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Map Of Dreams Bill Nelson album - 12 January 1987 Albums Menu Future Past Currently unavailable TRACKS: 01) Legions Of The Endless Night 02) Spinning Creatures 03) At The Gates Of The Singing Garden 04) Heavenly Message Number One 05) Heavenly Message Number Two 06) Heavenly Message Number Three 07) Fellini's Picnic 08) Dark Angel 09) Infernal Regions 10) Dance Of The Fragrant Woman 11) The Alchemy Of Ecstasy 12) Aphrodite Adorned 13) The Wheel Of Fortune And The Hand Of Fate 14) Forked Tongues, Mixed Blessings 15) Another Tricky Mission For The Celestial Pilot 16) Water Of Life (Transfiguration) ALBUM NOTES: Map of Dreams is an instrumental album from Cocteau Records issued barely a month after Iconography . Map of Dreams initially appeared on vinyl and cassette formats, with the CD appearing later in the year. For this album, Nelson was commissioned by Channel 4 to provide a soundtrack to a TV show broadcast in 4 short episodes each lasting approximately 12 minutes. PAST RELEASES: Map of Dreams would get its first US release when it appeared on CD and cassette (Enigma, 1989). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The album is currently out of print, but may reappear as a digital download via Bandcamp at some point. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Originally, I was approached to come up with a series of programmes based on my occult interests. I produced an outline based on that exact premise but when it was put forward to the 'powers that be' they decided that a slightly less esoteric angle would be more suitable for viewers who might possibly be, er, 'unsettled' by the ritual/masonic/magical/alchemical angle I'd initially envisaged...(hence the somewhat more easily acceptable, 'astrological' line on which the series was eventually based). Interesting enough for all that but certainly a rather more compromised result than I'd originally hoped for. But, there you go...that's the nature of the game when you engage with the machinery of commercial television. No matter how pure or potent the original intent might be, the artist has to accept that dilution will occur. Still a very interesting project though...and one of which I remain proud." "As far as I know, the Map of Dreams series didn't make it to official DVDs...which is a shame as they're rather unique TV programmes by today's standards." FAN THOUGHTS: Peter: "This is an album to play for someone who doesn't understand that Bill is NOT "just" a guitarist, but is a musician and composer. With hardly a guitar in evidence (I think only "Fellini's Picnic" features the guitar, though there may be instances of heavily synth-processed guitar that I am not knowledgeable enough to pick out), this rich collection of soundscapes, developed for use as a soundtrack for a TV program, offers so many moods and "colors". Interesting, and at times challenging, listening." alec: "The Map : Used to listen to "Fellini's Picnic" over and over, rewinding it often in the car ..." mlr_pa: "Fellini's Picnic": "from Map of Dreams should have been 10 minutes longer! Bill on an acoustic! WOW!!" wadcorp: "What a great album." Alan: "I've seen it on youtube before, and agree it's a wonderful program, visually and musically. I wish I could have seen it's release on television...Anyway, Bill has every right to be proud of this one, in my opinion." Albums Menu Future Past

Drive This Comet Across The Sky Bill Nelson album - 10 April 2018 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Fables Of The Future 02) Here Is Where I Dream 03) Lost In Space 04) Drive This Comet Across The Sky 05) Here I Am, (And You Can Hear Me) 06) Your Imagination 07) Hello You Beautiful People 08) Time Is Running Away (The Blue Nowhere) 09) This And That 10) Certain Circles 11) Where Are The Stars That Fall From Heaven 12) The Ticking Of Time ALBUM NOTES: Drive This Comet Across the Sky is an album of vocal tracks issued as a download-only album on Tremelo Boy Records, available through Nelson's Bandcamp page. Drive This Comet Across the Sky was created between November 2017 and February 2018. Work on the album was affected to a degree by Nelson's ongoing difficulties with his mixing desk, which left him unable to complete any recording for around a fortnight in December 2017. Work on the album gathered pace though in January 2018, with a proposed track listing announced on 19 February 2018. This list revealed that a total of 16 tracks had been completed for the album - 12 with vocals and 4 instrumentals. During January Nelson produced a video for the album's title track, which was uploaded onto the Essoldo Cinema section of his website on 30 January 2018. At the mastering session (undertaken on 12 March 2018), Nelson elected to re-think the track listing for the album, removing the songs "House of Mystery", "Luna Rosa", "Raindrops" and "Serene in Silver", and in the process reducing the number of instrumental pieces to just one. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Drive This Comet Across The Sky is a loose, eclectic and highly electric rock album containing twelve tracks, all vocal-based with one instrumental exception. Featuring spontaneous songwriting and casual arrangements, it was laid directly to multitrack without revision or refinement. It twists and turns its way through a landscape of surreal lyrics and cosmic guitars sparking thoughts about the nature of time, love and mortality." _____ ALBUM REVIEW: Review by Benedict Roff-Marsh FAN THOUGHTS: CoachMatt: "What a glorious ride into to work this morning. I had my first listen to, Drive This Comet Across The Sky while driving and only Bill can take you on that magic space ride. Fabulous melodies and textures... This album also has Bill playing hard and there are a few jazzy tunes. Listened to 'Lost In Space' while driving in the predawn darkness with snow falling like stars passing the windshield. The song was putting me in a trance, Thank God no one is on the roads that early lol. 'Drive This Comet Across The Sky', thankfully was the next song and it lifted me up with its straightforward rocking style. Bill is really belting out fantastic music. 'Here I Am', such a sweet tune. The whole album flows so very nicely. Will be playing the album all day in my classroom and will be putting the headphones on tonight for more magic." lee59: "While I enjoy all of Bill's releases, this one is really resonating with me. One can hear the spontaneity and 'being in the moment' of the creation of these tracks. And, as always, the guitar solos are sublime and speak with an eloquence that can't be articulated with words. Well done, Bill. God bless, and keep 'em coming!" Jeremy Clarke: "On first listen, this reminds me of BBD albums 2 and 3 (Futurama and Sunburst Finish ) although it's completely different." Albums Menu Future Past

New Way to Move mini album - 1983 The Units Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer, Guitar and Keyboards on "New Way to Move", "Your Face" and "More Alike". Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Whistling While the World Turns Bill Nelson album - 16 June 2000 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Manipulating The Phonograph 02) Dreamland Avenue 03) Unforgetting 04) The Boy Who Learned Everything 05) Space Ranch 06) Big Yellow Moon 07) Sleepy Snakes 08) Roses, Haloes, Crown Of Thorns 09) Parklands Drive 10) All This And A Girl Like You 11) Quiet Planet 12) Whistling While The World Turns 13) Fortune Favours The Fall Guy 14) Ghosts Of Invisible Things 15) Sunny Bungalows 16) Older Joe 17) Autumn Stars ALBUM NOTES: A new millennium, a new record deal, this time with Lenin Imports, a London based independent label. Whistling While the World Turns is a collection of previously unreleased tracks from Nelson's archive, and covers a range of styles mixing instrumental and vocal pieces. The album was intended as a taster for the 6CD box set Noise Candy , the most elaborate Nelson release of his career (up to that point), but delays to the box set would lessen its impact somewhat. Whistling While the World Turns is really more of a companion release to Noise Candy , since 11 of the 17 tracks are actually exclusive to this release. The album would remain on catalogue for over 3 years, and having gone out of print, was soon fetching high prices on Amazon and eBay (on the occasions that copies turned up). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Whistling While the World Turns does carry enough non-Noise Candy tracks to make it interesting in its own right." _____ [The artwork on the front cover] "is an old Russian woodblock print that I bought years and years ago at an antique fair. No info about the artist on it though." FAN THOUGHTS: Kalamazoo Kid: "What sets it apart is that it is truly conceived as an album, whereas Noise Candy consists of something more like six vessels into which Nelson sorted like-minded songs. Whistling , on the other hand, somehow combines an extremely broad range of music into a mesmerisingly coherent hour. BN labours over his selection and sequencing, and his care pays off really big on Whistling ... The exclusive songs alone are amazing. "The Boy Who Learned Everything" makes my top ten BN songs list without a second thought. It's an incredibly catchy tune that shares nothing with other BN pop melodies. It merges the found vocals and BN vocals superbly. And the lyrical conceit is genius. Super sexy. "Fortune Favours the Fall Guy" is great in its own right and absolutely astounding as something constructed on an analogue system. How BN managed to achieve the timing and syncopation of great jazz (and great jazz singing, and beat poetry), in a contemporary techno setting, with a laborious analogue-sampling set-up, is totally beyond me. But he did. And "Fortune Favours the Fall Guy" is among the masterpieces of the '94-'00 period. If the term "Tripop" exists, BN is the originator." Wasp In Aspic: "Unforgetting": "from Whistling While the World Turns is so beautiful and moving it can almost reduce me to tears." tom fritz: "Unforgetting": "has such a haunting kind of sad-joy theme. One of the best! Cheers to you, Bill." Hudsonuk: "Fortune Favours the Fall Guy": "is one of those tracks I have overlooked for quite a long time...the track is a nice length to get your teeth into, it' s the style of Bill singing I really enjoy, plus who could resist the "Running Away" hook-line..." Comsat Angel: "The found voices on Noise Candy , Atom Shop , Whistling While the World Turns are some of my absolute favourite tracks." Parsongs: "Whistling sounds just as fresh today as it did then." Peter: "This one has a little bit of everything. Which makes sense, being a glimpse into the Magnum Opus that is Noise Candy . Quirky, bluesy, jazzy, space cowboy, rock, sci-fi, dreamy, romance...it is all here. (Don't miss "Sunny Bunglalows". Wow.)" Albums Menu Future Past

