Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors (2024 Remix) Deluxe 4CD/Blu-ray Edition
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors (2024 Remix) Deluxe 4CD/Blu-ray Edition
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Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors (2024 Remix) Deluxe 4CD/Blu-ray Edition

€ 74,99
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THIS ITEM WILL BE RELEASED JULY 22, 2024.

‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors,’ Fish’s first solo album post-Marillion, originally released in 1990, has been remixed by Calum Malcolm for 2024. This new remix breathes fresh energy and dynamics into the album, giving it a new lease on life. The remix highlights fan-favorite tracks like ‘Cliché’ and ‘The Company,’ and celebrates the album’s enduring legacy as Fish embarks on a new chapter.

The deluxe 4CD + Blu-ray edition includes a hardback book with 100 pages, 13,000+ words of new notes by Fish, artwork by Mark Wilkinson, and photos. CD’s: remixed album, B-sides, demos, live versions. Blu-rays: Dolby Atmos/5.1 mixes, documentaries, promo videos, remastered concerts.

‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ was Fish’s first solo album after leaving ‘Marillion’ in 1988. After moving to a farmhouse near Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland, he began writing with his main collaborator at the time, keyboard player Mickey Simmonds, who had formerly been with Mike Oldfield. They were joined in the rehearsal room at the farm by guitarists Hal Lindes, who had recently left ‘Dire Straits’, and Janick Gers, who was about to join ‘Iron Maiden’. By early spring of 1989, they had finished writing the album, and in March 1989, Fish performed his first solo gig at a benefit night at the Rex Cinema in Lockerbie. The band on stage included drummer John Keeble from ‘Spandau Ballet’, Frank Usher on guitar, Bruce Watson from ‘Big Country’ on mandolin, Neil Hay on bass guitar, and Alison Jones on fiddle. Apart from Alison and Neil, all the musicians on stage that night, including Mickey, Hal, and Janick, would join Fish on the recording of the album at Townhouse Studios in London that summer.

Jon Kelly (Deacon Blue, Kate Bush, Chris Rea) came in as producer, and although John Keeble would play on a couple of the studio tracks, the rhythm section was comprised of Scottish bass player John Giblin (Kate Bush, John Martyn, Simple Minds) and drummer Mark Brzezicki from ‘Big Country’.

Other musicians who would appear on the album were Scottish folk musicians Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain on accordion and fiddle respectively, who, with Davie Spillane on Uilleann pipes, contributed to ‘The Company’ and an early version of ‘Internal Exile’ as well as the title track. Luis Jardin added percussion, The Kick Horns were the brass components of ‘Big Wedge’, and the backing vocals were provided by Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon.

All the tracks on the album were put down at the Townhouse Studios apart from ‘A Gentleman’s Excuse Me’, which was recorded in the Abbey Road main studio with a 23-piece orchestra. Mixing took place at Olympic Studios, and the album was completed in the late summer of 1989.

‘State of Mind’ was the first single from the album and was a Top 40 hit in October when Fish embarked on his first solo tour that took him up to the Scottish Highlands and islands. Hal Lindes declined the opportunity to join the touring band, and old friend Frank Usher stepped in with another friend from Aylesbury, Robin Boult, on guitars. Mark Brzezicki would come out on drums and be joined by his brother Steve on bass. Mickey Simmonds became the lynchpin of that band lineup, which would carry on touring until mid-1990.

The second single, ‘Big Wedge’, was a UK Top 20 and preceded the album release in late January 1990. ‘Vigil’ was a Top 5 album in the UK and Top 20 across Europe. The third single, ‘A Gentleman’s Excuse Me’, although a Top 30 in March 90, added to the depth of the album, and as a first solo release, ‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ was acclaimed by critics internationally.

Seen as a touchstone album in Fish’s career, it quickly became a fan favorite with songs like the epic title track and ‘Cliché’, which featured a defining Frank Usher guitar solo, ranking high in estimations. The broody, dark, and powerful ‘Family Business’ sat comfortably beside the rock of ‘Big Wedge’ and its blasting brass section, and the groove and acoustic slide of ‘State of Mind’. Janick Gers’s contribution to the writing, ‘View from Hill’, has finally found its place in the 2024 Calum Malcolm remix, and ‘The Company’, an anthem amongst the fans, is still a crowning moment.

