The foremost of the Progressive Rock groups that broke in the early 80s (and probably that movement's only true survivor) MARILLION quickly established an enormous devoted fan base with a lengthy collection of hit singles and albums. Initially, MARILLION's material consisted mainly of complex, extended epics that had many critics claiming the band were merely a new version of GENESIS. Indeed, frontman Fish did little to rid the band of the early GENESIS comparisons with elaborate stage facepaint similar to Gabriel. But, in later years, the band has moved more into mature mainstream Rock and have maintained their popularity, despite losing enigmatic frontman FISH.

Drummer Mick Pointer formed MARILLION in 1979, when the outfit was originally titled SILMARILLION after the Tolkein novel. Many line-up changes ensued before the familiar 1981 gathering of vocalist FISH (real name Derek Dick), Steve Rothery on guitar, bassist Diz Minnit, keyboard player Brian Jelliman and Pointer. This incarnation debuted at the Bicester Red Lion in March 1981, following it up with local gigs supporting the likes of LEGION, SPIRIT and BUDGIE before the band's first London appearance opening for GIRL at the Marquee club in October.

With Jelliman superseded by ex CHEMICAL ALICE man Mark Kelly the band spent 1982 building up their fan base, starting off with their first national string of dates, dubbed the 'Saliva Tears Tour', and Marquee headliners. By now MARILLION were managed by John Arnison and were in negotiation with several major labels including Charisma, EMI and Geffen. The band appeared for the first time at the Reading Festival on a bill alongside MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, S.O.S. and the JACKIE LYNTON BAND. Shortly after they signed to EMI, although in November 1982 Minnit was given his marching orders and replaced by former METROS bassist Pete Trewavas.

MARILLION's stature grew ever faster Pointer was ousted in 1983 following the band's first theatre British headline tour (he was much later to surface in a new act ARENA in 1994). MARILLION actually recorded a song 'Assassing' specifically about the drummer's dismissal!

In May 1983 MARILLION employed former CAMEL drummer Andy Ward and toured Europe and Scandinavia at various festivals prior to alcohol problems forcing Ward's dismissal at the close of MARILLION's first American tour opening for TODD RUNDGREN'S UTOPIA.

For their second Reading Festival performance, second on the bill to BLACK SABBATH, the band employed the services of session drummer John Marter. During September the band returned to America opening for RUSH in New York.

Marter was given his cards prior to recording the second album, 'Fugazi', and American Jonathan Mover took his position. However, MARILLION's pattern for dispensing with drummers resulted in Mover only lasting one German gig before he was asked to leave. Mover later journeyed through the STEVE HOWE and STEVE HACKETT assembled supergroup GTR and was a member of guitar supremo JOE SATRIANI's touring band of 1994.

Ex STEVE HACKETT, DARRYL WAY'S WOLF and TRACE drummer Ian Mosley finally found the band with a long-term drummer.

1985's 'Misplaced Childhood' spawned MARILLION's biggest hit single to date in 'Kaleigh'. The song reached the number 2 spot in Britain and the follow up 45, 'Lavender', hit the top 5.

However, growing increasingly dissatisfied with the band Fish was to part company with MARILLION towards the end of the decade, the live set 'The Thieving Magpie' (1988) marking his last musical contribution to the band as he began a reasonably successful solo career

In June 1989 MARILLION debuted new vocalist Steve Hogarth appearing at a Henley pub billed as THE LOW FAT YOGHURTS. Hogarth had previously been a member of unsuccessful Pop act THE EUROPEANS as well as HOW WE LIVE and had, according to reports, been about to ditch the music business altogether until the call came from MARILLION.

Hogarth made his debut on the 'Season's End' album, a record that saw the band veering into a much mellower AOR direction, alienating many previous fans. The band still scored some single successes from the album and the British tour was well attended, but the fans previous fervour had died down to a glow of warm appreciation. A rare cover version arrived in 1992 as MARILLION tackled RARE BIRD's 'Sympathy'.

