If you are a purple patron of TCD (sorry Lucy) then you will have heard some of this before, because we had a chat about the Brave movie (and working with Richard Stanley) in a recent Q&A.Well today we build on that conversation, as we have arrived at that point in our loose 'promo-video-reminiscences' timeline.And because of that slight crossover, now would be a good time to remind you that becoming a supporting patron of the podcast brings with it many benefits. Apart from being part of the 'purple collective', and getting early access to the pod, you will never have a TCD-free week, because in-between producing fortnightly chapters, we deliver extra content to our wonderful supporters.You can learn more by clicking here.Love'n'visual-curiositieshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

This week’s episode of TCD (sorry Lucy) is one of those where we really benefit from having a clever and creative voice in the room.You may recall that we have been talking about the Marillion promo vids on a kind of ad-hoc basis, and that the last time we touched on that topic we talked about the singles from Holidays. That took us to the legendary Howard Greenhalgh, a bit of a creative trailblazer and all round top bloke.Fast forward a couple of weeks and following a couple of speculative messages we managed to reconnect with Howard and twist his arm into coming onto TCD, to share his take on those projects and what actually went down. And even though we are talking about a gap of thirty plus years, he still managed to deliver in terms of helping us understand how that part of the industry operated back then, as well as some stories from the production floor …and how he very nearly cut my life short in Iceland.Love’n’skipping-along-the-glaciersh x

Greetings from NYC….I have to say that this week has gone by in a a bit of a blur. Indeed, it seems a long time since I was strapped to the chair, recording this week’s TCD (sorry, Lucy) pondering what I still had left to do, before I could set-off to board a plane and cross the Atlantic.Certainly, I wasn’t expecting Ant to take me back to shooting the promo videos for Holidays in Eden, or to be reminiscing about working with the legendary director Howard Greenhalgh.He was quite a character, with a penchant for straightforward (and profane-embellished) instruction whilst delivering Hollywood production on a Cricklewood budget.Anyway I am off to groove about a bit in New Jersey, if you bump into me at Progstock do come and say hello.Love’n’”for f***s sake look heroic. I’ll be back in 10 with a helicopter”h

Here we go then, the second half of my Seasons End musings, based on having listened to the album again for the first time in ages.Of course since we last spoke it has tipped past its 35th Anniversary, which is a statement that has the power to stop you dead in your tracks, particularly if it feels like last year.Anyway we got as far as Holloway Girl on TCD #219 (sorry Lucy) so today we start with Berlin, and work our way through the latter stages of the album. And tbh there isn't much else to say that you need to know before you start listening.Which is your cue to start listening...Love'n'driving through the nighthTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Who says you can’t teach on old dog new tricks, well to be fair lots of people - including me as it goes - but you know what I mean.So for this episode of TCD (sorry Lucy) we are having a crack at something a bit different, based around an idea that Ant had. I happened to mention a few weeks ago that I rarely listen back to the Marillion albums and haven’t done for quite a while. Consequently my experience of our back catalogue tends to be in rehearsal and on stage.Anyway he suggested that I sit down and work my way through our back catalogue, taking note of what struck me whilst I was listening back to them now. And do you know what, it sounded like quite an intriguing little musical experiment, so here we are.Anyway we start, where all good stories start, at the beginning. So sit back and prepare yourselves for Seasons End.Love’n’full fibrehTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

