1981

• January – March

  Diz Minnitt (bass) and Fish (vocals) answered an ad in Musicians Only and moved down to Aylesbury on the 2nd January 1981. The new line-up rehearsed at the Leyland Farm Studios in Bucks for 10 weeks and played their first set at the Red Lion, Bicester on the 14th March. 65 people turned up!The Web – Issue 1, February 1982

  Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

  I’d met up with bassist Diz Minnitt in Retford, Lincs and spent 6 months trying to form a band before we gave up. Just as it all seemed to be over, Diz used one of our last coins to phone a number given in an advertisement placed in a weekly music paper – bassist/vocalist required. Diz talked them into taking 2 members and tapes were exchanged along with the obligatory bullshit on how well both parties were making out and what connections and levels of success we had acquired. The gig was on and when we both eventually pulled up in the blue van outside 26 Weston Road, nobody knew what to expect but as far as we were concerned we were totally committed to this band. We had no other options, and there was no return.

  We drifted to the pub and talked warily over a clutch of warm pints. Present were Mick Pointer, drummer and founder member of the band previously known as Silmarillion, guitarist Steve Rothery who’d come down from Whitby in Yorkshire to join the band in ’79, keyboard player Brian Jelliman, band “manager” Guy Hewison and all round roadie and sound engineer Chris “Privet” Hedge. Diz and I couldn’t work out initially who was who and who did what. Brian owned the PA and had a Ford Capri. We had a van, Guy rented the house where Steve, Priv and Diz and I were to spend the next six months or so and was obviously the band’s friend and fan and general dogsbody who was taking care of the business and booking side that nobody else could or would do.
  (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

  In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

  Fish and Diz arrived in the wake of 1981 with their trunk filled with luggage and lyrics, penned for the instrumental track, convinced they would get the job. So they did, even though Marillion had intended to apply a singing bassist and not two persons. Nevertheless, they all entered a rehearsal studio in early January 1981 to rehearse and record, with Fish on vocals and Diz on bass. The three core members of Marillion, Mick Pointer, Steve Rothery and Brian Jelleyman – even more enthusiastic than before – had rented the Leyland Hill Farm Studios in early January for rehearsals and private demo recordings, probably just showing off to the two newcomers from the Scottish borderland. So the party travelled to the studio to test and get the feel for each other for the first time.
  (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

  Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

  The next few days were spent back at Leyland Farm, where Fish performed a couple of songs by Genesis and Yes by way of audition. Showing off his ability to mimic both John Anderson and Peter Gabriel, he quickly impressed the rest of the band. Despite some reservations about Diz’ bass playing, the two were recruited on the spot. “I was self-taught, and I’d only been playing for a couple of years, it was because Fish said, we came as a package, that was why I was there,” says Diz.

  On the same day, Fish took the opportunity to record his lyrics over the top of the Close demo tape. Everyone was delighted by the close fit between Fish’s voice and the feel of the music. “We could see the potential in Fish, he had a really interesting voice,” recalls Steve. The final seal on the contract was made between Fish and Priv, who went out on the razz that evening. “We got blattered and fell into a ditch,” laughts Priv. “We walked back with no trousers on. It was all a bit weird and crazy.” All in all, it was a near-perfect start.
  (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

  Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

  First, Diz and I had to pass a formal audition at the bands’ rehearsal room/demo studio they had hired. Next day we trundled in and Diz got through his run-through while I recorded vocals for the first time singing my newly written lyrics entitled The Web over an existing band composition written and performed with Doug Irvine singing a few scant verses of lyric. The song was called Close and sounded to my ears like Camel. I’d received a tape in Scotland and worked one of my existing lyrics around it. It was the first time the crying Jester was mentioned, an image I identified with as a fat teenager who turned class comedian at school to deflect an endless barrage of taunting from fellow classmates. The result of this early demo made everyone realise immediately that we had something magical. That night our dreams were charged, Steve and I sitting up till the wee hours going through the existing material and working through the possibilities of what we could salvage to create a brand-new set which the new line-up required to begin an assault on the London record companies.

  We were based in Aylesbury, one of the spiritual homes of 70s progressive rock, with the renowned Friars Club run by David Stopps, providing focus for a vibrant local music scene which had hosted major and emerging bands for more than 10 years. A gig at Friars was to become our first goal.
  (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

  In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

  After days in the studio and lots of days of rehearsals in the cottage in Aston Clinton, where Fish and Diz moved in with Marillion’s sound engineer Christopher “Privet” Hedge, their roadie Guy Hewison and Steve Rothery, they had succeeded in accumulating, what was considered to be a proper live-set, and they were then certain that the only right thing for them to do was to start moving towards a proper career in music. For Fish in particular, his job as the frontman in Marillion finally was a dream come through, and he immediately began to enthusiastically work as the band’s “manager” and “PR agent”.
  (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

  Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

  The weeks that followed, saw the newly completed line-up spending the days reviewing, re-vamping and refreshing the old material, either at Leyland Farm or Anthony Hall. The first rehearsal with Fish and Diz at Anthony Hall gave the incumbents their first experience of Fish’s wrath – triggered by problems with the PA. “We hadn’t used it for ages, so it took a while to get it working, “says Priv. “And Fish started throwing his toys out of the pram. A roaring hangover from the night before didn’t help!”

