Fish (singer)

Fish
Fish at a meet and greet in Bonn, Germany, in November 2010
Background information
Birth name Derek William Dick
Also known as Fish
Born (1958-04-25) 25 April 1958
Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland
Genres
Occupation(s) Musician, singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments Vocals, percussion
Years active 1981–present
Labels Chocolate Frog, EMI, Polydor, Roadrunner, Voiceprint, Dick Bros., Snapper, Lightyear
Associated acts Marillion, Tony Banks, Ayreon
Website fishmusic.scot

Derek William Dick (born 25 April 1958), better known by his stage name Fish, is a Scottish singer-songwriter and occasional actor.

Fish became widely known as the lead singer and lyricist of the neo-progressive rock band Marillion from 1981 until 1988. He released 11 UK Top 40 singles with the band, including the Top Ten singles "Kayleigh", "Lavender" and "Incommunicado", and five Top Ten albums, including a number-one with Misplaced Childhood.[3] In his solo career, Fish has explored contemporary pop and traditional folk,[2] and released a further five Top 40 singles and a Top Ten album.[4]

Fish's voice has been described as both "distinct" and a "conflation of Roger Daltrey and Peter Gabriel",[5][6] while his lyrics have been praised as "poetic prose".[5] In 2004, Classic Rock ranked Fish at number 49 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Frontmen", describing his "theatrical delivery" as "a major factor in Marillion's spectacular rise, and he masterminded some uniquely ornate lyrical concepts."[7] In 2009, Fish was voted at number 37 in a poll of the greatest voices in rock music by Planet Rock listeners.[1]

Early life

Derek William Dick was born on 25 April 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and grew up in Dalkeith. The son of Robert and Isabella, Fish was educated at King's Park primary school and then Dalkeith High School. He was inspired by the music of many of the rock artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Genesis, Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, the Kinks, T. Rex, David Bowie, Argent and the Alex Harvey Band (Fish would later pay tribute to these early influences on his covers album Songs from the Mirror). Fish has also cited Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell as "one of the biggest influences on me because of her approach to lyrics".[8] The first band he saw live was Yes at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, in 1974. As well as his love for music, he was also a voracious reader, and his literary inspirations included Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Robert Burns and Dylan Thomas (all of whom would later be depicted on the sleeve of Marillion's Clutching at Straws).

Fish worked as a petrol pump attendant, gardener and from 1977 until 1980 worked in forestry.[9] During this period he adopted the nickname of Fish, which originated from the amount of time he spent in the bath. Fish has been quoted: "With a real name of Derek William Dick, it became very necessary to find a nickname as quickly as possible."[10]

Fish with Marillion (Mannheim, Germany 1986)
Fish during concert in Poland, 2007

Marillion

Fish joined Marillion in 1981. The band gained popularity over the next couple of years, leading to the release of their top ten debut album Script for a Jester's Tear in 1983. They achieved further chart success in the UK, attaining top ten hit singles in 1985 with "Kayleigh" and "Lavender", and again in 1987 with "Incommunicado". In 1988, Fish left Marillion to pursue a solo career.

Solo career

Many of Fish's later works contain lengthy spoken word lyrics, shorter examples of which can be heard on earlier Marillion albums. Fish has collaborated with Genesis founder Tony Banks on his Still and Soundtracks albums, singing on the tracks "Shortcut to Somewhere", "Angel Face" and "Another Murder of a Day", co-writing the latter.

On 26 August 2007, Fish performed at the 'Hobble on The Cobbles' show at the Market Square in Aylesbury. He was accompanied on stage by his four former Marillion bandmates from the classic line-up (Mark Kelly, Steve Rothery, Ian Mosley and Pete Trewavas) for one song: 'Market Square Heroes'. This was the first time they had performed together in nearly two decades. In a press interview following the event, Fish denied this would lead to a full reunion, claiming that "Hogarth does a great job with the band ... We forged different paths over the 19 years."[11]

His album 13th Star was released on 12 September 2007 as a specially-packaged pre-release version available to order from his website. A UK tour for this album commenced in March 2008, supported by Glyder. In February 2008, Fish was confirmed to be the Friday night headline act at NEARFest X. He also appeared with BBC Radio 2's Bob Harris on GMTV to promote Childline Rocks, a charity concert.

In 2008, Fish presented a Friday evening radio show, Fish on Friday, for digital radio station Planet Rock. When the station was faced with closure, Malcolm Bluemel (with the help of Fish, Tony Iommi, Ian Anderson and Gary Moore) helped save Planet Rock by buying the station.[12]

On 9 June 2008, Fish embarked on his first full North American tour in eleven years. At each stop, he hosted a pre-show meet-and-greet with his fans. Two days prior, he was interviewed by Vince Font of the progressive rock podcast Prog'opolis, which was aired a week later on The Dividing Line Broadcast Network (DLBN) as "My Lunch With Fish".[13]

In 2005, Fish won a Celebrity Music edition of The Weakest Link, beating Eggsy of Goldie Lookin Chain in the final round, sharing £18,750 with Eggsy's charity and his own.

