Sloe gin in hand.

Twelve years ago, I had an idea – and we all know how dangerous those can be. Still, I went with it. I was never 100% happy with the result, which is unsurprising given that I had never done anything quite like it before.

To have the opportunity to revisit Marillion/Separated Out was one that couldn’t be missed. There’s an element of déjà vu; the process wasn’t always straightforward, they never are. But the only thing that really matters is the content, which will still be around long after we’re all gone.

A big thank you to all at Foruli for making this edition possible, and for working so hard behind the scenes on the copy, the artwork, the whole package. To all at Racket of course, for initiating the project in the first place and for their support throughout. And to everyone involved in the text, the fans, the collaborators, and (it goes without saying) most of all Marillion, a band which has created the soundtrack for the lives of so many. To quote the preface: “This is your story: I hope I’ve done it justice.”

For more information www.foruliclassics.com

Has it really been ten years? The first edition of Marillion/Separated Out (The Complete History) was released in the autumn of 2002. As I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I started, I wrote the story as I uncovered it, gleaned from interviews, references and anecdotes.

What emerged was a tale of band members making the music they wanted to hear, as a result developing a unique relationship with its audience. Since Marillion was first formed, the band’s music has lifted spirits, offered support through personal difficulties and become otherwise woven into the experiences of fans.

It is appropriate that Separated Out ended with the band riding the wave of affection of the first convention weekend. While the event was highly successful, Pontins offered an unlikely foundation stone for future success. The book’s conclusion was equally non-committal: “Extrapolate a few years more and all the dreams will come true: the hit single, the radio play, the household name across the globe. Or will they?”

We now know the answer. Not only has the band seen an unprecedented resurgence in its fortunes over the past decade, it has also produced some of its best music – from ‘Marbles’, through ‘Somewhere Else’ and ‘Happiness is the Road’ to the just-released and already acclaimed ‘Sounds That Can’t Be Made’. So much water has passed under the bridge, it seems hard to believe that there was any uncertainty.

Quite clearly, an update to the book is long overdue – indeed, nearly two years have passed since Lucy asked when this might be available, finally prompting me into action. When I reviewed the original content, suffice to say I wasn’t particularly happy with it – some sections were notably clunky. So I set about working through the text, tweaking, culling, nipping and tucking as I went – this process is now complete.

The next step is to get the story up to date. I will be looking for fan feedback on their own feelings about the band and its music over the past ten years – the highs, the lows, the touching moments… Please do email me at jonc (at) separatedout (dot) com or leave a comment at www.joncollins.net if you have any ideas or thoughts.

And meanwhile, in the words of the profoundly wise Karin Breiter, I shall “shut up and write.” Thanks for reading, and I hope you will enjoy the new edition.

The only thing we lacked was the numbers. There, I’ve said it. Thirty-forty people came, that’s a few over the number of tickets we sold; plus some local friends popped along for the afternoon to have a beer and listen in to the acoustic sets.

But, despite the turn-out, the Summer Garden Party was fabulous. Magnificent. Stunning. Those who know me, know I rarely get effusive, but this was one of those occasions. It isn’t just me – here’s a selection of reactions:

“Twas excellent, will have to bring a tent next time!”
“That was the most awesome day/night I’ve had for a very long time. I don’t use the word lightly…”
“Please, can we do it all again!”
“Absolutely fantastic! One weekend, two brilliant – but very different – GPs …”

And that was just the artists! So, what happened to make the 2011 Summer Garden Party such a great event?

The afternoon kicked off in the garden with Fergy, one man with an acoustic guitar and a bucketful of gentle charisma. To me, he epitomises everything music should be about. “But I only know three chords,” he says, somewhat embarrassed. Yes indeed, Ferg, but you have that indefinable quality known as ‘soul’.

Howard Sinclair was up next. I must get some of the set lists as specific song titles elude me – I know The Beatles were in there, and a number of other hits as well as some of Howard’s own compositions such as Nine Tenths. Howard’s a talented guy, and always worth listening to.

All of this in a beer garden at The Tunnel House, one of the most beautiful settings you could have for an outdoor performance. The beer was Potwalloper, locally produced over the border in Wiltshire – or if that didn’t tickle your fancy there were three or four other brews on draft. The garden itself was full at lunchtime, then emptied and filled again as the evening tide of local folk came for a pint.

For the final afternoon set, Rich Harding and Simon Rogers performed covers of Radiohead, Pink Floyd and others, as well as some Also Eden tracks, finishing with a rousing(ish – it was acoustic!) rendition of Fish’s The Company. “Thank you very much,” said Rich, “I’m now going for a lie-down.”

