Fish

Few artists have achieved near-mythic cult status in the way that Scottish singer-songwriter Fish has. Since departing prog-rock heroes Marillion ten years ago, the talented vocalist and wordsmith has produced a unique artistic oeuvre expanded from his initial progressive rock template. On brilliant records such as his 1990 debut ‘Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors’ and 1997’s ‘Sunsets On Empire’, he has continually expanded his musical and lyrical boundaries to the delight of fans worldwide. Now with the release of ‘Raingods With Zippos’, he stands to capture an even wider audience.

Throughout his career, Fish has always taken his life experiences and channeled them into his work, and his devout fans have always been there to listen. ‘Vigil’ spawned three Top 40 UK singles and a well-received tour. His next two records – ‘Internal Exile’ and the covers album ‘Songs From The Mirror’ were also well-received by fans. In 1994 Fish began his own label, Dick Brothers Record Company, and continued recording at his home studio the Funny Farm (later renamed Millennium Recordings Studios), which he first utilized to record ‘Internal Exile’.

The Dick Brothers released his next album ‘Suits’ as well as licensed several official live bootlegs (including the double-CD ‘Sushi’) which kept Fish’s career going strong. When ‘Sunsets On Empire’ was released domestically in the summer of ’97, Fish was finally able to tour America for the first time since he was in Marillion, and the response was phenomenal as hundreds of fans descended upon each show almost solely through word-of-mouth on the internet. Experiencing such intense devotion from his fans, the Scottish singer-songwriter vowed to return.

And return he has. After participating in writing sessions with 23 other songwriters at famous French castle Marouatte, an artistic haven owned by Sting manager and Ark 21 label guru Miles Copeland, Fish’s creative fires were refueled. Deciding he wanted his focus to be on his craft, he sold his home studio and shut down his label, signing an exclusive worldwide deal with Roadrunner. Two of the songs from the Castle sessions “Chasing Miss Pretty” and “Mr. Buttons” appeared on his retrospective ‘Kettle of Fish’ this past January. Three more arrive on the new ‘Raingods With Zippos’ opus, his first record of new material for Roadrunner Records. This new release provides fresh material for long-time fans and gives new Fish converts a wealth of music to discover.

Produced by ‘Sunsets On Empire’ engineer Elliot Ness, ‘Raingods’ is striking for its diversity – the prog stomp of opener “Tumbledown,” the string-laden ballad “Rites Of Passage,” the heavy, blood-pumping rendition of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s “Faith Healer”. Past collaborator/ keyboardist Mickey Simmonds lends his neo-classical touches to those first two tracks while Porcupine Tree’s Steve Wilson contributes plenty of guitar work throughout ‘Raingods’. It’s also noteworthy that Fish collaborated with ’80s pop star Rick Astley and Nashville veteran Paul Thorn on the rocking “Mission Statement,” on of the three aforementioned Castle tracks.

The album’s tour-de-force is the 6-part “Plague Of Ghosts,” a song which began humbly as an ambient remix of a Fish track by Mark Daghorn and Tony Turrell (Fish’s new touring keyboardist and a major contributor on this album). But Fish saw greater potential in the track, and it eventually became the epic it is now. A journey of reassessment and re-discovering one’s self, “Plague Of Ghosts” absorbs ambient, ethereal drum ‘n’ bass, techno, and guitar rock into a beguiling atmospheric swirl which will transfix you from start to finish.

If anyone can make a 25-minute song accessible to the mainstream, it’s Fish. By continually finding new musical influences to amalgamate into his sound – be it Scottish Folk, orchestral music, or modern dance sounds – he has always found a way to continually reinvent himself while staying true to his vision. Many of his themes are quite universal, frequently voicing the plight of the solitary individual in a world which wants him to conform, to sell out his vision to became part of the pack.

From experiencing personal battles in the boardroom to witnessing the results of battles in Bosnia (where he toured for two weeks), Fish has heard, seen, and experienced many things and powerfully translated them into his lyrical and musical repertoire. His depth and maturity as an artist continue to grow, and his early works already stand the test of time. ‘Raingods With Zippos’ represents another stage of his extraordinary evolutionary journey. So sit back, pop in his latest album, and listen to the voice of experience.