Marillion can’t beat Invisible Man

Marillion’s Steve Hogarth says The Invisible Man from 2004’s Marbles is the best thing they’ve ever done and doesn’t think they’ll ever be able to top it.

They’ll play the latest leg of their Marillion Weekend in Montreal later this week where they’ll perform that album and 2001’s Anoraknophobia in full.

Hogarth tells the Montreal Gazette: “I’m really fond of that record, and I consider The Invisible Man our finest moment. I know some boys in the band consider it to be Gaza – and it ain’t bad – but for me it’s The Invisible Man.

“I can’t imagine us beating that. I’d like to think we could, but I can’t imagine we will.

“I don’t think I could write that lyric again. I pray to God I’m never in that place again, where I had to be to write those words. It’s a very honest and slightly disturbed lyric set against music which just emerged, which was just perfect for it from moment to moment. As the words changed, the music changed with it in exactly the right way.”

The frontman also reveals that work will continue on the follow-up to 2012’s Sounds That Can’t Be Made in the coming months.

He continues: “There’s a line in the sand in our heads, I think, which is the summer of this year. We’ll jam each day and we’ll keep that going until the summer.

“At some point in June or July we’re going to call it and go, ‘Right, what have we got? Let’s skim the cream off all of this stuff. Let’s sit down, listen to it and decide what we want the next album to be.‘”

Hogarth says he has some lyric ideas, but warns: “I’ve had those in the past and they’ve usually been wrong by the time it’s finished.”

The band will co-headline the Prog Stage at this year’s TeamRock-sponsored Ramblin’ Man Fair at Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent on July 25-26.

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.