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Panic in the World Be Bop Deluxe single - 9 January 1978 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Panic In The World B) Blue As A Jewel ORIGINALLY: A) Edited version of the Drastic Plastic album cut. B) Non-album cut stemming from the Drastic Plastic sessions. NOTES: Panic in the World was the ninth Be Bop Deluxe single issued during the band's existence. The single came in a generic record company sleeve. UK Promo copies exist with the words Demo Record Not For Sale and a large 'A' printed on the label. In North America Mono/Stereo promo copies were pressed (separately in US and Canada) to encourage airplay on both AM and FM radio. PAST RELEASES: Both tracks would be included on the Singles As and Bs compilation (1981), and "Panic in the World" would find its way onto the Bill Nelson's Be Bop Deluxe 7" EP included in the Permanent Flame Box Set (1982) and on the re-promoted stand-alone 12" EP on Cocteau in September 1983, with an extra track "Jean Cocteau". "Blue as A Jewel" would first re-appear on the Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe double album issued later in 1978, before being added as a bonus track to the Modern Music album when it was issued on CD in 1991. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The single is long deleted, but both tracks can be found on the Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings reissue of Drastic Plastic (2021) - both in physical form and as a digital download. Singles Menu Future Past

Gagalactyca collection - 1990 Lightyears Away/Thundermother Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Guitar on the tracks listed under "Chris Coombs & Lightyears Away" (side A). Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow Bill Nelson album - 1 November 2008 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Welcome To Electric City 02) Once I Had A Time Machine 03) Summer Hums In The Bee-Loud Glade 04) Frosty Lawns (Snowballs And Oranges) 05) God Glows Green In Small Town Park 06) My Empty Bowl Is Full Of Sky 07) When Aeroplanes Were Dragonflys 08) Night Is The Engine Of My Imagination 09) The Old Nebulosity Waltz 10) Help Us Magic Robot 11) Time's Quick-Spun Globe 12) Fountains Are Singing In Cities Of Light 13) The Emperor Of The Evening 14) I Saw Galaxies 15) Until All Our Lights Combine 16) Heaven Is A Haunted Realm 17) Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow 18) Golden Coda (Farewell To Electric City) ALBUM NOTES: Golden Melodies of Tomorrow is a vocal album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. Work on the album coincided with writing material for that year's Nelsonica release, Clocks and Dials , with Nelson completing 64 tracks by July 2008, at which point he began the task of selecting track listings for each album. Golden Melodies of Tomorrow was issued at Nelsonica '08 , with remaining stock then sold through SOS. The album sold out on 7 March 2018. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: " Golden Melodies of Tomorrow is, I think, destined to become one of my own personal favourite albums. One that defines me, here and now, in a very direct and special way. "It's an album that ignores whatever the current mainstream is pursuing. It approaches the listener from a very different musical universe. I was aiming for beauty and transcendence and quiet power too, something futuristic but also ancient, ultra-modern but timeless. "In keeping with recent themes, I think of the album as a sort of clock mechanism, a hand-made, bejewelled movement that, (hopefully), once set in motion, fascinates and intrigues the listener with its interlocking parts and shining, myriad cogs and wheels. A golden, whirring, dream factory of song." _____ "As you may know, for me, Golden Melodie s is a special moment in my ongoing musical journey. And yes, there's a weird nostalgia and a kind of melancholy sweetness in there but it's deliberately intended...It's meant to be surreal, arch, kitsch, ironic, knowing. "It IS a fantasy album, it is escapism, it does refute the realm of aggressive truck drivers, it DOES try to steer away from the 'real' world. It does avoid rock and all its macho struttings, it is paradoxical and deceptive. Evasive even. "Golden Melodies is about an interior world, it's about the psyche and the desires and imagination of a man of my own age, sensibilities and background. It could also be said to be psychedelic, in the classical sense. "Its momentum is achieved by playing off my innocent inner nature against my cynical outer nature. 'm asking questions of myself about certain romantic, poetic impulses that motivate me. I'm also indulging those impulses, giving them full rein, seeing where they lead. I'm trying to be brave, to address the things that many men suppress for fear of feminising themselves. It's a sensual album, it's as much about sex as it is about spirituality. It's deliberately 'away with the fairies' with their transparent skirts, shapely legs and come-hither smiles. As my pal Hal once put it: "Butterflies with Tits". "Think Richard Gadd dining with Gilbert and Sullivan whilst Edward Elgar tries to get to grips with a Yamaha Motif keyboard in a Busby Berkley film set in tea-room off the coast of dreams. Somewhere in there sits Johnny Smith with a big Gibson archtop, filling the air with liquid silver improvisations guided by the ghost of Charlie Christian. "I'm trying to pile image on image, beauty on beauty, relentlessly, orgasmically, to the point of overload. It's a haunting, a view of somewhere beyond this world, yet sprung from it... "Aspects of the album are pure nostalgia, turned up to number 11, pushed and pushed until it becomes something else, something almost supernatural, maybe alien. "Like Sailor Bill, it is an alchemic act of composition. "Working on the album has transformed me in ways that are invisible to the outer world." _____ "The whole album runs like an epic movie from start to finish. Widescreen, Vista-vision, etc...I think this is a special one, a high point. "If you're not staggered and amazed by this when you finally get to hear it, then there's no hope. If Sailor Bill was my 'Smile', then this is my 'Smile' plus 'Sgt. Pepper', wrapped up in one...but entirely different to either. It's post-post-modern, more fractured than a broken mirror, more delicate than a butterfly's wing, tougher and rougher than Richard Harris in 'This Sporting Life', more romantic and sexy than a kiss under a gas-lamp in a cobbled street in a rainstorm...More 'me' than ever before. An entire pocket universe of sound and lyrics...you're going to LOVE it!" _____ "Sometimes, I approached the writing and recording of the album as if it were a sharp, clearly defined painting but then took a large, soft brush and blurred the edges, placing the music in a slightly foggy, twilight world, a world formed by the flickering amber glow of gas-lamps and mysterious shadows. "Other times, (such as "Summer Hums", and "When Aeroplanes Were Dragonflys"), I threw the doors and windows wide open and let the Sun and birdsong stream in." _____ "The songs are constructed from the ground up...not just with surprise codas, but with contrasting and contradictory 'movements' that occur throughout the entire song. "I've often made the analogy of my music being like a kind of Frankenstein monster...lots of unrelated bits of lost or dead music stitched together, then thousands of crackling volts of electricity applied to them until they come to life, get up off the studio table and walk out the door to haunt the neighbours. "Maybe Golden Melodies is more of a 'Bride of Frankenstein', weirdly beautiful, shockingly sexy, a composite angel, part butterfly, part dark moth." _____ "The image of the lady on the front cover of Golden Melodies of Tomorrow is taken from the catalogue of the 1939 New York World's Fair. The designer of the dress forecast near nudity in the future and made this creation from cellophane and a synthetic opaque fabric called 'Teca'. The model's shoes are made from Dupont Lucite. The designer thought that, in the future, we'd all have better bodies and that there would be scientifically maintained temperatures, therefore clothes would be reduced to the minimum." FAN THOUGHTS: jetboy: "The first thing that strikes me with this album is that it's so 'cinematic' in approach...filled to the brim with achingly beautiful melodies that disappear as quickly as they appeared. "Imagine taking your seat in a cinema, low lit and ready for dreamland, the curtain rises, the journey begins. The music acts as a roving eye would be, swooping and flying down from the hills into "Welcome to Electric City"...angelic keys, backwards loops, fanfares, chimes and Bill Nelson's spectral orchestra works its magic... "This album is stunning. My favourite Bill Nelson vocal album to date. Give yourself some quality listening time, relax (try candlelight) and let the music work its magic. The final track, "Golden Coda (Farewell to Electric City)" is a fanfare of symphony, drum and piano rolls, guitars and trumpets, the credits are now rolling and it's back to now. Which isn't so bad, just press the play button again... "This album is...Lamplit seduction, moonlight kisses, fluted alabaster, soaring wurlitzers, bubbling static, English meadows and the girl or boy of your dreams." BobK: "At the risk of sounding a bit over the top, this is possibly the best 'vocal' album BN has made in 25 years. Not simply because the vocals are wonderful, (and a lot of care has obviously gone into them), but it is chock full of simply GORGEOUS melodies. The word that keeps coming into my head is 'beautiful'. Check out the melody that kicks in at 1.28 on "My Empty Bowl is Full of Sky". Now THAT'S a gorgeous melody, and simply one of many... "The style, for want of a better word, is a curious mixture of past albums, such as Whimsy , Sailor Bill , Jazz of Lights , but is something very different and certainly, to my ears, more immediate and less 'thematic' than those. The structure of the tracks are often strange and unpredictable and have unexpected changes in melody and unexpected instrumental sections. "Finally, there are loads of new sounds and bleeps and whirls and it 'sounds' stunning, ie. very well produced and engineered. This is a veritable corker. BUY! BUY!! BUY!!!" " Golden Melodies is possibly my fave BN album ever. Certainly in my top 3 or so. Absolutely brilliant from beginning to end." tommaso: "Well, right when I heard the opening chords of "Welcome to Electric City" I felt convinced that I was in for something very special and extraordinary, and I was right. Golden Melodies just doesn't compare to anything else in Bill's oeuvre, not even Sailor Bill . Each and every track has a complexity that I can't remember to have found in any other album by Bill (let alone other 'pop' artists). This is much more akin to classical composition than to 'pop' music, BUT it doesn't ever appear to be forced or 'experimental' for experimentalism's sake. There are indeed a lot of golden melodies here, and they are not hidden, but right on the surface to behold in all their glory. But they are graced with extremely well worked-out arrangements, and an ever-changing bustle of sound underneath, and the result is nothing short of magical. "I'm surprised how 'visual' this album is, how much it conjures up images of early Hollywood musicals - Bill himself mentioned Busby Berkeley - or fashion shows of the era (at least for me). Of course these images are triggered by the cover designs, but they can be found in the music alone I believe; those swooping string cascades in many songs, for instance. It is all about elegance and a world past, but it's not nostalgia, but definitely a sort of futuristic recreation of that world. This could very well be the soundtrack to Fred and Ginger doing The Continental in the year 2050. "There's something exceedingly warm and pleasing about this music, something very emotionally satisfying. And it is so well constructed down in its tiniest details: no 'noodling', every sound is necessary and in its proper place. Great singing and production, too. Oh, and I liked the idea of a sort of 'double coda' that is formed by the last two tracks. An extended farewell to a world that I hope Bill will very soon re-visit." Wasp In Aspic: "I must add my voice to those who feel that Golden Melodies is quite possibly Bill's best album for 25 years. This is a magical work of art which makes everything else around seem inadequate. Even the timing of the release is great, sounding as it does like the ultimate dream of a favourite Christmas time musical from the past's future. Bill - it just does not compute that someone in their sixtieth year has produced such a landmark in their career." Mozo: "Quite honestly must confess...I am simply mesmerized! Golden Melodies of Tomorrow is essentially the perfect title for this gem. The scope and majesty of this offering is simply beyond words. A masterpiece of musical landscape laid out right before your ears and mind, courtesy of the maestro of musical luster, Mr. Bill Nelson. My thanks to you are forever for this journey Bill and I just can't help but ask the million dollar question...Just how do you keep doing it??? I was wondering when you were going to top Sailor Bill . In my mind, we didn't have to wait too long!" Man in the rexine pyjamas: "Must just say that the tracks are epic. Not similar in style to Sailor Bill , but the same wide, sonic horizons. How the man has completed that many work-intense pieces is amazing." Swan: "It's lovely...it's now...it's a record of a musician at the very height of his powers...I love it." "Once I Had a Time Machine" - "How the hell was that recorded in a spare bedroom???? I'm boggled!" Nigel Wade: "Beautiful, uplifting, complex, heartfelt