Yablokitay album - 1997 Nautilus Pompilius Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer and various instruments Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Hired History Plus album - 2019 Fiat Lux Production/Contribution Menu Future Past TRACKS: DISC ONE: HIRED HISTORY PLUS 01) Secrets 02) Photography 03) Blue Emotion (12" Version) 04) Comfortable Life 05) Sleepless Nightmare (12" Version) 06) Aqua Vitae 07) Feels Like Winter Again 08) This Illness 09) Photography (Unreleased Bill Nelson Version) 10) Comfortable Life (Unreleased Bill Nelson 12" Version) 11) House Of Thorns 12) Sleepless Nightmare 13) Three's Company 14) House Of Thorns (12" Version) 15) Solitary Lovers (12" Version) 16) No More Proud (Proud Mix) 17) No More Proud (Dub Mix) 18) Sally Free And Easy DISC TWO: ARK OF EMBERS (LOST ALBUM) 01) The Moment 02) Breaking The Boundary 03) Blue Emotion 04) Embers 05) No More Proud 06) Photography 07) Splurge 08) Secrets 09) Aqua Vitae 10) In The Heat Of The Night 11) Solitary Lovers BILL: Producer on four tracks, Disc One's 'Feels Like Winter Again', 'This Illness', 'Photography' and 'Comfortable Life'. NOTES: The tracks Nelson produced were originally recorded in 1983, but remained unreleased until 2019 with the release of this record. Steve Wright & David Crickmore: "...We have been able to include our earlier work with Bill Nelson as producer. Not only the debut independent single on Bill's Cocteau label 'Feels Like Winter Again' b/w 'This Illness', but also the original Bill Nelson produced version of 'Photography' (b/w 'Comfortable Life'), which was commissioned to be our next single when we first signed to Polydor – a plan soon abandoned by the company in favour of a remake with Hugh Jones at the controls. Riding on the Indie chart success of our debut, Bill's 'Photography' followed the brief to "make it sound like 'Feels Like Winter Again'." We even returned to the same modest local Leeds studio. It is a notable inclusion to this collection as it marks the first time Ian Nelson blew a saxophone on one of our recordings and you can hear that his lovely end solo idea survives right through from Bill's prototype to the bigger budget Hugh Jones replacement version." "It wasn't our first attempt at the number ('Comfortable Life') – Bill Nelson had offered his production of it as the intended B-side of 'Photography', recorded at the same sessions at Ric Rac in Leeds. Unheard until its inclusion here is that unreleased master in its 12" mix form (Polydor never commissioned the 7" edit from it). It comes with the heavy disclaimer that 'Blue Monday' was hot off the press and extremely influential at the time!" Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) November 2009 Jan Jul Aug Sep Oct Dec Sunday 1st November 2009 -- 6:00 pm Emi finally returned home last Monday evening, (26th of October). She's been away for more than one month, even longer than that if you add in the two weeks she spent in Tokyo prior to this year's Nelsonica. To say that I'm glad to have her home would be a total understatement. I've missed her very much and, even though we've spoken on the 'phone every single day, having her back here with me once again is such a joy. Our two cats, Django and Tink were pleased to see her too, though Django tried to hide his amputated tail from Emi's view when she first entered the house. It was if he didn't want her to see his injury, or was embarrased by it. He's recovering o.k. now, no longer having to be confined to the house or forced to wear the protective collar that was causing him so much suffering. I had him back to the vet's at one point though, when his tail seemed to be bleeding, but it's healing well at the moment, if still bereft of fur and a few inches shorter than it should be. Still no idea how he was injured, although it looked to the vet as if it was a deliberate attack. My own life has been mainly focussed on looking after the house andmyself. Now that Emi is home, I can think about a few other things, including adding this entry to my online diary. But I've spent the last few days helping Emi back into her life here in the U.K. Her mum has returned to hospital. Her condition not good but not really any worse than it was a few weeks ago. There is, however, little that can medically be done for her and at some point in the future, the inevitable will have to be faced. This could be very soon or early next year, according to the doctors over there. But it's not possible to put any accurate time-scale on it. It's all very upsetting and worrying, especially for Emiko. At some point, as things move towards their sad conclusion, she will have to go to Japan again.For now though, I'm trying to be supportive and helpful, bring Emi a little respite from her worries. We need to spend time together...one thing this situation has underlined is the preciousness of life, (and its fleetingness). As I've metioned before, the last few years have been very difficult for us. Mortality, illness, family problems, legal matters, job redundancies, one thing after another. Yes, we're at that time of life when these things happen, but we're also at a stage when many of our contemporaries have taken early retirement or are about to retire and settle down to enjoy a calmer, more gentle lifestyle. My work as a musician hasn't afforded me such an opportunity and I have nothing to fall back on. Not that I want to give up my creative work, but I sometimes wish it wasn't quite so pressurised. I spend a great deal of my life locked away in this cramped little room, surrounded by electricity and the low hum of recording equipment. That in itself isn't particularly healthy, but the constant desire to create and, (if such a thing were possible), 'perfect' my music, to express my thoughts and feelings through sound and words, has become all-consuming to the point of obsession. Of course it's also a pleasure, a privelege...but it can sometimes be a curse too. Yesterday though, Emi and I drove over to Castle Howard for the afternoon. Autumn is beginning to change to winter now but there are still enough golds, mustard yellows, rich browns and deep reds on the trees to bring home the fragile beauty and gentle melancholy of the season. We had afternoon tea in the main house's cafe. Sandwiches and cakes, a pot of Earl Gray tea for Emiko and a small bottle ofMerlot for me. We sat at one of the window tables, watching as the light shifted, flickered and faded, whilst peacocks wandered aimlessly across the lawns, their tails truncated, though still carrying a few short feathers of electric blue and green. Less people there than the last time we visited, which is fine by me. I often wonder what it must have felt like, in times gone by, to be the owner of one of these glorious piles. Perhaps no need, back then, to think in commercial terms of how to best market it, to make it pay for itself. I imagine myself, late at night, walking out through one of those magnificent french windows, stepping from the warm glow of a firelit, candle yellow, gilded grand hall, out into the sweet velvet twilight, into a landscape commissioned from some personal architect of dreams... To walk alone amongst dark trees and silver fountains, to touch the ancient, rain-kissed statues as if they were supernatural consorts, frozen forever by their own chilled beauty, to taste wine-drunken breezes flowing from distant hills, to glimpse dragonflies darting over star-reflecting ponds, neon wings whirring like tiny kites veined with phosphor. And to know that all I surveyed, from here to forever, was MY domain, a realm where dreams could be realised, made manifest. What must that have felt like? Even if that perfection was only sensed for a second? Amazing that such lives existed...no, still exist! Today, we've stayed home. Rain and wind outside and a lingering grey darkness. I've spent some time on the forum of my website. I'm always in two minds about such a thing. It isn't always good to know what some people think. Fan websites are a mixed blessing. It's a bit like working in a shop or a supermarket checkout. Not everyone who crosses your path is someone you'd want to encounter under any other circumstances. Many fans, of course, are understanding, warm, thoughtful and supportive. Others more contentious, rude, deliberately confrontational or transparently egotistic. But, artists cannot choose their fans, just as most of us cannot choose our neighbours. Only friends and lovers come within our remit. The rest is down to chance. I guess that, on the whole, I've been lucky. Oriental dinner tonight, Emi cooking Japanese style for us. Last night we ate out at 'Ceasars' restaurant in town...Italian and a fairly regular haunt of ours. Not expensive but, usually, a satisfying meal with good service from friendly and welcoming staff. The packaging artwork for my next album 'NON-STOP MYSTERY ACTION' was completed yesterday. Just before Emi returned from Japan, I'd taken some rather surreal photographs of myself for it, sitting at the table in our dining room. In one photograph, I have the head of a rabbit and on the table in front of me stands a pair of toy robots. In another photograph I have the head of a robot, (actually a 1950's Selmer guitar amplifier turned on its side), and there are two small toy rabbits standing on the table. The album is built around three soundtracks I recorded for three special Nelsonica video presentations. But there are six tracks in all, each one quite lengthy. They are like sound pictures, or scenes from a kind of sonic cinema. Spoken word, (my own), plus voice samples from movies and radio. Also digital static, drones, electronic flickerings, jazzy guitars, the sound of wind and rain and bells, even an opening dark blue 'blues' piece. A stream of consciousness kind of thing. Dreams unreeling in the night. Track list/running order is as follows:- 1: 'THIS IS LIKE A GALAXY.' 2: 'WELCOME TO THE DREAM TRANSMISSION PAVILION.' 3: 'YES AND NO.' 4: 'WHEN THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN.' 5: 'MATERIALISATION PHENOMENA.' 6: 'THE DEPARTURE OF THE 20th CENTURY IN A HAIL OF MEMORY.' Everything now ready for manufacture. Hopefully have it available in time for Christmas. The strangest Christmas album, maybe, but there's definitely something of a winter's night about it. This will be my fifth album release this year...and two more already in the pipeline for later. Compulsive? Obsessive? Driven? Perhaps. Or maybe just thrilled by the gifts that music bestows. ***** The images accompanying this diary are as follows:- 1: A nice photo of Emiko , taken around the time Bill and Emi first got together. 2: An autumnal photo' of Castle Howard, taken by Bill 31st Oct '09. 3: Another Castle Howard photo' by Bill taken same day as previous shot. 4: A statue at Castle Howard, photo' by Bill, date as above. 5: Bill's self-portrait photograph for 'Non-Stop Mystery Action' album artwork, taken October '09. 6: Another 'Non-Stop Mystery Action' self-portrait by Bill, same date as above. Top of page Saturday 28th November 2009 -- 11:00 am Feeling tired and anxious. This diary entry, once again, begins with Emi leaving for Japan. The last few weeks, since Emi returned from her previous trip to Tokyo, have been difficult. Her mother's condition has fluctuated, some days not too bad, others much more worrying. Every day, Emi has kept in touch with the situation in Tokyo, via telephone calls to her elder brother and also to a lady who has been a long-time friend of her mother. From them, we've recieved updates on the progress of the illness, or lack of it, and Emi has also regularly spoken on the 'phone with her mother, direct to the hospital. It's been an emotional roller coaster for Emi and very stressful. Obviously, the immense distance from here to Japan has made the situation even more painful. On some occasions, Emi had expressed optimism after putting the 'phone down...her mum had been able to eat and sounded positive. On other occasions, things didn't seem good at all and Emi's despair was impossible to hide. This last week though, her mother had been given a transfusion, (as she had been losing blood), and the result seemed to indicate that she might find the strength to survive through Christmas and into the New Year. Emi's younger brother, (Masakazu), was already in the process of moving to a new apartment that would be suitable to accomodate himself and Emi's mother. The idea was that she would leave the hospital and move in with Masakazu until her illness became unmanageable, at which point she would have to be re-admitted to hospital. Professional day-care was also being discussed so that Emi's mum could be monitored at the apartment and helped as much as possible. Although very ill, she was looking forward to getting out of the hospital and spending some time with Masakazu and Emi's older brother, Kazutami. Sadly, this was not to be. At 11:15 on Tuesday evening, (24th November), the 'phone rang. Emi and I had been watching television and we were almost about to retire to bed. Emi answered the 'phone. The call was from a friend of Emi's mother. She had telephoned to inform Emi that her mum had suddenly passed away, only one hour previous. No one was with her when she died. Emi was inconsolable, absolutely devastated. Witnessing her distress, her raw outpuring of grief, was heartbreaking for me. I can't begin to explain the anguish and helplessnness I felt and I won't even try. The next few hours were filled with tearful calls to and from Japan. All I could do was hold Emi close and bear witness to her pain as the news sunk in. Emi had spoken with her mother only two days before and there had been no indication that the end was quite so near. Consequently, the shock we experienced was far more severe than expected. We had optimistically presumed that things would continue unchanged into the New Year, or at least until a serious deterioration would signal that it was time for Emi to fly to her mother's side. To add to this awful situation, Emiko was due, the following morning, (Wednesday), to create a unique floral arrangement for the Lord Mayor's Mansion House in York. As mentioned in a previous diary entry, she had been invited to take part in a special Christmas Flower Festival in aid of the Lord Mayor's annnual charity appeal and had spent the previous two days getting all the neccesary materials and flowers together. She'd had a wonderful design in mind, but, after the 'phone call from Tokyo, she was so emotionally disraught that I couldn't imagine how she could possibly go ahead with the work as planned. I suggested that, first thing in the morning, I should call the organiser and explain the situation to see if it would be possible to excuse her from the project. Emi, however, insisted that she must try and get through it and honour the invitation. That sad night, we hardly slept and by morning were both feeling weak and emotionally drained. We had to be at the Mansion House very early to unload all the flowers and other neccesary items from the car, so got dressed and grabbed a quick breakfast of tea and toast. I was acting as 'flower roadie' for Emi and packed everything she needed into the boot and rear seat of the car before setting off into the city through the slow moving early morning traffic. Once at the Mansion House we unloaded everything and carried it up the grand staircase into the Mansion House's State Room where Emi had been given a personal site for her arrangement. This was situated on an antique table beneath a pair of imposing oil paintings of two ancient York Mayors. I left her to begin work on the arrangement and returned to the car to remove it from the precinct and drive to a car park. The traffic was still jammed up so it took a little while to get where I needed to be. I then walked back through the crowds of office workers and tourists into the centre of town and was admitted back into the Mansion House. For the next couple of hours, I watched as Emi created a beautiful, classy arrangement that perfectly complimented the two enormous portraits that towered over it. Her face looked tired, sad and careworn but, as she became more and more engrossed in the creative process, I could see some inner light return to her eyes. I know from personal experience how healing creative work can be, even if only temporary. Emi worked quickly and with greatpurpose, knowing exactly what she was aiming for. At one point, she stood back from the arrangement to view its progress, then turned to me and said, "I'm doing this for Mama, she wants me to make it beautiful for her..." And the finished result was indeed beautiful, subtle, sophisticated and perfectly suited to its setting. I felt so proud of her. There's something about Emi's work that is hard to define. Just as there are many musicians who have technical or academic excellence and yet whose work somehow doesn't move the listener beyond a superficial kind of admiration, there are flower artists who can reproduce the latest floral fashions with competent technical skill but who lack the warmth and depth that is required to make the work sing. Emi's work is different, it sings graciously...it has, for want of a better word, 'soul.' It's this subtle quality that appeals to those with cultured tastes, a quality that connects on a deeper level, without recourse to 'trendy' gimmicks or flashy display. But, just as with music, sophisticated work can often pass a mainstream audience by. Well...that was Wednesday morning. Once the arrangement was completed we returned home and began the process of finding a flight to Tokyo for Emi. After several calls to a travel agency in London, (the same agency she had used to book her two previous trips to Japan), a flight was finally secured for today, Friday 27th November. From Manchester to Paris, then Paris to Tokyo. I could sense Emi's relief that she would be able to get there in time for her mother's funeral. Unfortunately, it wasn't practical for me to accompany her to Japan. This will be the third trip to Tokyo for her this year, (plus one last year), and the combined impact of these unexpected but neccesary trips on our finances has been marked. Also, because of the suddeness of recent events, there would not have been time for us to arrange for our cats to be taken care of, (which would also incur further expense). Emi's car is in for substantial repairs too and I need to be here to deal with that and several other pressing domestic responsibilities. So here I sit, typing these words and hoping that all will be well. I'm just praying that Emiko will be able to deal with the emotional impact of her mother's funeral without me by her side. She's told me not to worry, that she can cope...but, of course, I'll worry anyway. As readers of my published 'Diary Of A Hyperdreamer' book will recall, Japanese funerals are elaborate affairs and not a little disturbing for Westerners, especially those of us used to a slightly less viceral approach to cremation. I was in Tokyo with Emi for her father's funeral a few years ago and had first-hand experience of this. I'm thinking back to that time now and, despite Emi's attempts to re-assure me, can't help thinking that it is going to be very tough on her. She's a remarkably strong person in many ways, although very feminine and gentle. But Japanese funerals are something of an endurance test. Nevertheless, she's certainly much stronger than me when it comes to these things. On a less depressing note: Yesterday, we were invited to attend a special lunch party at the Mansion House, given by the Lord Mayor, as a 'thank you' to the various floral artists who had created arrangements for the Flower Festival. Emi wasn't sure at first if she was up to attending, feeling so drained and tired...but she said 'yes' and we once more found ourselves in the State Room, enjoying a pleasant lunch and chatting with the Mayor who seemed very interested in how Emi and I got together. Turned out he enjoys listening to classical music and jazz so we had a chat about music too. He seemed to be impressed by Emi's arrangement and complimented her on her work. Many of the other arrangements for the festival had been created by members of the Acomb Flower Guild (which is apparently one of the oldest and best in the country). The ladies of the Guild also seemed suitably impressed by Emi's talents and have invited her to become a member. One floral artist who spoke with us said that she had been involved with various flower guilds around the country for many years but had never come across one that contained so much talent before. She was full of enthusiasm for it and urged Emi to go along to their next meeting to see what it was all about. I was pleased that Emi responded positively to the invitation and she now has contact details and will be visiting the Guild when she returns from Japan. I think she would like to take up the invitation to join...It might be a very positive thing for her, especially in view of the difficult times she's had to endure these last few years. And it may hopefully provide a further outlet for her talents. Last night was devoted to packing Emi's suitcases. We intended to get an early night as she needed to catch a very early train to Manchester airport but it was midnight when we finally turned off the light. I couldn't sleep, just laid there in the darkness turning over the events of the last few days. Emi wasn't asleep either and we ended up talking about her mother's passing, life in general, and tried to apply a Buddhist perspective.A certain degree of acceptance was, I think, achieved. It seemed as if we'd only just drifted off to sleep when the bedside clock told us that it was 4-30 am and time for Emi to get up and get ready to leave. I stumbled out of bed just a little later, at 5 am, and dragged on some warm clothes I'd laid aside the night before. Outside it felt very cold and there was a light layer of ice on the windscreen of the car. I ran the engine and watched the windows slowly demist, then, with Emi on board, set off for the station. Two sleepy people, travelling in the darkness. There were no other cars on the road until we reached the centre of town, and even then just the odd one or two. I parked and hauled Emi's luggage over the station footbridge to platform nine where the Manchester Airport train was already waiting. I got her settled at a window seat and placed her cases safely in the luggage area. We hugged each other close, saying that it was 'only' for ten days this time, but I knew that ten days would feel far too long. I glanced at my watch and hopped off the train. Then, standing on the platform, waiting for it to depart, I gestured to Emi through the carriage window to take out her mobile 'phone. I called her on mine so that we could talk to each other despite the glass separating us and the train's closed door. Within seconds, the train pulled away and out of the station and we were lost to each other's view, but we continued to talk on our mobile 'phones as I made my way back over the bridge to my car. The usual sadness as I returned home, alone. Undressed and crawled back into bed but couldn't sleep. Turned on the reading lamp and picked up a book. Read for amost an hour, then drifted off into a dream. At 8 o'clock the 'phone rang. It was Chio, a friend of Emi's. She asked if she could speak with her. I informed her that she had already left for the airport. Further attempts at sleep proved fruitless so I eventually got up and made myself some breakfast. Then a brief call from Emiko to say she was at Manchester airport and about to board the 'plane for Paris. A couple of hours later, I got another call from her at the airport in Paris...she was just about to board the 'plane to Japan. She will now be many miles away on her long journey. (It's now 10 pm on the evening of 27th November here.) She will try to call me from Narita airport when she arrives. (There's a nine hour time difference between England and Japan so this will be in the early hours of Saturday morning, UK time.) Then it will be a daily call from me to her mother's apartment until she returns home on the 7th of December. Meanwhile, it's just me and the cats...existing. ***** All images accompanying this diary entry are of Emiko's flower arrangement for the Mansion House Flower Festival in York. Top of page