On 20 and 21 October 2012, Fish hosted Fish Convention 2012 in Leamington Spa. He performed two acoustic sets and two electric sets, including material from his upcoming release, Feast of Consequences. He also performed "Grendel", a fan-favourite Marillion b-side, twice.

Musical style

Fish has sometimes been compared to Peter Gabriel, original lead singer of Genesis in the early 1970s, and his voice has even been described as "uncannily close".[14] Music journalist David Hepworth described his voice as a "conflation of Roger Daltrey and Peter Gabriel".[6] Fish has acknowledged Gabriel's influence on him and some vocal similarities, but has rejected accusations from some critics during his career that he does not have a unique voice of his own.[2] Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator was also a major influence on his songwriting and vocal delivery, which is especially notable on the first two Marillion albums.

Record labels

Following a legal dispute with EMI Records and an unsuccessful contract with Polydor, Fish established the Dick Bros Record Company in 1993. He released a number of "official bootleg" albums to finance the company before selling it to Roadrunner Records. Another financially unsuccessful period followed before he re-established his own Chocolate Frog Records label in 2001. He signed with Snapper Music in 2005, but later returned to Chocolate Frog Records.

Awards

In May 2008, Fish's Planet Rock show Fish on Friday won the Silver award in the Music Broadcaster of the Year category at the UK Sony Radio Academy Awards 2008.[15] In June 2008, at the New York Festivals Radio Broadcasting Awards, he and Gary Moore jointly received the Gold World Medal in the Regularly Scheduled Music Programme category for their respective shows on Planet Rock.[16]

Acting

Fish was offered and accepted a part in the 1986 film Highlander (for which Marillion were also offered the soundtrack) but he eventually had to turn it down, owing to his tour commitments with the band.[17] Fish first appeared on terrestrial television as himself in the "More Bad News" episode of the series "The Comic Strip Presents..." in 1988.

His first acting role was as a guest star in an episode of "Zorro" called "The Newcomers" (aired 10 February 1991) but a more prominent role was as the thug "Ferguson" alongside John Sessions in Jute City, a four-part 1991 BBC drama based on a group of Masonic ruffians.

In 1994, he appeared in Chasing the Deer, a film set during the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, as "Angus Cameron". He also missed out on a role in Braveheart. He spent two days with Mel Gibson in London who kept asking him to be involved but he was committed to touring his Suits album instead.[18]

In 1998, he appeared as "David Lawson" in series 14, episode 44 of the ITV series The Bill, titled 'Manhunt' and was aired on 16 April.

He played "Derek Trout", a record producer in the 1999 series, The Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star.

He also appeared as "Barry Judd" in a 2000 episode of the TV detective series Rebus alongside John Hannah.

Later in 2000, Fish would go on to act this time in the popular Scottish detective television programme Taggart episode number 48 "Skin Deep".

In 2001, he auditioned (unsuccessfully) for the James Bond film Die Another Day. He then went on to appear in two episodes of Snoddy, a short lived Scottish television sitcom.

In 2004, Fish played "Finlay Price" in the TV movie Quite Ugly One Morning alongside James Nesbitt, Eddie Marsan and Annette Crosbie.

Fish appeared as "Old Nick", a camp homosexual in the 2002 crime comedy film 9 Dead Gay Guys.

In the 2005 film, The Jacket, Fish appeared alongside Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley as a patient "Jimmy Fleischer" in a mental institution and he played "Uncle Jimmy" in the 2012 comedy drama 'Electric Man'.

Personal life

Fish married his first wife, Tamara Nowy, a German model who appeared in the "Kayleigh", "Lady Nina" and "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" music videos, on 25 July 1987. They had one daughter, Tara Rowena (Taz) born 1 January 1991, who is currently a model for 'Colours Agency' and in 2012 was a nominee for 'Scottish Model of the Year'. Fish and Nowy divorced in 2003. Following his divorce from Nowy, Fish was in a relationship with Mostly Autumn singer Heather Findlay.[19] Fish married his second wife, Katie Webb, in April 2009, but the couple divorced after less than a year.[20]

In 2008, Fish revealed that he would be taking at least six months off from singing due to an "irregular cell growth" in his throat.[21] This was later determined not to be cancerous.[22]

Fish is a lifelong fan of Edinburgh football club Hibernian.[23]

Fish has a keen interest in marine science.[24]

Politics

Politically, Fish has identified as having "a lot of socialist trends" despite working in a capitalist industry.[2] Fish is a supporter of Scottish independence because he is "dismayed" by the UK's anti-European stance and does not believe a "London-based government" is "beneficial to the UK as a whole". Fish has argued that independence could "shake up British politics" to ensure a more "fair distribution of wealth" throughout the UK. However, he declined to actively campaign in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum because he believed it would be "hypocritical" as he was planning to leave Scotland for Germany to live with his partner and her young son.[25]