Of course, the fact Rich was even performing beggars belief – just a week before he was having yet another bone graft operation following his near-fatal motorbike accident last year. It wouldn’t be too far from the truth to say that a generation of Welsh medical students will qualify having used Rich as their worked example. Of this, more later.

Time for a barbecue, and a quick hat-tip to the staff and management at The Tunnel House for being so accommodating, helpful and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. Meanwhile, in the barn behind closed doors, preparations were underway for the evening performances.

It’s difficult to describe the atmosphere of the barn. A great little venue, for anyone who knows Riffs’ bar, it’s like that only a bit wider with the bar at the back rather than down the side. From the punter’s perspective, on the night, with thirty-forty people stood up and dancing around, it was “critical mass” – any less and it could have felt sparse, but it was enough people to party.

Jo McCafferty had travelled all the way down from Aberdeen to perform. For anyone who doesn’t know her stuff, think a Scottish singer songwriter, Dido with an edge, singing of the joys and disappointments of life. A great singer, a genuine gem who has toured with Steve Hogarth and Midge Ure to name a few. It’s a good job Jo’s voice was so radiant, as the lighting was not – at least the way it was initially set up. A beautiful set, anyone who doesn’t have a couple of Jo’s CDs in their collection is missing out.

And so, to the Skyline Drifters. Five people who last played together seven years ago – Dave Woodward on guitar, Ade Holmes on drums, Tony Turrell on keys, Tony Makos bass, and, yes, Rich Harding on vocals. Seven years, one rehearsal the night before, and in a stone barn in the middle of the Cotswold countryside on 11 June 2011, five musicians blew the bloody roof off.

I can dig out the set list if anyone’s interested – but it was, in a word, ‘esoteric’. It kicked off with Robbie Williams, then mixed Pink Floyd with Queen, Iron Maiden with ELO, and yes, Marillion with Fish. Ade drummed like it was the last chance he was going to have, Tone’s hand was flying round the neck of his five-string bass, and Tony’s keyboard rig (and his playing!) would have put Asia to shame.

Two highlights stand out – Comfortably Numb, where Dave’s bandmates stood back in awe as he pulled off one of the best renditions of his namesake’s solos that has perhaps ever been heard. Even this was transcended by the sheer joy of Mr Blue Sky. And then the laughter at Tie Your Mother Down (Rich reading lyrics with a torch), the passion of 100 Nights… it was all there.

Finally, a double-bill encore of Hooks in You and Market Square Heroes, both of which had the crowd bouncing. Then the lights came up, the adrenalin drained and Rich had to almost be carried off stage. Rich, I take my hat, coat, shoes and socks off to you. It’s not just your talent – the range of material you can tackle, and the way you change your style to suit. Short of Steve Jobs, I’m not sure I can think of someone with more strength of will.

What a night. Snatching the best kind of victory from the jaws of the mundane. Things could have been so different – any one of the thousand tiny details could have tipped things off the edge (dare I mention staging? ☺) – but they didn’t. To be fair, we chose the right crowd – what a great bunch of friends, who really get what it means to party.

We’ll be meeting up – the planning team – in a few weeks to have a cold, hard assessment of the Summer Garden Party. The big question is why more people didn’t come. There’s no right or wrong – nobody should be expected to turn up just because of their musical affiliations, friendships or geography. But the fact is, despite our best efforts to inform people (I hope we kept one step away from cajoling), we were very lucky to have just enough numbers to make the event a success.

Right now, I don’t know if it will remain a one-off. If it does, I think I speak for everyone who came that it was a privilege to be among such fine company, such great, talented musicians in such a great place. There’s an element of magic sometimes, when everything comes together and just works, if I have any sadness it’s only for the people who I know would have got such a kick out of it too.

I have already thanked everyone – but I repeat my unerring gratitude to all that made it such a success – organisers, artists, participants, venue. I’ll leave the last word to the guy who was on the bar in the barn on Saturday night. When I went in to pick up the staging on the Sunday, he looked at me with a big grin, shook his head and said, “You guys know how to rock.” Yes, yes we do.

For all those who expressed an interest in procuring a mug bearing “Unusual Suspects” design as featured on Separated Out, the good news is a couple of boxes of the blighters will be turning up on Tuesday. So get your order in now and you should be sipping your tea courtesy of your favourite characters by Friday! Combined profits from these and the Summer Garden Party in two weeks’ time is going to Nordoff Robbins‘ music therapy charity, so it’s all in a good cause as well!

Mugs will be available at the SGP, or for those not able to come there’s a Paypal link below the – ahem – mug shot. If you want any option not in the drop-down list please email me and I will let you know how to order.