music. There's a yearning right there in the vocals that really cuts through to my bones." BenTucker: "I think the whole of Golden Melodies is a sort of poetic tonic, which never fails to raise my spirits. It should probably be available on the NHS." "It makes pretty much everything else out there seem inadequate by comparison. Truly a magical, moving experience submerging yourself in this music. I think I've already exhausted the superlatives a few albums back, so I'll cut my "review" short (leaves more time for listening to the music)." steve lyles: "Some of the best music Bill has ever made...the musicianship...songwriting composition and emotional brilliance of these pieces transcend time and space for me...there are not enough superlatives to describe how wonderfully grateful I am to be plugged in to Bill Nelson's musical Jukebox galaxy...Bill Nelson may you live forever. Cheers from Sycophantic Steve." Pathdude: "It is without a doubt that this is some of the best Bill Nelson music I've ever heard. I'm completely delighted with the concept of Golden Melodies . These are some of the most potent melodies, sound effects, and arrangements to be delivered to my ears." prodgers: "Just when you think BN would some day run out of Inspirational Ideas like so many other greats have, he puts out Golden Melodies of Tomorrow . All I can say is WOW! A big WOW!! This should be called Bill's White album, as it has all the ingredients that make it his Most complete music to date." wadcorp: "I find that Bill's output of the last few years is amazing stuff. Dense & textured in ways no other artist is even attempting. And he's pulled elements from a huge array of sources, usually in small touches. One cannot absorb all of it in one go. It takes multiple listenings. You need to let it wash over you." blackdograilroad: "A Great Big Onion!...by which I mean every time I listen I hear yet another layer to it, a new melody, a new texture, a new tone. If this was a film it would be a sleeper. Not as instantly catchy as others, I needed quite a few listens to start 'getting' it but repeated spins are wonderfully rewarding, sort of a different taste with every bite...really a remarkable work. Thanks, Bill." felixt1: " Golden Melodies of Tomorrow will blow you away." "This is an absolute classic and really should be owned by everyone." "I was once again struck by the sheer quality of the songwriting and performance of these songs, which are already so familiar to me - and how well they connect with me. So thanks again, Bill, for creating such beautiful music which at times touches us so deeply." stpetelou: "Last night I put on Golden Melodies of Tomorrow and was once again reminded of what a wonderfully special one it is to me! Anyone who doesn't own it, should grab it IMMEDIATELY! "Help Us Magic Robot", "I Saw Galaxies", so many fantastic compositions and enchanting lyrics. Not to mention, the CD artwork is a thing of beauty also!" Albums Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) November 2006 Jan Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Dec Friday 10th November 2006 -- 1:00 pm After four attempts at coming up with a suitable 8 inch by 8 inch artwork for the 'STARS ON CANVAS' exhibition and charity auction, I finally settled on the very first one I'd created. Two others went into the bin and a third I decided to give to a good friend. The canvas I've donated to the auction is called 'STARBOY' and will be exhibited at the Julie-Anne Gilbert Gallery, Arches 283a, Maderia Drive, Brighton BN2 1PT, from the 18th of November. The charity auction, (which is in aid of an organisation called 'Whoops-A-Daisy' which helps children suffering from cerebral palsy), will be held on the 26th of November. Emiko took a photograph of me holding the artwork. As usual, I was horrified by my appearance which seems to get more wizened every time a shutter clicks in my direction. All is vanity...especially in this business. Time still at a premium. I seem to be struggling to keep up, but that's always the case. I'm currently working on several pieces of art which I'm framing as gifts for the loyal and dedicated Nelsonica Team who put together the fan convention every year. I'm taking them all out to dinner in just over a week's time and will give each of them an artwork. The table is booked for ten people but I still need to complete a few more drawings to frame. I find I really have to be in the mood to come up with visual art, whereas with music, I ALWAYS seem to be in the mood. In fact I've got several musical ideas that I'd like to explore at the moment but no available time to do so. Perhaps I should list my plans for the coming months here, just to outline what I'm hoping to achieve. These are in no particular order but the future, at the moment, looks like this: 1: Repair and upgrade my Mackie hard-disk HDR 24/96 multi-track recorder and make a start on mixing the Be Bop Deluxe Decca tapes. 2: Work with Paul Sutton-Reeves towards establishing a 'coda' for his 'Music In Dreamland' book, bringing it up to date. It isn't due to be published until early next year so there's now an opportunity to update the text to include more recent developments. The book was finished almost two and a half years ago but has been delayed due to the publisher's serious illness. The latest information I have is that it will see the light of day early in 2007. 3: Upgrade my computer and video editing software and attempt to make a start on my 'Ghosts Etched On Glass' film autobiography. This will be a more sophisticated version of 'Memory Codex Number One' which I screened at this year's Nelsonica convention. 'Ghosts Etched On Glass' is planned to be part of a special live event at Leeds University's School Of Music next April. 4: Transfer some of my more recent backing tracks onto my multi-track machine and overdub lead guitar parts, then mix and assemble a running order for 'The Last Of The Gentleman Rocketeers' album that will constitute volume two of the 'Painting With Guitars' series. 5: Go through several hours' worth of previously unreleased home recordings from the 1980's and assemble an album from the best tracks. An official title for this project has yet to be decided but working title possibilities are: 'The Time Traveller's Companion,' 'Electrical Goods And Knitting Yarns,' 'An Imaginary History Of Magic. (Music To Conjure The Ghosts Of The Past)' 'Songs From A Secret Museum.' 'Snowballs And Oranges.' As usual, it's quite possible that NONE of these titles could be used and something entirely different concocted, once I've selected the album's track running order. 6: Make a special compilation album using only the oddest, most 'psychedelic,' trippy or eccentric tracks from my past home recordings and solo releases. Working title for this is: 'Superheads Recommend.' I want this to concentrate mainly on vocal songs but with perhaps a few instrumentals thrown in. It should be compiled from obscure tracks that were originally hidden away in dark corners of earlier albums plus some previously unreleased oddities along similar lines. 7: Assemble Volume One of a series of compilation albums focussing exclusively on Nelsonica recordings. These would not be literal copies of the original albums but re-sequenced tracks, set in a different context and with new packaging artwork. 8: Re-release the 'Noise Candy' recordings but as individual albums. Lenin Imports have not been in touch with me for a long time about the original release and have not responded to recent requests by my management for accounting so it's time I turned these recordings to my own advantage, rather than to anyone else's. 9: Attempt to write and record some brand new songs for an acoustic based vocal album. Possible working titles for the album are: 'Songs Of The Blossom Tree Optimists.' 'Every Blessed Thing Is So Damned Fragile.' 'December Lane.' 10: Choose and assemble a compilation album focussing exclusively on past guitar instrumentals, choosing my favourite tracks from various albums. Working titles for this project are: 'Great Northern Twang Magus.' 'The Guitar Room.' 'Six Lane Skyway' 'Like Time Machines.' Again, these are just initial titles. It could end up being something completely different. 11: Create some very short instrumental pieces, between one and two minutes in length which will become the basis of equally short video pieces. These to be made available as digital downloads from the Dreamsville Essoldo Cinema. 12: Work on the second volume of 'Diary Of A Hyperdreamer', to be published by Pomona. 13: Look at the possiblility of a select series of live concerts for next year. My idea is to stage them in interesting or unorthodox venues. 14: Work on my autobiography, 'Painted From Memory,' for publication by Sound-On-Sound. It would be nice to make this a quite lavishly illustrated book, along the lines of an art book. It should also contain an accompanying DVD. It would need to sell as a limited edition expensive item to justify the time and cost involved in its production but I think something very special might come of this. 15: Create a new, commercially available DVD, following on from 'Flashlight Dreams And Fleeting Shadows.' 16: Try to organise something around the 'Orchestra Futura' project with Theo Travis and Dave Sturt. 17: Work towards expanding the Dreamsville site, opening up the 'Museum Of Memory' and 'The Guitar Arcade.' 18: Choose certain tracks from my back catalogue to be made available as internet downloads. 19: Write and record a brand new instrumental album, placing minimalist guitar in a pure digital electronica setting. 20: Work towards an audio-visual exhibition/installation which would gather together drawings, photographs, album sleeve art and video work and present them in a gallery context with an accompanying soundtrack. This would depend on the help of fans who own some of my artwork. I would ask them to loan the pieces to the exhibition. The art would be returned to them afterwards and their names and help would be acknowledged in the catalogue and in the exhibition itself. The exhibition would need to find a sponsor to help mount it. 21: Find a choreographer/dance company who might be interested in collaborating with me in the creation of a contemporary dance piece. I've wanted to try something along these lines for many years now but have never got around to finding out if it could be practically realised. I'm not getting any younger, as they say, so I really ought to put the pedal to the metal and attempt the impossible. And that, for now, is enough. Plenty of goals to score, targets to hit. Went to Whitby last Saturday, just for the day. An absolutely glorious, fiery sunset over the town as twilight flooded the opposite end of the harbour. A breath-taking, magical moment. Unfortunately, I hadn't taken my still camera with me but did have my camcorder so, thankfully, I managed to capture some of the dramatic and beautiful light. It will be used in one of the short video downloads I'm planning. Emi and I had dinner at 'The White Horse And Griffin', as is our habit when in Whitby. On the drive home over the North Yorkshire Moors, we could see firework displays ringing the horizon. Starbursts and rocket trails. I told Emiko about my boyhood experiences of bonfire night, treacle toffee and the selection boxes of fireworks manufactured by such companies as 'Standard,' 'Lion,' 'Pains' and 'Brocks' that my father used to bring home for our own backyard display. Emi likes the idea of bonfire night, even though there's no Guy Fawks equivalent in Japan. Sunday we went to Salt's Mill at Saltaire, another fairly regular haunt for us. Emi managed a little bit of Christmas shopping. I guess mine will be the usual last minute panic, particularly as Emi will be busy at the flower shop until late on Christmas Eve. It seems like only yesterday I was taking down last year's Christmas decorations and packing them away in the cupboard under the stairs. And here it comes again, hurtling towards us driven by hyper-speed reindeers. Found some old photo's of Emiko when she was a little girl, dressed in traditional Japanese costume for a school play. They are black and white photographs but I've messed around with them and got some nice colour effects happening. I may use one or two for a future instrumental album sleeve. Went out with four of our best friends for dinner last night. A belated birthday celebration for Steve and for Emi. We went to 'San Martino' in Harrogate, an excellent restaurant that was introduced to me by my friend Paul Gilby. A very civilised, convivial evening and a further respite from my work. The last two days have seen another plunge in temperature. Feels quite wintery now. Big pullover time. I think I'll go set a log fire...ready to light later this evening. Get the smell of woodsmoke in the air. Top of page Tuesday 14th November 2006 -- 10:10 pm Spent the afternoon with Paul, (Gilby,) who is helping me to update my recording system software. He's fitted a new floppy drive and upgraded the memory of my Mackie HDR 24/96 multi-track recorder. Just a few more things to do to it tomorrow and then I'll be able to mix the Be Bop Deluxe Decca sessions for future release. Once I can set some personal time aside to deal with that, of course. Went to London last Saturday, just for the day. Emi to her usual Japanese Buddhist temple meeting, me to the Tate and the usual round of bookshops. I bought several DVD's: The original BBC TV series of Dennis Potter's 'Pennies From Heaven,' also DVD copies of films I have on VHS but wanted to secure as DVDs: 'A Kind Of Loving' and 'The Magnificent Ambersons.' I also got 'Hope and Glory' and a DVD titled 'Legends Of Western Swing' which features vintage performances by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, Spade Cooley and