Time is running out to get your tickets for the upcoming Happiness is the Road tour tickets!

Racket Records will stop selling tickets directly tomorrow, 31 October, so if you're looking to save a few bob on 'booking fees' get your orders in now before it's too late (...and a reminder to non-UK ticket buyers: if you have purchased tickets in October, your tickets will be held at the box office rather than shipping to you).

Head over to www.marillion.com/tickets for all UK dates, or www.marillion.com/tour for the full list of tour dates and links to other ticket retailers.

Happiness ON the Road - An Experiment

Speaking of the impending tour, we have yet another exciting announcement:

We are going to record every night of the Happiness is the Road Tour in a Front Row Club-style off-the-mixing-desk stereo recording. Anyone will then be able to purchase a download album of the show THE NEXT DAY direct from our Racket Records Downloads store.

In addition to this, we will have a special bonus for the London Forum show on 19 November - our friends at Live Here Now will be bringing their multi-track recording and duplication facilities to the show, which means that you will be able to purchase a double CD of the show ON THE NIGHT and walk away with a professionally mixed live album of the gig you've just seen.

This limited edition live album will only have 1000 physical copies made, available at the usual Racket Records double-album price of £13. Any copies not sold on the night will be returned to the Racket Club for sale on the website while supplies last.

More details on the whole 'Happiness On The Road' experiment will appear on the website within the next week...

Coming Soon at Racket Records

With the tour upon us, a great new range of Happiness is the Road clothing will soon be available at Racket Records. The already-popular 'Rainbow Man' and girlie 'Silver Satellite' shirts are flying off the shelves, and a new exciting range of shirts and some warm winter jackets are just about to arrive... and for the first time, ALL new merchandise will be available on tour AND on the website at the same time!

The 'Early Stages' live box set of recordings from 1982-1986 is expected to be with us in mid-November, but are still anxiously awaiting final release details from EMI. Remember that any copies pre-ordered from Racket Records will include an A4 print of the cover artwork signed by Steve Rothery, Mark Kelly, Pete Trewavas, Ian Mosley, and Fish. These autographed prints are ONLY available through Racket Records and The Company, and we've just had more printed up to sign due to initial demand... we'll keep the boys signing if you keep ordering!

Finally, Racket Records will be offering Gift Vouchers for the first time ready for Christmas this year. A Gift Voucher will provide a unique redemption code which will add Racket Records Credits to your Marillion Online Account. Gift Vouchers will be available at the same prices and denominations as usual Racket Records Credits, and we will be expanding the number of products you can purchase with Racket Records Credits when Gift Vouchers go on sale.

Watch for updates to www.marillion.com/shop for all the above in the upcoming weeks.

The Web Fan Club Annual Christmas CD

We began giving away the free Web Christmas CDs in 1998, and for our 10th anniversary decided to make this year's a very special treat.

As usual, the band have recorded a special Christmas song - this year's offering is a holiday version of Thunder Fly - and their usual 5-minutes of mumbling mayhem known as "Marillion's Christmas Message".

But the remainder of the CD is a very special project indeed, and will include loads of brand new Marillion music. We don't want to give too much away, but Mike Hunter has put together a large selection (at least 30 minutes so far) of the unused jams from the Happiness is the Road recording sessions - with a twist...

It's not quite finished yet, and we don't want to spoil the surprise, but we recommend heading over to www.marillion.com/web and joining your local Web Fan Club now so you don't miss out!