Mellotronists

-----Original Message-----
From: Aidan Clark [mailto:aidan@...]
Sent: 14 February 2003 19:04
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: John Hawken

Aidan

John Hawken is still around. He appears on Renaissance/Illusion's relatively recent album Through the Fire (really a Jim McCarty solo album). He lives in America. He played Mellotron violins/flute/choir (well) on the Illusion albums Out of the Mist and Illusion in 1977-78. There is no Tron on the recent album though. Aidan

Any idea if there's any on 'Enchanted Caress', recorded '79 and released '90?

Andy T.

M400 #1145

'The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings List (Possibly)'

http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/

-----Original Message-----
From: Aidan Clark [mailto:aidan@...]
Sent: 17 February 2003 09:09
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Re: John Hawken

There is one Mellotron track on Illusion's Enchanted Caress: All the Falling Angels. This is listed as "Keith Relf's last unreleased recording" (rather than a Renaissance/Illusion track) "featuring Keith on lead vocal and Louis Cennamo on bass". The player of the Mark II violins is not listed. Aidan

Thanks for that one, Aidan - is the album actually any good, BTW?

Cheers!

Andy T.

M400 #1145

'The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings List (Possibly)'

http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/

-----Original Message-----
From: Aidan Clark [mailto:aidan@...]
Sent: 17 February 2003 19:54
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: John Hawken

Hi Aidan

Enchanted Caress is quite pleasant (not as good as Out of the Mist though). Many on this list would probably consider it lightweight: it is hardly King Crimson.

Well, they never were really, were they? :-)

The strongest track is probably The Man Who Loved the Trees featuring Jane Relf's heavenly voice (without the element of "danger" present on her earliest vocals) and Hawken's piano. Some of the tracks are obviously demos, with a drum-machine (yuck). ;

Oh dear.

As I said, the only Mellotron track is All the Falling Angels, and I don't know who played it. It doesn't sound like John Hawken to me--although no other keyboard player is mentioned. Could Keith Relf play keyboards? Aidan

Unknown, but then you don't have to be the greatest keyboard player to get a good noise out of one.... (ouch). I'll put 'Hawken question mark', I think.

Cheers!

Andy T.

M400 #1145

'The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings List (Possibly)'

http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/

Andy Thompson wrote:
>  
> 
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* Aidan Clark [mailto:aidan@...]
>     *Sent:* 17 February 2003 19:54
>     *To:* Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
>     *Subject:* [Mellotronists] Re: John Hawken
> 
>     Hi Aidan 
>      
>      /*Enchanted Caress */is quite pleasant (not as good as /*Out of the
>     Mist */though).  Many on this list would probably consider it
>     lightweight: it is hardly /*King Crimson*/.   
>      
>     Well, they never were really, were they?  :-)
>      
>      The strongest track is probably /*The Man Who Loved the Trees*/
>     featuring Jane Relf's heavenly voice (without the element of
>     "danger" present on her earliest vocals) and Hawken's piano.  Some
>     of the tracks are obviously demos, with a drum-machine (yuck).   
>      
>     Oh dear.
>      
>      As I said, the only Mellotron track is /*All the Falling Angels*/,
>     and I don't know who played it.  It doesn't sound like John Hawken
>     to me--although no other keyboard player is mentioned.  Could Keith
>     Relf play keyboards?  Aidan
> 
>      Unknown, but then you don't have to be the greatest keyboard player
>     to get a good noise out of one.... (ouch). I'll put 'Hawken question
>     mark', I think.
>      
>     Cheers!
>      
> 
>     Andy T. 
> 
>      M400 #1145
> 
>     'The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings List (Possibly)'

Keith Relf, Jim McCarty & Louis Cennamo (sp?) could all play keys so it 
could be any one of them I guess.
-- 
Cheers,
SDM -- a 21st century schizoid man
http://systemstheory.net	internet music project
http://thecleanersystem.com	software for dry cleaners
NP: nothing

I asked John about this: >>There is one Mellotron track on Illusion's 
Enchanted Caress: All the Falling >>Angels.  This is listed as "Keith Relf's 
last unreleased recording" (rather than a >>Renaissance/Illusion track) 
"featuring Keith on lead vocal and Louis Cennamo on >>bass".  The player of 
the Mark II violins is not listed. 

