This month we needle Steve Rothery
Q1 **Can you name all the tracks on Marillion’s EP Brief Encounter, which was released in the US on Capitol **in 1986?
Steve Rothery: No, is the honest answer to that! Kayleigh, Lavender? Garden Party? Our experience with Capitol wasn’t the best, let’s say…
A: Kayleigh, Lady Nina, Freaks, plus live versions of Script… and Fugazi.
Q2 Which band’s second album More Than Meets The Eye was released in 1992, and what connects you to them?
SR: Jadis? The keyboardist Pete Salmon is my brother-in-law, my wife designed their logo, they supported us on the Clutching At Straws tour, I produced their early demos, we’ve been for many an Indian meal!
A: Was thinking you produced the demos, but we’ll have all of that.
Q3 You’ve done two albums as The Wishing Tree with singer Hannah Stobart. Can you name her current band?
SR: Yes I can, Rocket Moth.
A: Correct.
Q4 And which tune from the Tree’s Carnival Of Souls was based on a tune you played during Steve Hogarth’s auditions for Marillion?
SR: Nightwater.
A: Correct.
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Q5 How many fans pre-ordered, and thus funded, 2001’s Anoraknophobia? And for a bonus point, can you name them?
SR: [Laughs] Yeah, right! It was about 12-13,000.
A: Yes, over 12,500 people.
Q6 And speaking of anoraks, which delay unit did you use on your closing solo on the title track to Sounds That Can’t Be Made?
SR: The TC 2290. That’s my favourite unit, I own five of them.
A: Nice!
Q7 Which track did you perform on for Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited II album, and who wrote the poem that inspired the lyrics?
SR: The Lamia. As to who wrote the poem, my wife is the one with the English degree!
A: It was John Keats.
Q8 Which award did Marillion win at the Prog Awards in 2013?
SR: Album Of The Year. No, Band Of The Year?
A: Correct.
Q9 That same year you played the Plovdiv International Guitar Festival, and released a live album of your set. Can you name any two other acts who appeared there?
SR: No, it was such a catalyst for the solo album, but we didn’t see anyone else as we were all on different days.
A: Also playing were Gary Ryan, Bruskers Guitar Duo, Yvonne Zehner and Guitar Trio Alegrías.
Q10 And The Ghosts Of Pripyat was funded by a Kickstarter campaign. What was the goal amount and how much did you ultimately raise?
SR: The goal amount was £15,000, and we raised nearly £60,000.
A: Yes, the final total was £59,782.
General Prog
Q11 Sticking with Pripyat, footage of that area appears in which recent Pink Floyd video?
SR: It’ll be from The Endless River, which I have but haven’t had time to listen to yet…
A: It’s actually Marooned, from the recently reissued The Division Bell.
Q12 And which Floyd album celebrates its 40th birthday this year?
SR: Dark Side Of The Moon. No, no! Wish You Were Here.
A: Correct.
Q13 What’s the name of the last Porcupine Tree studio album?
SR: Was that The Incident?
A: It was!
Q14 You’ve said that Vangelis’ Blade Runner soundtrack is one of your favourite records. Can you name any singer on there?
SR: His old bandmate didn’t sing on it, did he? Demis Roussos?
A: He did, and so did Don Percival and, weirdly, Mary Hopkin.
Q15 Who wrote the novella that inspired the classic Camel album on our cover, The Snow Goose?
SR: I should know this. English author? No!
A: Paul Gallico.
Q16 ‘Alive at both ends but a little dead in the middle/ A-tumbling and a-bumbling he will go/ All the king’s horses and all the king’s men could never put a smile on that face…’ Lyrics from which Genesis song?
SR: Dance On A Volcano?
A: Squonk.
Q17 **Steve Hackett and Steve Howe were briefly bandmates in GTR. Who was the drummer? **
SR: Jonathan Mover.
A: Correct.
Q18 Who plays piano on Cat Stevens’ classic Morning Has Broken?
SR: Rick Wakeman.
A: Correct.
Q19 And which keyboardist did Rick replace when he first joined Yes?
SR: Tony someone. Tony Kaye?
A: Correct.
Q20 What was the name of Kate Bush’s show at the Hammersmith Apollo last year?
SR: I should know this… I did go to see it… I’ve got the programme. No!
A: Before The Dawn.
**TOTAL: 14½/20 **
“[Laughs] That was fun actually. I’ve not got the best memory for things, it takes a little while to sort through all my mental baggage!”
