Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors
Encyclopedia
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (1990) was the first solo album that rock singer Fish
released after he departed Marillion
in 1988. Although the recordings for this album finished as early as June 1989, EMI
Records decided to delay the release until early 1990, to avoid collision with Marillion's album Seasons End (September 1989). However, the track "State of Mind" was released as a single as early as 16 October 1989, more than three months ahead of the album.
Further singles from the album were "Big Wedge" (the actual lead single
, 27 December 1989), "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (5 March 1990) and "The Company" (18 July 1990, only released in Germany).
, with the singles reaching no. 32 ("State of Mind", October 1989), no. 25 ("Big Wedge", January 1990) and no. 30 ("Gentleman's Excuse Me", March 1990) on the UK Singles Chart
.
, London
, during the first half of 1989, and produced by Jon Kelly
.
The cover art was by Mark Wilkinson
, who had illustrated all Marillion albums and singles while Fish was their singer and went on to design almost all Fish solo covers. The front cover features a close-up from a larger, very detailed painting/collage
inside the gatefold
LP
cover and the CD booklet. The painting contains many references to the lyrics, political allusions as well as "hidden" messages only understandable to fans (such as the faces of Marillion's keyboarder Mark Kelly and manager John Arnison
). The central element is a "hill" consisting of junk consumer goods in a post-apocalyptic landscape, on top of which a couple clad in pseudo-oriental clothes stare into the distance, holding an hourglass
. The man's cape, flapping in the wind, resembles the east of Scotland, with the Southern Uplands
(Fish's home region) lit by light beams apparently emitted by the hourglass – a reference to Fish's interest in Scottish culture. Only the couple and the top of the hill are on the front cover. The TV sets and the Amiga 500 computer set the couple is standing on show pictures of Fish's face; on the larger version inside, these are replaced with faces from Ingres
's painting The Golden Age.
, however, several of the songs refer to "the hill" – a metaphor
for greed and consumerism. The songs deal with the themes that Fish has always been passionate about – personal and social politics – but in single-song format. "State of Mind" and "Big Wedge" stand out as the most overtly political songs: "State of Mind" strongly articulates the growing civic disillusionment in the late Thatcher
years, "Big Wedge" is an explicit criticism of capitalist greed, American society and policies (the cover of the single features Uncle Sam
offering a wedge of dollar bills to the viewer). Incidentally, the lyric had earlier been vetoed by Marillion as "anti-American", they feared it might have hampered their entry into the U.S. market with the next album. Other songs express a more general disgust with materialism ("Vigil", "The Company", "View From The Hill"). "Family Business" refers to domestic violence
, the bonus track
"The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" to TV voyeurism. Finally, "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" and "Cliché" are love song
s.
The phrase "wilderness of mirrors" is originally from T. S. Eliot
's poem Gerontion
, but has since become a widely used metaphor for disinformation
in spy fiction, where Fish picked it up.
A number of the lyrical concepts on the album (most particularly, the Voice In the Crowd motif) can be heard in Marillion demo sessions released on the 1999 remaster of Clutching at Straws
. These sessions were part of the writing process for Marillion's fifth studio album with Fish, which never came to fruition. Many of the musical ideas developed on those demos can be heard on Seasons End, the first Marillion album with Steve Hogarth
.
("Vigil"), pop rock
("Big Wedge"), hard rock
("View From The Hill"), and folk music
("The Company"). As he is primarily a lyricist and not a musical composer, Fish collaborated with keyboarder Mickey Simmonds
in writing all songs except "View From The Hill", which was co-written and recorded with current Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers
. Ex-Dire Straits
guitarist Hal Lindes
contributed additionally to the writing of "State of Mind", "Family Business" and "Cliché". He also played guitar on most tracks, along with Frank Usher
, a Fish companion from pre-Marillion times. Drums were handled by Mark Brzezicki
(of Big Country
), John Keeble
(of Spandau Ballet
, "State of Mind" only), bass by John Giblin
, additional percussion by Luis Jardim
, backing vocals by Tessa Niles
, who had already appeared on Clutching at Straws
, Marillion's last album with Fish (1987), and Carol Kenyon
. Apart from these, there are performances on individual songs by The Kick Horns (brass instrument
s on "Big Wedge"), Davy Spillane
(pipes
and tin whistle
on "Vigil"), Phil Cunningham)
(tin whistle, bodhran
, accordion
on "The Company", "Internal Exile"), Aly Bain
(violin
on "The Company", "Internal Exile") and Gavyn Wright
(credited as Gavin Wright, violin on "The Company", orchestral arrangement on "A Gentleman's Excuse Me", which was recorded with a 23-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios
).