'Season's End' and the subsequent 'Holidays In Eden' both hit the British top 10. 1994's 'Brave' was recorded at a French castle owned by Miles Copeland and ambitiously saw a full blown feature film accompanying the release. Although sales proved bouyant for the next outing 'Afraid Of Sunlight' by the mid 90s the group would part company with EMI and the various band members would begin to explore a number of side projects.

Whilst Rothery contributed guitar parts to ex MARILLION member Mick Pointer's ARENA album in 1994, the guitarist and Pete Trewavas appeared on the 1996 debut album by THE WISHING TREE 'Carnival Of Souls'.

Hogarth used time away from the parent to record his debut solo album 'Ice Cream Genius', working with BLONDIE drummer Clem Burke, under the pseudonym of H.

MARILLION returned in 1997 with the new studio album 'This Strange Engine' and it bore witness to the fact that the band still retained the appreciation of their longstanding fan base. Released on the bands own Intact label through Castle Communications sales in Europe easily exceeeded 150'000 copies, backed up by two mammoth tours of the continent. The power of MARILLION's fanbase was brought home when fans in America learned that there was no financial support for American dates. Donations flooded in voluntarily through the band's website eventually pulling in over £60'000 enabling MARILLION to undertake the shows. Such was the devotion shown by fand MARILLION named their next album 'Marillion.Com' to recognize the feat.

Continuing with the successful 'Remasters' series EMI launched versions of 'Clutching At Straws' and 'Afraid Of Sunlight' in March of 1999. These release being uniquie in that they contained tracks only available after getting a secret key pass number from EMI via E-Mail.

Trewavas allied himself with a Prog-Rock supergroup side project in 2000 to create TRANSATLANTIC, a union featuring SPOCK'S BEARD man Neal Morse, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and from the Swedish band THE FLOWER KINGS guitarist / vocalist ROINE STOLT. The resulting album 'Transatlantic' was issued on Rising Sun Records.

MARILLION fan club members received an end of year treat with an exclusive live acoustic album 'Christmas 2000: A Piss Up In A Brewery'. As the title suggests the gig was recorded quite literally in a brewery- the Bass museum in Burton Upon Trent.

2001 found Mosley embarking on an extra curricular project entitled POSTMANKIND in union with saxophonist Ben Castle. Guests on the album, released by Racket Records, included both Trewavas and Rothery as well as erstwhile GENESIS guitarist STEVE HACKETT.

MARILLION themselves returned in triumphant fashion surprising many by resigning to their former label EMI. The band had in fact fought a campaign against the industry norm by asking fans via their website to pay in advance for the next studio album 'Anorakophobia'. Quite spectacularly fans raised over £100'000 alongside over 12'000 pre orders and those who had shown loyalty received a bonus extra CD to boot.

The band then scheduled a series of album releases focusing on demos and outtakes under the banner 'From Dusk To Dot' issued through the official website. The first release being "Refracted! The Making Of Afraid Of Sunlight", a double CD from the '95 album 'Afraid Of Sunlight' sessions.

MARILLION rounded off a successful 2001 with present to fan club members, the nine track mainly acoustic festive album 'Christmas 2001: A Verry Barry Christmas'.

The band added to their brand of uniqueness in March of 2003, accomplishing a record setting world first at a fan convention. Just 63 hours after MARILLION started a full performance of their 1995 opus 'Afraid Of Sunlight' a full DVD of the concert went on retail sale - making it the fastest DVD filming and production in history.

Trewavas made time to assemble KINO, a 2004 formation comprising fellow ProgRock heavyweights keyboard player John Beck of IT BITES, drummer Chris Maitland of PORCUPINE TREE repute and vocalist / guitarist John Mitchell of ARENA. The 'Picture' album from KINO emerged in February 2005 through Inside Out Music.

On 26th August 2007, Mark Kelly, Steve Rothery, Ian Mosley and Pete Trewavas performed at the 'Hobble on The Cobbles' show at the Market Square in Aylesbury accompanied on stage by Fish for the song 'Market Square Heroes', marking the first time the quintet had performed together in nearly two decades. In a press statement following this event, Fish denied this was a precursor to a full reunion, claiming that "Hogarth does a great job with the band... We forged different paths over the 19 years."