The Awakening Of Dr Dream Bill Nelson album - 27 March 2017 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) The Awakening Of Dr Dream 02) Hypnos 03) The Celestial Travelator 04) Starward-Ho! 05) Quarter To Eleven 06) The Light Fantastic 07) A Voice Without A Face 08) Retronauta 09) Mysteryworld 10) Cosmic Country Ghosts 11) Pink Trick Panties 12) Jollytown 13) Spring Will Come 14) Interlooper ALBUM NOTES: The Awakening of Dr Dream is an instrumental album issued exclusively as a digital download release on March 27th, 2107, via the Tremelo Boy label. The album was recorded in October 2016 during preparations for Nelson's first live performance in three years, as part of the New Northern Dream album launch party. Nelson first announced the track listing on Dreamsville on 17 October 2016 under its original title of Starward Ho! The album at this point had 13 tracks (something that Nelson actively avoids), including 2 tracks played at the New Northern Dream launch party on 29 October 2017, "Hypnos" and "The Awakening of Dr Dream". Sure enough, when Nelson revealed on February 18th, 2017 that he had renamed the album The Awakening of Dr. Dream , the track listing had been adjusted with the addition of a track called "Interlooper". On the day of the album's release Bill debuted a video he created to accompany the title track, "The Awakening of Dr Dream", which can be found here: Bill's Solo Videos CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "One thing I need to stress is that you should not think, (just because so many albums have been released by me,) that each album is simply a 'throw away' event...quite the opposite. Every single album comes from an awful lot of concentration and hard work, both physically, mentally and spiritually. "Every individual album represents a different corner of my soul, an insight into my deepest thoughts and feelings, which I hope reflect some of the feelings of others. There's nothing trivial or superficial about any of it...it all comes at immense personal cost and investment of time and energy. More than you might presume. It's meant to be the best of my achievements, every time. And because I don't feel I've achieved that yet, then onwards I must go, chasing the gold at the end of the rainbow. "The fact that there are so many albums to get your teeth into is not a sign of comfort or ease on my part...there's never a complacent, lazy moment in making these recordings. But, they represent a totality of meaning, purpose and creativity. A wholehearted embrace of life and how I see my place in that life, and how others might hopefully share in the experience to their advantage. "It may seem like a lot to take in for some people, but for others, they will see and appreciate the connections, the unity, the joy, and be able to hear the single thread of music that unites all the albums, whilst allowing each one it's own particular place in the story." _____ "The artwork is a collaboration between Martin [Bostock] and myself. I created the images and Martin made the layout and typography.” FAN THOUGHTS: scooter59: "There seems to be so much energy shining out of these virtual grooves. You can hear the absolute joy of playing the instrument. The album pretty much grabbed me from first listen, but I'm exploring deeper into the groove with headphones today and it's really revealing itself. Amazing." RMD: "From the point of view of a (very limited) guitar player I'm finding that there is so much to enjoy about this album - the range of sounds, the range of styles (although the jazz influence is never far away) and at times it's very subtle. Layers of guitars everywhere - heaven. Congrats Bill on such a fine offering, but then I think as fans we do get spoiled by you." CoachMatt: "Great album here. Bill's flowing ebow at its best. Heard it all the way through and the running order is so very well done. Really enjoying this one!! Hats off to you Bill!! "Furthermore I like to add, putting headphones on, as I just had the pleasure of doing, really puts this album up there as one of Bill's best for me. Those back bottom beats really come to life. The layering of sounds are just incredible, very magical indeed. Through the years you know what you are going to get from Bill talents with putting your headphones but this album is out there on a different level." andygeorge: "The title track is worth the money on it's own! Music to feed the imagination!" neill_burgess: "Loving it! Smooth as silk..." wadcorp: "Hey, Bill. This album is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really good." major snagg: "Boy am I glad I didn't pass on this one. This album is fantastic...through the main speakers and through headphones. Another stunning album. I've burnt a cd with the wav files and another from the MP3 files. Both sound crystal clear and punchy as hell. Another great instrumental album. Respect! " Albums Menu Future Past

