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2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) April 2011 Jan Feb Mar Dec Thursday 22nd April 2011 -- 8:00 pm As always, there's so much to tell, but I'm far too busy to tell it in detail so I'll attempt to condense things a little, turn the last few weeks into signals, ciphers and semaphore. Just read between the lines... The 'Legends' TV performance ended up being something of a trial, (as readers of my Dreamsville forum will already be aware). The audience genuinely seemed to love it and were loudly and positively enthusiastic, but the band and myself were less than happy with the uncomfortable conditions we were expected to perform under. And, as the artist with 'his name on the tin,' I was equally frustrated by the end result. The 7-piece 'Gentleman Rocketeers' band was hindered by a makeshift stage barely big enough for us to be squeezed onto. We suffered from a muddy, uninspiring and confusing monitor mix and were physically unsettled by an environment that felt more like a sauna than a performance space. (My clothes were literally stuck to my body with sweat when I changed after the show.) The heat did no favours to the tuning stability of the guitars either. After over 30 years of playing in all sorts of concert environments, this particular situation came as a genuine low-point. Truth is, I'd rather not perform at all than let my musical dreams down so spectacularly. The band's entire performance was an uphill struggle from start to finish, just deeply unsatisfying. Had it merely been a 'get through it and then forget it' type of concert, perhaps we could have accepted the situation and moved on...Unfortunately, much more was at stake than a simple one-off gig. The concert was being set in digital cement... (of the quick-drying variety too). The production company's rush to get a DVD commercially released (by the end of May apparently), meant that deeper scrutiny would soon be applied to the entire show. For ever... After the concert I was given a set of CDrs of stereo mixes of the performance but, after listening to them at home I became, er...(I'm sorry, there are no other words for it), utterly depressed and disillusioned by the result. This was not a fair representation of what we had spent several days putting together at rehearsals. It was a band shackled by technical and physical conditions beyond our control. It immediately became apparent that there was little choice but to accept the option of mixing the multi-track recordings of the performance independently, (although the contract apparently stated that this option could only be taken up at my own expense). I'm afraid I couldn't have lived with the recording as it was. Consequently, I'm now over £1,000 out of pocket as a result of having to spend four intense days in Fairview studios, trying to nudge things a little closer to the usual standard, (with the help of ace engineer John Spence, of course...plus some careful repairing of certain 'unstable' aspects of the performance itself, the majority of which were a direct result of the situation we'd found ourselves in.) The upside of all this is that the recording now sounds much better than it did...and perhaps it now comes closer to doing justice to all the hard work that the band and myself put into rehearsals. Having said that though, the concert still lingers in the memory as being a very uncomfortable and, (dare I say it), controversial experience for us. Such a shame that something so 'permanent' fell so profoundly short of what we'd hoped for. However, the thing that concerns me most right now is whether the series will be broadcast on UK television or not. When the opportunity was offered to put a band together and perform in front of the cameras, it was pitched first and foremost as a television series which would be broadcast in June of this year. The impression given was that the DVD would be a secondary thing, an offshoot, as it were, of the television broadcast. Unfortunately, at this point in time, I've not been informed that there will a definite UK TV broadcast. It seems that there's no guarantee that this will actually happen. However, the DVD has already been scheduled for an end of May release and has been advertised. I have to say that I didn't decide to take on this project simply for a DVD release. I genuinely believed that a UK television broadcast was the first and foremost reason for doing it. I was pursuaded that the publicity generated by a tv broadcast might outweigh the old-school, 'sign-it-all-away' nature of the contract. Anyway, perhaps I should withhold final judgement for now...I could be jumping to wrong conclusions. Perhaps my past career experiences and consequent distrust of the industry regarding this sort of thing are unduly colouring my interpretation of events...but, let's just say that I'll await further developments with interest. For now, all I can say is that I'm substantially out of pocket as a result of my involvement with the project. Perhaps I would not have chosen to enter into it, had I fully understood what was in store for us. Moving on... Spring has sprung! Wonderfully and joyously. Two weeks of deliciously warm and sunny weather. Weather that would have graced Summer magnificently, but, considering that this is only April, it seems little short of miraculous. The cherry blossom tree in our front garden has become...what's the word, fecund? Prolific? Ecstatic with pinkness? Well, pretty marvellous, anyway. Apple tree blossoms in the back garden too, and, divinely... pear! Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. Emi and I have been happily married for, what? 18 years? Well, we lived together for a couple of years before we tied the knot. I think it was '93 when we began our life together in England, though we'd spent time together in Tokyo first and had originally met way back in 1984. (Oh, the romance of it!) The nice thing is that it doesn't feel like so long ago at all. Our relationship is still fresh and tender. Emiko is a wonderful person and life without her would be unbearable. Last night we went to one of our favourite restaurants and afterwards came home to a bottle of champagne. I was given a book of Gnostic parables from Emi and I bought her a Nicole Farhi skirt that she'd spotted in a local store and very much liked. Our favourite clothes designers are Nichol Farhi, Margaret Howell, Adolfo Dominguez, Toast, Oska and some of the less, erm, 'blingy' Armani designs. Our taste leans towards the less commercially demonstrative brands but on a limited budget, it's hard to avoid the 'noisier' items these days. Most fashionistas seem hell bent on advertising, 'on jacket or shirt,' whatever particular brand of clothing they wear. Escaping label-brainwashing is not as easy as it might seem, although, for me, it is something to avoid whenever possible. Spending good money for the dubious privelege of becoming a walking billboard for some company or other seems like an insult to me. I simply want the clothes I purchase to flatter me, (as much as is possible at my somewhat advanced age), and to reflect my personal aesthetic taste. I don't give a damn whether it is considered fashionable, 'cool,' or not. Fashion is slavery, an illusion...but STYLE is beyond price, and timeless. Tomorrow is an anniversary of a much more melancholy sort. It will be five years ago tomorrow, (23 rd of April), that my much loved brother Ian passed away. Time flies so fast. Ian's photograph hangs on the wall of my studio, (as it has done these last five years). In the photograph, he is perpetually fixed at the age he was when we last toured together in 2004, his saxophone forever in his hands, eternally blowing his own personal blues. If only I could share a stage with him now. I've said this before but, I don't think I'll never recover from the shock of losing Ian. He left me, my mum, his family, with an emotional scar that never seems to heal. In that sense, we carry sweet Ian with us to the end of our days. We each of us, family members, bear him up in our own way, conjure his presence, remember his life, over and over and over again. My mother admitted to me the other day that she can't let Ian go, despite the passing of time. I understand perfectly how she feels, 'though I worry about how unhealthy this might be for her at the age of 82. Mum has become a constant source of concern for me. The unfair, shameful and cruel treatment she suffered as a result of the combination of losing her youngest son and then, a few years later, her husband, is hard to deal with. I try so hard to persuade her that life is still open for her, that she should seize opportunities and break out of the darkness that she has inherited, but her sense of loss and betrayal is hard to vanquish, though I continue to encourage her towards that goal. Last weekend, we took Mum to Knaresborough and Harrogate for the day. Sitting in the open air by the River Nidd in Knaresborough, eating warm apple pie and cold ice cream in the pleasant spring sunshine was a simple but lovely treat for us. We later had dinner at Graveley's Fish Restaurant in Harrogate, which Mum always enjoys whenever we take her there. But, sunshine aside, work is ever present . I've been pre-occupied with the EMI Be Bop Deluxe re-issues, (which are progressing at a veritable snail's pace). Lots going on with this, project but not enough to make sufficient progress, despite the time it seems to be stealing from my life. Until this thing is completed and put to bed it seems that the Cherry Red career retrospective box set will be on hold. I've spent many weeks, and indeed months, dealing with the proverbial 'Past' this year. I'm often accused of being dismissive of my career history, (though not without cause, in my opinion). You know, it's not as if I haven't given birth to a single musical idea since the 1970's, (unlike some artists). The opposite is the truth. The '70's constitute a fraction of my creative life. If anything, they are the aberration, the 'blip,' the wobble in the ether that surrounds me. In retrospect, they don't define my deeper sensibilities at all. Still, maybe this year is a consolidation of things, an illuminated viewing of the bigger picture, not just a lazy reflection of some cobwebby, long lost, teenage nostalgic past. Next month, (7th of May), I'm giving a concert in Sheffield as part of the city's annual 'Sensoria' festival. This will offer a deliberate contrast to the recent 'Legends' show. No '70's material will be performed whatsoever...no Be Bop Deluxe material or Red Noise either, in fact, no singing or rock music at all. Just me, solo, with a handful of shining guitars, a selection of my videograms, slo-mo, home-thoughts, drifting dreams. A gentle release, freedom, a pleasant opportunity to be absolutely myself rather than the ghost of someone else's past. I'm very much looking forward to it. Before then, LOTS to do. A new 12 minute long piece titled 'Happy Realms Of Light,' to work on, plus the mastering of backing tracks, (at Fairview, with John Spence), of the 15 other instrumental pieces set for inclusion at the Sheffield concert. A haircut to book with Steve too, before then. Also, videograms to co-ordinate, (with Paul's DVD assembly assistance), plus all sorts of other concert-live performance issues related to the upcoming Sheffield show. I'm way behind with all of this and, as usual, really should not be writing up diary entries. But: I feel guilty if I don't and guilty if I do... Books by my bed at the moment are: 'Homage To Pan.' (a book about the art and occult practices of Rosaleen Norton) by Neville Drury. 'Eighty Years Of Book Cover Design' by Joseph Connolly. 'The Wonderful Future That Never Was' by Gregory Benford. 'Ode To The Countryside, Poems To Celebrate The British Landscape.' (Edited by Samuel Carr.) 'The Gift (How The Creative Spirit Transforms The World.)' by Lewis Hide and 'Did You Really Shoot The Television? (A Family Fable.)' by Max Hastings. Meanwhile the Easter Caravan Tide overwhelms us: The seemingly endless arrival of mobile homes in the two fields next to our house...obese people with dogs parading up and down the lane, our kitchen window like a tv set attracting their curiosity: "Oooh, look! Country folk eating their dinner!" It resembles a crowded mobile housing estate out there at the moment. An infinity of little white boxes on wheels. I can't see the attraction of this sort of thing at all...getting away from home, only to park shoulder to shoulder with a couple of hundred other caravans packed into the same field? Not my idea of an escape from the daily grind, I'm afraid. But I guess some people prefer being amongst a crowd to quiet solitude. I guess I'm simply not the social type. Unfinished album projects: 'Model Village' and now, it seems, 'Fantasmatron.' (More of which later.) Enough diary for today. ***** The images accompanying this diary entry are as follows:- 1: Bill at Castle Howard surrounded by Spring. 2: Bill's Mum and Emi at Castle Howard, Spring 2011. 3: Bill's original artwork for the limited edition 'Sensoria' performance t-shirt. 4: Bethany Nelson, Ian Nelson's grand-daughter. 5: Ian's grave in Wakefield Cemetary, Spring 2011. 6: A flyer/advert for the 'Fantasmatron' album. Top of page

Pink and Clean ep - 1998 Honeytone Cody Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Ancient Guitars A collection of Bill's guitars and various other stringed instruments... More coming soon!

Chill & Kiss album - 1992 Ramon Tikaram Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Co-Producer, Guitar, Percussion and Synthesizer Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

The Dead We Wake With Upstairs Drums Bill Nelson single - 1992 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 1) The Dead We Wake With Upstairs Drums 2) Boat To Forever 3) So It Goes NOTES: The Dead We Wake With Upstairs Drums is a CD single issued by Venture (Virgin) Records to promote the Blue Moons and Laughing Guitars album. All 3 tracks were lifted from that forthcoming album. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Although the single is long out of print, the Blue Moons and Laughing Guitars album is available as a digital download. Singles Menu Future Past

