To mark Steve Hogarth's 70th birthday, Ice Cream Genius returns in its most complete form to date. Originally released in 1997, the album was Hogarth's first solo studio work outside of Marillion, a deeply personal, experimental and intimate record that has grown into a cult favourite over the years.
Ice Cream Genius was never intended as an extension of Marillion. Built around minimal arrangements, spoken-word passages, and unfiltered lyrical moments, the album explores identity, isolation and creativity with striking directness. Its strength lies not in scale, but in its vulnerability: A record that feels exposed, unusual and unmistakably human.
At the center of the reissue is the 3CD+Blu-ray Mediabook, the most expansive presentation of Ice Cream Genius ever assembled. Featuring more than 11 hours of material, the vast majority previously unreleased, this edition opens up the full creative world behind the album including all available live videos of the much-acclaimed "h Band" upscaled and remixed by the artist.
Complementing the Mediabook, Ice Cream Genius will also be released for the first time on vinyl as a heavyweight black 2LP gatefold edition. This format includes "The Last Thing," a track previously unavailable on physical formats in Europe, making it a notable addition for collectors.
Recorded at the Racket Club, with vocals added at Chris Rea's Sol Mill Studios in Cookham and mixed at Van Morrison's Wool Hall Studios in Somerset, the album was completed on July 20, 1996, following a break during Marillion's Made Again tour. The core band was handpicked from "the last people on earth anyone might have expected me to work with" and includes members of Blondie, XTC, Japan, and Eurythmics.
The title itself originated from producer Craig Leon, who would exclaim, "I scream genius!" in the studio when particularly inspired, a phrase Hogarth later transformed into the album's distinctive name.
Across demos, writing sessions, studio recordings and live material, the set traces the evolution of Ice Cream Genius from its earliest sketches through to the finished record. Alongside the music, new reflections from Steve Hogarth provide personal insight into the ideas, emotions and circumstances that shaped the album, offering a rare, in-depth look at one of his most intimate and uncompromising projects.
Full album available for pre-rder now!
