ALBUM NOTES:

Map of Dreams is an instrumental album from Cocteau Records issued barely a month after Iconography.  Map of Dreams initially appeared on vinyl and cassette formats, with the CD appearing later in the year.  For this album, Nelson was commissioned by Channel 4 to provide a soundtrack to a TV show broadcast in 4 short episodes each lasting approximately 12 minutes.
 

PAST RELEASES:

Map of Dreams would get its first US release when it appeared on CD and cassette (Enigma, 1989). 

CURRENT AVAILABILITY:

The album is currently out of print, but may reappear as a digital download via Bandcamp at some point. 

IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY:
Signals From Realms of Light, Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights, Altar Pieces, Secret Ceremony,
Iconography, Optimism, Simplex, Chameleon, Caliban and the Chrome Harmonium


BILL'S THOUGHTS:

"Originally, I was approached to come up with a series of programmes based on my occult interests.  I produced an outline based on that exact premise but when it was put forward to the 'powers that be' they decided that a slightly less esoteric angle would be more suitable for viewers who might possibly be, er, 'unsettled' by the ritual/masonic/magical/alchemical angle I'd initially envisaged...(hence the somewhat more easily acceptable, 'astrological' line on which the series was eventually based).  Interesting enough for all that but certainly a rather more compromised result than I'd originally hoped for.

But, there you go...that's the nature of the game when you engage with the machinery of commercial television.  No matter how pure or potent the original intent might be, the artist has to accept that dilution will occur.  Still a very interesting project though...and one of which I remain proud."

"As far as I know, the Map of Dreams series didn't make it to official DVDs...which is a shame as they're rather unique tv programmes by today's standards."

FAN THOUGHTS:

Peter:

"This is an album to play for someone who doesn't understand that Bill is NOT "just" a guitarist, but is a musician and composer.  With hardly a guitar in evidence (I think only "Fellini's Picnic" features the guitar, though there may be instances of heavily synth-processed guitar that I am not knowledgeable enough to pick out), this rich collection of soundscapes, developed for use as a soundtrack for a TV program, offers so many moods and "colors".  Interesting, and at times challenging, listening."


alec:

"The Map: Used to listen to "Fellini's Picnic" over and over, rewinding it often in the car ..."

mlr_pa:

"Fellini's Picnic": "from Map of Dreams should have been 10 minutes longer!  Bill on an acoustic!  WOW!!"


wadcorp:

"What a great album."


Alan:

"I've seen it on youtube before, and agree it's a wonderful program, visually and musically.  I wish I could have seen it's release on television...Anyway, Bill has every right to be proud of this one, in my opinion."