Camel have around 50 years by now. I am a long time Camel fan. Give this band a hearing. For me their best albums/cds are "Moonmadnes", "Dust and Dreams", "Harbour of Tears", "Snow Goose" and the one that is maybe their most easy to hear "The Single Factor"....and for me, their second live album. They were (still are), a great, must see and hear, live band. Their original keyboard player, Peter Bardens, died some years ago and recorded several solo albums, that are really good.
Camel, like Caravan, has always been a band that never fails to put me in my "happy place". Now with everything going on, both bands are in heavy rotation in my apartment.
Never heard of this great prog band until I watched your 70’s prog band video! Went on Amazon and bought a bunch of their albums(cds), love them! Especially Mirage and Moonmadness
I dived into Camel through the "Music inspired by The Snow Goose", all those years ago. I understand the so many people prefer other albums, cause this one has very few vocals and no lyrics, but their playng is tremendous. Never stopped following them. The "I can see your house from here tour" in Lisbon is still one of the highlights of my life! Andy Latimer, Andy Ward, Colin Bass, Jan Schelhaas and the fantastic Kit Watkins (who remembers the sole band that dared to step on Gentle Giant's territoire, Happy the Man?). And my firstborn was two days...
Camel & Caravan - essential listening for any prog fan, the Canterbury sound is so quintessentially English - that combination of folk and prog. Jethro Tull while not sounding the same combined the same elements to great effect.
Like you said Camel doesn't sound like any other band. They are unique. I love how they can go from rock to prog, to softer bluesy stuff and then to a smooth, jazzy, atmospheric ballad with that beautiful saxophone.
My wife Krystal and I are big Camel fans since we spent lots of time cruising the back roads of Michigan in the late 70s, while listening to prog music like Camel, UK, Yes, King Crimson, PFM, etc. I have all the studio albums from Camel and have nothing bad to say about any of them. After listening to Camel for over 40 years, I only recently have noticed that I'm drawn to the albums with Richard Sinclair singing and playing his fretless bass. All due respect to Doug Ferguson's bass contributions on the early albums, and ditto for the lead vocals from Andy Latimer and Pete Bardens (not to leave out Colin Bass and his vocal and bass work on later Camel, especially live recordings). It's just that I like that fretless bass and I like Richard Sinclair's distinctive voice. A personal taste thing. Krystal and I can put on our Camel collection and listen to random tunes all day long. There aren't many bands that we can listen to for hours and hours without needing to switch to something else. Another strange thing; I can't think of one "prog" friend who is a big Camel fan like my wife and myself.
Camel list, from favorite to least favorite: Moonmadness Mirage The Snow Goose Rain Dances I Can see Your House From Here Nude Rajaz Breathless A Nod And A Wink Camel Dust And Dreams Stationary Traveller Harbour Of Tears The Single Factor Camel had such strong albums, from 1973-81. They still had some good albums afterwards as well, but the albums they put out in their first 8 years were fantastic. Peter Barden's keyboard style often reminds me of Tony Banks. Beautiful stuff!
Thanks for doing this Pete. They are a fine band, I love their Life at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019 with blind Pete Jones on the keyboards and who knows how many instrument
Thank you Pete for bringing up Camel. Probably my favorite group. I was hooked when Moonmadness was released. This is a band to immerse yourself in. Andy and Peter had a connection which was amazing. Never got to see them but the albums will be with us and glad to see that Andy Latimer is still performing.
Great stuff Pete, My fave is also mirage. If i start playing it, the cd can be played over and over for weeks. One of the truly great prog albums. This band should have been bigger. Andy H
They were unlucky, and Camel is perhaps the best band to ilustrate the Murphy's law: everytime in courts of law, nervous breakdowns and insanity, flightfright, even Andy's illness and uncapacity to play. Happily, Latimer is cured, at least to the step of playing again, although you can see he sits most of the time. Hang on, Andy, only someone so persistent like you could do it. Respect.
My Camel story. I was at university in Canterbury in the 1990s. I loved Caravan. A girl lent me a compilation tape of a band called Camel. I listened to it and thought it was crap. 30 years later I give them another go and end up buying all their albums. I can't get enough of them and actually think they are better than Caravan. I can't believe I wasted 30 years of my live without Camel! In my opinion, the order of release is a pretty good way to rank the Camel albums. You might want to swap around one or two. The debut is probably not the best but I love it. Anyway, if you have never heard all these albums, you are in for a treat.
1. Music inspired by the snow goose 2. Moonmadness 3. Mirage 4. Raindances 5. Camel 6. Rajaz 7. Breathless Honour mention: Nude! Great concept, great lineup. AMAZING BAND RIP Peter Bardens, one of my favourite keyboard player from that era Take care everyone!
2022 1. Moonmadness 2. Mirage 3. Music inspired by the snow goose 4. Camel 5. Raindances 6. Breathless 7. Nude 8. The single factor 9. rajaz 10. I can see your house from here 11. Stationary traveler 12. Harbour of tears 🐫🐪....Listening forever!
4 года назад+4
Camel. One of the greatest prog bands ever! With their unique sound and their emphasys more in mood and emotion than in exhibitionism. I agree with your top 5 (not the order, but the albums), but not sure about the bottom of your list. Some of their last albums (90's) deserve better position (and most of their 80's are their weakests) My order would have been: 1. Moonmadness 2. The Snow Goose 3. Mirage 4. Rain Dances 5. Camel 6. Nude 7. A Nod and a Wink 8. Rajaz 9. I Can See Your House from Here 10. Dust and Dreams 11. Harbour of tears 12. Breathless 13. Stationary Traveller 14. The Single Factor Anyway, great analysis
I can't believe I missed this ranking.Camel has been one of my favorite bands ever,and Latimer's guitar playing can be compared only to The Great David Gilmour. Thank you for this!
My first copy of Moonmadness had an illustration of the ever-familiar camel in a spacesuit standing on the Moon. One of my all-time favorite album covers.
HI i am 68 and only discovered Camel a decade ago! a cruelly underrated band,that had it all good songs,awesome singing and playing they had it all! makes me realise how music has regressed so much recently! nice job to recognise this great band Pete! Thanks
I loved the interplay of Andy Latimer and Peter Bardens. Without Bardens a critical element was missing and the band became Latimer's backing band. Their best period for me was with Richard Sinclair - I love the guys voice (with Caravan, Hatfield & the North, Caravan of Dreams) 1. Rain Dances 2. Mirage 3. Moonmadness 4. Breathless 5. Camel 6. Nude 7. I Can See Your House From Here 8. The Snow Goose (I like the Rhayader passages but the rest always left me cold) 9. The remaining 80's stuff 10. The 90's The 80's and 90's makes nice background music but nothing sticks especially. Mellow and dreamy stuff with some nice guitar work but I cannot really tell the albums apart. The counterpart to the guitar is missing and so are the highlights.
After two "regular" albums, Camel dared to release a third (TSG) with very few vocals and no lyrics. However, the playing is awesome, and the composition is top notch. However, Camel's best voice was undoubtfully Richard Sinclair's, reason enough to save a special place in my heart for "Rain dances" and "Breathless". And I dream of Andy Latimer having such a voice, wouldn't it be a totally different story?. But it wasn't ment to be. However, I marvel at the things Andy did with his "little" voice!
