The last forum I went to (The Official Marillion Forum) barely mentions the 1982-1988 era! I was deplored by its lack of Fish topics!
Without being to presumptious, I know where you are coming from, I have been on a few Marillion sites on Fb, and the Minute you Mention " Fish era" there are a few People who do not like this and Post accordingly to which myself and few others gave a robust and definite reply, Now these same sites are still there, but they are divided now so you have specific “Fish Era” and H era Marillion sites. Which to a certain degree is Sad, but like some of us we Prefer one or the other.
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Well, we’re going to get split into a different thread here, but I’ve honestly nothing against H-era Marillion. I’ve not really heard enough of it to pass judgement. It does seem a real shame though that the site you mention has been split into separate eras. They are after all one band. - I just don’t know many (or haven’t met many) Marillion fans that have come to the band through H-era material, without knowing or loving Fish-era first. It seems a real shame that some want to forget or disregard the past.
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Me Personally, I don’t deliberately go out to NOT LIKE H era stuff, I have listened to it on a few occasions (I even own Seasons end Pic Disc) but it just doesn’t do anything for me, not just Musically, but Vocally, Not that I am saying H is bad singer, he is good if not great in his own way, but to me its in the lyrics and the Poetry that Fish writes with Marillion and Now, everything comes from the Heart and hits you full on Inmho…
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I’m glad you corrected God to good. There’s only one God and he’s Scottish.
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Thank COD err… I mean God for that lol… 
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…and if you look up into the sky you can see right up his kilt.
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I hope that we don’t come across like that here! I’m happy to talk about both Fish and Marillion. Folk who want to talk about h-era Marillion are more than welcome to do so. And in the past we’ve discussed albums and shows etc.
Yeah, there’s some categorisation here, because, well it’s a Fish site so current Marillion ongoings belong in the Other Bands category. As long as it doesn’t descend into the F v H Marillion nonsense that has plagued mailing lists in the past I don’t see an issue. (And I think time allows us to be well beyond that discussion now).
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I have nothing against the big ol’ H and his hair of supreme awesomeness, in fact I have three of the bands albums from that particular era.
The problem arises when you have a Marillion forum that’s credited to be official (like the be-all and end-all of the M forums…) yet it’s content and news swing more towards the later period of the bands history often than it’s normally expected. In fact the sampler on the site consists of the bands post-1989 alone! so any newcomer wanting learn more about the band is sidelined to one half of the story.
This type of direction might have perpetuated the F vs H flame wars: F fans feel like they’ve been marginalized by a website that basically glosses over the early years like it’s nothing special whist H fans on the other hand feel that because Marillion reinvented themselves during the early to mid 90’s they’re a completely different band and think the Fish era was nothing more than a portent of things to come.
Phew! That was a corker!
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I own all Marillion albums apart from Less Is More. To me the Fish and H eras are very different but nevertheless both fantastic in their musical output.
Similarly i’ve been to both Fish and Marillion conventions.
You don’t have to dislike Marillion just because Fish left (though i do understand why some may hold an allegiance to Fish). I just try to enjoy it all for what it is, ie, great music.
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I 've never understood why so many fans wanted to oppose Fish and H…
I knew Marillion in 1989 with CAS album (so when they just splitted up)…Marillion has a brilliant carreer for 25 years now and released so many great albums (I’ve got them all and almost the entire discography) and so did Fish!!!
I like to think that we,the fans,have won two great artists instead of losing one of them:Marillion could have stopped but lucky us,they didn’t
I’m proud to listen to both of them without thinking one is better than the other 
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I think that sums it up perfectly.
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I got to admit though, just watching the Fish and Hogarth fanboys bashing each other to death is pretty amusing!
not really on this forum though
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But it’s like looking at two little 5 year olds brawling over what’s the best Teletubby or something,…
COMEDY GOLD!
As a fan since 85… I was distraught when the big guy left. I was 15 years old. No way could they carry on. My colours were nailed to Fish’s mast 100%
And then in KERRANG there he was this complete opposite in every single way possible. MARILLION NEW SINGER ANNOUNCED.
I spent the following months waiting to see what they’d both do. Fish was of course a banker. A cert and if there was ever going to be a choice, then it was a no brainer… Fish all the way.
Then both albums released. I bought Hooks In You on 12" and played it for the first time on the wrong speed. “What the F#$K is this.?” I thought… realised my mistake… Changed the speed and thought “What the fuck is this?”
Seasons End and Vigil released (I can’t remember what came first) Vigil got 10/10 on first listen. Seasons End publicly got 5/10 however in my head and heart I loved it. But I wasn’t ready to betray Fish. And then it occurred to me. Why choose? Here we have best of both worlds… like them both.
So I did and still do.
Here’s where I now stand and often wonder… even if it is just a pipe dream and completely illogical. Imagine just for a moment. If Fish and Steve Hogarth had occupied the band at the same time… like Waters and Gilmour or Lennon and McCartney.
My point is they are both fantastic and while not one person should ever discount Fish and the 4 great albums of his time, the same should be said of Steve Hogarth and whilst not everyone’s cup of tea deserves a lot of credit for so many achievements. One being the time Steve has for many lived in a very large shadow…
So I’m sitting on a barbed wire fence…
Ste x
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Great post !
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Fantastic post. And of course, why choose? You’ve got two artists that both produce great music.
Enjoy it all, I say! And thanks for the humorous post.
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