Saturday 30th September 2006 -- 9:00 pm O.k...I know. I've been absent. From both this diary AND the Dreamsville website. Had to hide away and concentrate on the intensely time-consuming work that will hopefully provide this year's Nelsonica Convention attendees with something very, very special. No choice really, it was a matter of 'head down' or 'off with his head'. I would have been for the proverbial chop if I hadn't got everything together in time. Maybe I still haven't, despite all efforts. It's been a tremendously long haul, this one, and not 100% finished yet...some things still to complete... but, I've finally got close to seeing it all through to its conclusion. The amount of work that goes into these annual events is staggering. Impossible for someone viewing it from the outside to appreciate just how much effort is needed. Not just the input from myself, ('though this year's Nelsonica has a more direct, personal touch than previous years), but from the dedicated, talented and loyal Nelsonica Team whose enthusiasm and expertise helps to make the day so unique. Although the convention lasts for just one single day, there have been several months of constant, concentrated, hard work from all sides to make it a day to remember. As noted in earlier diary entries, my own schedule has been dominated by the wide-ranging creativity that this year's Nelsonica has demanded. I'm shattered by it all at the moment. It's required a daily effort to pull it all together. I don't know whether my age makes the going harder each year, or whether it's just that I've attempted to give even more of myself to the various projects than before. I definitely think that my standards are higher, though perhaps I'm far too obsessive about minor details, (even though it could be argued that I've always been that way). Ultimately, I have no idea how much of this fanatical attention to detail will become apparent at Nelsonica. I guess that it will look pretty much effortless on the day. Nevertheless, the bite that this thing has taken out of my life is quite something. No one to blame for these struggles but myself, of course. I don't really need to put quite so much into it, it's just that I feel compelled to do so and am subsequently exhausted by it. Here is a list, of things achieved, giving an idea of some of the preparatory work of the last few months: 1. The writing and recording of a limited edition Nelsonica album, 'Arcadian Salon' and it's cover art and packaging. (LOTS of tracks on it too.) 2. The creation of an autobiographical video-film presentation, ('Memory Codex Number One'), exclusive to Nelsonica, lasting almost 40 minutes and capturing in images, text and music the essence of my early life. It is a 'sketch' or preliminary draft of what will eventually be a much longer and more complex work. It is also quite likely that this special screening will be the only time that this particular version of the film will be seen in public. Of course, this version is not perfect but I just hope that people will sit and concentrate on it, try to follow its drift and not treat it as a background piece. It took almost four weeks of long hours per day to get this finished for the convention, preliminary work or not. Perhaps it deserves attention for that reason alone. 3. The creation of a continuous musical soundtrack score to the above film.This will appear on an album in the earlier part of next year, along with some other recently recorded but previously unreleased material.The soundtrack occupied a great deal of my time too. 4. The creation of an hour-long, pre-recorded, radio show featuring myself as presenter and dj, playing and talking about early musical inspirations from my childhood and teenage years. I've chosen some very early musical memories to present to the listeners...from Freddie Gardener, through Danny Kaye to Chet Atkins and Johnny Smith with lots of stops in between. This will constitute part one of 'Radio Dreamsville' and will eventually be available as a Dreamsville website broadcast, 'though aired for the first time ever at this year's Nelsonica. 5. The preparation of a live instrumental performance, lasting approximately 90 minutes. I've just settled on what will probably be the final choice of tracks and running order for the set. 19 pieces of music in all. now I have to start checking through equipment and getting repairs done, then pack it all ready for transportation. I also still have to write out my 'charts' to guide me through the various pieces of music. This latter takes time. 6. The creation of several brand new pieces of music to be included in the above performance. Nine of which made it to the set. (I've still been working on this aspect of the event today.) 7. The involvement, in the above live performance, of Theo Travis and Dave Sturt, (who sometimes operate as the duo 'Cipher'), who are planning to join with me in an improvisational trio, to which I've given the name 'Orchestra Futura.' I've created an almost ten-minute long 'foundation' track for us to play over. The piece is titled 'FEVER DREAM OF THE STARLIGHT MAN.' It's a compelling, complex, modal, polyrhythmic piece. It may not frighten the horses but it may bewilder the artistically faint of heart. At least, that's my intention. 8. A special section of the convention will be given over to a tribute to my much loved and deeply missed brother Ian who passed away in April of this year. There will be rare video presentations of his work with Fiat Lux and a chance to hear the last music he ever recorded, (a cd of original material by Ian and his musical partner and good friend, John Nixon). 9. A 'live on stage' interview with myself conducted by Leeds University School Of Music's Senior Lecturer Simon Warner. Simon's appearance at last year's Nelsonica provided the audience with an insight into the pop-cultural inspirations and influences that underpin my work. This year's interview will deal with songwriting and it's methods and inspirational energies. Maybe I'll learn something. I've often wondered how I do it. 10. I've yet to prepare, (but will, in the end, probably improvise), a free-ranging talk about guitar philosophies and inspirations. This will include video illustrations and an audience question and answer session at its conclusion. I've already chosen some video illustrations for the talk. Not sure how wise my choices are though as they will definitely make my own guitar playing appear quite amateur by comparison. Impossible to compete with the likes of Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Charlie Bird! 11. I've created and framed 16 original artworks for the traditional annual Nelsonica auction. Along with these, there will be a rare electric guitar of mine and some Red Noise memorabilia offered for sale. 12. I've yet to create any ambient video projections for my live performance. This visual aspect may, due to the above heavy workload, end up being somewhat compromised, (or even missed out altogether), but no-one can say I've not tried my best under the circumstances, particularly considering everything else I've attempted to achieve this year. Ultimately, there's only so much one person can do, no matter how stubborn my persistence. Still, I have to sympathise with those who may regard the ordeal of just looking at me, sans projections, all alone on stage, as somewhat depressing. Believe me, even I'd prefer something projected behind me to distract the audience from the ugly old creature clinging to all those beautiful guitars. You know..."What's a lovely guitar like you doing hanging 'round that old goat's neck?" But...luck being on my side, it should fall in place on the day, even though as you can tell from this diary entry, dear reader, that it's been a long hard slog, one way or another! Oh, the above list doesn't take into account things such as the 'Return To Jazz Of Lights' album which will, I can confirm, be available for the very first time at the convention, before its 'official' release. (Once the convention is over, it will be available for general purchase through the Dreamsville Department Store.) As regular diary readers know, I'm proud of this album and, along with 'The Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill,' 'Dreamland To Starboard' and the two 'Rosewood' albums, I consider it one of the more personal and satisfying achievements of my recent solo career. And you know that I'm a difficult cove to satisfy. Then there is the forthcoming re-issue, (first time EVER on cd), of the 1980's 'Getting The Holy Ghost Across' album, which, for a limited period only, I've managed to license from the mighty Sony Records. (Mighty maybe, but virtually oblivious to my musical worth.) There will be a unique chance to hear a preview of this re-issue at Nelsonica, time permitting. The album will be officially released in November on my Sonoluxe label. There will also be an opportunity to hear my recent mixes of some extremely rare and previously unreleased Be Bop Deluxe live recordings from the 1970's which are scheduled for inclusion as part of an EMI Records special boxed set next year. There are a few other surprises in store for convention attendees...Those who secured tickets for themselves as soon as they became available will be glad that they did so. The event was, amazingly, sold out within a couple of weeks of its announcement and there has apparently been a waiting list of people eager to gain tickets in the event of any cancellations. Does all this lovely and loving interest in my work make me nervous? Damn right it does! It's 12 months or so since I last appeared or performed in public and I'm definitely feeling slightly freaked out about playing live again. (The word 'slightly' reveals an attempt at understatement.) I have, however, chosen to focus on instrumental works for this convention, not being in a vocal mood at the moment, for various reasons too complex to go into here. So the first person to shout out 'Ships In The Night' will be taken out back and his underwear searched for signs of boorish insensitvity. And if it happens to be a female person, I'll undertake the search myself. (Did I really say that?) I've just been reading George Melly's wonderful, 'Slowing Down' book and have gained encouragement from the revelation that even at an advanced stage of decrepitude, it's still possible to have a scandalous moment or two in the, er...lets say,er.. 'erotic' deparment. (Third floor, ladies corsetry and gentlemen's relish.) Of course, Emiko has been instructed to pour me a cup of medicinal libido-suppressive tea if I become a little too frisky at the thought of this. Failing that, a stern look and a slap on the wrists will suffice. All in the interests of my blood pressure you understand. But back to the music. Rest assured, I'm gearing up for a major vocal/song-oriented project for the coming year. (Apparently, the'chicks' go for that sort of thing. ;-) Can I take my tongue out of my cheek now? (Oh, sorry, dear, didn't realise it was in YOUR cheek!) What AM I like?!! This Nelsonica concert, the only live performance I've agreed to during 2006, will be centred on the instrument that has fuelled my imagination for so many years: the electric guitar. As will several aspects of the rest of the convention. The performance itself is called 'Guitar Dharmas And Bleeping Electricals,' a whimsical title but, as attendees will discover, a perfectly apt one. I've actually included several new pieces created especially for this performance. Actually, there are now more new backing tracks than I can practically incorporate into the set, but even so, I've managed to squeeze NINE of them, all brand new, into the already packed concert agenda. This still leaves some further unheard tracks waiting in the wings for the 'Painting With Guitars Volume 2' album which will be completed early next year, all being well. So, here is a preview of the Nelsonica Concert set list: Bill Nelson Nelsonica 2006 Set List. 1. 'This Very Moment.' 2. 'I Always Knew You Would Find Me.' 3. 'Blue Amorini.' 4. 'Imperial Parade.' 5. 'Blackpool Pleasure Beach and The Road To Enlightenment.' 6. 'Naughty Boy, Dirty girl.' 7. 'Time Travel For Beginners. 8. 'Steamboat In The Clouds.' 9. 'A Day To remember.' 10. 'Panorama Park.' 11. 'The Girl On The Fairground Waltzer.' 12. 'Happily Haunted.' 13. 'A Dream For Ian.' 14. 'Two Brothers Test The Kite Flying Winds.' 15. 'Transoceanic.' 16. 'A Telescope Full Of Stars.' 17. 'Fever dream Of The Starlight Man.' (To be performed with ORCHESTRA FUTURA.) 18. 'Artifex.' (Possible Orchestra Futura involvement.) 19. 'Beyond These Clouds, The Sweetest Dream.' Other things that have occupied me of late: The final stages of the development of my Campbell American Signature Model 'Nelsonic Transitone' guitar, (including the signing of the limited edition certificates that will accompany each guitar sold). Dean Campbell has been trying to get a completed guitar over to me in time for the convention but has been held up by a couple of outside suppliers, mainly the case manufacturer and the supplier of the custom made 'Atom' symbol 12th fret marker. (Cutting these atom inlays is a skilled job and it takes a while to get them perfect.) As a compromise, the guitar he will send me for Nelsonica will be missing some minor cosmetic details but I'm assured that I will be able to exchange this for a fully completed production model in a month or so's time. Dean called me the other week to ask if I could let people know, via the Dreamsville site, that these production models are not yet ready but, as soon as they are, an announcement will be made. (Both on the Campbell Website and here in Dreamsville.) Apparently, Dean has been getting swamped by calls from people who have either ordered the guitar in advance or who would like to order one. His message to customers is to please be patient and wait for the official starting gun. We will inform potential buyers and those with a deposit as soon as things are ready to roll. Not too long now though, all being well. The guitar is looking fabulous in the photo's that Dean has sent me of the partially assembled instrument. The colour is super-vibrant. I've christened it 'Rocketship Red.' With its cream and smoke grey pickguard and gold hardware, the guitar should be both beautiful and unique to behold as well as sonically exciting. Guitars still bring sunshine into the dark corners my life. I received a great new model from Eastwood Guitars a few weeks ago, their re-issue of the early '60's Airline 'Town And Country' model. Three pickups, more controls than Dr. Who's Tardis and a retro-art-deco design that wouldn't look out of place in a classic Flash Gordon Saturday matinee cliffhanger. It will also be making an appearance at Nelsonica, along with some other favourite guitars of mine. (And a couple of other surprises.) For all the stress that live performance brings, playing in public does allow me to take my guitars out 'for a proper run' and it's satisfying to share their sound and visual charms with an audience, rather than keeping them selfishly to myself in my recording room. I'm just as excited about the visual aspect of guitars as I was as a beginner, all those long, lost years ago. I sometimes sit contemplating my favourite instruments, hardly believing my luck. What a wonderful thing, what a privelege, to be able to dedicate one's life to something so musically rewarding. Of course, all this creative activity has its downside. As mentioned above, I really HAVE been pushing things too hard and I've definitely felt the consequences of this, health wise. Some worrying issues which, with my usual paranoia concerning all things medical, I've ignored, avoiding seeking a doctor's advice. Thankfully, most of these have improved of their own accord and I think it is mainly stress and tiredness that is affecting me at the moment. Nor do I suppose that much will change until the convention is over and I can ease off the fast pedal for a little while. I do need to recover from this year's exertions though. Nevertheless, projects are already stacking up for the post-Nelsonica months. Hopefully, I'll be able to deal with them at a more leisurely and humane pace than recent months have allowed. But I must try to take a little break before starting again, if only a weekend away somewhere with my patient and loving wife. Working on the live set list for the Nelsonica performance has also held an emotional impact for me. My brother Ian was originally planning to join me on stage for much of this year's Nelsonica set. AND the concert in Leeds next Spring. The two of us spoke about this, the last time we saw each other, just two weeks before he died. He was looking forward to it as much as I. This last week, whilst going through some of the older material to select pieces for the performance, I was forcefully reminded of previous concerts where Ian and I had stood alongside each other on stage. There will be difficult moments during this year's Nelsonica set where his spiritual prescence will be tangible but his physical loss deeply painful. It's something that I won't be able to avoid, other than by giving up playing these pieces altogether, but Ian, I know, wouldn't want that. He'd tell me to get out there and play. And so I'll try. But I'll be missing him so much. Forgive my melancholy mood. It's unavoidable I suppose. On the domestic front, there have been repairs to external windows and doors and, finally, the completion of the house's exterior paintwork. The new colour scheme I've chosen, of Buttermilk and Peridot, really suits the old brickwork and ivy clad walls. (The ivy goes a spectacular shade of red in the Autumn too.) This renovation/repair work has required me to be constantly present at the house so I've had to forgo aspects of my creative work that might have taken me away from my recording room for a while. I now have to catch up with that side of things. Guitar repairs and so on. It will feel a little bit like being let off the leash. The house's interior needs attention too, and in more than one area. One of the house's two bathrooms (the en-suite one) has been out of commission since our ill-fated brush with MFI and is still in need of renovation. The kitchen is now seriously ready for an overhaul. It's starting to look like a 19th Century cow-herder's hut, with dripping tap and lime encrusted walls. All I need is some straw on the floor and a few chickens. Actually, our neighbours already have the latter. A 21st Century version of 'The Good Life' 'though Emi and I are more of the Margot and Jerry type, (were those their names?) than the Barbara and Tom couple's 'back-to-the-land' pseudo-rusticism. Perhaps I've got their names wrong...it was a 1970's tv series after all. Actually, I'm probably more like Margot than Jerry, being insufferably snobby at times and just as partial to low cut dresses and canapes. More tea vicar? And more household problems: Our living room tv set has been broken for several weeks now, the Sky digi-box has packed in completely, the hi-fi has given up the ghost long ago and both Emi's car and mine are virtually on their last legs. (Or wheels.) But I've had no time spare to deal with organising repairs due to the long hours I've been putting into the music. My mind gets focussed on work and everything else is forgotten. Perhaps, once Nelsonica is over, I can attempt to tackle some of these domestic issues, one at a time. A headstone has now been ordered for Ian's grave and should be in place by Christmas. Despite moaning about my workload, I have managed to make fairly regular visits to the cemetary in Wakefield to place fresh flowers and to quietly remember our years together as brothers. The 'Memory Codex' video I've made for Nelsonica contains some very touching images of the two of us when we were just innocent kids. It's terribly poignant in places. One thing I've had to acknowledge is that a certain amount of my health problems of late have been caused by a kind of suppressed, interiorised grief. The truth is, I've been and still am suffering from depression over Ian's loss. It's a submerged anguish, the silent cry of an angry creature gripped by tentacles of despair. Black, green and dark. I've tried to help my mother deal with her own deeply felt bereavement but, underneath it all, despite my own advice, I guess I'm struggling too. I'm not putting on a brave face so much as wearing a mask. The plunge into such an intensely self-punishing work schedule has, in part, been a desperate attempt to escape the reality of what has happened. But sudden awakenings in the middle of the night have brought a confrontation with the finality of it all, cold realizations that have been difficult, sad and painful for me. It's impossible to accurately put these things into words. I just don't have the language for it. Nor does anyone else suffering bereavement.There's a hopelessness at the bottom of this particular emotional pit that I find extremely debilitating. I just need to work my way through it to something approaching equilibrium. Right now, it's all mood swings and extremes. Lots of well meaning advice from people and, of course, lots of well meaning advice from myself to my mother. But it's all noise and static at the end of the day. It can be tuned out. In truth, Mum, Diane and Ian's children, Ian's friends and myself have no option but to walk on these burning coals until we feel their pain no more. One day, (I'm told), the coals will become just glowing embers, warm, happy memories of Ian's life and a final acceptance of its outcome. Right now though, it's something else entirely. More future projects for me: Pomona Books have approached me with a proposal to publish volume 2 of 'Diary Of A Hyperdreamer.' I had some reservations about the merit of a further printed volume of these diaries but the Pomona have pursuaded me that it's an artistically valid project, so I think I'll give it a go. I'll sort it out in November/December. I also have had an offer from Sound-On-Sound publications to publish my autobiography. This isn't complete yet so I need to spend a large part of next year working on it. I've completed the period from birth to leaving school but that still leaves an enormous amount of writing and research for the rest of the book. It will be a large publication and, all being well, may have an accompanying DVD documenting parts of my earlier life. Still no definite news regarding the Paul Sutton-Reeves authored biography 'Music In Dreamland' but I understand that there have been some behind the scenes proposals to try and get it finally into print. It's been a difficult time for Helter Skelter as the company's guiding light and main man has become seriously ill. His health is of much more concern to me than the book though and I accept that patience in needed. It will surface when the time is right for it to do so. There will soon be discussions regarding the content of the EMI Be Bop Deluxe box set, mainly in terms of my contribution to its booklet text and images. Mark Powell, the independent researcher whom EMI employ to remind them of what treasures they have in their back catalogue, is planning a visit to interview me for the project. I also have to make a start on the 'Ghosts Engraved On Glass' video-film that I'm to present at Leeds University's School Of Music next spring. The 'Memory Codex' video I'm presenting at Nelsonica is, as already noted, a kind of rehearsal or dry run for that project. It's enabled me to see what material I have already and how much more I need to locate to bring the project to a fuller conclusion. A lot of work to do here. There is review of the forthcoming re-issue of 'Getting The Holy Ghost Across' album in the latest issue of 'Record Collector' magazine. Not a bad review at all but, (and Mark P should really know better), the album wasn't produced by John Leckie, as Mark's review states, but by myself. It says as much on the tin. Credit where credit is due and all that. Actually, there was a similar error from Mark P a while back when, in another review for Record Collector, he stated that I'd worked with Ryuichi Sakamoto on my 'Chimera' album when in fact it was Yukihero Takahashi. Next time he visits our house, I'll give him a gentle refresher course! He's a nice guy though and wrote a very good book called 'The Ambient Century' in which I feature alongside some of my contemporaries. For those new to this kind of music, it's an enlightening read. Time is passing and here I am, still typing. There are other things that I'd like to deal with in this diary entry but, already, I'm feeling guilty for spending so much time writing it when I should really be working on the final details of Nelsonica. So...I'll turn my attentions back to the job in hand. Nearly there now. Lord, I hope it all comes together on the day. Top of page William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) September 2006 Jan Apr May Jun Jul Aug Oct Nov Dec 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013

Six String Super Apparatus Bill Nelson album - 1 December 2016 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Blackpool Pleasure Beach And The Road To Enlightenment 02) Nebulous Trolleybus 03) Andromeda Gardens 04) A Telescope Full Of Stars 05) Dance Of The Cosmic Signaller No. 2 06) Preamp 07) Hotel On Wheels 08) Spacehopper 09) Naughty Boy, Dirty Girl 10) When The World Was Beautiful 11) Happily Haunted 12) Two Brothers Test The Kite Flying Winds ALBUM NOTES: Six String Super Apparatus (Painting with Guitars Volume Three) is an instrumental album issued on Nelson’s own Tremelo Boy Records. The album is the third volume in an ongoing series entitled Painting with Guitars , which collects songs that Nelson had been performing live over the previous two decades, but which had yet to find their way onto albums. The first volume was The Romance of Sustain , the second was Plectrajet , and the fourth will be Astral Overdrive (scheduled to be released in 2017). Volumes two through four of the series were assembled during a 1 month stretch starting in February 2015. The project was the fulfillment of a long-standing promise by the artist to release the hoard of tracks, some of which had become favourites of fans who attended his live performances. In fact, the final track selection for these volumes were partly shaped by a small number of Dreamsville members who would remind Nelson of particular tracks they remembered fondly. The series also marked the end of an era for Nelson, who had all but given up live performances, due to continuing problems with his hearing. Six String Super Apparatus was issued as a download only release on December 1st, 2016. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Romance of Sustain , Plectrajet , Practically Wired , Fantastic Guitars, Plaything , The Awakening of Dr Dream , Confessions of a Hyperdreamer , Modern Moods for Mighty Atoms , Luxury Lodge , Tripping The Light Fantastic BILL'S THOUGHTS: "There are a few rarities amongst these...some pieces that have only been performed live once or twice, but some more regular numbers too, which have featured in my solo concerts more frequently." _____ "It's an album loaded with guitars and will form a further component in the gathering together of tracks from my concerts.” _____ "There's a certain adjunct between rock music and jazz which can often be missed by the casual listener. I'm thinking here of the free-flowing lines of Jimi Hendrix which have often been compared to the 'sheets of sound', or 'constant flux' approach to music such as those of jazz luminaries like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Albert Ayler and Ornette Coleman, (to mention just a few possibilities). This open-ended, unscripted, spontaneous attitude towards playing is frought with dangers but also potential wonders. It requires a kind of bravery, a willingness to step out beyond the familiar, pre-scripted lines that most musicians rely on and literally 'launch one's self off the cliff' and hope that fair winds and flying boats will carry the music into the blue sky. As the years go by, (and weigh more heavily on me), I'm increasingly drawn to the potential for entirely spontaneous playing, a sort of instant composition approach, but with nothing in mind other than the starting point with everything else being left entirely to chance. Sometimes this will bring melodic ideas to bear, other times abrasive ones, other times subtle inflections and sophisticated nuances, and othertimes just a sheer, exuberant, torrent of sound. Listening to today's transfer of my live solo concert tracks for the Six String Super Apparatus album, I was struck with the apparent open-ended, improvistional approach that emerged from the recordings. I'm not for one second implying that my music is in the exalted John Coltrane sphere...but, at times, it does seem to have something of the same spirit. A free, blowing, 'go wherever it will' attitude, which I find both flawed and yet perfect at the same time. It creates something with a combination of beauty and grit." FAN THOUGHTS: Big Dunc: "First impressions...Bloody Superb" andygeorge: "This is pure guitar heaven! Bill will probably dismiss this as a side project, something he can knock out in his sleep, (which he probably can!)...but, boy, this sounds soooo good!" Coach Matt: "Blackpool Pleasure Beach and the Road to Enlightenment": "Need I say anymore, as the hair elevates on my skin. This track grabbed me right away. Just makes me want to plug in, crank it up and play along. Fabulous guitar playing over a smashing, smooth bottom groove. Takes you sailing away on blissful roller coaster ride. I just dig this style of Bill and can never get enough! The groove and guitar is edgy, yet charming." Peter: "It is a guitar lover's dream come true – it has rock, jazz, blues, ambient...it has everything, the entire Bill Nelson canon collected in one place. Every technique, every effect...all interwoven into Bill's usual sterling compositions. Each song offers moments of "Oh, wow..." and "Oh, that's SO good". All instrumentals, this album has power, emotion, style, delicacy, grace, polish, joy...it is a showcase of Bill's mastery of both songwriting and guitar playing. It is a masterpiece." Pathdude: "This is another album of gorgeous Bill Nelson guitar music. If you liked Romance of Sustain or Plectrajet , you'll like this one. Quite a variety of sounds and styles. Personal favorite track right now is "When the World was Beautiful". Bravo Bill, another masterpiece!" Comsat Angel: "As always, another outstanding album!" RJR: "Very nice collection of songs. I don't know if it was intended, but at times there seem to be certain guitar playing that hearken back to the 80's, even some BBD." Neill_Burgess: "Six String Super Apparatus is a treat for anyone fortunate enough to have seen and heard Bill playing any of these tracks live in recent years, and it's a treat for anyone who missed the concerts. So, basically, it's a treat!" "It's a fairly varied set (space blues, big guitar heroics, gentler numbers) and the tracks fit together to form a coherent whole. Personal favourite is the joyous opener "Blackpool Pleasure Beech and the Road to Enlightenment". If you like Practically Wired , or the aforementioned The Romance of Sustain and Plectrajet , you'll love this." Sauropod: "I'm finding nowadays that whenever Bill releases a new album, it usually takes several listens to take it all in, even approaching things from a guitarist's point of view. They have a consistently high quality to them which I really appreciate and enjoy. "Andromeda Gardens" - This still remains my favorite track from the album after repeated listens. The use of a baritone guitar (?) on it sets the song apart from all the others on the album. One word sums it up - sublime. "Happily Haunted" - This is the one song from the record with a really memorable hook. If I were a record exec, this would be the one I would choose as the single. Summary/rating: I would rate this as a "must buy". It is, in my opinion, amongst the top 10% of Bill's output." james warner: "As has been the case with previous relatively low-key releases, I find myself enjoying this album more immediately than some of the 'fanfare' releases. Maybe it's because there is no concept to it, just a collection of really good tunes. There is a sense of sass and strut about many of the tracks, suggesting Bill was relaxed and having fun recording it. There are dreamy interludes, too, so this is an album with something for everyone." Prey: "WOW, the wizard of Wakefield brings the big notes to us for Christmas! An amazing journey through guitar heaven, thank you!" Albums Menu Future Past