Thank you for doing this. I am a rabid Camel fan and it’s appalling how few people are aware of this band’s output….truly inspired playing and composing. Andy Latimer is a ferocious guitar player. Hopefully some of the fan base that subscribes to this channel will seek them out. If you’re a “prog” fan you owe it to yourself to listen to Camel.
I really only know their 70's albums. I've heard some of the others, but never owned them or paid much attention, for some reason. So here we go with the ones I know/own: 7) The Snow Goose (This doesn't do much for me. Seems a bit aimless) 6) Camel 5) Moonmadness 4) Breathless (I was wary of the short songs originally, but ended up pleasantly surprised) 3) I Can See Your House From Here 2) Rain Dances 1) Mirage Thanks, Pete! I don't listen to these enough, but I dug them out (I have the vinyl LPs) and really enjoyed them. Still. Edit: It's a year after I posted this list - I now love "Snow Goose". Not sure what happened, but I'm happy that it did! "Mirage" & "Rain Dances" are still my favorite, but It would probably be #3 for me now.
Thanks for these videos. I bought Mirage when it came out based solely on the album cover. I got the US cover which was really cool artwork. When I got home and put it on, I was an instant Camel fan. My friends were never really into a lot of the bands I was. It’s nice to see people on here digging a lot of these bands that I’m still listening to.
MoonMadness is my favorite, My autographed LP has a camel in a spacesuit standing on the moon. Air and Lunar Sea are brilliant. Back in the late 70's our band used to gig with Lunar Sea. I met Andy Latimer back then in northern California. His girlfriend at the time lived in Sunnyvale and she was best friends with our guitarists uncles girlfriend. I remember shaking his hand and was floored by how long his fingers are. It was like he has an extra knuckle on each finger! He was very unassuming and very nice to us. We jammed on Lunar Sea. As a young bassist at the time, it was, and still is , one of my happiest musical experiences. Wonderful gentleman. Thanks for rating there albums. I agree with the bulk of your list. RNB
Yes, they were real gentlemen. After the gig in Lisbon (7-12-79) they went to the hotel, who disted about 300m from the Restelo Pavillion. There we found them., and they were having a drink and talking to the people in the bar. Andy had a Polaroid and took several selfies with some friends of mine who asked him. I regret not to have asked also. Nevertheless, in the absence of a picture with Andy, I still got the ticket. As for your nickname, I owned a Fireglo 4001 model, but was stupid enough to sell it, I thought my player's days were over. However, they were not, and I now have some basses, but, although they are pretty good and I love them, they have a common problem: they are no Rickenbacker! Not that they are the best basses in the world, far from it, but they are unique. Maybe I still bother to get a Jetglo. A friend of mine went to Madrid and came back with a 4003 Fireglow, Although he owns over a dozen basses, he told me that since he returned he always plays with the Fireglo. What about that? Greetings from Portugal.
@@joseandrade632 I still have my 1976 root beer colored 4001. I love the fretboard on the 4001. It sometimes feels like the bass is playing itself. When our band was touring from 1978 to 1984, I purchased a 1968 Hofner violin bass. The reason for that was the weight of the 4001. 5 hours a night 6 days a week got to be a bit much with 'Barney'. My name for the 4001. The Hofner is so much lighter and its bottom end came in real handy playing outdoor shows. I used to keep the 4001 on stage with the E string tuned down to D. I would use it on Squonk (Genesis) and a few other songs we performed that needed that lowered D note. This was way before the 5 string bass arrived on the scene. I still record with them. I am sorry you don't have your 4001 anymore. I am sure at the time Jose it must have been a very difficult to part with. Guitars are like our family members. I also have the full 2 octave Rickenbacker 360 (not the 3/4 length neck John Lennon played in the 1st half of the 60's). As well as the 360/12 twelve string. I love them all. Best wishes to you from the San Francisco Bay Area. RNB
The phrase 'classic underrated prog' (which I just made up BTW) was made for this band. Camel ... one of my favourite bands and have been since 1975 when I discovered them. For me, they have the planet's best guitarist in the brilliant Andy Latimer. My top 3 would be 1. Moonmadness 2. Snow Goose 3. Mirage But here's a thing ... I bought their album 'Dust and Dreams' about 10 years ago. I have to say, at the time I was a little unerwhelmed. Loved the track 'Go West' but little else. But then earlier this year I revisited the album. And I absolutely love it. Love it all. For me, the best album of theirs since 'Moonmadness' in 1976. ... and in your ranking, what album occupies the bottom spot ? 'Dust and Dreams'. Oh well, we can agree to disagree. Pete, thanks for ranking these beautiful albums.
I used to listen to a lot of Camel in late 90's, they were my favourite band at the time. It has changed since and I don't really listen to them any more, but I still have a soft spot for Stationary Traveller to this day. And Andy's weeping guitar in the self titled track still gives my goosebumps.
WOW! I've been waiting for this list for months! I agree in that Latimer's best guitar playing can be found in the later work. He's one of my favorite players.
I saw Camel 3 months before they released their first album. I was so impressed I pre-ordered the album so I would get it as soon as. Still my favourite followed by Snow Goose. Now just to say that is a great tee shirt from a great (in my humble opinion the greatest) prog rock band ever. I am jealous! Now that album I got by accident. I ordered a Genesis lp mail order and the vinyl inside the Genesis cover was 'In a Glass House'. I thought I'd play it before I sent it back. We never sent it back!
Hi Pete, so I have to say as a child of the 70's/80's I had never heard Camel's music before, even being a huge Genesis and Yes fan. Since I watched your ranking of the albums a few weeks ago I have fallen in love with Moonmadness. I think it is absolutely brilliant and something I've really needed to find this year. Chord Change is my favorite track! Really appreciate your rankings and all your videos! \m/
The fact that you're featuring Camel, alone, is a huge plus for you, Pete. It shows that you don't mind trying out the great progressive artists that came out of the, all too short, period when many record companies were run by actual musicians. Good on ya, mate!
If record companies were run by musicians today, then the world would be better for it (with a few notable exceptions i.e. Richie Blackmore, Axl Rose and Roger Waters).
@@MRB16th Yes. I've often said that I may not ever be friends with many of the musicians that made the music I love, but they made it, nevertheless, so there you are...and your three names are certainly on my "Not Likely To Be My Friend" list.
@@timberwrightsvs480 I've said that those three are assholes, but they are talented assholes (Roger even admitted he agrees with David Gilmour on this). As for Mr. Blackmore, he recently attempted to negotate a reunion gig with Deep Purple, and all seemed well until he requested that Candice Night (his wife and half of Blackmore's Night) be on vocals for the gig, while Ian Gillan would be barred from the building - the record label and Deep Purple promptly told Ritchie he was wasting his time.