(bass, Mark's brother).
in March 1989 and was a permanent part of the set-list on the Wilderness of Mirrors tour in 1989/90. However, it was cancelled from this album and would eventually become the lead single and title track of Fish's second solo album
in 1991, in re-recorded form. The original 1989 version would not be released until 1995, when it featured on Yang
(part 2 of a two-disc retrospective). It would also be included as a bonus track on all subsequent re-releases of this album.
in 1997, the album was reissued three times: 18 December 1997 on Fish's old label Dick Bros Record Company
, on 28 October 1998 on Roadrunner Records
, and in 2006 by Fish's current label Chocolate Frog. All remastered versions contain the original tracks and five bonus tracks originally released as b-sides of the accompanying singles, plus the original 1989 version of "Internal Exile". The edited and extended versions of the singles' A-sides are not included, a solo live recording of the Marillion song Punch and Judy featured on the single "The Company" is also absent.
Fish (singer)
Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
released after he departed Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
in 1988. Although the recordings for this album finished as early as June 1989, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
Records decided to delay the release until early 1990, to avoid collision with Marillion's album Seasons End (September 1989). However, the track "State of Mind" was released as a single as early as 16 October 1989, more than three months ahead of the album.
Further singles from the album were "Big Wedge" (the actual lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, 27 December 1989), "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (5 March 1990) and "The Company" (18 July 1990, only released in Germany).
Chart positions
The only Fish album to be released by EMI (see below), it was also his most commercially successful. In February 1990, the album peaked at number 5 in the UK Albums ChartUK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, with the singles reaching no. 32 ("State of Mind", October 1989), no. 25 ("Big Wedge", January 1990) and no. 30 ("Gentleman's Excuse Me", March 1990) on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Production and recording
The album was recorded at Townhouse StudiosTownhouse Studios
Townhouse Studios was a recording studio in west London. Built by Richard Branson in 1978, and managed by Barbara Jeffries as part of the Virgin Studios Group. The Virgin Studios Group was acquired by EMI when Richard sold Virgin Records to EMI in 1992. The Sanctuary Group bought the studio from...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, during the first half of 1989, and produced by Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly is a British music producer who has produced albums and singles for Chris Rea, The Damned, Kate Bush, Pele , The Beautiful South, Prefab Sprout, Deacon Blue, Heather Nova, The Levellers, Fish, Lynsey De Paul and Nolwenn Leroy.-References:...
.
Cover art
Mark Wilkinson
Mark Wilkinson is best known for his detailed cover art that he created for a number of British bands, most prominently the progressive rock band, Marillion...
, who had illustrated all Marillion albums and singles while Fish was their singer and went on to design almost all Fish solo covers. The front cover features a close-up from a larger, very detailed painting/collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
inside the gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
cover and the CD booklet. The painting contains many references to the lyrics, political allusions as well as "hidden" messages only understandable to fans (such as the faces of Marillion's keyboarder Mark Kelly and manager John Arnison
John Arnison
John Arnison is an English music manager and producer. Acts he has managed include Marillion, Gabrielle, Billy Ocean, Aswad, MN8, Charles & Eddie and Yusuf Islam . He is currently working with Marc Marot, who was previously the managing director of Island records.-References:...
). The central element is a "hill" consisting of junk consumer goods in a post-apocalyptic landscape, on top of which a couple clad in pseudo-oriental clothes stare into the distance, holding an hourglass
Hourglass
An hourglass measures the passage of a few minutes or an hour of time. It has two connected vertical glass bulbs allowing a regulated trickle of material from the top to the bottom. Once the top bulb is empty, it can be inverted to begin timing again. The name hourglass comes from historically...
. The man's cape, flapping in the wind, resembles the east of Scotland, with the Southern Uplands
Southern Uplands
The Southern Uplands are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas . The term is used both to describe the geographical region and to collectively denote the various ranges of hills within this region...
(Fish's home region) lit by light beams apparently emitted by the hourglass – a reference to Fish's interest in Scottish culture. Only the couple and the top of the hill are on the front cover. The TV sets and the Amiga 500 computer set the couple is standing on show pictures of Fish's face; on the larger version inside, these are replaced with faces from Ingres
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a French Neoclassical painter. Although he considered himself to be a painter of history in the tradition of Nicolas Poussin and Jacques-Louis David, by the end of his life it was Ingres's portraits, both painted and drawn, that were recognized as his greatest...