  The audition of a proper vocalist enabled new possibilities, real songs, not just meandering instrumentals, could be put together. Commented Mick Pointer at the time, in an interview with Hugh Fiedler of Sounds, “Before they joined, we were a lot more laid back, although the style was similar… it was more pretentious, too. We could drag out an idea for about five minutes when it was really only worth about 30 seconds. When Fish and the others joined, it added that bit of punch.”

  Out of this fervour came a much-required creative injection, which later yielded tracks such as Garden Party, He Knows You Know and Charting The Single. But Fish’s ambitions went way beyond the music, not to mention beyond the previous aspirations of the band. “Up to Fish’s arrival we were drifting, but we immediately became a lot more professional,” explains Steve, “Fish was so ambitious, so ruthlessly – all his qualities, that made him difficult to work with, also gave him his drive.” Guy concurs: “Without Fish’s pushiness, the band wouldn’t have had the measure of success it had. It probably wouldn’t have amounted to anything.” After all, most of the band had started with day jobs – adds Fish “Apart from Steve, we were the only ones, who had given up a lot, to come down. Steve really came through, but in the rest of the band there was still this weekend gig atmosphere.” With Fish and Guy manning the phones, it was only a matter of time, before the new line-up was ready to go out and play.

  After “three months of rehearsals,” according to Guy, the first gig was on 14 March 1981, in the back room of the Red Lion, Bicester.
  (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

Club/College/Pub Shows – Leg 1

• March – July32 Shows

  • 03.03.1981 – The Brittania, Aylesbury (cancelled show)(canc.)

    Setlist unknown

    • Flyer, provided by Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • This show was rescheduled to 31.03.1981
    • The subtitle of this Tape (Marillion – First Ever Practice Session – 03.03.1981) obviously makes no sense (Fish and Diz were in the band for two months at this point) – the main title "Practice Session" is closer to the truth. The date coincides with the cancelled Brittania gig, so various aspects seem to have been mixed up here, most likely to get attention. Fact is, the band was rehearsing a full set, so the recording might be done in February or early March. According to René Romswinckel’s setlist, almost all songs of this rehearsal session were played at the first show, excluding Grendel and Snow Angel. The tape is confirmed on Mike Eldon’s long-lost website, The Saliva Tear.

  • 14.03.1981 – Red Lion Pub, Bicester

    01 The Web
    02 Madcap’s Embrace
    03 Skyline Drifter
    04 Herne The Hunter
    05 Time For Sale
    06 Garden Party

    • The Web – Issue 1, February 1982: "Diz Minnitt (bass) and Fish (vocals) answered an ad in Musicians Only and moved down to Aylesbury on the 2nd January 1981. The new line-up rehearsed at the Leyland Farm Studios in Bucks for 10 weeks and played their first set at the Red Lion, Bicester on the 14th March. 65 people turned up!"
    • Photo of the Venue by Steve Mobley
    • 
    • Photo by Stef Jeffery Depolla

    Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

    Our first gig was at Bicester Red Lion and the set list included The Web, Madcaps Embrace, Skyline Drifter, Herne The Hunter (formerly known as The Haunting Of Gill House), an instrumental called Time For Sale and Garden Party, based on a satirical lyric I’d written up at Ettrickbridge after a brief stopover in Cambridge with Diz where we made a futile attempt to gather a band.
    (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    After “three months of rehearsals,” according to Guy, the first gig was on 14th March 1981, in the back room of the Red Lion, Bicester. “It was a bit of a squaddies’ pub”, remembers Mick, “I remember, walking round these streets, wearing these bloody ridiculous costumes, trying to drum up support!” It didn’t work. According to most sources, and despite Guy’s additional efforts around the town, about fifteen people turned up. Amongst the audience were members of a local band called Toad The Wet Sprocket, named after a Monty Python sketch. Remembers Diz, “They came over to give us fatherly advice. Bastards!”

