Prog & Progeny
by Mark Kelly & Tallulah Kelly
Prog and Progeny is a podcast hosted by father-daughter duo Mark (keyboardist for Marillion) and Tallulah, exploring his life in music, the ups and downs of being in a band, and the personal stories in between.Episodes loosely follow chapters from Mark’s memoir Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons, with space for honest conversations, the occasional guest, and plenty of tangents.
Episodes
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Wing Mirrors and Quacking Ducks
From an Eindhoven hotel room on the Dutch tour’s final day, Mark and Tallulah answer your questions: the re-recorded Interior Lulu solo, fearing the sack, blown-down drum screens, sabotaged support slots, Raye’s prog credentials and whether to sell a CD for a vet bill. Plus click track failures.
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Seasons End - Part 2
Mark and Tallulah finish their deep dive into Seasons End. Mark explains to Tallulah what a hair band is, and why Hooks in You put Marillion a little too close to being one: Rothery’s riff, synth brass with a nod to Jump, and a record label wanting a hit. Also how a critic’s “overworked guff”…
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"A Band Is Kind of a Fake Family" - John Helmer
Former Piranhas guitarist, novelist and Marillion lyricist John Helmer joins Mark and Tallulah. He talks about Top of the Pops and Tom Hark, signing with Pete Waterman, and how one brief taste of success broke up his band. He explains the thinking behind his Marillion lyrics. John also remembers...
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Seasons End - Part 1
We begin our deep dive into Seasons End - Marillion’s first album with Steve Hogarth. Mark and Tallulah explore the first four tracks - The King of Sunset Town, Easter, The Uninvited Guest and Seasons End - from the stories and meanings behind them to how they came together during a huge period…
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Sounds That Can't be Made - part 2
Mark and Tallulah finish Sounds That Can't Be Made. Why Power's lyric leaves Mark cold, how Mike Hunter pulled a buried vocal melody out of Invisible Ink, the home piano noodle that became The Sky Above the Rain, and whether Montréal deserves the bad press. If you click on this link before...
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Sounds That Can't Be Made - Part 1
We jump forward to 2012's Sounds That Can't Be Made. We discuss the writing and recording of the first half of the album track by track.
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Script for a Jester's Tear, Part 2
We wrap up our two-parter on Marillion's 1983 debut, moving from the songs the band left behind to the reasons they did. Also, the gear and the studio decisions that shaped how the record sounds, where Fish was drawing his lyrics from, and what it's like to hear your first album again 40+ years…
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Mini Episode: Pompeii and Sugar Mice (in the rain)
A short catch-up episode. Mark and Tallulah discuss their Pompeii experience — the choir, the pre-show keyboard crisis, playing "Sugar Mice" in the rain — plus podcast meetups, the UK tour and more...
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Sticking To The Script
Mark and Tallulah deep dive into Script For A Jester's Tear, Marillion's 1983 debut — six songs, forty-six minutes, more chaos than the record lets on. Razor-blade multi-track edits, £1,000 for Trevor McDonald was too much, a secret backwards message meant only for Kayleigh, and stories behind…
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The Final Chapter: Cement Mixer Blues
Mark joins Tallulah from backstage in Bonn as Marillion's German tour begins with the live debut of "Ribbons and Lace." The book's final chapter covers the story behind "Gaza," the Frankfurt cement mixer accident, sudden hearing loss, marathon mishaps, a famous F1 fan, and a Nick Cave encounter.
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Update
A little pre-tour update...
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David Stopps & Marillion — The Friars Aylesbury Story
Mark and Tallulah are joined by David Stopps, the promoter behind Friars Aylesbury, which he founded in 1969 and has run for 56 years. David recalls the club's earliest nights — including King Crimson and Genesis — managing Marillion for 5 short weeks, managing Howard Jones, and the Kickstarter...
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[PREVIEW] Number Station
In episode 35 we discussed the making of the Marathon album and our first attempts at writing together. These early efforts never came to anything, but for your amusement here's the music I sent to Guy to inspire him to write some lyrics. You might recognise the opening bars as I used them for…
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Unknown Unknowns: Guy Vickers on Lawsuits, Lyrics and Marathon
Mark and Tallulah are joined by Guy Vickers — barrister by day, musician and lyricist by night — the man behind the lyrics on Mark Kelly's Marathon and the legal brain behind Marillion's battle with EMI. 00:25 — Introducing Guy: weekend warrior, full-time barrister 03:13 — How Pete's dinner...
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The Queen Nearly Got Our Royalties
This week we dive into Mark's years on the FAC and PPL boards, fighting for artists' rights while Marillion were being short-changed by their old EMI deal. The lawsuit that followed and the after-the-event insurance gambit, the sleepless night when EMI claimed Marillion had no legal standing...