's painting The Golden Age.
Lyrics
The album is not a concept albumConcept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, however, several of the songs refer to "the hill" – a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for greed and consumerism. The songs deal with the themes that Fish has always been passionate about – personal and social politics – but in single-song format. "State of Mind" and "Big Wedge" stand out as the most overtly political songs: "State of Mind" strongly articulates the growing civic disillusionment in the late Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
years, "Big Wedge" is an explicit criticism of capitalist greed, American society and policies (the cover of the single features Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...
offering a wedge of dollar bills to the viewer). Incidentally, the lyric had earlier been vetoed by Marillion as "anti-American", they feared it might have hampered their entry into the U.S. market with the next album. Other songs express a more general disgust with materialism ("Vigil", "The Company", "View From The Hill"). "Family Business" refers to domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, the bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
"The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" to TV voyeurism. Finally, "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" and "Cliché" are love song
Love song
A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...
s.
The phrase "wilderness of mirrors" is originally from T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
's poem Gerontion
Gerontion
"Gerontion" is a poem by T. S. Eliot that was first published in 1920. The work relates the opinions and impressions of a gerontic, or elderly man, through a dramatic monologue which describes Europe after World War I through the eyes of a man who has lived the majority of his life in the 19th...
, but has since become a widely used metaphor for disinformation
Disinformation
Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. For this reason, it is synonymous with and sometimes called black propaganda. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth...
in spy fiction, where Fish picked it up.
A number of the lyrical concepts on the album (most particularly, the Voice In the Crowd motif) can be heard in Marillion demo sessions released on the 1999 remaster of Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws is the fourth studio album by neo-progressive rock band Marillion, and is a concept album. Released in 1987, it was the last album with lead singer Fish who left the band in 1988...
. These sessions were part of the writing process for Marillion's fifth studio album with Fish, which never came to fruition. Many of the musical ideas developed on those demos can be heard on Seasons End, the first Marillion album with Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth also known as "h", is the lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist/guitarist with the British rock band Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and vocalist with How We Live...
.
Musical style and contributing musicians
The album covers a variety of musical styles, including progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
("Vigil"), pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
("Big Wedge"), hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
("View From The Hill"), and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
("The Company"). As he is primarily a lyricist and not a musical composer, Fish collaborated with keyboarder Mickey Simmonds
Mickey Simmonds
Mickey Simmonds is an English session keyboardist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his work with progressive rock acts, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Camel and Fish...
in writing all songs except "View From The Hill", which was co-written and recorded with current Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers
Janick Gers
Janick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
. Ex-Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
guitarist Hal Lindes
Hal Lindes
Hal Andrew Lindes is an English-American guitarist and film score composer.In 1980 he began recording a solo album with producer Al Kooper, along with Herbie Flowers on bass and John Bradbury on drums...
contributed additionally to the writing of "State of Mind", "Family Business" and "Cliché". He also played guitar on most tracks, along with Frank Usher
Frank Usher
Frank Usher is an English guitarist best known for his work in Fish's band. Usher lives and operates a guitar-manufacturing business in Innerleithen, Scotland...
, a Fish companion from pre-Marillion times. Drums were handled by Mark Brzezicki
Mark Brzezicki
Mark Brzezicki is a rock drummer, who is primarily known for his work with Big Country, and was a member of the groups The Cult, Ultravox, and Procol Harum. He has also played with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Midge Ure, Fish, The Pretenders and many others...
(of Big Country
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife in 1981. They were most popular in the early to mid-1980s, but they still release material for a cult following...
), John Keeble
John Keeble
John Keeble is a British pop musician, who is the drummer with the 1980s band, Spandau Ballet.Spandau Ballet disbanded in 1990, after their final studio album, Heart Like a Sky, failed to live up to the critical and commercial success of their earlier albums, such as True and Parade.In 1999, John...
(of Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
, "State of Mind" only), bass by John Giblin
John Giblin
John Giblin is an internationally renowned session bassist who has worked with the following artists:*Eric Clapton, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins * Peter Gabriel...
, additional percussion by Luis Jardim
Luís Jardim
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
, backing vocals by Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
, who had already appeared on Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws
Clutching at Straws is the fourth studio album by neo-progressive rock band Marillion, and is a concept album. Released in 1987, it was the last album with lead singer Fish who left the band in 1988...
