So there's this band I love and that nobody else has ever heard of

They're called Marillion. They've been my favourite band for 15 years, and I've literally flown 3000 miles just to see them in concert. (It was a concert in Seattle, 2 weeks before Summit. I spent 11 hours in the air to spend 22 hours on the ground to watch them play for 4 hours. Worth every second and penny too, it was.)

So I'm sending a "Marillion sampler" CD to two friends: one is my Seattle-area friend BJ who sat through the whole concert with me without complaint, and even remarked that he liked some of the songs. The other is a Brit who still thinks that Marillion sounds like AC/DC, which is such a 1982 assumption. :-)

After much deliberation, the track list has shaped up as follows:

Disc One (yes, there are two discs. I couldn't decide what to cut.)

1. Made Again, from the 1994 "Brave" concept album, the whole of which needs to be listened to loudly with the lights out.
2. Ocean Cloud, a 20-minute marathon off of last year's "Marbles". A great song in its own right, and one that BJ specifically mentioned liking at the concert.
3. Games in Germany. It's actually from singer Steve Hogarth's solo project before joining Marillion, but I couldn't not include a song written about the RAF in World War II. Damn song makes me cry every time I hear it.
4. Beautiful, from "Afraid of Sunlight".
5. Beyond You, ibid.
6. Cover My Eyes, an acoustic version of what's an otherwise very peppy song. Written as a tribute to memorable women: Jackie O., Marilyn, etc. Love it.
7. The Invisible Man, a frighteningly raw and emotional number from "Marbles". Emotionally cathartic when played at volume.
8. Fantastic Place, also from "Marbles". Sweet piece about mental clarity and finding a safe place to retreat to, even if it's only inside your own head.
9. Easter. The first song they wrote together as a band. It's a love song for that complicated, troubled, but ultimately wonderful couple otherwise known as England and Ireland. Trust me, it works.
10. Lost at Sea.
11. Go! from "marillion.com". Very mellow, feels like Radiohead on a good day.

Disc Two (told you I couldn't figure out what to cut)

1. Don't Hurt Yourself, from "Marbles". I'm using a line from this song on my grad school graduation announcements.
2. Enlightened. More "marillion.com", chillin' the afternoon in viva vida. Makes me think of Spain for some reason.
3. Genie. More "Marbles" brilliance.
4. Born to Run, from "Radiation". Marillion emulates the Beatles, and do a better than passable job in the attempt.
5. After Me. Sweet old song from "Seasons End" in the late 80's
6. Dry Land. My favourite Marillion song ever. Didn't hear it live until this year, at which point it just made my year.
7. Memory of Water. I put on the techno dance remix version of this song, which will probably horrify both BJ and the Brit. But damnit it's really good!
8. Neverland. The song that's been stuck in my head all day, so I chose to inflict it on my friends.
Will you be yourself for me?
Cos I can take anything when you're with me
But when you go, I never land
In Neverland

9. This Strange Engine (live from Rochester). The Rochester NY show in 1997 was quite special, since it was on a tour that the US fans funded completely out of pocket. The boys said they couldn't afford to tour in the US that time around, and the big Marillion list-serv of the time organized a whip-'round and sent them $60K USD to fund the tour. It became known as the "Concert Fund Tour", and the Rochester show was recorded and sent to everyone who donated to the whip-round.
10. The Release. More cheesy 80's pop-rock for a light ending.