The top 3 are phenomenal. When i first heard them in 2006 my mind was blown with their creativity, cool themes and solid musicianship. Snow goose is probably my favorite album but Air Born and many on Mirage are stellar, Never Let Go, Unevenson...so many good ones. Their live set on Old Grey Whistle Test is on RUclips, worth checking out. Great one Pete!
Brillant band. One of my top prog-rock bands of all time. And, as you said so well, a very original style. Love Andrew Latimer voice and guitar works. My top three albums are: Mirage (masterpiece), Moonmadness, and The Snow Goose.
My favourite band of my early teens, saw them live in Yeovil, Somerset on my 16th birthday with my best mate (RIP Pete) when they were debuting Snow Goose, my first gig so a landmark in my life, They went from playing a 400 seater in Somerset to playing the Royal Albert Hall in London in a month, Brilliant band, but agree Mirage is the one album I play the most 45 years later
The title track of Stationary Traveller is an absolutely amazing instrumental. One of my favourite pieces of guitar work in any album, not to mention the beautiful intro.
Your order is fair enough, and your comments spot on, although it has to be Snow Goose for me. If you don't love Camel you don't love prog rock. However, if you don't love The Snow Goose you don't even like music. All of their output is sublime including the more recent stuff. You either love it instantly or it grows on you very quickly. After a few plays even the weaker tracks can soon become your favorite ones. Strictly for the prog rock connoisseur. tip: Highway to the Sun, is the most uplifting peace of music ever produced.
Pete, this is the ranking I've been waiting for!!! Don't forget to check out the re-recorded version of Snow Goose from 2013 or 2014.... it's one of the only 're-cordings' I can say I love just as much.... new parts to the songs that work, better sound quality overall. Also - I couldn't have said it better about the last 4 or 5 albums by them. Agreed! My only disagree is that Nude is way higher on my list, but I came to this band about 10 years ago, so I had no chronological release, just the order I got em. The new Bluray, and soon double CD from the Royal Albert Hall is phenomenal as well... cheers and thanks !!
Saw Camel in Glasgow Apollo, on the Moonmadness tour, 1976. Very good live. Keep on rockin' Pete! Your shows have helped get me through the current situation and I'm sure, lots of others. I've kinda rediscovered my love of prog etc. By the way, my first gig was again at the Apollo, Jethro Tull, November 1974. Support, Danny. Not a bad opener. Anyway I'm rambling man! All the best. Alex
The song "Rajaz" off the cd/album of the same name is just stellar. Fantastic arrangement, and Latimer on slide guitar. If you are a Camel fan, that song deserves a listen.
Pete- You have turned me on to Camel, Caravan, Marillion, Gentle Giant and early Genesis. How do you thank someone enough for that? I appreciate you very much and wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year my friend!!!
Coming from Guildford, I’ve been a huge Camel fan from when they formed. In fact my older brother played with Ward and Ferguson before they teamed up with Latimer and Bardens to form Camel. Personally I prefer the original line up and material and I’ve seen them enough times but unfortunately Bardens passed, Ferguson and Ward are no longer with the band, but it’s great to see Latimer still keeping the Camel brand going.
Such a great band, there's not an album I don't cherish for some reason. Apart from their 70s stuff, which in many ways embodies classic prog rock sound to me, I really dig their 90s records. Hopeless Anger, Coming of Age, Three Wishes, Lost and Found, Sahara, are among my favorite Camel songs.
Hi again from CCS Vnzla, Camel is one of the favorite british prog bands. I think A live record is a pretty good live album, I love it. Thanks for your videos!!!!!
My rank: 1 Mirage 2 Moonmadness 3 The Snow Goose 4 Rain Dances 5 Harbour of Tears 6 Breathless 7 I Can See Your House from Here 8 Nude 9 Stationary Traveller 10 Camel 11 Dust and Dreams 12 The Single Factor 13 Rajaz 14 A Nod and a Wink
My Top 10 Favorite Camel Albums. 10. Rajaz 9. Stationary Traveler 8. Nude 7. I can see Your House from here 6. Rain Dances 5. Breathless 4. Snow Goose 3. Mirage 2. Moonmadness 1. Camel My Top 3 could change over Time.
Really fantastic band that ive mysteriously only got the box set and a double cd compilation of....been meaning for years to collect the bulk of their catalog just haven’t as yet. Latimer is such an amazingly sublime guitarist !!!
For me, the ultimate Camel album is the instrumental album The Snowgoose. It's just my opinion but this band needed a strong lead vocalist, but oddly enough the vocals sound fine to me on their debut album, (a late discovery for me), So those are my two favorites. Both Moonmadness and Mirage would be perfect albums had the lead vocals been handled differently. This video does make me want to revisit Rain Dances and I Can See Your House from here. And thanks for reminding me that Mel Collins is on the Breathless album, I will have to check that out!
A great band for sure. I'll have to pretty much agree with your take with the exception of Rajaz, which I would rank a few albums higher. Mirage is a truly fantastic album.
Great list, I find Harbour of Tears from the latter period underrated and the most beautiful to go along with your top 5. Those 6 are all I need - Debut, Mirage, Goose, Moon, Rain, and Harbour. GREAT BAND, no stinker albums actually all listenable.
I always love a Pete Pardo review but I would make a few points here. Camel should really be seen as three eras: 1 - up to where Peter Bardens and Doug Ferguson left the band (by that time Andy Ward was on a slow decline) ; 2 - After this point but before Andy Latimer got really sick; 3 - Everything after. I love the early stuff, Mirage and Moonmadness are sublime. But so too are many of the what I call intermediate, stage 2, ones. Harbour of Tears, and Rajaz are particular favourites of my stage three because they are so personal to Andy Latimer and that comes across. You simply can't compare them from a quality point of view. They are all brilliant. It simply comes down to personal taste and what mood one might be in when listening. FANTASTIC CHANNEL!
Camel, like Gentle Giant, are one of those Prog acts who are rightly revered by aficionados of the genre, yet barely ever known outside of the sphere unlike Yes, Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis and ELP. Great picks, Pete. Single Factor and Dust and Dreams very rarely get a replay in my house, but the rest do. Great discography and I remember how much Rajaz struck me with awe. I was not expecting that! Top 3, however, for me, would be 1. Moonmadness; 2. Mirage and 3. Breathless, though this is subject to change, with Rain Dances, The Snow Goose and Rajaz commonly placing top tier. Awesome channel, Pete. Keep carrying the torch for Prog!
Hard to argue, but I would put Nude up one. The re-recording of The Snow Goose is also excellent. Once heard some music as i walked out of Liverpool Lime Street railway station, walked in through the open doors at the back of the Liverpool Empire and stood by the stage as Camel did a full hour of a sound check. Went back later to the concert, probably 1982.
Hey Pete, Thanks for your channel. (I'm officially addicted...) Favourite Producers I'm not sure if you've considered this, but I'd love to see a discussion about your favourite record producers, and the record that really captures their magic - e.g. : Jimmy Miller - Let It Bleed / Tom Dowd - Allman Brothers / John 'Mutt' Lange - Back In Black / George Martin - Abbey Road / Tom Scholz - Boston. Perhaps your Top Ten Producers, with their best band/album collaboration?
Man I've been waiting for this one for a long time. I unfortunately don't own any Camel albums but I do own a Camel DVD called Footage which is really good. I use to have Mirage on CD back in the day but sold it because I really needed money. The albums I really like are Mirage, Moonmadness, Nude, Camel and Breathless. I haven't heard them all yet but I will hopefully eventually own their whole catalog.
Thank you Pete ! For ranking my all time favorite band. Your list and mine are exactly the same. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't listen to them. Now for a request any chance of a ranking of Caravan or Nektar sometime in the future. Thanks again.
Camel always was a bit mellow, and I don't know all of there work very well, but I was really surprized by the quality, also musically, of their later releases. Where Yes and Genesis changed to the worse (although not changing to bad) and ELP after Works vol1 was kinda dissapointing for me, Camel had very solid later releases (IMHO). One of my fav concerts was Camel's Snowgoose tour, where they played that integral in set one, and a selection from all there albums in set two. Ending with For Today (fantastic piece, heartfelt) and as an encore of course Lady Fantasy (with clapping along crowd). Anyway my listing would be: 1. Rajaz 2. A nod and a wink 3. The Snowgoose 4. Mirage 5. Harbour of Tears 6. Rain Dances 7. Moon madness 8. Stationary traveler 9. The single factor I have to re-listen to all the other ones (not in the list) because I don't know them well enough to rank them in. When it came out, I loved the stationary traveler album but the other albums have grown for me. I understand that it's just my preference, but I would really recommend to give the later albums a chance (also when you are an old Camel lover but have lost track in the eighties). I will now look up your fav. songs from the band ;-)
Ever since my last post I now own 3 Camel albums and have one coming in the mail this week. Rajaz should be at my house within a day or two and the 3 I currently own are Mirage, Rain Dances and A Nod And A Wink. I know you say you're not as much into the later Camel albums but A Nod And A Wink to me is a fine wine album. What I mean by albums that are fine wine albums are albums that get better with every listen. Really not a bad song on A Nod And A Wink. The stand out songs for me are A Nod And A Wink, Simple Pleasures, A Boy's Life and Fox Hill. I recommend giving that album a few more listens because I really like it a lot. I haven't heard Rajaz yet but like I said I will be getting it sometime this week and I'm very excited in hearing it. Anyway I'm glad you're a Camel fan. I also recommend getting a DVD called Footage. It's the only DVD I have from them but it's a really good retrospective of them. I'm slowly building my Camel collection up these days.
My introduction to Camel, apart from the odd thing on the radio, was their sight and sound in concert appearance in 1977 - since available on DVD - which led me to buy Rain Dances so again the first I bought remains my favourite. I’m not so enamoured with their post Bardens 80’s albums except I can see your house - which I think was their last great album - Ice is always captivating, stunning guitar work from Andy Latimer. I got back into them with their live album from their dust and dreams tour- never let go, and there were then a load of Camel on the road cds shortly after that, though my favourite live of theirs and a joint No 1 for me will always be A Live Record, but for just studio releases - 1. Rain Dances 2. Moonmadness 3. Mirage 4. The Snow Goose 5. Breathless 6. Camel 7. I Can see Your House From Here 8. A Nod And A Wink 9. Harbour Of Tears 10. Dust And Dreams 11. Rajaz 12. Nude 13. The Single Factor 14. Stationary Traveller
Great job, Pete! Been waiting for this one. Here's my listing with very little separating the Top 3 Moonmadness Mirage The Snow Goose Camel Rain Dances Breathless I Can See Your House From Here Nude Stationary Traveller The Single Factor A Nod And A Wink Rajaz Dust & Dreams Harbour Of Tears Would love to see your rankings on: Nektar, Renaissance and Roxy Music.
"An Outcast of the Islands" (1998)-solo album by Colin Bass, who plays ... bass on Camel is also great stuff. Recorded in Poland with members of polish prog-bands Abraxas and Quidam. Andy Latimer plays on few songs.
Yo Pete...yet another cool ranking of the album's... Camel are a brilliant band. My top 3 are the same as yours ...but the order does change. I have to admit that I have not listened to the later stuff for a while. I will have to remedy that. Thanks for all the rankings.. Pete. Awesome dude.
Peter Bardens has got to be the most underrated keyboardist in rock music.
RIP Peter Bardens
Never even heard of Camel before. Listening to Mirage right now and loving it. This is why I love this chanel.
Welcome to Camel. Great, great band.
try moonmadness
@@scrpnvmbr One of their best!
I think Mirage is there best,
Camel have around 50 years by now. I am a long time Camel fan. Give this band a hearing. For me their best albums/cds are "Moonmadnes", "Dust and Dreams", "Harbour of Tears", "Snow Goose" and the one that is maybe their most easy to hear "The Single Factor"....and for me, their second live album. They were (still are), a great, must see and hear, live band. Their original keyboard player, Peter Bardens, died some years ago and recorded several solo albums, that are really good.
Camel, like Caravan, has always been a band that never fails to put me in my "happy place". Now with everything going on, both bands are in heavy rotation in my apartment.
Sean Schmidt I feel the same way 💕
When they had Richard & Dave Sinclair + Jan Schelhaas in the band they called themselves 'Caramel' as a joke.
hey, me too
I could never get into Caravan much. Some good stuff, but just mostly doesn't work for me
Never heard of this great prog band until I watched your 70’s prog band video! Went on Amazon and bought a bunch of their albums(cds), love them! Especially Mirage and Moonmadness
I dived into Camel through the "Music inspired by The Snow Goose", all those years ago. I understand the so many people prefer other albums, cause this one has very few vocals and no lyrics, but their playng is tremendous. Never stopped following them. The "I can see your house from here tour" in Lisbon is still one of the highlights of my life! Andy Latimer, Andy Ward, Colin Bass, Jan Schelhaas and the fantastic Kit Watkins (who remembers the sole band that dared to step on Gentle Giant's territoire, Happy the Man?). And my firstborn was two days...
Jose Andrade Just bought a Happy the Man best of cd. Different but I like it! I tried getting into Gentle Giant ,I just don’t like them. Peace!
@curtharvilla958
I too have tried desperately to enjoy Gentle Giant ... but I just do it, even though I love plenty of prog bands
Moonmadness is one of my fav prog albums ever. Thank you Pete.
Love your Gentle Giant shirt!!🎤🎸🎵🥁
One of my all time fave bands. My list would be quite a bit different though. Thanks for featuring these guys.
Camel & Caravan - essential listening for any prog fan, the Canterbury sound is so quintessentially English - that combination of folk and prog. Jethro Tull while not sounding the same combined the same elements to great effect.
Though some Caravan players joined Camel, Camel is not a Canterbury Scene band.
Like you said Camel doesn't sound like any other band. They are unique. I love how they can go from rock to prog, to softer bluesy stuff and then to a smooth, jazzy, atmospheric ballad with that beautiful saxophone.
The sound like Caravan indeed Camel 🐪 rises from the ashes of Caravan with Sinclair , ❤both of them
Great ranking Pete! Hopefully Van der Graaf Generator is next?
