Fish - Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 29.1.1990
On July 18, 1987, the band Marillion performed at the Loreley Amphitheatre in Germany in front of 20,000 enthusiastic fans. A band that had begun its career as an art-rock outfit had, almost overnight, transformed itself through a single album, "Misplaced Childhood", and two massive hit singles, "Kayleigh" and "Lavender", into a hugely popular act selling out shows in advance.
The members of "Marillion" suddenly found themselves constantly on the road and making a lot of money well, to be precise, it was mainly their manager John Arnison who enjoyed the financial rewards. For the band itself, however, these endless tours had a very different effect. Pressure began to build to deliver yet another successful album, all while moving relentlessly from one performance to the next.
Frontman Fish felt he was losing his sense of direction. He began to sink into alcohol and drug abuse, eventually realizing that if he continued living this way, he would not live to see the age of 30.
With no real alternative in sight, "Marillion" released one final album together, "Clutching at Straws", after which the split became inevitable. Fish left the band, setting his sights on a solo career that officially began with his debut album "Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors", released on January 29, 1990.
Fish was born Derek William Dick in April 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
His musical and songwriting influences included artists such as Joni Mitchell, "The Moody Blues", "Pink Floyd", "Genesis", David Bowie, and others.
Beyond his love for music, Fish was also a voracious reader. His literary influences ranged from Jack Kerouac and Truman Capote to Robert Burns and Dylan Thomas.
When he began writing and pursuing music seriously, he realized he would need to change his name.“With a real name of Derek William Dick, it became very necessary to find a nickname as quickly as possible,” he admitted.
At one point, while living in a rented apartment, he developed a habit of spending long periods soaking in the bathtub. The landlady, annoyed by the amount of water he was using, nicknamed him “Fish.” The name stuck and eventually became his permanent stage name.
After leaving "Marillion", Fish began writing and recording his first solo album, "Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors". The album showcased a wide range of musical styles, including progressive rock ("Vigil"), pop rock ("Big Wedge"), hard rock ("View From the Hill"), and folk ("The Company").
Primarily a lyricist rather than a composer, Fish collaborated with keyboardist Mickey Simmonds on all the songs except "View From the Hill", which was written and recorded with Janick Gers, guitarist of Iron Maiden during the 1990s.
Additional songwriting contributions came from former Dire Straits guitarist Hal Lindes ("State of Mind", "Family Business", and "Cliché"), who also played guitar on the album, alongside Frank Usher, a longtime collaborator of Fish dating back to his pre-"Marillion" days.
Drums were handled by Mark Brzezicki ("Big Country") and John Keeble ("Spandau Ballet"), with bass played by John Giblin. Additional percussion was provided by Luis Jardim, while backing vocals were performed by Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon, who previously sang on "Temptation" by "Heaven 17".
Although not a concept album, several of the songs reference the idea of “the hill” as a metaphor for greed and consumerism. The album addresses themes Fish was always passionate about writing personal experience and politics. "State of Mind" and "Big Wedge" stand out as the most overtly political tracks. "State of Mind" powerfully reflects the growing civic disillusionment during the later years of Margaret Thatcher’s rule, while "Big Wedge" delivers a direct critique of capitalist greed, American society, and U.S. policy. The single’s cover art famously features Uncle Sam offering a fistful of dollar bills to the viewer.
Other songs such as "Vigil", "The Company", and "View From the Hill" express a broader rejection of materialism. "Family Business" addresses domestic violence, while "The Voyeur" explores television voyeurism. "A Gentleman’s Excuse Me" and "Cliché" are love songs.
The phrase “wilderness of mirrors” originates from T.S. Eliot’s poem "Gerontion" and later became a widely used metaphor for disinformation in espionage and thriller literature, genres Fish avidly read.
The album artwork was illustrated by Mark Wilkinson, who had previously created the album and single covers for "Marillion". The artwork contains numerous references to the lyrics, political allusions, and hidden messages intended primarily for fans, including subtle depictions of Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly and manager John Arnison.
At the center of the image stands a “hill” composed of towering heaps of consumer waste in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Atop it, a couple dressed in pseudo-Eastern clothing stare into the distance while holding an hourglass. The man’s cloak, billowing in the wind, resembles the eastern coastline of Scotland, with the upper southern region Fish’s home area illuminated by beams of light seemingly emanating from the hourglass. This serves as a nod to Fish’s deep interest in Scottish culture.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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