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Marillion

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Marillion is a British neo-prog band, formed in 1979 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The group emerged from British post-punk and formed a bridge between punk rock and classic progressive rock. It became the commercially most successful neo-prog band of the 1980s. The first single, Market Square Heroes, was released in 1982, and a year later came the first album, Script for a Jester's Tear. In total the band made twenty studio albums.

Music and breakthrough

Between 1983 and 1994 Marillion had eight albums in the British top ten. Misplaced Childhood from 1985 reached number one and produced the singles Kayleigh and Lavender. Kayleigh reached the American Hot 100. Clutching at Straws from 1987 was the last album with the original singer Fish, who went solo at the end of 1988. In 1989 Steve Hogarth became the singer, with Seasons End as the first album. The band left EMI in 1996 and in the years that followed grew into a cult group with a loyal worldwide following.

Influence

Marillion is regarded as a pioneer of crowdfunding and fan-funded music. The sound revolves around long songs with keyboards, melodic guitar and a singer who tells stories, in a theatrical tone. Misplaced Childhood is a concept album. In School of Rock, Garden Party from 1983 and Kayleigh from 1985 belong to that wave of prog rock in the 1980s, when old forms were used anew.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Kayleigh by Marillion. Notice the keyboards and the guitar accompanying the love story, and how the singer narrates rather than shouts.

Discography

Studio albums

Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: ArtistsNeo-prog