Jet Silver Be-Bop Deluxe single - 7 June 1974 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Jet Silver B) Third Floor Heaven ORIGINALLY: "Jet Silver" and "Third Floor Heaven" are lifted off the Axe Victim album. NOTES: Jet Silver was the second Be Bop Deluxe single issued during the band's existence. The single was issued in a generic record company sleeve. Promo copies exist with the words "Demo Record Not For Sale" and a large 'A' printed on the label. PAST RELEASES: "Jet Silver" would re-appear on the 4 track Hot Valves EP (1976), with both songs also included on the Singles As and Bs compilation (1981). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The single is long deleted, but both tracks can be found on the Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings reissue of Axe Victim (2020) - both in physical form and as a digital download. Singles Menu Future Past

Ieyasu compilation track - 1982 Jobson and Nelson Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Background music on the only track credited to Richard Jobson and himself. NOTES: Found on the cassette music magazine SFX, issue #5. The track was later collected on the Cocteau Records compilation Signature Tunes . Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Hip Pocket Jukebox mini-album - 1 October 2011 Bill Nelson Albums Menu Future Past Download Free Here TRACKS: 01) Blown Away 02) A Universe To Give You 03) Silver Tears 04) Where Do We Go 05) I’ll Be Everywhere 06) Maybe Strange Imagination ALBUM NOTES: The Hip Pocket Jukebox mini-album is a collection of 'PCM-F1' archive vocal tracks recorded between 1984 and 1995, which initially appeared as a CDR bearing no label or catalogue number. The disc came with printed labels that were signed and individually numbered by Nelson. The mini-album was included in the ticket price for an event held at Leeds University on the 1st of October, 2011, entitled The Art School Ascended on Vapours of Roses , and was limited to approximately 150 copies. (Note this is based on the limitations on the size of venue used to stage the event rather than anything officially confirmed by Nelson.) 'I'll Be Everywhere' warrants particular mention since it is the previously released instrumental track 'Tropicus' (from Chameleon ) but with added vocal. Because of the limited nature of this release, and the very high prices paid for a couple of copies that were listed on eBay (which sold for more than £200 each), enquiries from fans led Nelson to release the material as a free digital download on Soundcloud in December 2011. The digital edition came with free downloadable artwork. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Original copies on CDR are near impossible to obtain, but the opportunity to acquire the free download is available here: Hip Pocket Jukebox FREE download. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "As an early Christmas gift for fans, we've decided to make the six tracks which comprised the Hip Pocket Jukebox CDR, (which was given to ticket holders at the Leeds concert/exhibition earlier this year), available as FREE downloads via this site. These are unmastered mp3s from my 1980's PCM F1 archives and are demos or rough sketches for songs that were never developed further or publicly released. They're rough and unpolished but, hopefully, enjoyable within their technical limitations. "This does not affect the exclusivity of the Hip Pocket Jukebox CDR which was produced as a strictly limited edition, being hand-numbered and signed by myself. These physical artefacts remain rare and valuable but the music itself, in basic download form, will allow fans who couldn't attend the Leeds event to hear the music. "These tracks will also give you a taste of the proposed album which will eventually surface on CD. (My plan is to eventually compile more of the best of these PCM archives as an official, physical album once the material has been properly mastered by John Spence at Fairview. Hopefully, sometime in the first quarter of next year.)" [This was later released as Return to Tomorrow .] _____ "I'd thought they were a little naive and somewhat substandard at the time, which is why they've been gathering dust for so long." FAN THOUGHTS: Puzzleoyster: "The PCM Era has taken a lot, if not all of us, by very pleasant surprise! Open mouthed agog as how comes most, if not all these songs and sketches found themselves down the back of the Proverbial PCM Settee!!???" aquiresville: "Amazing that these songs never made it on a proper album! Thank you, Bill!" James Ellis: "I'm Blown away by "Blown Away"! First listen, these are terrific songs, even in their unmixed state, far too good to sit on the shelves." TimeSlip: "These are great pieces. I don't know if they inspire me or depress me. I mean, these are "rough and unpolished"? So that's it: your "demos" are equivalent to the best efforts of others." banality: "Sometimes you play something a few times and you like it well enough. Then you play it one more time and you crack - after that it just sounds fantastic. Well, tonight, Hip Pocket Jukebox has cracked me. Now I've got that thing where your favourite track keeps changing..."I'll Be Everywhere"...no..."Silver Tears"...no..."Where Do We Go?"...and so on. What wonderful confusion! Thanks for the CD Bill." johnofdeath: "If you listen to tracks like "We Will Rise" and "Killing my Desires" from Buddha Head [part of My Secret Studio - Vol 1 ] you get a pretty good idea about how these tracks sound - same style of vocals, synth strings and angry guitar sound." "I'm really enjoying the music. I really hope this is the tip of an iceberg and we all get to hear more of these hidden gems. Thanks for making them available, Bill" Quinault: "I am awed by BN's creativity. It is like looking through a temporal worm hole into the past. Music as well as photography can capture time and these musical projects have a different timeline. We all know how Bill packages wonderfully themed albums. These songs seem like singles, snapshots of another era. Magic." Albums Menu Future Past

Singles As and Bs Be Bop Deluxe retrospective collection - 19 June 1981 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Jet Silver And The Dolls Of Venus A2) Between The Worlds A3) Maid In Heaven A4) Ships In The Night A5) Kiss Of Light A6) Japan A7) Panic In The World A8) Electrical Language B1) Third Floor Heaven B2) Lights B3) Crying To The Sky B4) Shine B5) Futurist Manifesto B6) Blue As A Jewel B7) Surreal Estate NOTES: Singles As and Bs is a single album that neatly brings together the Be Bop Deluxe singles issued on Harvest, including 3 singles edits that were appearing on album for the first time. Collectors were drawn to this album (when initially released on vinyl in 1981) by the inclusion of "Between the Worlds", the band's third single, which was withdrawn shortly after its original release in 1975. However, by the time this collection had appeared on CD in '92, that super rare track had re-appeared on the Futurama CD as a bonus cut. All the tracks on this album, including the 7" edits, can be found on the more comprehensive Futurist Manifesto box set issued in 2012. PAST RELEASES: All 15 tracks on this compilation album had originally appeared spread across the band's eight 7" singles issued on Harvest. See individual entries of those singles for full details. In addition to "Between the Worlds", 4 of the 'B' sides and 1 other 'A' side were non-album cuts when first released although all five of these tracks had been included on The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe double album a little over 2 years previously. The album was released on CD in 1992 with different artwork. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This compilation is now out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

Hip Pocket Jukebox Free download mini-album Click image for cover Artwork Hip Pocket Jukebox: A Mini-Album Of Previously Unreleased Bill Nelson Apocrypha From The Private PCM F1 Archives. These tracks were recorded in the late 1980s and mixed down to a Sony PCM F1 stereo recorder. They are unmastered tracks in their raw state. The tracks were originally created as demos or 'sketches', the idea being that they would be, one day, developed further and eventually re-recorded, possibly with a band. This, unfortunately didn't happen so the demos have remained unheard until now. The Hip Pocket Jukebox CDr was a limited edition hand-made CDr, personally numbered and signed by Bill. It was given to all fans attending the University of Leeds "The Art School Ascended On Vapours Of Roses" event, Oct 2011. Less than 250 discs were created and today they are treasured artifacts. The unmastered tracks were burnt onto the CDr. Now you can download them here for free! Written, performed, recorded and produced by Bill Nelson. All rights Bill Nelson 2011.