    Despite the poor turn-out, Marillion deemed the evening to be a success. The five were savvy enough to realise, that success would not come easily with the style of music they’d chosen to play: a definite, deliberate and distinctly unfashionable throwback to the progressive rock style of ten years previous. Instead, recalls early fan Mike Eldon, came the active decision, to "swamp" every possible venue within a 50-mile radius with demands to book them.” Bicester was one of the last appearances that Guy would book, as Fish took over and started to manage the gig bookings
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    

    Photos taken from The Web – Issue No. 15

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Photos by Diz Minnitt, edited by Andre Kreutzmann – Thanks to Marko’s Marillion Museum

  • 16.03.1981 – Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 18.03.1981 – White Hart, Bletchley

    Setlist unknown

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    On stage, Fish continued to develop his visuals, starting with painting his face in even-more dramatic styles. On the band’s third ever gig, he sported his first “full facial” – a Union Jack mask. “I thought, the Union Jack looked really good!” comments Steve. “Some of the others looked a bit naff, though!”
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    Speaking of personal experiences and general influences for lyrics, Fish later commented: “The girl, that I was with that morning we awoke under the boat at the beach at Brighton on 18th March 1981, said “wouldn’t it be romantic, if the boat had a name to remember the night by?” The boat ironically had a number, and the nearest with a name was the Candy. I looked on that as being a symbol of how far away I was from a genuine fulfilling relationship and my attitude to sex at that time.”
    (The Company Scotland, Issue #5, August 1991.)

    However, one may wonder what Fish was actually doing as far away as Brighton this morning, as the band had to play a gig 100 miles away on the night to come. Nevertheless, the self experienced lyric to Three Boats Down From The Candy was, as Fish explains it, written on 28th March 1981 in Aylesbury, the day after the forthcoming gig in High Wycombe. However, these lyrics were to be kept in the book for quite a while, which is a sort of common procedure for Fish, before they were actually assigned to the piece of music, we all know so well. The music for the track would not be completed until Marillion replaced their current keyboardist by the end of this year.
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    Diz Minnitt

    Yes, I remember it well! Tiny audience (less than 10) of hardened drinkers who were completely apathetic and disinterested in the band, which they clearly viewed as an irritation in their usual drinking. Consequently, as the gig went on Fish got more animated and progressively irritated with their behaviour and decided to incorporate them into the performance (in theatrical terms breaking the fourth wall) and so at one point he wandered over to one of the louder, more belligerent of the drinkers and kept time on the tambourine he was holding by using the drinkers head. Suffice to say that the passive/aggressive disinterest stopped to be replaced by a begrudged silence during the songs and polite applause. Strangely, we were never invited back…
    (Interview with Mark McCormac for Marko’s Marillion Museum)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 27.03.1981 – High Wycombe Students Union, High Wycombe

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 31.03.1981 – The Brittania, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • Flyer, provided by Marko’s Marillion Museum

    Rupert Akerman

    "Very hazy memories of first Marillion gig at the Britannia pub. I knew Stef from Electric Gypsy days – my mate hired Stone Village Hall and put Electric Gypsy on a couple of times to a packed hall of about 100 people. I supplied and worked the spotlights for those gigs and other “discos” that we put on there. They consisted of a “recovered” set of spotlights from a skip, wired up to dimmer switches with enough wiring to go from the side of the stage to the beam over the stage. Anyway, Stef asked me if Marillion could borrow them for their first gig at the Britannia. I don’t remember working the lights that night, although I did attend. I never got my spotlights back. Not my car in the photo, but that’s me with an Electric Gypsy T-Shirt, circa 1978″
    (Rupert Akerman)

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    Several dates were played at The Brittania Pub, Aylesbury, including one attended by future bandmate Pete Trewavas. The set list included Madcap’s Embrace, which was “graced” by a flute solo from Mick. “I bet, everyone likes to forget that,” says Pete. “Mick had his flute moment, ‘cos I think at that stage Fish hadn’t been in particularly long, and it was still very much Mick’s band.” Not that Fish wasn’t making an impression. Continues Pete, “The ceiling was very low, so he had to stoop. He had blood capsules and all that kind of stuff, and they put on a good show considering it was a pub. I could see, they needed a bit of work on them, but I thought, they had something. Fish certainly had a presence, you couldn’t stop watching."
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 04.04.1981 – Kings Arms Hall, Berkhamsted

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt
    • Marillion with Equinox and Alexis

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 16.04.1981 – Annie’s Wine Bar, Amersham

    Setlist unknown

    • 
    • Thanks to Garry King

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 24.04.1981 – Starting Gate, Milton Keynes

    Setlist unknown

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    On this night, Marillion probably premiered He Knows You Know before a proper live audience. The lyrical idea for the track was presented in this way by Fish: “The story is basically about how mothers and fathers and ministers and all the people that are supposed to be your elders, tend to ignore people as they slide downhill, and they do nothing to actually help them. This particular story was about somebody, that sort of went from a period of like nervous exhaustion, through a depression, right downhill into full scale drug abuse… here he is, laying in a hospital bed and somebody comes right up to him and says: "I told you so”… It was just something, that really annoyed me."
    (Band interview – Radio Fourth – 12.04.1982)
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 26.04.1981 – Red Lion Pub, Bicester