Guitar Tablature A fantastic selection of songs that Dreamsville regular Twilightcapers has give n his very own interpretation of. These may not be 100% accurate, we'll leave it for you to decide! After all...only Bill knows how they were actually played!!! If you're new to guitar tablature, check out this handy tutorial! Be Bop Deluxe Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape Autosexual Axe Victim Beauty Secrets Between The Worlds Bird Charmers Destiny Blazing Apostles Blue As A Jewel Bring Back The Spark Crying To The Sky Crystal Gazing Dangerous Stranger Darkness (L'Immoraliste) Red Noise A Better Home In The Phantom Zone Acquitted By Mirrors Art/Empire/Industry Atom Age Don't Touch Me (I'm Electric) For Young Moderns Furniture Music Out Of Touch Radar In My Heart Stay Young Stop/Go/Stop Substitute Flesh Wonder Toys That Last Forever Down On Terminal Street Electrical Language Face In The Rain Fair Exchange Forbidden Lovers The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow Heavenly Homes Islands Of The Dead Jean Cocteau Jets At Dawn Jet Silver And The Dolls Of Venus Kiss Of Light Life In The Air Age Lights Like An Old Blues Love In Flames Love Is Swift Arrows Lovers Are Mortal Love With The Madman Maid In Heaven Make The Music Magic Mill Street Junction Modern Music Suite Music In Dreamland New Mysteries New Precision Night Creatures No Trains To Heaven Orphans Of Babylon Panic In The World Piece Of Mine Possession Quest For The Harvest Of The Stars Rocket Catherdrals Shine (Live Version) Ships In The Night Sister Seagull Sleep That Burns Soundtrack Speed Of The Wind Bill Nelson - Solo A Kind Of Loving A Month Without A Moon A Private View Banal Bloo Blooz Chymepeace (An Ending) Contemplation Decline And Fall Do You Dream In Colour? Dream Ships Set Sail End Of The Seasons Eros Arriving Flaming Desire Flesh The Golden Days Of Radio House Of Sand Kid With Cowboy Tie Lacuna The Lamp Of Invisible Light Living In My Limousine Love's A Way Mr. Magnetism Himself My Electrical Empire Northern Dreamer November Fires The Ocean, The Night And The Big, Big Wheel The October Man October Sky Ordinary Idiots The Passion Photograph (A Beginning) The Raindrop Collector Rejoice Sad Feelings See It Through The Weather Song White Sound Stage Whispers Superenigmatix Surreal Estate Swansong Third Floor Heaven Twilight Capers

Plaything Bill Nelson album - 25 January 2004 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) The Revenge Of The Man In The Burning Ice-Cream Van 02) A Prayer To Sleep With Mercurial Women 03) Come To Me In My Dreams 04) Beauty In A Sparkly Bra 05) Nipples Of Venus 06) The Embarkation Song Of The Last Fast Airship 07) Luana 08) Spanish Galleons Cruise The Sunrise 09) Lagoon 10) Lost Planet Sunset 11) Six Legged Critter Singing In The Trees 12) Rainclouds Over Paris Of My Dreams ALBUM NOTES: Plaything is an album of guitar instrumentals issued in a one off pressing of 500 copies on the Universal Twang label. Much of the material on this album stemmed from the same sessions that had produced The Romance of Sustain . Plaything was first made available on the evening Nelson performed a solo set at the Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford. As with Nelsonica '03 , attendees could purchase a second copy to forward to fans who couldn't attend the show. The few remaining copies were then made available for sale at the Rooms With Brittle Views website. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Romance of Sustain , Plectrajet , Dreamland to Starboard , Custom Deluxe , Wah-Wah Galaxy , Sparkle Machine , Gleaming Without Lights , Loom , Astroloops , And We Fell Into A Dream , Quiet Bells , Awakening of Dr Dream BILL'S THOUGHTS: " Plaything is a unique album in some ways, (and not least because it has absolutely wonderful cover art by my friend Frank Olinsky). "There are some unusual tracks on the album, covering a lot of guitar oriented, musical-instrumental territory ie: twisted, wah-wah, avant noise guitar and free-jazz piano on the track "The Revenge of the Man in the Burning Ice-Cream Van". Romantic, nostalgic sonic cinema in "The Embarkation Song of The Last Fast Airship". And psycho-erotic music in "A Prayer to Sleep with Mercurial Women" as well as poetic, yearning, melancholic dreaminess in "Raincloud Over Paris of My Dreams". "It's perhaps a slightly overlooked album of mine...but nonetheless a deeply satisfying one, at least in my opinion." _____ "The Embarkation Song of The Last Fast Airship": "an 'operatic' guitar instrumental, (if you can imagine such a thing). Flying from a flowery meadow across a crystal cityscape whose architecture looks like a combination of a 'Little Nemo' dreamtown and the 1920's towers of 'Metropolis'. The airship floats away to the coast, carrying its gorgeously attired passengers into an art-deco sunset." _____ "A darkly erotic listening suggestion..."A Prayer to Sleep with Mercurial Women" from the Plaything album. This track uses various noisy by-products of amplification and the muted crackle of acoustic ambience as a backdrop for a piece that sounds, to my ears at least, like a half-demented, perverse Flamenco player, struggling with a steel stringed acoustic guitar whilst simultaneously trying to resist being sexually entertained by a crazy, full-bosomed, high-heeled bordello madam wielding a vintage 1950's tremolo unit. Our poor guitar player, after experiencing a little more mercurial shenanigans than he'd initially bargained for, finally exits on a rattling tram, vowing to be more careful about what he prays for in future." FAN THOUGHTS: Westdeep: "Plaything is an essential purchase. For me it is one of a golden trio from that period along with The Romance of Sustain and Dreamland to Starboard . They are all subtly different but all wonderful instrumental albums...Wonderful stuff." Douglas Barry: "The album was inspired after Bill received a gift, and listening to it again I wondered if this might have been an early seedling that eventually blossomed into Signals From Realms of Light . Either way, for me, both albums demonstrate Bill's unique talent and consummate inventiveness with sound beyond the guitar that remains undiminished from one year to the next. And long may his muse cajole him!" Peter: "This is a really fun album. Just have to say that the song titles on this one brought a smile to my face. The music had me grinning more than a few times also, with joy. A couple tracks feature acoustic guitar, which is nice to hear, as Bill can really play. "Lagoon" stands up for me with anything Bill has done recently and "Rainclouds Over Paris of My Dreams" is an ethereal wonderland. One can sense that Bill really enjoyed making this one. And, not to be overlooked, the cover design is fantastic!" fricker: "Well, just sitting in the garden wondering which album to play and plucked Plaything out. What a choice! Forgot how good it is. Anyway, was drifting when "Lagoon" came on. What an atmospheric track that is. I could have been on a dessert island! And before anyone says it - No I haven't had a drink or anything else. Fantastic Bill. You put me in the Caribbean for the price of a CD." wadcorp: "Absolutely love Bill's work with samples. "Come to Me in My Dreams" is one of my top fave Bill tracks. The voices capture my imagination in that one." Sue: "Come to Me in My Dreams": "I remember the house where I was born" fits so beautifully into the music on that track, I love it. And I also love "Come to Me in My Dreams" so much that I had it tattooed onto my wrist. In fact, I love Plaything , it's a fabulous CD." Pathdude: "Lost Planet Sunset": "is one of my all time faves. Definitely the highlight of the album for me." james warner: "A strong, but judicious use of guitar effects creates a series of beautiful instrumental soundscapes. Music to float away on!" Dar: "Just have to say that this is now on my Top Five List of Bill's releases. Headphone heaven, baby. Hypnotic dreamsville of guitars and noises from an electrified wonderland. Impossible to even choose only 5, yet this one is filled with so much that is quintessential Bill that it's an easy pick." "Six-Legged Critter Singing in the Trees": "This track is my favorite example of an evolving, loop-constructed piece that just keeps on morphing subtly from one minute to the next. It stays in the same general area and becomes more detailed and embellished...6-legged changes it's skins but not its bones, and became an instant classic as soon as I heard it; utterly engaging and hypnotic. It's more about playing various parts over the basic loop rhythm and chord progression; whatever, the effect is amazing and I always wished more were like this." Albums Menu Future Past

After The Satellite Sings Bill Nelson album - 30 April 1996 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Deeply Dazzled 02) Dreamster 2.L.R. 03) Flipside 04) Streamliner 05) Memory Babe 06) Skull Baby Cluster 07) Zoom Sequence 08) Rocket To Damascus 09) Beautiful Nudes 10) Old Goat 11) Squirm 12) Wow! It's Scootercar Sexkitten! 13) Phantom Sedan (Theme From Tail-Fin City) 14) Ordinary Idiots 15) V-Ghost (For Harold And Ellen) 16) Blink-Agog Digital download version bonus tracks: 17) Ordinary Idiots (Original Demo) 18) Ordinary Idiots (Live At Nelsonica 03 ) ALBUM NOTES: After the Satellite Sings is the third album recorded for Resurgence, and saw Nelson return to Fairview Studios over the Winter of 1995 to produce what would be his final album recorded in a commercial studio. After this, all of his solo output would come from his domestic recording set-up. The album is predominantly a vocal album that crosses several styles, including the then emerging drum 'n' bass genre that was a dominant part of the dance music scene in the '90s. Although promo material suggests the US release of After the Satellite Sings (on Gyroscope) was issued two weeks ahead of the UK version, their release dates appear to be effectively the same (US releases were typically issued on Tuesdays, UK on Mondays). The album was promoted with a 3 track 12" white label single (Nelson's final vinyl release for 16 years), which was issued free to subscribers of the Nelsonian Navigator . In the US, a 4 track CD promo entitled Four Songs From After the Satellite Sings was issued to promote the album, on which the track 'Dreamster 2.L.R' was called 'Tomorrow Yesterday'. A remastered version of After The Satellite Sings , was reissued in 2014 under the Esoteric/Cherry Red record label. In May 2025, the digital download version of After The Satellite Sings was released which included two bonus tracks: Ordinary Idiots (Original Demo) which was recorded at Bill's home studio prior to recording the main album, and Ordinary Idiots (Live At Nelsonica 03) recorded at 'The Duke Of Cumberland' in North Ferriby, with Bill's band at the time - 'The Lost satellites'. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "After the Satellite Sings is one of my favourite albums. In fact it functions as a key element amongst my recorded work and is an album that has apparently inspired other artists....Which is nice! "I had a great time making this album and it features some new departures for me. The whole project was written, performed, recorded and mixed in an intense 28 day session at Fairview studios, and despite the short amount of time available in the studio, I'm very pleased with the outcome." _____ "The album was an attempt to fuse rock and pop songwriting with the then cutting-edge rhythms of 'drum n' bass'. The album apparently inspired and influenced David Bowie's later 'Earthling' album, (according to then Bowie collaborator and guitarist Reeves Gabrels). It's an album I'm personally very fond of as, aside from the cool grooves it contains, it features some poetic lyrics and highly electrical guitar playing." _____ "At the start of the project, I went into the studio with no songs written or demo'd, just a rough idea of the overall concept and how I wanted the album to feel. I wrote the music as I recorded it, basically putting ideas to tape as soon as they came to me. It was a rush of inspiration, structures captured quickly whilst still materialising. "I would then take a cassette of a monitor mix, of whatever track I'd recorded that day, back to the hotel and, using a little ghetto blaster to hear it, sit on the edge of my hotel bed and dream up lyrics to suit the song. Next morning, I'd record a vocal using the previous night's lyrics, working out the melody lines as we ran through the piece. And so on, day by day until the album was completed and ready to mix. A continuous process from day one, (with absolutely zero preparation and no pre-composed music), to finished, mixed album. Some bands would still have been trying to get a drum sound together." _____ "I recall driving from Albuquerque to Phoenix, back in the 1970's. What a romantic, fabulous trip that was. Listen to those beat generation influenced tracks that are hidden away on After The Satellite Sings and you'll pick up on my U.S. romantic fantasies..." ALBUM REVIEWS: Review by Dmitry M. Epstein FAN THOUGHTS: Puzzleoyster: "The essential, and still essential, groundbreaking, After the Satellite Sings . That album broke my nuts for sure - you got an hour of pure." Bloonoise: "You's can name all the classic albums you like but if I ever got marooned on some desert island this is the album I'd pick to go with me above all others and I'd probably never want to leave either!!! Yeah that's the stuff for me-ee." Tony Raven: "I had one to simply recommend, it'd be After the Satellite Sings , an excellent range of depth & complexity, yet (in my opinion) the one that'd most readily gain widest airplay, as the nuances don't overshadow the "pop sensibilities"." Peter: "A big favorite of mine...I remember listening to this album for the first time upon its release and thinking that it possessed a sense of optimism and raw energy that I loved." "The whole thing just DOES IT from beginning to end. As with all Bill's work, it can be described as INSPIRED." Johnny Jazz: "One of my favourite albums, it's got a few wonderful 'Grooves' and 'Chops' this one." Da kril: "The sonic masterpiece that is After the Satellite Sings - each track more bona fide than the last, all fairly crackling with energy and invention." alec: "Wow! It's Scootercar Sexkitten": "is an irresistible number that is just the right length (leaves listener wanting more). I liked "Squirm" right away, too, for many reasons and one of those reasons was that it made me laugh. There's just so much going on in the track and I always appreciate when Bill throws in a strange-sounding voice. Eventually got addicted to all the tracks." paul.smith: "Deeply Dazzled": "is a superb track - the whole album took me by surprise in the mid 90's - it took a bit of time to settle in to it all those years ago but...16 years later...no ipod shuffle for that album - suffice to say...lower the lights, light the lamps and keep all channels clear, say a few mantras, turn off the mobile and listen to the whole thing in its entirety - a seminal album of the 90s." Dar: "That scratchy, staccato lead sound, at the same time the notes flow freely and fluently...I mean, who does that?!. Our Man Flint, that's who. "Old Goat" is still my top pick; always was and always will be. I'll never get over the perfect solos on that; it just has a sublime, mystical quality to it, while driving all the way in an epic groove." "The story in that song was like nothing I'd ever heard in a song at that time, woven in such colorfully descriptive ways. A great tapestry of images; a contrasting and complimentary mix of airy, esoteric musings, serious mystical evolutions, and playful, visceral goat-dancing. I was already hooked, but that was a song for my soul; I thought "here's a man of vision, and I like what he sees"." A Lad Inane: "Rocket to Damascus": "is one of those songs that I always put on repeat. It's catchy, energetic, well produced, multi-layered, and downright fun." soteloscope: "Zoom Sequence": "Groovalicious bassline in the middle and at the ending. Total disco dancing warfare going on." Merikan1: "When you get around to it, crank up "Ordinary Idiot". Holy sh*t Batman!" Jon Wallinger: "This album is one that is very close to my heart. Bill borrowed my keyboard for the recording sessions at Fairview Studios and it still brings a smile to my face hearing some of the distinctive sounds used." December Man: "Oh, what joy awaited me when I walked into a small 'used' record store to find a NEW BILL NELSON CD there for sale! And you could 'sample' it ahead of time! Ear phones soon leaped onto my head, and though the drumming felt completely alien for a BN record, the lyrics, the guitars, the vocals were just so familiar and such a welcoming noise for sore ears, I began to blissfully writhe right there in the aisle! ATSS made me fall in love with that BN sound all over again, but in a new way and with the internet now available, I soon bought my first computer and, of course, magically, joyfully, gratefully found that Bill had never really gone away, and that there was a 'community' of Nelsonians out there (the old website) and now here we are!" JovialBob: "I was also knocked over when I got After the Satellite Sings and couldn't stop playing it with a huge grin on my face." "I have to say that for pure musical energy and excitement it has to be After the Satellite Sings cos this is the album I come back to over and over. For me it is just such a complete record. Almost every track is a winner and when I attempt to wake people up to the genius of Mr N, this is the most grooooovy and exciting album to entice them with...Don't wait - Get ATSS !" Albums Menu Future Past

