Would it be possible for Camel to release a compilation album featuring old, rare or 'lost' material, archived tapes of tasty bits of music from the good ol' years?

Well, let's check what we've got to so far:

Ligging at Louis'

A live recording of this Peter Bardens piece is available on A Live Record. It's a cute piece which reflects the Mirage-era type of Camel's music. Could there be a studio recording?

Lord of Light

This Peter Bardens piece surfaced on an official Camel release only in 1992, in the On the Road, 1972. Before that, another live rendition was available on the rare Greasy Truckers. Camel played it during their 1972 gigs along with Lady Fantasy and White Rider which later surfaced only in the 1974 release of Mirage. Is it possible that Camel also recorded the piece in the studio, but decided not to release it, as it was previously released on Bardens' solo release, The Answer? If no studio recording exist, how about re-releasing the Greasy Truckers version?

Another Night

An alternative recording of the song is available on a 7" single. The recording varies in the mix and in some parts played totally differently. Apparently, this track is available on the new 25th Anniversary compilation.

Lunar Sea

A live recording is available as the B-side of the Another Night single. This live recording isn't available anywhere else. Apparently, this track is available on the new 25th Anniversary compilation.

Rainbow's End

According to the Breathless CD liner notes, a different version of the track appears on a special 7" promotional release that proceeded the I Can See... album. Apparently, this track is available on the new 25th Anniversary compilation.

Nobody Knows

This is, in fact, not a Camel track at all.
The song is a Neil Larsen track called 'Jungle Fever'. Camel used it at the end of a set during the '79/80 tour because they liked this song. It was only a jam on someone else's material. At the time no one could remember the song title, so when they announced the song as: "Nobody knows the title".

River Man

This little piece is remembered fondly by Susan Hoover. Latimer said in an interview that it was based on Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, and that it was attempted to be a hit single. Siddhartha is a book about a lost young soul who ventures out to find himself, only to find he was right where he lost himself to begin with. (submitted by Jeff Gebhardt).

Pressure Points

A extended mix of this song was printed as a 12" single. In 2004 the extended mix was released on the CP printing of Stationary Traveller. The live rendition of the entire piece is played in the Pressure Points live album.

In the Arms of Waltzing Frauleins

This cabaret-like song was written by Latimer and Hoover as the beginning of the Stationary Traveller album, but was rejected by the studio, to be replaced by the instrumental Pressure Points. The track surfaced on as a video clip in the beginning of the Pressure Points live video, and was only officially released 20 years later - in the CP printing of Stationary Traveller The track is also played on tour before the band goes on stage.

The entire second half of Dust and Dreams

Latimer has written the entire second half of Dust and Dreams during the 'lost' Camel years. What happened to the original version? Was it ever recorded by the musicians? Is there a basic sketch sequence available?

This is all I have gathered so far... And it sums up to more than 45 minutes of Interesting material, although not necessarily of the quality that glues up to an album...

Are Camel Productions considering such release? Considering - maybe, but it's definitly isn't going to be easy... It will probably require licensing from labels such as PolyGram and MCA as well as permits from the other people involved. Most of the material will have to be dug up from the archives and remastered. Camel Productions seem very keen on the quality of recordings they produce and release, and they may decline to release material which doesn't fit their standards.

We are only left to wait and wonder, and perhaps even write a letter and say what we think about it...