By Ray Shasho
Since the bands earliest incarnation, the progressive
rock ingenuity of Renaissance has been artistically mesmerizing audiences with
experimental rock infused by a classical motif. And since 1971, the haunting
five-octave range vocalizations for Renaissance have been alluringly characterized
by Bolton, Lancashire’s Annie Haslam.
Renaissance has performed on the most distinguished
stages around the world including Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic
Orchestra and Royal Albert Hall in London with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra.
The group originated in 1969 with former Yardbirds bandmates
Jim McCarty and Keith Relf. In an interview I did with McCarty last year, he
talked about the evolution of the band.
McCarty said, “We started Renaissance
and did a couple of albums with Keith and his sister Jane, John Hawken, and
Louis Cennamo. In Renaissance, we sort of put in bits of Beethoven. We put an
awful lot of work into it and set it all up in my house when I lived in Surrey.
We rehearsed every day and just planned on getting this hour set together. We’d
go and play without stopping and finally had a whole set. Then we played it
around London and people just loved it. We were one of the
first prog-rock bands.”
The first incarnation released their self-titled
debut album Renaissance (1969) and Illusion (1971). Renaissance became
colonists for the genre and catalyst for subsequent progressive rock music
artists.
By 1971, Jim McCarty and Keith Relf had left the
band to begin other projects. McCarty formed a classically provoked progressive
rock band called ‘Illusion’ with former Renaissance-mates, Jane Relf, John
Hawken, and Louis Cennamo. Keith Relf formed ‘Armageddon’ in 1974 with Renaissance
bassist Cennamo, Bobby Caldwell (Captain Beyond, Johnny Winter) and Martin Pugh
(Steamhammer). Keith Relf died in 1976 at his home by electrocution, he was 33
years old.
Also in ’71, Jane Relf was replaced with folk singer
Anne-Marie “Binky” Cullum. John Tout replaced Hawken on keyboards; Michael
Dunford became their guitarist, Jon Camp the bassist, and Terence Sullivan the
drummer. Cullum’s vocals would prove to be short-lived; she left the band and
was replaced with the awe-inspiring voice of Annie Haslam.
In 1972, the debut album for the new Renaissance
lineup entitled, Prologue was
released. The album’s lyrics were written by Jim McCarty, Michael Dunford, and
lyricists Betty Thatcher during a transitional period for the band. Mick
Parsons was to be their guitarist but sadly died in a car accident. Rob Hendry
replaced him on the album. Hendry was replaced for the Prologue tour by Peter Finberg. After Finberg left, Dunford
returned and became their guitarist permanently.
The classic line-up of Haslam, Dunford, Tout, Camp,
and Sullivan would prove to be the quintessence of Renaissance.
In 1973, Renaissance released, Ashes are Burning. Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash played electric
guitar on the title cut. The album featured musical collaborations with an
orchestra, which the band embraced on many of their future classics. The album
featured several celebrated compositions, “Carpet of the Sun,” the intricate
but surreal, “Ashes are Burning,” and the profound, “Can You Understand?”
The band released Turn of the Cards in 1974. The album spotlighted “Mother Russia,” a
heartfelt tribute to Nobel Prize writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The lyrics
penned by Michael Dunford and Betty Thatcher were based on Solzhenitsyn’s novel
about Soviet repression, One Day in the
Life of Ivan Denisovich.
The following year, Scheherazade and Other Stories was released. The album was
brilliantly arranged and considered by many to be their masterpiece. Side two
entitled, “Song of Scheherazade” was based on stories from, One Thousand and One Nights (the Arabian
Nights).
In 1976, Renaissance followed Scheherazade and Other Stories with a double live album, Live at Carnegie Hall. The live album
was succeeded by their next release, Novella
(1977).
In 1977, Annie Haslam released her first solo-effort
the critically-acclaimed, Annie in
Wonderland. The album was produced by her former fiancée and good friend
Roy Wood (The Move, Electric Light Orchestra).
Renaissance charted their highest commercially
successful single in 1978 with, “Northern Lights” (#10 in Britain) from the
album, A Song for All Seasons (#58 in
the U.S.).
The band changed their musical direction while transformations
occurred within the music industry. Subsequent releases, Azure d’Or, Camera Camera,
and their final album Time-Line, diverted
the band from their progressive rock roots towards a pop music motif, in search
of commercial success. The group disbanded in 1987.
Annie Haslam released her self-titled album in 1989
and began touring as The Annie Haslam Band. She also moved to North America
that year.
In 1993, Annie Haslam was diagnosed with breast
cancer, and music played a huge factor in the recovery process. Haslam says,
"Surviving breast cancer became another milestone in my life, awakening my
senses to my reality and showing me the true meaning of what I am here to
do".....sing, paint and make people laugh!"
In 1995, Haslam recorded the album, Blessing in Disguise which grasped her
emotions while being treated during a time of uncertainty and anguish.
With her health under control, Haslam collaborated
with guitarist Steve Howe of YES on the song, “Turn of the Century.”
In 1998, Annie Haslam recorded, The Dawn of Ananda album.
In 2000, Annie released a Christmas CD entitled, It Snows in Heaven Too which received
rave reviews.
Also in 2000, Renaissance partially reformed and recorded
the album, Tuscany which led to a
successful tour and the recording of a double “live” CD set entitled, In the Land of the Rising Sun: Live in Japan
2001.
In 2002, Annie Haslam released a “live” CD called, One Enchanted Evening.
In 2009, Renaissance triumphantly returned to
celebrate their 40th anniversary. Successful tours of North America
and Japan featuring Annie Haslam, Michael Dunford, and musicians from the 2001
incarnation would follow including a release of a three-track EP of new songs
called, The Mystic and The Muse.
In 2012-2013, Renaissance is touring and performing
their two-part concert featuring their masterpiece albums, Turn of the Cards and Scheherazade
and Other Stories in their entirety.
The band headlined the sold-out North East Art Rock
Festival in June of 2012.
Renaissance features the incredible duo of Annie Haslam
–vocals and Michael Dunford –guitars, with Rave Tesar –keyboards and David J.
Keyes –bass (Both former members of Renaissance and the Annie Haslam Band),
also spotlighting Frank Pagano –drums and Jason Hart -keyboards.
Renaissance will be performing at the Capitol
Theatre in Clearwater, Fl on Saturday, October 6th. To purchase tickets visit www.rutheckerdhall.com
or call 727-791-7400.
A limited edition live in concert DVD and (2) CD set
of their 2011 tour was released on August 14th and available to purchase on
amazon.com.
Today, Annie Haslam is not only an accomplished
singer and songwriter, but also an artist and fashion designer. She hopes to
introduce a line of clothing that illustrates her art. Many of her art works
are for sale on her website at www.anniehaslam.com
Renaissance is currently working on a brand new
studio album entitled, Grandine II Vento.
Annie Haslam charmingly performed a live excerpt from the album over the phone
for me. She performed a piece from a track they wrote in tribute to Leonardo Da
Vinci. The piece was powerful, poetic, beautiful, inspiring, and almost reduced
me to tears (good thing Annie stopped singing when she did). The early preview
convinced me that the new album will be awe-inspiring. Watch for a release date of sometime in January.
I had a wonderful opportunity to chat with Annie
Haslam from her home in Pennsylvania last week. I found Annie to be extremely
charming, profound, metaphysical … and hilarious!
Here’s my interview with legendary Renaissance
songstress, songwriter, artist, fashion designer, and cancer survivor … ANNIE
HASLAM.
Ray
Shasho: Hello Annie!
It’s been a very strange week for interviews … none of them have started as
scheduled. (Laughing)
Annie
Haslam:
“Mercury
is in Retrograde.”
Ray
Shasho:
I knew there had to be a logical explanation for all the befuddlement. You’re
still living in Bucks County Pennsylvania, what persuaded you on settling down
there?
Annie
Haslam:
“Bucks
County is lovely … I love it here. I married a man from North Wales,
Pennsylvania in 1991, and when we split up I really didn’t want to go back to
England. I was the only member of Renaissance that said they didn’t want to
live in America and I was the only one that ended up here. I just decided that
there was nothing for me and I had my own band here at the time and so I
stayed. It’s the best decision that I ever made. I believe my ex-husband came
into my life to save it because I had breast cancer after we were married and
was immediately taken care of so well. I don’t know whether I would have had
such speedy medical attention in England to be quite honest.”
Ray
Shasho: I’ve heard
that healthcare is basically free in England but people may have to wait in
line for lengthy periods at a time for surgery or any other kind of procedure.
Is that true?
Annie
Haslam:
“Exactly.
The dental situation over there is pretty horrific. I think the majority of dentists are private
now and not as many take on national health patients, which is free or very-very
cheap, and that’s difficult over there.”
“One day we’re not going to need these bodies
anyway; we’re all going to be little light beings floating around.”
Ray
Shasho: (Laughing) Very
true.
Renaissance
will be performing in Clearwater, Fl at the Capitol Theatre on October 6th
and we’re all looking forward to a great show.
Annie
Haslam: “I can’t wait to get to Florida. I
really wish we’d have some time to stay there but we’re going to be traveling
and playing and no time to look around or even see Disney World. But we’re looking
forward to it very much.”
Ray
Shasho: You’re an
animal lover and an advocate for animal rights … as I am. What kind of furry
friends share your household?
