Rocker Fish set to play benefit gig for his own former masonic lodge

The former Marillion singer hopes to raise 2000 from the sell-out gig at Dalkeith Kilwinning No.10 Masonic Lodge, which suffered 100,000 worth of damage when yobs stole just 50 of lead earlier this month.

Fish, aka Derek Dick, had pencilled in a date at his old haunt as part of the upcoming Fishheads Club Tour but said he was horrified to learn it had been ravaged by thieves.

"I've been a Mason since I was 18 and my family's been in the Number 10 Lodge for around 110 years," said the prog rock star who now lives in Haddington. "Dalkeith is also my hometown and the lodge is an important part of the community.

"I can remember going to Christmas parties in the hall and my sister's 21st birthday was held there so it would be great to see the place again and give something back. There's high irony about this because I had agreed to play the lodge months ago when I knew they were seeking funds to fix the roof, but the day they told me it was a sell-out I heard about the lead theft."

He added: "To start the tour there is great because of my soulful relationship with Dalkeith, that being my hometown."

Backed by just a guitarist and keyboard player, Fish has deliberately slimmed down his tour band to compliment the acoustic versions of hits he intends to perform in smaller venues.

As well as classic Marillion, the singer aims to unveil tracks from his forthcoming album.

The musician, who recently underwent surgery for a cyst on his vocal chord and endured the break-up of his second marriage, said: "It's been a difficult couple years and that's one of the reasons why I thought to slip into acoustic mode.

"My second wife left me five days after I came out of hospital from the vocal operation.

"It was Hogmanay 2010, I was sitting on my tod, with no wife, in the middle of a Scottish winter. I spent five months trying to put myself back together."

But the 53-year-old says he has bounced back with even more energy than before and champing at the bit to kick-start his 17-date Scottish tour.

"I'm really looking forward to taking the Fishheads tour out into areas of Scotland that I haven't played for a long time," he added.