The first TCD of September (sorry Lucy) and we are starting with what could be loosely called ‘a plan’.Following some imaginative intervention from the Purples, we have a rich vein of chat suggestions to mine over the coming weeks, starting with a belter from Roger Harvey.But I ain’t going to spoil the surprise, so you will just have to listen for the details - and of course we will also be requiring you all to help provide the clarifications when the timeline gets a little hazy.Love’n’linenhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It’s literally two years since we had an episode quite like this one. And in an unusual foray into accuracy I can give you the exact details, because it was Chapter 122The reason I know this is because that week Ant was on holiday in Catalonia, and as such he recorded his half of the conversation in a lively cafe in Platja d’Aro.And, literally just for the hell of it, he is back in the same spot - only this time it was a hotel reception. The good news is that the Wi-Fi was considerably better, so actually getting something in the can was a lot easier. The downside is the background hubbub that you get in that particular environment. Meanwhile, I was in Denmark with toddlers.Tweaks have been made using expensive Spanish digital software, but it is a little nosier than usual so please bear with.Anyway onto business, because those of you who appreciate a well-run council waste facility, or indeed are unsure about the nutritional make-up of your breakfast bowl, are in for an absolute treat.Love’n’tow-ballshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Big shout out to Roger Harvey, who in a round-about way has filled the middle of the TCD doughnut this week. Confused? Well let me explain..As you know I read a bit of something in the middle of each week's pod. Since I got through all of The Invisible Man diaries, I have been rooting around the bottom of the digital drawer looking for interesting (and previously unread) stuff to include. And, as most of you are aware I tend to do this a bit 'on the hoof' each week.Anyway this week I had to message Ant in a panic to see if he had any inspiration, because I had lost all track of what I had (and hadn't) read already. After a few minutes contemplation he recalled that Roger Harvey had been in touch to share pictures of a handwritten excerpt I wrote for the Web Magazine in the way back when, about my 100th show.So that is what you have got, and it is thanks to another Mr.H that you have that at all.Cheers Roger...Love’n’mosi-bashingh xTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It struck me as I was listening to chapter 215 that one of the quirks of recording TCD (sorry Lucy) is that the process is often interrupted by what has gone before. It isn't exactly a 'ghost in the machine' because it is all very explainable, and indeed predictable.Let me try and enlighten you. The way I record my half of the conversation involves overdubbing onto a file that contains snippets of previous recordings; you know the kind of thing, old diary readings, the musical idents we use to transition between sections and odd bits of crooncast. Because I am not great at muting these before we start, every so often they spring into life becoming audible to both Ant & myself mid-conversation.This week it was the jingle for spreadsheet corner that made an appearance, momentarily throwing us both a curve-ball, and resulting in a slight break in the flow as we re-centre.Of course you, dear listener, are privy to the reaction rather than the cause so I thought it only fair to explain how and why this semi-regular phenomena comes about.Of course it's entirely possible that you have never ever noticed, in which case 'as you were'.Love'n'seam sniffinghTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

I was minded on listening back that we spend years fine-tuning our quirks, in fact I am not convinced it's a process we ever actually get to the end of.But these are the things that define who we are. So to know me is to know both my caffeine routine and how I close an overhead locker when I am on a plane.So I say 'embrace all quirks without fear or self consciousness' and respect and cherish those of the people that you encounter along the wayBecause life for me often involves an imaginary pogo-stick.Love’n’specialist-dusting,hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

This week's TCD (sorry Lucy) reminds me of when you take a drive to somewhere you travel to often. Not a quick-round-the-corner to the shop kind of trip, more a journey that you know well but maybe takes an hour to two.Sometimes you arrive at such a destination, not really remembering exactly how you got there. You know you have been in the car for a couple of hours, and that you have covered 103 miles but as to the specifics of the journey, well that kind of went by in a blur.So when I came to edit #213 I couldn't really recall what Ant and I had talked about. I knew we had met at the pre-arranged time and that we had talked for an hour or so, but as to the details, hmm...So, in short, I may well have had the same experience you are just about to have yourself.Love'n'TolstoyhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It’s the end of an era, sort of.Back on the 27th April, 2020 the first episode proper of TCD (sorry, Lucy) was published and we have been chucking them out every week for well over four years.But with 212 that streak comes to an end, because as of next week we are changing our cadence. I don’t think either of us expected to still be doing this after 50 episodes, let alone 200, and of course life has moved on bringing more pressure on diaries and the time available to keep the content coming. And because we want to ensure we continue to provide extra stuff for the Purple community we have decided to make TCD a fortnightly release, and produce patron-only bits in the weeks in-inbetween.So if you have been contemplating Purpleness then maybe now is the time, and if not we now recommend listening to each episode twice, a week apart, because if you are anything like me you will have forgotten it all anyway.Love'n'Gillianh

