Illusion

Formed in the mid-1970s, Illusion took shape through the initiative of Jim McCarty, who had previously played with both the Yardbirds and Renaissance, joined by other Renaissance veterans: vocalist Jane Relf, bassist Louis Cennamo, and keyboardist John Hawken. Guitarist John Knightsbridge and drummer Eddie McNeil were then recruited, enabling the ensemble to explore progressive rock during its peak popularity across England. Their self-titled debut appeared in 1976, with Out of the Mist arriving the following year. A planned third album never materialized after the group dissolved amid familiar creative tensions and punk’s mounting hostility toward progressive rock. The unfinished session recordings eventually surfaced in the 1990s, notable chiefly for capturing the final work of former Yardbird Keith Relf. Island Years, released in 2003, gathered the strongest tracks from the first two albums onto a single CD.