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 30.04.1981 – Dacorum College, Hemel Hempstead

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt
    • Marillion with Alexis

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 01.05.1981 – Kings Arms Hall, Berkhamsted

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt
    • Marillion with Solstice

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 02.05.1981 – Horn of Plenty, St. Albans

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 05.05.1981 – The Brittania, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • 
    • Flyer (above) provided by Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Flyer provided by Marko’s Marillion Museum

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    Several dates were played at The Brittania Pub, Aylesbury, including one attended by future bandmate Pete Trewavas. The set list included Madcap’s Embrace, which was "graced" by a flute solo from Mick. "I bet, everyone likes to forget that,” says Pete. “Mick had his flute moment, ‘cos I think at that stage Fish hadn’t been in particularly long, and it was still very much Mick’s band.” Not that Fish wasn’t making an impression. Continues Pete, “The ceiling was very low, so he had to stoop. He had blood capsules and all that kind of stuff, and they put on a good show considering it was a pub. I could see, they needed a bit of work on them, but I thought, they had something. Fish certainly had a presence, you couldn’t stop watching."
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 09.05.1981 – Nags Head, Woolaston

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 10.05.1981 – The Bell, Maidenhead

    Setlist unknown

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    Performing at The Bell in Maidenhead, the band opened the gig with a couple of minutes playback of gusty winds and ringing church bells. A notable opening that was used at most of these early gigs and just one of the gimmicks used to catch the attention of the pub audience.
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    

    Logo (above) used to promote the Maidenhall show, never used again
    Promo-Photo (below) taken from a newspaper article, published by Friars Aylesbury – Thanks to Mike O’Connor

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 
  • Promo-Photo, from left to right: Diz Minnitt, Steve Rothery, Brian Jelleyman, Fish and Mick Pointer

  • 22.05.1981 – Starting Gate, Milton Keynes

    Setlist unknown

    • In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

      The return to Milton Keynes! No doubt that this was pro-Marillion territory, and no doubt that Marillion’s return to the Starting Gate in Milton Keynes was eventful, as it is most likely that Charting The Single was premiered during that night’s show. Fish on the lyrics: "It was just a toy idea I had about the stud type characteristic of guys. You know, the male ego trip. It is about a bloke that wanders about – you could say – from bed to bed. He never actually falls in love, as soon as he feels like he’s beginning to fall in love, he’ll automatically cut off and disappear on whatever train or plane comes up closest."
      (Interview with Fish, BBC Radio 1 – 28.01.1983)
      (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 29.05.1981 – Aston Hall, Aylesbury (Friars)

    01 He Knows You Know
    02 Garden Party
    03 The Web
    04 Charting The Single
    05 Grendel
    06 Margaret
    07 Garden Party

    • Ad
    • Concert Poster – Thanks to Denis Thomas
    • Flyer – Thanks to Claude Micallef Attard
    • Flyer (rear)
    • Schedule – Thanks to Diz Minnitt and Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Ticket
    • Supporting: John Cooper Clarke And The Invisible Girls, with The Scars, Way Of The West, Art Nouveau
    • More infos about the show at Friars Aylesbury Online

    Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

    The centrepiece of our early sets was the 19-minute Grendel which had evolved from an eight-minute song formerly known as The Tower. It was a daunting challenge for me to come up with a lyric and both Steve and I felt that we needed to add sections if we were going to come up with a curve in the arrangement and overall dynamic of the piece that would hold the listener’s attention and deliver the lyric which I’d decided to base on a book I had borrowed from Steve, namely John Gardner’s Grendel. The book itself was based on the Beowulf legend but rather than adopt the heroic angle he’d taken the perspective from the creature’s viewpoint, portraying the warriors as greedy, corrupt and evil and the monster as a sensitive, intelligent being. The juxtaposition of the moral standpoint intrigued me and I set to work. We were concerned about the similarity to the lengthy composition by Genesis called Supper’s Ready which also meandered and burst into sections, the end one in particular, which would add conviction to the many critics opinions that Marillion were more than influenced by Genesis. But it all flowed, and the fans loved it.
    (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    Soon the pattern of phone calls, bookings and live gigs attracted the attention of David Stopps, manager of Aylesbury’s Friars Club. “Fish was a larger than life character,” recalls David. “His presence was felt in town as soon as he moved down!” On 29.05.1981 David booked Marillion to play the Aston Hall, a small hall just off the bar of Aylesbury’s Civic Centre, in support of John Cooper Clarke, during Aylesbury’s annual arts week. Incidentally, John Cooper Clarke’s manager was the well-connected, London-based John Arnison.
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    During the Aylesbury Arts Week, Marillion made their first appearance at the Maxwell Room, a part of the bigger Aylesbury venue The Friars, to support John Cooper-Clarke, whose manager at that point in time was none other than the Marillion manager to be, John Arnison. Cooper-Clarke was out on the road to promote his 4th studio album, Me And My Big Mouth. For Marillion, this was their biggest gig so far and with the reception they got from the press and the audience, it was obvious to Friars’ manager, Dave R. Stopps, that a bet on Marillion for further gigs there would pay off with certainty. After this gig, he had no doubt about signing Marillion for another support, this time on the main Friars stage, where the American band Spirit were to appear on 01.08.1981.

