Drilling Holes

Introduction: In an interview my wife and I conducted with h for the Web UK Magazine, h revealed, "You get to the point where you really feel the need to write something goofy and daft, because it makes such a bloody refreshing change. Which is why I wrote Drilling Holes on Marbles. I just wanted something that was quite the opposite of all that intimate stuff and was just whimsical. And that doesn’t mean to say that it's not true, because it's constructed from real memories, but there’s nothing tragic about it, nothing deep about it; it was just a bit of fun."

At the Marillion Weekend 2015 in Port Zélande, h told the crowd that the song was inspired by the goings-on during the recording of Seasons End at Hook End Manor in Checkendon, Oxfordshire.

'One of those days'
One of these Days is an instrumental from Pink Floyd's 1971 album Meddle. Given the song's clear Floydian-inspiration (albeit has more in common with Syd-era rather than the Meddle-era band), it seems likely this was a deliberate reference.

'Chewing the wrong kind of leaves'
This might refer to Khat (aka Qat) or coca leaves. Both provide a stimulant effect to users and long term use may prove addictive.

'Listened to XTC'
XTC is the Swindon-based former band of h-Band guitarist Dave Gregory, led by Andy Partridge. h has previously mentioned how he borrowed equipment from Dave Gregory during the recording of How We Live's Dry Land at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios near Bath, and their friendship grew from there.


Songs with a link have explanations.

• Introduction
• The Invisible Man
• Marbles I-IV
• Genie
• Fantastic Place
• The Only Unforgivable Thing
• Ocean Cloud
• The Damage
• Don't Hurt Yourself
• You're Gone
• Angelina
• Drilling Holes
• Neverland
  
  

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