Fish delays release of new album 'Weltschmerz' due to family reasons
Former Marillion frontman Fish has pushed back the release of his eleventh solo album ‘Weltschmerz’ until September.
In a lengthy post on his official website, Fish explained that shortly before Christmas his 86-year-old mum suffered a back injury which has impaired her mobility.
Unable to live on her own, Fish – real name Derek Dick - said his mum has moved into his house in a room directly next to the studio control room.
He wrote: “It’s impossible to consider any writing or recording (in the studio control room) and with no accommodation available I can’t afford to put musicians up in hotels for long periods. I made the decision to move the ‘Weltschmerz’ release back to September.”
Fish says that work will soon commence on an extension, which will allow him to continue work on ‘Weltschmerz’, writing: “I already have planning permission for a new office to be created as an extension to the Studio and we were aiming to have it built this spring once the weather had settled.
“This would mean I could shift the working core to the new building and create another bedroom in the former office which had enough space and toilet/shower facilities to accommodate my mother when she could no longer live independently.
“Events however overtook us and my mother has had to move here a lot sooner than expected. I’d promised my father that we would look after her and refused to see my mum in a home or anywhere else. Living with us in the studio was the only way forward and always the short-term plan.”
Fish says delaying the album “allows me to re consolidate, get on with my side of the writing and oversee the build of the extension with the aim of getting back into full band sessions in April/May and recording in the summer.
He continued: “I can work remotely with Steve (Vantsis) and Robin (Boult), passing ideas back and forward and write together with Foss who lives a few miles away and who can come here to work during the days in the control room.
“Calum Malcolm had already booked other studio work in February and March so the availabilities fell into place. This means principal recording for ‘Weltschmerz’ resumes in June and hopefully by then the situation here will have settled down.”
Fish said that he will honour all upcoming open air shows in 2019, however he won’t be announcing any new shows until 2020 when he will perform ‘Weltschmerz’ and his 1990 debut solo album ‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ as a double-header on tour.
He will also be remastering ‘Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors’ and his second solo record ‘Internal Exile’ for release this year.
Fish released his ‘A Parley With Angels’ EP last September, which featured the Planet Rock playlisted single ‘Man With A Stick’ and new songs ‘Waverley Steps’ and ‘Little Man What Now?’
Speaking to Planet Rock backstage at Ramblin’ Man Fair last July, Fish explained why he was planning to retire from music altogether in 2020.