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How We Learnt to Admit When a Song Isn't Good Enough
This week Mark calls in from Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios — with a quick video tour and the story of meeting Peter Gabriel for the first time. Then into deputising for Adam Wakeman in Travis (with "drink beer" written across half the setlist) and a candid post-mortem on Somewhere Else — the...
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Listener Questions episode (recorded 17/04/26)
This week we answer your questions. If you have a question for inclusion on a future episode ask it on our Patreon "Questions questions" chat.
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Interview with Marillion manager Lucy Jordache
This week we speak with manager Lucy Jordache about her 30-plus-year journey, from a teenage Marillion fan to EMI catalogue manager, band manager, and Ian Mosley’s wife. Along the way, she discusses taking a pay cut to get into the music industry, a rocky first meeting with Fish, and how she and...
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All For One: Risk, Royalties & Anoraks
This time we discuss how Marillion took a leap nobody else had dared, and accidentally changed the music industry. Lucy Jordache’s evolving role, and why the band chose not to capitalise on their invention. How sharing everything brought Marillion closer together. Mixing stress and why risk has...
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Before Crowdfunding Was a Word
This week we chat with Erik Nielsen. He was a 22-year-old help desk worker in Cleveland, Ohio when a woman he was seeing dragged him to a Marillion gig and changed his life. He ended up as Marillion's keyboard tech, moved into Mark's spare room, got deported, and — almost by accident — helped...
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The Freaks Who Funded a Marillion Tour
This week we cover Marillion's short stint with Rod Smallwood (Iron Maiden's manager) and the Sanctuary empire, how Mark met Tallulah's mum and the origin of the song Rich. Also, the birth of music crowdfunding: how a single post on the Freaks mailing list led to fans raising $60,000 to fund a US...
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Episode 27 - Listener Questions
This week, Mark and Tallulah answer some listener questions. Covering everything from the choices they might have made differently in life to a fight that almost broke up the band.
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Down But Not Out: The EMI Years End
This week Mark and Tallulah talk through a difficult chapter in the band’s past: being dropped by EMI, ongoing money problems, Mark nearly ending up homeless, and the lack of support from their manager who suggested day jobs for the band might be the way forward. The conversation stays…
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"Do You Want a Record… or a Work of Art?"
In this episode Mark and Tallulah sit down with producer Dave Meegan to explore the making of Brave. Dave takes us inside the long nights, impossible standards, and creative tension that shaped one of Marillion’s most ambitious albums — from a French château to Liverpool over more than 7 months.…
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Fortune Favours the Brave
In this episode Mark and Tallulah dive deep into the making of Brave— Marillion’s most ambitious and uncompromising album. They discuss creative freedom, financial uncertainty, and the quiet decisions that laid the groundwork for the band’s independence.
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BURIED CASH, SCUMBAG CREW
In this episode Mark & Tallulah chat with Smick, Ian's drum tech from the mid 1980s and later the crew boss. Smick recounts how he started working in music and his first meeting with Marillion - and the cool reception from Ian. He also describes the chaotic management style of John Arnison,...
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Pop vs. Prog: Holidays in Eden
This week Mark and Tallulah dive into the writing and recording of Holidays in Eden. They get into how much a producer can steer an album, as Marillion discovered with pop-tastic Chris Neil. They talk through Marillion’s move to Hit & Run Management and the promises that never materialised. They...
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Fish Quit and Served us a Writ!
Enter H and Sea-son's End (see what I did there?) In this week’s episode Mark and Tallulah look at Chapter 13 - A Man for All Seasons. They explore one of the most pivotal points in Marillion’s history—when Steve Hogarth stepped in to replace Fish. Mark recalls the race to finish Season’s End...
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In Conversation With Steve "H" Hogarth
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah chat with Marillion’s lead singer Steve Hogarth. They talk about his career before joining the band and what it was like stepping in to replace Fish. After initially not being keen to join - having decided to give up music altogether and become a milkman…
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[PREVIEW] Questions 3
Here's where we answer the questions you sent us.
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Episode 18
This week, Mark and Tallulah catch up with Producer/Engineer Nick Davis to chat about his time working with Marillion. Full of hilarious stories, Nick talks about how he blagged his way into the music industry, his first time meeting and working with Marillion, and what came after — producing...
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Going Under
This is the audio version which includes Mark reading Chapter 11 of his autobiography. In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah work through a turbulent chapter as the band edges toward breaking point. Steve is driving most of the ideas for the next album while Mark struggles with writer’s…
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Going Under
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah work through a turbulent chapter as the band edges toward breaking point. Steve is driving most of the ideas for the next album while Mark struggles with writer’s block. Behind the scenes, the crew is kept on payroll without work, John pushes EMI for more...
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Too Big to Fail (Including Book reading)
In this episode, Mark and Tallulah talk about the chaos of oversold venues in the manager's pursuit of profit, and surreal tour moments - from playing in Japan to the crew starting fires on planes. They delve into Marillion’s time playing with both Rush and Queen, including a bizarre party at...
