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| Camel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 15–26 August 1972 | |||
| Studio | Morgan, London | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Length | 39:08 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Dave Williams | |||
| Camel chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Camel is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band Camel, released in February 1973 by MCA Records.
By August 1972, Camel were signed to MCA Records. They quickly entered the studio to record Camel. A collection of individual songs, chiefly from Andrew Latimer and Peter Bardens, the album was greeted with muted success and MCA did not take an option for a second album. By then, the group had acquired the management team of Geoff Jukes and Max Hole of Gemini Artists (later to become GAMA Records) and had moved to Decca Records, where they would remain for the next 10 years.
Camel gigged 9 months of the year and firmly established a reputation for their live sound in the UK, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. They shared the stage with other artists such as Stackridge, Barclay James Harvest, Gong, Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Global Village Trucking Company, and Spyro Gyra.
In their ranking of the band's 14 albums, Prog Sphere placed Camel at #4, calling the song "Never Let Go" the real highlight on it. They wrote "this debut is not just another example of a stepping stone, but an accomplished work in its own right. While not as good as the group’s later albums, it is a most excellent start and an essential Camel release, as well as a very good starting point to get into their wonderful music." [2]
The album was remastered and reissued in 2002 on London Records with two bonus tracks: the single version of "Never Let Go" and a live version of "Homage to the God of Light", a staple of the band's early shows. A studio version of the latter had appeared on keyboard player Peter Bardens' debut solo album The Answer in 1970.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slow Yourself Down" | Andrew Latimer, Andy Ward | 4:47 |
| 2. | "Mystic Queen" | Peter Bardens | 5:40 |
| 3. | "Six Ate" (instrumental) | Latimer | 6:06 |
| 4. | "Separation" | Latimer | 3:57 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Never Let Go" | Latimer | 6:26 |
| 2. | "Curiosity" | Bardens | 5:55 |
| 3. | "Arubaluba" (instrumental) | Bardens | 6:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Never Let Go" (Single version) | Latimer | 3:36 |
| 9. | "Homage to the God of Light" (Peter Bardens cover; Recorded Live at The Marquee Club – 29 October 1974) | Bardens | 19:01 |
Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in Guildford, Surrey, in 1971. Led by guitarist Andrew Latimer, they have released fourteen studio albums and fourteen singles, plus numerous live albums and DVDs. Without achieving mass popularity, the band gained a cult following in the 1970s with albums such as Mirage (1974) and The Snow Goose (1975). They moved into a jazzier, more commercial direction in the early 1980s, but then went on an extended hiatus. Since 1991 the band has been independent, releasing albums on their own label.
Mirage is the second studio album by the English progressive rock band Camel, released on 1 March 1974. It features songs such as "The White Rider", "Lady Fantasy", and "Supertwister" which includes a showcase for Andrew Latimer's flute.
Rain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977 on Gama Records/Decca Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan member Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson.
Moonmadness is the fourth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in April 1976 on Decca and Gama Records and is their last album recorded by the group's original line-up of Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson, and Andy Ward. After reaching success with their previous album, the all instrumental The Snow Goose, the band started on a follow-up and incorporated vocals and lyrics to the new music. Moonmadness has a loose concept with one track based on the personality of each band member: "Air Born" for Andrew Latimer, "Chord Change" for Peter Bardens, "Another Night" for Doug Ferguson, and "Lunar Sea" for Andy Ward. In 2018, 42 years after its release, Camel performed the album live in its entirety.
The Snow Goose is the third studio album by the band Camel, released in 1975. The critical success of "The White Rider" suite inspired the group to write more novel-inspired conceptual suites.
Colin Bass is an English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Since 1979, he has been a member of the British progressive rock band Camel, who, after a ten-year hiatus due to the ill health of bandleader Andrew Latimer, returned to active touring in 2013. From 1984 to 1992, he was also a core figure in the pioneering World Music group 3 Mustaphas 3. He has also made two solo albums under his own name and three albums recorded in Indonesia under the name Sabah Habas Mustapha. The title track of the first, "Denpasar Moon", became a hugely popular song in Indonesia in the mid-1990s and has been covered by over 50 Indonesian, Malaysian, Japanese and Filipino artists. As a record producer he has worked with a diverse range of international artists including: the Klezmatics (USA), SambaSunda (Indonesia), Daniel Kahn & the Painted Bird (USA) Krar Collective (Ethiopia), Etran Finatawa (Niger) and 9Bach (Wales) amongst others. As a guest artist he has appeared on albums by a number of internationally acclaimed artists including top Malian singing star Oumou Sangare, playing on all tracks of her 1993 Ko Sira album.