several others. Finding time to watch all these is another matter. It was the Lord Mayor's Parade and fireworks display on the Saturday too, something of which we hadn't been aware of. The city was even more busy than usual. Late afternoon, when Emi returned from her temple service, we met up with her friend Kyoko and had a drink at a Cuban bar in Wardour street, not far from where the old Marquee club once stood. As Emi and Kyoko talked about this and that, my mind drifted back to the time when Be Bop Deluxe performed at The Marquee in 1974. We were booked to support a band called 'String Driven Thing.' It was at that same Marquee Club gig that we were finally signed by EMI Records, an event which led to our first ever album, 'Axe Victim.' In one of my ancient sketchbooks, I have a very rapidly executed drawing of the Marquee's interior that I scratched out under dim lights, whilst bored and waiting for our sound check. (I think one of the figures depicted in the sketch is our then manager, Colin Mawston.) I was thrilled to be playing there, on the exact same stage that my teenage heroes, such as Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and The Who, had performed on in the '60's. That creaky old platform held a special magic for me, as did the tiny, scruffy dressing room behind the stage itself. Several years later, when they demolished the club, I was saddened. It played an important part in the history of British pop culture and should really have been preserved. But so much that should be saved is lost. (And so much that is preserved isn't worth the preserving.) One of the half-wild cats that live in the environs of our house fell sick on Sunday evening. A tiny, lovely little kitten that hasn't yet been given a name by us but has become one of our favorites. There are five or six feral, or semi-feral cats sharing our garden with us. We put food out for them and provide a rudimentary shelter in the form of a plastic waste bin, turned on its side and placed under a garden bench. This particular, recently born kitten is the tiniest of the litter, but the most affectionate and characterful. She is mostly a dark, cloudy grey colour with little patches of ginger and white. A little bumble bee of a thing. I took to her from first setting eyes on her when her mother, a gentle and elegant tabby we call 'Gizmo,' carried her round to our front door, as if the kitten were an offering to us. The kitten was fine midday on Sunday, before Emi and I went into town for the afternoon. Dancing around and mischievous. When we came back home, the other four feral cats all ran out to greet us, as is their custom, but the tiny kitten wasn't to be seen. After a few moments she emerged, painfully slowly, from the aforementioned shelter. She could hardly walk. We picked her up and took her into the house. There was fluid dripping from her mouth. We wrapped her in a thick towel and placed her in a shallow carboard box and watched her anxiously. It looked as if she was dying. I decided to call an emergency vet's number and made arrangements to take the kitten to a surgery not too far away from our home. I was informed that, as it was Sunday and an out of hours call, that it would be expensive. I coudn't have forgiven myself if the kitten had died without me giving it a chance of survival, no matter how slim, so I agreed to the fee and Emi and I drove to the vetinary surgery, the kitten still wrapped in the towel in the cardboard box. The lady vet, who was very sympathetic and pleasant examined the kitten. She said that the poor little thing's temperature was very low and that she thought the kitten might not make it through the night. But she coudn't figure out what the problem was. One possibility may have been poisoning, she thought. She asked if we knew whether any neighbour might have left rat poison around or something similar. I couldn't see any reason for our neighbours to use such a thing as the cats normally take care of vermin and, as a result, we live in a rat-free environment. The vet gave the kitten an injection of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs but said we should expect the worst. It sounded hopeless. We returned home with the kitten and kept her indoors, wrapped up in a towel and laid on top of a hot water bottle to try and get her temperature back up. We had to keep checking on her heatbeat and breathing as, at times, it appeared as if she'd given up the ghost. Two anxious hours later, she moved slightly, her eyes flicked open, then closed again. Emi and I knelt beside her, fearing the worst. A little while after that, she slowly appeared to be more alert, looking up at us with such a pitiful gaze. Then suddenly she sat up and, after a moment's hesitancy, hopped out of her carboard box. Within minutes, she was playing with the fringe of a carpet, trotting around the room filled with curiosity. A miracle! We kept her inside overnight. She slept in the bathroom adjoining our bedroom, apparently content, even though she'd never spent a night inside before. Now, two days later, she seems fine. We've been anxious to keep an eye on her, dreading a relapse, but, fingers crossed, she is surviving. Last night, whilst I caught a little bit of late night tv, she slept curled up on Emi's bosom, as content as content can be. I'm in two minds as to whether we should keep her in the house as a domestic pet, or let her be part of the wild bunch who live outside in our garden. I have to think of a name for her too. It's odd but I wasn't much of a cat person as a child. My parents preferred dogs. Cats were always dismissed as being 'not very nice' by mum and dad. But now, I really love cats. William Burroughs adored them too and Jean Cocteau said that 'cats contain the soul of a house.' Well...I'm in total agreement with that. Looked through some photographs that Emi had taken of me at the Harold Budd farewell concert just over a year ago. I hate my appearance. That vanity thing again, I know but, I wish I could regain something of my younger appearance. Someone posted, on the website forum, an old picture of me when I used to sport dyed blonde hair. Wow! Couldn't believe it was really me. I should have been out chasing the girls looking like that instead of being Mr. Domestic. (Not that I've ever been particularly adept at the Mr. Domestic scenario.) I also found some photo's from way back, taken when my brother Ian got married. We were both slim young things back then. One particular photo that I like from that wedding day shows just the two of us, me in the backround and Ian in the foreground, outside the registry office in Wakefield, facing in different directions. It's only a casual snapshot but it has something that attracts me to it. Maybe it's my casual stance...I've got my hands in my pockets and one foot half off the ground. Or maybe it's my brother Ian's happy expression and the polaroid SX70 camera that he's holding, (which I think he'd borrowed from me as we had a Be Bop Deluxe SX70 club in the band in the late '70's). Anyway, Ian and I both look fit, happy and healthy. And so damned YOUNG! I had my Rolls Royce then and lived the archetypal rock-star life although I deliberately dressed as conservatively as possible 'off stage' to defuse people's expectations. I tried to avoid the rock gypsy vagabond look that was commonplace at the time and was attracted to the idea of looking as un-rock-star-like as possible whilst still being in a position to go on stage and take total command of a rock music audience. An audience which, at that time, was used to men wearing either denim, leather or glam satin. My rejection of this sort of signifying uniform was seen as a kind of inverse perversity, I guess. At least by those who measured authenticity by hair length and flared trouser width. I also recently saw some photographs of the Rolls Royce mentioned above, taken on the same day, (Ian's wedding day). It was a pale metallic-blue Silver Shadow, unbelievably, the least reliable car I've ever owned, apart from the pre-VW era Skoda that I drove for a year or so after my divorce claimed everything of value. I also have a photograph of the Rolls and my Panther Lima taken outside of Haddlesey House around the same time. There I stand, proud as punch, totally unaware of the tidal wave that was soon to sweep all that kind of thing away. I was apparently as unaware of the fact that such an ostentatious display was as much a sign of rock conformity as the tiresome heavy metal posturing I so despised at the time. But then, no one's perfect. But I digress... Wedding Days, Birthdays, Divorces, Solicitor's appointments and Funerals, the incandescent waystations of our lives. I've said this before but, when my brother Ian passed away on the morning of his 50th birthday in April of this year, an entire chapter of my life went with him. Just before he was buried, I arranged to have a little silver Buddhist medallion I owned placed in his suit pocket. It was in an envelope along with a farewell letter I'd written to him. The Buddha medallion had been a favourite of mine and, despite my current rejection of superstition, I wanted to give it to Ian to protect his soul and spirit in some way. Last Saturday, when I was in London, I managed to find an absolutely identical medallion. So, I bought it to carry with me as a physical connection between the two of us. I'd looked for one on my previous visit, a few weeks earlier, but hadn't been able to locate one that was exactly the same as the one that I buried with Ian. But, almost miraculously, an identical medallion appeared. In Watkins esoteric bookshop in Cecil Court in London. I don't know...Miraculously cured kittens and synchronistic Buddha tokens...it's enough to make me believe that there are more things between heaven and earth than I might suspect. If only in a moment of emotional need and weakness. Meeting up with my good friend John Spence on Thursday. We usually only meet under 'working' conditions at Fairview studios. It will be good to take time out from our respective career pressures to relax and chat without any other distractions. The Nelsonica Team Dinner coming up very soon, this Saturday. I've still got a drawing or two to finalise before then to give as gifts to the team members, (as I mentioned in my previous diary entry). Jon Wallinger and Paul Gilby have already claimed their 'thank you' artworks and taken them home. They are local boys so have picked up their prizes during recent visits to Nelson Acres. Reading a huge book about Edgard Varese at the moment, a massive catalogue from an exhibition held in Switzerland. Bought it second-hand locally. The pile of books by my bedside is now so high that I didn't bother to purchase a single book on my trip to London last weekend. And THAT is most unusual for me. I will now go downstairs and see if the kitten is o.k. Nestled up to Emi's breast, no doubt. Lucky creature. ***** The images accompanying this diary entry are as follows:- 1: A rough felt pen/Biro sketch made by Bill Nelson at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London, on the 14th of January 1974 when Be Bop Deluxe performed there. 2: A photograph of Ian Nelson, (foreground), and Bill Nelson, (background), taken outside Wakefield's Registry Office on Ian's wedding day. 3: A photograph of Bill Nelson outside Haddlesey House with his Panther Lima and Rolls Royce Silver Shadow cars. Early 1980's. Top of page Monday 20th November 2006 -- 7:00 pm Some tragic news yesterday. Chuck Bird, who fulfilled the role of webmaster at the American Bill Nelson 'Permanent Flame' website for several years, has sadly passed away, a victim of diabetes. I received an email from his brother Larry informing me that Chuck had died just one week previous. I was deeply shocked and saddened. Chuck was a genuine fan who ran the U.S. website without any thought other than to provide fans with a facility worthy of them. Chuck was forever loyal to the music and myself, never allowing temperament or personal ego to enter the equation. He always came across as a modest man and an extremely dedicated and knowledgeable fan. I'm proud to have counted him amongst my friends and I'm still trying to come to terms with this unexpected and unhappy development. I know that fans will feel the same sense of loss that I do. On those occasions when I was able to meet Chuck, he was positive, optimistic and enthusiastic, always polite, respectful and kind. And when the urgent need to provide fans with a reliable U.K. website arose, Chuck was one of several people who gave me the personal encouragement and moral support I needed to go ahead with the Dreamsville project, particularly when I felt like giving up completely as a result of lack of support elsewhere. Chuck, along with a few other generous and far-sighted people, (including Sound-On-Sound magazine, Jon Wallinger, Dave Graham, my management, my close friends and family), helped me to overcome any doubts and fears. They pursuaded me to go ahead and build a website to serve those people who cared about my work. It was thanks to their combined encouragement that the Dreamsville site has become so valued by fans. An example of Chuck's generosity: Without any prompting from anyone, Chuck suggested that I might like to take on the bill nelson.com address that the 'Permanent Flame' site had used since its inception. He offered to transfer the ownership of the internet address over to me for use by the Dreamsville site. He also passed on all the archived files that 'Permanent Flame' had amassed since it was originally created by Mark Rushton, back in 1995. Mark also approved of Chuck's altruistic act and I am indebted to them both for their help and co-operation, along with Paul and Ian Gilby, Sound-On-Sound magazine and the Dreamsville/Nelsonica team, who all have had a hand in