It is four years after the foundation of Marillion that the first album, entitled "Script For A Jester's Tear" is released. It follows by 6 months the first EP, released on EMI, "Market Square Heroes". We can note in advance that none of the tracks of this EP, "Market...", "Three Boats Down From The Candy", and "Grendel", 19 minutes long and quite caricatural, appear on the album. We will have to wait for the remastered edition of 1997 to find them on the second bonus disc of "Script...".
This first album is the result of a long preparatory work, the pieces having all had time to mature since the beginnings of the group and thus to evolve such as "The Web", which will give its name to the various fan clubs of the band or "Forgotten Sons". These allow the musicians, Steve Rothery, Mike Pointer, Pete Trewavas and Mark Kelly to give free rein to their talent. Because if Marillion bases its imagination on the complex and tormented stories of Fish, one should not forget that the musical base of the group is solid even if, and it is the defect of the disc, it leans strongly towards Genesis, more especially as Fish has a personality and a voice which sends back clearly to Peter Gabriel.
Only six tracks compose this album, all or almost approaching 8 minutes, a real challenge in a new-wave and post-punk era. And there is nothing to throw away, from the single, "He Knows You Know", the shortest track, dark and powerful and with an unstoppable chorus to "Garden Party", calmer but playful, or "Chelsea Monday", soft but powerful and carried by Fish's flayed voice.
Note that the remastered version includes another unreleased song, "Charting The Single", a little less effective, as well as demos and alternative versions. Moreover, like Iron Maiden with Eddie, the band created a visual that was easily identifiable for the fans with its jester, thanks to a talented artist, Mark Wilkinson. The Marillion adventure has just begun...