Any other Marillion fans out there?

[Jind]

So - having burned myself out on metal lately, I've been exploring my catalog of neo-progressive rock to fill the void when it comes to music these days and have as a consequence rediscovered my absolute love affair with Marillion, particularly Fish era Marillion, but even some Hogarth era as well.

I've been listening to their entire catalog over the past week and remembering what this band meant to me at one time in my life - they, along with Metallica were the soundtrack of my life for a lengthy period of time.

Albums such as "Script for a Jester's Tear" with the opening

So here I am once more in the playground of the broken hearts
One more experience, one more entry in a diary, self-penned
Yet another emotional suicide overdosed on sentiment and pride
Too late to say I love you, too late to re-stage the play
Abandoning the relics in my playground of yesterday

I'm losing on the swings, I'm losing on the roundabouts
I'm losing on the swings, I'm losing on the roundabouts
Too much, too soon, too far to go, too late to play, the game is over
The game is over

What a great opening salvo for one of my all-time favorite albums. Steve Rothery is right up there in Gilmour land for me when it comes to guitarists - he still amazes me with his soulful and emotional solos and great bend work.

Other favorites include "Fugazi" which for a while I listened to daily - singing out loud all the lyrics which I still know to heart till this day. Songs like "Assassing " with the section of lyrics:

Listen as the syllables of slaughter cat with calm precision
Patterned frosty phrases rape your ears and sow the ice incision
Apocalyptic alphabet casting spell the creed of tempered diction
Adjectives of annihilation bury the point beyond redemption
Venomous verbs of ruthless candour plagiarise assassins fervour
A friend in need is a friend that bleeds
Let bitter silence infect the wound

You were a sentimental mercenary in a free fire zone
Parading a Hollywood conscience
You were a fashionable objector with a uniform fetish
Pavlovian slaver at the cash till ring of success
A non com observer - I assassin the collector - defector

Tell me who writes such crafty lyrics these days?

I've also watched "Live from Loreley" several times over the past days and if you ever want to see a commanding performance by both singer and band, check it out if you have never seen this live show - that's how a singer can command the audience.

I could go on and on about Marillion - but I'll leave it at that for now until I see who else might be a fan of some great neo-prog. I'm also a big fan of bands such as Arena, IQ, Pendragon, and onto the more metalish Threshold (just got done watching "Critical Energy" - another great live DVD.)

So speak up prog fans.

Here are a few from the Loreley show: