Renaissance on TOTP last night

[Urban Bassman]

I happened to watch a bit of TOTP last night from 1978 and it featured Renaissance and their single Northern Lights. Not a bad song but the bass line is pretty good - very Chris Squire-esque I thought, However the bass player was playing a double necked 4 string and 6 string which was clearly a based on a Ric but wasn't.

I've done a bit of googling and found that the bass player was Jon Camp but nothing on this instrument. It was very ornate and slotted headstocks (as seen on some Gibson EB-Os and SGs ) I also found some photos.

[attachment=139775:joncamp.jpg]

[attachment=139774:edincamp1.jpg]



But I'm none the wiser.

So your starter for ten - who made this bass?

Just for fun

Edited July 25, 2013 by Urban Bassman

[geoffbyrne]

I had an Antoria Les Paul with a 'Tree of Life' inlay astonishingly like that.

I'm sure Ibanez made Rick copies at one time, so out of the Nippon Gakki factory?

G.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Lord knows who made the doubleneck, but it's his Rick on the recording.
Unusual clip, that TOTP one, it's a different mix to the single - the orchestra is a lot more prominent.

Jon Camp was a great player, wonderful tone and feel. He's the first to admit Squire was his biggest influence.
Here's a recent interview:

[url="http://renaissance-fanfare.net/forum/topics/jon-camp-interview-2012"]http://renaissance-fanfare.net/forum/topics/jon-camp-interview-2012[/url]

[Urban Bassman]

Agreed Cosmo, a talented chap.

I've been doing a bit more digging and there's a reference on talk bass about a guitar maker called Dick Knight who may have made it for Jon. Jon also names checks him on that article you attached. There's no reference to it on the Knight Guitars web site though - they seem to specialise in arch-top jazzers.

That may be it...unless anyone else knows more.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Urban Bassman

[Muzz]

Wow, and I thought my Laklandbird had the Least Accessible Top 5 Frets In Christendom...

[YouMa]

I thought this song came out in the 70s.

[Urban Bassman]

[quote name='YouMa' timestamp='1374764218' post='2152928']
I thought this song came out in the 70s.
[/quote]

Yep my bad. Not 1987 but 1978....doh!

Edited to save further confusion

[toneknob]

Here's the clip if anyone's interested

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFhtHrBLgAk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFhtHrBLgAk[/url]

[Urban Bassman]

Not the version I saw last night this has Tony Blackburn last night's edition had Peter Powell, but it's the same bass!

Edited July 25, 2013 by Urban Bassman

[pete.young]

The very first response to a google search for 'jon camp double neck' returned this:

http://renaissance-fanfare.net/forum/topics/jon-camp-interview-2012

which confirms that it was made by Dick Knight. Interesting interview.

[visog]

I think this song is unbelievably good. Clanking bass, beautiful vocals and god-like melody. Could be Yes. Just brilliant

[steve-bbb]

i also remember distinctly remember this

[url="http://youtu.be/5B578LuXbPI"]http://youtu.be/5B578LuXbPI[/url]

[Guest bassman7755]

Yep its artfully composed, the modulations remind me of killer queen.

[paulconnolly]

I'm sure the bass was on display at the North West guitar show last year. Not much help really, sorry

Edited July 25, 2013 by paulconnolly

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1374780708' post='2153224']
i also remember distinctly remember this

[media]http://youtu.be/5B578LuXbPI[/media]
[/quote]
I've got that whole programme on DVD somewhere. Joyous.

[icastle]

I liked some of their stuff but it got so confusing because the lineup changed every few months (or so it seemed).

[YouMa]

Annie haslam,very hot.

[KevB]

One of those basslines I'd like to crack for a bit if fun one day but I'll never work it out by ear. Saw a reasonable tab of it once but that pre-chorus bit looks a handful and watching Camp do it on the TOTP clips doesn't make it look any easier!

[RhysP]

[quote name='YouMa' timestamp='1374790953' post='2153415']
Annie haslam,very hot.
[/quote]
17 posts before somebody finally says it!
She most certainly is.

[the boy]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1374832043' post='2153706']

17 posts before somebody finally says it!
She most certainly is.
[/quote]
Hairy, pastie 70s chicks never really did it for me.

[4000]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1374784932' post='2153290']
I've got that whole programme on DVD somewhere. Joyous.
[/quote]

If you find it is there any way I could possibly get hold of a copy? I love Renaissance but have never seen it. PM me if necessary.

[icastle]

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1374832523' post='2153716']
Hairy, pastie 70s chicks never really did it for me.
[/quote]

I believe Greggs have now removed them from their product range.

[Pete Academy]

I know Jon - he lives in Stoke. The band has been touring again in the States. I'll ask him about the bass if he comes into the shop again.

Great player and thoroughly nice bloke.

[iconic]

Thanks to the OP , I always wondered who did this tune.

Edited July 26, 2013 by iconic

[4000]

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1374862399' post='2154262']
I know Jon - he lives in Stoke. The band has been touring again in the States. I'll ask him about the bass if he comes into the shop again.

Great player and thoroughly nice bloke.
[/quote]

Pete, if you do, ask him what rig he was using on the Black Flame clip on Youtube....

FWIW, last thing I seem to remember about his 'Great White' Ric was that it was bought off ebay a few years back (I remember it being on) by one of the Rick Resource guys who was a huge fan of Jon. I wonder if he got it back?

Edited July 26, 2013 by 4000