Steve Hogarth
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Steve Hogarth, also known as 'h', is the lead singer of Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and lead singer with How We Live.
Following record company changes, How We Live's debut album Dry Land was poorly promoted, resulting in a flop. Hogarth imagined he would have to leave the music industry but a meeting with his publishers persuaded Hogarth to send a tape to Marillion who were recruiting for a new lead singer following the departure of charismatic Scotsman Fish in 1989. Marillion heard the tape and were interested to ask for a meeting with the singer. They were immediately impressed. The singer however took a little time to make up his mind. In the end he accepted, won over by the fact that Marillion wanted an equal partner who would input his own ideas rather than a stooge.
Marillion have, by 2005, released 9 studio albums with Hogarth as vocalist. Hogarth has also released one solo studio album under the name 'h' called Ice Scream Genius. This album had contributions from ex-Japan/ Porcupine Tree synthesizer/keyboard maestro Richard Barbieri, former XTC guitarist Dave Gregory, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, bassist Chucho Merchan, and percussionist Luis Jardim.
Subsequently, the band has played live across the UK and Europe featuring a variety of musicians, including former Stone Roses MKII guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, Massive Attack and The Bays drummer Andy Gangadeen, session musician Jingles on bass, Aziz's regular musical partner Dalbir Singh on tablas and Stephanie Sobey-Jones on cello. With Barbieri and Gregory, this line up recorded a double album entitled Live Spirit : Live Body in 2002. Writing for a further studio album occurred in December 2004.