Apologies for missing last week (though very soon you will know why) This one was a little tough in prospect but alright once we got going.It sounds a bit different owing to Ant not being able to get his tech to work (post Spanish-holibobs) and having to use the USB mic instead of the flash one he normally uses. Having said all that, in many ways it is an archetypal episode of TCD - bawdy seaside postcards, eccentric village-folk and me with one leg in a fantasy-world, and the other one standing on a box. She was used to that…Love'n'orangeshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Well it's been a bit of a palaver this week, trying to get TCD (sorry, Lucy) ready for the outside world. The recording seemed to go well, but when I was putting it together it became apparent that Ant had forgotten his trademark 'and we're back' after the diary reading, so I had to crowbar one in from a previous episode. Actually on that point, the first person who can correctly identify which of the previous 209 episodes it came from can have a bag of Starmix.So I got around that little faux-pas, only for Ant to message me and break the news that the diary section which I recorded on Tuesday, has actually been used in a previous episode. So not only does that mean I have read and recorded it twice, it also means you will be getting a definite sense of deja vu.After a high-level executive discussion, we have decided to leave it as is, because it's a good bit of diary and you’ve all had several sleeps since you heard it last. Hopefully you will enjoy the refresher.Oh, and did I mention that Tim Sidwell was in attendance? No, well he was and as usual he was an absolute poppet and not a bit “Hollywood” except for occasionally calling us “darlings”. How wonderful!Love'n'ramahTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

I am properly losing track of what I am reading every week in the diary section.Even since we finished Volume II of The Invisible Man (1998-2014) I have been scrabbling around on my hands and knees (figuratively speaking of course) under the lid of my MacBook trying to locate odd bits of stuff to read out.And because I keep stumbling on stuff, we have lost all sense of chronology in terms of what we have included and what can still be used. Which is why I sent Ant an email on Wednesday and asked him to look at a couple of pages to try and ascertain if we had used them already. I couldn't be sure, and as it turned out neither could he, but we both plumped for the 'travelling to Lille' extract as being the safer option - so that is what you are getting.And as far as the rest of the episode is concerned, well it's just the other Mr.H being brilliant. Nuff said.Love'n'railcardshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We don't very often about the technical side of producing The Corona Diaries (see what I did there Lucy) mainly because we don't want to be seen to be blowing our collective trumpet, and partly because it isn't that interesting. But it is slightly relevant this week so here we go.Most weeks, usually on a Tuesday, Ant sets up a Zoom call and we congregate - rarely on time, and never before ten - to ease ourselves into the process. In short order we hit the record button, and away we go, but because the audio quality on Zoom is a little sketchy we choose to capture our individual tracks on separate software at either end. Then either Ant or myself will take those tracks, along with the intro/outro beds and the piano noodles and build what will ultimately be the finished episode.With me so far? Cracking!Now one of the little tricks of the trade is that we both have to wear headphones or earphones, because if you monitor via headphones the sound of the zoom call would be rerecorded through the microphone and create a kind of echo. Seems obvious right, but the reason I am telling you is that we have a perfect example of that this week when our guest joined us and did that very thing...So while you listen to #208 see if you can spot that little moment, because it is a little peek behind the “tech curtain”. Mind you, it’s probably because his volume goes up to eleven.Love'n'Leonardh

It doesn’t really matter which of the many metaphors you choose, win or lose, the ups and the downs, the peaks or the troughs. The fact is that when we started this run of AHBID themed episodes we kinda hoped by roping in members of the band we would be able to provide a broader collective on the making of that particular record.Alas it hasn’t really worked out that way, so although we have managed to tease out a few nuggets so far, this particular aspiration is heading for the bucket. (N.B we do still have Rothers to go, but on current form it ain’t that promising…)But with every near miss comes a full-on hit, and the one thing we didn’t expect was how each of these chapters have been imbued with the quirkiness of the particular invited guest. And so it is with the arrival of The Count, as we delve into clicks, debate marmalade and grill Ant over some frankly bizarre behaviour around eggs.hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