Luminous Bill Nelson album - 15 April 1991 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download Tracks: 01) A Luminous Kind Of Guy 02) Tiny Aeroplanes 03) Bright Sparks 04) Is This Alchemy? 05) Language Of The Birds 06) All I Am Is You 07) Life In Reverse 08) Telepathic Cats 09) Two Hearts Beating 10) Blood Off The Wall 11) She's Got Me Floating 12) It's Ok 13) Burning Down 14) Her True And Perfect Serpent 15) Wait For Tomorrow Digital download version bonus tracks: 16) A Luminous Kind Of Guy (Acoustic Version) 17) Her True And Perfect Serpent (Acoustic Version) ALBUM NOTES: Luminous is a vocal album issued on vinyl, cassette and CD, in what turned out to be a one – off album deal with Imaginary Records, a UK independent company. It would also be Nelson's final album to appear on vinyl or cassette, CD having become the dominant format by the time he was ready to release the follow up in 1992. The songs included on Luminous partly came from an aborted attempt to form a new version of Be Bop Deluxe, but the project stalled with the musicians having undertaken a week long rehearsal in 1990. When the demos for that project had no natural home, Nelson used them to fill approximately half of the Luminous album. The material on Luminous was recorded at the newly christened Studio Rose-Croix, Nelson's home studio set-up that had supplanted the Echo Observatory. Imaginary Records eventually lived up to its name and ceased to exist from 1994, and Nelson has stated he received little if any payment for his work. The album was deleted and remained out of print for 18 years. A remastered version of Luminous, was reissued in 2012 under the Esoteric/Cherry Red record label. In April 2025, the digital download version of Luminous was released which included two bonus tracks: A Luminous Kind Of Guy (Acoustic Version) and Her True And Perfect Serpent (Acoustic Version), which were recorded during the same sessions that produced the original album and were exclusive to the digital download at the time of release. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Some of the demo tapes I made for Be Bop Mk 2 found their way, eventually, onto the Luminous album, and a couple more of these may also have surfaced even later, on Blue Moons . But they were not recorded for that purpose originally. They were simply home-made demos, (for the band to learn the songs from), with me playing all the instruments, rather than finished, polished recordings. Then again, almost everything I released during the mid 80's through the 90's I regarded as demos or rough sketches. I was hoping for a chance to re-record some of the songs with a proper band in a proper studio but, as this never materialised, I ended up releasing the rough tracks as albums." _____ "Whilst I often referred, in my sleeve notes, to that period of my music as being of 'demo' quality, I think it's fair to say that such descriptions were down to my own subjective hyper-self-critical sensibilities, more than to any reasonable objective assessment. Time has placed these recordings less in the demo category and more into the 'cool lo-fi' bag. I don't think there's anything for a listener to be cautious about or for me to apologise for. Considering the primitive technical resources that were available to be at the time, they're little miracles of sound and song." FAN THOUGHTS: mr manchester: "This is an album I know well (one of my favorites) and I was pleasantly surprised at the remastering, the sound is certainly different than the original, a warmer sound with a less harsh top end. Whatever it is, I find it hard to describe...but it's great. To mind, it's not Lo-Fi...(that always brings to mind overly distorted, badly played guitar, plodding fuzz bass and navel-gazing muttered vocals)...it does have a simplicity and economy of instrumentation that works well for the songs, they have space to breathe." "One of my faves is "Two Hearts Beating"...I love the opening line of the song, "It's raining all over the world". The album contains some of the most beautiful, yearning lyrics and heartfelt melodies ever committed to tape. It's hard to believe these songs were created so rapidly. "Improvised, spontaneous songwriting" indeed! It's a while since I listened to an album in such depth and I really enjoyed listening properly." felixt1: "I am a great believer in 'first takes'...let the soul command the body, use the force, etc." WalterDigsTunes: "That little gem of a disc was responsible for really kickstarting my addiction to Bill's music." Fraser: "I've always had a soft spot for Luminous Bill, I think it's a cracking little album." Returningman: "Not one to be forgotten that's for sure. Jam-packed with luscious melodies and strangeness." Quinault: "Stronger than Blue Moons." alec: "Luminous is fantastic, through and through, and listening again, it's another masterpiece." "Love the vox riffing on "The Language of the Birds", and the overall sense of doubt and simultaneous spiritual high therein." Holer: "The standout tracks are "Burning Down", a funky, guitar driven throw-down of a number with Bill singing some wonderfully abandoned falsetto, and the incredibly weird "Language of the Birds", which features Bill chanting his lyrics over a semi-industrial soundscape before breaking into another crazy falsetto workout. This last tune is reminiscent of the more experimental sound Bill seemed to be moving toward around the time of Love that Whirls and really stands out as a strange and unique track." soteloscope: "Luminous has been a mainstay on the car radio during our family drives these past months. My 4 year old son requests "Tiny Aeroplanes" over and over." Alan Cawthorne: "The songs on the albums are demos with Bill wishing to capture the idea - the birth of a song in its barest state. Listeners have to appreciate the idea when listening." Opium: "Not many musicians are artists. Nor can you often delve so easily through notes and tremolo as you can through the strokes of a brush. I'm sitting listening to Luminous , both guilty and illuminated. The lyrics proposition. The hearts beat a bass line, the climax a searing guitar solo. I would guess it requires a contempt for the past in order to achieve self portrait after self portrait. Taking further manifestations for granted so that our truest loves are never a part of the past." tommaso: "All in all, it's really one of those albums of Bill's that I cherish most." Albums Menu Future Past

Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars Bill Nelson album - August 1992 Albums Menu Future Past TRACKS: 01) Ancient Guitars 02) Girl From Another Planet 03) Spinnin' Around 04) Shaker 05) God Man Slain 06) The Dead We Wake With Upstairs Drums 07) New Moon Rising 08) The Glory Days 09) Wishes 10) Angel In My System 11) Wings And Everything 12) Boat To Forever 13) The Invisible Man And The Unforgettable Girl 14) So It Goes 15) Fires In The Sky 16) Dream Ships Set Sail ALBUM NOTES: Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars saw Nelson return to a major label for the first time since 1986 – and maybe had the album taken off, bigger and brighter things may have followed. This is a further example of Nelson having completed a set of demo tracks, which he intended to revisit and flesh out with a full band, only for those plans to be changed, and the demos to be issued rather than see them gather dust. Originally the album was issued in CD and cassette, and for the first time in 10 years Nelson would achieve a simultaneous US release of a new album (with the added bonus of not having to amend the track listing or artwork to suit record company moguls or the moral right wing elements of society). It was rarely this simple for the collector of Nelson's work! CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Though now deleted in a physical format in 2008, the album was reissued as a digital download through major online retailers. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The album is one of those collections of recordings that I regarded as demos or 'sketches' at the time. I'd originally intended to re-record these songs in a proper studio, possibly with a band, though this never proved viable. Virgin were interested enough to release the demos as they were. "It's interesting to see that some people are fond of the album now as it wasn't so well received at the time...at least in terms of sales. It didn't take long for it to become a 'lost' or overlooked work. Perhaps, like many of my albums, several years need to pass before the music starts to feel like it might belong to the mainstream, and therefore become acceptable." FAN THOUGHTS: bradford mick: "My fave being Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars , it's so full of colour, mystery, symbols and intrigue." alec: "I can remember crying after listening to "So It Goes" from Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars . Trying to find that exquisite emotional connection again was elusive but did happen a few times, after that, with that song." Dar: The most powerful album cover: "maybe Blue Moons and Laughing Guitars . Lots of powerful medicine there." "Had no idea what any of the symbolism on the cover was about at the time, thinking "this is an interesting person"." Paul Andrews: "Earlier on this evening I was playing Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars and thinking "this is bloody wonderful!"." Grey Lensman: "Some great musical moments throughout the album. Textured, woven and crafted with that outstanding ear for detail and harmony that Bill has." Anorak: "I'm not one for listing things in order, but if I did then surely this album would be in my top five of Bill's work at the moment, although I still have many more future albums of Bill's to listen too." tommaso: "I bought Blue Moons way back in the early 90s, and having become a Bill fan via his 80s electronic work, I was almost shocked to hear so many guitars on the album (especially because I couldn't stand 'rock' music at the time). But guitars or not, it immediately became one of my favourites among all of Bill's albums and has remained so ever since. "New Moon Rising", "Angel in My System" and especially the utterly beautiful final song, "Dream Ships Set Sail" are my favourites, and I agree that there isn't a single weak moment on the whole of the album." mthom: "Don't forget "The Invisible Man and The Unforgettable Girl", quite possibly MY desert island classic...A shining example of Bill's irony, word-play and heart on its sleeve. And not to mention the blazing guitar work and thundering drums. Oh my." G. Vazquez: "A favorite of mine as well...If I need to choose just one among all Bill's albums to keep, it would be that. Years ago, in times of (emotional) trouble, this record helped me a lot." Mr. Mercury: "Blimey Charlie, I tell you, from "God Man Slain" on, this is a fantastic record! It sounds great in 'demo/sketch' form, but if this album had been given the full studio treatment/label support it deserved, I truly believe it could have been a MASSIVE record!...can you imagine it?!!...(sigh) "I think this album is easily your most immediate, accessible and 'mainstream'. Not as complex as Golden Melodies or your other recent material, but a collective of simple, perfect pop songs." wadcorp: "Blue Moons & Laughing Guitars is still one of my all-time faves. Gee, the denizens of Dreamsville tend to say that quite a bit." Albums Menu Future Past

Lovesnake album - 1991 Jean Park Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer of two songs: "Your Body in Soap" and "Feel Like A Wheel". Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Shining Reflector Bill Nelson album - 8 December 2014 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) BC1675 02) Up In The Attic, Down In The Lab (Hubble Bubble And Starshine) 03) Watchword (A Return) 04) How Near We Are 05) Snoozy Winks 06) Beyond All This 07) Our Lucky Stars 08) Rapture Parade 09) December Days-Diamond Bright 10) Starlight And Moonbeams 11) Shining Reflector 12) It's A Comic Book World 13) Come Closer And See My Dreams 14) The Girl In The Glass Aeroplane ALBUM NOTES: Shining Reflector is an album mixing vocal and instrumental pieces issued in a one-off print run of 500 copies on the Sonoluxe label. The material included on Shining Reflector was created during the Stereo Star Maps sessions when that album was planned as a double. In the end Nelson decided to split the material into three different releases (Swoons and Levitations being the third album), and Shining Reflector was available within a month of Stereo Star Maps . Issued on 8 December 2014, it sold out in an impressive 10 days. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Dream Transmission Pavilion , Swoons and Levitations , Perfect Monsters , Stereo Star Maps , Clocks & Dials , Modern Moods for Mighty Atoms , Secret Club for Members Only , Return to Jazz of Lights , Plectrajet BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Shining Reflector contains vocals and instrumentals recorded earlier this year but has a different feel to Stereo Star Maps . It's a bit more up-tempo and slightly 'pop-rocky' but it has a wide-screen sonic quality too." FAN THOUGHTS: jetboy: "There's smoke coming out of my ears at the moment. In parts it's dirty, electric, loud, playful. It soars, sweeps, twists and turns. Catherine wheel guitars. It's the new thing." andygeorge: "Bloody hell Bill! Shining Reflector is a wonderful breath of fresh air, an instant attention grabber, frequently made me stop what I was doing to take in what I was hearing...some albums take a while to sink in, but this one hits me like a train wreck! Brilliant guitar work by Bill and for those yet to hear it...it'll knock your socks off!! Love it!" noggin: "I'm happy to report its well up to Bill's usual high standards. I've listened to it three times thus far and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Quite how Bill remains so prolific yet continues to produce albums of such consistently high quality though, remains one of the mysteries of our age." BobK: "Beyond All This": "is what they call achingly beautiful." Face In The Rain: "IMHO Shining Reflector is one of the best albums Bill's made since Orpheus in Ultraland and, like Orpheus , is exactly the sort of album BBD would be making now (well of course it is, you idiot, because it was made by the bloke in BBD, wasn't it). Sorry. I'll get my coat." "Bill's music brings me a lot of joy and I want him to know that and to go on making it whatever health and financial tribulations he's beset by. Call that sucking up to teacher, but I don't mind." Merikan1: "As I commented in another post, this is a great time to be a Bill Nelson fan. The hits just keep coming. Stereo Star Maps , Quiet Bells , Shining Reflector . One and all to my taste and among my new favorites. All sit nicely with many other classics such as Palace , Signals , (going back a bit now), Secret Club , Gleaming , and at least a dozen others. No other artist I can think of produces so frequently and consistently such amazing music. Thank you." Prey: "If I had to pay Bill Nelson for every smile, every tear, every bright start to a day or every calm ending that he's responsible for...he'd own my house, car and girl friend. Keep on truckin' Bill." Albums Menu Future Past

