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Pitkästä aikaa uutisia kamelin suusta! http://camelproductions.com/
 
THE NATURE OF THE EBEAST DECEMBER 2012
 
Andrew's Health
 
As we've had so many mails asking about Andrew's health we'll begin with a reply to that. He is very well and enjoys the great fortune of recovered good health. Of course, there are cetain trade-offs but they were well worth it. There really isn't much more to say about that. It's never wise to let any illness define a person. And so, that chapter in our lives is firmly closed. Well, for the most part.
 
The Next Camel Album
 
So where is the next Camel album? Somewhere in the making. When all was said and done, and the crisis receded, it was time to return to 'normal' life. We started making plans. But it turned out to not be there any more, that 'normal' life. It was, quite simply, totally different. Of course, the sun rises and sets, the earth revolves on its axis, etc., except life was anything but the way it once was. When you spend two full years trying to anticipate -- and outwit -- the worst scenario possible, it takes a rather insidious toll. When the storm passes, it's an involuntary reflex to get right back to business. We wanted to get Camel back on the road for the Retirement Sucks Tour, write a new album, record a new DVD, just get on with it in general. But we hadn't grasped one very important aspect of having gone through a life-changing experience: We are Survivors. And that, in itself, is life-changing. What we needed to do was quite the opposite of our grand plans, and was something that just happened without our really knowing. Survivors need to exhale deeply and learn to inhale without the imposition of dread. Unexpectedly, we needed time to recover from the battle itself. Finally, we're ready for the challenges ahead.
 

Camel Shop (NOW CLOSED UNTIL 7 JANUARY 2013)
 
The first challenge we faced was sorting out the Camel shop. To our complete shock, our supplier accidentally destroyed our entire folder of artwork files. They are being sorted, but it couldn't be done in time for the holiday season. The new Camel/Gibson Guitar design has caused quite a stir, so we'll not only offer t-shirts, we'll have hoodies and possibly a couple other smaller items. It's a huge disappointment to miss the season, but sometimes that's how it all goes.
 
We'll be ready in the early new year, and hope to have some rarities on offer such as a boxed set from our Japanese label, which includes all of Camel Productions' catalogue and makes a very nice addition to the collector's stash.

 
Camel in the iTunes Store
 
Camel is slowly being established in the iTunes store. The process involved is a fascinating maze of meticulous data entry that has to be very precise. Hence, we are carefully moving towards having the entire catalogue available to purchase for download. Presently, the titles are not showing up if you search for Camel, so for the time being, it's necessary to search for the album title. Dust and Dreams, Rajaz, and Harbour of Tears are uploaded and selling well. A Nod and a Wink is in the process as we've had multiple requests for this title, and the other titles are in the process of being prepped.
 
The Holiday Spirit
 
Xmas has always been a subjective time of the year. Some hate it and some, like us, love it. For us, it's not just the one day. It's the entire season, more like Yule which, if you look that up in the dictionary, it usually refers to a 'heathen festival' over a 12-day period of time. It's about the ending of the year, the closing in of winter and the dramatic changes in the landscape. The night sky in winter seems to sparkle. And then there's all the music. I seem to never tire of the seasonal songs and it's the one time of the year I can move about in the town humming merrily, and no one looks at me as if I need a padded cell. Going Christmas Caroling is tops on the list, though it seems to be an endangered species. It's not as easy as it once was, to gather folks together and tempt them to trundle about, bursting with song on a frosty, cold evening.
 
But we were successful one year. There was one very special evening that came into our lives in 1981. We lived in London at the time and I couldn't find any carolling events, so decided to organise my own. This was not as easy as I thought, despite being in the centre of London with its vibrant musical community. But I did wrangle a few friends, twisted the arm of Anthony Phillips who brought along his friend and fellow muso Dennis Quinn. In all, there were only eight of us but my goodness we made a lovely noise! Andrew and Anthony brought acoustic guitars and Dennis Quinn had a harmonica. The rest of us had candles. London's streets were deep in snow.
 
