Jon Camp’s OTHER Ric…

[henry5]

Hi all! So, we see/hear a lot about Jon Camp’s main Ric, ‘the Great White’ ‘74 4001 (I seem to recall in the BBC Sight and Sound video there was a similar spare too).

What I’ve never heard/read anything about is the earlier Burgundyglo, as seen on various videos on YT. Does anyone know anything about it? I thought at first it was ‘72-ish, but closer examination of the RTL4 footage shows a longer headstock. However it also appears - although it’s difficult to tell - to have a bridge pickup cover rather than a horseshoe, so seems to be post h/s. I haven’t found any really clear pictures. I was wondering if anyone knew anything of the history, e.g. when the GW took over and why, what happened to the BG, what year it actually was, etc etc. (calling Jeff Scott! ). TBH, based on the tone, I actually prefer the earlier bass (which doesn’t mean Jon did of course!), although the action looks murderously high to me.

[jps]

I only recall the Burg one from a photo in the Prologue LP cover. My LPs are packed up but I think it was a black & white photo so it could have been Burg or Jetglo,or even Azureglo!

Hope this helps.

I have seen videos with a second white one, I think.

[henry5]

Hi Jeff!
I first saw it on the Black Flame video and assumed it was Jetglo, then saw more black and white photos so was none the wiser, but eventually the RTL4 footage came up on YouTube which, on my tv at least, suggests it may be a dark burgundyglo. Although having said that, watching it on my iPad it does look like it might be Jetglo after all and that it’s just the lighting making it appear redder occasionally. Of course with the really dark BGs it’s often difficult to tell either way.

I assumed it was only used until around ‘74 but saw a picture today from ‘76 where he was using it live, so I’m guessing it was possibly used on the majority of the band’s records. I wonder when the GW took over?

[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A3bb47J3xU [/youtube]

[henry5]

Well I messed up that link.

[henry5]

Ok, how do you post a YouTube link so you can actually see it?

[jps]

Definitely Jetglo.



Excellent recording and video, for a change.

[henry5]

It’s strange how it looks so different on my tv. Although having said that, I've just been looking at a BG that looks black in most photos…

[Happyface]

Please forgive me for a related veer.

In 2017 we started a Renaissance cover band. Up here in Portland, Maine. Called Northern Lights. Whodathunkit?

Our band leader somehow had some acquaintance with Annie Haslam who extolled our singer (HUGE praise) and told us that we were the first Renaissance cover band she had ever heard of.

As we were getting started and learning our parts, I emailed Jon Camp and complained to him. Something like "Thanks a lot. Thanks for making your bass parts so damn hard to learn!" He quickly responded and after "apologizing" for making his bass lines so intricate, he really graciously offered to help me if I had any questions about his parts. What an awesome offer which I did take advantage of two or three times.

So veering back to topic, while we were a cover rather than a tribute band, in the spirit of it I traded a Shadow bass for a white Rick plus cash. (The guy got a deal.) I sent Jon a video link and a photo or two. He responded "nice bass!" Sadly the band was short-lived.

[henry5]

Cool story! I must admit, I was jamming along with A Song For All Seasons earlier (I haven’t actually learned anyone else’s parts properly in years; the luxury/laziness of always playing originals ) and thinking how intricate some of the parts were. I think my problem would be not so much playing the parts as remembering them in full…

[jps]

Cool story! I must admit, I was jamming along with A Song For All Seasons earlier (I haven’t actually learned anyone else’s parts properly in years; the luxury/laziness of always playing originals ) and thinking how intricate some of the parts were. I think my problem would be not so much playing the parts as remembering them in full…

I properly learned "A Song For All Seasons" by watching Jon play it in the summer of 1979.

A couple friends and I met Annie & Jon after that concert and had a very nice conversation with them.

[henry5]

Was that watching him live at a show or watching him play in front of you? I’m typically too immersed in the show to pick up much stuff live.

Must have been great to meet them both and chat!

[jps]

Was that watching him live at a show or watching him play in front of you? I’m typically too immersed in the show to pick up much stuff live.

Must have been great to meet them both and chat!

That was while watching at the show. The Front Row Theater was an in-the-round theater so seats were fairly close to the stage.

Here is a photo of the place; half of the stage is removed here to form an orchestra pit but Renaissance used the whole revolving stage.

Front Row Theater.jpeg (224.2 KiB) Viewed 850 times

[henry5]

Looks like a cool venue Jeff. I never got to see them live; not sure why, as although I didn’t hear them until ASFAS (via Northern Lights, natch), I did start going to gigs in 1979.

[jps]

Sadly, the Front Row is long gone and in its place is a Home Depot. But we do utilize HD for stuff so it's not a total loss.

I first heard of Renaissance when I heard them on the radio while driving down to Cincinnati during my first quarter at the University of Cincinnati in the fall of 1974. Been a rabid fan ever since.

[henry5]

Most of the places I loved historically have been flattened and replaced. I often wonder if there’s someone following me around with a wrecking ball.

Btw, here are some pics to show why I thought the bass was burgundy. I suspect the footage has a red tinge anyway, and that there is some light reflection going on, but given some BGs are so dark as to look black until you get direct light on them (I’m currently considering one), its easy to see why confusion could arise.

IMG_6183.jpeg (212.71 KiB) Viewed 799 times