The greatest band ever and Andy up there with the bat guitarists. Dust and Dreams is an amazing album.
This. A true masterpiece!
Fantastic band, My top 5::
Moonmadness
Breathless (very underrated album in my opinion)
Mirage
Rain dances
The snow goose
My wife Krystal and I are big Camel fans since we spent lots of time cruising the back roads of Michigan in the late 70s, while listening to prog music like Camel, UK, Yes, King Crimson, PFM, etc. I have all the studio albums from Camel and have nothing bad to say about any of them. After listening to Camel for over 40 years, I only recently have noticed that I'm drawn to the albums with Richard Sinclair singing and playing his fretless bass. All due respect to Doug Ferguson's bass contributions on the early albums, and ditto for the lead vocals from Andy Latimer and Pete Bardens (not to leave out Colin Bass and his vocal and bass work on later Camel, especially live recordings). It's just that I like that fretless bass and I like Richard Sinclair's distinctive voice. A personal taste thing. Krystal and I can put on our Camel collection and listen to random tunes all day long. There aren't many bands that we can listen to for hours and hours without needing to switch to something else. Another strange thing; I can't think of one "prog" friend who is a big Camel fan like my wife and myself.
Camel list, from favorite to least favorite:
Moonmadness
Mirage
The Snow Goose
Rain Dances
I Can see Your House From Here
Nude
Rajaz
Breathless
A Nod And A Wink
Camel
Dust And Dreams
Stationary Traveller
Harbour Of Tears
The Single Factor
Camel had such strong albums, from 1973-81. They still had some good albums afterwards as well, but the albums they put out in their first 8 years were fantastic. Peter Barden's keyboard style often reminds me of Tony Banks. Beautiful stuff!
I love Rain Dances
I Can See Your House is fan-fucking-tastic too. Absolutely.. no no absolutely super love that one. Good on you friend
Never thought of it that way but come to think of it.. yeah
Awesome stuff! I'd love to hear your take on Renaissance!
Thanks for doing this Pete. They are a fine band, I love their Life at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019 with blind Pete Jones on the keyboards and who knows how many instrument
Absolutely love this band.Thanks to you Pete for your great shows.sobmuch inspiration.
Always loved Camel. First album is my favourite. Tons of character and great playing.
Thank you Pete for bringing up Camel. Probably my favorite group. I was hooked when Moonmadness was released. This is a band to immerse yourself in. Andy and Peter had a connection which was amazing. Never got to see them but the albums will be with us and glad to see that Andy Latimer is still performing.
Great stuff Pete,
My fave is also mirage. If i start playing it, the cd can be played over and over for weeks. One of the truly great prog albums. This band should have been bigger.
Andy H
They were unlucky, and Camel is perhaps the best band to ilustrate the Murphy's law: everytime in courts of law, nervous breakdowns and insanity, flightfright, even Andy's illness and uncapacity to play. Happily, Latimer is cured, at least to the step of playing again, although you can see he sits most of the time. Hang on, Andy, only someone so persistent like you could do it. Respect.
I love the band Camel!! Thank you so much for your ranking Camel.🎤🎸🎵🥁
My Camel story. I was at university in Canterbury in the 1990s. I loved Caravan. A girl lent me a compilation tape of a band called Camel. I listened to it and thought it was crap. 30 years later I give them another go and end up buying all their albums. I can't get enough of them and actually think they are better than Caravan. I can't believe I wasted 30 years of my live without Camel! In my opinion, the order of release is a pretty good way to rank the Camel albums. You might want to swap around one or two. The debut is probably not the best but I love it. Anyway, if you have never heard all these albums, you are in for a treat.
Probably my favorite band of all time. Thanks for covering this.
1. Music inspired by the snow goose
2. Moonmadness
3. Mirage
4. Raindances
5. Camel
6. Rajaz
7. Breathless
Honour mention: Nude! Great concept, great lineup. AMAZING BAND
RIP Peter Bardens, one of my favourite keyboard player from that era
Take care everyone!
2022
1. Moonmadness
2. Mirage
3. Music inspired by the snow goose
4. Camel
5. Raindances
6. Breathless
7. Nude
8. The single factor
9. rajaz
10. I can see your house from here
11. Stationary traveler
12. Harbour of tears
🐫🐪....Listening forever!
Camel. One of the greatest prog bands ever! With their unique sound and their emphasys more in mood and emotion than in exhibitionism.
I agree with your top 5 (not the order, but the albums), but not sure about the bottom of your list. Some of their last albums (90's) deserve better position (and most of their 80's are their weakests)
My order would have been:
1. Moonmadness
2. The Snow Goose
3. Mirage
4. Rain Dances
5. Camel
6. Nude
7. A Nod and a Wink
8. Rajaz
9. I Can See Your House from Here
10. Dust and Dreams
11. Harbour of tears
12. Breathless
13. Stationary Traveller
14. The Single Factor
Anyway, great analysis
Love prog. love camel. I admire your knowledge and enthusiasm. How do you find time to listen to all this music 😂🎸
I love the Canterbury style Prog bands. And Caravan and Camel my faves...
Great stuff Pete. One of my fave bands, saw them several times in the mid 70s. Just beautiful.
I can't believe I missed this ranking.Camel has been one of my favorite bands ever,and Latimer's guitar playing can be compared only to The Great David Gilmour. Thank you for this!
Thanks Pete, great to see someone that appreciates fine art!
Moonmadness
Mirage
The Snow Goose
Camel
All timeless!
I really like Camel's first album and would place it on my top 3 along with Mirage and Moonmadness.
yes it has some of there best songs which often is the case with debut albums
Good call! Savagely underrated.
My first copy of Moonmadness had an illustration of the ever-familiar camel in a spacesuit standing on the Moon. One of my all-time favorite album covers.
HI i am 68 and only discovered Camel a decade ago! a cruelly underrated band,that had it all good songs,awesome singing and playing they had it all! makes me realise how music has regressed so much recently! nice job to recognise this great band Pete! Thanks
Camel outstanding music that stands up today
I loved the interplay of Andy Latimer and Peter Bardens. Without Bardens a critical element was missing and the band became Latimer's backing band. Their best period for me was with Richard Sinclair - I love the guys voice (with Caravan, Hatfield & the North, Caravan of Dreams)
1. Rain Dances
2. Mirage
3. Moonmadness
4. Breathless
5. Camel
6. Nude
7. I Can See Your House From Here
8. The Snow Goose (I like the Rhayader passages but the rest always left me cold)
9. The remaining 80's stuff
10. The 90's
The 80's and 90's makes nice background music but nothing sticks especially. Mellow and dreamy stuff with some nice guitar work but I cannot really tell the albums apart. The counterpart to the guitar is missing and so are the highlights.
I agree with you regarding The Snow Goose album
After two "regular" albums, Camel dared to release a third (TSG) with very few vocals and no lyrics. However, the playing is awesome, and the composition is top notch. However, Camel's best voice was undoubtfully Richard Sinclair's, reason enough to save a special place in my heart for "Rain dances" and "Breathless". And I dream of Andy Latimer having such a voice, wouldn't it be a totally different story?. But it wasn't ment to be. However, I marvel at the things Andy did with his "little" voice!
