Marillion interview with Pete Trewavas: "Marillion will never stop having the will to be creative"

For a band like Marillion, sometimes words are unnecessary. Especially when they deliver a new, seventeenth album, in which they manage to maintain the level rocketing and continue to challenge the listener and themselves. So on the occasion of the "Sounds That Can't Be Made" we had a chat with Pete Trewavas regarding the recording procedures, their special relationship with the fans, the monumental "Marbles" and of course the possibility of a new Transatlantic album. If they ever visit Athens, well, that’s another issue...

Pete, first of all congratulations about "The Sounds That Can't Be Made". After all these years and albums and you guys still re-inventing yourselves.
It's a pleasure.

17th album and it seems to be, early in this stage that it could be one of your greatest albums. Do you think Marillion gets all the recognition you deserve making such a great music?
That is a question we shouldn't really be answering ourselves as it is very easy to come over a either egotistical of bitter and twisted about the business and other bands that are bigger than yourselves. I think we are in a good place spiritually and we have a great relationship with our fans, so we are pretty happy. You can always want more success or media coverage or whatever but you end up wishing your life away if you let all that get to you.

Is it easy nowadays to be a part of Progressive Rock movement?
I'm not sure that is what we really do or why we do it. We just have visions in our heads of what our music can aspire to. It is really about leaving behind a wealth of good music not being a part of this or that.

Is there any concept behind the new album?
I think it is a pretty complete set of songs that are wrapped up in the package they all stand up on their own and have their own identities. If anyone sees something bigger in the whole then that is great. I'm sure there are things in there we haven't even thought of ourselves to get your teeth in to.

How do you prefer recording nowadays? Do you still working in the studio all the guys or is it easier with the new technology?
We spent a lot of time on this album jamming together in various locations around Europe to try and get back to being a band and enjoying hanging out together. While it is great to have our own studio and that is where most of the writing and recording was done, it can feel like clocking in at work rather than being in a band and wanting to be creative. We even went to Real World, Peter Gabriel's studio for a week and then later for another week just to get the whole project in shape toward the end of the recording period. In the end though we ran out of time and had to work in our own studios at home with Mike (Hunter) compiling all the overdubs we had recorded for the finishing touches. So technology definitely help us finish the album but I prefer working together in a studio environment.

The new tour supporting your new album just started. Are you ever going to visit Greece guys? Have you ever been approached by someone for a gig in Athens?
I'm very disappointed to say we have never played Greece. It is more to do with not finding the right promoters than not wanting to play. At the end of the day it comes down to logistics and costs. We have never been able to make a show fit in with a tour that were doing at the time. We would love to come and play and should try and make it happen.

You 've written a song about Montreal, an emotional and characteristic Marillion song. Is there such a great relationship with this particular town?
Over the years we have come to have a special connection with the town and the fans over there that is quite magical. It is hard to explain how these thing come about but it is nice when it does.

You've been, as a band one of the internet pioneers regarding pledge for support and communication with the fans. Do you feel these days is it inevitable for the progressive rock bands to get supported mainly through internet by their fans?
I think the whole Internet and social media influence is everywhere not just with progressive bands but mainstream bands as well. It is a way forward for many people who choose to keep hold of as much of themselves and their music as possible. It is quite nice to be the pioneers of many of its attributes.

After all these years making music with Steve Hogarth which of these albums do you feel should be your cornerstones for the future?
It's hard to pick one but probably Brave and marbles. Also I think this album will go down as one of the greats. As far as being a starting point of eureka moment of the bands history though Anoraknophobia was like a new beginning for the band in many ways. It was that album where us and the fans embraced our new way forward as far as pre ordering albums and having limited editions and being much more as one through the Internet, while at the same time the faith the fans showed allowed us to breath and be truly our own creative for inspiring us to go farther in to new musical paths and keep the whole thing fresh.

As a huge "Marbles" fan myself, is it possible sometime in the future to play it again from start to finish?
I'm sure that the time will arise. We often have conversations about what kind of tours we should do in the future and whether they should become more of an event type of occasion where we play two nights in each city and play an album then a more conventional tour. If we went down the route then I'm sure Marbles would be an obvious choice in that kind of situation.

How do you guys go about decide which songs to perform on a particular tour?
Well we do have a good idea which songs go down well in each territory and if we really aren't sure we will poll fans on forums and give them a choice from a list we would have ready prepared and see what they would like. Then it comes down to what is sounding good when we eventually get into a rehearsal situation. So the Internet plays a part here as well. We also keep all set lists on our website and which live albums and DVD's sell well so we have a wide range of data to make our decisions from.

What about Transatlantic? Are there any plans regarding the fourth album? In 2013 all the members are free, or not...?
We do all have some time put aside in the Spring next year to get together and record some music so I guess the short answer is yes.

Do you feel "The Whirlwind" is one of the highlights of your career? And I think this time, and as Roine told us, your bass is thundering and up in the mix reminding Chris Squire I guess!
Yes it is always nice to be spotlighted from time to time and Transatlantic's music is good place for creative bass lines. Having said that my bass lines in Marillion are very intricate and musical. It is just the way I play. But some songs just need the music to be a backdrop for the words and melody. I think that is more of a challenge to make those ones work on a personal level for each individual musician.

You've been out there as a band for twenty plus years. Is your relationship as bandmembers as strong as it seems to be onstage?
Our relationship has probably got stronger as we have matured as people. We have massive respect for each other both as friends and as musicians. That and a love of music keeps us together as a band.

Which albums do you listen to nowadays?
I have a very varied collection of music on various iPods I own. From early Caravan, Yes, Greenslade, Genesis, The Beatles, The Stones, The Who etc through to Blur, Radiohead, The Lightning Seeds, The Cult, The Jam, Police. Up to Keane, The Kooks, Muse, Elbow.
I really got in to Ben Folds Five when they started.
So everything I happen to like I listen to. Including ABBA The Bee Gee's and Take That.
If I like a song I like it. End of.

Is there any hope for a Marillion weekend in Athens?
I think that would be unlikely as we have never even done a show other there.
There is lots to organize and set up and we really have to be in a position of total control for those things to take place. Just the language barrier would be a major problem to overcome.

Thanks Pete, keep creating such great music.
Thank you we will my friend we will. When you have a creative force like Marillion it never stops having the will to be creative.