    For this gig in May, their first “biggie”, they acquired a graveyard setting from the Hammer Horror Film Company and appeared on stage between the gravestones in monk’s habits, enrolled in a smokescreen of dry ice. A perfect setting apart from the habits, that unfortunately, as the following spots went on and the dry ice dispersed, showed to be transparent.
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    Diz Minnitt

    We had four gravestones, I think. Two had the same name on because one had a crack in from being struck by lightning in whatever Hammer House Of Horror film it was used in. Those two looked similar and had arched tops. Can’t recall the name. The other two were made from wood that had then been plastered and painted grey. The more we used them, the more they fell apart, hence I suspect why we decided to get rid of them. We used to have a six-foot black cross as well, which originally came with a hook, so it could be hung upside down. Then of course there was the (plastic) rubber plant that Fish dismembered every show. No specific song reference for the black cross, it was a case of using as much of the Hammer House Of Horror props to create a whole stage set in time for the Friars gig in May 1981 in the Aston Hall in Aylesbury as we were aware that we were on stage at the same time as the main band who were in the large hall (Art Noveau with Nick Beggs in). We had dry ice, a smoke machine and pyro technics, and it was the first appearance of the sack cloth monks outfits (the cloaks with the eyes on were added later after, we realised that the sack cloth tops were completely seen through when the stage lights came on). Fish had face paints and other than the dismembered rubber plant very few other props. The exception being at one of the later Friars gigs when he introduced Garden Party as “the Great Cucumber Massacre” and chopped up a cucumber on stage which was full of tomato ketchup and handed out cucumber sandwiches to the audience. All in all very Spinal Tap!
    (Interview with Mark McCormac for Marko’s Marillion Museum)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 30.05.1981 – Red Lion Pub, Bicester

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 03.06.1981 – The Brittania, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    Several dates were played at The Brittania Pub, Aylesbury, including one attended by future bandmate Pete Trewavas. The set list included Madcap’s Embrace, which was “graced” by a flute solo from Mick. “I bet, everyone likes to forget that,” says Pete. “Mick had his flute moment, ‘cos I think at that stage Fish hadn’t been in particularly long, and it was still very much Mick’s band.” Not that Fish wasn’t making an impression. Continues Pete, “The ceiling was very low, so he had to stoop. He had blood capsules and all that kind of stuff, and they put on a good show considering it was a pub. I could see, they needed a bit of work on them, but I thought, they had something. Fish certainly had a presence, you couldn’t stop watching.”
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • Info

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    About six months after Fish joined, Brian found him a job at Aylesbury’s faceless, depressing benefits office. “He was very popular with everyone, but not really a civil servant!” laughs Brian. Being of a generous disposition, he also invited Fish to share the flat at Winchester House in Aylesbury, with himself and his girlfriend Fran, who paid the rent. Fran was a nurse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and it wasn’t long before the rest of the lads were patronizing the nurses’ accommodations. “We used to sneak there for parties,” says Priv. It was back to Fran and Brian’s flat that Fish first brought a girl called Kay [Lee] Atkinson, who was also a nurse. Kay only stayed a few months before moving to Earls Court in London, the scene for a number of spats, that would lead to her immortalization in a song.
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

  • 06.06.1981 – Horn of Plenty, St. Albans

    Setlist unknown

    • Ad (NME) with tour dates – Thanks to Mike Eldon

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 07.06.1981 – The Bell, Maidenhead

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 10.06.1981 – White Hart, Bletchley

    Setlist unknown

    • Ad (NME) with tour dates – Thanks to Mike Eldon
    • Marillion with Fool

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 12.06.1981 – Horse and Groom, Bedford

    Setlist unknown

    • Ad (NME) with tour dates – Thanks to Mike Eldon

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 13.06.1981 – Nags Head, Woolaston

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 14.06.1981 – Target Club, Reading

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 18.06.1981 – Nags Head, High Wycombe

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 24.06.1981 – Technical College, Luton

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt
    • Marillion with Solstice

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 26.06.1981 – Starting Gate, Milton Keynes

