Update to Separated Out

2012-09-14

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.