Here is his response: The answer to your question is - maybe. I really can't 
be sure, although I DO remember that particular song & working on it. When 
next I speak to Jim or Louis I will see if they can contribute a definitive 
answer. All the best 

Frank Samagaio
M400 #908
author, The Mellotron Book

Back in February we were trying to figure out who played the 
Mellotron on "All the Falling Angels".  Was it John Hawken or not? I 
have just been reliably informed that, yes, it was the maestro John 
Hawken.  The track appears on the Illusion album "Enchanted Caress" 
but was actually performed by Keith Relf's NoW.  (The history of 
Renaissance/Illusion etc., is rather complicated.)  Illusion's 
earlier album "Out of the Mist" is one of my all-time favourites and 
there is Mellotron on several tracks.  People who like Renaissance 
and 1970s BJH should enjoy it.  Aidan

Yes it was John Hawken,  Actually the song was part of the Ill-faded 
NOW project that Keith was trying to get together. When he died Jim 
was roped into taking the group over.  While Jim does play drums on 
NOW demos he had no interest in being involved in that project at 
all.  It was not until Keith died and Jane and the band convinced Jim 
to take over.
You might be interested to know that Jim reformed Renaissance and 
issued a new Cd.  Jane is now somewhat retired from the business but 
on occasion if Jim asks she will sing.  She suffers severe stage 
fright.  The new Yardbirds cd features a song called Mystery of Being 
which is also found on the Renaissance-Illusion cd Through the fire.  
As you may know John Hawken lives in USA, so the only one left who is 
missing is John Knightsbridge who is reported to be living somewhere 
in the USA.

The reason for the confusion on who recorded on that track was the 
fact it was the last formal session Keith Relf ever did and their is 
alot of emotion connected to those Keith Relf "NOW" sessions.  In my 
personal conversation with Jim he indicated he only has played the 
piano. One recent bit of informatoin that was brought to my attention 
by Jim was that he in fact did demos of the songs that were done by 
Renaissance featuring Annie.  I don't know if there is mellotron on 
them or not.

Rick  











--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "aidan60uk" <aidan@a...> wrote:
> Back in February we were trying to figure out who played the 
> Mellotron on "All the Falling Angels".  Was it John Hawken or not? 
I 
> have just been reliably informed that, yes, it was the maestro John 
> Hawken.  The track appears on the Illusion album "Enchanted Caress" 
> but was actually performed by Keith Relf's NoW.  (The history of 
> Renaissance/Illusion etc., is rather complicated.)  Illusion's 
> earlier album "Out of the Mist" is one of my all-time favourites 
and 
> there is Mellotron on several tracks.  People who like Renaissance 
> and 1970s BJH should enjoy it.  Aidan

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "aidan60uk" <aidan@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 5:05 AM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: John Hawken


> Back in February we were trying to figure out who played the 
> Mellotron on "All the Falling Angels".  Was it John Hawken or not? I 
> have just been reliably informed that, yes, it was the maestro John 
> Hawken.  The track appears on the Illusion album "Enchanted Caress" 
> but was actually performed by Keith Relf's NoW.  (The history of 
> Renaissance/Illusion etc., is rather complicated.)  Illusion's 
> earlier album "Out of the Mist" is one of my all-time favourites and 
> there is Mellotron on several tracks.  People who like Renaissance 
> and 1970s BJH should enjoy it.  Aidan


"Out of the mist" & the follow-up "Illusion" are available on 1 single CD
2fer1.  Very good value, since both albums have some sparkling moments.
-- 
SDM -- a 21st century schizoid man
http://systemstheory.net internet music project
http://thecleanersystem.com software for dry cleaners
NP: nothing