RECORD STORE TALES MkII: Getting More Tale
#413: Just for the record, Meat’s gonna put it down
By special request of Aaron at the KMA, yesterday I ranked all the Marillion studio albums in order of preference (see #412: Just for the record, I’m gonna put it down). It’s not an easy thing to do, because any band with two distinct phases (and lead singers) is going to have lovers and haters of both, as well as fans who can accept both equally.
During Sausagefest weekend 2015, I discussed my already-completed list with Uncle Meat, who also wanted to take part. He has his own feelings about Marillion’s discography. In fact he only listed six albums. Meat is very much a “Phase One” fan, a follower of Fish who had a hard time accepting the changes that occurred after Seasons End. It’s important to note that Seasons End was mostly written (musically) with Fish. After that album, the band had to come up with new material for the new singer, and that is when they started to write very differently from before. It’s not Steve Hogarth’s fault, in Meat’s eyes, just the way the band wrote for and with him.
Here are Uncle Meat’s top Marillion albums, without commentary. He’s going top down:
1. Misplaced Childhood (1985)
2. Clutching at Straws (1987)
3. Fugazi (1984)
4. Script For A Jester’s Tear (1983)
5. Seasons End (1989)
6. Vigil In A Wilderness of Mirrors – Fish (1990)
How’s that for a “Big Wedge”? More Marillion tomorrow!
mikeladano.com 
This is awesome, you guys share (in slightly different order) your top 3! Couldn’t get much more of a recommendation than that.
Again, I appreciate all of this Marillion listing effort. Cheers to you for setting all this up, and thanks to Meat for his input!
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Any comment on his #6?
I think at this point your primary Marillion purchases are now well laid out for you! Try to get the 2 CD remasters when possible…
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I’ll have a look for the 2CD sets. I have Misplaced Childhood in the single CD version, as you well know! Worth replacing?
#6 here isn’t Marillion? Just Marillion guy? Without the commentary I have no real idea… I just looked it up and his debut solo record? People seem to like it, it’s quite expensive on the the Amazons. I don’t know enough about the band to know whether this counts as a Marillion record or not (I’m guessing not). But he must’ve included it here because it’s close enough and it kicks ass? What’s the story?
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I think what he is trying to say with his list, is that in his world there are only six Marillion albums, and the solo album is more a Marillion album than the ones he doesn’t count.
He’s got a valid point because the lyrics were all written for Marillion songs, and the cover art by Mark Wilkinson continues where they left off in Marillion. I may be wrong but this painting may have been done for the next Marillion album.
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Cool stuff! I will leave it up to those who know way more than me, on this one! I like how deep you guys are into this, I can tell this band Really Matters!
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Didn’t some great mind once suggest that you use Just For The Record as a blog title?!
Loved this but my collection stops after Season’s End. I’d swop Script and Fugazi in your rankings too – you definitely got the #1 spot on. Mark Wilkinson’s favourite one too!
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So if your collection stops after Seasons End, you and Uncle Meat are on the same page.
Any thoughts on his #6 album?
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He’s got 1 and 2 the wrong way around, I’m with you there Mike. I think Vigil’s a really good LP, but I’d have B-Sides over it most days. I haven’t heard Vigil for hundreds of years, I’ll give it a spin tonight.
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I like to watch!
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Which is why you’re no longer legally allowed out of doors in downtown Kitchener after 7pm.
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Shh that’s not publicly known :p
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Haha! That comment was meant for yesterday’s post. Idiot me!
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Noooo problem :)
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I love the Fish era, but I’ve never explored solo Firsh or Hogawrth Marillion…. I need my ass a copy of Brave.
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Time to start Jimmy! Pick up Vigil, and Seasons End.
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I can dig what you are saying here. If taken as a whole it is possible to just include the Fish era in your fandom. I heard Vigil ages ago and it didn’t connect with me, there was something missing for me, probably Rothery. This era for Marillion as truly one of a kind. The Hogarth era really kinda runs into itself and its difficult to distinguish one album from the other, and that is JUST not the case with the Fish era.
personally I go..
Clutching (top 10 all time)
Fugazi
Childhood
Script.
Brief Encounter
La Gazza
BSides
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I like these list. I stayed away from live stuff because that’s a pandora’s box I didn’t wanna open, but you’ve got some great stuff here. Only thing missing is the immortal Market Square Heroes EP…oh no wait, you’ve got B-Sides! You’re all good!
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