Andrew Latimer is a multifaceted musician and composer, renowned as the founding member and sole constant presence in the iconic progressive rock band Camel since its inception in 1971. Beyond his expertise as a guitarist and singer, Latimer is also a skilled flautist and keyboardist.
As a trailblazing artist, Latimer has traversed the globe, relocating to America with partner Susan Hoover to establish Camel Productions, a music production company responsible for releasing the band's studio albums, including Dust and Dreams, Harbour of Tears, Rajaz, and A Nod and a Wink, as well as a collection of "Official Bootlegs" on CD. This endeavour was accompanied by a series of concerts, with the band taking to the road in 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2003.
In 1997, Camel released their first full concert DVD, Coming of Age, marking the beginning of a string of subsequent DVD releases. The following year, Latimer and Hoover returned to the UK, establishing Camel Productions UK Ltd.
In 2007, Latimer faced a significant health challenge, being diagnosed with a progressive blood disorder, polycythaemia vera, which unexpectedly progressed to myelofibrosis. He underwent a successful bone marrow transplant and embarked on a lengthy road to full recovery.
In 2013, Latimer revived Camel, with the band playing a special set featuring The Snow Goose in its entirety, dedicated to the co-founding members Andy Ward, Peter Bardens (deceased),and Doug Ferguson. To commemorate this occasion, Camel re-recorded the album, which remains remarkably faithful to the original, with minor rearrangements and extended sections. A live DVD, In From The Cold, was recorded at the Barbican Centre in London.
The Snow Goose tour was a resounding success, with the band asked to continue in early 2014. However, the second half of the tour featured Ton Scherpenzeel (Kayak) as keyboardist, following the illness and passing of Guy Leblanc on April 27, 2015.
Despite struggling with arthritis in his hands and knees, Latimer led Camel back on the road in 2015, followed by tours in Japan with new keyboardist Pete Jones in 2016 and a comprehensive tour featuring their most popular recording, Moonmadness, in 2018. The 2018 tour culminated in a sold-out performance at The Royal Albert Hall, which was video recorded for anticipated release on DVD and Blu-Ray.
