Songs from the Mirror

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Songs From The Mirror
Studio album by Fish
Released	20 January 1993
Genre	Progressive rock
Label	Polydor
Producer	James Cassidy
Professional reviews
All Music Guide [1]
Fish chronology
Internal Exile (1991) Songs From The Mirror (1993) Suits (1994)
Alternate cover
Artwork on 1998 Roadrunner Records release
Singles from Songs From The Mirror
"Never Mind The Bullocks (Hold Your Head Up)" Released: 12 December 1992

Songs from the Mirror (1993) is the third solo album by singer Fish. It does not contain any original Fish material; instead it is a cover album featuring Fish's versions of songs by artists who inspired him before his career started. The choice of songs by Pink Floyd, Genesis, David Bowie, The Moody Blues and others, all originally from a period between 1970 and 1976, reflects Fish's taste in music when he was 12 to 18 years old. The title is a reference to the time when he would impersonate his teenage idols in front of a mirror. Fish's idea to make a cover album dates back to the late Marillion period, but had been rejected by the band.

Overall, the album was not received favourably. It appeared out of touch with the dominant musical trends of the early 1990s, diminishing its appeal to the general audience. At the same time, fans were waiting for new original material. Also, most younger fans found the songs difficult to relate to and too different from Fish's own work. As a result, the album turned out a to be commercial failure. Polydor, already disappointed with the sales of Internal Exile (1991), had initially rejected Fish's idea of a cover album, but eventually accepted it as the second album Fish was obliged to deliver under their contract. However, they dropped Fish within two months of the album's release. As of February 2008, Songs from the Mirror is Fish's last ever output on a major record company.

[edit] Musicians

The core line-up on this album is the same as on the 1992 tour. Since the recording of Internal Exile, keyboardist Mickey Simmonds had been replaced with Foster Paterson, while drummer Kevin Wilkinson had taken over from session player Ethan Johns. The spots for guitars (Robin Boult, Frank Usher) and bass (David Paton) had remained unchanged. Other than that and backing vocals, only two tracks ("Solo" and "Jeepster") feature an additional guest musician, Ben Molleson on violin and tin whistle. The album was mixed and produced by James Cassidy, who Fish had met while recording guest vocals for Jeff Wayne's musical Spartacus. Cassidy would also produce and co-write Fish's next album Suits (1994).

[edit] Single release

Only a lead single was released from this album, with Argent's 1972 hit "Hold Your Head Up" as the A-Side. This was actually marketed as an EP entitled Never Mind The Bullocks (featuring Hold Your Head Up), somewhat fraudulently as the 7" and CD single only contained two and three songs respectively. Also, these songs were to be found on the album, providing little incentive for fans to purchase the single. A second single with David Bowie's Five Years as the A-Side was in the pipeline, but never officially released; only a radio promo exists.

[edit] Cover art

Songs from the Mirror is the only regular Fish album not to be designed by Mark Wilkinson. Fish had deliberately decided to not use Wilkinson, as he didn't want to give the impression it was an album with original material. Instead, he chose the "The Guddler" by Scottish painter Keith McIntyre as the cover. "The Guddler" had also been the working title of the project.

[edit] Tour

The album was followed by a tour, which was significantly longer than the previous tour promoting Internal Exile. After the 1992 "Toile Tour" in club-sized venues, this tour saw Fish return to large-capacity halls. However, this was also the last time he regularly played such venues. The stage design initially featured 'nets' which separated the band from Fish. Some found this somewhat egotistical while others saw that it allowed Fish to interact with the audience and heighten the sense of atmosphere. However after morale began to fall in the band, Fish finally decided to get rid of the nets and resumed with his normal stage set up. The double live album Sushi (1994) was recorded during this tour and features five Songs from the Mirror.

[edit] Re-releases

After Fish signed with Roadrunner Records in 1998, Songs from the Mirror was re-released on this label along with the other studio albums from his backcatalogue. The re-issue featured a changed track-list: Jeepster was removed, two other cover versions were added, The Seeker by The Who and "Time and A Word" by Yes (band), which had previously been released on the compilation Outpatients '93. "Time and A Word" was also part of the compilation Yin (1995).

[edit] Track listing

1. "Question" – 06:41 (Hayward) (The Moody Blues, from A Question of Balance, 1970)
2. "Boston Tea Party" – 04:22 (Harvey/McKenna/Cleminson) (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, from SAHB Stories, 1976)
3. "Fearless" – 06:15 (Gilmour/Mason/Waters/Wright) (Pink Floyd, from Meddle, 1971)
4. "Apeman" – 05:57 (Davies) (The Kinks, from Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, 1970)
5. "Hold Your Head Up" – 03:47 (Argent/White) (Argent, from All Together Now, 1972)
6. "Solo" – 04:46 (Denny) (Sandy Denny, from Like an Old-Fashioned Waltz, 1974)
7. "I Know What I Like" – 04:17 (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford) (Genesis, from Selling England by the Pound, 1973)
8. "Jeepster" – 04:10 (Bolan) (T-Rex, from Electric Warrior, 1971) cancelled from the remastered edition
9. "Five Years" – 05:19 (Bowie) (David Bowie, from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972)

Total Time 44:53

[edit] Remastered edition

1. "Question" – 06:41 (Hayward) (The Moody Blues, from A Question of Balance, 1970)
2. "Boston Tea Party" – 04:22 (Harvey/McKenna/Cleminson) (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, from SAHB Stories, 1976)
3. "Fearless" – 06:15 (Gilmour/Mason/Waters/Wright) (Pink Floyd, from Meddle, 1971)
4. "Apeman" – 05:57 (Davies) (The Kinks, from Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, 1970)
5. "Hold Your Head Up" – 03:47 (Argent/White) (Argent, from All Together Now, 1972)
6. "I Know What I Like" – 04:17 (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford) (Genesis, from Selling England by the Pound, 1973)
7. "Solo" – 04:46 (Denny) (Sandy Denny, from Like an Old-Fashioned Waltz, 1974)
8. "Time and a Word" – 4.24 (Anderson/Foster (Yes, from Time and a Word, 1970) bonus track
9. "The Seeker" – 3.16 (Townshend) (The Who, from Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, 1971) bonus track
10. "Five Years" – 05:19 (Bowie) (David Bowie, from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972)

[edit] External links

• Discography entry on the official Fish site
• Fish's sleeve notes for the remastered edition