The songs from this album are ever present in set lists, and this remix and reissue have been long overdue, with the album having last been released nearly 25 years ago. The 2024 Calum Malcolm remix gives the original album an entirely new energy and dynamic, and a completely new lease on life. A perfect legacy and a wonderful closing of a circle as Fish moves into another new chapter in his life.

The deluxe version of ‘Vigil’ comes in a hardback book in a slipcase with 100 pages containing Mark Wilkinson artwork including original sketches , rare photos and images from backstage and also the promo material from the relevant eras. They also have over 13 000 words of original sleeve notes that take you through one of the most dramatic and testing and exciting periods of my life as I began my solo career and a time in my life that was to say the least challenging. All the lyrics are printed and accompanied by images with the entire book brilliantly put together by Steve Vantsis.

The first CD on the ‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ deluxe version is the 2024 remix of the original album plus all the B sides. You can find all the track listings for the cd’s below.

CD2 is the previously unavailable demos that have been digitally remastered from the original Akai 12 track tapes and mixed by Steve Vantsis. These were all recorded here at the old Funny Farm Recording Studios in 1988 and 1989

CD 3 and 4 are live versions from across the ages and by different bands on different tours. These include recordings from the BBC concerts at Town and Country Club and the Royal Court Theatre in Nottingham and some previously unheard versions of material which when all brought together have live performances of every song from the respective albums.

The Deluxe version also has a Blu Ray disc which contains the Dolby Atmos and 5.1 versions of the 2024 album mixed by Avril Mackintosh and Andy Bradfield who have previously mixed the ‘13th Star’ album as well as the most recent ‘Marillion’ remasters for Warners. ‘Vigil’ has been a perfect candidate for these special mixes and Avril and Andy have pulled out all the stops to make it an incredible listening experience.

The Blu Ray also has the relevant promotional videos that have had the 2024 mixes added to the audio beds and the film enhanced and on both titles there are extensive documentaries filmed by Dave Barras and Scott Mackay at Strangeboat. Theres in depth interviews with myself about the eras and substantial footage that I shot myself and with others from the studio and writing sessions at the Funny farm and on tour including the early solo shows. There’s also a documentary interview with Mark Wilkinson who reveals the stories behind the artwork and his recollections of those early days of my solo career. There’s nearly 2 hours of documentary footage on the disc.

Finally on each of the Blu rays there are two full concert audio recordings that were previously released in 1993 as part of the ‘official bootleg series’ and long since deleted.

On the ‘Vigil ‘ deluxe it is ‘Pigpens Birthday’ (1990) and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1991)

The audio on all of these shows has been remastered by Calum Malcolm.

The deluxe versions of the albums are without doubt the finest produced to date and rightly befitting these two outstanding titles. These are true legacy editions.

CD1
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors 2024 Remix

  1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (Dick/Simmonds) – 8:46
  2. Big Wedge (Dick/Simmonds) – 5:20
  3. State of Mind (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes) – 4:45
  4. The Company (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:04
  5. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:19
  6. The Voyeur (I Like to Watch) (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:46
  7. Family Business (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes) – 5:18
  8. Cliché (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes) – 7:06
  9. View From a Hill (Dick/Gers) – 6:52
  10. Jack and Jill (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:26
  11. Internal Exile (‘89 Version) (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:47
  12. Whiplash (Dick/Simmonds) – 4:21

Total: 65:23

CD2
Demos

  1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (Demo) – 8:33
  2. State of Mind (Demo) – 4:43
  3. The Company (Demo) – 4:15
  4. The Voyeur (Demo) – 5:06
  5. Big Wedge (Demo) – 5:41
  6. Big Wedge (Instrumental Demo) – 5:55
  7. Cliché (Demo No Guitar Solo) – 4:34
  8. View From a Hill (Demo) – 6:45
  9. Family Business (Demo) – 5:11
  10. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (Demo) – 3:59
  11. The Curious Hill (Unused Mickey Simmonds Demo) – 8:34

Total: 63:40

CD3
Live

  1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (BBC Town and Country 11/11/89) – 8:44
  2. Family Business (BBC Town and Country 11/11/89) – 5:22
  3. The Voyeur (Hammersmith Odeon 2/4/90 ‘Pigpen’s Birthday’) – 5:38
  4. State of Mind (Hammersmith Odeon 2/4/90 ‘Pigpen’s Birthday’) – 5:07
  5. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (Hammersmith Odeon 2/4/90 ‘Pigpen’s Birthday’) – 3:53
  6. Cliché (Hammersmith Odeon 2/4/90 ‘Pigpen’s Birthday’) – 6:47
  7. Big Wedge (BBC Nottingham Royal Court 15/11/91) – 6:23
  8. The Company (BBC Nottingham Royal Court 15/11/91) – 4:02
  9. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (BBC Nottingham Royal Court 15/11/91) – 9:21
  10. State of Mind (with Jan Ackermann) (Muziekcentrum Enschede 28/6/02) – 13:18

