Mark Tiplady - freaks mailing list

Having just come back from the land of the 'Chads', West Palm Beach Florida. I was happy to see my copy of 'Masque' the Mark Wilkinson and Fish book about the numerous Marillion and Fish covers that Mark did. Not knowing what to expect i extracted from the envelope a professional looking book! Not nearly having enough time to read through it all, i think i'm only now on the talk about the 'Script...' cover, this is a definite want for all Marillion/Fish fans. The text is a running dialog between Mark and Fish who both throw out stories of what transpired to get to each of the finished products. The pages are expertly designed and the graphics are phenominal. Don't hesitate to order this from The Company. To Mark and Fish congratulations on finally getting this out to the fans. It was more than worth the wait!

Jody - freaks mailing list

I received mine on Friday and finished reading it by Saturday night.Now some of you say that maybe I should get a life; :-)) but it was a very good read.

Joe Serge - Fishfans mailing list

Got my copy of Masque on Sat. STUNNING!!! if you haven't ordered yet I recommend that you do so NOW! it's worth buying just to see the picture of Mark in his Jason King guise :-)

Sandy Fearfull - Fishfans mailing list

It is a GREAT looking book! And that's coming from Tony the Sceptic!! ;-) Buy it! I'm going to (and I wasn't going to until I saw it!)

Tony Wood - fishfans mailing list

I saw a copy at the weekend, and it is indeed smashing :-) Karin hadn't intended to buy a copy originally as she is more of an h-era fan and thought there'd be nothing in it for her. She soon changed her tune after seeing it and her order is going in as soon as she gets back to the States I believe :-)

Andy Westmoreland - Fishfans mailing list

Favorite gift so far...... "Masque" and it arrived in mint condition all the way to the US, I will try to review it at the new millennium because it is so hard for me to write eloquently.

Jan Earhart - Freaks mailing list

Well I've just spent the last three days reading the Masque and, I must say, what an engaging and pleasurable experience it was! I decided to take the 'slow' route ie: listen to the specific album each chapter related to. Unfortunately, this meant that the chapter was normally over after the first 25/30 minutes and so I then decided to re-read the inlay notes for the re-masters as well. Which meant the album was over before I'd finished the inlay cards. So i then need to play the bonus disc.......see what I mean by it being the 'slow' way to read the Masque! But really, it is the only way to do it. What you end up with is a backtrack through the complete Marillion (Fush era) albums plus all his solo work, in a totally enjoyable way. The days of this christmas holidays just flew by. Anyway, anybody who hasn;t purchased The Masque yet, you're missing out. Many are no doubt like me who decided to use the split between Marillion and Fish to get a consistent crossover from vinyl to CD. It seemed the right time to do it. But, of course, the downside has always beenthat I've never sat and pored over the Fish solo album covers in the same way. No gatefolds, just 5 inch windows. And so what a pleasure it has been to re-discover all this artwork on pages where the artwork is significanly laarger than the CD's. Not only are the album and singles wonderfully represented but carefully and chronogically organbised so you are actually looking at the pictures you are reading about. Very good. In fact, a much more pleasurable wander down memory lane than the Fish singles boxed set that came out earlier in the year. For those saving up for that boxed set, buy The Masque first. And the dialogue does pretty much stick to the nostalgia. It isn't Fish's autobiography and, OK, around the Internal Exile stage we do get the unnecessary 'what if' and 'what could have been' suggestions. But this is the exception rather than the norm and, from somebody who does get a little bit tired of Fish's moaning at times, his commentary with mark Wilkinson is very positive, enlightening and enjoyable throughout. One question for Tosh though, has the gatefold centre from Vigil in the book been 'enhanced' for diplomatic purposes in this era of perestroika between old Derek and the Marillios ? So its a great read and ponder. The striking thing that I did get out of it though was Lizard's contribution to recent Marillion merchandise couldn't be further from the truth. 'In it for the Music' is the in-phrase at Racket. Well, the Marillion phenomenon didn't just arise out of the music, it came from these images (and everything they stood for) as well.

John Boye - Freaks mailing list

I got the Book as an Xmas pressie for my wife!(one of those double pressies like a new car etc!) we have had great fun reading it together and laughing at the true meaning of the Artwork as oppose to guessing what it meant! some we were right and some dead wrong ! I would suggest to anyone on the list who has not got the book yet to get a copy even if it is only in softback ;-) the banter between Mark and Fish is great and its cool to see how the covers and artwork have come together. Cheers Tosh and all those involved.

Jon Davies - Freaks mailing list

The Masque reveals brainspinnings

Fish and Wilkinson The book The Masque about Mark Wilkinson’s sleeve designs for Fish and Marillion is more then a picture-book. Based on doodles made by Fish and Wilkinson it is made clear which creative process was running in the heads of both artists before reaching the final design. It is demonstrated which concepts didn’t make it and why. Also an impression is given of the creative problems and solutions Mark was dealing with. Handwritten song texts of Fish are printed (interesting detail: his hand-writing has changed in the course of years, the loops of the letters became longer: food for graphologists!). But the book is especially fascinating because Fish and Wilkinson explain the meaning of the figures on the album-sleeves. Why is the jester playing such a big part, as well as the magpie and the chameleon? And who are the men hanging at the bar on the cover of Clutching at Straws? And who were the two people that were modelling for the painted couple on the hill of Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors? But also: did everybody study the sleeve of Real to real? Did you notice that the wheel in fact is the little round inside of a cassette? And does everybody know that Fish’ (ex)wife Tammie was modelling for Gentleman’s Excuse Me? The book contains hundreds of this kind of interesting facts. Also you will find business-like considerations. Marillion intented to dump Wilkinson because he was too expensive. The band wanted to introduce the new artist on a tricky way. For that reason they invited artists to send in paintings. The paintings would be used as ‘amateur’-paintings on the wall of the room on the Fugazi-cover and simultaneously as an introduction of the new sleeve-designer. Ironically it was Mark’s wife (at that moment his girl-friend) who was chosen by the band, but she was not interested in designing the new cover. However you can see her paintings on the Fugazi-sleeve. The book is written in an easy style. It contains just the dialogue between Fish and Wilkinson. Late at night, with a bottle of wine, they muse about the past and the future. The tape recorder is on and later these brainspinnings are typed out. The English is very accessible, once started reading, you won’t stop. When you read the book, without doubt, you’ll take the cd’s and lp’s of Fish and Marillion out of the cupboard. But this time not just for playing them, but for studying the sleeves with a refreshed insight.

Marianne Timmer