CAMEL - Andy Latimer over 40 years of "Moonmadness"

16. March 2016

Camel

CAMEL - Andy Latimer over 40 years of "Moonmadness"

Camel mastermind Andy Latimer, the only remaining founding member, still raves today when he tells the story of the creation of the masterpiece "Moonmadness", which was released forty years ago: "This record is a milestone in Camel's long history", says the 66-year-old Briton, "some of the most beautiful songs Camel has ever created can be heard on it"

eclipsed: What memories do you have of the process of creating "Moonmadness"?

Andy Latimer: After we had a surprisingly big commercial success with our predecessor "The Snow Goose", we wanted to go back to the studio pretty quickly to work on a new record and keep the Camel flame burning. At first the situation was a bit tricky because we felt a certain pressure when writing new songs. This was still increased by our record company. She didn't bungle us in composing, but she wanted to milk the cow as long as the Camel theme was hot.

eclipsed: How did this affect the creative process?

Latimer: Pete and I as the main song suppliers were yapping at us at the beginning of the work on "Moonmadness". We didn't immediately know where the musical journey of the record would go. I wished for a bit more eccentricity, the British backwoods, like Genesis on "Selling England By The Pound" embody it grandiosely. Pete, on the other hand, looked at the American market and wanted a little more mainstream elements. But we quickly found the decisive compromises. And from that point it became the most relaxed production I've ever experienced with Camel.

eclipsed: You didn't use much studio time for the recordings. How's that?

Latimer: Right, that was just a couple of weeks we were booked into Basing Street. Pete and I were so inspired that we went straight through the work. And still there was a lot of time for fooling around and experimenting with sounds. All the circumstances have been extremely pleasant. What I feel sorry for afterwards is that we hardly integrated bassist Doug [Ferguson; note] and drummer Andy [Ward] into the original creation process. They played things more or less like Pete and I gave them. Mel Collins was not a full member of the band anyway, he simply contributed his saxophone and flute parts.

eclipsed: Where did you get your inspiration for the lyrics from?

Latimer: Pete had bitten down on the novels of Hermann Hesse, especially "Siddharta" and "Das Glasperlenspiel" were his favourites. I, on the other hand, was alternately immersed in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and in books by John Steinbeck. This reading has certainly found its expression in the lyrics of "Moonmadness".

Lesen Sie mehr im eclipsed Nr. 179 (April 2016).