Kevin’s Birthday Video
Posted on April 19, 2007 Posted by John Scalzi 25 Comments
To commemorate my pal Kevin Stampfl’s birthday, it being today, allow me to present to you a video from one of his favorite bands in high school: Marillion, featuring the lead singer named Fish, who as you will see in this video had perhaps the worst hair of any working rock n’ roller in the 80s:
I mean, seriously: Stringy, wispy combover hair? With a bald spot and a rat-tail? Yes, that’s the way to charm the ladies. That and having the nickname “Fish.” On the other hand, the dude’s fiancee is pretty damn cute, so, clearly, what do I know.
In any event: Happy Birthday, Kevin! See you soon.
Didn’t we all make poor hair choices in the 80s? If there were any photographic proof, I would point to my own mullet in the late-80s. Luckily, there are no photos, so that clearly never happened.
Happy Birthday, Kevin.
Didn’t we all make poor hair choices in the 80s? If there were any photographic proof, I would point to my own mullet in the late-80s. Luckily, there are no photos, so that clearly never happened.
Happy Birthday, Kevin.
I have photos, Burns. Oh, yes.
I made serious bad hair choices in the 80’s. Last year, too.
I saw Rush on the Signals tour. Marillion opened. The crowd booed. Marillion kept playing. The crowd kept booing. Fish finally said, “We’re going to play our full fucking set so you better damn well get used to it.” Marillion played. The crowd kept booing.
Finally they stopped. The crowd cheered. Rush came on. The crowd cheered more.
That girl is cute. She’s gonna be Mrs. Fish?
P.S. Happy Birthday, Stinking Kevin!
What’s with the “Stinking Kevin” bit? I know from personal experience Kevin stinks not in the least. Indeed, he often smells of lilacs and honeydew.
It is a bad hair style but before “Kayleigh” (either their break out or sell out single) the man was like unto a weird god with his face paintings, epics, weird albums. (Trying to track down the 17 minute “Grendel” was itself an epic.) Script for a Jester’s Tear, anyone? [Exits to YouTube it.]
It is a bad hair style but before “Kayleigh” (either their break out or sell out single) the man was like unto a weird god with his face paintings, epics, weird albums. (Trying to track down the 17 minute “Grendel” was itself an epic.) Script for a Jester’s Tear, anyone? [Exits to YouTube it.]
Thanks for the birthday wishes all!
Ah Fish, your lyrics are so inscrutable. Good thing I mostly ignored them and instead listened to the sweet bass lines.
Chang, today you are correct. I smell like beer and coffee from helping to clean up the messy result of a coworker’s pratfall in our office storage room.
Oh, I would’ve thought a Python geek like you (and someone who knows about Marillion and Fish) would get the quote. Since you don’t, here’s some help.
Kevin, on your birthday you get to smell however you want. Flowers, beer, coffee, poo, gun powder, cordite or crystal meth. It’s your day. Your smelly birhtday.
Didn’t we all make poor hair choices in the 80s. No. Not all of us, my haircut hasn’t changed in twenty-four years, high & tight, #2 on the top. And I look fantastic. Chicks dig it, really they do, I have to beat them off with a stick. Makes my wife insanely jealous.
The 70’s though, before I joined the military, let’s just not go there, shall we? (not that I can remember that far back anyway).
The “Stinking Kevin” bit is a reference to Time Bandits, I believe.
Wow. A Marillion video on the Whatever. Will miracles never cease?
Of course, Rothery’s put on a few pounds since then, and Mark Kelly has shaved his head and now looks like a total badass, and, hell, Fish has long since been replaced by H, but still…Marillion. Wow.
Incidentally, their next album, Somewhere Else, comes out next Tuesday. My wife has already received the tracks from friends of hers in Finland, though. As to where they got them, she was told: “Don’t ask.” :-)
What’s so miraculous about Marillion? I’ve been listening to them for years.
Yea, well. It’s always nice to find a Marillion fan. Fish is now bald, shaves the rest of his head, divorced from the hot chick model he married during the Misplaced Childhood days and now engaged to the hot chick from Mostly Autumn. Apparently there is something to be said for the 6’5″ Scotsman. And Marillion STILL rocks! :)
John, I always knew you were a man of good taste! And my wife (who is the one who introduced me to Marillion) will be pleased to hear it as well…in fact, I just told her, and she responded, “Oh, cool!”
“All the best Freaks are here.” New tagline for the Whatever? :-)
Total non sequitur (to this post) but I picked up “The Android’s Dream” last night and loved it.My flight was delayed and I was stuck waiting at the airport. I’ll confess, I was hoping one of the bookstores would have “Last Colony” (end of a trilogy and all) but this was what they had and I bought it and I enjoyed it very much.
My husband has some quibbles with your characterization of kashrut, but otherwise a very enjoyable world. I can’t wait for “High Castle” (the sequel?) and in the meantime I still have to get “Last Colony”… Too bad your book tour doesn’t take you closer to Boston…
Total non sequitur (to this post) but I picked up “The Android’s Dream” last night and loved it.My flight was delayed and I was stuck waiting at the airport. I’ll confess, I was hoping one of the bookstores would have “Last Colony” (end of a trilogy and all) but this was what they had and I bought it and I enjoyed it very much.
My husband has some quibbles with your characterization of kashrut, but otherwise a very enjoyable world. I can’t wait for “High Castle” (the sequel?) and in the meantime I still have to get “Last Colony”… Too bad your book tour doesn’t take you closer to Boston…
You know, for a while there I was gonna write a short story involving a cover band going by the name “All The Best Freaks.” It would involve everyone in the band going completely postal for various reasons, but that’s neither here nor there. I was also, at one time, imagining in great detail how I would arrange a choral (SATB) performance of the song “Fugazi.”
Rush fans have been traditionally hard on opening bands, which is kind of a shame I think. I think the only opener to escape the booing wrath was Primus, ’cause, y’know, Primus. Wish I could have been on the scene when Marillion opened for ’em.
“What’s so miraculous about Marillion? I’ve been listening to them for years.”
You have to remember John, Marillion wasn’t exactly huge when they released Kayleigh, and that was their biggest hit EVAR. As far as the popular media are concerned, they ceased to exist 20 years ago. Not unlike a host of other bands that manage to continue on without being in top 100 and make a reasonable living at it with a decent sized fanbase (see a-ha, the Fixx, Colin Hay, etc.)
Right, WizarDru. I’ve heard Marillion described as “England’s best-kept secret” and “the best band you’ve never heard of.” But their fans are a very loyal bunch; both Anoraknophobia and Marbles were financed by people pre-ordering the albums before they were finished. And I recall that, at the Boulder concert of theirs my wife and I attended, people had come from as far away as Montana to see them.
As for Primus: They suck! (Which, when you’re talking about Primus, is a good thing…)
Happy Birthday Kevin !!!!
Next can we see some Iron Maiden videos please?
What’s so miraculous about Marillion? I’ve been listening to them for years.
It took me nearly 10 years to get back to Marillion after Fish left but now I can happily admit that H-era Marillion is every bit as good as Fish-era Marillion. The two-disc version of Marbles may very well be the band’s best album ever.
Erbo: The new album came out in Europe on April 9th, though it doesn’t hit the states until the 26th. So the Finnish conspiracy probably isn’t quite as sinister as it would first appear. :-)
I liked Marillion in the Fish years, for a while they were a good replacement for Gabriel-era Genesis. The current incarnation is good too, I need to listen to Marbles again now.
I liked Marillion in the Fish years, for a while they were a good replacement for Gabriel-era Genesis. The current incarnation is good too, I need to listen to Marbles again now.