Current live band

  • Fish – Lead Vocals
  • Robin Boult – Electric/Acoustic guitars
  • Steve Vantsis – Bass guitars; Keyboards; Backing vocals
  • John Beck – Keyboards; Backing vocals
  • Gavin Griffiths – Drums

Discography with Marillion

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Video albums

  • 1983: Recital of the Script (Reissued on DVD in 2003 includes Grendel / The Web EP)
  • 1984: Grendel / The Web EP
  • 1986: The Videos 1982–1986
  • 1987: Incommunicado / Sugar Mice
  • 1987: Live from Loreley (Reissued on VHS / CD package in 1995 and on DVD in 2004).

Singles

Solo discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

DVD albums

  • 2002: Kettle of Fish (88–98) (Promo Video Collection)
  • 2003: Sunsets on Empire (Live in Poland 1997).
  • 2003: "Fool's Company" (Recorded live at Muziekcentrum, Enschede, the Netherlands on 28/29 June 2002).
  • 2005: "Scattering Crows Live" (Live recordings from Bradford, England 6 April 2004, and Malta 31 July 2004).
  • 2005: "Krakow Electric & Acoustic Set (Recorded live in Kraków at P1TV Studios, 24th / 27 October 1995).
  • 2006: "Return To Childhood" (Live in concert at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, 15 and 18 November 2005).
  • 2006: "NEARFest – In Search of the 13th Star" (Live in the USA, 20 June 2008).
  • 2013: "The Fishheads Club Live" (Live at University of Derby Faculty of the Arts December 13, 2010).

Singles

  • 1986: "Shortcut to Somewhere" (Fish & Tony Banks)
  • 1989: "State of Mind"
  • 1989: "Big Wedge"
  • 1990: "A Gentleman's Excuse Me"
  • 1990: "The Company" (Germany only)
  • 1991: "Internal Exile"
  • 1991: "Credo"
  • 1992: "Something in the Air"
  • 1992: "Never Mind The Bullocks" (feat. Hold Your Head Up)
  • 1994: "Lady Let It Lie"
  • 1994: "Fortunes of War"
  • 1994: "Emperors song"
  • 1995: "Just Good Friends" (feat. Sam Brown)
  • 1997: "Brother 52"
  • 1997: "Change of Heart"
  • 1999: "Incomplete" (feat. Elisabeth Antwi)
  • 2008: "Arc of the Curve"
  • 2008: "Zoë 25"
  • 2014: "Blind to the Beautiful"

EPs

  • 2018: "A Parley with Angels"

References

  1. 1 2 "Robert Plant voted rock's greatest voice". MusicRadar. 4 January 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prasad, Anil. "Fish: Mirroring influences". Innerviews. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  3. ↑ David Roberts, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles and Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. p. 349. ISBN 978-1904994107.
  4. ↑ David Roberts, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles and Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. p. 201. ISBN 978-1904994107.
  5. 1 2 Montesano, Jeri. "Seasons End". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  6. 1 2 David Hepworth's review of Clutching at Straws. Q magazine. July 1987.
  7. ↑ Classic Rock UK issue #68/2004
  8. ↑ "This Must Be The Plaice: Fish's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "Official Fish site: Biographies – Fish". Fish-thecompany.com. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  10. ↑ "Fish – December 1999 Interview". Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  11. ↑ "Singer Fish and Marillion Reunite". BBC News. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  12. ↑ "Fish – Planet Rock radio station saved". Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  13. ↑ "Podcast interview "My Lunch With Fish" June 7, 2008". Thedividingline.com. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  14. ↑ Borthwick, Stuart (2004). Popular Music Genres: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-1745-6. "Their vocalist Fish (Derek Dick) had a voice uncannily close to Peter Gabriel's"
  15. ↑ "Fish wins Silver in 2008 Sony Radio Academy Awards". Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  16. ↑ "Newyorkfestivals.com" (PDF). Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  17. ↑ Wall, Mick (2010). Appetite for Destruction: Legendary Encounters with Mick Wall. Orion. ISBN 978-1-4091-2169-5.
  18. ↑ Ritchie, Jason. "Interview: FISH". Get Ready to Rock!. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  19. ↑ "Heather a good catch for fish ." Edinburgh Evening News. 1 August 2006. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Years of immense personal and professional difficulty for the singer and musician, Fish". Penny Black Music. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "EX MARILLION SINGER FISH QUITS MUSIC AFTER CANCER SCARE". Gigwise. 22 December 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  22. ↑ "Marillion's Fish feared he would lose voice". Wales Online. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "Hearts Administration: Hibby Fish in benefit gig". Edinburgh Evening News. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  24. ↑ "Brighton university scientists to showcase marine research at Sea Life Centre". Brighton and Hove News. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  25. ↑ "Fish turns down Yes role over Germany move". Edinburgh Evening News. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
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