Marillion mean different things to different people. So I’m going to share one little happy anecdote about how this incredible band is a sound track to my life.

I always skipped the song “Map of the World” on the CD when it was first released; to pop, to happy… However two years later as I was setting off on my backpacking adventure, this song was on my minidisc collection.”Map of the World” captures the story of my life at that moment so succinctly, that memories and feelings come flooding back when I listen to it now.

Many Marillion tracks hit me with such emotion; which is why they are one of my top 3 favourite groups.

Map of the World

Marillion Weekend 2002

Pontins, Brean Sands, England. 5-7 April 2002

The Great Escape

The Invisible Man

 

Pioneers of the fan-funded music

Marillion are the undisputed pioneers of the fan-funded music model. It started with their 2001 release Anoraknophobia, when the band calculated that they would need 5,000 fans to order the album to finance the project. However, they needed the money up-front, before the record was released. They turned to their mailing list and asked fans to pre-order the album in what was later described by the BBC as “a unique funding campaign”. Pre-sales well exceeded their 5,000-unit target (reaching about 12,000 pre-sales total).

Anoraknophobia Special Edition

Marillion Live 2016