Annie
Haslam:
“All
my pets are adopted, I’ve got three inside cats, a Himalayan (Joey) he’s seventeen,
a short-haired black domestic that’s twenty, then I’ve got Lilly, she’s a gorgeous
Siamese and about seventeen, I got her from Alison Steele the deejay. Outside,
I’ve got seven feral cats; they’re all fixed, they’ve all got houses outside,
and all have got names. Then I’ve got a couple of foxes and they leave the cats
alone because they’re just interested in the food. I know I probably shouldn’t
be feeding the foxes … but so, I don’t know.”
“It’s a very difficult situation with animals
because we’ve taken away their homes with all these developments and people
just can’t stand them and tell them to get off their property. And it’s really
not their fault, especially with the Canadian Geese, its awful what they did to
the Geese.”
Ray
Shasho: The show
that we are going to see on this tour is basically from your latest live 2-set
CD and DVD. Renaissance will be performing Turn
the Cards and Scheherazade and Other
Stories in their entirety.
Annie
Haslam: “For all the places that we haven’t played we’ll
be doing that show. The selections are just fantastic and we have a new band,
Michael Dunford and two of the players that use to be in my band …and their
just phenomenal. I think the sound and the mix on the new CD/DVD set is also
really great.”
Ray
Shasho: Annie,
besides being an incredible vocalist and a gifted artist, you’re also a fashion
designer?
Annie
Haslam:
“My
dream is to wear my art. A local lady Pamela Ptak is a dress designer and is
just fantastic, she’s local but was down in Virginia and saw us performing. We
were performing the “Mystic and The Muse.” You know that was the first time
ever in the history of Renaissance that we got a standing ovation for a new
song, and we had it every night we played it. Anyway, after watching that song
Pamela approached me and said I’d like to do a dress for you and then you can
have it for the show. So I took it a step further and told her that what I’ve
always wanted to do was to print one of my paintings on some silk and make it
into a dress. She knew a lady in Philadelphia who is also a designer and she’s
done that with her paintings and so that’s what we’ve organized. She got the
woman to print out the Muse … a painting of the Muse, and she’s made a top for
it. We have to remake the dress for the tour but it came out just brilliant.
But I would like to have a clothing line with all my artwork.”
Ray
Shasho:
Being artistic opens the doors for so many possibilities.
Annie
Haslam:
“I
find it difficult to paint at the same time when I’m singing … and not literally.
(All laughing) Can you imagine me being on stage painting and singing?”
“But it would be very difficult for me to start
painting tomorrow because I’ve got all these other things to do concerning
finishing up the recording, so it’s very difficult to shift gears because
they’re both so intense. But I’ll never say never again. I’ve said that I never
wanted to be in the band again, but I think I’m doing it for more reasons now …
I’m doing it because I think people need it, and need to hear this new music …
the new album is phenomenal.”
Ray
Shasho: How is the new album
coming along by the way?
Annie
Haslam:
“It’s
coming great, next Sunday I go back in; we have a few keyboard overdubs and
then I’ve got three lead vocals to finish off next week, and on the 22nd
we’re starting to mix. But we probably won’t be releasing it until January; the
election is going to take up a lot of space on this planet and most people are
going to be dealing with that and I think we’ll get lost in it. We need our own
space.”
Ray
Shasho: Progressive
rock is intelligent music; I’ve always compared it to a religious experience.
Annie
Haslam:
“Although
a lot of it I don’t understand. I loved Yes and the early Genesis, some of the
newer bands I find difficult to grasp. Too many changes and not enough melody
…I’m into strong melody. I like Magenta; they’re a Welsh progressive rock band
and are just wonderful.”
Ray
Shasho: So many
British musicians have become famous after going to Art School. You also attended Art School?
Annie
Haslam:
“I
went to Art School in the late 60s at Redruth in Cornwall to be a fashion
designer. That was the first thing that I really wanted to do. I studied photography, typography, fabric
design, fabric printing. I enrolled for a class on watercolors …I went to one
class and tried one painting and thought …I don’t like this … because it dried
before I’d done it (Laughing).”
“During my solo career … I traveled to Japan and
Brazil with my own band but was getting to the point when it was too much
without proper management. I couldn’t do it anymore, so I felt it was time to
move on to something else. I was very scared and didn’t know what was going to
happen, and then a voice in my head said its time to start oil painting now. So
I went out and bought everything that I needed. I bought a book on oil painting
and don’t know why because I don’t read. I read one page and thought … I can’t
be bothered with this (Laughing).”
“So, I didn’t do anything for about three months and
just kept looking at the easel. I had converted my sunroom into a studio. Then all
of a sudden … I woke up! That was the day I picked a Tiger Lily and painted it.
I didn’t read the book so I just made up my own style of painting. It felt like
someone was holding my hand. After that, I started painting planets … not
intentionally … and I painted five or six a day … it was like I left the
floodgates open.”
