Prog and Progeny is a podcast hosted by father-daughter duo Mark (keyboardist for Marillion) and Tallulah, exploring his life in music, the ups and downs of being in a band, and the personal stories in between.
Episodes loosely follow chapters from Mark’s memoir Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons,
Former Piranhas guitarist, novelist and Marillion lyricist John Helmer joins Mark and Tallulah. He talks about Top of the Pops and Tom Hark, signing with Pete Waterman, and how one brief taste of success broke up his band. He explains the thinking behind his Marillion lyrics. John also remembers the night at Stanbridge Studios when he turned up in a suit and a Stetson during the writing of Holidays in Eden and sang a murderous cowboy song to a room of mushroom-fuelled "Mexicans." Links: The Tech Imaginarium Podcast https://learninghackpodcast.com/shows/the-tech-imaginarium/ Tom Hark - The…
We begin our deep dive into Seasons End - Marillion’s first album with Steve Hogarth. Mark and Tallulah explore the first four tracks - The King of Sunset Town, Easter, The Uninvited Guest and Seasons End - from the stories and meanings behind them to how they came together during a huge period of change for the band. Mark recalls finding H, whether there was ever a Plan B if fans rejected him, and why Marillion briefly considered changing their name. Link: Marathon singer Oliver Smith new E.P. https://open.spotify.com/album/68ky2prcbswKAT78xeEu5d?si=f0q775D6ShGoaPUMhHCFAQ&utm_source=copy-link
Mark and Tallulah finish Sounds That Can't Be Made . Why Power's lyric leaves Mark cold, how Mike Hunter pulled a buried vocal melody out of Invisible Ink, the home piano noodle that became The Sky Above the Rain, and whether Montréal deserves the bad press. If you click on this link before listening to the podcast you will probably wonder what that has to do with Marillion: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260406192809.htm
We wrap up our two-parter on Marillion's 1983 debut, moving from the songs the band left behind to the reasons they did. Also, the gear and the studio decisions that shaped how the record sounds, where Fish was drawing his lyrics from, and what it's like to hear your first album again 40+ years on. Links: The Web trumpet interpretation by Gil Pinatel that we discussed in this episode can be heard here https://youtu.be/LDW5K4Wx8bc?is=2Gb5JlemgdmCcqMu
A short catch-up episode. Mark and Tallulah discuss their Pompeii experience — the choir, the pre-show keyboard crisis, playing "Sugar Mice" in the rain — plus podcast meetups, the UK tour and more...
Mark and Tallulah deep dive into Script For A Jester's Tear , Marillion's 1983 debut — six songs, forty-six minutes, more chaos than the record lets on. Razor-blade multi-track edits, £1,000 for Trevor McDonald was too much, a secret backwards message meant only for Kayleigh, and stories behind Mark Wilkinson's cover art. Plus: plague pits, a stolen Small Faces melody, and the bass fluff that made the final mix. He Knows you Know early demo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l507pRZEz4
Mark joins Tallulah from backstage in Bonn as Marillion's German tour begins with the live debut of "Ribbons and Lace." The book's final chapter covers the story behind "Gaza," the Frankfurt cement mixer accident, sudden hearing loss, marathon mishaps, a famous F1 fan, and a Nick Cave encounter.