There is something about being in a room (or indeed on a Zoom call) with Trousers that is one of life's great pleasures. Let me clarify that, because it is all about the capitalisation. Being in a room with trousers is a fairly mundane occurrence for many of us, but being in a room with Trousers is a joy.The fact is, he is really funny. Mike Hunter thinks so, Ant thinks so, and I am sure after listening to #206 of TCD (sorry Lucy) you will think so as well. So as much as there are so really insights into the creation of Reprogram The Gene in todays pod, and believe me there are, if you are anything like me they will now be forever intertwined with tales of practical food containers and the purveyors thereof.Life is better when you take the Pete way.Love'n'knitwearhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Well we have only gone and ruddy well done it...It might have evolved slowly as an idea, but you can't say that we haven't upped our game a little and actually delivered. Assuming that you are up-to-date with your TCD listening (sorry Lucy) you will know that instead of recoding a load of episodes about FEAR (which as it turns out we have already done...) we are moving onto some chat about AHBID.And this idea, which in itself is perfectly solid, became turbo-charged when we decided to talk about each of the tracks in turn, and invite a different member of the beat combo to join us and pad out the discussion.So this week we begin at the beginning, with recollections of the process of writing and recording Be Hard on Yourself in the company of Mad Jack himself, Mark Kelly.Strap in, get ready, push the button...Hugs,hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It runs out the best way to throw your fellow podcast host off his axis, is to turn up to his house and proclaim “I’m here” with outstretched hands.After a couple of hundred of these over Zoom, there are consequences in jumping in the car and heading up to Heckmondwike for a face-to-face. Firstly there is no obvious improvement in the depth or quality of the content, and all that happened is that, basically, we buggered off out for lunch.Secondly in a strange, body-switch-kind-of-moment, I became the sane one as Ant had a bit of a wobble and not only got his albums in the wrong order, but pretty much forgot a whole load of TCD episodes (sorry Lucy) that we had recorded about FEAR.But being the old pros that we are, we powered on through and managed to start a bit of a chat about An Hour Before It’s Dark. Ant then usefully came up with a plan for the next few weeks which I pondered whilst helpfully locating not 3, but 4 pieces in Ant's unfeasibly difficult jigsaw.After that I stuck some yellow stars on my face and went home.Love and Mott the Hoople, h x

What can I tell you about this this week's TCD (sorry Lucy)...Well if it is randomness you are after, then we have it in the kind of quantity that would require a sturdy barrow to transport it about the place. In fact we start in a random place and then we proceed to meander, seemingly unchecked by social convention or common decency.Which is why we go from football, to snooker, to Warren Close, to the Mr Men to Stephens (and indeed Stevens) and then back to football.I also found another bit of diary from 2021, just in case you were wondering about the alliterative episode title, and it really is bloody illuminating on the subject of public transport and low-level milk pilfering.Love'n'the nutter pheromonehTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

The story of TCD this week (sorry Lucy) has an awful lot to do with two questions and one piece of re-direction.The first question, and let me tell you neither Ant or myself were able to proffer any kind of definitive answer ourselves, is whether or not a number can be classified as a palindrome. The second question is also a recognition that something Ant said may well be wrong. He asserted that the clock on a mobile phone relies on its GPS location to ensure it always shows the right time but on reflection this may be twaddle. We now think it may be the 'carrier settings' of the service provider that provide this information.In both instances we throw this out to you dear listener, to offer your insights and set us straight.Oh and I nearly forgot the re-direction, well if you click here you will not only see my painting from CTTE, but some of the other efforts from my esteemed colleagues and a great pic of Tony Levin.Love'n'FA cup final replayshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

There is most definitely a sense of meander about this week’s TCD (sorry Lucy).After all the excitement of Cruise to the Edge, I needed a little bit of a reset so Ant took pity and let me empty my head of the all things that had made an impression over the course of the trip, without worrying about whether they were in order, were said more than once, or indeed made sense.The only caveat to that is we did address the elephant in the room, namely the speculation around my seeming ever-present light blue T-Shirt. This is public service podcasting after all.Oh, and listen out for something special at the end.Love to the factor of 5!hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

