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"State of Mind" | ||||
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Single by Fish | ||||
from the album Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors | ||||
B-side | "The Voyeur (I Like to Watch)" | |||
Released | 16 October 1989 (UK) | |||
Recorded | Townhouse Studios, 1989 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, neo-prog, pop rock, folk rock | |||
Length | 4:12 (edited version), 05:48 ("Presidential Mix"), 04:42 (B-side) | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dick, Mickey Simmonds, Hal Lindes | |||
Producer(s) | Jon Kelly | |||
Fish singles chronology | ||||
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"State of Mind" is the debut solo single by Scottish singer Fish. It was released in October 1989, about a year after his departure from Marillion and preceding the release of his first solo album Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors . It is also the first-ever record Fish did outside Marillion except for his 1986 collaboration with Tony Banks on the single "Shortcut to Somewhere" from Banks' album Soundtracks .
"State of Mind" is a slow to mid-tempo rock song with strong bass and percussion elements and some Celtic folk elements. Lyrically, it is a protest song that articulates the general political discontent in the late Thatcher years. In terms of music, lyrics and general mood, it is perhaps closest to the Marillion song "Sugar Mice" (1987). The B-side "The Voyeur (I Like to Watch)" is a harder, although mainly keyboard-based rock song, somewhat similar to Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey"; and "Intruder", the lyrics criticise "TV voyeurism". "The Voyeur" was also included as a bonus track on the CD version of Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors. Fish co-wrote both tracks with keyboardist Mickey Simmonds, the dominant musical composer on his debut solo album. Guitarist Hal Lindes has additional credits on "State of Mind". Drums were played by John Keeble, best known for his membership of 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet.
The cover was designed by Mark Wilkinson, who had created all of Marillion's artwork until Fish's departure, and has continued to work with Fish since then. The cover shows close-ups of the faces of the couple that also features on the cover of Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors with an hourglass between them. The back-cover features an illustration of an atomic explosion inside the hourglass. The single was also the first to feature the circular "Fish" logo designed by Wilkinson, which has been used on all solo releases since then (except for the 1997 album Sunsets on Empire and the singles from it.)
7" single, cassette single
12" single, 12" picture disc
Side 1: "State of Mind (Presidential Mix)" (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes) – 05:48
Side 2: 1. "State of Mind" (edited version) (Dick/Simmonds/Lindes) – 04:12
5" CD single, 3" CD single
Total running time: 15:19
"State of Mind" was the first of five UK top 40 singles by Fish. On 28 October 1989, it entered the UK singles charts at position 32, which would remain its highest position. The following week, it dropped to 36; in the third and final week, it was at 58. In terms of peak chart position, this was Fish's third most successful single. [2]
Derek William Dick, better known by his stage name Fish, is a Scottish singer, songwriter and occasional actor. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the neo-prog band Marillion from 1981 until 1988. He released 11 UK Top 40 singles with the band, including the Top Ten singles "Kayleigh", "Lavender" and "Incommunicado", and five Top Ten albums, including a number one with Misplaced Childhood. In his solo career, Fish explored contemporary pop and traditional folk, and released a further five Top 40 singles and a Top 10 album.
Clutching at Straws is the fourth studio album by the British neo-prog band Marillion, released on June 22, 1987. It was the last album with lead singer Fish, who left the band in 1988, and is a concept album.
John Leslie Keeble is an English pop and rock drummer. He is best known for his membership of the 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet.
"Market Square Heroes" is the debut single by the British neo-prog band Marillion, released in October 1982 with "Three Boats Down from the Candy" as the B-side. The 12-inch single included an additional track, the 17:15-minute-long "Grendel".
"Kayleigh" is a song by British neo-prog band Marillion. It was released as the first single from the concept album Misplaced Childhood. It is the band's most successful single in the UK, where it peaked at number two and stayed on the UK singles chart for 14 weeks. It also became the band's most successful single worldwide, reaching the top 10 in Ireland, Norway, and West Germany. In the United States, it gave the band their sole appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number 74 in October 1985.
Mark Wilkinson is an English illustrator. He is best known for the detailed surrealistic cover art he created for a number of British bands.
Seasons End is the fifth studio album by British neo-prog band Marillion, released in 1989. The album was the first to feature current lead vocalist Steve Hogarth, following the departure of former vocalist Fish in late 1988. It reached number 7 on the UK Albums Chart.
Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors is the debut solo album by Scottish neo-prog singer Fish, released in 1990.
