Fandangos in space: By far, one of the most beautiful albums ever made. The melodic rhythm'sand mesmerizing cantations of love and betrayal are resplendent in the vivacity of that given moment. David Allen created a masterpiece that has not been equaled. Flamenco music alone has a haunting, mythical appeal to it. By adding synthesizers and drums, David Allen brought flamenco to an entirely different level.

To think that 'Fandangos in Space' is nearly thirty years old makes this album that more impressive. It's unfortunate that Carmen only produced three albums. Still, 'Fandangos' is a classic ensemble of brilliance that leaves the listener with a complete feeling of contentment... At least it did to this listener, then and now.

Like many, I thought I was the only one who ever listened to Carmen. I'm 42 years old, so you can imagine that I was very young when I first heard Carmen. I turned my younger brother Paul onto Carmen years ago. He also plays Flamenco music, beautifully I might add. Thank you soooooo much for creating the website. I absolutely love it.

Take care, Nora

"Wow. I was amazed when a friend sent along the link to your website.

I first heard Carmen listening to Allison Steele "The Night Bird" on WNEW out of New York on Sunday nights back in 1973 (or was it 1974 by then?). I was mesmerized, lying in bed listening to music that made my brain explode.

In all these years I've only met one other person in my life that had ever heard of them, and he didn't know who they were: he had arrived late for a Jethro Tull concert and walked in on their opening act. It was when he heard me playing my Fandangos In Space album that he went nuts and asked 'I know that music! Who is that?!' He then told a wonderful tale of their show ...

I loved that music - and always wondered if I would ever find out the full story of their history and what they're up to these days.

Thank you!

PS: Did anyone else notice that at the very end of side two of the import version of Fandangos In Space - after a blistering 'Reprise' to an incredible album - if you play it very, very loud, so loud that you can hear the reverb units in the amps ringing after the electric finale, a few seconds after the exquisite acoustic guitar coda, someone says, very, very softly, 'that's enough'? It's not on either of the CDs.

I love that!!!"

Richard Fairbanks

"I too became a devoted carmen fan after watching their appearance on Bowie's 1980 Floor Show. Only wish I could have gotten to see Carmen live. In the 70s, I acquired both Fandangos In Space and The Gypsies. But could never obtain Dance On A Cold Wind (not even via import special order). Then in 1990 when Line Records in Germany re-issued them on CD, the same thing. No Dance On A Cold Wind. But after several Ebay bidding "wars" and $50 later, I finally obtained Dance On A Cold Wind. I love it. It's my favorite of their three excellent releases. Now if only there was some live recordings to acquire.   

Amazingly, a lot of Jethro Tull fans who attended shows on the War Child tour don't seem to remember much about Carmen. Regardless, they were an extremely unique and talented band who deserved a wider audience.

Best regards,
William "Dixie" Howard
Clearwater, FL USA"

"What a wonderful discovery to finally hit upon a web site dedicated to Carmen. Their name still lives on within the underground "progressive" scene and is often lumped together with other psychedelic bands like Procol Harum. But they were much bigger than any of the bands they supported. To me they have attained mythical proportions, as I listen to the intensity of their music, the impossible drumming, the superb vocal harmonies (Retirando), the moods and colours.

A sample pirate could make a whole career from just Dancing on a cold Wind! And to think these amazing musicians haven't done anything since and are still wandering round in London. Boy would I like to meet one of them, but I would probably not even recognize any one of them if I saw them. And neither would they recognize me!

I guess they were classified under "progressive" in the seventies, as was anything a bit out of the ordinary. Nowadays, I guess they would be seen as part of the "world music" scene. I still don't think there is a market for their music now. They have nothing to do with the latino scene. Carmen isn't cool. Carmen is hot and intense, and not a lot of people can take that for a long time. Nirvana had it, and they burnt out fast.

No, flamenco is not an easy music for western ears, because it has a lot of arab roots. From this point of view it resembles more the Rai music from Algeria by the likes of Khaled. Maybe there's an audience out there for Carmen?

Has anybody ever noticed? The CD reissue of Fandangoes has a small outro of Bulerias missing. I had to splice it back in from a vinyl. It's only about 10 seconds worth. But very disturbing when you're used to the record!

And finally a quizz question for all you connaisseurs out there: Is it Angela posing on the sleeve of Gypsy's?"

