Marillion released its studio album debut, “Script for a Jester’s Tear”, in March 1983. The record was certified platinum in the band’s native U.K. where it reached number seven on the Albums Chart and spawned two Top 40 singles: “He Knows You Know” (#35) and “Garden Party” (#16).
Rhino Records will shine a spotlight on this neo-progressive favourite with a 4LP/CD/Blu-ray set of “Script for a Jester’s Tear” Deluxe Edition.
Originally produced by Nick Tauber, “Script for a Jester’s Tear” is the only Marillion album to feature Fish (vocals), Steve Rothery (guitar), Pete Trewavas (bass), Mark Kelly (keyboards) and Mick Pointer (drums).
The new five-piece line-up of Marillion wasted no time in getting down to business, and kicked off an intense 10-week rehearsal at Leyland Farm Studios in Buckinghamshire before playing their debut gig, at Bicester’s Red Lion Pub on March 14th, 1981, in front of an audience of 65. In July, with four months of serious gigging under their belt, they entered Roxon Studios in Oxfordshire, with local musician Les Payne producing, where they recorded a new demo featuring the more recognisably titled “He Knows You Know, Garden Party” and “Charting The Single”, which they’d sell at gigs for the princely sum of £1.25.
With such an imposing frontman as Fish, Marillion were slowly carving out a reputation as a band you needed to take notice of. At almost six-feet-five he struck a dominant figure, whose choice of face paint, initially to mask his own on-stage insecurities, helped make Marillion stand out yet further, and the band opted for stage effects and early costumes to strengthen their identity.
The band finally got the nod from the BBC to record a session for The Friday Rock Show, which at the time was about the only outlet for rock music on national radio and television. It was recorded with producer Tony Wilson at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios on January 29th, 1982.”
“The Friday Rock Show session was a real boost for us,” states Kelly. “I think that came about because we had opened for a band called Spider. Spider’s manager was a woman called Maggi Farran, and she was married to Tony Wilson, who was there at that gig and invited us to come and do some songs. That must have tripled or quadrupled our audience. They recorded two sets of demos for EMI in July and September, the latter seeing them hooked up with, ironically, former Genesis producer David Hitchcock. It was also Hitchcock with whom they would record their debut single, “Market Square Heroes”, at Park Gate Studios in Battle, East Sussex that September. Which is somewhat ironic, seeing as it had been decided that the B-side of the 12-inch version would be the 17-minute epic “Grendel” – a song many had quickly pointed out bore a striking resemblance to Genesis’ 1972 epic Supper’s Ready,
Marillion’s first single was released on October 25th, 1982. It captured both sides of the band’s character, with the catchy, up-tempo “Market Square Heroes” and “Three Boats Down From The Candy” showing a more immediate side to the band, the lengthy take of “Grendel” a startlingly mature take on classic prog. It was housed in stunning artwork from a young artist called Mark Wilkinson, whose jester character went a long way to establishing a visual identity for Marillion, which would last for Fish’s entire tenure with the band.
Recorded between December 1982 and February 1983, debut album “Script For A Jester’s Tear” was released on March 14th. Two weeks later it was nestled at number seven in the UK album chart, a phenomenal result for a progressive rock band in the early 80s. In the space of three years, Marillion had gone from a local pub band to – which they would do at the end of the Script UK tour – headlining two nights at Hammersmith Odeon.
The Deluxe Edition opens with a newly remixed stereo version of Script for a Jester’s Tear by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh. In addition, the collection also features new stereo remixes for the b-side “Charting The Single” that was released in January 1982, as well as the “Market Square Heroes” EP that followed in October that same year.
It also include the debut of a previously unreleased concert that captures Marillion performing in London at the Marquee Club on December 29th, 1982. Recorded a few months before “Script for a Jester’s Tear” was released, the show features live versions of all six album tracks: “He Knows You Know,” “The Web,” “Garden Party,” “Chelsea Monday,” “Forgotten Sons” and the title track.
The concert also features performances of non-album tracks like “Three Boats Down From The Candy” and the 19-minute epic “Grendel” from the “Market Square Heroes” EP. A live version of “Margaret” is also included. A different version of that song appeared in June 1983 as the b-side for the “Garden Party” single.
The Blu-ray features 96k/24-bit versions of the new stereo remixes for “Script for a Jester’s Tear” and the “Market Square Heroes” EP, as well as the Live at the Marquee Club concert. The disc also includes a 5.1 Surround Remix of Script for a Jester’s Tear. Rounding out the collection is a new documentary with band interviews that covers the 1979 formation of Marillion in Aylesbury through the release of “Script for a Jester’s Tear” in 1983.
Marillion’s line-up remained solid for a further five years. They released three more studio albums, hitting the top spot with “Misplaced Childhood” in 1985 (they also reached number two in the UK Top 40 with Kayleigh) and following it with the number two album “Clutching At Straws” in 1987.
The Fat Angel Sings 