For the American band, see The Illusion (band).

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 Through the Fire, an album of new material under the name Renaissance Illusion, but did not play any concerts in support of the album.

Members

Discography

Out of the Mist (1977)

OutoftheMist.jpg
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Isadora"   Jim McCarty 6:56
2. "Roads to Freedom"   McCarty, John Hawken 3:53
3. "Beautiful Country"   McCarty, Hawken 4:21
4. "Solo Flight"   McCarty, Hawken 4:23
5. "Everywhere You Go"   McCarty 3:18
6. "Face of Yesterday[1]"   McCarty 5:45
7. "Candles Are Burning"   McCarty 7:10
Total length:
 35:55
Personnel

Illusion (1978)

Illusion - Same.jpg
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Madonna Blue"   McCarty 6:46
2. "Never Be the Same"   McCarty 3:18
3. "Louis' Theme"   Louis Cennamo, Jane Relf 7:41
4. "Wings Across the Sea"   McCarty 4:49
5. "Cruising Nowhere"   McCarty 5:01
6. "Man of Miracles"   Keith Relf,[2] McCarty, Hawken 3:27
7. "The Revolutionary"   McCarty, Hawken 6:15
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. Title Writer(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  
11. "Roads to Freedom"   McCarty, Hawken  
12. "Face of Yesterday"   McCarty  
Personnel
  • Jim McCarty - vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion
  • Jane Relf - vocal
  • John Hawken - piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, harpsichord
  • John Knightsbridge - electric and acoustic guitar
  • Louis Cennamo - bass guitar (1-5), (7-10)
  • Eddie McNeil - drums, percussion (1-5), (7-10)
  • Keith Relf - vocals, acoustic guitar (10)
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, including a 1976 Keith Relf demo and a John Knightsbridge solo instrumental.
  • Slaughter on Tenth Avenue features John Knightsbridge on guitar, Chas Cronk on bass and Tony Fernandez on drums.
  • All The Falling Angels features Keith Relf on vocals and Louis Cennamo on bass.

Through the Fire (2001)

No. Title Writer(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. ^ remake of a song from Renaissance's Illusion album (1971)
  2. ^ posthumously uses lyrics written by Keith Relf

External links

Authority control