HAS ANYONE SEEN MY CAMEL?

Camel are the one of the great unsung bands of British prog, and after 35 years in the rock desert, Tim Jones follows their trail

Camel fans have had the hump for years, since their heroes have gone into semiretirement and spent three decades under the rock radar. While the likes of King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd and Genesis have been given their dues, Camel remained in the shadows. Yet the band produced some of the finest albums in prog and went on to influence neo-proggers such as Galahad and Pendragon, and latter-day acts like The Flower Kings and Opeth. This year, six of their albums have been given the expanded, deluxe treatment, to remind us of what a great band they really were.

Camel evolved from a beat outfit formed in Guildford in 1964 by the Latimer brothers, Ian (bass) and Andrew (guitar/vocals). Along with chums Alan Butcher (drums) and Richard Over (guitar) they operated as The Phantom Four and, when Over left and was replaced by Graham Cooper, they became Strange Brew (after The Cream’s song). In summer 1968, Latimer and Cooper departed for family life, and an ad in The Surrey Advertiser led them to bassist Doug Ferguson. Ferguson introduced his colleagues to a 14-year old drummer, Andy Ward, and impressed by his chops, he was recruited in January 1969.

The Brew, as they became, recorded a demo of The Cream’s Crossroads for DJM, who urged them to take a gig backing keyboardist/singer Philip Goodhand-Tait. In …

by Tim Jones
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