PDA

View Full Version : Album Club - Week 117: 29.10.2013: Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear



Album Club
29-10-2013, 00:00
We have another new member of the Album Club this week, and so the chosen album is from Bev (Ninanina)



My choice is Marillion - Script For A Jester's Tear (1983)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61-LtPUmyTL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

spotify:album:5mbtDQJwsioLCEGIT1cbOJ

Album is also here (http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Script+For+A+Jester+s+Tear/504172) on Grooveshark


The album was released way back in 1983, now that really shows my age!. This was the very first group I saw live, I can't remember the venue but somewhere in Ipswich, Suffolk

I was amazed and taken aback when I saw them live, I thought it was the most magical thing I'd ever seen, Fish even launched himself into the crowd to be caught.. I was hooked!

So it has always been a precious memory for me, like the first of anything it's special I guess.

One of the tracks, "Garden Party", I was convinced was written just for me as it had the lines: "On the lawns by still Cam waters" and "Punting On The Cam" and at the time I was living and working in Cambridge, so it just seemed to click

I love most of Marillion's cd's but this one has the most wonderful memories for me

Wikilink to album (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Script_for_a_Jester's_Tear)
Marillion Wikipage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marillion)

Rare Bird
29-10-2013, 00:53
The album was released way back in 1983, now that really shows my age!. This was the very first group I saw live, I can't remember the venue but somewhere in Ipswich, Suffolk



I saw them Sheffield City Hall 1983, they were on tour with Peter Hammill, he should have been playing the night you saw them then?

AlfaGTV
29-10-2013, 09:54
There is no doubt that this is a 10 to my ears! :)
I struggle with selecting their best effort though; Script.. or Fugazi

Regards /Mike

RichB
29-10-2013, 10:28
Oooh, I happened to pick up a copy of this for 3quid from Fopp just the other week. I'm only just coming round to Marilion and have enjoyed the other discs i purchased, Clutching at Straws and Seasons End so will put this on the top of my 'to be heard' pile.

Bazil
29-10-2013, 11:26
This was the album that got me interested in music again after a few years of apathy, the post punk years did nothing for me with bands like Depeche Mode (yes I know they have a huge following), and other New Wave mediocre. I think TOGWT had been relaunched and Garden Party was played it was like a breath of fresh air and I bought the album.
I wish Market Sqaure Heroes had been on the LP but still a 10/10 from me.
I can't play it at the moment as the Hi-Fi is away for decorating.

Audio Al
29-10-2013, 12:30
Not listened to any Marillion in the past

Did listen to this album its not the type of music I would normally play

However it could grow on me over time

6 out of 10

Thanks Bev :)

Ninanina
29-10-2013, 17:58
Thanks to all for your comments

I'll probably play this again later on as I've not listened for a little while, just to remind me how good it is

:D:D

pjdowns
29-10-2013, 23:24
I'd agree with Al on this one... certainly a grower and usually I am not a massive fan of Marillion, so have given it a 6/10 overall :)

RichB
02-11-2013, 00:16
Yes first impressions favourable. Will revisit it again. 7 from me.

John
02-11-2013, 07:06
tI saw the band play at the Marquee before they got a record deal with Jesus playing his Bongos I bought 12" of Grendal at the time but never really a fan I give it a go
Back in those days my taste were pretty heavy so be interesting to see where I am now

Audioman
02-11-2013, 11:18
The Genesis comparisons are inevitable more so even than Misplaced Childhood. It's well played and arranged neo prog - but arguably lacking originality. Frankly I rather ignored them at the time but this would have stood out in 1983. Worth 7/10.

synsei
02-11-2013, 12:00
It was because their material was so similar to early Genisis which drew me to the band. Fond memories of this album and I still enjoy playing the album bought on the day of its release. 7/10 for me :)

The Grand Wazoo
02-11-2013, 12:10
Fish went to the same college as I did to study forestry and I think that's where he got the name. I always thought he sounded more like Peter Hamill that Peter Gabriel.
I never really got into Marillion and I saw them early on too, in a pub somewhere or other.