Great band, which I've properly discovered this year. The instrumental track Skylines is incredible.
Thank you for doing this. I am a rabid Camel fan and it’s appalling how few people are aware of this band’s output….truly inspired playing and composing. Andy Latimer is a ferocious guitar player. Hopefully some of the fan base that subscribes to this channel will seek them out. If you’re a “prog” fan you owe it to yourself to listen to Camel.
I really only know their 70's albums. I've heard some of the others, but never owned them or paid much attention, for some reason. So here we go with the ones I know/own:
7) The Snow Goose (This doesn't do much for me. Seems a bit aimless)
6) Camel
5) Moonmadness
4) Breathless (I was wary of the short songs originally, but ended up pleasantly surprised)
3) I Can See Your House From Here
2) Rain Dances
1) Mirage
Thanks, Pete! I don't listen to these enough, but I dug them out (I have the vinyl LPs) and really enjoyed them. Still.
Edit: It's a year after I posted this list - I now love "Snow Goose". Not sure what happened, but I'm happy that it did! "Mirage" & "Rain Dances" are still my favorite, but It would probably be #3 for me now.
I purchased a copy of The Snow Goose a while back and I was completely blown away at how complex and beautiful the songs were.
Thanks for these videos. I bought Mirage when it came out based solely on the album cover. I got the US cover which was really cool artwork. When I got home and put it on, I was an instant Camel fan. My friends were never really into a lot of the bands I was. It’s nice to see people on here digging a lot of these bands that I’m still listening to.
Thanks for introducing this band to me Pete. Only have some of the early albums so far. 1)
'Harbour of tears' and 'Rajaz' are my favourites. Thanks for the review Pete.👍
MoonMadness is my favorite, My autographed LP has a camel in a spacesuit standing on the moon. Air and Lunar Sea are brilliant. Back in the late 70's our band used to gig with Lunar Sea. I met Andy Latimer back then in northern California. His girlfriend at the time lived in Sunnyvale and she was best friends with our guitarists uncles girlfriend. I remember shaking his hand and was floored by how long his fingers are. It was like he has an extra knuckle on each finger! He was very unassuming and very nice to us. We jammed on Lunar Sea. As a young bassist at the time, it was, and still is , one of my happiest musical experiences. Wonderful gentleman. Thanks for rating there albums. I agree with the bulk of your list. RNB
Rick N Backer ‘A camel in a spacesuit standing on the moon’ - you’d never guess they were a prog band, would you?!
Hahaha! Touche Patrick!! Fantastic album.
Yes, they were real gentlemen. After the gig in Lisbon (7-12-79) they went to the hotel, who disted about 300m from the Restelo Pavillion. There we found them., and they were having a drink and talking to the people in the bar. Andy had a Polaroid and took several selfies with some friends of mine who asked him. I regret not to have asked also. Nevertheless, in the absence of a picture with Andy, I still got the ticket. As for your nickname, I owned a Fireglo 4001 model, but was stupid enough to sell it, I thought my player's days were over. However, they were not, and I now have some basses, but, although they are pretty good and I love them, they have a common problem: they are no Rickenbacker! Not that they are the best basses in the world, far from it, but they are unique. Maybe I still bother to get a Jetglo. A friend of mine went to Madrid and came back with a 4003 Fireglow, Although he owns over a dozen basses, he told me that since he returned he always plays with the Fireglo. What about that? Greetings from Portugal.
@@joseandrade632 I still have my 1976 root beer colored 4001. I love the fretboard on the 4001. It sometimes feels like the bass is playing itself. When our band was touring from 1978 to 1984, I purchased a 1968 Hofner violin bass. The reason for that was the weight of the 4001. 5 hours a night 6 days a week got to be a bit much with 'Barney'. My name for the 4001. The Hofner is so much lighter and its bottom end came in real handy playing outdoor shows. I used to keep the 4001 on stage with the E string tuned down to D. I would use it on Squonk (Genesis) and a few other songs we performed that needed that lowered D note. This was way before the 5 string bass arrived on the scene. I still record with them. I am sorry you don't have your 4001 anymore. I am sure at the time Jose it must have been a very difficult to part with. Guitars are like our family members. I also have the full 2 octave Rickenbacker 360 (not the 3/4 length neck John Lennon played in the 1st half of the 60's). As well as the 360/12 twelve string. I love them all. Best wishes to you from the San Francisco Bay Area. RNB
All CAMEL albums are number one!! TOP
Rajaz is their most mature and best album in my opinion. Masterpiece.
Very underrated
The phrase 'classic underrated prog' (which I just made up BTW) was made for this band. Camel ... one of my favourite bands and have been since 1975 when I discovered them.
For me, they have the planet's best guitarist in the brilliant Andy Latimer. My top 3 would be
1. Moonmadness
2. Snow Goose
3. Mirage
But here's a thing ... I bought their album 'Dust and Dreams' about 10 years ago. I have to say, at the time I was a little unerwhelmed. Loved the track 'Go West' but little else. But then earlier this year I revisited the album. And I absolutely love it. Love it all. For me, the best album of theirs since 'Moonmadness' in 1976.
... and in your ranking, what album occupies the bottom spot ? 'Dust and Dreams'. Oh well, we can agree to disagree.
Pete, thanks for ranking these beautiful albums.
I first discovered Camel about a year ago because of this channel. Thanks for all the great content!
I used to listen to a lot of Camel in late 90's, they were my favourite band at the time. It has changed since and I don't really listen to them any more, but I still have a soft spot for Stationary Traveller to this day. And Andy's weeping guitar in the self titled track still gives my goosebumps.
MoonMadness, is my #1 so far. I just started listening to them recently.
WOW! I've been waiting for this list for months! I agree in that Latimer's best guitar playing can be found in the later work. He's one of my favorite players.
I saw Camel 3 months before they released their first album. I was so impressed I pre-ordered the album so I would get it as soon as. Still my favourite followed by Snow Goose. Now just to say that is a great tee shirt from a great (in my humble opinion the greatest) prog rock band ever. I am jealous! Now that album I got by accident. I ordered a Genesis lp mail order and the vinyl inside the Genesis cover was 'In a Glass House'. I thought I'd play it before I sent it back. We never sent it back!
Hi Pete, so I have to say as a child of the 70's/80's I had never heard Camel's music before, even being a huge Genesis and Yes fan. Since I watched your ranking of the albums a few weeks ago I have fallen in love with Moonmadness. I think it is absolutely brilliant and something I've really needed to find this year. Chord Change is my favorite track!
Really appreciate your rankings and all your videos! \m/
The fact that you're featuring Camel, alone, is a huge plus for you, Pete. It shows that you don't mind trying out the great progressive artists that came out of the, all too short, period when many record companies were run by actual musicians. Good on ya, mate!
If record companies were run by musicians today, then the world would be better for it (with a few notable exceptions i.e. Richie Blackmore, Axl Rose and Roger Waters).
