Prog & Progeny

In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah continue through chapter 9, exploring the writing and recording of Misplaced Childhood in Berlin. They talk about the unexpected success of “Kayleigh,” the challenges of creating a concept album despite the record company’s doubts, and the many people who helped shape Marillion’s third record. Along the way, there are the usual discussions of pranks and si...

I originally wrote this piece as an intro for the song Twenty Fifty One on the Marathon album. I sent it over to my nephew Conal, who added guitar, bass, and a modern drum track—thanks, Conal! As the song took shape, I realised this intro didn’t really fit, so it ended up gathering digital dust on a hard drive for a few years. Early this year, while hunting for a theme for this podcast, I stumbled...

In this episode Mark has a rambling conversation with Ian remembering his early days in Marillion and their time in Berlin recording Misplaced Childhood. 

This week, Mark and Tallulah are joined by Simon Hanhart, recording engineer on  the Script for a Jester’s Tear, Fugazi and Real to Reel albums. Simon shares his memories of working with Marillion during a pivotal time in both his and their careers - covering the highs, the lows, and everything in between. From relentless studio exhaustion to gold discs and unexpected sound design tricks, this epi...

In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah discuss the short but notable tenure of drummer Jonathan Mover, the circumstances around his departure, and the arrival of Ian Mosley as his replacement. They also get into a few side stories, including a fire extinguisher prank gone wrong and some slightly obsessive behavior from Producer Nick. The conversation takes a few detours, including the differenc...

In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah reflect on the writing of Marillion’s second album in Wales, and the pressure of creating new material on a tight deadline. They talk through the challenges that came with that process, both creatively and personally. They also look back on the band’s first U.S. tour - Mark’s first time traveling abroad - including early encounters with American food, the...

In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah continue their look at the making of Marillion’s first album and the band’s growing momentum. They share stories about playing the Marquee Club under fake names - leading to an unexpected run-in with a German airline - and performing Garden Party on Top of the Pops. The conversation also touches on the difficult decision to part ways with drummer Mick and...

This week Mark and Tallulah talk about managers — the good, the bad, and everything in between. They introduce John Arnison and reflect on Marillion’s first record deal with EMI, discussing what it was like to sign for the first time and the process of putting together their debut single. Mark also shares what it was like to start a family young, and how that overlapped with the early days of the...

In this episode we answer some more of your questions Become a member and get some great extras including unreleased Mark Kelly music https://www.patreon.com/c/progandprogeny/membership Buy Mark's Autobiography - Marillion, Misadventures and Marathons at https://www.marillion.com/shop/merch/book06.htm email your questions to us at progandprogeny@gmail.com

In this episode, Mark and Tallulah cover the second half of Chapter 5, All Change. They talk through the painful process of firing former guest on the podcast and ex-Marillion member Diz Minnitt, the arrival of current bassist Pete Trewavas, and the short-lived involvement of manager David Stopps - part of what’s starting to feel like a revolving door. Pete joins them in the second half to share h...

This week, Mark and Tallulah wade into the first half of Chapter 5, All Change. It features the band's first time playing at the Marquee Club and a few tales from the dressing room that are probably best left off the official record (but naturally, aren’t). The chapter captures that awkward in-between phase: gaining momentum, drawing crowds, but still broke enough to survive on potatoes and whatev...

This is a bonus episode with some of your questions answered by Tallulah and Mark. Become a member and get some great extras including unreleased Mark Kelly music https://www.patreon.com/c/progandprogeny/membership Buy Mark's Autobiography - Marillion, Misadventures and Marathons at https://www.marillion.com/shop/merch/book06.htm email your questions to us at progandprogeny@gmail.com

In this episode, Tallulah and Mark are joined by original Marillion bassist Diz Minnitt and his daughter, Alissimon. They chat about the early days of Marillion—life on the road, grafting for gigs, and travelling in their beloved (but extremely unsafe) van, Margaret. Diz and Mark reflect on Diz’s departure from the band, with Mark offering an apology for his part in it. They discuss the wider dyna...

In this episode Mark and Tallulah dive into Mark’s communist upbringing—where his grand plan to improve poor working conditions didn’t exactly spark a revolution. They also revisit his early days in music with Chemical Alice (spoiler: the chemicals were very much in attendance). Tallulah gives their music a listen and… well, let’s just say she won’t be starting a fan club anytime soon. And finally...

This week, we dive deeper into Mark’s insatiable appetite for stealing—covering everything from identity theft to piracy (the digital kind, not the eyepatch kind). In our second blind-react segment, Tallulah gives her unfiltered reaction to a Marillion song she’s never heard before and faces off against a drunken AI. Plus, Mark shares a questionable but effective method for making your organ porta...

In our very first episode, we introduce the podcast and co-host Tallulah before diving into the first chapter of Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons.  Mark reflects on his youth growing up in Ireland and Essex - complete with stories of theft, pyromania, and run-ins with the police. We also explore the latest in music news, specifically the future of AI in music. This feels particularly topic...