will pay off in the Charts...
2004...a good year 2004 which saw them return to a sufficient level of form to put them back on the front of the stage. Phew because we came close to the final road exit...
2004...another pretty fine title which shows that they haven't lost any of their know-how in this field. It will not be classified but we take it anyway !
2007...we find them 3 years later in a certain form. The group will have managed to cross the decades with an ease that we only find among the Greatest as always...
2007...certainly the success is limited to England but it's still better than nothing. The group continues its adventure in its own way and it continues to pay off in any case...
2008...the end of the decade will be a little more complicated to manage than expected. But it doesn't matter because given what's on the horizon, we risk seeing them again next decade in great shape...
2008...it's still rare for a group from the 80s to continue to produce so many titles. The more the years pass and the more the groups capable of doing this are less and less...
2008...the production of titles is plethoric and of high quality, which does not spoil anything. Afterwards, there are the titles that are doing well and those that go somewhat unnoticed. Which will be the case with this one unfortunately...
2009...come on, the decade isn't quite over. They will release a last album which will not produce any high-caliber title but the main thing is to participate as they say...
2009...no title from this album will be classified but that does not prevent the quality from being once again in order. But with them, nothing surprising...
2012...and here they are starting their 4th decade and how. This new album will be a huge success without producing a notorious hit. Go figure...
2012...good job as always. The quality level remains constant year after year, decade after decade...
2016...and the adventure continues, continues, continues. One really wonders who could stop them in their desire to go always and even further...
2016...a 2010 decade that saw them achieve impressive sales scores on the album side without being able to return to the front of the stage on the Singles side. Strange paradox...
2017...only this title will be released as a Single. And he will not do better than the others unfortunately. Times are tough for the group despite a more than obvious desire to do well...
2019... so, will this title be the last of the group ? Will we find them next decade or will they bow out ? The future will tell us...
2019...it won't be quite the last for this decade, that's already a certainty. And given what they continue to offer, we take, we take !
2019...their level of inspiration has always been and will always remain their greatest strength. One wonders how they manage to constantly regenerate it with such certain mastery...
2021...and here they are again, impossible to stop them little guys ! We really wonder what can still continue to push them forward, but they know it anyway !
2022...even if the level of success is still at half mast on the Singles side, nothing prevents them from continuing to believe in it. And we with necessarily...
2022...
2022...
2023...
2023...
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :