Steve Hogarth

Seasons End was the first album recorded by Marillion after the split with Fish in late 1988. The band started to audition singers while writing the new album, and they eventually chose Steve Hogarth. The music for Seasons End was mostly finished by the time Hogarth joined Marillion, and only a couple of songs on it actually have some pieces written by him, most notably "Easter" and "The Space". A number of the lyrics were written by John Helmer, who the band had commissioned before Hogarth joining. He would continue to contribute lyrics throughout the 1990s. Much of the music on Seasons End had been composed while Fish was still in the band. The bonus disc of the 1999 re-issue of Clutching at Straws contains a number of nascent versions of songs that would end up on Seasons End with vocals and lyrics by Fish, these demos having been produced during the writing sessions for the ill-fated fifth studio album with Fish. (A number of the lyrical concepts from these demos, such as The Voice In the Crowd, would later resurface on Fish's debut studio album, Vigil In a Wilderness of Mirrors.) The album was produced jointly by Marillion and Nick Davis (who would go on to work with Genesis and associated acts).

Superproducer Trevor Horn presents Echoes – Ancient & Modern, his Deutsche Grammophon debut album, featuring fresh orchestral takes on 11 iconic tracks. Horn himself sings vocals on the Roxy Music classic “Avalon”, as well as producing Marc Almond, Tori Amos, Rick Astley, Andrea Corr, Steve Hogarth, Lady Blackbird, Jack Lukeman, Iggy Pop, Seal and Toyah Wilcox & Robert Fripp in tracks originally performed by Pat Benatar; The Cars; Depeche Mode; Frankie Goes to Hollywood; Billy Idol; Joe Jackson; Grace Jones; Kendrick Lamar; Nirvana and Yes.

Welcome to another selection of modern progressive music for you to enjoy, with the latest Prog cover CD. As usual, there is a mix of bands, some of whom we all know, some of whom we are acquainting ourselves with for the very first time. The Von Hertzen Brothers' ebullient "Long Lost Sailor" is from an album which sees them strongly reconnect with their prog base, Norwegians When Mary take us into a dark electronic universe and the UK's own I Am The Manic Whale feature in this issue's Limelight section. While the taster for Gleb Kolyadin's forthcoming solo album, featuring Marillion's Steve Hogarth on vocals, has us eagerly anticipating the full album. The remainder of tracks offer an enjoyable take of instrumental prog (Anders Buaas, Corciolli, Orpheus Nine) and with vocals (Machines Dream, The Mighty Handful, Lunar). Thoroughly enjoyable fare.

How We Live was formed in 1985 by vocalist and keyboard player Steve Hogarth (Marillion) and guitarist Colin Woore in 1985. Both musicians had previously been in the New Wave band The Europeans. Signing to the CBS imprint Portrait Records, “Dry Land” was the band’s sole album. Issued in 1987, the album was a fine collection of melodic and imaginative rock music that, despite featuring some excellent songs, somehow failed to make any commercial headway. By 1988 a disillusioned Steve Hogarth was considering abandoning music when he was invited to replace Fish as vocalist in the Progressive Rock band Marillion, where he reached a wider audience. The song “Dry Land” would later be recorded by Marillion on their album “Holidays in Eden” and was also a Top 40 hit when released as a single.

Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the most commercially successful neo-progressive rock band of the 1980s…