"Assassing" is a song by the British neo-prog band Marillion. It was the second single from their second studio album, Fugazi (1984). The single reached no. 22 on the UK singles charts in May 1984. The 7" single's title track is a heavily edited version of the first track on Fugazi, with a length of 03:39 as opposed to the album version with 07:01. The B-side is the non-album track "Cinderella Search".
"Garden Party (The Great Cucumber Massacre)" is a song by the British neo-prog band Marillion. It was the second single released from their debut album Script for a Jester's Tear. It reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart in 1983, the band's biggest singles chart success prior to 1985. The song is a parody of social elitism and snobbery. The B-side is a live version of "Margaret" (recorded at Edinburgh Playhouse, 7 April 1983). The 12" single includes a live version of "Charting The Single" (recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, 18 April 1983).
Internal Exile is Fish's second solo album after leaving Marillion in 1988. The album, released 28 October 1991, was inspired by the singer's past, his own personal problems and his troubled experiences with his previous record label EMI.
Hal Andrew Lindes is an American guitarist and film score composer best known for his time as a member of Dire Straits from late 1980 until late 1984.
Bouillabaisse is a compilation double album by Fish released in 2005. It is the third "best-of" collection after Yin and Yang (1995) and Kettle of Fish (1998), however, it covers Fish's entire solo career up to the previous year's studio album Field of Crows. The songs are divided into two sets: Disc 1, entitled "Balladeer", and disc 2, entitled "Rocketeer". It also features the single edits Marillion's three biggest hits, "Kayleigh", "Lavender" (1985) and "Incommunicado" (1987). It also features an edited version of "Goldfish and Clowns" from Sunsets on Empire (1997) which has never been released due to the planned single being ultimately cancelled.
Frank Usher is an English guitarist best known for his work in Fish's band. Usher lives and operates a guitar-manufacturing business in Innerleithen, Scotland. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he has worked with a variety of artists including Mike Heron, John Martyn, Tam White and the locally noted Border Boogie Band.
Suits (1994) is the fourth solo album by former Marillion singer Fish, and his third studio album with original material. It is the first album to be released on Fish's new own label, the Dick Bros Record Company, which he set up after being dropped by Polydor. The album continues the cooperation with producer James Cassidy who had already produced Songs from the Mirror. Cassidy also contributed keyboards recordings and co-wrote five out of ten songs on the original version of this album. Together with keyboardist Foster Paterson, who had been part of the tour line-up since 1992 and co-wrote three tracks, Cassidy takes the role previously held by Mickey Simmonds. Further songwriting credits go to guitarist Robin Boult and bassist David Paton.
Yin and Yang are the titles of two separate compilation albums by Fish co-released in 1995. They are a retrospective on Fish's four solo albums and four albums with Marillion.
13th Star is the ninth solo studio album by Fish since he left Marillion in 1988. Released as a limited edition via mail-order in September 2007 and to retail in February 2008, it is his first since Field of Crows (2004). Released on Fish's own imprint Chocolate Frog Records, retail distribution is handled by Snapper Music.
Kettle of Fish (88-98) is the title of a compilation album by Fish released in 1998, providing a retrospective on his solo career plus two new songs. Unlike the previous best-of Yin and Yang (1995), this is a single disc and does not include any Marillion material. Kettle of Fish was Fish's first release under a new contract with Roadrunner Records, who signed Fish after the financially catastrophic Sunsets on Empire album and tour of 1997 had forced him to dissolve his own label Dick Brothers Record Company. Roadrunner also re-released Fish's entire backcatalogue; Kettle of Fish was intended to draw attention to these titles, which explains the publication of another "best-of" compilation with just one studio album between this and the last one. The album was accompanied by an eponymous collection of video clips with slightly different tracks. In Europe, the limited first edition of the album included a bonus CD-ROM with three videos and additional material.
Raingods with Zippos is a 1999 progressive rock album by ex-Marillion vocalist Fish. It was released on the Roadrunner record label, more well-known for its heavy metal releases. Raingods with Zippos is often hailed as one of Fish's greatest solo achievements, along with his 1990 debut Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors. It is the first of three Fish albums to be produced by Elliot Ness. While he was not involved with the production of this album, Steven Wilson, most famous for his work with Porcupine Tree, played guitar on several of the tracks.
"Sugar Mice" is a song by British neo-prog band Marillion. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, Clutching at Straws (1987). Released on 13 July 1987, it peaked at number 22 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's eighth top-30 hit in a row. Outside the UK, it charted in the Netherlands and West Germany.