To coincide with our Summer Garden Party bash, we’re having some mugs made with Dazz Newitt’s homage to Messrs Wilkinson and Glover, as appeared on the cover of Separated Out. It would be good to get an idea of quantity before I put the order in – so, if you are interested please let me know by emailing jon at joncollins dot net or as a comment/message, then I’ll know how many to order. All I need are names, quantities and emails for now!

Pricing shouldn’t be more than £10, including UK shipping for those who can’t make the event. Additional costs will apply for international shipping. Any profits will be donated to Nordoff Robbins, a music therapy charity, so it’s all in a very good cause as well!

Click on the picture for a bigger version – and apologies for my dodgy photoshop skills

It all began with the bright lights…

It doesn’t seem at all wrong that as I write this, I should be on my way to a music convention in the name of Marillion. Going back a few years now, as the millennium approached I remember buying the album ‘Marillion.com’. I was bowled over by the inside cover – hundreds and hundreds of passport photos, faces of the fans on whom the band had become entirely reliant for its income. Here was a symptom of something far deeper than selling recordings to casual listeners. Whatever was going on, I knew, I wanted to be a part of it.

Meanwhile some big changes were taking place in my working life, as I stepped away from hands-on IT and became an industry analyst. These were exciting days for technology: the ‘.com’ had arrived, and what a splash it caused. The good times were not to last of course, as for a thousand reasons, the over-inflated bubble of expectations collapsed and many who had gambled on the promise of e-commerce lost their shirts.

The visions of online nirvana weren’t necessarily wrong, just architecturally incomplete, technically premature and economically unsustainable. Despite the dot-bomb, many of the principles have continued to be developed – and while some new brands such as Amazon and eBay survived to become household names, many other, older organisations have reaped the rewards of their evolving online presence. This evolution continues.

As I once again start out on a new journey, things don’t seem all that different to how they looked 12 years ago. Today’s commentators talk about cloud computing like it was in some way new, and social networking like it is an end game. Neither is true – both are just way-markers, brightly coloured handkerchiefs tied to sticks along the road. Look back and they are clearly visible, still fluttering. Look forward, and they are harder to discern particularly as both marketers and pundits try to re-direct traffic towards their own, agenda-led targets.

Technology is shaping the future for sure, but I don’t believe that humanity will fundamentally change – either to become something it is not, or some augmented version of itself, homo steroidiens. Rather, IT will have succeeded when it fades quietly into the background and enables people to be more what they are – bringing up their families, watching and playing sport, and indeed, listening to music and sharing the experience. Such things are fundamental to being human.

Technology can help, but all too often it still hinders. One challenge is to put the emphasis in the right place, on the goal, rather than the toolkit. That’s why I chose to step away from looking at technology per se, and why the next stage of my own journey will involve more of a focus on how technology enables communities to exist, in all walks of life. Best practices learned by musicians and artists will be just as valid to governments, aid agencies and private companies – and vice versa of course.

Of course I will still have an interest in all things IT – just as a craftsman needs to know which chisel to use (though these are new crafts, and nobody can claim to be more than an apprentice). At the same time, the best thing about communities is that they encourage participation, and I am thoroughly looking forward to rolling my sleeves up, building, facilitating and above all joining in. More very soon, but for now I will close the computer and go enjoy a weekend with wonderful people and great music, which is ultimately what it is all about.

I was alerted to the article “The death of the music industry” by @featuredartists on Twitter earlier today.

My reply:

“@FeaturedArtists Interesting, upcurve 89-95 looks incongrous as well. Returning to realistic level vs failure to monetise? NB shipments only”

It was only a few hours later that a better answer revealed itself – oh the serendipity, as a friend on Facebook highlighted an article on ThisIsLondon. To quote:

“So dry your tears at the thought of all those struggling record companies. The truth is that when a previous new technology called compact discs came along, they drove up margins to milk fans as they repackaged back catalogues. This made them so rich and complacent that they turned down the opportunity presented by Napster – which they could have bought for £10 million to dominate the digital market – and allowed Apple to steal their industry.”

Nuff said. for now.

As part of a recent re-organisation I was running through my addresses, to find that John M. Crymes Jr. died in May 2009. Jack provided technical assistance to Rush on the Canadian leg of their ‘Exit Stage Left’ tour. Here’s an updated obituary from his university alumni site:

“John M. Crymes, Jr. (EE ’68) of Marin County, Calif., died in May 2009. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Virginia, qualifying in 1968. A pioneer of professional remote audio recordings, he designed and built the world’s first mobile audio recording truck in 1974. He worked with, among others, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Natalie Cole and the Grammy Awards.”

One day I’d love to write the book about all the engineers who quietly went about their own jobs, supporting the superstars without need or expectation of any part of that fame. So many stories.