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.
Changes:
2011
- 02 January, 2011 - added an intro to this page
- 14 January, 2011 - added picture of Pearl "Go To the Mirror" LP
- 25 January, 2011 - increased size of jpg images from 100 x 100 to 144 x 144
- 26 January, 2011 - added photo of Blues Image "Leavin' My Troubles Behind"
- 26 January, 2011 - added photo of Blues Image "Can't You Believe In Forever"
- 26 January, 2011 - added photo of Sage "Rock It Out"
- 26 January, 2011 - added photo of Mike Pinera Band "One for All"
- 27 January, 2011 - added photo and review for Chubby Jackson "Groovin' with Chubby Jackson and Dadd"
- 20 February, 2011 - added entry and photo for Tiffany's "A Little Bit of Tiffany"
2012
- 29 March, 2012 - added photo and review for Wild Honey "Wild Honey"
- 04 November, 2012 - added a review of Sage's "Rock It Out"
2013
- 13 December, 2013 - added copy of Blues Image "Can't You Believe In Forever" for sale
2014
- 10 May, 2014 - added description and a copy of Blues Image "Leavin' My Troubles" for sale
- 25 July, 2014 - added image for Hopney "Ends and Means" LP
2017
- 21 January, 2017 - added review for Sage's "Skyscraper"
- 28 January, 2017 - added picture of Wizard "Let There Be Rock" LP - thanks to James Baird
- 28 January, 2017 - Critical Mass "Silver Screen" CM-101 (does it exist?)
- 29 January, 2017 - added photo of Cutie "Word's Out" LP
- 22 May, 2017 - added catalog number Mike Pinera Band "One For All" (thanks to Andy for finding the catalog number)
| LP cover | Artist | LP Title | Label | catalog # | Year | grading |
Value |
 |
Hopney | Ends and Means | Illusion | CM-1032 | 1977 | psych | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Hopney | Perils of Love | Illusion | CM-1033 | 1977 | psych | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Hopney | Cosmic Rockout | Illusion | CM-1034 | 1977 | psych | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Fanz | The Grand Illusion | Illusion | CM-1045 | 1977 | rock | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Sage | Freeport | Illusion | CM-1046 | 1977 | rock | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Sage | Rock It Out | Illusion | CM-1047 | 1978 | rock | $150.00 |
 |
Sage | Skyscraper | Illusion | CM-1048 | 1978 | rock | $180.00 |
 |
Sage | Don't Look Back | Illusion | CM-1049 | 1978 | rock | est. $150 - $200 |
 |
Sage | Shadows In the Night | Illusion | CM-1050 | 1978 | rock | est. $150 - $200 |
 |
Tiffany | A Little Bit of Tiffany | Illusion | CM-1032 | 1977 | pop | est. $20 - $40 |
 |
Charmer | Your Presence Requested | Illusion | CM-1068 | 1978 | rock |
 |
unknown | unknown | Illusion | CM-1069 | 1978 | rock |
|
unknown | unknown | Illusion | CM-1070 | 1978 | rock |
 |
Charmer | Do It To It | Illusion | CM-1071 | 1978 | rock | est. $150 - $200 |
 |
Sage | Rockin' | Illusion | CM-1099 | 1978 | rock | est. $150 - $200 |
 |
Sage | Sage By Sage | Illusion | CM-2004 | 1978 | rock | est. $200 - $250 |
|
unknown | unknown | Illusion | CM-2005 | 1978 | rock |
 |
Blues Image | Something To Say | Illusion | CM-2006 | 1978 | rock | est. $250 - $300 |
 |
Blues Image | Leavin' My Troubles Behind | Illusion | CM-2007 | 1978 | rock | $150 |
 |
Blues Image | Ride Captain Ride | Illusion | CM-2008 | 1978 | rock | $100.00 |
 |
Blues Image | Can't You Believe In Forever | Illusion | CM-2009 | 1978 | VG+ / VG+ | $100.00 |
 |
Blues Image | Clean Love | Illusion | CM-2010 | 1978 | rock | $100.00 |
 |
Wild Honey | Wild Honey | Illusion | CM 2011 | 1977 | VG / VG+; some hissing in quieter passages but no skips |
$90.00 |
 |
Wild Honey | Part Two | Illusion | CM 2011 | 1977 | pop |
est. $90.00 |
 |
Axis | Axis | Illusion | CM-2030 | 1978 | rock | est. $100 - $200 |
|
Pearl | Pearl | Illusion | CM-2032 | 1978 | rock | est. $50 - $75 |
 |
Mike Pinera Band | One for All | Illusion | CM-2034 | 1978 | rock | est. $100 - $120 |
 |
Pearl | Go To the Mirror | Illusion | CM-2036 | 1978 | rock | est. $50 - $75 |
 |
Wizard | Let There Be Rock | Illusion | CM 2037 | 1978 | rock | est $100 - $150 |
 |
Chubby Jackson Band | Groovin' with Chubby Jackson and Dadd | Illusion | CM-2038 | 1978 | soul | SOLD $15.00 |
|
Wizard | The Spell Is Cast | Illusion | CM-2040 | 1978 |
 |
Cutie | Word's Out | Illusion | CT 2529 | 1978 | disco |
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