A little late (to be fair, we did warn you it would be) but we actually made it to the big number.Three years, 10 months and 12 days ago the first episode proper of TCD (sorry, Lucy) was published and there probably isn’t a one of us that would have thought we would be here, 1414 days later, offering up a bi-centennial chapter whilst aboard a boat.And in all honesty this one was about as wacky as they come, with the irrepressible Nick Beggs joining in, taking over and introducing us all to jazz origami. Now I know what what it must have been like to interview Rod Hull and Emu.Anyway thanks to all of you that have come along for the ride, especially those of you who have embraced your inner purpleness. It really has meant a lot to both of us.Love you all…hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Believe it or not #199 was actually quite a tricky one to pitch, because it is difficult to focus on the job in hand when you know that an episode with a significant number is just around the corner.Of course TCD (sorry Lucy) has a secret weapon that can be deployed in just these circumstances, and so we pressed the big red button marked ‘slipshod’ and powered on through.And even when we are being playful some brevity still seeps through, so amongst the purple gags and seriously reckless tempting of fate, there is a dollop of insight about the Seasons End tour.Anyway I must fly, darlings, I’m off to pack for CTTE, and I will speak to you from the other side… Love’n’BlackburnhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

As you would expect after a couple of weeks of content-heavy TCD (sorry Lucy, and big tens to Captain Hunter) we regress to a more predictable episode complete with a heavy dose of wheezy laughs and surreal notions.The reading this week is an almost forgotten recollection of my 100th gig, somewhere back in the hazy days of Seasons End in a disco. Thanks to Roger H for the inspiration (and the copy) which we seized upon, because it was such a bloody good idea.Other than that it flits around all over the place this week, so prepare yourself for a wee bit of everything and hopefully we will all arrive at the same point after about an hour.Bubble sends his love and says he's got a killer idea for Micheal Jackson.h PS. Sorry Tom. There was no need for it.TCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

As you can expect Ant and I were very pleased when the face of Captain Hunter appeared on the Zoom screen for the recording of this week's TCD (sorry, Lucy).He had said he was happy to come back and talk a little bit more about 'With Friends' and being the fine upstanding fellow that he is, he was as good as his word. Of course that DID mean we moved onto the rather more delicate subject of the parts of the process that had been somewhat stressful as far as Mike was concerned. Turns out it was ME who did the most damage! I had no idea...Anyway, all's well that ends well, and that particular album certainly ended well. As I write he's on his way to the village en-route to Southport to drop off yet more forgotten items. (Doh!) Looks like I am forgiven then.Love’n’pretty-lilac-lightshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

There are so many positives about having Mike Hunter joining us on TCD (sorry Lucy) and just one slight downside.The positives are so obvious that they almost write themselves, I mean let's start with sheer bloody congnisance. It was such a joy after three previous attempts (and numerous aborted run-ups) to actually put some proper narrative and understanding around the 'With Friends' project.Mike provides the insight and joins the dots with the effortlessness of a man who really can recall what we did and why we did it. He is undoubtedly the glue in so many ways, and as much as we cherish him, we could still do it more.And the slight downside I hear you cry? Well, both Ant and I do feel like we have to be on our best behaviour when he's around. It doesn't come naturally to either of us...Now for God's sake, shut the curtains...hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

On behalf of Anthony and myself, I want to begin by issuing a disclaimer about this week's episode of TCD (sorry Lucy).You could be forgiven for assuming such a decision could be down to a more than excessive use of bad language, or an inadvertent turn of phrase that in hindsight was a little unfair or unkind. Or maybe even that the accuracy of the material contained within was so far wide of the mark, that it managed to exceed the generous levels of tolerance we allow ourselves.Actually it's none of these things.Ant's straight off a plane from LA and I'm straight off a heavy day's rehearsal. The reality is Chapter 195 just isn't us at our shimmering best, so we thought it only fair to warn you in advance, apologise, and say it won't happen again, (unless it does).Don't get me wrong it is still worth a listen, actually it’s quite amusing in places, but it's a reminder that we are only human after all (well part-human at least).The one thing we aren't though is downhearted, in fact we're looking forward to regrouping for #196 un jet-lagged and post-gig-relieved. Aah...Love'n'clean feathershPlanet Marzipan Podcast - Episode 23TCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Ant’s in L.A.Jet-lag, gin and an eight hour time lag what could possibly go wrong?Actually against all the odds (and yes I appreciate that most of the odds we face at TCD are self-inflicted) we have managed to get an episode together this week.It’s very much a free-wheelin’ west coast vibe, that touches on some of the stuff we have been talking about recently as well as lifting the lid on one of the unspoken vices of rock’n’roll.So wrap a tea towel round your head, channel your inner-Eagle and let #194 wash over you.Love’n’surfboardshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

