Marillion
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By recycling the stereotypes of King Crimson's progressive-rock and of Yes' art-rock and updating them to the 1980s, Marillion created a new style of AOR that relied on majestic, romantic melodies, the epitome of "pomp-rock".

Guitarist Steve Rothery, keyboardist Mark Kelly and decadent vocalist Derek "Fish" Dick, a clone of Peter Gabriel, were the least original of latter-day progressive musicians, but their compositions retained the elements that were easier to sell to the masses. They debuted with Market Square Heroes (EMI 1982), whose importance lies in its flip side, the epic 18-minute medieval poem Grendel.

Script for a Jester's Tear (EMI, 1983) inaugurated the tradition of coexisting soothing ballads (here He knows You Know) and lengthy suites. On this debut album the latter prevailed: Garden Party (one of their live staples), Script for a Jester's Tear, The Web, Chelsea Monday, Forgotten Sons.

Punch & Judy and She Chameleon are the catchy number on Fugazi (1984), while Fugazi, Assassing and Incubus are the tours de force.

Then Fish dropped the antics and the band focused on the music. The result was their "concept" album, Misplaced Childhood (1985), that spawned the singles Kayleigh, Lavender and Heart of Lothian. The lengthy track was Blind Curve, but the core of the album lied no longer in the elaborate suites.

Announced by the single Lady Nina, Marillion's fourth album, Clutching at Straws (1987), concentrated on velvety songs such as Hotel Hobbies, Incommunicado, Sugar Mice, The Last Straw and Warm Wet Circles.

Then Fish left the group and launched his solo career with Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (EMI, 1990), while the group, fronted by new singer Steve Hogarth, continued by releasing Season's End (Capitol, 1989) and Holidays In Eden (1991), two albums that, at least, do not sound like Genesis anymore. Fish returned to Marillion's classical style with Internal Exile (1991), whose highlights are Shadowplay, Credo and Internal exile, but Songs From the Mirror (Polydor, 1993), a collection of covers, and Suits (Polydor, 1994) marked the nadir of Fish's inspiration.

Surprisingly, it was Marillion that staged a coup on the progressive-rock scene with Brave (IRS, 1994), their best album ever, which, unfortunately, was followed by the mediocre Afraid of Sunlight (1995) and This Strange Engine (1997).

Fish, on the other hand, released Sunset On Empire (Dick, 1997) and Raingods With Zippos (Roadrunner, 1999), barely improving over his critical period.

Steve Hogarth released Ice Cream Genius (Castle Communications, 1996) under the moniker H.

(Translation by/ Tradotto da Gianluca Mantovan)

Riciclando gli stereotipi del progressive-rock dei King Crimson e dell'art-rock degli Yes e aggiornandoli agli anni ottanta, i Marillion crearono un nuovo stile di AOR basato su maestose e romantiche melodie, compendio del "pomp-rock". Il chitarrista Steve Rothery, il tastierista Mark Kelly e il decadente vocalist Derek "Fish" Dick, un clone di Peter Gabriel, furono i meno originali dei musicisti progressive dell'ultima ora, ma le loro composizioni conservavano gli elementi piu' facili da vendere al grande pubblico. Debuttarono con Market Square Heroes (EMI 1982), la cui importanza sta nel retro, l'epico e medioevale poema Grendel (18 minuti). Script for a Jester's Tear (EMI, 1983) inaugura la tradizionale coesistenza di calme ballate (He knows You Know) e lunghe suite. Su questo primo album prevalsero le suite: Garden Party (spesso proposta dal vivo), Script for a Jester's Tear, The Web, Chelsea Monday, Forgotten Sons. Punch & Judy e She Chameleon sono i pezzi piu' attraenti di Fugazi (1984) su cui Fugazi, Assassing and Incubus sono i tour de force. Fish abbandono' a quel punto i padri putativi e la band si focalizzo' sulla musica. Il risultato fu il loro "concept" album, Misplaced Childhood (1985), che diede i singoli Kayleigh, Lavender and Heart of Lothian. Il pezzo lungo fu Blind Curve, ma le suite elaborate non erano piu' centrali. Preceduto dal singolo Lady Nina, il quarto album dei Marillion, Clutching at Straws (1987), abbandono' definitivamente le ambiziose suites e si concentro' su canzoni vellutate come Hotel Hobbies, Incommunicado, Sugar Mice, The Last Straw and Warm Wet Circles. Successivamente Fish abbandono' il gruppo e inizio' da solista con Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (EMI, 1990) mentre i Marillion, con il nuovo cantante Steve Hogarth, proseguirono pubblicando Season's End (Capitol, 1989) e Holidays In Eden (1991), due albums che perlomeno non suonano piu' alla Genesis. Fish torno' al classico stile dei Marillion con Internal Exile (1991), le cui attrazioni sono Shadowplay, Credo e Internal exile, ma Songs >From the Mirror (Polydor, 1993), una raccolta di cover, e Suits (Polydor, 1994) segnano il nadir della sua ispirazione. Al contrario, furono i Marillion a sorprendere la scena progressive-rock con Brave (IRS, 1994), il loro miglior album in assoluto che, purtroppo, fu seguito dai mediocri Afraid of Sunlight (1995) e This Strange Engine (1997). Fish, d'altro canto, pubblico' Sunset On Empire (Dick, 1997) e Raingods With Zippos (Roadrunner, 1999), di poco preferibile ai precedenti. Steve Hogarth fece Ice Cream Genius (Castle Communications, 1996) a nome H.

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