Loose Routes: One album - 1991 various artists Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Guitar on three tracks:- "A Little Bit Of Nelsonia", "Outro To The Friend" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy". Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Modern Music Be Bop Deluxe album - 10 September 1976 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this 2-CD Set TRACKS: 01) Orphans Of Babylon 02) Twilight Capers 03) Kiss Of Light 04) The Bird Charmer's Destiny 05) The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow 06) Bring Back The Spark 07) Modern Music 08) Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) 09) Honeymoon On Mars 10) Lost In The Neon World 11) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids 12) Modern Music (Reprise) 13) Forbidden Lovers 14) Down On Terminal Street 15) Make The Music Magic ALBUM NOTES: Modern Music is the fourth album by Be Bop Deluxe. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London during June 1976, and maintained the band's profile in the UK while adding to their international reputation in North America. Modern Music was the first Be Bop Deluxe album to feature an identical line up, in the form of Bill Nelson, Simon Fox, Charlie Tumahai and Andy Clarke. By now the band was establishing itself on the North American touring circuit, without forgetting about their home support. To have delivered two successful albums in one calendar year while undergoing a gruelling touring schedule is therefore all the more impressive. The album appeared on vinyl and cassette, and was promoted by the release of the single Kiss of Light , which failed to repeat the success of their previous release. Vinyl copies were released in a single sleeve, and the record was housed in an inner sleeve bearing lyrics to all songs. For North American radio use, Modern Music was promoted by a special "Banded for Air Play" edition, which featured a modified track listing. When reissued on CD in 1990, EMI elected to enhance the album by adding 6 bonus tracks, although the tracks they included were more relevant to other Be Bop Deluxe albums, instead of the the Modern Music sessions. If you no longer kept your vinyl copy, and require song lyrics, then this CD edition satisfies that need, and the informative sleeve notes penned by Kevin Cann provide useful context. In April 2017 Cherry Red and E soteric R ecordings , who, since 2011, have done so much to raise the profile of Bill Nelson's solo recordings from the period 1980 to 2002, acquired the rights to release the Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise material issued between 1973 and 1979. While this resulted in the deletion of existing physical editions, Cherry Red kept Modern Music on catalogue from 1 June 2017 via the usual download sites such as Amazon and iTunes while an expanded edition was prepared for a 2019 physical release. On 6 December 2019 Modern Music became the third Be Bop Deluxe album to be issued as a Deluxe Edition comprising: a freshly remastered version of the original album. a 2019 remix of the full album. 2 unreleased studio recordings. previously released live 'BBC In Concert' recorded for Radio. a bonus CD of a previously unreleased "official bootleg" of a performance at The Riviera Theatre in Chicago in March 1976 recorded for FM Radio. the original album presented in a 5.1 mix and the previously released OGWT appearance from November 1976. The album was presented in a triple fold out digi-pack and contained a 68 page booklet with an essay penned by Bill Nelson, previously unseen photographs from the period, postcards and a replica poster. A 2CD edition of the album was also released at the same time as the Deluxe Edition featuring Discs 1 and 2 which also replaced the standard download edition. The full track listing for the Deluxe Edition is: Disc 1: 01) Orphans Of Babylon 02) Twilight Capers 03) Kiss Of Light 04) The Bird Charmer's Destiny 05) The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow 06) Bring Back The Spark 07) Modern Music 08) Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) 09) Honeymoon On Mars 10) Lost In The Neon World 11) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids 12) Modern Music (Reprise) 13) Forbidden Lovers 14) Down On Terminal Street 15) Make The Music Magic Bonus Track 16) Shine (B-Side Of Single) Disc 2: 01) Orphans Of Babylon (New Stereo Mix) 02) Twilight Capers (New Stereo Mix) 03) Kiss Of Light (New Stereo Mix) 04) The Bird Charmer's Destiny (New Stereo Mix) 05) The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow (New Stereo Mix) 06) Bring Back The Spark (New Stereo Mix) 07) Modern Music (New Stereo Mix) 08) Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) (New Stereo Mix) 09) Honeymoon On Mars (New Stereo Mix) 10) Lost In The Neon World (New Stereo Mix) 11) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids (New Stereo Mix) 12) Modern Music (Reprise) (New Stereo Mix) 13) Forbidden Lovers (New Stereo Mix) 14) Down On Terminal Street (New Stereo Mix) 15) Make The Music Magic (New Stereo Mix) Bonus Tracks 16) Shine (New Stereo Mix) 17) Forbidden Lovers (First Version) 18) The Bird Charmer's Destiny (First Version) Disc 3: 01) Maid In Heaven (BBC In Concert 1976) 02) Bring Back The Spark (BBC In Concert 1976) 03) Kiss Of Light (BBC In Concert 1976) 04) Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape (BBC In Concert 1976) 05) Fair Exchange (BBC In Concert 1976) 06) Ships In The Night (BBC In Concert 1976) 07) Twilight Capers (BBC In Concert 1976) 08) Modern Music (BBC In Concert 1976) i. Modern Music ii. Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) iii. Honeymoon On Mars iv. Lost In The Neon World v. Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids vi. Modern Music (Reprise) 09) Blazing Apostles (BBC In Concert 1976) Disc 4: 01) Fair Exchange (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 02) Stage Whispers (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 03) Life In The Air Age (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 04) Sister Seagull (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 05) Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 06) Maid In Heaven (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 07) Ships In The Night (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 08) Bill's Blues (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) 09) Blazing Apostles (Live 1976 – Previously Unreleased) Disc 5: 01) Orphans Of Babylon (5.1 Mix) 02) Twilight Capers (5.1 Mix) 03) Kiss Of Light (5.1 Mix) 04) The Bird Charmer's Destiny (5.1 Mix) 05) The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow (5.1 Mix) 06) Bring Back The Spark (5.1 Mix) 07) Modern Music (5.1 Mix) 08) Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) (5.1 Mix) 09) Honeymoon On Mars (5.1 Mix) 10) Lost In The Neon World (5.1 Mix) 11) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids (5.1 Mix) 12) Modern Music (Reprise) (5.1 Mix) 13) Forbidden Lovers (5.1 Mix) 14) Down On Terminal Street (5.1 Mix) 15) Make The Music Magic (5.1 Mix) Bonus Tracks 16) Shine (5.1 Mix) 17) Forbidden Lovers (First Version) (5.1 Mix) 18) The Bird Charmer's Destiny (First Version) (5.1 Mix) 19) Forbidden Lovers (BBC Old Grey Whistle Test - November 1976) 20) Down On Terminal Street (BBC Old Grey Whistle Test - November 1976) PAST RELEASES: The album can be found in a number of guises. The 1990 CD edition was released as a physical CD, but strangely not as a download in its own right. The album without the bonus tracks was included in the budget box set Original Album Series (2014), as well as on Disc 3 of the Futurist Manifesto box set (2012). Extra songs on the 1990 CD: 16) Futurist Manifesto 17) Quest For The Harvest Of The Stars 18) Autosexual All 3 are Drastic Plastic outtakes and were all previously on The Best Of and the Rest Of . "Futurist Manifesto" was the b-side to the Japan single, and was therefore on Singles As and Bs. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The 2-CD set is available for purchase in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Modern Music came directly from my experiences on the American tour. I'd been exposed to American culture for years, through movies and television and music so I imagined that when I got there it would be something very familiar. But it was so foreign that it seemed almost like being on another planet." (from an interview in Guitarist Magazine, 1996) _____ "The entire "Modern Music Suite" for instance, is about my experience of touring the USA but has sequences that seem surreal and dream-like." _____ "I've used voice samples for more than 30 years...the intro to Be Bop Deluxe's "Modern Music Suite" being an early example. I like the way a voice sample can add an enigmatic spin to an instrumental." _____ "The voice/radio collage at the start of the "Modern Music Suite" was a combination of random radio dial spinning and some deliberately chosen recordings." _____ "You'll notice, if you have heard all the band's albums, that, after Sunburst Finish , the music becomes slightly less guitar focused and moves into synthy textures with the guitar becoming sort of 'orchestrated' or integrated into the songs, rather than constant up-front solo improvisations. The emphasis switches to songwriting on Modern Music and to more surreal/sci-fi atmospheres on Drastic Plastic before flipping over into the near-future dystopian moods of Red Noise. But those first three albums were intended to bring the guitar playing thing to the fore." _____ Commenting on the Modern Music watch and badge from the cover: "I thought up the idea and gave a written description/drawing of the style of the items. They were actually made by the same BBC props department who provided gadgets for the 'Doctor Who' tv series at that time." ALBUM REVIEWS: Review on Prog Rock Music Talk Review on God Is In The TV Review on ProgNaut Review on Louder Than War Review on Spill Magazine Review on Goldmine Magazine Review o n At The Barrier Review on Exclusive Magazine Review on Sea Of Tranquility Review on LMNOP Review on Part-Time Audiophile Review by Michael Doherty Review on Music Street Journal Review by Dmitry M. Epstein Review on Musoscribe FAN THOUGHTS: Prey: "I go back to that afternoon in the 70's when listening to Modern Music for the first time when an emotion washed over me that the music I was hearing was the music of the future, unlike anything else at the time. Modern Music was a revelation for me at that point, it affected me deeply and I never forgot that day." paul.smith: "Modern Music is my favourite Be Bop album - I've always seen it as a concept album full of many rich layers, twists and turns and real musical cohesion." Debtworker: "Modern Music is the album where I really came on board, as a Be-Bop Deluxe fan. The music is still as fresh today, as it was all those years ago. It's a great album packed full of well crafted songs and tight melodies, whilst still pushing Bill's musical boundaries - even though he was constantly touring America at the time, if I remember right." TwentySmallCigars: "I've been a fan of Be Bop Deluxe (and eventually Bill Nelson) since the mid-70's when a friend of mine bought a copy of Modern Music because Ace Frehley mentioned Bill as one of his favourite guitarists in an interview in Circus Magazine." Mick Winsford: "Modern Music is for me, my favourite BBD album. There's just something really special about this album, from the opening acoustic riff of "Orphans of Babylon" to the the simple beauty of "Make the Music Magic". This was the second BBD album I heard (SF being the first one) and that image I have of me traipsing up stairs on Xmas night with my copy of MM in my hands and putting it on the stereo for the first play has never left me. I loved it from the first play and haven't fallen out of love with it since." Steve Zodiac: "Like many here I've been a listener of Bill's music since the seventies. I have clear memories of playing my Modern Music LP over and over as a teenager; it must have been Christmas '76 when I asked mum & dad to buy it for me as a present and I remember being absolutely bowled over by it. I had already seen BBD live at the Liverpool Empire 23 Jan 1976; I think that may well have been the first gig I ever went to. I saw them again Feb 1978 for the Drastic Plastic Tour and saw Red Noise in March 1979." Parsongs: "Sunburst Finish , purchased at Korvette's in Matteson, IL, right after seeing BBD for the first time. Within a month, I returned and bought Futurama and Axe Victim . After seeing BBD about 8 months later, I returned and bought Modern Music (first time I ever saw a rock & roll band in business suits!!)." CoachMatt: "Bill, I am, and believe all of us here are enjoying the journey with you. Ever since running home from school to hear Scott Muni of WNEW, New York City play the whole side two of Modern Music !" Tourist In Wonderland: "I met Charlie backstage during the Modern Music tour after a show and he was indeed a very nice person. He greeted us warmly and made us feel very welcome...he was very open and friendly and yes, he did have that lovely warm smile on his face...from my experience, he was a true gentleman...in fact I still have a tour program that Charlie and the rest of Be Bop signed, something I will never part with. Simon and Andy were equally friendly and it was a great atmosphere after a fabulous live performance...Bill had slipped off early via the back exit on this occasion, I think Jan waiting in a rather nice Jaguar XJS in the rear car park, if memory serves accurately?...wonderful memories..." Ged: "Modern Music will always hold special memories for me - remember the Newcastle City Hall gig Garry - mirror ball, videos in the background - absolutely wonderful - My son Mark (15 years of age) has taken all of my Be-Bop CDs into his room - (I haven't heard the Kaiser Chiefs or Franz Ferdinand for weeks!!) He absolutely adores Modern Music and its lovely to hear "Terminal Street" and "Orphans of Babylon" blasting from his music system - He asked me to get him a Be Bop Deluxe badge today. He saw Bill and the Lost Satellites twice last year and said they were awesome - a new generation Nelsonian." Zen Archer: "If I were the sort to make those comparisons, I'd say Modern Music was Bill's Abbey Road, but I'm not, so you didn't hear that from me." Albums Menu Future Past

Futurist Manifesto The Harvest Years 1974 - 1978 box set - 3 October 2012 Be Bop Deluxe Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: CD1 Axe Victim 01) Axe Victim 02) Love Is Swift Arrows 03) Jet Silver And The Dolls Of Venus 04) Third Floor Heaven 05) Night Creatures 06) Rocket Cathedrals 07) Adventures In A Yorkshire Landscape 08) Jets At Dawn 09) No Trains To Heaven 10) Darkness (L'immoraliste) Futurama 11) Stage Whispers 12) Love With The Madman 13) Maid In Heaven 14) Sister Seagull 15) Sound Track 16) Music In Dreamland 17) Jean Cocteau 18) Between The Worlds 19) Swan Song CD2 Futurama Bonus Tracks 01) Between The Worlds (Original Single Version) 02) Maid In Heaven (Live) Sunburst Finish 03) Fair Exchange 04) Heavenly Homes 05) Ships In The Night 06) Crying To The Sky 07) Sleep That Burns 08) Beauty Secrets 09) Life In The Air Age 10) Like An Old Blues 11) Crystal Gazing 12) Blazing Apostles Sunburst Finish Bonus Tracks 13) Shine 14) Speed Of The Wind 15) Blue As A Jewel 16) Ships In The Night (Single Edit) CD3 Modern Music 01) Orphans Of Babylon 02) Twilight Capers 03) Kiss Of Light 04) The Bird Charmers Destiny 05) The Gold At The End Of My Rainbow 06) Bring Back The Spark 07) Modern Music 08) Dancing In The Moonlight (All Alone) 09) Honeymoon On Mars 10) Lost In The Neon World 11) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids 12) Modern Music (Reprise) 13) Forbidden Lovers 14) Down On Terminal Street 15) Make The Music Magic Modern Music Bonus Tracks 16) Futurist Manifesto 17) Quest For The Harvest Of The Stars 18) Autosexual 19) Japan CD4 Drastic Plastic 01) Electrical Language 02) New Precision 03) New Mysteries 04) Surreal Estate 05) Love In Flames 06) Panic In The World 07) Dangerous Stranger 08) Superenigmatix 09) Visions Of Endless Hopes 10) Possession 11) Islands Of The Dead Drastic Plastic Bonus Tracks 12) Blimps 13) Lovers Are Mortal 14) Lights 15) Electrical Language (Single Edit) 16) Love In Flames (Single Edit) 17) Panic In The World (Single Edit) CD5 Bonus Tracks 01) The Saxophonist (Demo) 02) Visions Of Endless Hopes (Demo) 03) Blue As A Jewel (Demo) 04) Speed Of The Wind (Demo) 05) Possession (Rough Mix) 06) Maid In Heaven (Top Of The Pops Backing Track) 07) The Modern Music Suite (Live) 08) Forbidden Lovers (Live) 09) Down On Terminal Street (Live) 10) Swan Song (Live) 11) Heavenly Homes (Flashman Remix) NOTES: A 5CD box set which very nicely brings together remastered versions of all but three of the band's studio recordings issued in their lifetime. If that wasn't tempting enough in itself, then collectors were drawn to it by the inclusion of a disc of unreleased material and a few single edits including "Love in Flames" (which was presumably planned for 7" release but cancelled). The set was enhanced by a nicely illustrated booklet with sleeve notes on each album. Be Bop Deluxe's output had appeared previously of course (see Past Releases below), but this was the most comprehensive collection of their studio work to have appeared officially, and is unlikely to be surpassed or supplemented in future. Notable inclusions on this set are the previously unreleased live recordings from the tour that produced the Live! In The Air Age album (1977), including the full version of "Modern Music Suite" (which Nelson had to overdub to fix some missing parts), and "Swan Song" (appearing officially in its live version for the first time). "Forbidden Lovers" and "Terminal Street" are also included from the same recordings. In addition to this there are four demo recordings of songs written for Drastic Plastic , including the previously unheard track "The Saxophonist", alongside "Visions of Endless Hopes", "Blue as a Jewel", and "Speed of the Wind". The only downside is the omission of "Face in the Rain" (which remained exclusive to The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe double album...at least until the Esoteric Recordings super-deluxe box sets included it several years later), and the "Teenage Archangel"/"Jets At Dawn" single (their 1973 debut 7"). PAST RELEASES: Nearly four of the five CDs that comprise the Futurist Manifesto box set had been previously released on CD when the Be Bop Deluxe back catalogue was reissued in 1990, which is where most of the 'bonus tracks' could most recently be found prior to this repackaging of their catalogue. See individual entries of those albums for full details including vinyl editions of the same material. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This box set is now out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

Picture Post Bill Nelson album - 7 April 2010 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Sunny Day For A Happy Postman 02) Postcard To A Penfriend 03) Music Spins My Globe 04) I Send These Dreams To You 05) A Christmas Cowboy Outfit 06) Skimming Stones 07) In Anticipation 08) Shibuya Screen 09) September Promenade 10) Airmail Guitar 11) A Day At West Acre 12) Greetings From Surf Guitar Island 13) Beach Hut Beauties 14) Dream Of An American Streetcar 15) Mobile Homes On The Range 16) Surf King Sails In 17) Big Ship 18) Filigree Balcony 19) Clouds Drift North 20) The Toy Trumpet 21) Pageant 22) Emphatically Yours ALBUM NOTES: Picture Post is instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album was created from the soundtrack that Nelson was commissioned to write for a documentary called American Stamps , broadcast by the PBS channel. Attendees of Nelsonica '08 were treated to the premier showing of American Stamps on 1 November 2008. The album was recorded in 2007, and was originally to be released in tandem with another album, but the past practice of releasing albums simultaneously had proved uneconomic. So from Picture Post onwards Nelson's albums would appear on a 'one at a time' basis. Picture Post sold out in January 2022. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Pedalscope , Theatre of Falling Leaves , The Years , Model Village , All That I Remember , Sailor Bill , Albion Dream Vortex , Simplex , Chameleon , Caliban and the Chrome Harmonium , Map of Dreams BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Those of you who managed to catch the documentary television film the music was created for will have had a taster already, but the album presents the soundtrack in full focus without the documentary voice-over/narrative necessary to the film version. It's an album of 'miniatures', 22 short pieces of very detailed, lush sounding instrumental music. The closest I can get to describing it is to say that it combines the keyboard approach of Theatre of Falling Leaves with some of the orchestral textures of The Alchemical Adventures of Sailor Bill . This mixture is sprinkled here and there with electric guitar, sometimes in a slick, jazzy mood, sometimes in a chromium-plated, surf mood. There's also a touch of banjo and slide guitar. Oh, and a hint of electronica. It's a very fine sounding album that conjures interesting pictures in the listener's mind and, as always, it offers a different approach to the previous album." _____ "Each piece of music was created to reflect the thematic content of the relevant part of the documentary film. For instance, the music that I created for the chapter on musical stamps covers a variety of musical genres within its short time span, from Rock n' Roll thru jazz, modern composition, etc. The pacing of the piece and points where the stylistic changes occur are dictated by the real-time physical edits of the images in the film. In fact, these diverse images, their style and their pacing became the actual 'score' for each piece. None of the tracks were conceived separately from this 'score'...they were built for purpose, even down to leaving space for the documentary voice overs...the whole thing was carefully constructed as a harmonious whole. "However, I liked what this did to the music as it forces one to think in non-linear ways about composing and produces musical effects that might not 'normally' occur. Listening to the music without the visuals that it was designed to accompany was, for me, interesting and satisfying as it produced an eclectic and almost unpredictable listening experience. The result was something that I couldn't have achieved without the film's template." _____ "There's a nice twist in that all the stamps used as part of Picture Post' s package design are NOT authentic postal stamps as were used in the documentary film, but are actually fake stamps of my own invention, featuring images I chose and altered to represent my personal, 'imaginary' America. So, you'll see idealised skyscrapers, graphically-adjusted portraits of Orson Welles, Fred Astaire, Roy Rogers, Les Paul, Duke Ellington and Duane Eddy...also a cowgirl, Superman, etc. It's an idealised, mythical America that existed in my imagination long before I ever was able to visit the USA...an America I could only access, as a boy, via the imported medium of comic books, Hollywood films, jazz and rock n' roll music. By creating these non-existent stamps for the album artwork I was able to bring the project into the conceptual framework of my own experience, an expression of my own history." FAN THOUGHTS: steve lyles: "It's a fabulous album...both epic and intimate. "Postcard to a Penfriend" was an instant hit for me, as was "Shibuya Screen" and "Big Ship". As always, amazed at Bill Nelson's ability to make such interesting and beautifully textured music." mark smith: "Just had to share my fondness for the latest CD release from Bill and how much this little beauty has been making my busy driving of late a pleasure not a chore. It's been living in my car since it arrived in April and full of all those beautiful moments I have been looking for in other artists but is seemingly abundant in Bill's art. I just want to thank you Mr Nelson for these compositions and hope others enjoy this disk as much as I have." bobbyboy: "Got my copy a few days ago, and I cant stop playing it. And I finally saw the documentary, very nice, and informative. Loved hearing Bill in the background, it flows perfectl y!!! Where's my "grass skirt", it's time to hula again???" BobK: "This is a very charming, likeable and quite beautiful CD." major snagg: "This is smooth as silk. I was relaxing with a glass of wine, listening to this CD just last night. Bliss." felixt1: "I've always thought Picture Post was criminally under-appreciated! It is predominantly a keyboard album but the two guitar driven tracks are a couple of Bill's absolute best - "Music Spins My Globe" and "Airmail Guitar" - totally essential Bill Nelson guitar instrumentals. Overall, Picture Post has an undeniably feel-good vibe to it." "Music Spins My Globe": "This tune brilliantly captures the vibe of America in the fifties/early sixties. An absolute classic in my opinion..." "Air Mail Guitar": "the guitar playing on this track alone is worth buying the album for." Palladium: "A Day At West Acre": "really captures the wistful quality that runs through much of Picture Post . (The two guitar pieces it's sandwiched between aren't bad either!)" ladesco: "Beautifully melodic and lofty. Upward and forward...these heavenly oral veins waft, warp and wane toward new lights and heights of humanity. Earthly and grounded, majestic brush strokes direct and move the sound upwards, enlightening even the most disheartened vantage point to such a nether... Lovely! Thank you, Bill..." thunk: "Picture Post has been weaving wonders here too - At 1 mins, 30 secs of "Music Spins My Globe", I can just see this 'swing yer legs & kick yer shoes off'-type dance kicking-in to the brass swing section. And I've just been smitten by the lovely string arrangement on "A Day At West Acre" that comes in at around 3 mins, 12 secs...aaaaahhhhh..." Alan: "I know this is not Bill's first soundtrack, but he is very good at it. As someone else in another thread mentioned, I had a hard time paying attention to the dialogue, trying to hear the music...Once again, Bill has outdone himself. He's simply an amazing artist, and I'm glad to be along for the ride." novemberman: "What a gem!! I have to be honest - the idea of music to accompany a documentary on American Stamps didn't exactly excite my interest, but if you do not own this album don't be put off. For your money you will get 1 hour of sublime instrumental music of the highest quality, it's not a solely guitar album and has keyboard very prominent throughout. So if you don't have this yet put to the top of your SOS [Bandcamp] list for your next purchase." Albums Menu Future Past