Legend is the twenty-eighth major release and the eighth soundtrack album by the German band Tangerine Dream. It was released in 1986 for the North American theatrical version of the film Legend. It was released in the USA and Canada only. The film was written by William Hjortsberg, starred Tom Cruise, Mia Sara and Tim Curry, was produced by Arnon Milchan, directed by Ridley Scott and released domestically by Universal Studios. The album was released on compact disc on 15 August 1995 through Varese Sarabande.
Breathless is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Camel, released in 1978. It is the last album to feature the group's original keyboardist, Peter Bardens, who left the group before the tour for the album.
A Live Record is the first live album by the progressive rock band Camel, released in 1978. It is a double LP, composed of recordings from three different tours.
I Can See Your House from Here is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. Released in 1979, a new line up was introduced with founding members Andrew Latimer (guitar) and Andy Ward (drums) joined by bassist Colin Bass and keyboardists Jan Schelhaas and Kit Watkins who replaced Dave Sinclair. At one point, the album was going to be called Endangered Species.
Drift is the fifth album by American thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released on April 25, 1995, and is the last of three albums the band released on MCA Records.
Nude is the eighth studio album and a concept album released by the English progressive rock band Camel in January 1981. The album is based on a true story of a Japanese soldier marooned on an island in World War II who doesn't know that the war is over. 'Nude' derives from his family name 'Onoda'. Most of the album is composed of instrumentals with only a few tracks containing lyrics. The album's lyrics were mainly written by Susan Hoover, except "Please Come Home", which was written by Andrew Latimer. It was the last Camel album to feature original drummer Andy Ward, and the last Camel album to feature more than one original member.
The Single Factor, released in 1982, is the ninth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. The album was essentially a contractual obligation album, created under pressure from Decca Records to produce a hit single, and the "made-to-order" nature of its composition resulted in a selection of songs described as "odd" on the band's official website. Unlike previous Camel albums, The Single Factor consists exclusively of shorter compositions around 3 to 5 minutes in length.
Stationary Traveller is the tenth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. Like much of Camel's output, it is a concept album, in this case centering on the trials of East German refugees attempting to cross the Berlin Wall from East Berlin into West Berlin. The album also touches on the theme of politics between the two different government ideologies. It is the last Camel album to be recorded on the Decca label.
Pressure Points: Live in Concert is a live album by progressive rock band Camel, released in 1984. A remastered version with six bonus tracks was released in 2009 as a double CD Set.
Hit the Highway is the third studio album by the Scottish folk rock duo the Proclaimers, released in March 1994 by Chrysalis Records. It took them six years to follow their second album, Sunshine on Leith. The album included three singles: "Let's Get Married", "What Makes You Cry?" and "These Arms of Mine". It topped the charts in Scotland, debuting in the top-10 in the UK while also charting in Austria, Canada and Sweden.
Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall is a 1973 live double album by various artists recorded at an October 1973 Greasy Truckers concert at the Dingwalls Dance Hall at Camden Lock in Camden Town, London. The concert featured four bands, Camel, Henry Cow, Global Village Trucking Company and Gong, and was recorded with Virgin Records' "Manor Mobile" recording truck.
Remember the Future is the fourth album from English progressive rock band Nektar. Much like their debut album Journey to the Centre of the Eye, it is a concept album which is formally divided into ten tracks but in fact consists of one continuous piece of music.
Never Let Go is a live album by the British progressive rock band Camel, released in 1993. It was recorded in Enschede, the Netherlands, 5 September 1992.
"Never Let Go" is the first single by English progressive rock band Camel, released in November 1972. The B-side of the single is the Peter Bardens song "Curiosity". It is from their debut album Camel (1973), and is widely considered their most memorable song; it is probably their best known. In addition to the single version, the band has recorded versions of the song for three different live albums and it was featured on a compilation. It is the band's most popular live song. The songwriting is credited to guitarist Andrew Latimer.
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