With last week's ill-health safely in the rear view mirror, we were back up to what passes for normal in the curious world of TCD.If you have been listening for the past few months you will be familiar with the fact that we take to the recording process, the way some people take to using a treadmill, and what I mean by that is that we take 5-10 minutes to get up to speed. So after focussing on the state of my ears, and the trauma of visiting the dentist in the seventies and eighties we settle into the business of the day.First up is my pending live project in Rome, and that is followed by another chunk of chat about the With Friends from the Orchestra album and how it came into being.How that got us to something that terrifies me is anybody's business, but it did.Love'n'recharging-the-firewallhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite


I haven't been well. What's more I haven't been well and I am going to tell you about it. Which means there is going to be some fairly detailed description of my symptoms, and you might want to take that into account if you are sensitive to matters around vomit. Whilst I am happy to warn you, I make no apology for its inclusion. What can I say, I am someone that overshares.Anyway it knocked me back, and it knocked the schedule back a bit so apologies to the Purple folk for the slight delay in proceedings, as I repositioned myself back to an even keel.On the positive side I have chanced on some never-before-heard-diary.... so, as my gran used to say, "It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good" (Mind you, she WAS a bit mad.)Love'n'bedresthTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

The vibe of #191 is very much around easing into the new year gently. I am not sure how the return to work has been for you, but for Ant & myself it felt like we needed a little bit of a soft nudge into 2024. So today is somewhat chatty and loose - but at least you get to find out what I have been up to over Christmas.On the subject of what I have been up to, if you have tickets (or plans to book) for the new ABBA experience Voyage then proceed with caution as there are a couple of minor spoilers about half way through.Oh and please take note of the request for your Marillo-journeys. It would be really nice to include some of these over the next few months.Resolutions:More Love. Less Swearing. Dry January.(Is that the dry crackle I hear of hell freezing over?..)hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We had a Livestream and it was bloody lovely. All the Purple folk were invited and Ant managed to persuade Film-Maker extraordinaire Tim Sidwell and Manager extraordinaire Lucy Jordache to join us for a pre-Christmas natter.And because it all went off so well we decided as a special treat for Christmas Day we would take the highlights, stick holly in the top and serve them up warm with lashings of brandy butter.So kick back, pour yourself a Sherry and let Chapter 190 do its thing. The questions were provided by Christine, Michael, Sarah, Stephen, Helen, Martin and Jeanine and I must thank Linette for bringing me gin-on-request just at the point it was needed.Have a great time out there you crazy cats, and thanks for your company in 2023.h

What a strange thing time is…Is it linear or is it, as Doctor Who suggested, a little bit more sort of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey.Let me explain…When we recorded this on Monday I had already been to Liverpool, but unless you had been there, you won't have heard about it yet.I hadn’t been on a Zoom call with a group of purples at that stage, but now I have, and although you haven’t heard that either let me tell you it was bloody lovely.If you are listening to this on Friday then I haven’t played Oxford at all, but if you are listening to it on Monday then it has been and gone and I have played it twice.And if you aren’t Purple, and you are running a couple of weeks behind with your TCD (sorry Lucy) listening then Christmas has gone and it’s already 2024, even though I haven’t wrapped this (last) year’s presents yet.And somewhere amongst all that I somehow managed a blindingly good show in Sussex!See, told you it was strangeLove’n’sockets-by-the-bedhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We have hit two milestones with this week’s episode of TCD (sorry Lucy)...1.⁠ ⁠We managed the longest pre-title ramble in the history of the podcast. A full 25+ minutes to set ourselves before we were able to actually start the episode proper. No doubt we will best it in the future but for now our ability to waffle for that long is either impressive or not depending on your point of view. I have a perverse idea that we could get to the formal introduction just ahead of the outro jingle in the future, but for the time being this is the best we have managed so far.2.⁠ ⁠We reach the end of the published diary, we will of course settle on something to fill the break in the middle at some point in the future but for now we will have to wing it for a bit. Look out for an audiobook coming your way soon.Finally if you a purple there are updates a plenty after the diary. Get your thinking caps on…Ding dong,hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We've been dealing with stuff this week on TCD (sorry, Lucy) you know the kind of thing, tying up loose ends, throwing a few ideas about and coming up with a plan to secure me a personalised registration plate.Literally, just your average Tuesday.The Tour Before Christmas finished at the weekend, and as both Ant & I had both been in Camden for the tour finale, that gave us the chance to have a bit of a natter about it. Cue the pair of us riffing on setlist, on-stage patter and trying to stay the right side of sobriety.Oh, and if you are purple stick around for some work-in-progress patron updates...we need your feedback on those.Love'n'songs in a major keyh

