Renaissance - & an A&M classic from Doors' Manzarek*

I received this album as a promo when I was working at a music store throughout the early 80's. I ended up liking it quite a bit. Though not too many of my friends cared for it. At that point in time I was also listening quite a bit to Renaissance's "Scheherazade" a spectacular album!
 
Yes it is. I've got a copy around here, and several others by that group, and need to give it a spin.
On Ebay there's a scan of the front cover and record of CARMINA with item # 893630896. This one's an English version (AMLX 64945).
I won a copy of the record on Ebay last week, haven't received it yet but am looking forward to hearing it. The concept is intriguing.
JB
NP: The Doors SOFT PARADE "Wishful, Sinful"
 
Another Renaissance fan here. Oddly though, I've learned that they released one album through the A&M-related label of IRS. It was called CAMERA, CAMERA, and I've not heard that one. I've mostly been a fan of the Sire-labeled albums and the earlier one on Capitol with Annie Haslam in the lead. An amazing voice!

Harry
...Renaissance fan, online...
 
Renaissance actually had two IRS albums, "Camera, Camera" 1981 and "Time Line" 1983. Both were very commercial and somewhat new wavish. Annie Haslam sang lead with the group from 1971? until they broke up in 1987. They achieved fair success in UK- not much in the US- though they were a fairly popular live act to catch.
Annie Haslam ranks as a personal alltime favorite female vocalist along with Donna Summer and Karen Carpenter.
 
Renaissance had a fairly large following here in the US in the Boston to Washington Northeast corridor. Quite a few of the "progressive" FM stations of the 70s had them quite often in their playlists. I was fortunate enough to see them in their heyday of around 1975 locally at the Tower Theatre in my old hometown of Upper Darby, PA. It was one of the more memorable concerts I've attended -- to this day.

I've learned that Annie Haslam resides in the Philadelphia area now, though I've never gotten to meet her. I'd sure like to someday.

And you're right about TIME LINE -- another I've never heard.

Harry
...Renaissance fan, online...
 
Harry said:
Oddly though, I've learned that they released one album through the A&M-related label of IRS. It was called CAMERA, CAMERA, and I've not heard that one.

Harry Harry Harry!

Renaisance actually did two albums for IRS. THe second one was called Time-Line. And both are with Annie Haslam. Also, Renaissance has again recently reunited. And you can find out more by visiting (of course) www.irscorner.com/r/renais.html and visitng some of the links. Annie's site is pretty good. Frankly I think she is one of the greatest (and most underrated) female vocalists ever with her multi-octve range.

ALso... you can order both Camera Camera and Time-Line from CDNow -- but use the links from my site so I can get my 34c cut of the purchase!

--Mr Bill
who saw Renaissance during their Camera Camera tour and became a big fan of the other recordings himself.
 
Myself always having lived here on the west coast never heard of Renaissance until I began working in the record store (and in 1981 it was still records). I'm not sure but I believe certain tracks from Camera Camera were plyed on KROQ. Anyway I felt both Camera Camera & Time Line were quite excellent albums and very well produced and arranged. Both really should have sold better.
 
Mr Bill said:
ALso... you can order both Camera Camera and Time-Line from CDNow -- but use the links from my site so I can get my 34c cut of the purchase!

My problem there is that CDNow is PA based and I get socked with a 6% state sales tax if I order from them. Actually, I would like to get those two.

Harry
...needing to play catch-up with Renaissance, online...
 
Fifteen years later and I'm re-opening and adding to the title of this thread. The occasion is that I've finally found and received an LP copy of CAMERA, CAMERA from Renaissance on IRS Records (SP-70019). It was relatively easy to locate later CDs on other labels, but I wanted that A&M connection on this title, and have been thwarted several times. One recent find on IRS on eBay sent the seller looking high and wide, but he couldn't locate it. He was nice enough and returned my funds, and then more time passed where I wasn't actively looking.

I gave it another shot last week, poking around on Discogs, and found this one. It arrived yesterday while we were away, and was waiting safely on my doorstep. This copy is a cut-out, but new and still sealed. I've opened it and there's nothing quite like the smell of new vinyl. I'll have to give it a spin one of these days.