Marko

I remember my first Carmen record. I was always looking in obscure LP-shops, and often looked at the instruments a band played to esteem my interest in the band. "Fandangos in space" was a quick buy, and after listening to it at home, I knew I had to look for more.

I found more, bought them all (yes, that was me that left you the empty shelfs in Holland!), and all my friends had the album for their birthday.

"Dancing on a cold wind" gave me thrills, because of the atmosphere, and appealed to the drops of my gypsy blood, made me wandering off in dreams of unreached lives and loves.

I listened a lot to both albums even during my punk days and so on. Some groups have that universal feeling.

From "TheÊGypsies" I loved the break from traditional to rock in Daybreak, and whilst listening to the CD I just lent, it seems I know this album a lot better than I thought, because I still know all the songs.

You did a great job by creating the page and assembling all the information. I always thought that Angela was David's wife. And I was always wondered what connection there was with Daevid Allan.

Frank

"You might say I was a fanatic, 30 years ago (ouch). I first saw Carmen on the David Bowie Midnight Special (which has only been repeated once, as far as I know) and was stopped right in my tracks. I totally fell in love with their sound and look. At the time I called their music "Flamenco rock on acid".

I had to order an import of Fandangos - the quality on the EMI edition was superb. Eventually I wore it out and replaced it with one on a US label - not nearly pressed as well... and then, a number of years ago, when CDs were just coming to their own, I wandered into a Tower Records and, as I always did, went to the "C's" - and there all three were! Shortly after, when I checked again, and they were gone, never to be seen again. Felt like a "meant to be".

I started converting all my friends - I can't tell you how many people I kidnapped from whatever they were doing to force them to sit and listen to it at earsplitting levels, accompanied by my running narrative about their concept and story, their poetry, their passionate style. (I remember especially highlighting the sibilant seductiveness of "Stepping Stone" and "Sailor Song".) (There is so much that is special on their - um - "albums." There are still crescendo harmonies in "Dancing On a Cold Wind" that give me chills.)

I am so thrilled about this site. I especially welcome the opportunity to read what other fans have to say. I always really wondered who the other people who had bought their albums were.

Having met The Who in 1972, I used the same skills to meet them - and did, spending New Year's Eve backstage in New York City when they opened for the Blue Oyster Cult. The Cult fans treated them horribly, and they got accidentally locked out of their dressing room, but through it all they maintained their good natures. I am pretty sure they found me an amusing/flattering pain in the ass - but I will tell you, they were lovely, lovely people - and, musically, ahead of their time. Later, when they toured with Tull, they not only put up with me, they got me six second row seats! They were totally generous.

Someone related to the group lent me a record of what was going to be their single, "Sevilla, Mi Sevilla." It was wonderful and had real potential, I thought. I was asked to tape it and return the record, which I did; when, several months later, my car was broken into and some stuff was stolen, what really upset me was losing my copy of that song.

It's too bad, in this era of Spanish/Latino music, they can't make a comeback. There is a Mitsubishi ad on TV in America for a car which uses a downbeat in its soundtrack that I SWEAR sounds just like the riff that opens Fandangos.

E Sue Blume, NY

"Just finished reading your article about Carmen and I was immediately taken down memory lane. I first saw Carmen on that Midnight Special with Bowie and from that moment I was hooked. I own vinyl pressings of their first and second albums.

The only reason I have those albums is that I was fortunate enough to be a member of the Air Force in the late sixties living in Germany. I regularly looked through record stores for albums by my favorite artists at that time. I was never able to find Carmen records in America, so I immediately purchased Fandangos in Space and Dancing on a Cold Wind when I ran across them in Germany. I was very glad that I did.

From time to time, I play them and find that I still enjoy the music very much. Thank you so very much for taking the time to show your love and appreciation for a very unique band that never really got the respect and recognition they so greatly deserved.

Sincerely, Darryl"

... who remembered Carmen. I have at least two of their three albums (either 1 & 2 or 1 & 3) and several years ago I purchased the cd from a web site called cdbanzai.com which I think is a Japanese site with deep, deep archives of American pop music (i.e. Free Design, American Flyer, even Ray Manzarek's "Carmina Burana").

Carmen was an interesting experiment. They would have been fun to see in concert. I may have first heard them on the Midnight Special or some after hours tv show like Don Kirshner as far as I can recall.

Thanks, Dick R"