, Marillion's last album with Fish (1987), and Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon
Carol Kenyon , is a British singer. She was born c. 1959.Although primarily known as a session vocalist on many albums and singles by a variety of prominent artists, as well as in many concerts, Kenyon has also released several singles as a solo artist...
. Apart from these, there are performances on individual songs by The Kick Horns (brass instrument
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
s on "Big Wedge"), Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane
Davy Spillane is a songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.early yearsDavy was born in Dublin in 1959 . At the age of 12 he started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres...
(pipes
Uilleann pipes
The uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
and tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
on "Vigil"), Phil Cunningham)
Phil Cunningham (folk musician)
Phil Cunningham, MBE, born 1960 in Edinburgh, Scotland is a Scottish folk musician and composer.-Biography:Phil played accordion and violin from a very young age. He attended school in Portobello, and was raised Mormon, attending church regularly and playing organ...
(tin whistle, bodhran
Bodhrán
The bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
on "The Company", "Internal Exile"), Aly Bain
Aly Bain
Aly Bain MBE is a Shetland fiddler who learned his instrument from the old-time master Tom Anderson. Bain is now considered one of the finest fiddlers in the Scottish tradition. In the early days of his career he formed part of the band The Humblebums with two other ‘unknowns’ Gerry Rafferty and...
(violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "The Company", "Internal Exile") and Gavyn Wright
Gavyn Wright
Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London Session Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra, best known for his orchestral arrangements on pop productions as well as numerous TV and movie soundtracks Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London...
(credited as Gavin Wright, violin on "The Company", orchestral arrangement on "A Gentleman's Excuse Me", which was recorded with a 23-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
).
Live band
The band with which Fish toured the album in 1989/1990 consisted of Mickey Simmonds (keyboards), Frank Usher & Robin Boult (guitars), Mark Brzezicki (drums) and Steve BrzezickiSteve Brzezicki
Steve Brzezicki is a British session bass guitarist and younger brother of drummer Mark Brzezicki who he often forms a rhythm section with . Among others, he and Mark worked together on the Ultravox album U-Vox , Midge Ure's solo albums Answers to Nothing and Pure , and Nik Kershaw's album Radio...
(bass, Mark's brother).
"Internal Exile"
The track "Internal Exile" was originally written and recorded for this album – incidentally, it had already been performed at Fish's legendary first-ever solo concert in LockerbieLockerbie
Lockerbie is a town in the Dumfries and Galloway region of south-western Scotland. It lies approximately from Glasgow, and from the English border. It had a population of 4,009 at the 2001 census...
in March 1989 and was a permanent part of the set-list on the Wilderness of Mirrors tour in 1989/90. However, it was cancelled from this album and would eventually become the lead single and title track of Fish's second solo album
Internal Exile
Internal Exile was Fish's second solo album after leaving Marillion in 1988. The album, released 28 October 1991, was inspired by the singer's past, his own personal problems and his troubled experiences with his previous record label EMI.The album's music reflects Fish's indulgence in the vast...
in 1991, in re-recorded form. The original 1989 version would not be released until 1995, when it featured on Yang
Yin and Yang (Fish albums)
Yin and Yang are the titles of two separate compilation albums by Fish co-released in 1995. They are a retrospective on Fish's four solo albums and four albums with Marillion....
(part 2 of a two-disc retrospective). It would also be included as a bonus track on all subsequent re-releases of this album.
Re-Releases
Remastered by Calum MalcolmCalum Malcolm
Calum Malcolm is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and keyboardist based in Edinburgh.He started his rock music career with the band The Headboys in 1977....
in 1997, the album was reissued three times: 18 December 1997 on Fish's old label Dick Bros Record Company
Dick Bros Record Company
The Dick Brothers Record Company was an independent record label formed by the singer Fish based in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. It predominantly released material by Fish, including 'official bootleg' live albums...
, on 28 October 1998 on Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, and in 2006 by Fish's current label Chocolate Frog. All remastered versions contain the original tracks and five bonus tracks originally released as b-sides of the accompanying singles, plus the original 1989 version of "Internal Exile". The edited and extended versions of the singles' A-sides are not included, a solo live recording of the Marillion song Punch and Judy featured on the single "The Company" is also absent.
