Carmen (rock band)

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Carmen
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Background information
Origin	U.S., UK
Genre(s)	Progressive rock
Years active	1970–1975
Former members
David Clark Allen--vocals/guitars/keyboards

Carmen was a British-American band active from 1970–1975. Their style was a fusion of rock music and flamenco music and dance. While the band achieved some success in recording and performance, its greatest significance lies in later contributions of its members to relatively famous rock groups.

1 History
2 Music
3 Further careers
4 Discography
5 Links

[edit] History

The group was founded by David Clark Allen, a Californian trained in flamenco guitar. Originally a seven-member band in Los Angeles, USA, the band in the early seventies relocated to London, England, where the personnel soon stabilized as a quintet.

In London, they became friendly with several rock stars of the time, including David Bowie. Marc Bolan, and Bryan Ferry. Obtaining the services of uber-producer Tony Visconti, released three albums: Fandangos in Space 1973, Dancing on a Cold Wind 1974. and The Gypsies (album) 1975. By early 1975 the band was enjoying its greatest success, playing as an opening act at concerts by Santana, Blue Öyster Cult, and Electric Light Orchestra, and touring for three months as opener for Jethro Tull. Album sales, unfortunately, did not generate sufficient revenue, and the group disbanded in mid-1975.

[edit] Music

Carmen's stage performances typically featured Amaral and Angela Allen dancing on a specially amplified stage floor, so that their flamenco taps became an integral part of the music. Additional Spanish influences in their sound included acoustic guitar interludes in flamenco style, occasional Spanish lyrics, themes of betrayed love reminiscent of Federico Garcia Lorca, and castanets--all supported by a traditional rock-and-roll rhythm section.

[edit] Further careers

David Allen continued to pursue a music career, but in 1984 was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent surgery. He re-invented his life, earning acclaim as a photographer, first working in the field of erotic anthropology and then as a black-and-white family portrait specialist near London.

Glascock joined Jethro Tull in 1975, but in 1979, at the age of 28, he succumbed to complications of a congenital heart condition. Angela Allen currently resides in London.

Paul Fenton was badly injured in a fall from a horse around the time of Carmen's break-up. He had already built a career for himself as a drummer outside of Carmen, in particular working with Marc Bolan's T-Rex; he's currently playing in a Bolan tribute band.

Roberto Amaral has returned to traditional flamenco, performing and teaching in Los Angeles.

[edit] Discography

1974 Fandangos in space
1975 Dancing on a cold wind
1976 The Gypsies (album)

The first two albums were re-issued by Angel Air records as a 2 CD set in October 2006.

[edit] Links

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Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links.

Carmen fans' website: http://www.fandangosinspace.com/index.shtml

Carmen fans' website :http://www.geocities.jp/srza8518/

Angel Air re-release: http://www.angelair.force9.co.uk/sjpcd229.htm