Illusion (band)

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

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

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

• 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.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Isadora"	J. McCarty	6:56
2.	"Roads To Freedom"	J. McCarty, J. Hawken	3:53
3.	"Beautiful Country"	J. McCarty, J. Hawken	4:21
4.	"Solo Flight"	J. McCarty, J. Hawken	4:23
5.	"Everywhere You Go"	J. McCarty	3:18
6.	"Face of Yesterday"	J. McCarty	5:45
7.	"Candles are Burning"	J. McCarty	7:10
Total length:			35:55

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

Illusion (1978)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Madonna Blue"	J. McCarty	6:46
2.	"Never Be The Same"	J. McCarty	3:18
3.	"Louis' Theme"	L. Cennamo, J. Relf	7:41
4.	"Wings Across The Sea"	J. McCarty	4:49
5.	"Cruising Nowhere"	J. McCarty	5:01
6.	"Man Of Miracles"	K. Relf, J. McCarty, J. Hawken	3:27
7.	"The Revolutionary"	J. McCarty, J. 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"	J. McCarty
2.	"Walking Space"	J. McCarty
3.	"The Man Who Loved the Trees"	J. McCarty
4.	"Getting Into Love Again"	J. McCarty
5.	"As Long as We're Together"	J. McCarty
6.	"Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"	R. Rodgers
7.	"Living Above Your Head"	J. McCarty
8.	"Crossed Lines"	J. McCarty
9.	"You Are The One"	J. McCarty
10.	"All The Falling Angels"	K. Relf

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 (11)

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"	J. McCarty
2.	"Good Heart"	J. McCarty
3.	"Glorious One"	J. McCarty
4.	"Through the Fire"	J. McCarty
5.	"Blowing Away"	J. McCarty
6.	"Mystery of Being"	J. McCarty
7.	"Beat of the Earth"	J. McCarty
8.	"Beyond the Day"	J. McCarty
9.	"My Old Friend"	J. McCarty
10.	"Through the Fire (reprise)"	J. McCarty

Personnel

• Jim McCarty - vocals, drums, percussion
• Jane Relf - vocals
• John Hawken - piano, keyboards
• Louis Cennamo - bass
• 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 Korb - vocals, flute

External links

• Northern Lights Renaissance website; includes Illusion discography etc.
• John Hawken website
• Allmusic