Marillion give album away free

Marillion, a British rock band that had a string of hits in the Eighties, have flooded the internet with their new songs in a bid to gain commercial success.

Unlike Radiohead, who initially offered In Rainbows for free via their own website, Marillion are going to appeal to new fans by releasing the tracks on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, a path previously trodden by Nine Inch Nails.

The BPI, which represents musicians and record labels in Britain, blames the demise of the music industry on illegal P2P networks, which allow surfers to download tracks for free.

Marillion are best known for the track Kayleigh, which went to number two in the charts in 1984.

Since 1996, the band have used the internet to build up a fan base and even used the net to raise money to release their 15th album.

When surfers download new tracks from their latest album a message will pop inviting them to visit the band's official website and to leave an email address so they can be contacted about tour dates and band news.

Mark Kelly, the band's keyboard player, said the group did not condone illegal file-sharing.

However, he said Marillion were working with the reality that more than 90 per cent of all music acquired in the UK was downloaded illegally through P2P networks.

www.marillion.com
www.bpi.co.uk