The Nocturnes were a second-wave Birmingham pop/psychedelic outfit, organized long after
the Move and in the shadow of acts like
the Idle Race by drummer Ross Mitchell. They might have been as obscure as their EMI labelmates
the Lemon Tree, but for the presence of future
Renaissance bassist/guitarist
John Camp (better known as
Jon Camp) in their lineup. They were signed to EMI-Columbia in 1967 and cut two LPs,
Nocturnes and
Wanted Alive, around 1968, along with a brace of singles; none of these charted despite the group's alluring and pleasantly upbeat psychedelic sound, which was also flexible enough for them to cover songs such as
the Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me." In addition to
Camp, who went on to a successful career with the second incarnation of
Renaissance, singer Eve Eden, better known as
Eve Graham, was subsequently a member of
the New Seekers.
–
Bruce Eder, Rovi