Renaissance – Prologue(1972)

Biography
Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1978 UK top 10 hit “Northern Lights” and progressive rock classics like “Carpet of the Sun”, “Mother Russia”, and “Ashes Are Burning”. They developed a unique sound, combining a female lead vocal with a fusion of classical, folk, rock, and jazz influences. Characteristic elements of the Renaissance sound are Annie Haslam’s wide vocal range, prominent piano accompaniment, orchestral arrangements, vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser, and versatile drum work. The band created a significant following in the northeast United States in the 70s, and that region remains their strongest fan base.
The original line-up included two former members of The Yardbirds, Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, along with John Hawken, Louis Cennamo and Relf’s sister Jane Relf. They intended to put “something together with more of a classical influence”. Renaissance was born, and the band released a studio album in 1969, and another in 1971. Subsequently, John Tout replaced Hawken on keyboards, followed by a period of high turnover of musicians until the “classic line-up” of Haslam, John Tout, Michael Dunford, Jon Camp, and Terry Sullivan was established, although none of them was in the original band. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_(band)

Album & Cover
This is the first album by the new Ranaissance and the third overall… Because Prologue was a new start for the band, with a line-up that now included none of the original members, it would frequently be referred to as their “first” album (for example, on the Live at Carnegie Hall album, both in a song intro and on the inside cover). Though all the songs are Renaissance originals, they were not written by any current members of the band but by former members Jim McCarty (from the first line-up) and Michael Dunford (ex-Nashville Teens, from the transitional line-ups), along with lyricist Betty Thatcher. Dunford would become part of the band again after Hendry’s departure, but was not officially a band member during the recording of next album Ashes Are Burning in 1973.

According to Aubrey Powell it was the sound of Annie Haslam’s voice that inspired the cover. With her haunting and new age vocals, they talked with the band about sci-fi and water( a fetish for Hipgnosis covers) and came up with a futuristic city over a sea of tranquillity. It was a collage of photographs and illustration and then hand tinting.

Cover Location: Hipgnosis Studio, London, UK
Who Did What: Illustration – Ronchetti & Day. Photography By – M. Copeland. Cover Design – Hipgnosis.
Label: Capitol SMAS-11116(US), Sovereign SVNA 7253(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell

Tracklist

Credits
Arranged By – John Tout, Mick Dunford
Bass, Tambura, Vocals – John Camp
Cover – Ronchetti & Day
Engineer – Mick Glossop, Mike Weighell
Guitar, Mandolin, Bells [Chimes], Vocals – Rob Hendry
Keyboards, Vocals – John Tout
Percussion – Terry Sullivan
Producer – Miles Copeland , Renaissance
Vocals, Percussion – Annie Haslam