Illusion (UK band)

Illusion
Origin London, England
Genres Progressive rock
Years active 1977–1979
Labels Island Records
Edsel Records
Brisk Production
Promised Land
Associated acts Renaissance
Past members Jane Relf
Jim McCarty
John Hawken
Louis Cennamo
John Knightsbridge
Eddie McNeill

Illusion were a British progressive rock band formed in 1977.[1] They released two albums, Out of the Mist (1977) and Illusion (1978) on Island Records, before folding in 1979.[2] A third release titled Enchanted Caress (made up of demos for a proposed 3rd album, from the late 1970s) was released in 1990.[3][4]

Illusion were intended to be a reunion of the original line-up of Renaissance (whose second album was titled Illusion), but singer and guitarist Keith Relf died before the project was realised.[5] Thereafter, the band's new lineup featured Louis Cennamo on bass, John Hawken on keyboards, Jim McCarty moved from drums to play acoustic guitar and share vocals with Jane Relf, while Eddie McNeill replaced him on drums and John Knightsbridge (from Third World War, and later of Ruthless Blues) played lead guitar.[6]

In 2001, McCarty, Cennamo, Hawken and Jane Relf reunited once again to record Through the Fire, an album of new material, under the bandname Renaissance Illusion.[7]

Members

  • Jane Relf – vocals
  • Jim McCarty – vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
  • John Hawken – keyboards
  • Louis Cennamo – bass
  • John Knightsbridge – guitars
  • Eddie McNeill – drums

Discography

Out of the Mist (1977)

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Isadora"Jim McCarty6:56
2."Roads to Freedom"McCarty, John Hawken3:53
3."Beautiful Country"McCarty, Hawken4:21
4."Solo Flight"McCarty, Hawken4:23
5."Everywhere You Go"McCarty3:18
6."Face of Yesterday"McCarty5:45
7."Candles Are Burning"McCarty7:10
Total length:35:55
Personnel
  • Jim McCarty – vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
  • Jane Relf – vocals
  • John Hawken – piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord
  • Louis Cennamo – bass guitar
  • John Knightsbridge – electric and acoustic guitar
  • Eddie McNeil – drums, percussion
Notes
  • "Face of Yesterday" was a remake of a song from Renaissance's Illusion album (1971)

Illusion (1978)

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Madonna Blue"McCarty6:46
2."Never Be the Same"McCarty3:18
3."Louis' Theme"Louis Cennamo, Jane Relf7:41
4."Wings Across the Sea"McCarty4:49
5."Cruising Nowhere"McCarty5:01
6."Man of Miracles"Keith Relf,[8] McCarty, Hawken3:27
7."The Revolutionary"McCarty, Hawken6:15
Total length:37:28
Personnel
  • Jim McCarty - vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion
  • Jane Relf - vocal
  • John Hawken - piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord
  • Louis Cennamo - bass guitar
  • John Knightsbridge - electric and acoustic guitar
  • Eddie McNeil - drums, percussion

Enchanted Caress (1979)

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nights in Paris"McCarty 
2."Walking Space"McCarty 
3."The Man Who Loved the Trees"McCarty 
4."Getting into Love Again"McCarty 
5."As Long as We're Together"McCarty 
6."Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"Richard Rodgers 
7."Living Above Your Head"McCarty 
8."Crossed Lines"McCarty 
9."You Are the One"McCarty 
10."All the Falling Angels"K. Relf 
Personnel
  • Jim McCarty – vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion
  • Jane Relf – vocal, percussion
  • John Hawken – piano, analogue synthesizers (Moog/ARP), mellotron (original), Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, harpsichord
  • John Knightsbridge – electric and acoustic guitars
  • Louis Cennamo – bass guitar (1–5), (7–10)
  • Eddie McNeil – drums, percussion (1–5), (7–10)
  • Keith Relf – vocals, acoustic guitar (10) (See Notes below)
Session Personnel
  • Chas Cronk – bass (6)
  • Tony Fernandez – drums (6)
Notes
  • Recorded in 1979 but was released as an album in 1990. Contains demos for a planned third album, plus a 1976 Keith Relf demo and a John Knightsbridge solo instrumental.
  • Slaughter on Tenth Avenue features John Knightsbridge, with Chas Cronk on bass and Tony Fernandez on drums.
  • All The Falling Angels features Keith Relf, with other musicians including Louis Cennamo on bass. It was Keith's last recording before his death (May 1976).
  • See YouTube video (JimMcCarty and Co) for original Home Demo version of "All The Falling Angels."

Through the Fire (2001)

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One More Turn of the Wheel"McCarty 
2."Good Heart"McCarty 
3."Glorious One"McCarty 
4."Through the Fire"McCarty 
5."Blowing Away"McCarty 
6."Mystery of Being"McCarty 
7."Beat of the Earth"McCarty 
8."Beyond the Day"McCarty 
9."My Old Friend"McCarty 
10."Through the Fire (reprise)"McCarty 


Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Planet Mellotron Album Reviews: I2". www.planetmellotron.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  2. ↑ "ILLUSION - Out Of The Mist (1977)". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  3. ↑ "Illusion (24)". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  4. ↑ "The History Of Renaissance". www.jtl.us. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  5. ↑ www.grandpixels.com. "Renaissance & Illusion ‹ Jim McCarty, The Yardbirds and Renaissance". www.jamesmccarty.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  6. ↑ "Out of the Mist - Illusion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  7. ↑ "Through the Fire - Renaissance Illusion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  8. ↑ posthumously uses lyrics written by Keith Relf
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