Based in Hollywood, Florida former Blues Image, Iron Butterfly, Ramatam, and Thee Image singer/guitarist  Mike Pinera was apparently the brainchild behind the short-lived and rather mysterious Illusion label.  In addition to churning out a series of Blues Image (mark 2) albums, the Illusion catalog includes an album with Pinera featured on guitar and vocals (The Fanz), as well as a couple of albums seemingly recorded by Pinera with friend/Cactus keyboardist Duane Hitchings (Charmer's "Your Presence Requested" and "Do It To It").  Pinera also seems to have been the creative force responsible for signing and producing most of the bands to the label.  Like Sage, many of the bands on the Illusion roster seem to have been based in Southern Florida where Pinera was living at the time.  Pinera's label also had the distinction/notoriety of signing a young Tiffany () to a recording contract.

While I've never seen anything that definitively proves Illusion was a tax-scam label, it sure seems to fit the pattern - releasing a handful of albums (including several Blues Image efforts) during the 1977-78 timeframe with virtually no publicity.  Curiously Pinera's own website makes absolutely no mention of this enterprise and the discography makes no mention of the five 1977-78 Blues Image albums, or the Mike Pinera Band release.

http://www.realrock.com/

  Updates:

  2026

- 14 July 2026 Added Block Party "Block Party" catalog number CM-2031

- 14 July 2026 Added Lion "Lion Alive" catalog number CM 2035

- 14 July 2026 Added photo of Pearl "Go To the Mirror" catalog number CM 2036

Value

$90.00

est. $90.00