    Setlist unknown

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    Back in Milton Keynes, Marillion once more premiered a song, namely Forgotten Sons. A habit that was born at the first Starting Gate gig, and would continue throughout 1981, with only one exception…
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    It [Starting Gate pub, Milton Keynes] was in North Row near Secklow Gate. I lived round the corner in North Ninth St. from 1980-83, so it was my local. It had two bars. As expected in MK it was a new building and both bars were very big by British pub standards. One was a lounge bar and the other a public bar. Both bars were frequented by British motorcycle enthusiasts, the public bar particularly so. Bands played in the public bar, and it was often absolutely jam packed. I can remember Marillion playing there many times and often had conversations with band members – they were a friendly bunch. It was a no frills pub and the band had to get changed in the men’s dunny (toilet). It had something of a reputation as being rough – often two or three hundred, or so it seemed, motorbikes were parked outside. Members of several different motorcycle clubs would drink at the pub, but there was very little trouble there as none wore patches inside. There was a nearby office block with a very large courtyard in the middle and the regulars put on a concert there one Sunday with several bands – not sure if Marillion played at that one – the liquid refreshments having made my memories a little fuzzy. It was a good pub with a good crowd and did the traditional British pub things like darts and pool. I still have the trophy I won as part of the pool team which won the local pub league competition.
    (Kiwi @ The Union (Official Fish Forum) – 09.04.2015)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 28.06.1981 – Hanborough Tavern, Southall (London)

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 01.07.1981 – The Britannia, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 08.07.1981 – Halton Hospital Social Club, Halton

    Setlist unknown

    • The set included an impromptu vocal rendition of the Dambuster’s theme by the entire band

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 15.07.1981 – Wheatsheaf, Dunstable

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

The Roxon Tape

• July

  • 18.07.-19.07.1981 – Oxon Sound Studios, Watlington

    01 He Knows You Know
    02 Garden Party
    03 Charting The Single

    • Oxon Sound Studios were used by the artists of Roxon Records
    • Recorded and produced Les Payne
    • Handwritten Lyrics by Fish – Thanks to Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Track List of Charting The Single – Thanks to Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Play the tape

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

    Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

    We saved up enough money to hire Watlington Studios in order to record 3 tracks with Les Payne, a local musician with many years experience as a writer/performer and producer. His guidance and advice gave us a lot of hope for the future, and the results of the session gave us something to approach the major record companies with. He Knows You Know – a song about drug abuse, the lyric originally written while suffering terrible stomach cramps on a desk in the UBO. My personal excesses and the unwanted advice they attracted from well-meaning people with no experience of the subject were documented and the first version of this song, one we thought was a possible single, was laid on tape, Garden Party and another new song Charting The Single. A lyric with song sown well in cheek about the other side of my hedonistic activities which I was accused of continuing with by friends of my new full time girlfriend, whose presence in my life had calmed the beast within.

    We sent the demo to every major record company in London and everyone including EMI rejected it – He Knows You Know would become a Top 40 single and Garden Party number 16 in the UK charts
    (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    By July, Marillion had counted its pennies and saved enough money to hire a studio, ostensibly to record a demo tape to send to gig promoters, club managers and record labels. Fish had been introduced (by David Stopps) to Les Payne, an established local performer, who was also training as an engineer at Roxon Studio in Watlington, near Oxford. Fish proposed, that Les produced the session, so one Saturday morning he took the band to Roxon. “It was a grey industrial kind of building with no sign of it, vaguely looking anything like a studio on the outside,” remembers Diz. “It reminded me of my father’s piggery!”

    Once inside, it was straight to business. Unforeseen circumstances (the planned engineer had been up all night and was falling asleep at the desk) led to Les engineering the session, which included He Knows You Know, Garden Party and Charting The Single. Everything went smoothly (despite this being Les’ first attempt) and the final mixes were laid to tape on the Monday night. “It was surprising to hear the finished result,” comments Rothers. “It sounded pretty good!”

    The popping of corks at the beginning of Garden Party was in celebration of Stef’s birthday, which coincided with the record sessions. “We had all this Asti Spumanti!” smiles Diz. It’s no wonder, the recordings went so smoothly.”

    Unfortunately, the tape did not cut any ice with the record companies, despite being sent to every major label in London. It was almost inevitable (and strangely prophetic, given events 20 years later) that the band turned to devolving its already sizeable live following instead. “We were defiant, we knew we’d get somewhere with it,” says Mick. “When you’re young, you can’t believe, you could possibly fail!” Fish concurs: “We thought, fuck it, it’s going to happen! It was absolute, total youthful arrogance!” As he noted in a 1983 interview with Jay Williams of Sound, “Every record company was saying, “We don’t want a band like you, we want singles” and the only way, we could sit opposite them and not be dictated to, was to build up a live-following.”

