FISH: Brother 52 PROMO CD. Marillion singer. Steve Wilson Marillion. Check video

Description

BROTHER 52 [cat nbr DICK BROS DDDICK24CD2 ] PROMO
5″ CD Single (black)
UK : DDICK24CD2
01. Brother 52 (03:55 – Single Edit) [Dick/Wilson]
02. Brother 52 (08:45 – Stateline Mix) [Dick/Wilson]
03. Brother 52 (07:05 – 4am Dub Mix) [Dick/Wilson]
Total Time (18:43)

Brother 52 Produced by Steve Wilson
Engineered by Elliot Ness
Vocals produced by Avril Mackintosh
Mixed by Calum Malcolm
Remixed by Mr Roy on Stateline Edit
All tracks recorded at Millennium Recording Studios

Antique Tattoo Gun Fishy Concept
Photography David Darling

All tracks published by Fishy Music (p) & (c) 1997 Dick Bros. record company Ltd.

Reviews:
I have to admit, for many years, to never being a big fan of Fish – at least the Fish of Marillion vintage. I went to see him play solo a couple of times and enjoyed it, but not enough to rush out and buy the back catalogue. Then, a few years back, I was at a Chopper Club run in Scotland when the man himself turned up at the gate and asked if he could have a look around, which he did – in exchange for an impromptu jam session on the Saturday night. Fish then stayed for the weekend and was one of the nicest, most genuine blokes you could ever wish to meet. He made himself a lot of friends that weekend, so when my favourite Scottish photographer, Brian Richmond, rang me up and said “Do you want a copy of Fishs new single?”, I said “Yes”. Quickly.
Fishs new single Brother 52 tells the story of an American fan, Brother 52, a biker, whose many tattoos were soley devoted to artwork from Fishs singles and albums. Like many bikers in America, Brother 52 had a fascination with and a collection of guns, which led to an incident at his house in January 1994 where he was shot dead by the Police. Fish says “Brother 52 was somebody I knew and this whole sad story just wrote itself”. The song is not anti or pro firearms, but very obviously telling a story which affected Fish.
What of the song itself? I hear you cry. Its a bit more – for want of a better term – rocky than previous stuff Fish has done, but still with his unique Celtic trademark stamped on it; Fish still has one of the most distinctive voices in rock. As an aside, the video features Fish being tattooed while singing – a very odd thing to do which no doubt is something to do with being Scottish. I think my tattooist would be very scared if I broke in to song halfway through a piece of work.
In a chart dominated by synthetic bands and tuneless twaddle I’m not sure how Brother 52 will do in the commercial sector, but then Fish has nothing to prove against the likes of manufactured boy and grrrl bands who will be forgotton in a month or twos time. Lovely man, great single, enough said. Awesome.
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I can’t put my finger on it, but it sounds somehow cleaner (musically) than other Fish stuff, and certainly a faster tempo (I don’t know how we’ll sing along at the shows!)
I think the telephone part in Brother 52 is a MUST. I’ve heard other bands use a telephone as a bridge between songs (Pink Floyd, the Wall) and an answering machine in the same way (Queensryche, Empire), but can’t remember having a phone call take you THROUGH a song like this. At the start of the song is the telephone ringing, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what happens next! It really grabbed me. Also, its the part of the song that keeps bringing the mind back around to it again and again. Great fiddle. Excellent job!
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Just bought both the Brother 52 singles, this is definitely Fish back to his very best, much bigger and darker sounding than Fish of recent years.

– Fish / lead vocals
– Steve Wilson / guitars and keyboards
– Foss Patterson / Hammond, piano, keyboards, backing vocals
– Ewen Vernal / bass
– Dave Stewart / drums
– Robin Boult / guitars
– Frank Usher / guitars
– Dave Haswell / percussion
– Chris Gaugh / cello
– Brian Hale / violin
– Marytn Bennett / violin
– Terence Jones / French horn
– Fraser Spiers / harmonica
– Doc / voice on Brother 52
– Lorna Bannon, Katherine Garrett, Don Jack, Chris Thomson, Annie McCraig / backing vocals