We stormed a couple of pubs where we knew we'd have a captive audience and could collect shamelessly for our favourite charities. We went down a storm. Then we headed out, into the community. The night was incredibly still and clear. We found a sort of square, with stunning white, Georgian houses, mostly made into flats. Best of all, we weren't encroaching on any other carollers territory (something we hadn't considered along with a required permit). It was all a bit dark and empty looking, so we approached the first house with lights on, and started singing Silent Night. Lights flickered quickly, and it wasn't long before the residents responded. They were very generous indeed. The next house had already come out, so we moved along singing 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' (very fitting), 'Ding Dong Merrily on High', even 'Jingle Bells', etc. But 'Silent Night' was the masterpiece. Before we knew it, people were waiting for us. It started to snow as we got to the first turning in the square, big, fat snowflakes you can catch on your tongue. A man asked if we could come up to the door of his house and sing because his wife, ready to give birth imminently, couldn't quite make it past the landing. Well, of course we could. The light inside the hall was very soft and low, but we could see her lying on her side, bundled up with her 'bump', resting on the landing. Other family members in the house were peering over the staircase. We made the sounds of angels. It was like a scene from 'It's A Wonderful Life', sans Jimmy Stewart of course.
 
By this time, however, Andrew and Anthony's fingers were starting to stiffen from the cold, and Dennis' lips were starting to stick to his harmonica! I'd brought along those disposable heat packs, but we didn't realise they needed 30 minutes to heat up! Add to that, the guitars were reacting to the cold, contracting and creaking in protest. They refused to stay in tune. Still, the lads soldiered on, casting aside their natural desire for musical perfection and giving it the best they had. All I can recall is that it sounded simply magnificent. There was something in the air that transcended all technical problems, and the snow softened the acoustics. The instruments took a life of their own and lifted us well beyond our expectations of a simple carolling evening.
 
As we were heading back on the other side of the square, a very beautiful, very elegant woman came out to greet us. She had a soft, kind voice, and was genuinely complimentary towards us, applauding not only our voices, but also our efforts. She was exceptionally generous in her donation. At first, we hadn't noticed that a very tall, and equally elegant, man stood behind her with a tray in his hands. On that tray sat 7 glasses of wine, perfectly positioned in line, cradled by white-gloved hands. He was the Butler! I'd never even seen a butler before! The glasses sparkled in the starlight. He graciously offered us each a glass, and we graciously accepted. I don't think I'd ever tasted such exquisite wine before. Or was it the magic of the night? I can still see the stars shimmering between the drifting snowflakes in the night sky above us, as we stood there singing for that kind woman with her handsome butler. They applauded us for a long time as we sang our way to the end of the square. When we reached the last house, the snow was falling thick and fast, sticking to our hair and eyelashes as we looked back at the square. It was ablaze with lights. We had all been removed from our everyday life to a place where faery dust and magic play delightful tricks on little pockets of our world. It was the perfect moment to end that perfect night, in that magical Chelsea square in 1981. And we had raised _300 in donations.
 
We have not failed to recall that deeply nostalgic, silent night every December since. It never fails to warm our hearts. As it simply isn't possible to recreate such an experience, Andrew surprised me with a little gift of music to celebrate that mystical memory. We want very much to share a bit of magic with all of you at this year-end.
We will, as we have always done without fail, light our Hour Candle this year-end. With that little light, we send our fondest best wishes for love, contentment, health and peace, this year and beyond. All in all, it really is A Wonderful Life.
 
See you in 2013!
 
Susan Hoover
 
UPDATE 10 JANUARY 2013:
 
Shop is now open!
 
The new guitar shirt is speeding through the pre-production stages and soon we'll have some samples to approve, and then we'll be on our way. We think it's looking so good, we couldn't resist posting the artist's rendering of it, just to whet the appetite.
 
Delivery isn't scheduled yet, but we reckon towards the end of the month, so watch this space.
 
And now we're thinking about baseball hats...
 

 
Ja bonusta Tour-sivulta:
 
_
Camel's Farewell Tour is a splendid memory.
 
So much so, we are now discussing the possibilities for the 'Retirement Sucks' tour in September or October 2013.
 
Please check back from time to time.