    So they did. Promotion of the band continued relentlessly. Clubs were sent copies of the demo tape, along with a clutch of posters bearing a design by Diz. “I wanted to use an eye as part of the Marillion logo for a long time,” Fish wrote later. “We played around with Egyyptian designs, Diz drew the eye crying into the palm of the hand and feeding the root of the stem from which the eye grew, indicating a sort of self-sufficiency or symbiotic relationship.” The design, known as the Saliva Tear, was the mainstay of the band’s image right up to its signing to EMI.
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    400 copies of the tape were pressed and intended as promotional releases, since most promotors wanted to hear the band’s music before booking them. However, due to a demand from their fans, the tape was later sold at gigs also as promotion for the band.
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    Fish: “What’s happened is, that there were a lot of bands putting together good material, that just became totally disillusioned. They found, they weren’t getting the exposure needed, to get people to gigs. We’d found that by July 1981, so we employed a PR guy, Keith Goodwin, (Fish just stormed into his office in London one day and almost forced him) to get our name in the papers, make sure we were always in the gig guide, and that way we got journalists, radio stations interested. It built from that, but we’ve got to remember, that it’s still mainly down to the people that follow us.”
    (Interview with Marillion by Philip Bell, Kerrang! – 04.11.1982)

    Looking back in perspective, more than ten years later, Fish commented on the recording of this demo tape and Marillion’s struggle to get under the wings of a major record company: “The first demo we ever put together as Marillion was in Watlington studios in – I think it was ’81. And it had a song called Charting The Single on it, I think it was Charting The Single, He Knows You Know and Garden Party. Now, Garden Party was exactly the same arrangement, same lyrics… the whole bit as the same single that went to number 16 in the charts in 1983. That tape was rejected by every major label in the UK, including EMI. If you really believe, that you’re going to do it, you’ll do it… We were turned down by everybody, we were told: “give it up, your music is dead, nobody wants to hear that music anymore”, right? And you know, Garden Party was on an album that went gold! You know, we sold millions and millions of albums of a style of music that everybody said wasn’t going to happen. The record companies don’t know what will hit. They have got no idea. Nobody has until the thing goes out.”
    (Interview with Fish by Dickie Campbell, Radio Scotland – 27.12.1991)
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

  • 
  • The Roxon Tape
    

Club/College/Pub Shows – Leg 2

• July – October28 Shows

  • Info

    • First ever Marillion Concert Poster with 1982-1983 line-up autographs

  • 21.07.1981 – Walton Garden Party, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • Concert Poster – Thanks to Diz Minnitt and Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Stef introduced Garden Party on stage
    • The Bucks Herald, 30.07.1981: Walton get-together (report) – Thanks to Diz Minnitt and Marko’s Marillion Museum

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 28.07.1981 – The Britannia, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 29.07.1981 – Street Party, Aston Clinton (Bucks Free Festival)

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt
    • Marillion with Solstice

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 01.08.1981 – Aston Hall, Aylesbury (Friars)

    Setlist unknown

    • NME, 01.08.1981: Ad – Thanks to Peter Exley
    • Concert Poster – Thanks to Claude Micallef Attard
    • Supporting: Legion, with Spirit
    • More infos about the show at Friars Aylesbury Online

    Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002

    Marillion had a number of objectives before it could start to tackle finding a label or getting airplay. One was to headline at the Friars Club, considered by all as the most important venue in the region. Fortunately, having seen them in action during Aylesbury Arts Week in May, David Stopps was quick to book them again, offering the band their first “proper” gig at Friars in support of US band Spirit. The date was set 1st August 1981, with the stage once again being the Aston Hall. The now-familiar Les Payne suggested, they should all wear costumes of some sort, so off Fish went to Hammer House Of Horror TV studios at Hampden Woods. “The studios were closing down and Fish went up there and brought loads of stuff in the sale. The outcome was, that the stage was crammed with the stuff,” remembers Les. Indeed, it was – a full graveyard setting, complete with gravestones and dry ice. The performance started with the tolling of a bell, the band surprising even its hardcore fans by walking up to the stage from the back, through the audience.

    Everything went as smoothly as a Spinal Tab outtake. According to Steve, “We went on in these long monk-style gowns, without trousers on. We had some floor level lighting shining up. During the gig, I turned around to see Diz. As I did, the lights came on and the material became transparent. So, there he was, stood in his undies. I thought, well, if I can see him… I couldn’t help but feel a bit exposed after that!” The stalwart players played on, undaunted, and all in all it was a great show. Fish reeled out some of his favourite party tricks, such as the ketchup-filled cucumber for Garden Party and the blood capsules for Forgotten Sons (during which he wielded the microphone stand as a rifle). By the end, recounts Diz, “We had about 400 people crammed into this tiny hall. You couldn’t physically move!”