@@MRB16th Yes. I've often said that I may not ever be friends with many of the musicians that made the music I love, but they made it, nevertheless, so there you are...and your three names are certainly on my "Not Likely To Be My Friend" list.
@@timberwrightsvs480 I've said that those three are assholes, but they are talented assholes (Roger even admitted he agrees with David Gilmour on this).
As for Mr. Blackmore, he recently attempted to negotate a reunion gig with Deep Purple, and all seemed well until he requested that Candice Night (his wife and half of Blackmore's Night) be on vocals for the gig, while Ian Gillan would be barred from the building - the record label and Deep Purple promptly told Ritchie he was wasting his time.
The top 3 are phenomenal. When i first heard them in 2006 my mind was blown with their creativity, cool themes and solid musicianship. Snow goose is probably my favorite album but Air Born and many on Mirage are stellar, Never Let Go, Unevenson...so many good ones. Their live set on Old Grey Whistle Test is on RUclips, worth checking out. Great one Pete!
Brillant band. One of my top prog-rock bands of all time. And, as you said so well, a very original style.
Love Andrew Latimer voice and guitar works.
My top three albums are: Mirage (masterpiece), Moonmadness, and The Snow Goose.
Yeah Camel. Camel (absolute classic all great tracks), Raindances, Breathless, Moonmadness, Mirage, Snow Goose. Caravan and Focus please.
I was listening to Moonmadness when the notification popped up. ;) Great work, Pete, as always. :D
My favourite band of my early teens, saw them live in Yeovil, Somerset on my 16th birthday with my best mate (RIP Pete) when they were debuting Snow Goose, my first gig so a landmark in my life,
They went from playing a 400 seater in Somerset to playing the Royal Albert Hall in London in a month, Brilliant band, but agree Mirage is the one album I play the most 45 years later
The title track of Stationary Traveller is an absolutely amazing instrumental. One of my favourite pieces of guitar work in any album, not to mention the beautiful intro.
And Pressure Points.
Your order is fair enough, and your comments spot on, although it has to be Snow Goose for me.
If you don't love Camel you don't love prog rock. However, if you don't love The Snow Goose you don't even like music.
All of their output is sublime including the more recent stuff. You either love it instantly or it grows on you very quickly. After a few plays even the weaker tracks can soon become your favorite ones.
Strictly for the prog rock connoisseur.
tip: Highway to the Sun, is the most uplifting peace of music ever produced.
I still need to dig out a lot of their later albums. Thanks for the ranking, so I know what to go to next.
That sums up my ranking also! Nice to see you choose Mirage as #1, most fans would go with either Moonmadness or Snow Goose.
Seen them a couple of times in the 70’s really remember the, Leeds University gig best.
Pete, this is the ranking I've been waiting for!!! Don't forget to check out the re-recorded version of Snow Goose from 2013 or 2014.... it's one of the only 're-cordings' I can say I love just as much.... new parts to the songs that work, better sound quality overall. Also - I couldn't have said it better about the last 4 or 5 albums by them. Agreed! My only disagree is that Nude is way higher on my list, but I came to this band about 10 years ago, so I had no chronological release, just the order I got em. The new Bluray, and soon double CD from the Royal Albert Hall is phenomenal as well... cheers and thanks !!
Saw Camel in Glasgow Apollo, on the Moonmadness tour, 1976. Very good live. Keep on rockin' Pete! Your shows have helped get me through the current situation and I'm sure, lots of others. I've kinda rediscovered my love of prog etc. By the way, my first gig was again at the Apollo, Jethro Tull, November 1974. Support, Danny. Not a bad opener. Anyway I'm rambling man! All the best.
Alex
That of course, should have read, Fanny!
As a teenager in the early 70's after a hard night of partying, coming home and listening to mirage was like coming home to an old friend.
The song "Rajaz" off the cd/album of the same name is just stellar. Fantastic arrangement, and Latimer on slide guitar. If you are a Camel fan, that song deserves a listen.
Stationary traveller, the best album of the Progressive rock of the history.
Pete- You have turned me on to Camel, Caravan, Marillion, Gentle Giant and early Genesis. How do you thank someone enough for that? I appreciate you very much and wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year my friend!!!
Coming from Guildford, I’ve been a huge Camel fan from when they formed. In fact my older brother played with Ward and Ferguson before they teamed up with Latimer and Bardens to form Camel. Personally I prefer the original line up and material and I’ve seen them enough times but unfortunately Bardens passed, Ferguson and Ward are no longer with the band, but it’s great to see Latimer still keeping the Camel brand going.
Such a great band, there's not an album I don't cherish for some reason. Apart from their 70s stuff, which in many ways embodies classic prog rock sound to me, I really dig their 90s records. Hopeless Anger, Coming of Age, Three Wishes, Lost and Found, Sahara, are among my favorite Camel songs.
Hi again from CCS Vnzla, Camel is one of the favorite british prog bands. I think A live record is a pretty good live album, I love it.
Thanks for your videos!!!!!
My rank:
1 Mirage
2 Moonmadness
3 The Snow Goose
4 Rain Dances
5 Harbour of Tears
6 Breathless
7 I Can See Your House from Here
8 Nude
9 Stationary Traveller
10 Camel
11 Dust and Dreams
12 The Single Factor
13 Rajaz
14 A Nod and a Wink
You are the best. Thanks for the ranking.
My Top 10 Favorite Camel Albums.
10. Rajaz
9. Stationary Traveler
8. Nude
7. I can see Your House from here
6. Rain Dances
5. Breathless
4. Snow Goose
3. Mirage
2. Moonmadness
1. Camel
My Top 3 could change over Time.
Thanks a lot for this review! I have most of Camel and all of Pete Bardens albums. No mention of Ice!? You could make a Part 2
Really fantastic band that ive mysteriously only got the box set and a double cd compilation of....been meaning for years to collect the bulk of their catalog just haven’t as yet. Latimer is such an amazingly sublime guitarist !!!
For me, the ultimate Camel album is the instrumental album The Snowgoose. It's just my opinion but this band needed a strong lead vocalist, but oddly enough the vocals sound fine to me on their debut album, (a late discovery for me), So those are my two favorites. Both Moonmadness and Mirage would be perfect albums had the lead vocals been handled differently. This video does make me want to revisit Rain Dances and I Can See Your House from here. And thanks for reminding me that Mel Collins is on the Breathless album, I will have to check that out!
A great band for sure. I'll have to pretty much agree with your take with the exception of Rajaz, which I would rank a few albums higher. Mirage is a truly fantastic album.
I agree, mirage #1. Got it when first released and still my fave. Love your show.
1 Mirage
2 Moonmadness
3 Camel
4 Snow Goose
5 Breathless
6 Rain Dances
Great list, I find Harbour of Tears from the latter period underrated and the most beautiful to go along with your top 5. Those 6 are all I need - Debut, Mirage, Goose, Moon, Rain, and Harbour. GREAT BAND, no stinker albums actually all listenable.
Love that "Lunar sea" song
Definitely the highlight of moon madness, just like "Ice" was the highlight of I can see your house.
