Bands you prefer outside of the 'classic' line-up?

[Rarebird]

I prefer the fusion Gong, over the other one
I prefer the later Kraan over the first albums without Ingo Bischof

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

I prefer the David Jack version of East of Eden to the lineup that made the first two albums.

[Scott Bails]

Marillion with Steve Hogarth

I love the Fish albums too, but since there's so much more with Hogarth...

Good call, Jed.

I prefer post-Syd Floyd. I prefer The Division Bell to the Final Cut.

Me too.

Ok, I'll bite! If it's generally accepted that the 5 man lineup is the classic one, then my preference is the short lived 4 man lineup

Agreed.

[GuitarGeek]

Tangerine Dream... The Froese/Franke/Baumann lineup that put out 7 albums over the classic Froese/Froese/Spa lineup that put out approximately 357 albums.

So in that case, you actually prefer the classic lineup, versus the "Way, way, way past their prime" lineup.

[Rufus]

Agreed

Really!!! Which Hogarth albums are better than Fish era?

[progholio]

I definitely prefer the Beatles with Ringo over the previous version.

[trurl]

On the Relayer tour, it's Moraz playing the part on Hammond organ, which is why it doesn't sound as "grandiose" or whatever.

Nope, it's there on the 2nd repeat- watch the QPR video ;-)

[Dodie]

Really!!! Which Hogarth albums are better than Fish era?

Pretty much all of them - which is why the Hogarth line-up is the classic line-up of Marillion :-)
So therefore they don't count in this thread.

I reckon the only Fish-era album anywhere close to the consistent quality of most Hogarth albums is Clutching At Straws. I'd point to about about half of Misplaced Childhood, most of Fugazi, and almost all of Script as conclusive evidence that, for me, the Fish era was not the classic line-up of Marillion in artistic terms - though all of those have some great things on them, of course.

I struggle to think of a band where the widely accepted "classic" line-up isn't my favourite, in principle...
But in practice, my favourite Yes album is The Yes Album (so no Wakeman), followed by Relayer (so no Bruford and no Wakeman), etc.
My favourite Genesis album is probably Wind and Wuthering.
I like a lot of Camel albums without Ferguson and Bardens just as much as those that featured them.
I like post-Waters Pink Floyd just as much their previous stuff in some significant ways.
Spock's Beard with NDV on vocals gives me about as much pleasure as the Neal Morse-led band does.

So, for me, the real point is that I don't exclusively like the classic line-ups best, even if those are usually the indubitable greatest collective versions of those bands on the whole.

What's the classic line-up of Dream Theater, I wonder? I'm not sure it has Jordan Rudess in it, though I like him well enough. It might just be that I enjoy the line-up with Derek Sherinian the best, even if few would regard A Change of Seasons and Falling Into Infinity as their greatest achievements.

Oh, I have thought of one - I definitely prefer two or three of the John Payne-era Asia albums (Aqua, Aria, Aura, maybe some of Arena) to the majority of the so-called "original" Asia stuff since the 'classic' quartet reformed.

[Rufus]

I definitely prefer the Beatles with Ringo over the previous version.

So the Pete Best era was the classic line-up!!!

Seriously though, I think a strong case could be made for The Yardbirds. The Beck line-up was the strongest!

[Rufus]

Pretty much all of them - which is why the Hogarth line-up is the classic line-up of Marillion :-)
So therefore they don't count in this thread.

I reckon the only Fish-era album anywhere close to the consistent quality of most Hogarth albums is Clutching At Straws. I'd point to about about half of Misplaced Childhood, most of Fugazi, and almost all of Script as conclusive evidence that, for me, the Fish era was not the classic line-up of Marillion in artistic terms - though all of those have some great things on them, of course.

Fair enough but Clutching at Straws is the weakest Fish era album. Only Sugar Mice holds up well, and that's mostly due to Rothery's solo!