Cinema Menu Christmas Greetings Enjoy these Christmas video gifts from Bill 'The Dreamsville Electric Sleigh Ride' - Christmas Video Card, 2025 'A Christmas Garland' - Christmas Video Card, 2024 'Bill's Christmas Guitar Shop' - Christmas Video Card, 2023 'Future Gothic Twang' - Christmas Video Card, 2022 An Electrical Christmas - 2021 72 Christmases On Planet Earth - 2020 The City Dreams Of Christmas - 2019 The Crystal Lights Of Christmastown - 2018 Variation On The Theme Of A White Christmas - 2017 Winterchyme Christmas - 2016 Christmas Guitars - 2015 A Guitar For Christmas - 2014 Yule Chime Dream - 2013 Silent Night - 2012 The Christmas Book - 2011 The Silver Bells Of Christmas Valley - 2008 Ghosts Of Christmas Past - 2007 Cinema Menu

Plectrajet Bill Nelson album - 10 August 2015 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) I Always Knew You Would Find Me 02) Time Travel For Beginners 03) Imperial Parade 04) Small Red Birds 05) Beyond These Clouds The Sweetest Dream 06) The Girl On The Fairground Waltzer 07) Electric Milkcart Blues 08) If I Was The Pilot Of Your Perfect Cloud 09) B-Movie Bug Boy 10) Neon Lights And Japanese Lanterns 11) Luxeodeon 12) Only A Dream, But Nevertheless ALBUM NOTES: Plectrajet (Painting With Guitars Volume Two) is an instrumental album issued in a one-off print run of 750 copies on the Sonoluxe label. The album is essentially a compilation of pieces that Nelson had been performing live over the previous two decades, but which hadn't yet found their way onto albums. The title Plectrajet had been around for about ten years also and was first suggested for the possible title (along with The Guitar Room ) of a compilation of guitar instrumentals from Nelson's back catalogue that was initially being considered in 2005. Although mentioned as recently as 2012, that compilation idea never saw light of day, and was supplanted by The Dreamer's Companion series of comps. The title then lay dormant until being considered simultaneously as a possible title for what became the Fantastic Guitars album, as well as for a proposed second volume of Painting with Guitars (both of which were works in progress in 2013). A second volume of Painting With Guitars had been an often mentioned idea over the years, although Nelson himself sometimes dismissed this as some of the material that naturally would have made up such a volume had been used on the Wah Wah Galaxy album. However, the popularity of this idea with fans would ensure that it never completely disappeared from the schedule of potential releases. The Romance of Sustain ( Painting With Guitars Volume One) was eventually reissued as a digital download in 2015, and was soon followed by Volume Two in physical form, to which Nelson assigned the title Plectrajet . Work began on the project in February 2015 and took approximately 1 month to complete, preparing a total of 33 tracks. No sooner had Nelson settled on the track listing for Plectrajet , he then assembled running orders for two further volumes (titled Six String Super Apparatus and Astral Overdrive respectively). As Nelson himself says, they represent "a farewell to an era". At the time of writing, Astral Overdrive is still in the pipeline of future releases. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Romance Of Sustain , Six String Super Apparatus , Sparkle Machine , Tripping The Light Fantastic , The Awakening Of Dr Dream , Loom , Practically Wired, Gleaming Without Lights , Plaything BILL'S THOUGHTS: "I've begun work on 'Painting with Guitars Vol 2' which has the working title of PLECTRAJET . This one has been a long time coming. It's basically gathering together some of the pieces I've performed live in my solo concerts over the years. I'm transferring the backing tracks from the CDs I use in a live situation to my multi-track recorder and adding the guitar parts to them, as if I was playing live. The tricky bit is getting the two components to sit together well. The backing tracks have a 'fixed' mix and individual instruments can't be re-balanced to suit the guitar overdubs. In a live situation, with all the vagaries of live sound, this doesn't present a great problem but in the studio, the situation is different. The tracks are exposed to much more scrutiny and their flaws become more apparent. Still, I'm treating them like a live performance and not aiming at sonic perfection...(actually, I have no choice in the matter), so hopefully the end result will be acceptable." _____ "There are a few rarities amongst these...some pieces that have only been performed live once or twice, but some more regular numbers too, which have featured in my solo concerts more frequently." _____ "There are three more volumes completed and coming out soon. They gather together all the tracks I've performed in my solo concerts over the years. 'Plectrajet' will be the first release of these." FAN THOUGHTS: Angie: "Oh I'm thrilled, I've been able to get this one..."Beyond These Clouds the Sweetest Dream" has been a favourite of mine for years so to have it on CD will be wonderful. In fact, my eyes are welled up at thought. "Imperial Parade" too. Another favourite. These tracks will bring back such happy memories of Nelsonicas and my Nelsonian friends." seakret: "All I can say is WOW. This is a marvel of guitar...This one is riveting." "Also wanted to point out that Plectrajet is an even more appealing treat for us Yanks since most of us yearn for a Nelsonica nearby but it was not to be. So these tracks, which bring great memories to many of you, are fresh as daisies to us!" novemberman: "Well what can I say...Plectrajet is absolutely superb!!! I have always been amazed by Bill's output, but with all that he has gone through over the last year or so, to produce music of this quality is simply astounding!! I do not know how you do it Bill, but thanks all the same." Axe Victim: "Love the way it sounds really raw and spontaneous." felixt1: "Great, happy, celebratory music and lashings of great guitar." andygeorge: "Imperial Parade": "Simply hypnotic, beautiful and mesmerising! Love it and the whole album, been playing it to death since I got it, all killer and no filler as they say...album of the decade from Bill if you're asking!" "Plectrajet for me is what defines Bill, I love his guitar based music and this album is full of happy memories for me from years of Nelsonicas and live gigs...which is why I said it's the best album Bill has put out in the last decade." Howden End: "Quickly become one of my all time favourite Bill albums. He covers so many of his signature guitar styles on it, and on so many tracks once again find myself thinking, "there is no one who does it as good as Sir Bill"; have adored "Beyond these Clouds..." since I heard it at Metropolis and his interpretation on Plectrajet is simply superb." meederr: "I must say I immediately liked Plectrajet . Nay, love every track. Congrats. I'm listening to The Years , and am liking that too. Thank you for challenging me, and zagging when I expect you to zig." Tony M: "What a great album! From "I Always Knew You Would Find Me" to "Imperial Parade" (my favorites) and much more. If you don't have this one, you are definitely missing out." Albums Menu Future Past

Flaming Desire Bill Nelson single - 23 July 1982 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 7" Single: A) Flaming Desire B) The Passion 12" Single: A) Flaming Desire (Long Version) B1) The Passion B2) The Burning Question Flaming Desire And Other Passions 12" EP: A1) Flaming Desire (Long Version) A2) Flesh B1) The Passion B2) The Burning Question B3) He And Sleep Were Brothers B4) Haunting In My Head ORIGINALLY: On the 7", the 'A' side was taken from The Love That Whirls album, and on the 12" it appeared in an extended version, clocking in at 6'30". The 'B' sides were both non-album tracks from The Love That Whirls sessions. NOTES: Flaming Desire was the second single released to support The Love That Whirl s album. The single was issued in 2 formats commercially (7" and 12"), and as a 7" promo featuring an exclusive radio edit. The 7" sleeves for the commercial and promo copies are identical. The 12" version included an exclusive extended remix of "Flaming Desire" and an additional non-album cut, "The Burning Question". Flaming Desire And Other Passions was Canadian/US release Including the additional tracks from the Eros Arriving 12" single. The single was promoted by a short promo video that Nelson directed, made on a shoe string budget and featured his then wife Jan. Stills from this video would later feature on the sleeve of the Chimera mini-album. PAST RELEASES: The B-sides were both included on The Two Fold Aspect of Everything comp (out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: B/B1 was added to the remastered 2005 CD of The Love That Whirls , and The Practice of Everyday Life box (2011). The album is still in print. The box set is out of print in physical form, but available as a digital download from major online retailers. Singles Menu Future Past

The Dreamer's Companion Volume Three retrospective collection - 13 January 2014 Collections Menu Future Past Bill Nelson Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) One Thing Leads To Another (Modern Moods For Mighty Atoms) 02) Night Is The Engine Of My Imagination (Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow) 03) Melancholia Lagoons (Fantasmatron) 04) Bramble (Rosewood Volume Two) 05) Tin Sings Bones (Orpheus In Ultraland) 06) Rainclouds Over Paris Of My Dreams (Plaything) 07) The Silver Darkness Whispers Yes (Clocks And Dials) 08) Sex Magic (Joy Through Amplification) 09) The Captain's In The Wheelhouse (Fantasmatron) 10) Music Spins My Globe (Picture Post) 11) The Raindrop Collector (And We Fell Into A Dream) 12) Wireless World (Fables And Dreamsongs) 13) All These Days Are Gone (Return To Jazz Of Lights) 14) Where Are We Now? (Fancy Planets) ALBUM NOTES: The Dreamer's Companion is a three volume series of compilation albums designed to introduce both new and lapsed fans to Nelson's recordings from the 21st Century. These are significant in that they represent the point where Nelson embraced the notion of downloading as a way of generating additional interest in his music. Prior to their announcement in August 2013, there had been frequent mention by fans of the advantages that Nelson would see from going down the download route, but the artist consistently resisted doing so on the basis that he remained unconvinced that it would yield much in the way of sales. What seemed to change his opinion, or at least convince him to give it a go, was a Be Bop Deluxe Facebook page which clearly indicated that there are a significant number of fans who knew little of Nelson's work over the previous 30 years. Nelson therefore set about compiling three volumes in The Dreamer's Companion series that provided a detailed overview of his output since 2003. Even for fans who had rediscovered Nelson's music at some point in the period from 2003 to 2013, these offer some out of print material. And for the lapsed fans that knew nothing at all from this period, they offer them a chance to find out precisely what they have been missing. For those who aren't willing or able to spend £30 on a full set, each volume of The Dreamer's Companion is available at £10 each. The 42 tracks featured are taken from a total of 28 different albums, and provide a healthy mixture of vocal and instrumental pieces covering a range of styles and moods. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "There's nothing difficult or tricky about any of my music, it's all very easy to listen to. I certainly don't aim at purely esoteric targets, I just make pop music with a twist. But, if you're feeling a bit nervous about buying some albums, it doesn't get less esoteric than Fancy Planets , Joy Through Amplification , and Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists . Easy listening all! Or, to get a great overview of my 21st Century recordings, try downloading the digital three volume compilation set, The Dreamers Companion from Bandcamp. It acts as a really nice taster or 'grazing' menu. A bit of everything on there." Collections Menu Future Past

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My Private Cosmos Bill Nelson 6-CD album set - 17 December 2021 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this 6-CD Set DISC ONE TRACKS 01) Are You Listening? 02) My Private Cosmos 03) I Dream Of Giant Telescopes 04) Lightning Strikes The Steeple 05) Hang This Moment On A Sigh 06) They Tell You This, They Tell You That 07) Driving Through England 08) Light Rain 09) Set Your Dials For Dreaming 10) Kingdom Of The Sky 11) Kirkella Bells 12) Living On The Moon Tonight 13) The Dusk Before The Dark 14) Glittering Figures (A Gnostic Lullaby) 15) Days Of Wonder 16) Picture Perfect DISC TWO TRACKS 01) Thunder, Perfect Mind 02) With All The Will In The World 03) The Crystal Gazing Room (No Sleep For The Alchemist) 04) The Astronomy Of The Heart 05) On An Ocean Of Dreams 06) This Land Is Haunted 07) Friday In The Future 08) Mists Of Time 09) In The Chapel Of Her Sparkles 10) The Trees Are Full Of Whistling Birds 11) Dreaming Of Another World 12) Time's Tide (The Dreams That Escape Me) 13) Your Secret Sign 14) Under Fading Stars 15) Forever Ago DISC THREE TRACKS 01) I Watch The World 02) Through My Window 03) Another Rainy Day 04) When The Wind Blows All Away 05) Time Stops Right Here 06) I Was Speaking With Orson Welles 07) Techno Punk Gets Rhythm 08) Merry And Bright 09) Old Brown Town 10) Lanterns Are Lighting 11) The Universe Is Fast Asleep 12) Seven Keys To This City 13) Osram Diadem 14) Fantastico 15) The Paradox Machine 16) The 21st Century DISC FOUR TRACKS 01) Silver Sparks And Coloured Stars 02) Helios In Memoryland 03) Gazing Through Golden Windows 04) The Navigator 05) An Acre Of Sunshine 06) The Light In The Mirror (The Bone Beneath The Skin) 07) Ghosts Dance In Ghostland 08) The Memory Museum (Room One) 09) Silver Stars Will Shine 10) Ghost Trains Travel On Phantom Tracks 11) I Recall Jets At Dawn 12) There's A Star Somewhere 13) The Spectral Waltz Of Venus 14) My Private Cosmos (Part Two) 15) Curiosity's Domain DISC FIVE TRACKS 01) A Dip In The Sparkle Jar 02) This Clockwork World 03) When We Were Beautiful 04) Hi-Tone Saturday 05) Mechanical City One 06) Dreamlike World 07) Coasting 08) Some Days It's Orange, Some Days It's Blue 09) In The Land Of Nothing Doing 10) Magic And Mystery 11) The Super Sensualist 12) White Falcon Two 13) Far Side Of Nowhere 14) The TV's On The Blink 15) And All The World Was Ours DISC SIX TRACKS 01) Moonlight Rider 02) Ancient Angels Watching Me 03) The Long Lost Summer 04) The Roy Rogers Radio Ranch 05) Space Cowboys 06) White Falcon One 07) Wonder Kid 08) Puzzlepop 09) My Catalogue Of Dreams 10) The Infernal Machine 11) Until Tomorrow 12) Comic Cuts 13) The Listening Station 14) There Are Stars Beyond The Night 15) Celluloid Ghosts 16) Hey Ho, There You Go 17) Mortal Coils Purchase this download Purchase this download Purchase this download Purchase this download Purchase this download ALBUM NOTES: My Private Cosmos is a 6CD box set of mainly song based material issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The newest material included on the album was recorded between March and July 2021, immediately on the back of completing work on Dazzlebox . However, the full content of the album represents a greater recording period going back well into 2020 and comprises 94 new tracks. My Private Cosmos represents the third Bill Nelson album to be released since he moved to his recently established Cubase recording set-up assembled in 2019 and which he began utilising from January 2020. It also has gone some significant way to clearing his archive of unused material written and recorded during the past 18 months. Plans for the album were first announced on the Dreamsville website in a Journal entry on 11 April 2021 when Nelson revealed the title of his next project as well as indicating that some of its content would comprise tracks from his Cubase archive that hadn’t been chosen for inclusion on the previous two albums. By mid-July 2021 Nelson revealed, in a follow up Journal entry, that he now had sufficient material for the proposed release to fill a triple album although he remained unsure if the actual release itself would be a humble single album or perhaps a double. In fact, from the list of potential tracks Nelson had to choose from, provided in the same piece, there were then 76 different tracks available from which to compile My Private Cosmos . That would be enough to fill five albums' worth of material with the promise of still more to be recorded. By 19 July 2021 Nelson revealed through a post on the Dreamsville Forum that he was still not quite sure how big a project My Private Cosmos would turn out to be, wavering between a 2CD and 3CD set. Three days later, in a follow up forum post the indecision was still there but by now the choice was between a 3CD and 4CD boxed set. The fans' response to the suggestion of a 4CD set was resoundingly positive with almost everyone that stated a preference encouraging Nelson to opt for the 4CD route. In another subsequent post, on 25 July 2021, Nelson confirmed that he was set upon the idea of a 4CD set, comprising 57 tracks, going as far as posting the track listing for it, but admitted he was toying with the idea of offering more material as download exclusives sufficient to fill up a fifth disc. This option would most likely have affected physical sales as some fans would undoubtedly have only committed to buying the full digital download to acquire the 15 exclusive tracks. Having pondered the situation some more, on 29 July 2021 Nelson confirmed that he had decided to commit to a full 72 track 5CD physical set which although adding to the cost would at least allow all fans to buy just one edition of the album and in doing so get all the material on offer. However, over the coming days not only would Nelson add some additional music to the 5 CD set, bringing the total number of tracks to 75, he couldn't resist also adding a sixth disc's worth of material that would appear separately as an exclusive download album available through Bandcamp, to be entitled The Listening Station (My Private Cosmos Sector Six) . With the digital album comprising 16 tracks this brought the combined package to an impressive 91 tracks. Further deliberations over the next couple of weeks would see Nelson add a further 3 tracks to the proposed album but more importantly he would reach a decision on the format, confirming this to be a 6CD physical set after all, with no additional exclusive digital material. Not only did the musical content of My Private Cosmo s develop with time, so did the proposed artwork, as did how the set would be presented. Initially, with the album appearing to be a 5CD set, Nelson envisaged My Private Cosmos as being presented in a 'digital - box' but when he added a sixth CD to the proposed set, his thoughts on this changed, preferring it to be housed in an 'ear-book', complete with lavishly illustrated attached booklet of notes and images. This is best described as a 10" hardback book with the discs held on the inside faces and is the first Bill Nelson release to be housed in such a way. As usual Nelson selected and provided the images for the artwork and enlisted the services of Martin Bostock to design it. My Private Cosmos was mastered at Fairview Studios by John Spence from 17 August 2021 taking a week to work through the entire 94 tracks featured. The set also includes an exclusive plectrum and postcard, with early pre-order customers receiving their postcard signed. Two lucky pre-order customers, drawn at random, will also win the original line-drawing artwork that was used as part of the package design. Pre-orders for My Private Cosmos were announced by Burning Shed on 21 October 2021 with it being released on 17 December. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This 6-CD box set and digital versions of Discs One, Two, Three, Four and Five are available to purchase in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: (The following comments detail how this album's content evolved from Bill's initial concept through to the final decision ...) "I'm slowly making my way through a mass of tracks recor ded on my Cubase software system. These recordings cover the entire period since the system was installed, right up to the present day. Already New Vibrato Wonderland and the double album Dazzlebox have taken tracks from this archive, but I'm now attempting to assemble a future album, an album which currently bears the title My Private Cosmos. The trick is to select tracks which feel as if they belong together or at least relate to one another in some way, either conceptually or tonally. With such a diversity of tracks covering so many different moods, it's not an easy task... " _____ "I continue to record new music. I've amassed a hu ge number of tracks for the My Private Cosmos album, far more than I need, probably enough for three albums at least. The more tracks I accumulate, the harder it gets to choose which ones to put on the album. One way to deal with it, is to make it another double album of course. I'm in two minds about that. Many of the songs are complex and lengthy and so may need repeated listens to fully appreciate. Keeping the number of tracks to a manageable amount may help speed that process. But on the other hand, that would leave so many other curious and interesting tracks out. I'm certainly not ruling out the double album route. We'll see..." _____ "I've begun to assemble the track list/running order for My Private Cosmos. I think it's going to present something of a challenge to those listeners who gravitate more towards the 'straight rock' end of my musical spectrum. Whilst there are plenty of electric guitar parts featured, the structures and surrounding framework of the songs are not exactly orthodox. There's something dark and mysterious about several of the tracks. "How to describe things? Some might think of the tracks as resembling 'ambient, psychedelic avant-garde pop songs.' And that's not a bad description, despite its convoluted connotations, but it's only part of the story. Sonically, there's a deep, cavernous quality to several of the tracks, a 'lost in the void' feeling that requires a simpatico response from the listener. "There are grandiose moments too, set against stripped back, minimalist verses. Electronic distress gets mixed up with smooth, tuneful guitar tones to create a feeling of gleaming chrome blighted by rust and decay. The album pulls together several threads of my musical interests and weaves them into an obscure, perhaps 'baroque' tapestry. It's sometimes familiar sometimes bizarre. Certainly not an album to be grasped and appreciated in a superficial listen, but, I hope, one that will blossom fully from extended plays. It's a slightly weird work, a little different from my usual, but also perfectly reflecting and extending some aspects that you may have become familiar with over the last few years. Oh, and at the moment, it's going to be a double album, maybe even a triple masterwork..." _____ "Well, I'm considering a bold step: I've now already worked out a running order for three discs, (a triple album,) but still have other tracks I'd like to include. As a result of that, I'm thinking about the possibility of making it a quadruple album, perhaps in a box. I've never done this with my 'cottage industry' releases before, so not sure what the manufacturing costs would be for a relatively small run of pressings, nor how many fans would support such a Quixotic adventure..." _____ "I've decided to release a complete set of five CDs in a DVD shaped digital-box with a connected (not loose), book inside containing all the relevant info and images. I've also now copied the 72 songs to a flash drive ready to take to Fairview for mastering. This is, in total, a mammoth work. Months of recording, mixing and sorting running orders out to get to this stage, but more work yet to be done. Sometimes I wonder if projects as epic as this one are worth it. Well, it's what it is, an architectural monolith of an album..." _____ "I've now added some extra songs to the five discs, making it 15 tracks per disc. That's 75 tracks on the five cd set in total. I do, however, still have several tracks left over from these sessions so will gather them together to form a mini album which I'll make available as a digital download 'annexe' to My Private Cosmos on Bandcamp. This entire project is insane, a mad folly, but I'm going to ignore reason and get it all out there intact..." _____ "The 'left over' tracks from the five CD set are more than enough for a further sixth disc. There are 16 extra tracks that I want to release from these sessions so, what I'm hoping to do is to create a sixth 'virtual' disc and release it under its own steam as a digital download only...Utter madness indeed!" _____ "Now, my first idea is to make this sixth disc a stand alone, download only album, a kind of bonus item. I'm, thinking of giving it the title 'The Listening Station, (My Private Cosmos Sector Six).' This way people have the option of downloading an extra 16 tracks or to just stick with the five physical CD box set. The other option is to include the 16 bonus tracks as a physical CD, as part of the main set, basically expanding it from five CDs to six." _____ "I've added a further three tracks to the set, though their inclusion will depend on there being enough space on the discs to take them. John [Spence] will gradually assemble each disc and will then be able to judge if there is room to add the three extra tracks. If there is room the total track count will be 94 songs. I'm still awaiting costings for a possible 'ear book' package and I am thinking of all six discs being included, rather than five and a stand alone download." Albums Menu Future Past