Good stuff Pete how bout ranking the great prog band the strawbs
I always love a Pete Pardo review but I would make a few points here. Camel should really be seen as three eras: 1 - up to where Peter Bardens and Doug Ferguson left the band (by that time Andy Ward was on a slow decline) ; 2 - After this point but before Andy Latimer got really sick; 3 - Everything after. I love the early stuff, Mirage and Moonmadness are sublime. But so too are many of the what I call intermediate, stage 2, ones. Harbour of Tears, and Rajaz are particular favourites of my stage three because they are so personal to Andy Latimer and that comes across. You simply can't compare them from a quality point of view. They are all brilliant. It simply comes down to personal taste and what mood one might be in when listening. FANTASTIC CHANNEL!
Camel, like Gentle Giant, are one of those Prog acts who are rightly revered by aficionados of the genre, yet barely ever known outside of the sphere unlike Yes, Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis and ELP. Great picks, Pete. Single Factor and Dust and Dreams very rarely get a replay in my house, but the rest do. Great discography and I remember how much Rajaz struck me with awe. I was not expecting that! Top 3, however, for me, would be 1. Moonmadness; 2. Mirage and 3. Breathless, though this is subject to change, with Rain Dances, The Snow Goose and Rajaz commonly placing top tier. Awesome channel, Pete. Keep carrying the torch for Prog!
I had never listened to Camel before your video. Thank you! Ever consider doing the German group "Can"?
Not much into them, sorry.
@@seaoftranquilityprog Can are fantastic especially the first 4 albums.
Ha, Mirage and for me the number one album among Camel discs. Actually, only Mirage. It was very nice to hear this, thank you!
Hard to argue, but I would put Nude up one. The re-recording of The Snow Goose is also excellent. Once heard some music as i walked out of Liverpool Lime Street railway station, walked in through the open doors at the back of the Liverpool Empire and stood by the stage as Camel did a full hour of a sound check. Went back later to the concert, probably 1982.
Hey Pete,
Thanks for your channel. (I'm officially addicted...)
Favourite Producers
I'm not sure if you've considered this, but I'd love to see a discussion about your favourite record producers, and the record that really captures their magic - e.g. : Jimmy Miller - Let It Bleed / Tom Dowd - Allman Brothers / John 'Mutt' Lange - Back In Black / George Martin - Abbey Road / Tom Scholz - Boston.
Perhaps your Top Ten Producers, with their best band/album collaboration?
My top-10:
1) Mirage (1)
2) The Snow Goose (2)
3) Moonmadness (3)
4) Breathless (6)
5) Camel (4)
6) Rain Dances (5)
7) Rajaz (12)
8) Nude (7)
9) Harbour of Tears (11)
10) Stationary Traveller (10)
Man I've been waiting for this one for a long time. I unfortunately don't own any Camel albums but I do own a Camel DVD called Footage which is really good. I use to have Mirage on CD back in the day but sold it because I really needed money. The albums I really like are Mirage, Moonmadness, Nude, Camel and Breathless. I haven't heard them all yet but I will hopefully eventually own their whole catalog.
Thank you Pete ! For ranking my all time favorite band. Your list and mine are exactly the same. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't listen to them. Now for a request any chance of a ranking of Caravan or Nektar sometime in the future. Thanks again.
Camel always was a bit mellow, and I don't know all of there work very well, but I was really surprized by the quality, also musically, of their later releases. Where Yes and Genesis changed to the worse (although not changing to bad) and ELP after Works vol1 was kinda dissapointing for me, Camel had very solid later releases (IMHO).
One of my fav concerts was Camel's Snowgoose tour, where they played that integral in set one, and a selection from all there albums in set two. Ending with For Today (fantastic piece, heartfelt) and as an encore of course Lady Fantasy (with clapping along crowd). Anyway my listing would be:
1. Rajaz
2. A nod and a wink
3. The Snowgoose
4. Mirage
5. Harbour of Tears
6. Rain Dances
7. Moon madness
8. Stationary traveler
9. The single factor
I have to re-listen to all the other ones (not in the list) because I don't know them well enough to rank them in. When it came out, I loved the stationary traveler album but the other albums have grown for me. I understand that it's just my preference, but I would really recommend to give the later albums a chance (also when you are an old Camel lover but have lost track in the eighties). I will now look up your fav. songs from the band ;-)
That list is pretty close to mine. Rajaz is just fantastic.
Ever since my last post I now own 3 Camel albums and have one coming in the mail this week. Rajaz should be at my house within a day or two and the 3 I currently own are Mirage, Rain Dances and A Nod And A Wink. I know you say you're not as much into the later Camel albums but A Nod And A Wink to me is a fine wine album. What I mean by albums that are fine wine albums are albums that get better with every listen. Really not a bad song on A Nod And A Wink. The stand out songs for me are A Nod And A Wink, Simple Pleasures, A Boy's Life and Fox Hill. I recommend giving that album a few more listens because I really like it a lot. I haven't heard Rajaz yet but like I said I will be getting it sometime this week and I'm very excited in hearing it. Anyway I'm glad you're a Camel fan. I also recommend getting a DVD called Footage. It's the only DVD I have from them but it's a really good retrospective of them. I'm slowly building my Camel collection up these days.
Thanks for doing this fantastic band! My list would almost be quite the opposite, but you did it great!!
I would rate Dust and Dreams as nr 1 probably and then Rajaz!
My introduction to Camel, apart from the odd thing on the radio, was their sight and sound in concert appearance in 1977 - since available on DVD - which led me to buy Rain Dances so again the first I bought remains my favourite. I’m not so enamoured with their post Bardens 80’s albums except I can see your house - which I think was their last great album - Ice is always captivating, stunning guitar work from Andy Latimer. I got back into them with their live album from their dust and dreams tour- never let go, and there were then a load of Camel on the road cds shortly after that, though my favourite live of theirs and a joint No 1 for me will always be A Live Record, but for just studio releases -
1. Rain Dances
2. Moonmadness
3. Mirage
4. The Snow Goose
5. Breathless
6. Camel
7. I Can see Your House From Here
8. A Nod And A Wink
9. Harbour Of Tears
10. Dust And Dreams
11. Rajaz
12. Nude
13. The Single Factor
14. Stationary Traveller
Great job, Pete! Been waiting for this one. Here's my listing with very little separating the Top 3
Moonmadness
Mirage
The Snow Goose
Camel
Rain Dances
Breathless
I Can See Your House From Here
Nude
Stationary Traveller
The Single Factor
A Nod And A Wink
Rajaz
Dust & Dreams
Harbour Of Tears
Would love to see your rankings on: Nektar, Renaissance and Roxy Music.
"An Outcast of the Islands" (1998)-solo album by Colin Bass, who plays ... bass on Camel is also great stuff. Recorded in Poland with members of polish prog-bands Abraxas and Quidam. Andy Latimer plays on few songs.
Yo Pete...yet another cool ranking of the album's... Camel are a brilliant band.
My top 3 are the same as yours ...but the order does change. I have to admit that I have not listened to the later stuff for a while. I will have to remedy that. Thanks for all the rankings.. Pete. Awesome dude.