setting up and running the current official website. As a tribute to both Mark and Chuck, the original site that Mark initiated and that Chuck came to maintain has been archived as a fixed item in 'The Permanent Flame Museum,' on the Dreamsville site. It will remain as a historical testimony to their initiative and enterprise. Once again though, for the second time this year, mortality has raised its spectre. Increasingly, I find myself experiencing personal bereavements. I accept that this is what must happen when one's friends and family enter a certain stage of life. But the knowledge that these things are inevitable does nothing to soften the blows when they come. When all tears are shed though, it's life we're left to deal with, and our own lives and personal ability (or inability) to face the future with equilibrium and hope. It's easy to lose sight of what matters, to become wrapped up in issues of no positive advantage to us. Maybe I'm allowing pessimism too strong a hand here, but the society we inhabit seems to have become an increasingly cynical and sick place. It's impossible to ignore the malaise that seeps into so many aspects of our daily life. I personally find myself struggling to deal with the general unfairness and moral ambiguousness of 'things', even though I'm sometimes unwillingly sucked into their twisted orbit. But it still comes as a shock to me that some people seem incapable of grasping the bigger picture, the preciousness and fragility of life, whether it be theirs or anyone else's. It's as if some souls are born genetically immune to anything other than the most petty concerns and obsessions. Why is it that gentleness and sensitivity are in short supply whilst cynical spite and small-mindedness flourishes? It seems that it takes hardly anything these days to build an ugly monster from the most insignificant of human emotions. Perhaps we have only two choices, either to resist the route of spiritless ignorance, or to turn our hand to the wheel, (the wheel of Dharma?) and steer away from the cheap and easy option, the tabloid mentality, the lazy temptation that leads to a profound loss of everything that might redeem us. But somehow, it becomes tougher than ever to resist the prevailing darkness and to shine our warm lamps into the cold, mean shadows. I've been personally struggling with various, similar issues of late. I feel as if matters should be directly addressed, that certain injustices need adjustment, that things that have been portrayed in a particular light should be revealed for what they really are. Then again, when I stand back and look at these things in context, they are so pathetic and trivial as to be not worth even the slightest effort on my part. Maybe I should simply let the rotten go to rot. Nature will take its course without any need of intervention by me or by others. No cause for concern. I must simply remember to get on with what experience has taught me to regard as true and real, no matter how meagre these experiences may appear in the overall scheme of things. But it's the only positive alternative and the only one I'm equipped to offer. The empty darkness is for those who have already shown themselves to be without a lamp to illuminate the way. Somemight advise me that life is dark enough without straying into the shadows of others. But....It's not in my nature to be blind to those shadows or indifferent to those who are lost in them. As selfish and pre-occupied with my music as I often am, I find it difficult to stand back and let the suffering suffer, whether that be the runt of a cat's litter or an adult human being. It seems cruel to turn away from these issues. But I am, more often than not, ill equipped to do much about it. Whatever I do will be flawed and stricken by my own inadeqacy. I'm not up to the task, nor do I pretend to be. But I do try. Does that excuse me? Or simply place me among the ranks of those whom I despair of the most? Perhaps only the music I create stands a chance of offering something approaching the value of healing. Some people seem to assure me that it has that quality, or at least a potential to attain that quality. And that's why I am, and will remain, an artist first and foremost. Best to leave the argument and debate about such things to those with little else to do and even less to offer.An old cliche but a true one: A Daffodil doesn't have to agonise about being bright yellow. Nor should an artist worry about what he naturally is. The kitten I referred to in my last diary has survived and seems fit and well, although she has continued to live the outdoor life with the other four cats that we feed. I was heartened by the response on the Dreamsville site to my telling of the tale in my previous diary entry. It says something positive about those people who appreciate my music that they are compassionate towards animals. There was such a warm response from cat-lovers on the site, many of them relating their own similar experiences and even posting photographs of their cats on the Dreamsville Forum. It was something I didn't expect but it was a pleasant surprise to get such warm support for such a simple act of kindness. As someone once said:" Never trust a person who has no empathy with cats." Last Saturday's Nelsonica Team official dinner was a happy occasion. Ten of us around the table, (Jon, Dave Graham, Ian Haydock, Ged, Eddie, Paul Gilby, Duncan, Martin Bostock, Emiko and myself,) even though one person, (Ian C,) couldn't attend as he was away on holiday. We all had a good time although I drank rather too much wine and felt a little worse for wear the next day. At the restaurant, I presented the team with framed artwork that I'd made for each of them. I'd been panicking, worried that I wouldn't get all the drawings finished and framed in time, so it was a great relief to finally give everyone their gift with no one left out. There will be two new members joining the offcial Nelsonica team this coming year too. They have enthusiastically accepted the invitation that Jon Wallinger and the rest of us extended to them,amidst jokes about the strange initiation rites that they would have to undergo. Maybe I really SHOULD devise something along those lines, turn it into a quasi-masonic, mock-esoteric secret society, just for laughs! On a practical note, the new team members will prove extremely helpful as the last couple of years has seen the annual convention becoming more complex and better attended than ever. The original team has expanded to deal with the increased content and organisational skills involved and they make a great job of it, which I know the convention attendees appreciate. This last week, my studio equipment software was updated to deal with the proposed mixing of the ancient Be Bop Deluxe Decca sessions. Paul came over to install new software and replace an ailing floppy drive. It took a couple of days but eventually everything was re-assembled, wired up and put back in place. I'm currently going through various old plug-in hard drives to convert and store specific multi-track masters that were recorded on the old operating system. They have to be put through a special conversion process, one by one, before I can use or store them on the new O.S. There are several pieces that I definitely don't want to erase, particularly the multi-tracks for the Sailor Bill album. That project took up so much time and energy and is so complex that it would feel like sacrilege to not archive the master tracks. I might even want to remix the album, (maybe as purely instrumental pieces,) at some point in the future. Who knows? Better not to lose them, I think. I had a brief listen to the multi-track Be Bop Decca sessions too and was taken aback by how flat and dead the recordings sound, even though they were recorded in what was the classic Decca Studios. When I put up a recently recorded piece alongside them, it suddenly became apparent how far recording technology has come since the early 'seventies. My humble little home studio system sounds expensive, rich and three-dimensional compared to the Decca recordings, which sound like they were made in a fake-fur lined box. I'm increasingly less sure of the 'vintage is best' argument, 'though to be honest, I've always been an early adopter of musical technology. In an ideal world, it's not about either/ or situations. It's fun to combine the vintage approach with the modern and that's generally the way I work with my own recordings. The cold weather back again today. Christmas stuff in town, everywhere you look. I ought to try and get an earlier start on the seasonal shopping this year. But it will probably be last minute, as always. ***** The photographs accompanying this diary entry show:- 1: The rehearsal room used for the Nelsonica 06 concert preparations. 2: Bill's mixing desk in his home studio. 3: A view of Bill's home studio room. Top of page

Japan Be Bop Deluxe single - 2 September 1977 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Japan B) Futurist Manifesto ORIGINALLY: Both were non-album tracks. NOTES: Japan was the eighth Be Bop Deluxe single issued during the band's existence. The single came 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. Note that the B side is printed as "Futuristic Manifesto", but the correct title is "Futurist Manifesto". PAST RELEASES: Both tracks were recorded during the Drastic Plastic sessions, but neither would feature on the eventual album (in the UK at least). Their first appearance on album was on The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe double album (1978) and were also featured on the Singles As and Bs compilation (1981). Oddly, "Japan" would not be included as a bonus track on any of the CD reissues that appeared in 1991, whereas "Futurist Manifesto" would next appear as a bonus track on the Modern Music album when it was issued on CD in 1991. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The single is long deleted, but both tracks can be found on the Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings reissue of Dr astic Plastic (2021 ) - both in physical form and as a digital download. Singles Menu Future Past

Loom - Astroloops Volume Two Bill Nelson album - 7 December 2015 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Ladies Removing Lingerie 02) Smoke And Wires 03) The Happy Clock 04) Flights Of Fancy 05) Billy's Holiday 06) The Clockwork Rocket 07) Tick-Tock-Tick 08) Spooks In The Shed 09) Reversing Through Willows 10) The Echo, The Shadow, The Empty Shell 11) Puckish 12) C-Shell 13) A Lovely Dazzle 14) Corrosive 15) The Light We Cannot See 16) Your Taxi To The Stars 17) The Lonely Spaceman 18) Loom ALBUM NOTES: Loom is an instrumental album issued in a one-off print run of 500 copies on the Astrotone label. The album was a follow up to the extremely limited CDR Astroloops (issued to purchasers of the Eastwood Astroluxe Custom Ltd. guitar). Nelson announced on the Dreamsville forum that he had commenced work on this album in September 2014 around the time that the Astroloops album had effectively been snapped up by pre-orders for the Astroluxe guitar. At this stage the album had a working title of Lustre and Illusion , although Crystal Springs was another possible title under consideration. The recordings were completed in October 2014, and with the addition of the final and eighteenth track, "Loom", Nelson decided to make Loom the title of the album. Ironically though, when the album was at the mastering stage, there was a misunderstanding in selecting the tracks from Nelson's DAT masters, and the title track "Loom" was mistakenly replaced by a track from Quiet Bells called "Chiming Shires". In a rare lapse of quality control, Nelson had not played the reference disc in full before authorising the album's release, and the mistake wasn't picked up until after the album went on sale. As a result of this error, Nelson arranged for a free download of the missing track to be made available on Bandcamp. Loom (the album) went on sale on 7 December 2015, and after 7 days was taken off sale with the 10 remaining copies sold through email enquiries. "Loom" (the track) was issued as a free download on 23 December 2015. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "This will be a follow up to the extremely limited edition Astroloops album which was given exclusively to only those 24 people who bought the equally limited edition Eastwood 'Astroluxe' signature guitar of a while back. Loom is an instrumental album using looped guitar parts as a basis for improvisational overdubs. It follows on from, and develops ideas first voiced on the 24 copies limited edition Astroloops album. In some ways it's closer to things like Quiet Bells but is somewhat less quiet!" _____ "Actually, I meant to explain the meaning of the album title: Loom refers to a textile Loom, which in turn references the way that the looped guitar riffs of the album weave in and out with various improvised overdubs, creating a rich and colourful tapestry of sound. Threads of ideas stitched together to form an overall sonic picture. Also, the title refers to 'looming', ie: something which hovers over a situation, foreshadowing an event, a coming situation, partly with trepidation, or maybe anticipation. And last of all, 'loom' echoes with the word 'loop', the last letter being the only change." FAN THOUGHTS: Palladium: "Taken an instant - and extreme - liking to this album. Very much my kind of thing. Very direct, accessible - but also somewhat avant/experimental/oblique - fleeting, lovely, luscious guitar-poems. There's no way I could class this as "ambient", and the modest prior descriptions from Bill (as with Quiet Bells ) didn't really prepare me for the sheer magnificent class of it. One I'm going to enjoy very much over Christmas and beyond. Thank you, Mr N." "It's the album I'm listening to most at the moment. Each track is a thing of beauty. I put it in the slightly mysterious 'category' along with Quiet Bells and Dreamland to Starboard - albums which I can never decide whether they are accessible or 'avant' (probably both), and I can never stop listening to them. My type of music - sort of enigmatic and certainly remaining out of reach of my feeble attempts to review/describe them. Certainly they are more than just "guitar instrumentals". The map is not the territory!" felixt1: "Genius, Mr. Nelson, genius. Where do these melodies come from? Is there some ultra secret, high end, super-store where you can go to buy these beautiful ideas......?" meederr: "Just received my copy yesterday. Guitar fondue for the ears and in between. Love it. Congrats Bill, and happy holidays!" james warner: "There is a chime-like quality to the guitar sound on this album of instrumentals. If you like a hint of reverb on your guitar, you'll love this." Andre: "Instrumental track of the day: "SPOOKS IN THE SHED". Beautiful strange and mysterious. Sounds like a damp dark street with dark shadows turning the corner." BobK: "Probably my fave BN release of 2015, (Electric Atlas running it very close). I absolutely love this album from beginning to end. Beautiful melodies with wonderfully varied guitar tones." John Fisher: "Although long time fans are used to the many surprises Bill throws our way, I somehow wasn't prepared for this one. When Bill described the album as "using looped guitar parts as a basis for improvisational overdubs", I never expected the songs to have such a captivating immediacy. Because the backing loops are minimal, and in many songs more quiet, the guitar sings out over the top throughout the album. My favourites are "The Clockwork Rocket", "The Lonely Spaceman" and "The Echo, The Shadow, The Empty Shell", in which Bill literally serenades us with his guitar. Since we're so used to fully fleshed-out songs from Bill, this is a great opportunity to hear him improvise at length on a studio album, as he explores the exquisite tonality of his new Eastwood 'Astroluxe' signature guitar. A unique album for Bill, and an approach which I hope he will revisit one day in the future." December Man: Loom "Review" "Weaving in and out of traffic on the 101. Basket made of writhing serpents. Trellis of love. He wears a finely tailored Italian suit. The Huichol Shaman's dream resurrected in multi-colored yarn. Braided beauty in a pale blue dream. Swaying in the forested kingdom of kelp. Last night I saw the stars dancing." alec: "Ladies Removing Lingerie": "This really haunts, pleasantly. A repetitive, delicate, trip-out wonderment." TheMikeN: "There are ideas to explore and new paths to discover. Here's Bill finding out what happens when a simple rule is set – start with a loop, or more than one, then work out how to decorate it. I expected to hear the melodic results of an experiment with technology; what I found was beauty, depth and the joy of exploring. Put simply, Bill knows what he has to be better than (to keep himself happy with the results) and he knows that depth and complexity are not reached by adding extra layers of twiddly guitar grappling. Somehow this is an emotional experience – without movie soundtrack swooping themes and without love and loss lyrics. Rosewood does the same trick with acoustic guitars as the chosen territory, Pedalscope does it with bicycle imagery, and Last of the Neon Cynics does it with a cowboy comic strip. Give the man a new avenue and he'll explore it without words until it feels like home." Peter: "OK, let's face it...any album that begins with a song called "Ladies Removing Lingerie (To Celebrate the Blooms of May)" is, A) sure to be from Bill Nelson, and B) going to get my attention. And it deserves it! Without a drum machine in sight, Bill shows us what it means to be a master of the guitar, with songs that are stunning in their technique and quality. You might not be tapping your foot a lot, or singing along (no vocals here), but put on the headphones, close your eyes, and let a guy who really, really knows how to paint with guitars show you how it is done. Dazzling once again, Mr. N." Albums Menu Future Past

The Palace Of Strange Voltages Bill Nelson album - 29 September 2012 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Push Button Bang 02) Fluffy Bunny Business 03) The Fantastic Futurama Ride 04) The Mysterious Echo Chamber Of Priapus Stratocaster 05) Stargazing Whilst Smoking An Imaginary Pipe (Pipedreams) 06) In The Palace Of Strange Voltages 07) Superscope ALBUM NOTES: The Palace Of Strange Voltages is an instrumental album issued in a single print run of 1000 copies on the Sonoluxe label. The album was first announced on the Dreamsville forum in April 2012, with a firmly established track listing. One notable inclusion was "The Mysterious Echo Chamber of Priapus Stratocaster" that had been the title of an album project announced the previous June (a project that mutated into a number of separate albums issued across 2011 and 2012). The Palace Of strange Voltages sold out in January 2021. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Luxury Wonder Moments , Non-Stop Mystery Action , Mazda Kaleidoscope , Illuminated at Dusk , Stereo Star Maps , Albion Dream Vortex , Signals From Realms of Light , Fables and Dreamsongs , Loom , Astroloops , Quiet Bells BILL'S THOUGHTS: "It contains long-form instrumentals, mostly improvised compositions centered around keyboards, treated guitars and electronica. Hard to describe but somewhere between the Non-Stop Mystery Action album and some of the live improvs I performed at last year's Leeds College of Music concert." "A satisfying listen for those who enjoyed Signals , Mazda , Non-Stop Mystery Action and Illuminated at Dusk ." FAN THOUGHTS: andygeorge: "HANG ON TO YOUR HATS!!...It's gonna blow you away! Bloody marvellous collection of music that only Bill knows how to 'cook' and serve..." "I've been to unbelievable places, in outa space...had an experience that I'll never forget...I've been taken into the future and I felt like I was there!...all thanks to "The Fantastic Futurama Ride!"... Bill, I've been listening to this brilliant track from the fantastic Palace of Strange Voltages almost daily on repeat...' tis indeed a work of great tapestry that just flows from one exquisite piece of music to another, to create 14:56 minutes of pure listening pleasure...Love it!!! ...then it goes into "The Mysterious Echo Chamber of Priapus Stratocastor"...Here we go again!!! "What I'm tying to say is the The Palace of Strange Voltages is, in my humble opinion, your best work so far this year and boy have we had some good releases in the last 12 months... ...as I type, The Dreamshire Chronicles have just been delivered by Postie!...Oh my, here we go again!!!" Merikan1: "I am seriously loving this one. I thought nothing could pry Joy Through Amplification out of my player, but I was wrong. Palace of Strange Voltages is simply awesome. I just listened to "Priapus" 3 times in a row. The whole album is fantastic." felixt1: "There is much on here to satisfy those who enjoy Bill's guitar instrumental music. It has elements of both Signals From Realms of Light and also Mazda Kaleidoscope . Whilst being quite different from both those albums, if you do enjoy them - this will go down a treat." "The Palace of Strange Voltages is indeed bloody marvellous - possibly even better than Signals from Realms of Light ..." Peter Cook: "What an exquisite piece of work. Just relaxing into this beautiful music." "Another album "close to the edge" of the 74 minute limit - jam packed with orgasmic soundscapes." Douglas Barry: "The Fantastic Futurama Ride": The blues/jazz hook that starts at around 7:20 is so hypnotic I'm just transported to a wonderful place where I don't want it to end. This is definitely one of those tracks you play loud in a dimly lit room. And a lovely whimsical finish with another great guitar lick. Just love it. It's an experience you'll never forget!" Holer: "Push Button Bang": "is almost pure sound - there is no 'melody' in any conventional sense and it really sounds unlike anything Bill has done before. I am always excited whenever Bill gets his weird on." GettingOnTheBeam: "The best time to be a Bill Nelson fan? The present - because you just don't know what's next." steve lyles: "I received the new CDs a couple of days ago and I just had to say how blown away I am with the Palace of Strange Voltages ....Wow. What a musical journey this is...it goes off in all sorts of directions that leave me bedazzled and smiling...it is magnificent Bill...the interplay between keyboards and guitar is mesmerizing...I don't possess enough superlatives in my vocabulary to shower on this music...more please." Albums Menu Future Past

Original Album Series box set - 2 June 2014 Be-Bop Deluxe Collections Menu Future Past NOTES: A 5CD box set issued at a budget price that comprises all 5 studio albums issued by Be Bop Deluxe in its lifetime. Each album is presented in a mini version of the original vinyl sleeves but with no lyric sheets or booklet to inform the uninitiated. Compared to Futurist Manifesto (which offers all five albums plus bonus tracks and previously unreleased material), this release is clearly the less desirable to most fans. However for anyone discovering the band at this late stage who wants to delve a little deeper than the few tracks they might hear on radio these days, but doesn't want all the bells and whistles, it's a decent enough place to start. PAST RELEASES: All the material presented in this box set can be found in the Futurist Manifesto box set, and each of the five albums was previously available on CD separately in jewel cases with lyric books and sleeve notes (initially issued in 1990). Prior to their appearance on CD each album appeared on vinyl and cassette between 1974 and 1978. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The box set is now out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

Albums Discography Menu Clicking on a cover below will take you to a full page devoted to that album. Orchestra Futura - Live At Nelsonica & Clothworkers Hall 2025 album Studio Cadet 2024 album Powertron 2024 album Starlight Stories 2023 album All The Fun Of The Fair 2023 album Stupid/Serious 2023 album Marvellous Realms 2023 album Electra (In Search Of The Golden Sound) 2022 album My Private Cosmos 2021 6-CD box set album Mixed Up Kid 2021 album Dazzlebox 2021 double album New Vibrato Wonderland 2020 album The Jewel 2020 album Old Haunts 2019 album The Last Lamplighter 2019 album Stand By: Light Coming... 2019 album Auditoria 2018 3-CD album Dynamos And Tremolos 2018 album Drive This Comet Across The Sky 2018 album The Unrealist 2018 album That Old Mysterioso 2018 album Songs For Ghosts 2017 double album Tripping The Light Fantastic 2017 live album Luxury Wonder Moments 2017 album Kid Flip And The Golden Spacemen 2017 album The Awakening Of Dr Dream 2017 album Six String Super Apparatus Painting With Guitars Volume Three 2016 album New Northern Dream 2016 album All That I Remember 2016 album Special Metal 2016 album Perfect Monsters 2016 album Loom 2015 album Electric Atlas 2015 album Plectrajet Painting With Guitars Volume Two 2015 album The Years 2015 album Swoons And Levitations 2015 album Quiet Bells 2015 album Astroloops 2015 album Shining Reflector 2014 album Stereo Star Maps 2014 album Fantastic Guitars 2014 album Pedalscope 2014 album The Sparkle Machine Several Sustained Moments 2013 album Albion Dream Vortex 2013 album The Tremulous Doo-Wah Diddy - Blip! 2 2013 album Blip! 2013 album The Dreamshire Chronicles 2012 double album The Palace Of Strange Voltages 2012 album Return To Tomorrow These Tapes Rewind: Volume One 2012 album Joy Through Amplification The Ultra-Fuzzy World Of Priapus Stratocaster 2012 album Recorded Live At Metropolis Studios 2012 album The Last Of The Neon Cynics 2012 album Songs Of The Blossom Tree Optimists 2012 album Model Village 2011 album Signals From Realms Of Light 2011 album Hip Pocket Jukebox 2011 mini-album Fantasmatron 2011 album Fables And Dreamsongs A Golden Book Of Experimental Ballads 2010 album Captain Future's Psychotronic Circus 2010 album Modern Moods For Mighty Atoms 2010 album Picture Post 2010 album Non-Stop Mystery Action 2009 album Theatre Of Falling Leaves 2009 album Dream Transmission Pavilion 2009 album Fancy Planets 2009 album Here Comes Mr Mercury 2009 album Golden Melodies Of Tomorrow 2008 album Clocks And Dials 2008 double album Mazda Kaleidoscope 2008 album Illuminated At Dusk 2008 album Silvertone Fountains 2008 album And We Fell Into A Dream 2007 album Secret Club For Members Only 2007 album Gleaming Without Lights 2007 album Arcadian Salon 2006 album Return To Jazz Of Lights 2006 album Neptune's Galaxy 2006 album The Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill 2005 album Orpheus In Ultraland 2005 album Rosewood - Volume 2 2005 album Rosewood - Volume 1 2005 album Wah-Wah Galaxy 2004 album Dreamland To Starboard 2004 album Satellite Songs 2004 album Custom Deluxe 2004 album Plaything 2004 album The Romance Of Sustain Painting With Guitars Volume One 2003 album Luxury Lodge 2003 album Whimsy 2003 double album Astral Motel 2002 album Noise Candy 2002 6-CD box set album Caliban And The Chrome Harmonium 2001 album Whistling While The World Turns 2000 album Atom Shop 1998 album Confessions Of A Hyperdreamer 1997 album Excellent Spirits 1996 album After The Satellite Sings 1996 album My Secret Studio Music From The Great Magnetic Back Of Beyond 1995 album Practically Wired 1995 album Crimsworth 1995 album Automatic 1994 album Blue Moons And Laughing Guitars 1992 album Luminous 1991 album Simplex 1990 album Altar Pieces 1990 album Demonstrations Of Affection 1989 4CD box set album Optimism 1988 album Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights 1987 double album Map Of Dreams 1987 album Iconography 1986 album Chameleon 1986 album Living For The Spangled Moment 1986 mini-album Getting The Holy Ghost Across 1986 album Trial By Intimacy The Book Of Splendours 1985 album box set Savage Gestures For Charms Sake 1983 mini- album Chimera 1983 mini- album The Love That Whirls Diary Of A Thinking Heart 1982 album La Belle Et La Bête 1982 album Das Kabinett 1981 album Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam 1981 album Sounding The Ritual Echo 1981 album Sound On Sound 1979 album Drastic Plastic 1978 album Live! In The Air Age 1977 album Modern Music 1976 album Sunburst Finish 1976 album Futurama 1975 album Axe Victim 1974 album Northern Dream 1971 album Discography Menu