Listening to this again, I'd give it a 6, I should think, not bad, but not really very remarkable either.

jollyfix
02-11-2013, 12:27
I remember being in my local record shop when this came out. I liked the look of the cover, promo cut outs and posters they had on the wall, but i didnt buy it. When home ,i went straight round to my mates brothers place. He was the guy in the village who had the biggest record collection, he would have all the new stuff etc. Oddly he was one of those guys, huge record collection, but could not care less about what he played his records on.
He duly dug out 'script....', my first thoughts were of disappointment, i was expecting more, to similar to Genesis ( genesis a band i have never got on with, there are a few tracks i like and i even own a couple of their early LPs). I ended up skipping through side two of 'Script..', just playing a snippet of each track, not for me.
Coming back to this album all these years later, with open mind, my feelings have not changed, and i played it all this time. I can appreciate the musicianship, but it does nothing for me i'm afraid.

Tim
02-11-2013, 12:55
If you look at my Marillion FLAC album folder there are 42 albums in there, so I guess you could say I'm a fan :lol:, but my love starts in 89 with Seasons End and the arrival of 'h', one of the best front-men in modern music (IMHO). I have seen what I call 'Marillion' more times than I can remember and have been to the weekends in Port Zelande too, outstanding affairs. However, I don't care for Derrek Dick that much and never have and rarely play this era, but I do like Clutching at Straws.

I'll give it 6/10 though, based solely on Steve R's excellent guitar work, but this is my least liked Marillion album.

Bazil
02-11-2013, 19:20
I've never heard a Fishless Marillion album, which is best.

jollyfix
02-11-2013, 19:45
My friend Alan like Tim is a big Marillion fan, but he also not a fan of the fish era.

Tim
02-11-2013, 20:11
I've never heard a Fishless Marillion album, which is best.
Thats a tough one Baz, not knowing what music you favour? There are 13 post Fish era studio albums alone, their live recordings are in the hundreds now, they are a band who have really embraced the social media age and I believe were the first UK band to dump a major record label (EMI) and get fans to pledge money up front to fund future albums. They still do this and you get your name in the cover of Special Editions if you pledge, which is a nice touch :)

You could try their latest album Sounds that Can't Be Made (2012) go back to Marbles (2004) and maybe try Seasons End (1989) which laid the marker for the new era?

I think their entire catalogue is good, but those are popular choices. Steve Hogarth writes some very emotive lyrics, Out of This World about Donald Campbell is particularly moving. The family invited Steve Hogarth and Steve Rothery when the Bluebird was finally raised in 2001. Out of This World is on Afraid of Sunlight (1995), another fine album.

n3ftZfB-VNQ

Rare Bird
02-11-2013, 20:16
Fish went to the same college as I did to study forestry and I think that's where he got the name.

Steve Rothray dad tought me on an Electronics course i was on :) He was from Brampton which is about 5 mins from where we lived at the time.

Tim
02-11-2013, 20:23
Nice story André, I'm a big fan of Steve Rothery and really love both his sound and style, I think he's an exceptional guitarist.

Bazil
02-11-2013, 22:46
Thanks Tim , I'll check them out on Spotify .

Oldpinkman
03-11-2013, 07:24
I can't find my copy. Must have been borrowed - doubtless by my brother...:(

twickers
03-11-2013, 22:17
Not a big fan of this album. A 5/10 from me.

John
04-11-2013, 06:04
5 for me

MartinT
04-11-2013, 07:08
I can't play it at the moment as the Hi-Fi is away for decorating.

Careful with the wallpaper on the turntable...

MartinT
04-11-2013, 07:16
I don't know this or in fact most of Marillion's output. It's certainly listenable and has a prog soundscape that I am familiar with. Overall I'll give it 7/10.

Tim
04-11-2013, 18:46
I don't know this or in fact most of Marillion's output.
:nono: naughty boy, you need to rectify that me ole' mucker ;)

Rare Bird
04-11-2013, 20:06
It was because their material was so similar to early Genisis which drew me to the band.

Lift 'Caverns Of Your Brain'

Gis five parnd noowert loike :eyebrows:

dloGP2Se3uo

Audioman
04-11-2013, 21:17
Lift 'Caverns Of Your Brain'

Gis five parnd noowert loike :eyebrows:

dloGP2Se3uo

Yes meets Genesis. :)

high.spirits
06-11-2013, 11:05
Not really into Marillion and agree with other posts re comparison with Genesis who do not figure in my LP collection either - 5/10.