The Nocturnes

The Nocturnes were a second-wave Birmingham pop/psychedelic outfit, organized long after the Move and in the shadow of acts like the Idle Race by drummer Ross Mitchell. They might have been as obscure as their EMI labelmates the Lemon Tree, but for the presence of future Renaissance bassist/guitarist John Camp (better known as Jon Camp) in their lineup. They were signed to EMI-Columbia in 1967 and cut two LPs, Nocturnes and Wanted Alive, around 1968, along with a brace of singles; none of these charted despite the group's alluring and pleasantly upbeat psychedelic sound, which was also flexible enough for them to cover songs such as the Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me." In addition to Camp, who went on to a successful career with the second incarnation of Renaissance, singer Eve Eden, better known as Eve Graham, was subsequently a member of the New Seekers. ~ Bruce Eder