The Two-Fold Aspect of Everything Bill Nelson retrospective 2LP collection - February 1985 Collections Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: Original UK 2 record set: Eaux D'Artifice A1) Acceleration (Remix) (Acceleration single, 1984) A2) White Sound (Living in My Limousine single, 1981) A3) Living In My Limousine (Remix) (Living in My Limousine single, 1981) A4) Flesh (Eros Arriving double single, 1982) A5) Eros Arriving (Single Version ) (Eros Arriving single, 1982) A6) Hope For The Heartbeat (Remix ) (U.S. promo single, 1982) A7) The Passion (Flaming Desire single, 1982) B1) Ideal Homes (Do You Dream In Colour? single, 1980) B2) Instantly Yours (Do You Dream In Colour? single, 1980) B3) Atom Man Loves Radium Girl (Do You Dream In Colour? single, 1980) B4) Mr. Magnetism Himself (Banal single, 1981) B5) The Burning Question (Flaming Desire 12" single, 1982) B6) Haunting In My Head (Eros Arriving single, 1982) B7) He And Sleep Were Brothers (Eros Arriving double single, 1982) Confessions Of A Four Track Mind C1) Connie Buys A Kodak (Sleepcycle club ep, 1982) C2) Be My Dynamo (Youth Of Nation On Fire single, 1981) C3) Touch And Glow (single from the Permanent Flame box set, 1982) C4) Love Without Fear (Touch And Glow single from the Permanent Flame box set, 1982) C5) Dada Guitare (Rooms With Brittle Views single, 1981) C6) Turn To Fiction (Banal 12" single, 1981) D1) Rooms With Brittle Views (non-album single, 1981) D2) Love In The Abstract (Living In My Limousine single, 1981) D3) Hard Facts From The Fiction Department (title track from a non-album club ep, 1984) D4) Hers Is A Lush Situation (Banal 12" single, 1981) D5) When The Birds Return (Sleepcycle club ep, 1982) D6) All My Wives Were Iron (Youth Of Nation On Fire 12" single, 1981) 1989 UK single CD: Same running order as above, but deleted the following: A1, A2, A3, A6. 1989 US 2CD set: Same track listing as the original vinyl release, except: A1 was replaced with "The Beat That Can't Go Wrong Today" (Sleepcycle club ep, 1982) , and D3 was replaced with "Daily Bells" ( Hard Facts From The Fiction Department club ep, 1984) NOTES: The Two-Fold Aspect of Everything was initially issued as a double album on vinyl on Cocteau Records (the first of just two releases in the Cocteau Collectors series). The double vinyl was condensed into a single CD for UK release, removing tracks that had been issued as bonus cuts on the CD versions of Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam and The Love That Whirls (both 1986) and/or included on Duplex (1989) All editions of this compilation are out of print, but half of the original double album is available on the following reissues: Quit Dreaming (Mercury, 2005): contains A2, A3, B4, C2, D1, D2 and D6. The Love That Whirls (Mercury, 2005): contains A4, A6, A7, B6 and B7. Chimera (Mercury, 2005): contains D3. The Practice of Everyday Life (Esoteric, 2011): contains A7 and B4. Transcorder (Sonoluxe CD052): contains C1 and D3, CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The UK single CD version is available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . Collections Menu Future Past

Bop to the Red Noise Be Bop Deluxe retrospective collection - August 1986 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Ships In The Night A2) Life In The Air Age A3) Maid In Heaven A4) Jean Cocteau A5) Third Floor Heaven A6) Rocket Cathedrals B1) No Trains To Heaven B2) Orphans Of Babylon B3) Modern Music B4) New Precision B5) Don't Touch Me (I'm Electric) B6) For Young Moderns NOTES: Bop to the Red Noise is a single album issued only on vinyl via the budget DOJO label. It offers the new listener quite a baffling mixture of Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise material. The album covers the period between 1974-79 reasonably evenly, although Drastic Plastic gets one track, whereas Axe Victim gets three. Issued at a time when nearly everything issued by the band had been deleted (Sunburst Finish , on its third issue, was their only album in print), Bop to the Red Noise was soon deleted and quickly forgotten about. PAST RELEASES: All 12 tracks on this compilation album were taken from the five Be Bop Deluxe studio albums and the sole Red Noise album. See individual entries of those albums for full details. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This compilation is now out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

Hot Valves Be Bop Deluxe ep - 5 November 1976 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Maid In Heaven A2) Bring Back The Spark B1) Blazing Apostles B2) Jet Silver & The Dolls Of Venus ORIGINALLY: All four tracks were album tracks, one taken from each of their four albums released up to that point. NOTES: The Hot Valves EP was the seventh Be Bop Deluxe single issued during the band's existence. The EP came in a picture sleeve (the first of their singles to do so). Promo copies exist with the words "Demo Record Not For Sale" and a large 'A' printed on the label. PAST RELEASES: "Maid in Heaven" was the track used to plug this EP, which finally earned the band a minor hit, although it deserved to peak higher than No. 36. Both "Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus" and "Maid in Heaven" made it onto the Singles As and Bs compilation (1981) on the basis that they had also been issued as singles in their own right. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: On 24 November 2023 the Hot Valves EP was reissued on 10" vinyl by Cherry Red with fully restored artwork and remastered from the original master recordings. Singles Menu Future Past

Old Haunts Bill Nelson album - 09 November 2019 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Gentle Spirits Prevail 02) Once Upon A River 03) Rain Town 04) Antique Interiors 05) In A Haunted Arcade 06) There Are Ghosts Here 07) Bells Ring Sweet Across The Meadow 08) The Phantom Palace Of The Prince Of Dreams 09) As The Stars Began To Glow 10) Lost In The Cosmos Again 11) My New Erotic Guest 12) To Imagine Is Hard 13) This Gilded Age 14) When Art Schools Shaped Tomorrow 15) The Darkness Will Remain 16) Soft Light ALBUM NOTES: Old Haunts is an album combining vocal and instrumental pieces issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The album was recorded during June and July 2019 and represents the final album to be made using Nelson's Mackie based recording system that has been his trusted set-up since 2002. Old Haunts continues the new exclusive arrangement of using Burning Shed as the manufacturers and online outlet for obtaining Bill Nelson's music on physical formats. With 16 pieces recorded for the new album, and with known issues with the DAT machine at Fairview Studios as experienced with the Auditoria 3CD set last year, Nelson decided to transfer the tracks for Old Haunts to CDR from his DAT masters in advance of the album's mastering session. That mastering session for Old Haunts took place at Fairview with John Spence at the helm on 17 September 2019. With the album successfully mastered, Nelson turned his attention to the album artwork. Assembly of the sleeve design fell to Martin Bostock working with images prepared by Nelson. Midway through the recording of Old Haunts , Nelson tabled an idea to hold a launch party, including a live performance of instrumental music, to honour the arrival of the new album. The launch party event was duly arranged for 9 November 2019 at the customary venue of The Clothworker's Hall at Leeds University. Tickets for the event went on sale on 10 August 2019 and sold out within 24 hours. Ticket holders had the opportunity to buy an advance signed copy of the Old Haunts album on the night. The remaining copies (mostly unsigned) were made available to buy through Burning Shed with a pre-sale announcement made on 17 October for a general release on 15 November. Old Haunts sold out in October 2021. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "I'm currently working on a new album titled 'Old Haunts' . The starting point is to conjure up a state of beautiful decay, reverie and nostalgia. A twilight world where rain falls gently on rusty factories and streetlamps glow with pale light on abandoned avenues. Well, that's the starting point, but it will inevitably develop and stray." _____ "I have to admit that, all modesty aside for a moment, 'Old Haunts' is going to be a very good album with a great deal of personal insight. At least a couple of the songs are plain speaking, emotional recollections of my past, romantic life. It's a kind of exposing of some areas of my emotional travels, albeit in symbolic, metaphorical terms. But anyone who has followed my story with a certain amount of curiosity may be able to draw the lines between the dots." _____ "I now have 15 tracks completed for the 'Old Haunts' album, all of which, (even if I do say so myself,) are sounding very good. In the main vocal-based, this is going to be one of those albums that I find personally satisfying, both from a conceptual and aesthetic point of view. I may yet create one more track though, a short instrumental to open the album." _____ "The album isn't a 'flippant' or casual piece of work, though it does contain some lighter, less intense moments. It's an album for now and (I suspect,) the age I, and some other fans, have arrived at. It's reflective, pensive, a little melancholy perhaps, but, hopefully, filled with optimism and a contemplative surrender to inevitability but, not without a sense of beauty. I guess it has a 'spiritual' dimension, a hint of 'the other' about it..." _____ "On first listen it may seem a bit 'darker' than previous albums, but it's a gentle darkness that sparkles with beautiful light. It's a mature album in some ways, an 'adult' album for grown-ups who seek something with a little more depth and self-reflection, rather than the more 'la-la-la' dancing around your handbag stuff. It's simply a message from the heart and where I am at this particular point in time, as all my albums are. Just another statement of the here and now, a diary entry, a mark on the calendar. It goes on, ever forward and always in flux..." FAN THOUGHTS: Coach Matt: "Purely enjoying Old Haunts that I received today. This CD is putting me on mood swings! Bill knocked out another master piece! Fantastic and brilliant from end to end!! Outrageously Done!!" Michael: "First impressions: another diverse lot of songs with the usual superb guitar playing and, to these ears, some newfangled synth, drums and percussion sounds (is this the new drum machine?). There's also the playfulness, which is always refreshing, though the overall tone is rather somber. The entire CD is like a journey that should be listened to start to finish. Some of the tracks are downright epic with the intricate arrangements and twists and turns of the drum programming. I'm looking forward to repeated listens of this one, for sure!" Steve Lyles: " Old Haunts is a masterpiece...from first listen the whole album resonated with me...the style, the production, the superb musicianship...not one to compare but l hear hints of Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow and Simplex in the mix...the songs have a complexity and simplicity to them...it does demand an attentive listener and isn't one to cherry pick...it's ridiculous that one man can continue to create such beautiful music after all that has already gone before...long live Bill Nelson." "I love this album and it's been the most played here in Northern Nevada the last year." Palladium: "Really loving this album. Abundance of texture, depth, atmosphere, mystery...and lush melodies. Plus sublime guitar of course!" Albums Menu Future Past

