Well hello, thanks for coming...it really is lovely to see you!

Ant thought it might be nice to begin 2025 (HNY by the way, I hope you had a good 'un) with a bit of a pop quiz, based around what I can actually remember about my own podcast.

Clearly he thought this would be hilarious, particularly as the only bit of a clue I was allowed was the chapter title and the date it was published. And because the whole world seems to be doing 2024 review-type stuff at the moment, we started with the first episode of last year.

So, if you think you know your TCD, and you want to play along at home, these are the ones we had a go at...

• 191 - Third drawer on the left in the laptop
• 192 - in amongst the football boots and dog food
• 193 - And some people know me as Papa
• 194 - Dawn in California, Joe sends hugs

As you might imagine, I did fairly dreadfully.

Right I am off to find my sea-legs, join me for a turn around the deck if you feel the urge.

Hearts'n'bones,

h

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If everything has gone to plan, and you are a Purple, then I am currently in East Sussex, preparing for the second of my Christmas h Natural affairs at Trading Boundaries. Let me tell you that last night was amazing, and I’ll try to improve on it tonight.

If everything has gone to plan, and you are listening to this upon general release, then Trading Boundaries was an absolute blast and to quote our Sue 'we all had a lovely time'.

Anyway back to today and what we have for you is a bit of chat about matters arising from the couple of shows I did in Liverpool at the Crypt. Consequently both Ant & I would like to dedicate this episode to everybody that appeared over those two magical evenings, and to Family Barton who kept order and proved how mercurial they are in the dark art of commerce.

Maybe I will see you in Oxford, but either way have a good one,

h x

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We are going back to '95 today as we continue on the promo-video chat, and get deep into the making of the Beautiful video.

This if course is quite opportune, as most of these vids have finally been uploaded to the Marillion YouTube channel. Which means you can watch it right now by clicking here and then be slightly prepared for what is to come.

Not much more you need to know before diving in, which is good because I am already behind on working up tunes for the Christmas shows, and writing out Christmas Cards.

Love'n'strategic-swearing

h

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If you are a purple patron of TCD (sorry Lucy) then you will have heard some of this before, because we had a chat about the Brave movie (and working with Richard Stanley) in a recent Q&A.

Well today we build on that conversation, as we have arrived at that point in our loose 'promo-video-reminiscences' timeline.

And because of that slight crossover, now would be a good time to remind you that becoming a supporting patron of the podcast brings with it many benefits. Apart from being part of the 'purple collective', and getting early access to the pod, you will never have a TCD-free week, because in-between producing fortnightly chapters, we deliver extra content to our wonderful supporters.

You can learn more by clicking here.

Love'n'visual-curiosities

h

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This week’s episode of TCD (sorry Lucy) is one of those where we really benefit from having a clever and creative voice in the room.

You may recall that we have been talking about the Marillion promo vids on a kind of ad-hoc basis, and that the last time we touched on that topic we talked about the singles from Holidays. That took us to the legendary Howard Greenhalgh, a bit of a creative trailblazer and all round top bloke.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and following a couple of speculative messages we managed to reconnect with Howard and twist his arm into coming onto TCD, to share his take on those projects and what actually went down.

And even though we are talking about a gap of thirty plus years, he still managed to deliver in terms of helping us understand how that part of the industry operated back then, as well as some stories from the production floor …and how he very nearly cut my life short in Iceland.

Love’n’skipping-along-the-glaciers

h x

Greetings from NYC….

I have to say that this week has gone by in a a bit of a blur. Indeed, it seems a long time since I was strapped to the chair, recording this week’s TCD (sorry, Lucy) pondering what I still had left to do, before I could set-off to board a plane and cross the Atlantic.

Certainly, I wasn’t expecting Ant to take me back to shooting the promo videos for Holidays in Eden, or to be reminiscing about working with the legendary director Howard Greenhalgh.

He was quite a character, with a penchant for straightforward (and profane-embellished) instruction whilst delivering Hollywood production on a Cricklewood budget.

Anyway I am off to groove about a bit in New Jersey, if you bump into me at Progstock do come and say hello.

Love’n’”for f***s sake look heroic. I’ll be back in 10 with a helicopter”

h

Here we go then, the second half of my Seasons End musings, based on having listened to the album again for the first time in ages.

Of course since we last spoke it has tipped past its 35th Anniversary, which is a statement that has the power to stop you dead in your tracks, particularly if it feels like last year.

Anyway we got as far as Holloway Girl on TCD #219 (sorry Lucy) so today we start with Berlin, and work our way through the latter stages of the album. And tbh there isn't much else to say that you need to know before you start listening.

Which is your cue to start listening...

Love'n'driving through the night

h

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Who says you can’t teach on old dog new tricks, well to be fair lots of people - including me as it goes - but you know what I mean.

So for this episode of TCD (sorry Lucy) we are having a crack at something a bit different, based around an idea that Ant had. I happened to mention a few weeks ago that I rarely listen back to the Marillion albums and haven’t done for quite a while. Consequently my experience of our back catalogue tends to be in rehearsal and on stage.

Anyway he suggested that I sit down and work my way through our back catalogue, taking note of what struck me whilst I was listening back to them now. And do you know what, it sounded like quite an intriguing little musical experiment, so here we are.

Anyway we start, where all good stories start, at the beginning. So sit back and prepare yourselves for Seasons End.

Love’n’full fibre

h

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The first TCD of September (sorry Lucy) and we are starting with what could be loosely called ‘a plan’.

Following some imaginative intervention from the Purples, we have a rich vein of chat suggestions to mine over the coming weeks, starting with a belter from Roger Harvey.

But I ain’t going to spoil the surprise, so you will just have to listen for the details - and of course we will also be requiring you all to help provide the clarifications when the timeline gets a little hazy.

Love’n’linen

h

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It’s literally two years since we had an episode quite like this one. And in an unusual foray into accuracy I can give you the exact details, because it was Chapter 122

The reason I know this is because that week Ant was on holiday in Catalonia, and as such he recorded his half of the conversation in a lively cafe in Platja d’Aro.

And, literally just for the hell of it, he is back in the same spot - only this time it was a hotel reception. The good news is that the Wi-Fi was considerably better, so actually getting something in the can was a lot easier. The downside is the background hubbub that you get in that particular environment. Meanwhile, I was in Denmark with toddlers.

Tweaks have been made using expensive Spanish digital software, but it is a little nosier than usual so please bear with.

Anyway onto business, because those of you who appreciate a well-run council waste facility, or indeed are unsure about the nutritional make-up of your breakfast bowl, are in for an absolute treat.

Love’n’tow-balls

h

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