Coming to you from Utrecht, and with a guest.In reality that is all you need to know about #186 before you press play, because the rest is going to be coming at you thick and fast. The one thing I will say is that Ant (by his own admission) got a bit carried away this week and so I hardly got a word in edgeways. Fortunately our guest did, so whilst there isn't as much of me as normal, there is plenty of interesting chat with another special member of the Marillion family.And (because I know you will worry) I did manage to get out of the hotel room on time, and in full collection of both my faculties and my possessions.Love'n'throwing shapeshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsiteAnne-Marie Website

It is fair to say that Ant took one look at me this week and took pity. I must have looked a little more world-weary than normal because, in an instant, he abandoned any hope of a meaningful conversation about Friends from the Orchestra (for that had been the intention). Instead he let me ramble a bit, and as is often the case, as we dropped the needle into an alternative groove we discovered a whole other melody to explore - the artist as an older man.So for #185 we talk about my voice, how I have become a creature of habit when I am on the road, and what it is like when I go on an adventure in search of a tech upgrade.We will of course get back to the album chat, but it will be a bit further down the road because we have a special guest joining us for #186. Smashing!Love'n'flapping cockerelshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It's very easy to forget how special the people are that float in and out of your orbit, especially the ones that you rub up against the most often. The reason I mention it, is because a couple of prime examples cropped up in conversation this week, and it reminded me to doff my cap in the direction of all the ninjas in my life.Other than that the chat is suitably free-flowing this week. We touch on protective outerwear (of various colours) my life-long dislike of a footwear staple and what I do and don't think of as appropriate, as far as graffiti is concerned.We also talk about a downright odd set of circumstances that took place at a recent h-natural show in Spain...Love'n'sudocremhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

So before you point it out, I am aware that we have talked about the RAH gig a number of times on TCD (sorry, Lucy).However I think we can all agree that the footage captured on the night was pretty bloody special. So when you have the man behind the plan, on the pod, the very least you can do is ask him about it.Which is what we did.Meanwhile, after more trails than Yosemite, the diary does finally arrive in Canada - it’s just that the journey rather unexpectedly begins in South America.Big thanks to Tim for taking the time to share his wit and wisdom.Love’n’taking the scenic routehTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We have been alluding to the fact that we would be talking to Tim at some point soon for quite a while now, months in fact, and this week we actually do. The Tim in question is of course Tim Sidwell.For those of you who don't know Tim (or what he actually does) then prepare to be informed, amazed and charmed. For those of you who do, look forward to an hour in his company, for as you know already, he really is a top man.And then of course we have the diary reading, which I don't actually think ends up taking us to any of the places we thought it might. Not that it matters... such is the attention to detail you will have come to expect here at TCD Towers.Anyway I have a plane to catch with young Vibes. Viva Espana and all that.hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

This weeks TCD (sorry, Lucy) feels like a bit of a run-on episode. What I mean by that is just before we recorded it, Ant &I had been creating a bit of extra content for our lovely bunch of purple patrons.Such, was the flow that we had got ourselves into (and because we hadn’t got through all of the allotted questions) we decided to power on through and finish them off.So a big thanks to David Beckwith, Mark Griffin and Drew Crissman for posing the questions and I hope you enjoy the peek into the world of patron bonus content.Love’n’practical motoringhThe Coming Storm Podcast British Scandal - Boris Johnson British Scandal - Liz TrussTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