The Hermetic Jukebox Orchestra Arcana retrospective 2CD collection - 16 December 2002 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: Iconography 01) Christ Via Wires 02) Clock Conscious 03) I Wonder 04) Eastern Electric 05) Search And Listen 06) News From Nowhere 07) One Man's Fetish Is Another Man's Faith 08) Right, Then Left 09) Iconography 10) The Gods Speak 11) Life Class 12) Altar Natives 13) Sex, Psyche, Etcetera Extra Tracks: 14) Several Famous Orchestras 15) Who He Is TRACKS: Optimism 01) Exactly The Way You Want It 02) Why Be Lonely 03) Everyday Is A Better Day 04) The Receiver And The Fountain Pen 05) Welcome Home, Mr. Kane 06) This Is True 07) Greeting A New Day 08) The Breath In My Father's Saxophone 09) Our Lady Of Apparitions 10) The Whole City Between Us 11) Deva Dance 12) Always Looking Forward To Tomorrow 13) World Thru' Fast Car Window 14) Profiles, Hearts, Stars 15) Daughter Of Dream Come True 16) Alchemia Extra Tracks: 17) Um, Ah Good Evening 18) Kut Up In Cartoonsville 19) Short Wave NOTES: The Hermetic Jukebox is a limited edition 2CD boxed set that compiles both albums that Bill Nelson released under the name Orchestra Arcana, Iconography , and Optimism . For details about each album, please check out their individual pages in the album section of the discography. This set includes the first appearance on CD of the two b-sides from the first Orchestra Arcana ep, Sex, Psyche, Etc . The second CD also contains the 3 bonus tracks that had been added onto the original UK CD. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Although this CD set is now out of print, the individual albums are expected to be made available as digital downloads at some point. Collections Menu Future Past

Theatre of Falling Leaves Bill Nelson album - 19 September 2009 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Thoughts Travel (For Miles) 02) You Here Now In William's World 03) The Darcey Bussell Rubberwear Fantasia 04) Tiny Mice Are Dancing In The Cottage Of Her Dreams 05) Planet Of Sleeping Buddhas 06) Pagoda Dreamhouse 07) Tumbletown 08) Dance, Mighty Robot, Dance! 09) Superserene 10) Theatre Of Falling Leaves 11) Sparkle And Spin 12) Space Ace Gets His Girl 13) Django Dreams Of Twinkleland 14) From Here To Far Orion ALBUM NOTES: Theatre of Falling Leaves is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. Recording of the album commenced in January 2009, and was assembled alongside material that would form two other contrasting albums, Fancy Planets and Here Comes Mr Mercury . Initially the project was given the working title of Haiku Sound Box , and was conceived as a minimalist, ambient keyboard-based album, while the projects competing alongside it for material were contrastingly stylised . However, the direction the keyboard based material took resulted in the Haiku Sound Box title being set aside for another potential future work. Nelson re-thought his plans for the keyboard-based material, initially re-naming it Sparkle and Spin in the process. A couple of months into the project Nelson very nearly changed his mind and considered mixing the Sparkle and Spin material with other material then allocated to an album with working title Sway and Swoon (eventually released as Fancy Planets ). Ultimately though, he reverted back to his original intentions, naming the album of keyboard-based material Theatre of Falling Leaves . The album title and track listing were confirmed on 15 May 2009, and the album was made available to purchase on pre-release at Nelsonica '09 before going on general sale through SOS three days later. Theatre Of Falling Leaves sold out in July 2020. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Mazda Kaleidoscope , Non-Stop Mystery Action , Signals From Realms of Light , And We Fell Into A Dream , Gleaming Without Lights , Dream Transmission Pavilion , Illuminated at Dusk , Albion Dream Vortex BILL'S THOUGHTS: "A keyboard-based instrumental album with just a hint of lap-steel guitar on a couple of tracks. The predominant tonality centres on synths and treated piano. The pieces recorded so far shift through various changes within their individual length but there's plenty of melodic content and beats that drift in and out of the frame. There's even a cute and ironic disco track with a retro feel to it." _____ "Style/sound-wise, it's in a similar ball-park to the recent guitar or vocal albums but without the vocals or guitar (although there is a little ambient lap-steel guitar on some pieces). I have used some of the Motif's retro-sounding mono-synth patches though. Not used these much on previous recordings as they sound so 80's and sometimes cheesy, but I thought the more lush, rich textures of this album might stand a touch of Cheddar here and there to add a little nostalgic contrast. "This isn't meant to be a 'radical departure' album or even my next 'major' statement, it's simply a pleasant diversion designed as an easy listening collection of keyboard instrumentals. A nice 'utility' album to enjoy with tea and biscuits." _____ " Autumn, and its falling leaves, have long been a symbol of the impermanence of life for me. But also, paradoxically, a symbol of the possibility of renewal and regeneration, the cycle of life that eventually comes around in Spring. Autumn holds a poetic resonance for me, its colours, golden and brown, echo in some ways rust and the beautiful patina that comes with age and wisdom." _____ Thoughts Travel (for Miles): "It's a deliberate double meaning: Thoughts travel for miles, in the literal sense, and Thoughts Travel (For Miles), ie: dedicated to Miles Davis. After I'd recorded the track, I realised there was a touch of 'Bitches Brew' influence in the piece, particularly with regard to the electric piano parts." FAN THOUGHTS: mark smith: "I love this album! I play it all the time, on country drives late at night in my car...in fact, I had to remove it because I was not wanting to come home late at night till I heard it from start to finish. It's getting out of hand for sure...I play it at all hours now, often just entranced by those beautiful melodies and the feel of the whole concept that Bill has so successfully achieved. I even left a boring BBQ to get back to it the other day...geez it's gotta be love! Many times I just grin to myself and am dazzled by Mr Nelson's playful soundscapes that always seem to continually morph back and forth. I use this disk as an example to remind jaded friends that this is what made music such a vital form in our lives. Please Bill, if you do read this, please take us on another walk in autumn with you again. It really does take you to a time and a place - and how many CDs can do that these days? Thank you very much for this work of art Mr Nelson." Peter: "I have always appreciated Bill's abilities and sensibilities when it comes to instrumentation other than the guitar. This is one reason that I have really enjoyed Theatre of Falling Leaves , as it is not so dependent on the guitar, and features sophisticated, interesting and beautiful compositions, and Bill's skill at arranging music. Stunning, though not surprising -- hell, Bill manages to add whirls and buzzes and chimes (yes, chimes!) in such a way that you just think "Ah, that is exactly the right little nuance at that moment"...well, the guy can just make music! Such a wonderful ability to create rich textures and melodies that evolve and surprise...I love this album. As Bill continues to grow as a musician and songwriter, each stage gets more interesting and satisfying." tomasso: "Let me add to the praise for Theatre. I like the way in which Bill experiments with more recent electronica sounds and rhythms, but still manages to make the result sound distinctly his own." steve lyles: "I find Theatre of Falling Leaves quite brilliant...a different tangent...at times quite Aphex Twin meets Kraftwerk-ish with those Jazzy Oriental overtones interspersed that are bloody lovely. More please..." Grey Lensman: "Much as I enjoy Bill's versatile guitar work, it's his ability to generate well-thought out and intelligent soundscapes that puts him out there in a class of his own. And this CD really does confirm that. Full of really interesting sound textures and patterns of sound that weave subtle melodies together in a most delightful way. I love the mood and overall ambience of this long-player. A nice contrast to The Dream Transmission Pavilion . Bill once again demonstrates his "Leonardo Da Vinci" abilities - a true musical Renaissance man!" james warner: "For some, Bill Nelson's guitar playing is everything, but this album proves there is so much more to his talents. A collection of keyboard instrumentals which ranges from classical piano to dance electronica and many delightfully quirky places in between." Serge Ruel: "It's Magnifique! It is utterly unified and intertwined. The integrating of the piano and its associated/generated sounds and vice versa is AGAIN Magnifique. Bill, really, keep on keeping on!!!" Returningman: "It is a very refreshing vibrant album full of gentle and clever touches that really hit the spot. Any track that includes Miles as a reference point always gets my attention and "Thoughts Travel (For Miles)" delivers. Love the bass groove on this. The whole album is a delight and touches many areas and styles that I have not (as yet) associated with Bill. This one has moved straight into my Top Ten Nelsonic album charts with a rocket. A mini masterpiece." thunk: "From Here to Far Orion": "is a beautiful ending to a really magical album, chock full with tunes & textures, twists & turns..." Analog: "All I can say is that this is a must have. One of Mr. Nelson's absolute best... Very satisfying and also very cohesive and picturesque in the mental landscape it conjures up." BobK: "It is quite brilliant and I am, frankly, knocked out by it. As for style, it is a keyboard based, though the percussion tracks and 'sounds' are equally important to the feel and structure. The tracks are fascinating throughout with many twists and turns with changes, sometimes subtle, sometimes radical throughout the track. The album sounds very new, very fresh, very different with many new electric sounds throughout, and a few (knowing?) nods to the past. I can hear keyboard sounds that hark back to Intimacy and Chance Encounters and some nice marimba that harks back to Love That Whirls . I really can't do justice in a few words, but there are so many gorgeous melodies and interesting things going on throughout, it is one helluva listening experience. (So listen on headphones!!). Not sure about buying this? (you fool!), then listen to the samples. They give a hint of how good this is." Albums Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) October 2008 Jan Feb Aug Sep Wednesday 22nd October 2008 -- 9:00 pm Too much news and not enough time to write it up in any great detail. Nelsonica 08 is almost here and I'm way behind with my preparations, as is generally the case at this time of year...However on THIS particular occasion, I'm REALLY floundering, particularly in terms of the work I still need to complete for my part in the band's live performance. The physical and mental stress has felt much more acute than usual, so much so that I've actually been a hair's breadth away from cancelling that part of the event altogether. The extra pressure has been compounded by so many other problems...difficult to convey to anyone not actually sitting over my shoulder observing the day to day complexities and frustrations. Anyway, more of that later but, first, a resume of matters touched upon in my previous diary entry. And I'll try to keep this as brief as possible: Emiko came back from Tokyo on the 26th of September, (not the 25th as I'd erroneously noted in my previous entry). I was so pleased to have her home again...the two and a half weeks she was away were difficult for both of us, sometimes depressing. Emi's mother has undergone surgery to remove the malignant tumour from her intestine. It was a worrying time for the family. Nevertheless she seems to have come through that process remarkably well, especially for a woman in her 80's. She remained in hospital a few weeks after the operation, slowly recuperating, but was finally allowed home last weekend. We're hoping that she will continue to make progress and enjoy a complete recovery, 'though the matter is still, naturally, of some concern to Emiko and I. Whilst Emi was away, I tried to help the time pass more quickly by spending even longer hours in my studio than usual. I began work on a special audio-visual project for this year's Nelsonica convention. It combines music, spoken-word samples, abstract sound and video cut-ups. It is titled 'The Departure Of The 20th Century In A Hail Of Memory.' The piece took three weeks to complete, (due to my slow computer and long out-of-date software), but I think it will work well as an opening item for the event. The idea is to present the piece as soon as convention attendees have taken their seats, at the very start of the day. The images and soundtrack will create an atmosphere complimentary to the theme/title of Nelsonica 08, (ie: 'The Experimental Time Traveller's Ball'). The piece lasts for a fraction over 16 minutes and can be interpreted as a personal time-travel trip through various cultural moments gathered from of my own era, or as fragmented, cascading images of memory, a mind unspooling in a dream-encrusted, poetic twilight. Besides the above work, I spent a fair amount of time helping my mother with her ongoing struggle to secure an appropriate settlement from her late husband's estate. This has involved the further preparation of legal documents and various meetings with solicitors. My own part in all this has been to give time and support wherever and whenever she has needed it. Sadly, the situation remains unresolved and things have now progressed to the litigation stage. This is a highly unpleasant process for my mother but one which she has been forced into by others. I continue to be dismayed by the 'cold shoulder' she has been given and the whole sorry business is causing all of us who care for my mother a great deal of distress. In a decent world, it should be absolutely unneccesary for her to go to these absurd lengths. Although the next few weeks should see the arrival of the next phase in the proceedings, there still may be a long way to go before the matter is settled. My mind has been constantly divided by conflicting duties, forces pulling this way and that: My mother's inheritance problems, her psychological and emotional struggles as a result of her bereavement, her practical day to day re-adjustment to life as a widow, etc. Her increased dependency on me as an only son. Also, Emiko's concerns about her mother's health and general situation around that, Very worrying for Emi, especially being so far away across the world from her mum. Added to this is Emiko's job redundancy and the difficulties she's faced as a result, especially trying to find employment in the current economic climate. The psychological impact this has inflicted upon her, the loss of self-confidence these kind of situations bring, all conspire to darken the mood. Plus, she's had to endure my self-inflicted, punishing creative workload and the negative effect it seems to be having on my own health, both physical and mental. Self-inflicted, maybe...but unavoidable under the circumstances. Then there's the list of various things required for Nelsonica, a list which seems to become more and more demanding each year. Of course, I'm not, as the saying goes, getting any younger. It definitely feels as if my energy levels are depleting as time goes on. (Or maybe it just seems this way because I take on too much. Perhaps I don't know where to draw the line.) Anyway, I won't continue to list any more difficulties, other than to say that they have sometimes become so overwhelming that there have been moments of utter despair when I've wondered where all of this might be leading. Well, that's life. It's one thing to deal with it in theory, another in reality. On a more positive note, let me try to list what I've actually achieved , in creative and positive terms, during the last 12 months or so: 1: An interconnected series of three instrumental albums, each filled to the brim with new examples of my guitar music. ('Silvertone Fountains,' Illuminated At Dusk,' and 'Mazda Kaleidoscope'.) 2: A brand new vocal album, ('Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow'), that weaves together various colourful threads and styles into something that, I hope, comes across as a unique and personal musical statement. 3: An exceptionally tightly packed Nelsonica limited edition album, ('Clocks And Dials'), that gathers together 38 diverse tracks across two CD's, all presented beautifully in digi-pak format. 4: A musical soundtrack for a documentary film titled 'American Stamps.' (And for which I've managed to secure a 'world premiere screening' at this year's Nelsonica.) 5: Another feature packed Nelsonica convention. 6: A solo set for Nelsonica that I've assembled and re-assembled at least three times before arriving at a concept I've titled 'Clouds, Dreams And Rain: The Melancholy Romance Of Guitars.' 7: The assembly of a band to perform as a separate item at Nelsonica. Band title? 'The Gentlemen Rocketeers.' Line up:- Bass: Dave Sturt. Flute, Sax: Theo Travis. Drums: Dave Cook. Second Guitar: Dave Standeven. Keyboards: Steve Cook. Keyboards: Jon Wallinger. Man up front with a guitar but with not a clue what's actually going on: Yours truly. 8: A continued, regular interface with my audience via this website diary and the Dreamsville on-line forum. Easy to underestimate how much time goes into this activity. More than people realise, I suspect. 9: The creation of a song to donate to 'Sara's Hope Foundation' as an exclusive download. Following in the footsteps of last year's 'Six Strings For Sara' instrumental track, this time it's a vocal piece, 'A Million Whistling Milkmen.' 10: A design for a limited edition Nelsonica watch. 11: I've finally managed to make some drawings and paintings for this year's Nelsonica auction...but not nearly as many as previous years. (The time just wasn't available.) However, the ones I HAVE made are interesting and this year's 'workbox' cover is especially nice, I think, being executed in paint, rather than coloured pencils. I still need to add something further to its contents though. Must remember to do this. And there are more achievements but I don't have time to list them all...lots done but more still to do... The main worry for me at this moment in time is that I haven't found an opportunity to start work on learning the material designated for the band set. Or, for that matter, to re-familiarise myself with the solo set music. Here's the track list, running order for my solo set at Nelsonica:- 1: 'BLUE AMORINI.' 2: 'BEYOND THESE CLOUDS THE SWEETEST DREAM.' 3: 'IF I WERE THE PILOT OF YOUR PERFECT CLOUD.' 4: 'GOLDEN DREAM OF CIRCUS HORSES.' 5: 'THE RAINDROP COLLECTOR.' 6: 'NIGHT SONG OF THE LAST TRAM.' 7: 'THE GIRL ON THE FAIRGROUND WALTZER.' 8: 'ONLY A DREAM BUT NEVERTHELESS.' 9: 'BEATNIKS FROM OUTER SPACE (I was a junior spaceman.)' 10: 'A DREAM FOR IAN.' 11: 'FOR STUART.' This doesn't look like an hour 15 mins worth of music but some of those pieces are quite long. And demanding. I had prepared three new instrumental tracks for the set too but there wasn't enough room for them. I didn't want to change the flow of the above set list to accomodate them, just for the sake of them being new. So maybe another day. But here's the bottom line: I know NOTHING and rehearsals start next Monday for 3 days. Day 1 is me on my own, trying to figure out my complex pedal board/processor rig, (which I only ever use live, never at home due to lack of space). And then I must try to run through my one hour 15 minute solo set and try to become confident enough to play it in front of an audience. The following two days are devoted exclusively to the band, to see if we can bolt together enough tunes to make up a performance. (Two days! Jeez!) Untested territory this as we have a new line-up. And this is where I REALLY haven't a clue. As mentioned above, I'm not prepared in the least for any of this. Just totally out of the loop. And the reason? Well, had I only the band thing to worry about, perhaps it would be o.k. But just take a look back over all those other things I've been dealing with and you'll see my problem. The short answer is: Too many things going on at once. Tomorrow I have to take three guitars for set-ups/repairs, on Friday I have to travel to Fairview near Hull to master my backing tracks. On Saturday I have to disconnect various items from my studio, pack all the equipment I need for Nelsonica and drag it downstairs. (There's a LOT of it!) On Sunday the equipment is being collected from here and will be delivered to the rehearsal room in Leeds on Monday morning. From then on, it's rehearsals for three days as itemised above. Then a clothes dry-cleaning/preparation day, (and, I hope, a haircut), followed by last minute bits and pieces. How I'll fit my personal learning time into any of this is a mystery. I just hope the band will forgive me when I stand there scratching my head and wondering what the next chord is. I've never been so ill-prepared and I absolutely hate it. It's not my style. I hope the Nelsonica audience will forgive me too, when I appear a shaking, nervous wreck on stage on the day itself. This diary entry, of course, helps matters not a bit. It's taken up far too much time already, even though it contains a third of the information I intended it to carry. So, I'm going to close here and see what I can achieve in the time available to me before I go to bed. So... the next entry will be AFTER Nelsonica, (provided my sanity is still intact!) Wish me luck and if you're going to the convention, please be gentle with me! ***** Images with this diary are:- 1: Bill and Emi circa 1983/4. 2: Tinkerbell The Cat in Bill 'n' Emi's garden. 3: A photo of Bill's Nelsonica 08 artworks 4: A closer look at the Nelsonica 08 artworks. Top of page

The Jewel Bill Nelson album - 9 April 2020 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) The Jewel 02) Girl From A Satellite Town 03) Twilight Crescent 04) Bikini Avanti 05) Dream Guitar 06) California Boombox 07) Royal Blue 08) Radio Control 09) That Sunburst Sound 10) Chroma 11) The Retro Modernist 12) Ablaze With Glory 13) Little Cosmos 14) The Great Magnetiser ALBUM NOTES: The Jewel is an album of guitar instrumental pieces issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 600 copies. The album was first mentioned by Nelson as "almost finished" in a Dreamsville forum post dated 27 May 2016, with the album's running order announced just five days later on 1 June 2016. This brought the tally of unreleased albums to 13 at that point, a fact that caused Nelson sufficient anxiety to immediately begin work on a 14th album, which would in time be titled Powertron. While the album was fresh in Nelson's thoughts, he was sufficiently enthusiastic about The Jewel to consider issuing it as his next but one release (following New Northern Dream issued in October 2016) providing mastering and artwork duties could be completed reasonably quickly. However this plan was abandoned and the album would take almost 4 years to appear. The album was mastered at Fairview Studios by John Spence on 19th February 2020, with artwork compiled by Martin Bostock using images selected by Nelson as the album approached release. Pre-sale orders were taken by Burning Shed from 5th March 2020, with numbers being pressed to satisfy pre-sale orders. The album was released simultaneously as a digital download on Bandcamp on the 9th April 2020. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The album was actually recorded in 2016 but has laid dormant for some years, (as so many other unreleased albums of mine have.) It's an instrumental album, not exactly what I might think of as 'easily accessible,' (though I'm sure some fans will disagree with that statement.) "It's an album of abstract guitar improvisations with ambient jazz interludes. Hopefully an album that will slowly worm its wicked way into listener's ears." _____ "To a certain degree, it's a 'niche' album, one that will appeal to fans of my more introspective guitar work. It's certainly not a 'rock' album. Nevertheless, those who enjoy less mainstream music may find that it resonates with them." _____ "The Jewel is just one of many previously unreleased albums that have been sitting in my archives for several years. Recorded in 2016 it is an instrumental work, an album of abstract, impressionistic guitarscapes and the occasional ambient jazz excursion, an album that will, hopefully, reveal more of its secrets with extended listening." Albums Menu Future Past

Furniture Music Bill Nelson's Red Noise single - 09 February 1979 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Furniture Music B1) Wonder Toys That Last Forever B2) Acquitted By Mirrors ORIGINALLY: A) was from the upcoming Sound-On-Sound album B-sides) were both non-album tracks NOTES: Furniture Music was Nelson's first solo release since the Northern Dream album in 1971, and it appeared one week ahead of the Sound-On-Sound album, providing a glimpse of the abrupt change in style that Nelson's Red Noise project represented compared to Be Bop Deluxe. Red Noise comprised a semi-fluid line up, which on their debut single featured a trio of Andy Clark, retained from Be Bop Deluxe on piano and synthesisers, Rick Ford on bass guitar, and Nelson playing drums, Mini Moog, electric guitars and vocals. Furniture Music was available in red vinyl (limited edition) as well as black vinyl, with both editions coming in a picture sleeve. Interest in the single was sufficient to take it to No. 59 in the UK charts. PAST RELEASES: B1 was also available on the US version of Cocteau Signature Tunes comp (out of print). B2 was also available on The Strangest Things comp (out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All 3 songs were added to the remastered Sound-On-Sound CD from Harvest in 2012, which is now out of print in physical form, but available as digital download on Amazon and iTunes.. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "It was a relief [to go solo]...the doors were opened, windows too, and everything seemed possible. No need to explain myself to others, no need to adapt my ideas to musicians who might have found it difficult to understand where I was coming from, no compromises required other than those which I personally felt justifiable, no need to reflect anything other than my own hard-won experience, my own true story. No need to follow fickle fashion or the desperate dictates of an industry that, even then, was floundering and becoming lost. Going 'solo' gave me permission to express my personal, private world, my own 'vision', without need for discussion or dilution. In a word: It brought me the FREEDOM to be 100% creative!" _____ "I simply took the idea of 'white noise', (which is the presence of every possible frequency happening at the same time), and changed it to 'Red' to suggest something fast and fiery and also to hint at the socialist/communist image we adapted, partly from the Beatles Shea Stadium stage outfits, partly from Maoist Chinese revolutionary suits but also nodding towards a retro-futuristic Orwellian dystopia ." _____ "Remember...the same heart and mind that created Northern Dream and all the Be Bop Deluxe variations also created everything else I've released. From Northern Dream to Sailor Bill and all the stops in between, the one consistent thread is that mind and the idealistic pursuit of excellence. I've never experimented just for the sake of experimentation...I'm simply trying to define and refine my musical vision." Singles Menu Future Past

Revolt Into Style Bill Nelson's Red Noise single - 30 March 1979 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 7" Single: A) Revolt Into Style B) Out Of Touch (Live) 12" Single: A) Revolt Into Style B1) Stay Young (Live) B2) Out Of Touch (Live) 7" Reissue Single: A) Revolt Into Style B1) Stay Young B2) Furniture Music 12" Reissue Single: A1) Revolt Into Style A2) Furniture Music B1) Stay Young (Live) B2) Out Of Touch (Live) ORIGINALLY: The studio tracks were identical to the album versions from the preceding Sound-On-Sound album. The live versions were recorded at Leicester de Montfort Hall on 8 March 1979, and were originally found in studio form on the preceding Sound-On-Sound album. NOTES: Revolt into Style was the second and final single to be lifted off the Sound-On-Sound album, and would (reissues aside) turn out to be Nelson's final record under his deal with EMI. The single was issued in 7" and 12" formats, and was Nelson's first release on the latter format. The 7" single was available in a picture sleeve in blue vinyl (limited edition) and black vinyl, and sold sufficiently well to reach No. 69 in the UK charts. The 12" was in standard black vinyl, also in a picture sleeve. Note that the 7" label states that "Revolt Into Style" was recorded live at Leicester De Montfort Hall, but in fact the version is taken straight from Sound-On-Sound . The tracks on the b-side are live versions, correctly identified as being from the Leicester De Montfort Hall show from 8 March 1979 during Red Noise's only tour (which was comprised of just 12 UK dates). For the tour, the line-up featured Nelson, Andy Clark, Rick Ford and Ian Nelson, with Steve Peer brought in on drums. PAST RELEASES: Both b-sides were included on the 1989 and 2012 CD reissues of Sound-On-Sound . CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All of the single tracks were featured on the 2012 CD reissue of Sound-On-Sound, which is now out of print in physical form, but available as digital download on Amazon and iTunes. Both b-sides are available on The Practice of Everyday Life box set (2011), which is now out of print in physical form, but available as digital download on Amazon and iTunes. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The Red Noise album featured myself playing drums on all but four of the songs. I always played drums on my home demos, even for the Be Bop songs, so to keep the feel as close to the demos as possible, I played drums on the actual album too. The four songs I didn't play drums on were taken care of by legendary drummer Dave Mattacks whose playing I had long admired. Those four songs required something a little more 'sophisticated' than my basic drum technique allowed and Dave did an absolutely wonderful job, particularly on the song "Revolt Into Style" which was quite an energetic and challenging piece. I also played some bass guitar on the album and some synth and piano too, though the bass and keys were mainly covered by Rick Ford and Andy Clark respectively. The tracks were mainly recorded in overdubbed layers, rather than as a 'live' band...despite the album's apparent edginess it was a carefully produced thing, tightly controlled with a definite, neo-futuristic style in mind." _____ "Be Bop didn't make promo videos as they were not considered an essential part of promoting a band at that time so EMI Records never bothered with them. Later, however, I did make a promo video for Red Noise, for the song "Revolt Into Style". Sadly, I never had a copy of it, 'though I believe my ex-manager Mark Rye 'appropriated' a copy when he left his day job at EMI as an A+R man to become more intimately involved with his artist's income. Anyway, the Red Noise video was based around a concept I had of a kind of ironic retro 'swinging London/Carnaby Street' pastiche. It featured shop window mannequins dressed in sixties psychedelia and mod outfits and was shot in a private drinking establishment in London's west end. It was a quirky and hip video, way ahead of the contemporary 'boutique fashion' revival thing and the sixties resurgence of recent years. A genuine rarity." Singles Menu Future Past

Brave Flag Ukrainian download single Click image for cover Artwork Download single in support of the Ukrainian humanitarian charities appeal - Released October 2017. A-Side: BRAVE FLAG Currently unavailable on any album B-Side: MONDO BRAVADO Currently unavailable on any album "I'm sure you will all be aware of the illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces under the direction of Vladimir Putin. I've watched the situation unfold from its beginning with increasing horror. The Ukrainian people are suffering loss of life and homes due to the cruel onslaught of Russian missiles, shelling and bombing. There have also been gross atrocities and war crimes committed by Russian troops that will shock and disgust anyone with an ounce of decency. "I wanted to help, even if only in a small way, so have created a special single, the 'A Side' of which is titled 'Brave Flag'. The 'B Side' is titled 'Mondo Bravado'. Both tracks are instrumentals in the rock genre and feature epic guitars. The tracks come straight from my home studio and are in unmastered form. "I'm making the single available to fans for FREE as a digital download. All I ask in return is that everyone who downloads the free single should please donate a minimum of £5 to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukrainian humanitarian charities appeal. Every donation, no matter how small, will help to provide vital humanitarian relief for those in need in Ukraine. "Thank you for your generosity and compassion. Enjoy the single!" Performed, recorded and produced by Bill Nelson. All rights Bill Nelson 2022. Donate here

The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe retrospective collection - December 1978 Be Bop Deluxe Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Axe Victim A2) Maid In Heaven A3) Music In Dreamland A4) Sister Seagull A5) Sleep That Burns A6) Ships In The Night B1) Blazing Apostles B2) Kiss Of Light B3) Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids B4) Forbidden Lovers B5) Panic In The World C1) Blimps C2) Autosexual C3) Lovers Are Mortal C4) Shine C5) Quest For The Harvest Of The Stars D1) Japan D2) Speed Of The Wind D3) Lights D4) Blue As A Jewel D5) Face In The Rain D6) Futurist Manifesto NOTES: The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe is a double album that brilliantly brought together an album of highlights taken from the band's five studio albums and an album of rarities, including at the time of release, 6 previously unreleased tracks and 5 non album 'A' side or 'B' side cuts. Housed in a wonderfully illustrated gatefold sleeve with inner sleeves bearing lyrics and musician credits for all tracks, the album was a fitting tribute to a band that had bowed out less than six months earlier. Despite a number of subsequent reissues and archive releases issued since this impressive collection first appeared, one of the previously unreleased tracks, "Face in the Rain", remained exclusive to this set right up until Esoteric Recordings produced their super-deluxe box sets. The rest of the rarities have re-appeared first as bonus cuts on the Be Bop Deluxe albums when released on CD in 1991, and more recently on the Futurist Manifesto 1974-1978 box set issued in 2012. PAST RELEASES: 16 of the 22 tracks on this compilation album had originally appeared spread across the band's five albums and four of the band's 7" singles issued on Harvest between 1974 and 1978. See individual entries of those albums and singles for full details. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This compilation is now out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

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