    Everyone that attended Marillion’s Friars debut recognised, they had witnessed something special. “It was a bloody amazing gig,” remarks Priv. “One of those things where you didn’t realise, how important it was, until afterwards. More people came to see us than to see the gig in the main hall!” It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to work out why Marillion was invited back. Before long, the band had moved up the rankings, playing support to a number of acts (including virtuoso blues-guitarist Rory Gallagher) before becoming a regular headliner at the venue. Not only did this lead to even bigger gigs elsewhere, but the media was starting to pay attention to the band’s steady progress.
    (Jon Collins: Marillion/Separated Out – The Complete History 1979-2002)

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    At this gig, Marillion learned, that supporting foreign bands was indeed different than doing just a “local gig”. They were scheduled for half an hour soundcheck before the doors opened, but they ended up soundchecking for the first 15 minutes of their on-stage time, after which they could start their gig. However, neither Marillion nor David Stopps, the manager of Friars Earth Enterprises, lost faith in each other due to that experience, he would continue to book Marillion at Friars.
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 21.08.1981 – Horse and Groom, Bedford

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 26.08.1981 – White Hart, Milton Keynes

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 28.08.1981 – Nowhere Club, Bicester

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 04.09.1981 – Starting Gate, Milton Keynes

    Setlist unknown

    In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – Chapter Two, 1977-1981

    Margaret was premiered at this gig, and yet another night in Milton Keynes was celebrated in style. A funny thing about Margaret is, it was actually “written” long before Fish and Diz joined the band. It has been performed as an instrumental piece when Mick, Steve and Brian gigged with Doug Irvine. Speaking about their adoption of the track, Mick Pointer explained in an interview: “The old keyboard player, Brian Jelleyman he… we were just playing around in the studio one day, and he started to play just the, eh, what was the name of the riff? – Scotland The Brave – and everybody started jamming around it. Steve, the guitarist, started just adding a few more riffs and other few jigs, and it just built on and built on from there, and it’s really, like a large jam. It has gone a little bit more organised now, and Fish added lyrics, well not original lyrics, but that’s what he’s got… It’s just a large jam… if the audiences enjoy it, we will keep it going, and keep it going, and keep it going. If not, we sense it and of course we stop it quite early. So really that’s the history of the track, it’s just a jam, it was just started as a jam, and that’s how it is now.”
    (Interview with Marillion – Radio Fourth – 12.04.1982)
    (Claus Nygaard: In Shades Of Green Through Shades Of Blue – The Story of Marillion with Fish)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 09.09.1981 – The Brittania, Aylesbury

    Setlist unknown

    • This show is confirmed by Diz Minnitt

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass

  • 14.09.1981 – City Hall, St. Albans

    01 Charting The Single
    02 He Knows You Know
    03 Garden Party
    04 Forgotten Sons

    • Diz Minnitt’s Backstage Pass, provided by Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Ticket – Thanks to Diz Minnitt and Marko’s Marillion Museum
    • Support Bands: As Above So Below
    • Supporting: Budgie
    • Setlist by Mike Eldon
    • "My first time to see the band, albeit very briefly sandwiched in between the two other bands. The band look naturals on the big stage and create quite a stir."
      (Mike Eldon)

    Script For A Jester’s Tear (Remaster 1997) – Sleeve Notes

    Another song – Alice – was added to the set but soon was swallowed by another new epic, Forgotten Sons which was about the conflict in Northern Ireland. Brian eventually wangled me a job in his office, and I had to sign on a lot of young guys who’d been laid off in the local factories. Many of them intended to join the army, whose career office offered a far different perception of military service than the one I was aware of through my cousin’s experience. He’d been a career soldier and had served in the province. On his last tour of duty he’d been hurt in a riot and news of his plight was difficult to extract from the army. As we’d watched TV, it seemed that the Irish situation had lowered in the agenda of the media, and the deaths of soldiers and civilians there didn’t appear to be dealt with the gravity and respect they deserved.

    I can remember writing the “prayer” section coming down from an acid trip, sitting in the sunshine outside a damp, dank rehearsal room as the band assembled the music that swelled through the open door. There was a dark power trapped in the song that visited us again while recording the track for the album in the Marquee Studios. As we multi-tracked the voices giving us the immense monk like chant, the booth which was buried in the cellars of the Marquee offices went icy cold and a tangible presence entered the room. Everyone freaked and something happened to the tape, which now contained noises other than those recorded. The Marquee Studios are built on top of an old plague pit where hundreds of bodies are supposedly buried. It took me a while to go back into the booth. But we were a long way from an album.
    (Fish: Sleeve Notes in Script For A Jester’s Tear – Remaster 1997)

    • Line-up

      Mick Pointer – Drums
      Brian Jelleyman – Keyboards
      Steve Rothery – Guitar
      Fish – Vocals
      Diz Minnitt – Bass