Illusion (UK band)
Encyclopedia
Illusion were a British band formed in 1977. They released two albums, Out of the Mist and Illusion on Island Records. Their music was classically-inspired, sophisticated, and polished. The band undertook a number of tour dates but found their style of music out of fashion with the rise of punk rock
and disbanded.
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. 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 took Keith Relf's place as guitarist following his death.
In 2001 the four core members issued an album of new material under the name Renaissance Illusion, but did not play any concerts in support of the album.
These are demos for a planned third album, plus a 1976 Keith Relf demo and a John Knightsbridge solo instrumental.
with
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and disbanded.
Illusion were intended to be a reunion of the original line-up of Renaissance
Renaissance (band)
Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, most notable for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia" and "Ashes Are Burning".-Original incarnation :...
(whose second album was titled Illusion), but singer and guitarist Keith Relf
Keith Relf
Keith William Relf , was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock...
died before the project was realised. 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 took Keith Relf's place as guitarist following his death.
In 2001 the four core members issued an album of new material under the name Renaissance Illusion, but did not play any concerts in support of the album.
Out of the Mist
Edsel Records (EDCD 369) UK 1977 total time 35:55Track listing
- Isadora (J.McCarty) — 6:56
- Roads To Freedom (J.McCarty/J.Hawken) — 3:53
- Beautiful Country (J.McCarty/J.Hawken) — 4:21
- Solo Flight (J.McCarty/J.Hawken) — 4:23
- Everywhere You Go (J.McCarty) — 3:18
- Face of Yesterday (J.McCarty) — 5:45
- Candles are Burning (J.McCarty) — 7:10
Personnel
- Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
- vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion - Jane RelfJane RelfJane Relf is the younger sister of Keith Relf of the Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds disbanded, Keith formed Renaissance and Jane joined on vocals. After Keith's death the surviving members of Renaissance reformed as Illusion, under which name they recorded two albums with Jane's vocals to the fore...
- vocal - John HawkenJohn HawkenJohn Hawken John Hawken John Hawken (born John Christopher Hawken, 9 May 1940, at Christchurch General Hospital, Bournemouth, Hampshire (now Dorset) is a British keyboard player. He studied classical piano between the ages of four and eighteen at which point he succumbed to the lure of rock and roll...
- piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord - Louis CennamoLouis CennamoLouis David Cennamo was bass guitarist with an early line up of The Herd, the original line-up of Renaissance and later Colosseum, Steamhammer, Armageddon and Illusion . He also worked with Jim McCarty in Stairway. The song "Bullet", on the first Renaissance album, includes an extended...
- bass guitar - John Knightsbridge - electric and acoustic guitar
- Eddie McNeil - drums, percussion
Track listing
- Madonna Blue (J.McCarty) - 6:46
- Never Be The Same (J.McCarty) - 3:18
- Louis' Theme (L.Cennamo/J.Relf)- 7:41
- Wings Across The Sea (J.McCarty) - 4:49
- Cruising Nowhere (J.McCarty) - 5:01
- Man Of Miracles (K.Relf/J.McCarty/J.Hawken) - 3:27
- The Revolutionary (J.McCarty/J.Hawken) - 6:15
Enchanted Caress
(recorded 1979, released 1990)These are demos for a planned third album, plus a 1976 Keith Relf demo and a John Knightsbridge solo instrumental.
Track listing
- Nights in Paris (McCarty)
- Walking Space (McCarty)
- The Man Who Loved the Trees (McCarty)
- Getting Into Love Again (McCarty)
- As Long as We're Together (McCarty)
- Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (R Rodgers) - John Knightsbridge guitar, Chas CronkChas Cronk-Strawbs:*Hero and Heroine *Ghosts *Nomadness *Deep Cuts *Burning for You *Deadlines *Heartbreak Hill *Blue Angel *Déjà Fou *Strawbs Live at Nearfest 2004...
bass, Tony Fernandez drums - Living Above Your Head (McCarty)
- Crossed Lines (McCarty)
- You Are The One (McCarty)
- All The Falling Angels (Relf) - Keith Relf vocals, Louis Cennamo bass
Through The Fire
(2001) (by Renaissance Illusion, featuring McCarty, Cennamo, Hawken & Jane Relf)Track listing
- One More Turn of the Wheel (McCarty)
- Good Heart (McCarty)
- Glorious One (McCarty)
- Through the Fire (McCarty)
- Blowing Away (McCarty)
- Mystery of Being (McCarty)
- Beat of the Earth (McCarty)
- Beyond the Day (McCarty)
- My Old Friend (McCarty)
- Through the Fire (reprise) (McCarty)
Personnel
- Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
- vocals, drums, percussion - Jane RelfJane RelfJane Relf is the younger sister of Keith Relf of the Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds disbanded, Keith formed Renaissance and Jane joined on vocals. After Keith's death the surviving members of Renaissance reformed as Illusion, under which name they recorded two albums with Jane's vocals to the fore...
- vocals - John HawkenJohn HawkenJohn Hawken John Hawken John Hawken (born John Christopher Hawken, 9 May 1940, at Christchurch General Hospital, Bournemouth, Hampshire (now Dorset) is a British keyboard player. He studied classical piano between the ages of four and eighteen at which point he succumbed to the lure of rock and roll...
- piano, keyboards - Louis CennamoLouis CennamoLouis David Cennamo was bass guitarist with an early line up of The Herd, the original line-up of Renaissance and later Colosseum, Steamhammer, Armageddon and Illusion . He also worked with Jim McCarty in Stairway. The song "Bullet", on the first Renaissance album, includes an extended...
- bass
with
- John Idan - acoustic guitar
- Ravi - percussion
- Jackie Rawe - vocals
- Mandy Bell - vocals
- Emily Burridge - cello
- Dzal Martin - acoustic guitar
- Gary Le Port - acoustic guitar
- Jonathan Digby - acoustic guitar
- Danny Relf - synthesizer programming
- Ron KorbRon KorbRon Korb is a Canadian flautist, composer, songwriter, and record producer, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is also known as Dragon Flute in China, Thunder Blessing in Taiwan and Prince of Flutes in Japan-Musical style:Korb is known for writing culturally diverse...
- vocals, flute