Therefore, we will go through the album, and there may be some things even the most devoted fan may not know or gain new insights into this album. Most readers will know ‘ Seasons End‘ well, and will be most interested in the remix and additional material, but there may be some new to this album. To cut a long story short Hogarth eventually agreed to join the band and they set about writing their first album together. Even at that point it took a mutual friend of Hogarth and Mosley, Daryl Way of Curved Air, to persuade ‘h’ to consider doing the audition as he was seriously considering joining the touring band of The The for a major tour instead. Ian Mosley spotted his potential from a tape sent in of Hogarth singing the How We Live song ‘ Games in Germany’ and the band agreed to give ‘h’ an audition. Meanwhile around the same time Steve Hogarth’s band How We Live was coming to a disappointing end due to a lack of success and he was thinking of leaving the music business entirely, such was his disillusionment. A largely fruitless search for his replacement commenced with tapes received and various auditions, (including Stuart Nicholson of Galahad). There was an assumption by many that the band could not survive without their charismatic front man, but the remaining band were confident in their music and knew that Marillion were far more than just a backing band for Fish. Following great success with albums and singles the future of Marillion was far from clear after they parted company with Fish in 1988. Whilst we can look back on this album as an assured and high-quality album it belies a period of great uncertainty leading up to its recording and release. This deluxe re-release gives us the opportunity to re-evaluate ‘h’s debut with the band.

Steve Hogarth has been around ever since and has imprinted his mark and class on the Marillion brand so indelibly that it is hard to remember what it felt like at the time when he emerged from virtually nowhere to replace Fish. It is also the most pivotal album in the band’s history as it marked the beginning of the ‘h’ era of Marillion with Steve Hogarth as the vocalist. ‘Seasons End’, first released in 1989, is the last release in Marillion’s series of EMI era deluxe re-issues.

September Ends by Hunter S. Jones