[Liquid Tension]

Opeth with Peter Lindgren / guitar and Martin Lopez / drums

[Dodie]

As you say, fair enough, but in that case I suspect we don't like Marillion for quite the same reasons. There are a few duff tracks on Clutching At Straws, like "The Last Straw", but the percentage is much smaller than on the other three Fish-era albums!
Give me "Hotel Hobbies/Warm Wet Circles/That Time Of The Night", "White Russian" and "Incommunicado" and even "Just For The Record" (I've always been in the minority because I really like it), over "Chelsea Monday", "Forgotten Sons", "White Feather" (what a naff ending to an otherwise brilliant sequence of numbers!), "She Chameleon", "Jigsaw", etc. And some of the Fish-era B sides were chronic, like "Tux on" and "Lady Nina".
I used to like all of the Fish-era stuff for Kelly's moog flourishes and Rothery's soaring lead guitar, but these days I feel sort of embarrassed by the actual songs - even if some of Rothery's guitar solos are eternally fantastic.
I think both Fish and Marillon grew up and did more artistically sophisticated and better-written stuff after their acrimonious divorce, even if I admit the band lost its harder rocking edge over time, and don't seem to often allow Rothery's Gilmour-esque side to have free rein. I don't think Marillion songs these days will feature Rothery playing the melodically-charged direct solos like you get on "Incubus", "Lavender" or "Sugar mice", but I do think nonetheless that they've written immeasurably better music since those days.

[Scott Bails]

Fair enough but Clutching at Straws is the weakest Fish era album.

I think you're confusing Clutching at Straws with Fugazi.

[Dave (in MA)]

So in that case, you actually prefer the classic lineup, versus the "Way, way, way past their prime" lineup.

The '357' wasn't a good enough hint that I was kidding?

[Rufus]

Hagar era Van Halen

Balance was the best album they made by a country mile!

[Rufus]

Well, I see no one has tackled the elephant in the room yet.

GENESIS!

What was the "classic" line-up?

1. post-Hackett trio (most sales, most airplay, biggest concerts, known worldwide)
2. post-Gabriel quartet (public recognition at last, increased airplay, great accessable albums)
3. Gabriel fronted quintet (complex music, cheesy lyrics, silly voices, embarrassing stage antics)

That's easily resolved.

1. Post Hackett era was their classic pop line-up
2. Post Gabriel era was their classic neo-prog line-up
3. Gabriel era was their classic prog line-up

Wow, that's three classic line-up's in the bands career! Is that unprecedented?

[Alexander]

Marillion with Steve Hogarth

I love the Fish albums too, but since there's so much more with Hogarth...

DITTO!

[Alexander]

Clutching at Straws is the weakest Fish era album. Only Sugar Mice holds up well, and that's mostly due to Rothery's solo!

CAS is excellent! Not weak at all in my opinion...

[Rufus]

DITTO!

But nobody's named a Hogarth album that even comes close to Script or Childhood. Educate me !

[trurl]

CAS is the only record by Fish-era Marillion that I like at all.

[SteveSly]

I think you're confusing Clutching at Straws with Fugazi.

Exactly what I was thinking. For me “Fugazi” is by far the weakest of the Fish area albums. I still like it a lot though, just not as good as the other ones.

As for which era is better……..for me it is a tough call. The Hogarth era has so much more to choose from, but the Fish era was magical at the time. I have been privileged to see both lineups live (Fish era twice / Hogarth era at least five) and both of them were incredible front men in their own unique ways. I think the Hogarth era albums have been a bit more hit and miss, but some of them are brilliant.

[SteveSly]

But nobody's named a Hogarth album that even comes close to Script or Childhood. Educate me !

I would go with:

The 2 disc version of “Marbles”
“Afraid Of Sunlight”
“Season’s End”
Maybe “Brave”

[bigjohnwayne]

Clutching at Straws is easier to like if have ever had a bit of a drinking problem. The lyrics of the opening triptych, but especially "Just for the Record" and "Torch Song" make a bit more sense that way.


The two disc version of Marbles is awesome--yes, yes it has Ocean Cloud, but dammit everybody: go listen to "The Only Unforgivable Thing" and "Genie". Two of my favorite Marillion songs. And since they're my favorite they must be the best

[Mister Triscuits]

CAS is the only record by Fish-era Marillion that I like at all.

Calling All Stations?

[Alexander]

But nobody's named a Hogarth album that even comes close to Script or Childhood. Educate me !

Brave!