As is his want, Ant normally takes the weeks (as yet) unreleased edit out for a walk on a Friday morning. We call it the QC listen, and in most cases it's less about minor tweaks for flow and more about removing great chunks of offensive stuff I probably should have thought about before uttering.Anyway whilst listening to 180, Ant had a bit of a moment, an epiphany if you like. TCD (sorry, Lucy) has been inadvertently channeling mystery thrillers.Confused? Well it turns out that on a regular basis we mention the snippet of a story, often in a bit of Patreon bonus content, and then many weeks down the line we return with more detail to join-up-the-dots like Miss Marple, with a foul mouth (but excellent roots..,)Take this week for example. You now have a lot more detail about band management, publishing deals and my contravention of local village bylaws, and yet we have definitely rabbited on about all of these in the past. Think of it as early-onset dementia cunningly disguised as slow-burn storytelling.Love'n'celeryhps Oh, and if I sound a bit metallic on the second half, that's down to me forgetting to put my machine in record and having to use the Zoom audio. Doh!TCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Actually it’s the tale of two gigs, one of which is in a posh furniture shop.In fact you could say it’s the tale of two gigs, one in a posh furniture shop and the other in a marquee with long tables...or more exactly, I should say it’s the tale of two gigs, one in a posh furniture shop and the other in a marquee with long tables, and what I can recall about my first show with the Low Fat Yoghurts.But then, If we are being really accurate it’s the tale of two gigs, one in a furniture shop and the other in a tent. AND what I can recall about my first show with the Low Fat Yoghurts, AND the rise of the Steve H doppelgängers... (That's blue ticks not blue tits.. Or tweets as opposed to er.. tweets)Love, balsa-wood and birthday candleshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Nothing's ever simple - that's for sureThere are grieving mothers on both sides of the wireAnd everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be brightBut any way you look at it - whichever point of viewFor us to have to live like thisIt just ain't rightFrom one Mr.h to another, thank you xThe 10 Minute Leadership Podcast - Lucy JordacheThe 10 Minute Leadership Podcast - Steve HogarthTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Well its all been a little strange in the podcasting world this week.Ant & I met up on Zoom on Monday, a little later than usual because I had (unexpectedly) been out the night before and was feeling a little jaded. Aside from that it was pretty normal, we knew what we were doing in terms of content so it all came together with the minimum of fuss. I think we were only on the call for about an hour.The edit came together quickly, and I was able to ping the finished episode back over to Ant for the QC (quality control, not Queen's Council) check on Tuesday afternoon.Ant gave it a listen whilst he was out for his early-evening constitutional on Wednesday and gave it the thumbs-up, which meant all that was left to do was write these notes.And as you can see, that has now been done as well.It's only taken three and a half years, but we might be getting the hang of it...Love'n'minor miracleshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

We start this week with a well-deserved nod in the direction of Jonathan Worthington.For those of you who may not be aware, as a Purple Patron of TCD who are able to post comments about each episode (and to message me, Ant and other purples direct), that's exactly what he did.And let me tell you it was inspired! He wrote…Following on from the mention of Ed O’Brien being on Desert Island Discs I wonder if H has even been approached to be on the show?Again, for those of you who may be in the dark, Desert Island Discs is a popular radio show on the BBC. It involves the host inviting a well-known guest to choose eight (and only eight) pieces of music they would magically take with them if they were washed up on a deserted island.Given that the show has been running for over 80 years and I haven’t been approached as yet, I reckon the ship has quite literally sailed for me on this one. So to acquiesce to Jonathan's request we are (this week and next) going to produce our own version of DID spread across two episodes, with Ant doing his best Kirsty Young/Lauren Laverne impression. He's got the legs, trust me.Unfortunately we couldn’t include the actual chosen choons in the pod (copyright AI "bots" take the whole thing down) but you can find the Spotify links at the bottom. Other streaming platforms are available and you could always buy the tracks (I suspect you have excellent taste so you've probably got em already)Love’n’staring out to the horizon. h xSong Choice #1Song Choice #2Song Choice #3Song Choice #4Desert Island Discs Wikipedia