Between the Worlds Be-Bop Deluxe single - 7 February 1975 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Between The Worlds B) Lights ORIGINALLY: "Between the Worlds" is an earlier recording of a song better known as a Futurama album track. "Lights" is a non-album track that later appeared as the 'B' side of the follow up single "Maid in Heaven". NOTES: Between the Worlds was the third Be Bop Deluxe single issued during the band's existence. The single was issued in a generic white sleeve and quickly withdrawn. Promo copies exist with the words "Demo Record Not For Sale" and a large 'A' printed on the label, and gives the intended release date of (7.2.75). It appears the release date slipped a week. PAST RELEASES: "Lights" would first appear on album on The Best of and the Rest of Be Bop Deluxe (1978), and both tracks would be included on the Singles As and Bs compilation (1981). Both tracks would also be included as bonus tracks when the album catalogue first appeared on CD, "Between the Worlds" on Futurama , and "Lights" on Drastic Plastic (1991). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: The single is long deleted, but both tracks can be found on the Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings reissue of Futurama (2019) - both in physical form and as a digital download. Singles Menu Future Past

Dynamos And Tremolos Bill Nelson album - 2 July 2018 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) City Of Tomorrow 02) Electric Railway Overhead 03) Baby Robot 04) Tales Of The Intergalactic Glee Club 05) The Beautiful Machine 06) Dynatron 07) Sine Waves Singing In A Silver Tower 08) Quick As A Flash 09) Halogen 10) Happy Little Hovercar 11) Spaceship Away! 12) Echoes Of The Age ALBUM NOTES: Dynamos and Tremolos is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label. The album was recorded in August and September 2015 and began life as an '80s synth retro album, before Nelson elected to mix in half a dozen guitar based tracks to provide an element of contrasting styles and sounds. Soon after the album was commenced in mid-August 2015, Nelson began to experience intermittent problems with his second Mackie mixing desk, bought second hand six months earlier, to replace his original machine which he had purchased at the beginning of his move to digital recording back in 2000. The mixing desk limped through the making of Dynamos and Tremolos (and the subsequent project Luxury Wonder Moments ) before finally packing in completely before the end of 2015. When completed, Dynamos and Tremolos joined an ever expanding backlog of unreleased material having to wait its turn for release alongside over a dozen albums' worth of material. Consequently Dynamos and Tremolos would lie dormant for two and a half years until Nelson began to assemble artwork for it in February 2018. The album was mastered at Fairview on 12 March 2018 at the same session as Drive This Comet Across the Sky. It was released as a 500 copy Limited Edition Digipak CD simultaneously with a Bandcamp Digital Download. It took just a few weeks to sell out, yet some extra copies were found and passed over to Burning Shed, these remaining copies sold out in just a couple of days. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Have been working on a new album project: I was planning an '80s retro-synth album. Well, I've decided to modify it a bit. I now have six pure synth tracks completed, very '80s in their own way, quite poppy, despite being instrumentals. But I've decided to make variations on the theme by recording six more tracks with synth and guitar. I'll alternate the pure synth tracks with the synth and guitar tracks to contrast and compliment each other. "Already completed one synth/guitar track titled 'Dynaflow.' Almost completed another, as yet untitled. I think this approach will make for a more interesting album than limiting it just to synths. Best of both worlds, so to speak. Working title for the album is 'Dynamos And Tremolos.' " ____ _ "Deliberating with myself over which images I've made will best suit a couple of upcoming albums. The main focus of attention at the moment is the 'Dynamos And Tremolos' album. I've built up more images for this than will be needed but I'm undecided as to which might be the most appropriate selection in terms of overall design. "The album is a combination of synths and guitar sounds and my initial idea was to reflect this using images of retro synthesisers and old guitars. But I also wanted to bring on board a more sci-fi touch with antiquated, distressed robot pictures." ____ _ "I should warn any '80s synth fans that it's not quite the retro-electronica excursion you might imagine it to be. It offers an affectionate nod to those old synth stylings, but sets them in a much more contemporary context." ALBUM REVIEW: Review by Jeff Brown FAN THOUGHTS: Alec: " 'Dynamos and Tremolos' is a unique album. It's got a giggle and smirk to it. Works well with physical activity, a soundtrack to accompany chores or a walk. Impossible not to find y'self in a giddy state, contemplatively giddy, at times when listening." John Mentzer: "This is a rare synth-centric offering from Bill Nelson which should wildly appeal to that certain subsection of fans! But worry not! There is still plenty of lush, amazing guitar work to go with it! Bill calls it "80s" but this is Bill we are talking about! Nothing sounded like him then and nothing does now! Singular talent!" Ronald Nelson: "Another brilliant album, they just get better all the time - just like a good wine, cheers." David Briggs: "Lots of melody and understated inventiveness." Albums Menu Future Past

Iconography album - 19 December 1986 Orchestra Arcana Albums Menu Future Past Currently unavailable TRACKS: 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 added to the 2013 CD edition 14) Several Famous Orchestras 15) Who He Is ALBUM NOTES: Orchestra Arcana was a Bill Nelson pseudonym, used to avoid contractual issues with CBS/Portrait, to whom Nelson was then signed. Iconography was the first album released under the Orchestra Arcana name, and was distinctive for the Nelson's imaginative use of 'found voices' taken from various radio, TV and film sources. These were weaved into the fabric of the music, in a technique first used on the albums Chamber of Dreams and The Summer of God's Piano contained in the Trial By Intimacy box set (recorded between 1981 and 1984). Issued on LP and cassette, Iconography represented the first new Bill Nelson album on the Cocteau imprint since Trial By Intimacy nearly two years previous. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This title is currently out of print, but may see a digital download release at some point. SAMPLES: In the 1960 film of H.G. Well's 'The Time Machine', Rod Taylor says: "Gentlemen, what I'm asking you to do now, is witness a demonstration of the possibility of movement within the fourth dimension." Robert Hughes: "And so a chasm opened between the true language and what the young knew to be reality...Like a mutilated saint...Half machine, half angel...The spirit of our time he called it..." BILL'S THOUGHTS: "It was the first of the albums I released under the 'Orchestra Arcana' moniker. It contains instrumental recordings, many using 'found voices', and was recorded in my then home studio 'The Echo Observatory'. It's predominantly synth/keyboards based and created with old-school analogue technology. It's a must-have for any fan of my instrumental music." _____ "The samples on "Clock Conscious" came from 'A Matter of Life and Death', a must-see film for anyone who hasn't had the opportunity to enjoy it. The film is part of a famous body of work by film director Michael Powell and screenwriter Emeric Pressburger who worked together using the name 'The Archers'. They were not only responsible for 'A Matter of Life and Death' but also 'The Red Shoes', 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp', 'Black Narcissus' and 'I Know Where I'm Going'. All recognised as masterpieces of the cinema. It's remarkable stuff and essential viewing." FAN THOUGHTS: wadcorp: "No vocals from Our Man Bill, but tons of "found vocals". Cuts from movies, news broadcasts, etc. Great stuff. This, and the follow-up Optimism are absolute musts." "One Man's Fetish Is Another Man's Faith": "is an interesting mix of Bill's styles. It starts off like something from Summer of God's Piano or Pavilions of the Heart & Soul , with the found-vocals that are the hallmark of most all of the Iconography album. Just after 2.10 into the song – almost halfway through this piece of music – things change from the ethereal & introspective into an outright anthem. Said anthem can hold its own against "For Stuart", even though it's lacking the dynamic lead guitar. An amazing, keyboard-driven theme for sure!" stormboy: "This...is my absolute favourite BN album. "One Man's Fetish" is a superb track, but then again, the whole album is chocca full of gems. There are so many amazing tracks and beautiful details that it's really difficult to pick one track or aspect of it. From the jaunty synthlines on "Life Class", to the amazing guitar work on "Altar Natives", or the vocal snippets and samples, or the production... bliss!" "For the record, "Altar Natives" is my favourite ever Bill Nelson instrumental track - the perfect mix of his synth, sampling, rhythm and guitar work." Quinault: "It has that international dance classic: "Sex, Psyche, Etcetera!" I might have to pull out my copy just to hear "Eastern Electric"." mitchellmichael: "I can't wait to get the re-issued Orchestra Arcana stuff! Bill is a master at using "found voices" I think." felixt1: "I have been very pleasantly surprised at how much I have enjoyed the music from this period of Bill's career. On paper, the idea of it should not work for me, but it very much does. It is arguably within these recordings that the true extent of Bill's talent as a composer began to surface. Arguably the first inkling that there was some level of genius within." paul.smith: "A cool lo-fi track I really like is "Right, Then Left"...A great montage of 'found voices' and swirls of sound with hidden layers that peel off with repeated listening...there's loads from this time I love...I think I enjoy them even more now than years ago in many ways...'little miracles of sound and song' they are." "If you don't have it I urge you to acquire this reissue....essential!!!" Albums Menu Future Past

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

Wildest Dreams Bill Nelson single - 3 March 1986 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 7" Single: A) Wildest Dreams (Single Version) B) Self Impersonisation 12" Single: A1) Wildest Dreams (Wild Mix) A2) Self Impersonisation B1) Wildest Dreams (7" Version) B2) The Yo-Yo Dyne ORIGINALLY: A, A1 & B1 are exclusive mixes of a song from the Getting the Holy Ghost Across album. B, A2 & B2 are exclusive non-album tracks. NOTES: Wildest Dreams was the only single taken from the Getting the Holy Ghost Across album to be granted a commercial release. The single was pressed in 7" and 12" formats. Both formats were issued in picture sleeves, and a limited edition signed art print (with printed signature) was included in approximately 400 copies of the 12" pressing. PAST RELEASES: B2 was included as a bonus track on the Sonoluxe reissue of the Getting the Holy Ghost Across album (2006). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All four songs are available on the remastered 2CD set of Getting the Holy Ghost Across (Cherry Red/Esoteric/Cocteau Discs, 2013). Singles Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) July 2009 Jan Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tuesday 21st July 2009 -- 8:20 pm Just checked my website to remind myself when my last diary entry was posted. Could it really be so long ago? As long ago as January? Apparently that's exactly when it was. Somehow I'd imagined that there had been at least one further entry since then, but evidently not. Perhaps I was merely thinking about it. A conceptual diary, words written in smoke on thin air, ghosts of good intentions. So why the biggest gap yet in this ongoing literary ramble? Well, it's the result of one damned thing after another and very little of it worthy of mention here beyond what readers of this diary may have already surmised. My main (and daily), concern has been for my mother and the unfortunate circumstances she found herself in after the death of her husband, (to whom she had served as a dutiful wife for 28 years). The last 14 months or more have been an unwelcome ordeal for her, not just because of the bereavement she has suffered, but also as a direct result of the litigation she was forced to undertake and the emotional toll it subsequently imposed. Her legal struggle has only recently come to some sort of modest resolve but, although two months have already passed since she accepted the offer which was finally made to her, she has yet to see the practical results. Now, it seems, there are further legal fine-tunings to be dealt with before she can, hopefully, put this regretful and miserable business behind her and get on with her life. Naturally, it has been an extremely stressful and unpleasant time for her and a worry for friends, neighbours and family who have expressed their concern about her situation and well-being...and, although I'm trying not to make too much of it, it's proved a depressing and demanding experience for me too. Sadly, as is so often the case with inheritance disputes, much grief and a great deal of expense could have been avoided had some sort of fairness prevailed at the start. But, human nature being what it is, especially where money is concerned, fairness was always going to be too much to hope for. Damning as that conclusion is, it's hardly more than what was expected. If nothing else, the experience has been revealing. However, the subject is unworthy of further attention so I'll not offer any further comment but simply move on and away from it. Despite the many months of dealing with the above situation, I've continued to work extremely hard to maintain some sort of creative flow. It's been far from easy under the circumstances but, by putting in even longer hours than usual, I now have FIVE new albums awaiting release and a SIXTH album almost complete. (Plus, I should add, a seventh album, which is a collaborative project, finally coming to fruition.) Could it be that I've sought some sort of internal release from various external problems and pressures by allowing myself to become lost in music? Well, if so, it certainly wouldn't be for the first time. In any case, I've become a little bored with the notion than albums should always be 'major statements,' torn from the very core of one's being, precious highly polished jewels to be dispensed to the masses as if they were pearls beyond price. Or, as Todd Rundgren once expressed it, products of 'The ever popular tortured artist effect.' My own albums are like personal letters, monthly magazines, glimpses into private sketchbooks, whispers in a lover's ear, keys to secret wardrobes filled with fetish clothing that only priveleged and trusted friends are allowed to see. (Strange how often eroticism creeps into these metaphors!) But, even so, the music still emerges, unavoidably, unbidden, from somewhere deep inside, the complex result of endless little struggles with myself. It's just that I try not to make too much of a fuss about it. (So many artists' declarations of creative 'angst' ultimately turn out to be little more than romantic self-promotion, or cunningly contrived marketing ploys.) So, here's a summary of work accomplished in my home studio this year: ALBUM 1: A vocal based album titled 'FANCY PLANETS.' This is something of a departure from the work of recent years in that it attempts to reconcile my '70's era style with my more contemporary output. The balance seems to be tipped slightly in favour of the past though...which for me, as someone whose natural inclination is to never return to fields long ago harvested and left barren, amounts to a kind of heresy. Maybe there's an element of nostalgia involved too, albeit tinted with post-modernist irony. I suppose I'm not entirely convinced that this is a credible or dignified album for a sixty year old man to have recorded, though I'm probably far too close to it to tell. However, I do expect that it will be warmly embraced by a certain percentage of my audience, despite any apparent trepidation or nervousness on my part. There are, of course, a few stray tracks that reach beyond the album's central concept, (or maybe they're just attempting to escape it). Perhaps it is these tracks that will provide me with the most creative satisfaction. But, who knows? I have no clear idea what people want from my music any more. Maybe that's always been the case. The truth is, I make music simply because I derive great pleasure and a certain degree of personal insight from doing so. For all my clouds of unknowing, this album could be as bright as a full moon sky filled with shining stars. Anyway, the track list for 'FANCY PLANETS' runs as follows:- 1: 'Fancy Planets.' 2: 'The Golden Days Of Radio.' Compact mix. 3: 'Kiss Me Goodnight, Captain Marvel.' 4: 'The Land Of Dreams Is Closed.' 5: 'This Leads To That Leads To This.' 6: 'Where Are We Now.' 7: 'Twice In A Blue Moon.' 8: 'Everyday Now Is Forever Again.' 9: 'She Dreams Of Fires.' 10: 'I Hear Electricity.' 11: 'Mysterious Object Overhead.' 12: 'Dream Cities Of The Heart.' 13: 'Mystery Engine.' 14: 'The Golden Days Of Radio.' Hypermix. ALBUM 2: A guitar-based instrumental album titled 'HERE COMES MR MERCURY.' This is an album of, (mainly), bluesy-jazzy tinted improvisations and tunes. All electric guitar and some groovy beats mixed with a touch of electronica and occassional weirdness. The track list is as follows:- 1: 'Never A Dull Day.' (For Les Paul.) 2: 'Coop's Place.' 3: 'Six String Skyway.' 4: 'The Standard Fireworks Stomp.' 5: 'Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams.' 6: 'Soda Fountain Swing.' 7: 'Attempt To Re-assemble My Fragmented Self.' 8: 'Autumn Noodle No1.' 9: 'A Dream For Ian.' 10: 'Mars Welcomes Careful Drivers.' 11: 'Here Comes Mr Mercury.' 12: 'Dance Of The Pagan Energy Ghosts.' 13: 'Tomorrow Today.' 14: 'Red Planet Blues. (The Ritual Transfiguration Of Spaceman Albert Fitzwilliam Digby.)' ALBUM 3: A keyboard-based instrumental album titled 'THEATRE OF FALLING LEAVES.' This album has subtle hints of guitar on two or three tracks but is predominantly a keyboard-oriented project. There are deliberate, somewhat ironic '80's touches where mono-synth sounds are merged with more contemporary tones. The album is a surreal mixture of melancholy and mirth. My personal favourite track is 'SuperSerene,' an 'outsider' track in that it bears little resemblance to any of the other pieces on the album. This particluar track is another component in an ongoing series of orchestral compositions and, if I may presume to plead, achingly beautiful. The full track list is as follows:- 1: 'Thoughts Travel. (For Miles.)' 2: 'You Here Now In William's World.' 3: 'The Darcey Bussell Rubberwear Fantasia.' 4: 'Tiny Mice Are Dancing In The Cottage Of Her Dreams.' 5: 'Planet Of Sleeping Buddhas.' 6: 'Pagoda Dreamhouse.' 7: 'Tumbletown.' 8: 'Dance, Mighty Robot, Dance!' 9: '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 4: This year's 'Nelsonica' fan convention album titled 'THE DREAM TRANSMISSION PAVILION.' This, as is usual with the Nelsonica convention albums, contains an eclectic mix of music featuring both vocal and instrumental tracks, ('though mainly vocal). I often think of the Nelsonica albums as being made up of 'left-overs' or 'B-list' material but this year's album could quite easily qualify as a full-blown 'A-list' release. It has some very interesting material on it. The track listing is as follows:- 1: 'Billy And The High Blue Horizon.' 2: 'Beauty Lifts Her Skirts.' 3: 'The Sound From This Recording Travels To The Stars.' 4: 'Once More Around The Moon.' 5: 'Prarie Hula.' 6: 'Kiss You Slow.' 7: 'The Boy Who Knew The Names Of Trains.' 8: 'Picture In A Frame.' 9: 'Sway And Swoon.' 10: 'A Thought For You.' 11:'Where Does It Come From, Where Does It Go?' 12: 'Trancendental Radios.' 13: 'The Walls Of Which Are Made Of Clouds.' 14: 'I Am The Captain.' 15: 'Here I Am For You.' 16: 'Once More Around The Moon.' (Monitor Mix.) ALBUM 5: An instrumental album titled 'PICTURE POST.' This album contains music I created for the American television documentary film, 'American Stamps.' It's an eclectic collection of styles but hangs together very well and manages to work interestingly outside of the film's immediate visual content. I have given the pieces titles, although they don't neccesarily connect directly with their usage in the film. (The tracks originally had no titles, only cue numbers.) The 'Picture Post' album has yet to be mastered at Fairview studios but the track list will be as follows:- 1: 'Sunny Day For A Happy Postman.' 2: 'Postcard To A Penfriend.' 3: 'Music Spins My Globe.' 4: 'I Send My Dreams To You.' 5: 'A Christmas Cowboy Outfit.' 6: 'Skimming Stones.' 7: 'In Anticipation.' 8: 'Shibuya Screen.' 9: 'September Promenade.' 10: 'Airmail Guitar.' 11: 'A Day At West Acre.' 12: 'Greetings From Surf Guitar Island.' 13: 'Beach Hut Beauties.' 14: 'Dream Of An American Streetcar.' 15: 'Mobile Homes On The Range.' 16: 'Surf King Sails In.' 17: 'Big Ship.' 18: 'Filigree Balcony.' 19: 'Clouds Drift North.' 20: 'The Toy Trumpet.' 21: 'Pagent.' 22: 'Emphatically Yours.' ALBUM 6: An instrumental/spoken word album titled 'NON-STOP MYSTERY ACTION!' This album contains 'long-form' instrumental pieces that feature voice samples/cut-ups and, on one piece, my own spoken prose-poetry. The concept is built around two 15 minute-plus pieces created as soundtracks for last year's and this year's Nelsonica convention opening videos. I'm in the process of recording more tracks to complete this album but it's almost there. No final running order decided as yet but the album will probably include the following titles:- 1: 'The Departure Of The 20th Century In A Hail Of Memory.' 2: 'Yes And No.' 4: 'Like A Woman Levitating.' 5: 'Machines Of Loving Grace.' 6: 'This Is Like A Galaxy.' 7: 'Welcome To The Dream Transmision Pavilion.' 8: 'Stranger Flowers Now Than Ever.' There will also be a 7th album. This will be the long anticipated collaboration between myself and renowned American comic book artist Matt Howarth. It's a kind of graphic art 'space opera' with music. Titled 'THE LAST OF THE NEON CYNICS,' this album will carry a pdf file of Matt's comic book illustration of the story, along with the special music I created as its soundtrack. The album will contain 9 lengthy compositions, all of which relate to episodes and characters within the story. (More about the track list in a future diary entry.) It's the tale of a space cowboy who travels through galactic worm-holes in a 'intergalactic-tram,' accompanied by his guitar. (A guitar that can actually talk and features as one of the central characters in the story.) A whimsical and wonderfully surreal slice of sci-fi. Matt and I began working on this collaboration some years ago, (maybe 2003?) but, due to my busy work-load and several distracting issues outside of my creative life, it has taken me far longer to deliver the finished music than would normally be the case. Even now though, with several other albums finished and already lined up for release, it will have to await its turn at the end of this year, before it can be manufactured and made available. But it is something extra, (and rather unusual), for fans to look forward to. One relatively new aspect of my home studio involves Django, (the cat), who seems to have developed the habit of curling up next to me on one of my studio chairs (the one with the kitsch 'Elvis in the army' cushion), whenever I'm recording. In fact, he's close here beside me now, as I type these words, black, sleek and handsome. He's an intelligent and affectionate creature and we've become great pals. The volume of the studio monitors doesn't seem to bother him at all and he will happily spend a fair proportion of his day dreaming along to the music whilst sleeping on Elvis's face. It is this pleasant development that gave me the title 'Django Dreams Of Twinkleland' for the 'Theatre Of Falling Leaves' album. A thought: Maybe I should compose another piece with the title ' The King And The Cat.' Well, yes...I think I will. A major pre-occupation for me at the moment is to make sure that everything is ready for this year's Nelsonica fan convention. Lots to do, as always. It seems to have come around even quicker this year, but maybe that's because we had a late start to the planning process and have an earlier convention date than usual. (Last year's Nelsonica was held in November but this years will be on the 19th of September.) Consequently, I'm under some pressure to keep everything on schedule. This year, Nelsonica will be held at a new venue, the rather elegant 'Crown Hotel' in Harrogate, once the haunt of Sir Edward Elgar. We've secured a very nice room, complete with a modest built-in stage, which should suit the style of Nelsonica 09's live performances perfectly. The loyal Nelsonica team are adding their special talents to the mix too, (as always), and it promises to be a unique and memorable day for fans who are able to attend. I've just completed this year's opening video for the event, after one month's constant work on it. It lasts over 15 minutes and is titled ' Welcome To The Dream Transmission Pavilion.' It functions as a companion piece to last year's epic ' The Departure Of The 20th Century In A Hail Of Memory ' video. Whilst that piece dealt with the passing of time and the nature of memory, this year's video is loosely themed around the way that memories and dreams sometimes become entagled as the mind gives way to the gentle erosion of the passing years. I think it's about how the real becomes unreal and vice-versa. Or something like that. These things are often arrived at by intuition. It can be somewhat like dowsing or like feeling one's way through a 1950's British fog. There's a vague sensation of where I'm going but it is often only afterwards that I fully grasp where I've been and what it means. Guided by invisible forces, unconscious impulses, strange currents, dim lamps. Beautiful, and all the more so for the uncertainty. Sections of the video are a 're-mix' of familiar themes from some of my previous visual work but there are several sections that use previously unseen footage from old home 8-mm cine film. Amongst this archive material are glimpses of Be Bop Deluxe in America, not on stage but in casual, 