Legal dispute with EMI
After Fish left Marillion, their label EMI automatically held the rights to his solo recordings under a leaving-member clause. However, Fish was dissatisfied with EMI's promotion and distribution and sought to leave the contract, which he finally achieved after a drawn-out lawsuit in late 1990/1991. As a result, Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors remains Fish's only album on EMI. EMI still own the rights, which are licenced back to Fish, who has reissued it as described in the previous section.Track listing
- "Vigil" (Dick/Simmonds) - 8:43
- "Big Wedge" (Dick/Simmonds) - 5:19
- "State of MindState of Mind (Fish single)"State of Mind" was the first solo single by Fish, released about a year after his departure from Marillion and preceding the release of his first solo album Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors...
" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 4:42 - "The Company" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:04
- "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:15
- "The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:42 (Not on LP)
- "Family Business" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 5:14
- "View From The Hill" (Dick/Gers) - 6:38
- "Cliché" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 7:01
Bonus tracks on the remastered version
- "Jack And Jill" (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:28 (B-side of Big Wedge)
- "Internal Exile" [1989 Version] (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:51
- "The Company" [Demo] (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:30
- "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" [Demo] (Dick/Simmonds) – 3:54
- "Whiplash" (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:25 (B-side of A Gentleman's Excuse Me)
Personnel
- Fish (Derek W. Dick)Fish (singer)Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
- All Vocals - Frank UsherFrank UsherFrank Usher is an English guitarist best known for his work in Fish's band. Usher lives and operates a guitar-manufacturing business in Innerleithen, Scotland...
- Guitars (Tracks 1,2,3,4,6,7,9,10,11,12 and 14) - Hal LindesHal LindesHal Andrew Lindes is an English-American guitarist and film score composer.In 1980 he began recording a solo album with producer Al Kooper, along with Herbie Flowers on bass and John Bradbury on drums...
- Guitars (1,2,3,4,5,7 and 11) - Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
- Guitars (8) - John GiblinJohn GiblinJohn Giblin is an internationally renowned session bassist who has worked with the following artists:*Eric Clapton, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins * Peter Gabriel...
- Bass Guitars (1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9 and 11) - Mickey SimmondsMickey SimmondsMickey Simmonds is an English session keyboardist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his work with progressive rock acts, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Camel and Fish...
- Keyboards (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 and 14); Piano (13); Drum Programming (10 and 12) - Davy SpillaneDavy SpillaneDavy Spillane is a songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle.early yearsDavy was born in Dublin in 1959 . At the age of 12 he started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him and inspired him with his love of all music genres...
- Pipes (1); Whistles (1) - Phil CunninghamPhil Cunningham (folk musician)Phil Cunningham, MBE, born 1960 in Edinburgh, Scotland is a Scottish folk musician and composer.-Biography:Phil played accordion and violin from a very young age. He attended school in Portobello, and was raised Mormon, attending church regularly and playing organ...
- Whistles (1,4 and 11); Accordion (4 and 11); BodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
(4) - Aly BainAly BainAly Bain MBE is a Shetland fiddler who learned his instrument from the old-time master Tom Anderson. Bain is now considered one of the finest fiddlers in the Scottish tradition. In the early days of his career he formed part of the band The Humblebums with two other ‘unknowns’ Gerry Rafferty and...
- Violin (4 and 11) - Gavyn WrightGavyn WrightGavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London Session Orchestra and Penguin Cafe Orchestra, best known for his orchestral arrangements on pop productions as well as numerous TV and movie soundtracks Gavyn Wright is a British violinist and orchestra leader with the London...
- Violin (4) - Alison Jones - Violin (12)
- Mark BrzezickiMark BrzezickiMark Brzezicki is a rock drummer, who is primarily known for his work with Big Country, and was a member of the groups The Cult, Ultravox, and Procol Harum. He has also played with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Midge Ure, Fish, The Pretenders and many others...
- Drums (1,2,4,6,7,8,9 and 11) - John KeebleJohn KeebleJohn Keeble is a British pop musician, who is the drummer with the 1980s band, Spandau Ballet.Spandau Ballet disbanded in 1990, after their final studio album, Heart Like a Sky, failed to live up to the critical and commercial success of their earlier albums, such as True and Parade.In 1999, John...
- Drums (3) - Luis JardimLuís JardimLuís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
- Percussion (2,3,4 and 9) - Carol KenyonCarol KenyonCarol Kenyon , is a British singer. She was born c. 1959.Although primarily known as a session vocalist on many albums and singles by a variety of prominent artists, as well as in many concerts, Kenyon has also released several singles as a solo artist...
- Backing Vocals (2,3,7 and 9) - Tessa NilesTessa NilesTessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
- Backing Vocals (2,7 and 9)