Camel are an English progressive rock band from Guildford, Surrey. Formed in October 1971, the group originally featured guitarist, flautist and vocalist Andrew Latimer, bassist and vocalist Doug Ferguson, keyboardist and vocalist Peter Bardens, and drummer Andy Ward. The band's current lineup includes Latimer, bassist, keyboardist and vocalist Colin Bass (from 1979 to 1981, and since 1984), drummer Denis Clement (since 2000), and keyboardist and saxophonist Peter Jones (since 2016).
History 1971–1984 Camel were formed in October 1971 by Andrew Latimer, Doug Ferguson, Peter Bardens and Andy Ward. During the tour in promotion of the band's fourth studio album Moonmadness, the group's lineup became a quintet with the addition of former King Crimson saxophonist and flautist Mel Collins. In early 1977, Ferguson was replaced by former Caravan bassist Richard Sinclair. Bardens followed the next July, with his place taken by two former bandmates of Sinclair in Caravan – Jan Schelhaas and Dave Sinclair, Richard's cousin. Both Sinclairs left after the Breathless tour.
In early 1979, Camel returned with bassist Colin Bass and former Happy the Man keyboardist/flautist Kit Watkins in place of the Sinclair cousins. Mel Collins also stepped back from the band as a full-time member, although continued to collaborate with them on occasion. Neither of the band's keyboardists contributed to 1981's Nude, which featured Duncan Mackay, although they returned for the subsequent tour. After the tour ended in mid-1981, Ward attempted to commit suicide after increasing drug and alcohol abuse, which led to the group all but disbanding that summer.
As the only remaining member of Camel by early 1982, Andrew Latimer recorded The Single Factor with Alan Parsons Project members Chris Rainbow (keyboards, vocals) and David Paton (bass, vocals), while drums were covered by various guest contributors. Kit Watkins rejoined the trio for the subsequent touring cycle, which also featured second guitarist Andy Dalby and drummer Stuart Tosh. In January 1983, Ward – still a contracted member of the band – officially left Camel. He was replaced by Paul Burgess, while Watkins was replaced by Kayak's Ton Scherpenzeel.
1984–1999 After the release of Stationary Traveller, Colin Bass returned to Camel and Richie Close joined on keyboards for the resulting tour, which spawned the live release Pressure Points: Live in Concert. Following the conclusion of the touring cycle, Camel remained dormant for much of the rest of the decade – Latimer and his former bandmates were involved in legal disputes with their former management company, in 1985 the group parted ways with Decca Records, and in 1988 the group's frontman decided to move to the United States, start his own label and build his own studio.
In September 1991, Camel released their first studio album in seven years, Dust and Dreams, which featured a lineup of Andrew Latimer, Colin Bass, Ton Scherpenzeel and Paul Burgess, in addition to several guests. The band started touring again the following year, with Scherpenzeel replaced by Mickey Simmonds. On 5 March 1993, Latimer's father Stan died, leading the band to take another hiatus and delay the release of the live album Never Let Go. As of spring 1994, Latimer had begun writing a new album, and the group's lineup still included Bass, Simmonds and Burgess.
Recording for the album, Harbour of Tears, commenced in March 1995 with Latimer, Bass and Simmonds joined by session contributor John Xepoleas. After the album's release in January, the group were due to embark on another tour, however shortly before its commencement Simmonds announced that he was leaving the band to spend more time with his family, forcing the remaining members to postpone the tour. Simmonds and Burgess were eventually replaced by Fish members Foss Patterson and Dave Stewart, respectively, and the tour took place during 1997.
Since 1999 Andrew Latimer, Colin Bass and Dave Stewart released Rajaz in 1999, which featured keyboards performed remotely and sent to the band by Ton Scherpenzeel. For the tour in promotion of the release the following year, Guy LeBlanc took over the vacant keyboardist position in March 2000. However, just two weeks after his arrival, Stewart announced that he would be leaving the group; his position was briefly taken by former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, before LeBlanc brought in former bandmate Denis Clement just ten days before the start of the tour in August.
In 2003, the band embarked on a 'farewell' tour. Due to a family emergency, LeBlanc was unavailable for the tour's duration; he was replaced by Tom Brislin for the North American leg in June, and later by Scherpenzeel for the European leg in October. Ten years later, after Latimer recovered from several years of illness, Camel returned on the Retirement Sucks Tour with special guest keyboardist Jan Schelhaas. In October, Schelhaas was replaced by Renaissance keyboardist Jason Hart, as the group planned to continue touring in 2014 which would present scheduling conflicts.
LeBlanc was forced to sit out Camel tours starting in February 2014 due to ill health, with Scherpenzeel returning again in his place. LeBlanc eventually died of kidney cancer on 27 April 2015. In February 2016, Peter Jones took over on keyboards.
Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsAndrew Latimer1971–presentall Camel releasesColin BassDenis Clement2000–presentall Camel releases from The Paris Collection (2001) onwards, except Moondances (2007)Peter Jones2016–present
Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsAndy Ward1971–1983 Peter Bardens1971–1978 Doug Ferguson1971–1977Mel Collins1976–1979Richard Sinclair1977–1979Jan Schelhaas1978–1981 Dave Sinclair1978–1979Breathless (1978) Kit WatkinsChris Rainbow1982–1984 David Paton1982–1984Andy Dalby1982–1983guitarOn the Road 1982 (1994)Paul Burgess1983–1994Ton Scherpenzeel1983–1991 Richie Close1984 keyboardsPressure Points: Live in Concert (1984)Mickey Simmonds1992–1996Dave Stewart1996–1999Foss Patterson1996–1997Coming of Age (1998)Guy LeBlanc2000–2015 Clive Bunker2000none Jason Hart2013–2016In from the Cold (2014)
Touring ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsDetailsStuart Tosh1982Tosh replaced Andy Ward for tour dates in 1982 while he was still a member, appearing on the album On the Road 1982.Tom Brislin2003Brislin substituted for Guy LeBlanc, who was unavailable due to a family emergency, on a North American tour in June 2003.
Session ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsDavid Bedford 1975orchestral arrangementsThe Snow Goose (1975)Martin Drover 1977Rain Dances (1977)Malcolm Griffiths trombone Brian EnoFiona Hibbertharp Phil Collins1979percussionI Can See Your House from Here (1979)Rupert Hine backing vocalsSimon Jeffes orchestral arrangementsDuncan Mackay Chris Green 1980cello Nude (1981)Gasper Lawalpercussion Herbie Flowers tuba Haydn BendallAnthony Phillips1982The Single Factor (1982)Francis Monkman SynclavierJack EmblowaccordionTristan Fry glockenspiel Graham Jarvis drumsDave Mattacks Simon Phillips Christopher Bock 1991Dust and Dreams (1991)Don HarrisskeyboardsKim VenaasJames SK Wānbamboo fluteMae McKenna vocalsJohn BurtonFrench HornNeil Panton John Xepoleas1994–1995drumsHarbour of Tears (1996)Barry Phillips celloKaren Bentley violinAnita Stoneham Terry Carleton2002percussion, drumsA Nod and a Wink (2002)
Timeline
Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesOctober 1971 – summer 1976Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, vocals Doug Ferguson – bass, vocals Peter Bardens – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion, vibraphoneCamel (1973) Mirage (1974) Live at Dingwalls Dance Hall (1974) The Snow Goose (1975) Moonmadness (1976) A Live Record (1978) On the Road 1972 (1992) Gods of Light '73–'75 (2000)Summer 1976 – early 1977Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, vocals Doug Ferguson – bass, vocals Peter Bardens – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion Mel Collins – saxophones, flute, clarinetEarly 1977 – July 1978Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Richard Sinclair – bass, vocals Peter Bardens – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Andy Ward – drums, percussion Mel Collins – saxophones, flute, clarinetRain Dances (1977) A Live Record (1978) Breathless (1978)July 1978 – March 1979Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Richard Sinclair – bass, vocals Jan Schelhaas – keyboards, synthesisers Dave Sinclair – keyboards, synthesisers Andy Ward – drums, percussion Mel Collins – saxophones, flute, clarinetJune 1979 – summer 1980Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, vocals Jan Schelhaas – keyboards, synthesisers Kit Watkins – keyboards, flute, clarinet Andy Ward – drums, percussionI Can See Your House from Here (1979)Summer – autumn 1980Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, vocals Jan Schelhaas – keyboards, synthesisers Andy Ward – drums, percussionNude (1981)January – mid-1981Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, vocals Jan Schelhaas – keyboards, synthesisers Kit Watkins – keyboards, flute, clarinet Andy Ward – drums, percussionOn the Road 1981 (1997)Early 1982Andrew Latimer – guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals David Paton – bass, vocals Chris Rainbow – keyboards, vocalsThe Single Factor (1982)Spring – autumn 1982Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Andy Dalby – guitar David Paton – bass, vocals Chris Rainbow – keyboards, vocals Kit Watkins – keyboards, flute, clarinet Stuart Tosh – drums, vocals On the Road 1982 (1994)Late 1983Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals David Paton – bass, vocals Chris Rainbow – keyboards, vocals Ton Scherpenzeel – keyboards, synthesisers Paul Burgess – drums, percussionStationary Traveller (1984)Early – summer 1984Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Chris Rainbow – keyboards, vocals Ton Scherpenzeel – keyboards, synthesisers Richie Close – keyboards Paul Burgess – drums, percussionPressure Points: Live in Concert (1984)Summer 1984 – summer 1991Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Ton Scherpenzeel – keyboards, synthesisers Paul Burgess – drums, percussionDust and Dreams (1991)Early 1992 – March 1993Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Mickey Simmonds – keyboards Paul Burgess – drums, percussionNever Let Go (1993)March – May 1995Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Mickey Simmonds – keyboards John Xepoleas – drums Harbour of Tears (1996)Summer 1996 – summer 1997Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Foss Patterson – keyboards, vocals Dave Stewart – drums, percussionComing of Age (1998)Summer 1997 – March 2000Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Dave Stewart – drums, percussion Ton Scherpenzeel – keyboards Rajaz (1999)March – April 2000Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Guy LeBlanc – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Dave Stewart – drums, percussionrowspan="2" August 2000Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Guy LeBlanc – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Clive Bunker – drums, percussionAugust 2000 – early 2003Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Guy LeBlanc – keyboards, synthesisers, vocals Denis Clement – drums, percussion, keyboardsThe Paris Collection (2001) A Nod and a Wink (2002) The Snow Goose (2013) In from the Cold (2014)June 2003Andrew Latimer – guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals Colin Bass – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals Denis Clement – drums, percussion, keyboards