Derek William Dick (born
25 April 1958), better known by his stage name Fish, is a Scottish
singer-songwriter and occasional actor. He achieved prominence as the lead
singer and lyricist of the neo-progressive rock band Marillion from
1981 until 1988. In his solo career, Fish has explored contemporary pop and
traditional folk.
Music critics have acknowledged Fish for his voice, which has
been described as both "distinct" and a "conflation of Roger Daltrey and Peter Gabriel", while
his lyrics have been praised as "poetic prose". In
2004, Classic Rock magazine ranked Fish #49
on the list of "The 100 Greatest Frontmen", describing him with
"His theatrical delivery was a major factor in Marillion's spectacular
rise, and he masterminded some uniquely ornate lyrical concepts." Fish was
voted number 37 in the greatest voices in rock by Planet Rock listeners in 2009.
Early
Life
Derek William Dick was born on
25 April 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland,
and grew up in Dalkeith. The son of Robert and Isabella, Fish was educated at
King's Park primary school and then Dalkeith High School.
He was inspired by the
music of many of the rock artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s,
including Genesis, Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, the Kinks, T. Rex, David Bowie, Argent and the Alex Harvey Band (Fish would later pay
tribute to these early influences on his covers album Songs from the Mirror). Fish has also
cited Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell as
"one of the biggest influences on me because of her approach to
lyrics". The first band he saw live was Yes at
Usher Hall, Edinburgh, in 1974.
As well as his love for music, he was also a
voracious reader, and his literary inspirations included Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Robert Burns and Dylan Thomas (all
of whom would later be depicted on the sleeve of Marillion's Clutching at Straws).
Fish worked as a petrol pump attendant, gardener and
from 1977 until 1980 worked in forestry. During
this period he adopted the nickname of Fish, which originated from the amount
of time he spent in the bath. Fish has been quoted: "With a real name of
Derek William Dick, it became very necessary to find a nickname as quickly as
possible."
Marillion
Fish joined Marillion in
1981. The band gained popularity over the next couple of years, leading to the
release of their top ten debut album Script for a Jester's Tear in
1983. They achieved further chart success in the UK, attaining top ten hit
singles in 1985 with "Kayleigh" and "Lavender", and again in 1987 with
"Incommunicado". In 1988, Fish left
Marillion to pursue a solo career.
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