Electrotype retrospective collection - 14 February 2001 Bill Nelson Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: 01) Global Village - Dear Mr. Fantasy 02) Global Village - Long Grey Mare 03) Global Village - You Don't Love Me 04) Global Village - 598 Rundown 05) Global Village - Babe 06) Global Village - Stanley Blues Tail 07) Global Village - Keep Your Feathers Fine 1 08) Global Village - Country Season 09) Global Village - Keep Your Feathers Fine 2 10) Global Village - Young Eyes 11) Global Village - Batch #70172 12) Global Village - Summer Woman 13) Be Bop Deluxe - Riders Of My Love 14) Be Bop Deluxe - Jet Silver & The Dolls Of Venus 15) Be Bop Deluxe - Be-Bop-Bac 16) Be Bop Deluxe - If Stars Should Fall 17) Be Bop Deluxe - After The Stars 18) Be Bop Deluxe - So Insane And So In Love 19) Be Bop Deluxe - Night Creatures 20) Chris Coombs - Yesterday 21.1) Chris Coombs - Cold Tired And Hungry 21.2) (Unlisted Track) NOTES: Electrotype is an archive release taken from acetates and 2 track recordings made at Holyground Studios in Wakefield between 1968 and 1972 compiled by Mike Levon, who sadly passed away on 5 September 2011. For anyone who had read Nelson's personal reminiscences of his earliest somewhat amateur recordings and wondered what these various outfits sounded like, then this CD provides most of the answers. Coming with an informative and superbly illustrated booklet, that perfectly reflects the times when this music was made, Electrotype (together with Nelson's 1971 debut album Northern Dream ) tells the story of Nelson's formative years in wonderful detail. The inclusion of seven Be Bop Deluxe demos from 1972 (ignore the 1971 date claimed for some of these, as this is an error) should be enough to attract any Nelson fan but the entire collection is a fascinating glimpse of the Holyground years that fleshes out his formative years with tracks from Global Village and Be Bop Deluxe. The inclusion of 2 tracks by Chris Coombs on which Nelson guests is of interest to only those who have to own everything Nelson recorded. PAST RELEASES: None of this material was previously available. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This collection can be purchased directly from Holyground ( http://www.holyground.co.uk/electrotype/ ). Collections Menu Future Past

Willerby album - 1991 The Rhythm Sisters Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer, Guitar, Sitar and Keyboard. Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Living For The Spangled Moment Bill Nelson mini-album - 8 September 1986 Albums Menu Future Past Available on this reissue TRACKS: 01) Heart And Soul 02) Living For The Spangled Moment 03) Feast Of Lanterns 04) Illusions Of You 05) Word For Word 06) Finks And Stooges Of The Spirit 07) Nightbirds ALBUM NOTES: Living for the Spangled Moment is a mini album issued by Portrait Records, comprising five tracks that had appeared as bonus tracks on the UK cassette edition of Getting the Holy Ghost Across . As a special bonus, two exclusive tracks, "Feast of Lanterns" and "Nightbirds", were added to the mini-album to encourage those who had bought the cassette edition to add this to their collection. Although marketed as a mini-album, the record was packaged more like a 12" single, in a thin card sleeve with no inner sleeve. PAST RELEASES: All 7 tracks were added to the Sonoluxe reissue of Getting the Holy Ghost Across (2006). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All 7 tracks can be found on the Esoteric/Cocteau 2CD reissue of Getting the Holy Ghost Across (2013). FAN THOUGHTS: Peter: "I REALLY love Living for the Spangled Moment and several others [from that period], both because they are especially good and because they struck those emotional chords at the time (and to some extent still do, even now). That's what makes music special to me, how it connects with my thoughts, feelings and view of the world...and for me, no one does it better than Bill somehow." felixt1: "Word for Word": "has just finished playing and it totally stopped me in my tracks. A great song that I have heard many times has suddenly just clicked with me. Great lyrics and vocal from you there, Bill." finlay street: "Living for the Spangled Moment" - "just the most perfect, beautiful song." russellsmith: "Spangles: FOR THE UNINITIATED and our friends across the water... Spangles were fruity boiled sweets, with a very slight fizz about them. You could suck them thinner and thinner until you felt like you could cut your tongue on them, but upon trying they would always snap in your mouth. 'Old English' spangles were a more 'traditional' boiled sweetie, with flavours like butterscotch and humbug rather than a non-medicinal version of Tunes (a cold sweet). They were a kind of aniseed/boiled molasses/cough medicine flavour and were the sort of sweets you ate for penitence. They came in a black and white packet. At one point, Spangles launched a 'guess the mystery flavour Spangle' competition. There were two in a normal packet and they were wrapped in white waxed paper covered in question marks." Albums Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) September 2007 Jan Feb Apr May Jul Oct Nov Dec Friday 7th September 2007 -- 1:00 pm The edge of Autumn...So where did August go? Come to think of it, where did my entire summer go too? I've spent the last few months, day in, day out, cocooned here in my studio surrounded by guitars, keyboards and recording equipment. No time for diaries, website forums or much of a family life. Even by my own standards, it's been an intensely busy time. Long, long hours spent on the American Stamps film project: 7 days a week, 12 hours per day on average. The music all completed and delivered now. The film makers seem genuinely pleased with it, very generous, positive, feedback from them. The film music generated over fifty mixes on my dat tapes. Not neccesarily fifty different compositions but mix variants, alternative approaches and so on. Terry and Nori, who are the creative dynamos behind the project, selected the final choice of pieces from the ones I'd offered as possibilities for the various scenes. I then mastered this selection over at Fairview studios with John Spence and the tracks were then posted to San Francisco to be wedded to the final cut of the film itself. It's been a challenging project in many ways, as I've noted before in this diary...The most tricky thing being how to work around the almost constant dialogue without the music just becoming a background hum. I hope I've managed to keep it interesting and to pick up on the mood of each section of the narrative story. Looking forward to seeing the finished result. I'm told it will have around six screenings on tv in the US. It may possibly be picked up by one of the satellite tv arts channels for European screening too. No time for a breather after the soundtrack music was delivered. I had to plunge straight back into more recording, this time for a pair of new albums. I felt that this year's Nelsonica album needed a little more thought regarding track listing and running order. I also wanted to put together a brand new album to coincide with the proposed concert that Sound-On-Sound magazine were planning to promote for Harold Budd and myself at The Sage in Gateshead. Unfortunately, due to a series of events far too complicated to go into here, the concert didn't really get off the ground. A shame, but hopefully it can be re-scheduled for next year when there will perhaps be more time to plan for it. Nevertheless, I've ended up with a new album. Just been through to Fairview studios today to initiate the mastering process, not only for this album but for the Nelsonica limited edition album too. 31 pieces of music in total, between them. Both albums have undergone some dramatic changes since I began working on them. The new, 'main' album is all instrumental and more or less follows on from 'Gleaming Without Lights' but in an even more singular and drifting fashion. However, it began life somewhat differently: The album's original title was 'Frankie Ukelele And The Fire In The Lake.' It also contained a track bearing that title. I saw it as a surreal, dream-like thing. Who was Frankie Ukelele? And why was there a fire in the lake? But, as I made progress with the recording, the dream-like thing slowly became a little more abstract, fractured, non-linear and melancholy. The album title started to sound like it belonged to a different album. To some degree, so did the title track's music. Almost at the last minute I decided to remove several tracks from the album and record new pieces to replace them. One of the pieces I removed was the actual title track. Obviously, the album's title went with it too. The album is now titled: 'And We Fell Into A Dream.' It contains 15 pieces of music, all along similar lines. The tracks have melody but are not particularly structured in any compositional sense. By that, I mean they don't have discreet sections that progress through the usual routine of verses, bridges and choruses. The music kind of floats and drifts and hovers around, dreaming to itself. It's built on guitars and loops and reversed effects, little atonal pin-pricks and delicate chimes. A few of the tracks have 'beats' but they're often trance-like and quite discreet. Hard to describe but, it's like 'Gleaming'...but it's also different. Dave Graham and myself have been working on the album's packaging art and this is now complete. The images suit the album's tone and suggests some kind of 'Gnostic' fall from grace, a descent from a higher state into a world of illusions and imperfection. It's also slightly 'Disneyesque,' post-modern baroque, toy-town-roccoco. Matching my somewhat otherworldly, psychedelic cherubim mood of late. Here's the album's track listing/running order:- 'And We Fell Into A Dream' (IMPROVISED COMPOSITIONS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR.) 1: 'And We Fell Into A Dream.' 2: 'Somewhere In Far Tomorrow.' 3: 'Fever Dream Of The Starlight Man.' 4: 'The Raindrop Collector.' 5: 'Night Song Of The Last Tram.' 6: 'Dreamt I Was Floating In A Summer Sky.' 7: 'The House At The End Of Memory Lane.' 8: 'A Line Of Trees Gives Rise To Thought.' 9: 'Blue Amorini.' 10: 'Here Come The Rain Comets.' 11: 'Cloudy Billows Kiss The Moon.' 12: 'The Rose Covered Cottage At The End Of Time.' 13: 'Streamlined Train, Passing Fast.' 14: 'At Home In High Clouds.' 15: 'Chapel Of Chimes.' 'Blue Amorini,' a piece I've been performing live for around three years now, seemed to fit the mood of the album, as did 'Fever Dream Of The Starlight Man,' a piece originally created for the 'Orchestra Futura' project at last year's Nelsonica. Both these tracks appear on 'And We Fell Into A Dream' in their studio form. This year's Nelsonica album has also had a re-shuffle. It is still titled: 'Secret Club For Members Only' to fit in with this year's convention title but has several vocal pieces scattered amongst the instrumentals. In fact, there's a kind of miniature pop album hiding at the heart of this one. Of course, my own definition of 'pop' is probably far from the accepted norm. It would most likely perplex anyone in search of a perfect pop moment. It's definitely the kind of album that fits the Nelsonica Convention remit though: a collector's piece, a collection of quirky leftovers, fun experiments and whimsical musings. No attempt at cohesiveness or 'major statement' preciousness. Just fairly interesting, reasonably accessible, hopefully entertaining bits and bobs. The album's track list /running order is as follows:- 'Secret Club For Members Only.' (The Nelsonica 07 limited edition album.) 1: 'Blues For A Broken Time Machine.' 2: 'Symphony In Golden Stereo.' 3: 'Station Clock In Cloud Of Steam.' 4: 'All Hail The Happy Captain.' 5: 'Boyhood Shadows.' 6: 'I Remember Marvelman.' 7: 'Secret Club For Members Only.' 8: 'Venus Over Vegas.' 9: 'Superhappyeverafter.' 10: 'The Futurian.' 11: 'Ghost Show.' 12: 'Jet Pack Jive.' 13: 'That Was A Beautiful Dream, She Said.' 14: 'Men In Search Of The Milky Bosom.' 15: 'Astron.' 16: 'Hey, Bill Diddley!' Although there's a bit of everything on the album, there are also a couple of deliberate 'jokers' in the pack, 'Hey Bill Diddley!' being the most obvious and the nearest thing to a 'novelty item' that I've done since, well, God knows when. I loath it and love it at the same time. But maybe I should never have let the damned thing leave the studio in the first place. I agonised over that. Maybe some people will like it too much. It's an abberation, a cute-ugly mutant child, an atomic throwback. It's also a lot of fun. It sports a dirty blues guitar groove middle-section that sounds like it came from a bar on the edge of a Texas swamp. And, as far as I know they don't have swamps in Texas. Two of my own favourite tracks here are 'All Hail The Happy Captain,' (which is a vocal piece), and 'Astron,' an instrumental that sprang from the same fountain as 'Streamlined Train, Passing Fast' (on the 'And We Fell Into A Dream' album). 'All Hail The Happy Captain' could almost have been from the 'Sailor Bill' album, if that album's coastline had been located somewhere off the constellation of Orion instead of the moors of North Yorkshire. And what has become of Frankie Ukelele and his mysterious fire in the lake? Well, there are now ten tracks left over from this recent recording orgy, tracks that found no home on 'Secret Club' or 'Dream.' It may well be that they will constitute the proper foundation for the abandoned Frankie Ukelele album. I haven't abandoned the project, (yet,) just postponed it. I'll work with these 10 leftover tracks, put them together in some sort of running order and see if they function within the original title/concept. Maybe even release them in time for Christmas. If that pans out it will mean three new albums in the space of three months. Inspired or isane? I care not a whit. Music industry protocols are non-applicable here. I'm not interested in being faint-hearted or precious, just bold. Out in the real world, the news of Tony Wilson's death. I knew Tony a long time ago. In fact, Be Bop Deluxe appeared on the pilot show for Tony's 'So It Goes' tv series. I opened the show with a short, unaccompanied guitar istrumental. This was at Tony's request. He asked if I'd just blast away on my own for 10 or 15 seconds with some flash, stunt guitar trickery. He requested this with such enthusiasm and charm that I felt it churlish to refuse, even though it wasn't quite 'where I was at' at that point in time. I liked him. He later also championed Duritti Column, which singled him out as a good man in my book. (I'd sold Vinni my original four track tape machine when I moved up to eight track.) The last time I saw Tony was at one of those 'In The Park' (Or should that be 'In The City?') festivals in Manchester. I'd been invited to take the stage with Steve Cobby's 'Ashley Jackson' band. (I believe there was a commercially available video of this event at one point in time though I can't recall seeing it myself.) Anyway, Tony Wilson was at the festival and wandered over to the mobile dressing room we'd been given to have a brief chat with me. I haven't seem him since except for the occassional tv appearance. I was saddened to hear of his illness and his passing. That whole Manchester scene was quite vibrant for a while, back in the 80's/90's. I somehow got involved with several of the local artists, John Cooper Clarke, The Mock Turtles, Martin Hannett, and some others whose names have slipped into the fog of memory. I'm planning to take a weekend break in Paris in November. The first proper break for several years. (I don't count Tokyo trips as breaks as they're tiring and stressful.) The last proper holiday that Emi and I enjoyed was in the South Of France. Must be around nine years ago now. And before that was in the early '90's when we went to Bali for a few days. (Probably the most 'exotic' holiday I've ever had.) Bali was wonderful and I got to play with some local Balinese musicians, an unforgettable experience. Piles of books at my bedside, as always. My reading still confined to ten or fifeteen minutes before sleeping and maybe an hour and a half in the early hours when insomnia strikes. I recently bought the big, hardback catalogue for David Lynch's Paris art exhibition, 'The Air Is On Fire,' (very expensively produced with two cds of interviews included.) I also found a thick book/catalogue put together to coincide with the exhibition of Cocteau's works that was held at the Pompidou Centre in Paris in 2003; Also a book titled 'Austerity Britain' by David Kynaston which documents the political, social and cultural climate of Britain in the immediate post-war years, (the era into which I was born), and 'Trains And Buttered Toast,' (a collection of transcriptions of John Betjeman's BBC radio broadcasts). Also have been enjoying a wonderful, charming autobiography, 'Night Song Of The Last Tram' by Robert Douglas. It depicts the author's childhood in Glasgow in the 40's and '50's. The actual title of the book inspired the track of the same name on my 'And We Fell Into A Dream' album. Managed to buy a few DVD's too: The series 'How We Built Britain,' presented by David Dimbleby is fascinating and well made. Also picked up the recent double disc 'Forbidden Planet' coupled with 'The Invisible Boy.' Plus I bought a new clean, digitised re-issue of Korda's 'Things To Come,' (an amazing film for 1936, a kind of British equivalent to Lang's 'Metropolis'). Also, (at long last on DVD), Terrence Davies' wonderful, moving, 'Distant Voices-Still Lives,' one of my all time favourite films. Now if only they'd follow it up by releasing the same director's 'The Long Day Closes' on DVD, I'd be a very happy man. Music-wise, I've had no time to listen to much apart from my own work, but I did buy the recent Paul Motian Trio's album, which features Bill Frisell, (whose playing I always find immensely satisfying). But the work pace musn't slacken as there is so much yet to prepare for next month's Nelsonica convention. I need to design my live performance set, make up a master disc of the tracks I will improvise over, sort out the video backdrops, think about other presentation items, talks, make drawings for the auction, try and cram in a rehearsal two days before the event, etc, etc. A hell of a lot to prepare still. This year's Nelsonica venue promises to be an improvement on last year's. An even bigger space, more seating and so on. I just need to try and keep my energy levels up for it. I have to admit to feeling washed out and exhausted at the moment. Then again, I've recorded almost one hundred tracks since the end of Spring until now, it's no wonder I'm feeling the strain. Spending so much time in this little workspace is not healthy, as I've often noted. I could do with some regular exercise and fresh air. Other work done or still to do: I gave six nationwide radio interviews at the request of EMI records to help promote their recent Harvest Records compilation cd. There's a Be Bop Deluxe track on it, 'Jet Silver And The Dolls Of Venus.' One of the earliest and least original Be Bop pieces and not a song I would personally have chosen but, there you go. Anyway, it was interesting to talk to the various radio dj's at different stations around the country. They were very complimentary about Be Bop and I was able to bring things a little up to date. It is the 21st Century, after all. Have been contacted by Pomona Books regarding their desire to publish volume 2 of my diaries. They also passed on a message from poet Ian McMillan who would like me to collaborate on a music-poetry idea for his BBC Radio 3 programme 'The Verb.' I intend to contact Ian shortly about this as I'm rather intrigued by the proposal. Have to start on mixing these ancient Be Bop Decca audition tapes soon. I've not had time to deal with them as so much new work has been coming down the pipeline. My reticence regarding old material is not exactly news though, is it? An interview yet to do for a feature in 'The Stage' newspaper/magazine. Maybe next week. A series of ads for Eastwood Guitars has been appearing in several guitar magazines in both the United States and the U.K. They feature full page photo's of myself holding my Saturn 63 guitar. It's been a little disconcerting, turning the pages of these magazines and finding myself staring out of the page. I guess I'm not used to being on such public display. Hopefully though, the ads may cause a few more people to investigate the work. Also on the subject of guitars: Whilst reading the newspaper over breakfast the other morning, a BBC tv news programme was on in the background. Something caught my ear and, when I glanced up at the screen, I was surprised to see a close-up shot of one of my Campbell Nelsonic signature guitars. The news item was, I think, about teaching rock music to young kids in schools and one of the adult participants in this exercise was wielding one of the guitars that I'd designed with Dean Campbell. I'd missed the main drift of the story so have no idea who was playing the guitar. (The only full length shot I caught of him was with his back to camera.) Still, nice to see the instrument being used. Much more that I could tell about this and that but it would take too long. As per my last diary entry, some things will have to be sacrificed to practicality and an attempt at brevity. Now back to work. ***** The images attached to this diary entry are:- 1: Front cover of the 'And We Fell Into A Dream' album. 2: Bill and Harold budd in Monk Fryston, 1990? 3: Bill playing with Balinese musicians. '93 4: Emiko Nelson in Bali Pool, '93. 5: Bill and Emiko in Bali, '93. 6: Bill in Bali. '93 Top of page