Ray
Shasho: Annie, your
voice continues to amaze me, you sound remarkable. How do you keep your voice
finely tuned the way you do?
Annie
Haslam: “I don’t practice … don’t smoke … I do like wine and
French Champagne. When I’m touring I try not to drink because it can affect
your voice. My attitude is my state of mind. I’m a big believer in asking for
help from your angels, and I’ve got no doubt about that whatsoever. I usually do a ritual before going on stage to
give us all strength … and we just do it.”
“There are a few really big names out there whose
voices are shot because they carried on working nonstop, and most of them sing
from their throat and they don’t sing from their diaphragm. If you sing from
your throat, your voice is going to go eventually … there’s no doubt. I sing from my diaphragm. I haven’t been
singing constantly for the past few years, other people have carried on
constantly … so their voices are shot.”
Ray
Shasho: Renaissance
has always projected somewhat of a mystical presence in the music and on stage.
Are you much like your music, metaphysically speaking?
Annie
Haslam:
“I
have a friend that worked at Windsor Castle, and I ended up having lunch at
Windsor Castle with the Admiral, Sir Patrick Palmer and his wife, who was the
Governor at the castle at that time, I was asked to put together a concert to
raise money for St. George’s Chapel. It never happened but everything that was
going on around it was quite amazing, particularly lunch at the Norman Tower
which is haunted. I’ve always been drawn to Medieval England since I was a kid
in school growing up; I just absolutely loved the middle ages. I always felt
like I was at home when I was in the castle, and I got to go in areas around
the castle where the public couldn’t go because my friend worked there … it was
amazing. I had a past life analysis done on me and was told that in a previous
lifetime, I was … Mary Queen of Scots, and in another lifetime … Anna of Bohemia,
Richard II’s wife.”
Ray
Shasho: The music
scene can certainly use more of Renaissance these days.
Annie
Haslam:
“I
think it’s a good time for us. The new album is really quite remarkable. There’s
a piece that’s twelve minutes long about Leonardo Da Vinci. Michael Dunford and
myself wrote it and it’s called, “Symphony of Life” and just gorgeous. I’m so
thrilled; I can’t wait for people to hear it. It starts off with Leonardo
getting up in the morning and he’s an old man, he goes to the window and pulls
back the velvet curtains and the light comes in. It’s all about the light
coming and he connected with the light.”
During
this time … Annie searched diligently for a recorded excerpt of the new song,
“Symphony of Life” to give me a sneak preview. She found the music but without
her vocals. So she decided to sing me an excerpt from the track live. It was a
rare and heartwarming treat nevertheless.
Annie
Haslam singing, “Symphony of Life” over the phone to me from the new album
Grandine II Vento.
Annie
Haslam: “When I was in the studio the other day
listening to this, I got all choked up. Leonardo came to me and said, thank you
Annie. I just knew it was him …and I cried my eyes out.”
Ray
Shasho:
Annie, the song is magnificent!
Annie
Haslam:
“I’ve
always loved Leonardo’s work … we have so many things in common, he was a
vegetarian, he was a singer, a musician, an inventor, he bought caged animals
and set them free and he was called the
Renaissance man. And so they call me the Renaissance woman. It’s so obvious that we should have done this before but it wasn’t
the right time.”
“When I went to see the movie The Da Vinci Code, the guy who did the music for the trailer … who
also wrote it in Latin, contacted me and wanted to do an album with me and
another singer. I did the demo but my voice was overpowering hers. He got back
to me and said, “I’m sorry, but your voice is too strong for the other singer.”
I was so devastated because it seemed like something was going to happen that
was connected to Leonardo Da Vinci. I was very upset … but I had to let it go.”
“When I got home two days later, I was so inspired
that I did a painting called Leonardo Da Vinci. After I painted it, I noticed this
blob of white that turned into a dragonfly, and I didn’t do it on purpose. Apparently,
Leonardo Da Vinci painted 65 different kinds of dragonflies … so I know that
he’s with me.”
Ray
Shasho: Annie,
there’s no doubt that the new Renaissance album will be sensational, especially
after receiving a very special sneak preview today. I can’t wait for the release sometime in
January. Thank you so very much for spending time with me today, and especially
for the awe-inspiring music that Renaissance has given to all of us over the years
… and into the future.
Annie
Haslam:
“Thank
you Ray, I’m sure we’ll be talking again soon. Bye-bye!”
Renaissance
will be performing at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater,
Fl on Saturday, October 6th. To purchase tickets visit www.rutheckerdhall.com
or call 727-791-7400.
Renaissance
official website www.nlightsweb.com
(Concert tour schedule, music, and latest news)
Annie
Haslam official website www.anniehaslam.com
(New paintings by Annie and her animal rescue site)
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Book Review says Ray Shasho is a product of the
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