FORMER Marillion front-man Fish has revealed that he will write one last album before turning his attention to screenplays and an autobiography.
Currently preparing for his European and British tours later this month, Fish spoke of his plans to start work on his final album – Weltschmerz – before taking it on the road in 2017 and 2018.
Fish, whose real name is Derek William Dick, 57, headed British rock band Marillion for seven years from 1981 to 1988 during which time the band secured eleven Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart, including 1985’s “Kayleigh”, which reached No. 2 and became their biggest hit single.
Now working as a solo artist, Fish has branched out into acting roles, broadcasting, and even won the 2006 Celebrity Music edition of The Weakest Link.
Since going solo Fish has released ten studio albums but hopes that his next will be his last so that he can focus on his other passions in life such as screenwriting, his autobiography, and gardening.
He said: I’ve been hassled to write my autobiography for a long time.
“I’m not someone who would write a traditional autobiography about ‘I was born here, went to school there’ and this and that.
“I would prefer to write about stories and drift in and out, like David Niven did in his autobiography where it is just loads of anecdotes.”
Fish, who lives just outside Haddington, hopes that through writing his next album he will be able to spend more quality time at home as his age has finally caught up with a touring lifestyle.
Speaking in anticipation of his upcoming UK tour, he said: “I’m 57 and it is not in my comfort zone, sleeping on a bus when you are 6ft 4ins tall with dodgy knees, dodgy shoulders and a dodgy back, but I still enjoy the gigs.”
Overall he was looking forward to the experience, saying: “It is coming to us really, really fast; it has been quite surprising.
“We played open air festivals in the summer and we had a fantastic time at Midstock in Dalkeith. The gig was a bit special and we went out to Germany and we played in front of 38,000 people.”
The UK tour, which will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Marillion album, Misplaced Childhood, is already sold out.
Fish is due to tour the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Switzerland before finally settling down to work on his final album.