Total: 68:55

All tracks published by Fishy Music Ltd/Copyright Control

CD4
Live

  1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (Düsseldorf Phillips Halle 7/12/91 ‘Uncle Fish and the Crypt Creepers’) – 9:26
  2. Big Wedge (Düsseldorf Phillips Halle 7/12/91 ‘Uncle Fish and the Crypt Creepers’) – 6:31
  3. State of Mind (Haddington Corn Exchange 8/11/91 ‘Derek Dick and his Amazing Dancing Bear’) – 5:40
  4. Family Business (Utrecht Vredenberg 21/3/94 ‘Sushi’) – 5:43
  5. The Company (Utrecht Vredenberg 21/3/94 ‘Sushi’) – 4:08
  6. Cliché (Przemyśl, Poland 97) – 8:08
  7. View From a Hill (Leamington Spa, 24/11/21 ‘Vigil’s End’) – 6:41
  8. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (Leamington Spa, 24/11/21 ‘Vigil’s End’) – 3:58
  9. Family Business (The Studio, Spittalrig Farm ‘Fishheads Club’ Acoustic Versions 11/3/12) – 6:12
  10. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (The Studio, Spittalrig Farm ‘Fishheads Club’ Acoustic Versions 11/3/12) – 10:35

Total: 67:20

All tracks published by Fishy Music Ltd/Copyright Control

BLU-RAY

‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ 2024 Remix – Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Mixes

Documentaries and Promo Videos

  • Fish Interview ‘Climbing the Hill’ Documentary Film
  • Mark Wilkinson Interview ‘The Art of Vigil’ Documentary Film
  • Original Promo Videos for ‘State of Mind’, ‘Big Wedge’ & ‘A Gentleman’s Excuse Me’

Pigpen’s Birthday – Live at the Hammersmith Odeon 2/4/1990
Full ‘Official Bootleg’ Concert Audio

  1. The Voyeur (I Like to Watch) (Dick/Simmonds)
  2. Punch and Judy (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  3. State of Mind (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes)
  4. Family Business (Dick/Simmonds)
  5. Assassing (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  6. The Company (Dick/Simmonds)
  7. Script for a Jester’s Tear (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  8. A Gentleman’s Excuse Me (Dick/Simmonds)
  9. Introduction of the Band/Happy Birthday
  10. Sugar Mice (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  11. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (Dick/Simmonds)
  12. Kayleigh (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  13. Lavender (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  14. Cliché (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes)
  15. Big Wedge (Dick/Simmonds)
  16. Internal Exile (Dick/Simmonds)

All tracks published by Fishy Music Ltd/Copyright Control except tracks 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13 published by Charisma Music Publishing/EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Recording copyright © Derek W Dick under exclusive license to The Chocolate Frog Record Company Ltd 2024

For Whom the Bells Toll! – Edinburgh Playhouse New Year’s Eve 1991
Full ‘Official Bootleg’ Concert Audio

  1. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (Dick/Simmonds)
  2. Credo (Dick/Simmonds/Usher/Boult)
  3. Tongues (Dick/Simmonds/Usher/Boult)
  4. Family Business (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes)
  5. Incubus (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  6. Giz a Bun (Dick)
  7. The Company (Dick/Simmonds)
  8. Shadowplay (Dick/Simmonds)
  9. Dear Friend (Dick/Simmonds/Boult)
  10. The Bells/Happy New Year
  11. Lucky (Dick/Simmonds/Boult)
  12. Big Wedge (Dick/Simmonds)
  13. Heart of Lothian (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  14. Forgotten Sons (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)
  15. Flower of Scotland (Williamson/Buchanan)
  16. Internal Exile (Dick/Simmonds)
  17. Market Square Heroes (Dick/Rothery/Kelly/Trewavas/Mosley)

All tracks published by Fishy Music Ltd/Copyright Control except track 15 The Corries (Music) Ltd and tracks 5, 13, 14, 17 published by Charisma Music Publishing/EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Recording copyright © Derek W Dick under exclusive license to The Chocolate Frog Record Company Ltd 2024