Our American (and Canadian) friends in particular might remember "Trouser Press" magazine, which was published from 1974 to 1984. It was a terrific monthly publication helmed by its editor / publisher Ira Robbins.
In May of last year (2021), Ira released a digital-only book entitled "Music in a Word (Volume 1)."
The book's description is as follows: "Subjects include Trouser Press, John Lydon, Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen, Ice Cube, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Cure, Blondie, Be-Bop Deluxe, Liz Phair, Michael Jackson, T. Rex, the B-52's, Elvis Presley, Jethro Tull, J. Geils, Public Enemy, David Bowie, R.E.M., Linda Ronstadt, Pavement, Kirsty MacColl, Holly Beth Vincent, Billy Joel, Tears for Fears, Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch, as well as movie reviews and much more."
The section on Be Bop Deluxe is 30+ pages!
The digital book can be ordered through Amazon... and although a hard-copy edition will be released this year (2022), please note that it will not include the chapter on Be Bop Deluxe.
There is also a "Music in a Word (Volume 2)" that has just been released, and it is available once again through Amazon and comes in both digital and hard-copy formats. It is described as follows: "The second volume of veteran rock critic Ira Robbins' anthology-and-memoir Music in a Word trilogy compiles his extensive writing about nine artists: The Who, Cheap Trick, the Ramones, Nirvana, the Clash, the Kinks, Elvis Costello, Keith Richards and the Replacements."
From reading that, I can say he is obvously not a particularly good source for
discovering music. Like...why would Nelson release a song like Electrical Language when he could put out a dozen Ship's in the Nights, whch I realllly liked.
Having read some of the author's comments here: -
Steve Waxman: Well, it's interesting, because in issue 34, there's an intro from you, where you sort of talk about how the bands that you were championing before they were popular in America have now become popular, and they're not really your bag anymore.
Ira Robbins: Right, right. Yeah, I've always, always had that kind of dog in the manger instinct about once the band that I discovered becomes popular. It's like my enthusiasm wanes a little bit. It's not a good thing. And I have fought it myself at times. But at the same time, bands change. I've given this a lot of thought. I wrote a whole article once about Be Bop Deluxe, who I discovered in England 1974. I was on a trip there, and somebody at Harvest (Records) gave me their album and when I got home, I loved it and ended up following and interviewing Bill Nelson a bunch of times and saw the band play a bunch of times and got a little friendly with them and was really enthusiastic. And then they made a record that I didn't really care for. Clearly, if you know anything about Nelson's career, you know that, over time, he was on a hugely different trajectory than what you might have guessed from a Bowie-esque glam band, that Be Bop Deluxe started as. I mean, his solo records are entirely something else. And he just kind of moved very far away from what I had initially liked about them. I had a kind of critical crisis of l 'Can I rip a band that I really like, because they made a record that I don't like, or do I have an obligation to keep liking them and kind of wait until they get back on track?' And the conclusion I came to was 'No, I've got to say what I think.'
.....personally, I think I'll give his book(s) a miss. I expect the record he's referring to is 'Drastic Plastic', so heaven knows what he made of 'Sound On Sound' when it was released; not to mention all the amazing solo albums that came after that?
I do agree with a couple of his comments though; that approach to following bands / artists is "not a good thing" and Bill's solo albums are "entirely something else". They certainly are something else - in an entirely positive way!
I always enjoyed Trouser Press. Especially Mick Farren's pieces. Always had a good sense of humour. I wish both of the volumes were available as paperbacks.
Perhaps it even mentions that Bill Nelson continued onward with music after BBD.
Music in a Word: Volume 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092X96KJJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_2KACP2CQSNVC93TPE8XD Only $6.00 for the kindle edition 👍❤️