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Too Big to Fail
In this episode, Mark and Tallulah talk about the chaos of oversold venues in the manager's pursuit of profit, and surreal tour moments - from playing in Japan to the crew starting fires on planes. They delve into Marillion’s time playing with both Rush and Queen, including a bizarre party at...
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Do You Remember?
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah continue through chapter 9, exploring the writing and recording of Misplaced Childhood in Berlin. They talk about the unexpected success of “Kayleigh,” the challenges of creating a concept album despite the record company’s doubts, and the many people who...
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[PREVIEW] Prog & Progeny Theme
I originally wrote this piece as an intro for the song Twenty Fifty One on the Marathon album. I sent it over to my nephew Conal, who added guitar, bass, and a modern drum track—thanks, Conal! As the song took shape, I realised this intro didn’t really fit, so it ended up gathering digital dust…
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In conversation with Ian Mosley
In this episode Mark has a rambling conversation with Ian remembering his early days in Marillion and their time in Berlin recording Misplaced Childhood.
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Interview with Simon Hanhart
This week, Mark and Tallulah are joined by Simon Hanhart, recording engineer on the Script for a Jester’s Tear, Fugazi and Real to Reel albums. Simon shares his memories of working with Marillion during a pivotal time in both his and their careers - covering the highs, the lows, and everything in...
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Kill The Pape (Part 2)
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah discuss the short but notable tenure of drummer Jonathan Mover, the circumstances around his departure, and the arrival of Ian Mosley as his replacement. They also get into a few side stories, including a fire extinguisher prank gone wrong and some…
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Kill The Pape (Part 1)
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah reflect on the writing of Marillion’s second album in Wales, and the pressure of creating new material on a tight deadline. They talk through the challenges that came with that process, both creatively and personally. They also look back on the band’s…
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Charting The Singles
In this week’s episode, Mark and Tallulah continue their look at the making of Marillion’s first album and the band’s growing momentum. They share stories about playing the Marquee Club under fake names - leading to an unexpected run-in with a German airline - and performing Garden Party on Top…
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Welcome to the Machine
This week Mark and Tallulah talk about managers — the good, the bad, and everything in between. They introduce John Arnison and reflect on Marillion’s first record deal with EMI, discussing what it was like to sign for the first time and the process of putting together their debut single. Mark…
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Listener's Questions 2
In this episode we answer some more of your questions Become a member and get some great extras including unreleased Mark Kelly music https://www.patreon.com/c/progandprogeny/membership Buy Mark's Autobiography - Marillion, Misadventures and Marathons at...
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All Change (Part 2) with Pete Trewavas.
In this episode, Mark and Tallulah cover the second half of Chapter 5, All Change. They talk through the painful process of firing former guest on the podcast and ex-Marillion member Diz Minnitt, the arrival of current bassist Pete Trewavas, and the short-lived involvement of manager David Stopps…
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All Change (Part 1)
This week, Mark and Tallulah wade into the first half of Chapter 5, All Change. It features the band's first time playing at the Marquee Club and a few tales from the dressing room that are probably best left off the official record (but naturally, aren’t). The chapter captures that awkward...
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Listener's Questions
This is a bonus episode with some of your questions answered by Tallulah and Mark. Become a member and get some great extras including unreleased Mark Kelly music https://www.patreon.com/c/progandprogeny/membership Buy Mark's Autobiography - Marillion, Misadventures and Marathons at...
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Interview with Diz Minnitt
In this episode, Tallulah and Mark are joined by original Marillion bassist Diz Minnitt and his daughter, Alissimon. They chat about the early days of Marillion—life on the road, grafting for gigs, and travelling in their beloved (but extremely unsafe) van, Margaret. Diz and Mark reflect on Diz’s...
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From Chemical Alice to Marillion
In this episode Mark and Tallulah dive into Mark’s communist upbringing—where his grand plan to improve poor working conditions didn’t exactly spark a revolution. They also revisit his early days in music with Chemical Alice (spoiler: the chemicals were very much in attendance). Tallulah gives...
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The Best Days of our Lives
This week, we dive deeper into Mark’s insatiable appetite for stealing—covering everything from identity theft to piracy (the digital kind, not the eyepatch kind). In our second blind-react segment, Tallulah gives her unfiltered reaction to a Marillion song she’s never heard before and faces off...
About this show
Prog and Progeny is a podcast hosted by father-daughter duo Mark (keyboardist for Marillion) and Tallulah, exploring his life in music, the ups and downs of being in a band, and the personal stories in between.Episodes loosely follow chapters from Mark’s memoir Marillion, Misadventures & Marathons, with space for honest conversations, the occasional guest, and plenty of tangents.
Hosted by
Mark Kelly & Tallulah Kelly
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