Joy Through Amplification Bill Nelson album - 9 July 2012 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Ampex One 02) Sex Magic 03) Ampex Two 04) Vortexion Dream 05) Ampex Three 06) The Conjurer's Companion (Every Blessed Thing Is So Damned Fragile) 07) Ampex Four 08) Orpheus Dreams Of Disneyland 09) Ampex Five 10) Imps In The Undergrowth 11) Ampex Six 12) Arco Volta 13) Ampex Seven 14) Fire Gods Of The National Machine 15) Ampex Eight 16) To What Strange Place Will This Transport You? 17) Ampex Nine 18) Heaven Holds A Grand Parade 19) Ampex Ten 20) Weather Blows Wild Inside My Head 21) Ampex Eleven 22) Why Does It Do That? 23) Ampex Twelve 24) These Tall Blue Days (Are Lark Amazed) 25) Ampex Xtra 26) Monsters From Heaven (Flowers And Rain) ALBUM NOTES: Joy Through Amplification: The Ultra-Fuzzy World of Priapus Stratocaster is an album combining vocal and brief instrumental pieces, issued in a one off print run of 1000 copies on the Sonoluxe label. The main title for the album, Joy Through Amplification , was revealed on the Dreamsville forum in May 2011, and was intended for an album of songs written specifically for a five piece band (Combo Deluxe) that Nelson had hoped to form to undertake a UK tour in 2012. A small number of songs were completed by July 2011, but with a number of projects competing for time and material throughout a hectic year, Nelson struggled to make significant progress on the album for the remainder of 2011. Eventually the planned tour came to nothing, but Nelson retained the main title, and added an elaborate subtitle for an album that was somewhat different in content than initially intended. Most of the work on Joy Through Amplification was completed in the first six weeks of 2012, and it was during this period when the idea of alternating each song with one of the series of 'Ampex' instrumentals was formed. Nelson went on to describe the instrumental segments as "an album within an album", inviting fans to listen to these pieces in isolation from the full album. On the day the album was being mastered at Fairview Studios, Nelson decided to add an extra track, "Monsters from Heaven", which had originally been destined to appear on The Dreamshire Chronicles . The album's arrival was celebrated with its own launch party, staged on 9 July 2012. At this event, held at The Leeds Club (in Leeds), Nelson took part in a Q&A session in front of an audience of sixty paying guests, who each received a signed copy of the album and a signed limited edition art print on the night. Nelson's profile was aided by a few reviews of the album in the major publications. The album sold out on 14 October 2015. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Just to, er, arouse your curiosity, I'm currently working on a very peculiar instrumental album with the working title of The Mysterious Echo Chamber of Priapus Stratocaster . (I kid you not!) "This album contains a weird mix of long form and shorter pieces and features odd moments of wild, madman at the helm guitar solos, (ring modulated, overdriven and wah-wahed to Alpha Centuri and back), but set into unlikely frameworks. It may trigger thoughts of the worst excesses of rock guitar imaginable but, at the same time, it's fused seamlessly with music similar in feel to some of the tracks on the Non-Stop Mystery Action , Theatre of Falling Leaves , and Captain Future's Psychotronic Circus albums. A wry blend of the sophistiCAT sublime, (meow...) and the spandex ridiculous. (And probably some of my nastiest, semi-atonal rock guitar lunacy since "The Revenge of the Man in the Burning Ice Cream Van".) "Those of you with a taste for the genuinely perverse will, I trust, love it!" _____ "Have been working somewhat intensely on Joy Through Amplification : The Fuzzy World of Priapus Stratocaster. It's turning out to be a neo-psychedelic, techno-metal album, (much as predicted). Hard, abrasive yet melodic and ecstatic too...a densely rich mix of guitar/vocal ideas with everything pumped up to the max. Headbanging for people with a library ticket? Well...hard to describe it accurately...you'll just have to wait and see... "For those of you who have been hankering for something rougher and grittier...this one may well float your leaky boat." _____ "The album is, in some ways, a response to those who have wanted a rock album from me. I could have done a '70s style, Be Bop Deluxe sort of thing, but there's little fun for me in that as I covered those bases all those years ago...so I thought I'd do something even more rock than Be Bop, but push it out of shape a little whilst incorporating some of the stylised machismo elements that real rock bands take so seriously, (much to my amusement!). So there's some chugging, deliberately dumb and dirty riffs, squalling wah-wah guitars, semi-moronic drumming and even a touch of shredding." _____ "I'm also now experimenting with another approach to the album. I'm separating each main track or song with a series of brief, (all under two minutes), ambient-ish, minimalist guitar instrumentals or soundscapes, completely at odds with the main songs. I want these to function as 'palate cleansers', a glass of fresh water between the thickly sauced meats of the main dishes. I'm giving these little miniatures a group title: They will all be called 'AMPEX' but will carry a number. (So: 'Ampex One,' 'Ampex Two,' etc.). When I have enough 'Ampex' pieces I'll try to re-sequence the songs on the album with an 'Ampex' track between each, to break up the relentless textures of the album. It might just bring the project more into line with my own sensibilities. Or, of course, these 'Ampex' tracks might persuade me that they should have an album of their own. We'll see." _____ "These little quirky guitar gems between tracks are very promising. The guitar sounds are quite processed and often un-guitar like...some people would think they're keyboard sounds, but they're not. Just filtered, delayed, reversed and digitally re-pitched electric guitars. Short and sweet. A nice contrast to the main tracks on the album. (And a gentle challenge to the more rock-oriented types who might not normally give time to such things)." _____ "The title 'Ampex' comes from the name of an analogue tape manufacturer whose reels of recording tape I used back in the '80s prior to my home studio going digital. It also fits in with the word 'Amplification'." _____ " 'Priapus Stratocaster' is, (in my feverish imagination), the ivy festooned god of loud guitars and woodland frolics...a close cousin of Pan, Bacchus and Hermes...round of belly, jovial in demeanour, cloven hoofed and upright of staff. Constantly in pusuit of the most ecstatic guitar solo and comely turn of ankle!" _____ "I've invented the persona of 'Priapus Stratocaster' for the album, Priapus being the Greek god responsible for the protection of fruit, gardens and male genitalia. He's usually depicted with a rather gargantuan erect phallus, chasing some diaphanous maiden or other. I thought it amusing to name a fictional, cartoon-like rock god after him. Adding 'Stratocaster' as his surname competed the joke as many rock guitarists weild Fender Stratocaster guitars in a crotch-humping, phallic manner. Factor in some virtual tight spandex pants, big hair and hysterical male posturing to complete the picture and there you have it: 'The Ultra Fuzzy World of Priapus Stratocaster'." _____ "Oh, and there's a sense of mickey-taking in the album's sub-title...I mean, 'Priapus Stratocaster?' C'mon, it's a jokey reference to 'cock rock,' is it not? The album is not quite as straightforward as it might at first seem...it's the work of a sly prankster. (Which is why one of the images is of a clown guitar)." _____ "I've never stopped making rock music, I've just expanded my musical base to include things on the fringe of it, and sometimes outside it entirely. And I've attempted to cross breed the form, to create interesting hybrids that might inspire the listener to listen beyond his or her 'comfort zone.' (And to get me to play outside of my comfort zone too)." _____ "Noisy as Hell and beautiful as Heaven!" _____ Bill's Listening Notes for the album: 'Joy Through Amplification' Listening Notes FAN THOUGHTS: John Spence: "Well now...what an enjoyable day with Bill. Downloading and mastering tracks for Joy Through Amplification . You people are in for a real treat. If you love guitars you'll love this. If you love songs you'll love this. I'll say no more. I have the best job in the world but days like today make it very, very special." _____ aquiresville: "It's a complex, intricate, adult guitar-bash-up, it's a swagger and a hip-shake with poetry to boot, it's a wild marathon with some lovely "breathers" thrown in (so we can recuperate, before diving in again). It IS Joy Through Amplification ." "JTA is, in my humble opinion, Bill's greatest postmillennial piece of work (so far...! We want MORE, Bill!)" "It's hard to ignore "Sex Magic" as one of the best on the album; Bill coaxes his guitar to soar and moan so freaking delightfully! Had this track a bit of crowd noise, a hardcore fan could close his eyes and hear it as a "lost" Be Bop Deluxe offering (as Bill alludes to in his notes, with the sonic DNA from "Panic")! "THIS is exactly what we want to hear, Bill. Bravo, Bill, and Thank You. More. Bring it on." GettingOnTheBeam: "The songs jump out at you, with maybe the highest energy level of a Bill cd in years. This is Bill's celebration of the instrument he loves, and a celebration of what he can do with it. And that celebration comes through loud and clear." "Unbelievable guitar work. This is why for me Bill is the best guitarist ever, and by far the best songwriting guitarist ever! (A lot of the technical guys aren't much for writing.)" "For me, JTA is the best release of Bill's career. I have not tired of it yet, and play tracks from it regularly. A high energy songwriting Masterpiece." seantere: "Utterly fantastic. Man! You can still rip the hell out of a guitar!" BobK: "The interlude pieces which commence the album and separate the songs: these are short quirky and fascinating.They serve in three separate ways. As individual soundscapes in their own right, the calm before the storm, and indeed the calm after the storm. This works extremely well. As for the songs. Wow. Enigmatic lyrics, sly references lyrically and musically to old classics. They are melodic, catchy, but frequently edgy. Well structured, but prone to going off on a tangent. Some lovely guitar tones here. A little edgier, a little angrier, but BN being BN it is always tasteful and melodic. This is a very special album that should be cranked up, (as indeed it was on Friday night!). It will appeal to those who hanker for rock songs, who love BN's guitar playing, his singing, his gift of melody and love a bit of quirky weirdness." Dar: "The alternating structure of Ampex - Rock - Ampex is unique and interesting, but this also quickly gets more interesting. I found the Ampexii (Ampexes or Ampexions?) acting like strange and wonderful dimensional portals, wormhole tunnels of sound and subtle music, transferring me from one Nelsonian realm to the next." "Congratulations on a genuine masterwork." Face In The Rain: "Imps in the Undergrowth": "wonderful grungy guitar! Had it on in the car yesterday - my teenage son was bobbing his head in approval!" Alan: "I'm really enjoying the album. Although, there seems to be a glitch in my CD, as it keeps returning to "Arco Volta"..." tom fritz: "The Conjurer's Companion": "a seriously rocking number, great drums pounding. Staggered rhythm guitars, jazzy lead fills, fantastic lyrics. Then comes one of Bill's great strengths: the magic outro. It's like a completely different tune when this happens. One of those "play that again" moments." MondoJohnny: "I've been listening to the album since I got it yesterday and I haven't made it through because I keep having to stop and replay songs!" "Bill can be very deep and artistic but he can also just rock your socks off! Sometimes he gives you a gummi bear and other times he give you a multi vitamin. They are both excellent in their own way." "I've been listening to this album, and wow! Bill's still got it. This album is rock but it's something more. I was thinking about what decade it sounded like...and my answer was...now? It sounds like right now! Not what's happening now, or what happened last week, but this very minute. I haven't heard another rock album that sounds like this one. Its really something special." swampboy: "Bill made a comment in one of his posts that this album "just barks". I have to disagree. It HOWLS!! I finally received my copy a few days ago, and it took a few listens to start absorbing it. It really is a pitbull of an album that grabs you by the ears and doesn't let go until the last note fades out. It rocks harder than anything else he's ever done, and commands your attention at every turn. Once again, Mr. Nelson manages to both surprise and satiate us once again." "After repeated listenings, I find that the ampexes remind me of rest periods between rounds in a boxing match. Bill bobs and weaves, jabs and punches with his guitar. At the end of each round, we're given a minute or two to recover before the next round. Bill wins with a TKO, and we're dazed, but happy." steviegray: "One thing I can say about Bill Nelson since he started releasing records, there is no genre to define him. His guitar playing is just incredible and he is one of those guitarists who you know he's playing, nobody can imitate and get away with it!" chymepeace: "Completely brilliant. Gets better with each listen. Simply stunning. Thanks Bill. How you keep it fresh and exciting is a mystery but I'm very glad you do." REG: "In a career featuring so many highlights, this album still manages to stand out, an absolute triumph." Albums Menu Future Past

A Certain Bridge single - 1981 Last Man In Europe Production/Contribution Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) A Certain Bridge B) TV Addict/Complications BILL: Producer of both tracks. NOTES: This was only the second record to be released on Nelson's Cocteau Records , the first being 'Do You Dream In Colour?' Production/Contribution Menu Future Past