Meanwhile, when LP Jim opened the thread fifteen years ago, it was started regarding Ray Manzarek's CARMINA BURANA. I'm not sure where I found my copy of this, but it's an A&M CD from Germany, (394 945-2). The original Orff piece is a favorite of mine that I've seen performed live by the Philadelphia Orchestra and a ballet version by the Pennsylvania Ballet. I've only listened to the CD briefly, but it's one of those on the list for deeper exploration.
 
Last edited:
I've always liked Ray manzarek's work but unfortunately I could never get ahold of his music let alone find his solo albums I will need to search around for his discography
 
Looks like I ordered Manzarak's album from Amazon:
61T91Jt1nwL.jpg

61sZtoLSM5L.jpg


The Renaissance album came through Discogs:
R-2022427-1266154973.jpeg.jpg
 
I'm finding CAMERA CAMERA quite to my liking. The album was dismissed by the 70s-prog-rock crowd as too pop. Well, I like pop and these tracks still have Annie Haslam's soaring vocals and Jon Camp's ample bass presence underscoring it all.

Understand that it doesn't quite measure up to the classic albums that Renaissance did for Capitol and Sire in the 70s, but that doesn't make it bad.

Through a bit of research, I've unearthed the fact that the album was released first with just eight tracks. The single "Bonjour Swansong" was then added to the track list sometime soon after. "Bonjour Swansong" sounds a lot like Renaissance's biggest ever hit single, "Northern Lights".
 
Harry, I'm glad you're enjoying Camera Camera! I got into Renaissance backwards starting with this album (by virtue of it being on I.R.S.). I'm not sure where the idea the "Bonjour Swan song" was added later -- it's always been on every copy I've found (and I bought it upon release). In concert they introduced "Bonjour Swansong" as the "sequel to our biggest hit, 'Northern Lights'." Perhaps it was going to be included on an earlier album but languished until Camera Camera. Timeline is a good listen, but (IMHO) not quite as good as Camera Camera. Best cuts there are "Richard IX" and "Flight." I happily saw them (with my girlfriend at the time) on their Camera Camera tour while I was home on leave in 1981.

BTW, the venue where I saw them was Wolf & Rismiller's Country Club in Reseda, CA, a mere few miles from where I grew up in the west San Fernando Valley. It was a drugstore when my mom was a teen valley girl in 50s. It later became a wrestling venue. Today it is a Spanish language megachurch. It was closed for several years at a time between these reiterations. The club was used (during one of those times when it was shuttered) in the opening scene of the film Boogie Nights. As a club it was big in the new wave era with acts from new wave, punk, metal and "big hair bands." Many videos and concerts were shot there as well including A&M act Squeeze's "Take Me I'm Yours" (and other videos from their debut LP), Mick Jagger, Greg Kihn Band and others...

--Mr Bill
THeir IRS discography can be found: Renaissance Discography, Biography and Links at Mr Bill's I.R.S. Records Corner
 
I'm not sure where the idea the "Bonjour Swan song" was added later -- it's always been on every copy I've found (and I bought it upon release). In concert they introduced "Bonjour Swansong" as the "sequel to our biggest hit, 'Northern Lights'."

Looking on Discogs, it appears to me that CAMERA CAMERA was issued on Illegal Records in the UK without "Bonjour Swansong" in the tracklist.

Renaissance (4) - Camera Camera

It then appeared to be reissued in the UK, again on Illegal Records with "Bonjour Swansong" added to the end of side 2.

Renaissance (4) - Camera Camera

All US and Canada releases look like they always contained that song.

"Bonjour Swansong" sounds very much like "Northern Lights."

 
And a further update, I've decided to take the plunge and order TIME-LINE by Renaissance. Checking the availabilities of CDs, I find that it's out of print right now, and that older CDs are getting hefty price-tags. So I went the LP route and ordered one through Discogs. For a total of $7.00, including shipping I got a nice clean album and am dubbing it as we speak.

I'm amused at the innersleeve which is a poly-bag type. It has an offer for the listener to purchase a shirt with the I.R.S. man on it. I would hope that Mr. Bill might have availed himself of this offer:

scan0003.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom