Peter Bardens, born 19 June 1944 in Westminster, London, was a British keyboardist and founding member of Camel. After studying fine art at the Byam Shaw School and learning piano before switching to the Hammond organ, he co‑founded the Cheynes with Mick Fleetwood in 1965 and briefly joined Them, recording on their debut The Angry Young Them. Bardens later formed Peter B's Looners, Shotgun Express, and the Village. In 1972, he co‑founded the progressive‑rock band Camel and appeared as a guest on The Single Factor (1982). After leaving Camel in 1978, Bardens toured with Van Morrison, recorded the solo album Heart to Heart (1979) and later released the electronic‑oriented Seen One Earth (1987), whose single "In Dreams" achieved airplay on US and Australian rock stations; he followed with Speed of Light (1988) and Water Colours (1991). Bardens performed with notable musicians such as Mick Fleetwood, Alice and others. He played his last concert in Los Angeles in 2001. Peter Bardens died of lung cancer in Malibu on 22 January 2002, aged 57, and was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