Mark and Tallulah are joined by David Stopps, the promoter behind Friars Aylesbury, which he founded in 1969 and has run for 56 years. David recalls the club's earliest nights — including King Crimson and Genesis — managing Marillion for 5 short weeks, managing Howard Jones, and the Kickstarter behind Aylesbury's David Bowie "Earthly Messenger" statue. Plus Marillion's hometown return on 21 September. Links: How to make a Living from Music - David Stopps David Bowie "Earthly Messenger" statue, Aylesbury Friars Aylesbury Stagehand (the road-crew charity David fundraised for during Covid)
In episode 35 we discussed the making of the Marathon album and our first attempts at writing together. These early efforts never came to anything, but for your amusement here's the music I sent to Guy to inspire him to write some lyrics. You might recognise the opening bars as I used them for the intro of the song 2051. It came out of a couple of days of jamming at the Racket Club in 2012 with Steve Lawson (bass) and Roy Dodds (drums). You can find out more about Steve's work here and Roy's here . Mike Hunter recorded and edited these jams into something more coherent — much as he does with…
Mark and Tallulah are joined by Guy Vickers — barrister by day, musician and lyricist by night — the man behind the lyrics on Mark Kelly's Marathon and the legal brain behind Marillion's battle with EMI. 00:25 — Introducing Guy: weekend warrior, full-time barrister 03:13 — How Pete's dinner introduction kicked off the EMI streaming dispute 06:03 — The dissolved companies crisis: six months to save the pre-'96 royalties 10:05 — Pitching the box sets to EMI, and Fish's pub reunion proposal 13:27 — Marathon begins: number stations, spies and lyrics as relationship code 19:30 — The Anthropocene…
This week we dive into Mark's years on the FAC and PPL boards, fighting for artists' rights while Marillion were being short-changed by their old EMI deal. The lawsuit that followed and the after-the-event insurance gambit, the sleepless night when EMI claimed Marillion had no legal standing because Marillion Limited had been dissolved! Plus the Portugal writing session that ended in a tactless row with H over a lyric, and the six-month silence that followed.
This week Mark calls in from Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios — with a quick video tour and the story of meeting Peter Gabriel for the first time. Then into deputising for Adam Wakeman in Travis (with "drink beer" written across half the setlist) and a candid post-mortem on Somewhere Else — the dropped pre-order, the EP that never was, Mike Hunter's confidence taking a hit, and which songs hold up (and which really don't). Plus "Almost a Midwife Mark", and the tweet that got Mark to delete Twitter, tour meet-ups, and a Marillion quiz coming for Patreon members.
This week we speak with manager Lucy Jordache about her 30-plus-year journey, from a teenage Marillion fan to EMI catalogue manager, band manager, and Ian Mosley’s wife. Along the way, she discusses taking a pay cut to get into the music industry, a rocky first meeting with Fish, and how she and Ian got together. Plus, a frank conversation about what the future might hold for Marillion
This time we discuss how Marillion took a leap nobody else had dared, and accidentally changed the music industry. Lucy Jordache’s evolving role, and why the band chose not to capitalise on their invention. How sharing everything brought Marillion closer together. Mixing stress and why risk has always been Mark’s default setting. Also: Noel Gallagher delivers a deadpan insult, Mark bets on tripe, and Tallulah arrives with twelve names.
This week we chat with Erik Nielsen. He was a 22-year-old help desk worker in Cleveland, Ohio when a woman he was seeing dragged him to a Marillion gig and changed his life. He ended up as Marillion's keyboard tech, moved into Mark's spare room, got deported, and — almost by accident — helped invent a model of direct-to-fan music commerce that the whole industry now takes for granted. Hear the inside story of the Freaks mailing list, the [email protected] inbox, the Guinness logo rip-off, and why Erik eventually swapped the Marillion kebab hut for working for Elton John.
This week we cover Marillion's short stint with Rod Smallwood (Iron Maiden's manager) and the Sanctuary empire, how Mark met Tallulah's mum and the origin of the song Rich. Also, the birth of music crowdfunding: how a single post on the Freaks mailing list led to fans raising $60,000 to fund a US tour. Also featuring: Neil Armstrong at a soundcheck, a phone call from the International Space Station, and a Delta Airlines domain name dispute. Next week: Eric Nielsen joins to share his memories of his time working with Marillion.
This week, Mark and Tallulah answer some listener questions. Covering everything from the choices they might have made differently in life to a fight that almost broke up the band.
