Marillion, still some December dates left to catch

Marillion ; purveyors of soulful, powerful,  and often deeply-moving music,  with a long-standing reputation for blistering live  shows which have earned them an impressive  and faithful global fanbase. MARILLION have: Sold 15 million albums Released 17 studio albums Had 8 UK Top 10 albums Played gigs to over 3 million people Released 23 UK singles During the period the band were fronted by Fish  (1981 -88) they scored  eleven Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart, including 1985's "Kayleigh",  which reached No. 2 and became their biggest hit single.  The first album released with Hogarth, 1989's Seasons End, was  another Top Ten hit, and albums continued to chart well until  their departure from EMI following the release of their  1996 live album Made Again  Steve "h" Hogarth fronts the band (since 1988) and brought  a new heart and energy to the band when since becoming lead-vocal/lyricist. Predictions of doom were swiftly dispelled, as across a further 13  albums, Hogarth – along with existing members Steve Rothery (guitar),  Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass), and  Ian Mosley (drums) – reinvigorated and constantly redefined Marillion’s sound.  They forged into new musical territories with a succession of  inventive, emotional albums, displaying little regard to the  vagaries of the musical "Fashion Police", or radio playlists.  The line-up remains  unchanged to this day.

After the release of 1999’s ‘marillion.com’ the band banished the  spectre of record company pressure once and for all by launching their  own record label (the aptly-named Intact imprint) and freeing themselves  up to produce some of the finest music of their career. Thanks to their much lauded (and much copied) pioneering Internet-based  rock n'roll business model, Marillion have developed a unique and  intimate relationship with their fans. From sponsoring entire tours of  the USA to funding the recording of recent albums, Marillion’s global  fan-base is unique in its affection and dedication.   In fact Marillion are credited with inventing Crowdfunding. The history of the band's use of the Internet is described by Michael Lewis  in the book Next: The Future Just Happened as an example of how the  Internet is shifting power away from established elites, such as  multinational record labels and record producers.  As a result, such passionate, wholesale support has allowed  Marillion to step outside of the conventional music industry and  find their own path.

In 2001 ‘Anoraknophobia’ saw Marillion take the groundbreaking step of  asking fans to pre-order an album 12 months before release. An  amazing 12,000 people signed up, helping to finance the recording.  The band once again took pre-orders for the 2004 masterpiece ‘Marbles,’  but this time the money was channelled into a campaign fund to  promote its launch. When singles ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’ and ‘You’re Gone‘ breached the  UK top 20 – the latter making it all the way to number 7 –  jaws dropped right across the music world. Not bad going for a band without major label backing. But it was merely the latest twist in the history of a group who have  held  on to the conviction that what they’re doing MEANS something  more than entertainment or selling records.

The band has evolved into a vibrant musical force – to those who  already love Marillion, they’re something special; to everyone else  they’re a love affair waiting to happen.

In 2012, the band released  their 17th studio album   SOUNDS THAT CAN’T BE MADE and performed  a string of gigs in North and South America and all over Europe.  In 2014 Marillion toured Latin America and returned to the studio  to begin writing their 18th studio album.   Still some Marillion December 2014 UK Dates you can catch! Monday 8 December 2014 GLASGOW - O2 ABC Tickets: www.o2abcglasgow.co.uk SUPPORT: Luke Jackson Wednesday 10 December 2014 MANCHESTER - HMV Ritz Tickets: www.ticketline.co.uk SUPPORT: Luke Jackson Thursday 11 December 2014 LONDON - The Forum Tickets: www.ticketmaster.co.uk SUPPORT: Luke Jackson At the London show, Marillion will be joining forces with  Live Here Now to produce a CD of the concert that will  be on sale straight after the show. With the shows being so close to Christmas, expect snow,  Father Christmas and a great night of Marillion classics and more.

  

For more information on MARILLION, check out the following 
website / social media links:

Website - http://www.marillion.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MarillionOfficial

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MarillionOnline

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