Marillion have come a long way since 1984’s live Real To Reel album provided them with a life raft to cling to after the disappointing commercial performance of its studio predecessor, Fugazi. Forty years on, the format has become one of the foundations on which their cottage industry-turned-mini-empire is built.
At the last count, there have been 17 official live albums from the Steve Hogarth-fronted line-up, plus more than 40 released via their own Racket label. A valuable income stream, for sure, but something that’s become so deeply knitted into their ongoing mythology that it would feel weird if they didn’t exist.