This week Mark and Tallulah talk through a difficult chapter in the band’s past: being dropped by EMI, ongoing money problems, Mark nearly ending up homeless, and the lack of support from their manager who suggested day jobs for the band might be the way forward. The conversation stays surprisingly light, including stories from Mark’s tumultuous love life.
In this episode Mark and Tallulah sit down with producer Dave Meegan to explore the making of Brave . Dave takes us inside the long nights, impossible standards, and creative tension that shaped one of Marillion’s most ambitious albums — from a French château to Liverpool over more than 7 months. We talk about why Brave took so long, the danger of rushing creativity, and the fragile moments where everything finally locks into place. An honest look at what it really costs to make something that lasts.
In this episode Mark and Tallulah dive deep into the making of Brave — Marillion’s most ambitious and uncompromising album. They discuss creative freedom, financial uncertainty, and the quiet decisions that laid the groundwork for the band’s independence.
In this episode Mark & Tallulah chat with Smick, Ian's drum tech from the mid 1980s and later the crew boss. Smick recounts how he started working in music and his first meeting with Marillion - and the cool reception from Ian. He also describes the chaotic management style of John Arnison, including when he buried the band's takings in bin bags and forgot where he buried it.
This week Mark and Tallulah dive into the writing and recording of Holidays in Eden. They get into how much a producer can steer an album, as Marillion discovered with pop-tastic Chris Neil. They talk through Marillion’s move to Hit & Run Management and the promises that never materialised. They also get into the origins of the Racket Club. Tune in for plenty of laughs and a few exciting announcements for Patreons. Tallulah's video that we talked about in this episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYaBINqTvVE Simon's Car - the How We Live song that became Cover My Eyes…
Enter H and Sea-son's End (see what I did there?) In this week’s episode Mark and Tallulah look at Chapter 13 - A Man for All Seasons . They explore one of the most pivotal points in Marillion’s history—when Steve Hogarth stepped in to replace Fish. Mark recalls the race to finish Season’s End before Fish released his solo album and Fish’s attempt to throw a spanner in the works with an injunction delivered poolside, their surreal debut gig as The Low-Fat Yoghurts in a village pub, and how a homemade hot air balloon nearly caused a fire. They also discuss AI in music, with Tallulah offering…
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah chat with Marillion’s lead singer Steve Hogarth. They talk about his career before joining the band and what it was like stepping in to replace Fish. After initially not being keen to join - having decided to give up music altogether and become a milkman - H explains what eventually changed his mind. Mark and H look back on recording their first album together, Seasons End, and how the chemistry and creative energy were there right from the start. They also discuss their very different working styles, with the band being far more laid-back than he…
This week, Mark and Tallulah catch up with Producer/Engineer Nick Davis to chat about his time working with Marillion. Full of hilarious stories, Nick talks about how he blagged his way into the music industry, his first time meeting and working with Marillion, and what came after — producing albums and singles for the likes of Genesis and XTC. It’s a funny one, with chats about everything from the mechanics of a successful homemade hot air balloon, to music-related (and not-so-music-related) injuries, and touches on a key period when the band transitioned from Fish to h.
This is the audio version which includes Mark reading Chapter 11 of his autobiography. In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah work through a turbulent chapter as the band edges toward breaking point. Steve is driving most of the ideas for the next album while Mark struggles with writer’s block. Behind the scenes, the crew is kept on payroll without work, John pushes EMI for more money, and drugs and late nights creep back into the picture. They discuss the growing divide as Fish drifts further from the band. As well as stories of injuries, excess, and surreal moments — from a dislocated…
About Prog & Progeny
Prog and Progeny is a podcast hosted by father-daughter duo Mark (keyboardist for Marillion) and Tallulah, exploring his life in music, the ups and downs of being in a band, and the personal stories in between.
Episodes loosely follow chapters from Mark’s memoir Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons,
Prog & Progeny is a English music podcast from Mark Kelly & Tallulah Kelly. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