'off-duty' situations at gas stations, in a dressing room, or outside a rehearsal studio in Los Angeles. These are fleeting, tantalising glimpses, filmed by myself in casual moments, but made even more poignant by their brevity. No digital camcorders back then so it was shot on short reels of super-8 film, film that only ran for three minutes before a new reel had to be fitted.This involved finding a room or cupboard where all light could be exluded from the camera so that the film would not be exposed whilst changing reels. Because of this restriction, I tended to take very quick shots, lasting only a few seconds, so as to make as much use of a single reel of film as possible before having the hassle of loading up another reel. Now, of course, the digital camcorder offers much longer shooting times. Even so, with hindsight, I wish I'd have captured much more of the band and far less of American barns and trucks rolling past car windows. What little footage there is of Charlie, Simon and Andy is precious, so I've trimmed away all the above mentioned passing landscape and tried to focus on the band members. I only seem to feature as a camera-toting reflection in dressing room mirrors, and even then for only fractions of seconds. I'm always there but virtually invisible, a facilitator. the means by which others are seen. There's something appropriately Cocteau-esque about that! One of the people glimpsed in the footage is Jeremy Fabini who acted as our projectionist on the later Be Bop Deluxe tours. Jeremy carried his own home-cine camera and filmed lots of the band's adventures on the road...also at our Juan-Les-Pins recording session in the South Of France. Jeremy used to live, (I think), in Italy, maybe Milan. I wonder where he is now and if he still has the extensive film footage he shot? There would be lots of it and I would probably feature quite a bit in it too, (in contrast to my own cine footage where I'm behind the camera). I'd love to get it all digitised and transferred to my computer so that I could combine it with my own shots and make some sort of personal documentary about those long-lost times. Other archive 8-mm cine footage I've incorporated into 'WELCOME TO THE DREAM TRANSMISSION PAVILION' video shows the exterior and gardens of my old home, 'Haddlesey House.' It also gives a glimpse of the Rolls Royce and Panther Lima cars I drove at that time. Looking at this footage now feels very strange. It's as if I'm observing someone else's life, as though in a dream, and yet, at the same time, it's extremely familiar, as if it happened only yesterday. But, of course, it was more than thirty years ago... The music soundtrack I've created for the video is slightly unusual in that it features a spoken prose-poem, (with myself as narrator), recorded specifically for the piece. This voice-over runs through much of the video. Hopefully, it will set the scene for the convention attendees in an interesting and curious fashion. As usual, I'll be performing live as part of the day's programming. The plan is for a solo set of instrumentals AND a separate trio set with my occasional 'Orchestra Futura' project which features my wonderfully talented friends Dave Sturt and Theo Travis. I'm hoping that we'll have six pieces of music to offer our audience. These pieces will be spontaneously improvised around loops and pre-recorded tracks and atmospheres. I'm also hoping to perform a separate improv piece as a duo with Steve Cook on keyboards. We're thinking of naming ourselves 'Bleep n' Booster' for this one! (An arch reference to a vintage British television children's cartoon series.) I'm currently working on several new pieces for my own SOLO performance at the convention and have already completed two or three of these but will decide which ones to incorporate in my set, (if any), a little nearer the time. Actually, I need to give some further thought to the set's running order and decide upon it's contents before mastering the backing track cds at Fairview. All being well, John Spence will be mixing the live performances at the convention. I also have to prepare my guitars and various other items of equipment in advance of Nelsonica. Because I give concerts so rarely these days, my somewhat complex stage rig doesn't get used very often. My studio guitar set-up is comparitively basic, due to the extremely small space I'm forced to work in here at home more than anything else. Consequently, it's essential that I re-aquaint myself with the comprehensive live effects rack and its numerous pedal boards each time Nelsonica rolls around. To this end, a day in a rehearsal studio has been booked, near the convention date, so that my full set of equipment can be properly set up and tested. Hopefully, this will allow me to familiarise myself with the technical demands of the live set, which pedals connect to which sounds and compositions, etc, etc. I find live performance more nerve-frazzling each year, not just because I'm unused to playing live, but because my creative standards and targets have evolved, often beyond the limits of my basic technical abilities. Sometimes I leave the stage feeling down and frustrated by it all. It can be demoralising and depressing for me, though not, I hope, for my audience who generally seem to enjoy themselves, regardless of my self-critical nature. But that's how it goes...the old cliche of, 'the more you know, the less you know.' The hardest thing is to trust one's instincts and intuition and just PLAY. What's the point of a daffodill agonising about whether it's yellow enough or not? But here at home, there are other, more important concerns. The most recent regarding Emi's mother, who has just been admitted to hospital in Tokyo. The intestinal cancer, for which she underwent surgery last year, has returned and also now spread to her liver. She is too frail to survive further surgery and it seems that there is little that the doctors can do for her. It is difficult to say exactly how long it will take for things to progress towards their ultimate conclusion but maybe six months at best, according to the doctor's current estimate. Of course, Emi is extremely distressed about the situation and has now made plans to fly to Japan to spend some time with her mum. I would prefer to go with her to lend whatever support I can but Nelsonica responsibilities won't allow that, The fact is, there's far too much still to prepare and if I went to Japan, it would almost certainly mean that the convention would have to be cancelled, (and tickets have already been sold, venue booked, etc, etc.) So I must stay here in Yorkshire and do my best to stay focussed on what must be done. Nevertheless, it's a very difficult and worrying time. When Emi went to visit her mother in hospital in Japan last year, readers of this diary will probably recall how much we missed each other and how pathetically useless I was at dealing with everyday domestic issues. And this time, there will be my convention preparations to deal with too. But I have no right to feel sorry for myself. Emi's situation will be far more difficult and stressful than mine...in comparison, my selfish concerns amount to nothing. And, in any case, she is hoping to return in time for Nelsonica. It's been a difficult year for Emi in so many ways. After being made redundant from the flower shop where she'd worked for for eight years, she then suffered further redundancy at her next job when the company that employed her went under due to the current economic climate. Subsequent attempts at finding employment have been fruitless. it's proving difficult for many people to find work at the moment, but Emi, being both sixty years old and Japanese has found it particularly hard, (especially when prejudice and ignorance have come into the equation). But being the sweet-natured lady she is, she doesn't see these things quite as cynically as I do. Still, there have been some encouraging developments. Emi's talents as a floral artist have brought some freelance commissions to her during the last few months. Without any proper advertising or self-promotion, she's picked up several orders for floral arrangements, mostly for personal gifts, mother's day bouquets, birthdays and funerals, but also for some weddings. Last week she was busy creating beautiful flower arrangements for the third wedding in two months and has a fourth wedding booked for mid August. In fact, it is the wedding work that has prohibited her from travelling to Japan earlier. (Her flight to Tokyo is booked for just after her next wedding commision.) Emi has also been giving private flower arranging lessons to several ladies, some English, some Japanese. These have become pleasant social occassions for her as well as floral art classes and she has been able to convey something of the refinement and beauty of Japanese culture to her students, sometimes preparing traditional Japanese food as part of the lessons. That this attention has come her way purely by recommendation is heartening. People seem to appreciate her talents and the personal, one-to-one service she provides.They've spread the word amongst their friends and families without any immediate need for advertising. That said, I'm planning a glossy printed brochure for her and hope to complete the design of it, (with the essential and valuable help of my good friend David Graham), once my Nelsonica duities are fulfilled. Whilst ALL business are struggling to one degree or another at the moment, I'm trusting that there is still a market for something a little more special than the standard florist approach. It seems to me, as (I admit), an outsider, that commercial floristry is as depressingly predictable and uniform as the popular music scene. But hopefully, there are people who will appreciate something more sophisticated, something with a touch more depth, just as there will always be music consumers who require something other than the manipulative fluff they're sold by the mainstream music industry. In any sort of creative work, music or otherwise, I hold on to the (perhaps naive), belief that it's important to provide people with unique alternatives...alternatives that aren't neccesarily defined by commercial taste...Timeless, thoughtful alternatives too. But then, who knows? Maybe I'm just an old-fashioned idealist. (And some other old-fashioned idealists might say that the meek have no chance of inheriting the earth because the mediocre but bold already own the lease.) ;-) Well, sod that for a proverbial game of tennis. Back to my own work: One of the consequences of spending so much time in my studio is the negative effect it has on my health, mentally and physically. I have to admit I haven't felt great of late and the studio lifestyle definitely does nothing for my middle-aged waistline. Which brings a thought: Am I still allowed, at SIXTY, for Christ's sake, to refer to myself as middle-aged? Wouldn't it be far more appropriate to refer to myself as 'old' or maybe as a senior citizen' instead?' Whichever way I look at it, I can't quite grasp the concept of actually BEING sixty, other than via the daily physical aches and pains, creaks, groans and depressions that have become impossible to ignore. And the infamous, capitulating, milestone, millstone, Bus Pass, (which I've steadfastly refused to claim). But as far as creating music goes, I feel just as motivated as before. And I suppose, for what it's worth, seven albums lined up for release in one year is something of an achievement ...for anyone, let alone a depressed sixty year old. It gets a little scary at times though...I mean, why do I feel such a compulsion to make music...and where are all these different ideas coming from? Each of the seven albums listed above has its own identity, its own tale to tell whilst still, I imagine, sounding exactly like me. But, every album I make, in some strange way, feels like it's my first, even though I've filled a small universe with albums over the years. I've contemplated these things before...they're part of an ongoing mystery that I'm reluctant to delve too deeply into for fear of short-circuiting whatever magic might be at work. Maybe if I drew back the curtain, instead of a wizard, all I'd see is an obsessive, driven, fearful, socially-inept personality suffering from low self-esteem, (hiding a desparate need to feel loved and approved). Hmmm...better not go there. I once vowed that I wouldn't allow myself to fall into these self-analytical musings in my diary entries any more but the temptation, it seems, still remains. And what was it I was saying earlier about artists flagging up their angst like a banner advertising a supermarket sale? I'll move on. My reading, over these last few busy months, has been confined to bedtime, as per usual. Books read (or still being read), are:- 'LAFF' by John Boyle. 'WHY MRS BLAKE CRIED: (William Blake and the Sexual Basis of Spiritual Vision.)' by Marsha Keith Schuchard. 'THE PALACE OF STRANGE GIRLS.' by Sallie Day. 'THE BOYS BOOK OF AIRFIX.' by Arthur Ward. 'CARTOONS AND CORONETS. (The Genius Of Osbert Lancaster.') by James Knox. 'PHILOSOPHY. The great thinkers.' by Philip Stokes. 'IN THE COUNTRY OF COUNTRY.' by Nicholas Dawidoff. 'THE ILLUSTRATORS. The Art Of British Illustration 1800-2007.' 'THE MAKING OF WAKEFIELD. 1801-1900.' by Kate Taylor. 'THE GOLDEN BUILDERS.' by Tobias Churton. 'THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE.' by Peter Marshall. As far as listening to music goes, (as opposed to making it), my pleasure tends to be restricted to the car, whilst driving. Albums recently played are: 'TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE.' by Bob Dylan. 'LAST NIGHT THE MOON CAME DROPPING ITS CLOTHES IN THE STREET.' by Jon Hassell. 'HALLMARKS.' by Jim Hall. ''I, FLATHEAD.' by Ry Cooder. 'HISTORY, MYSTERY' and also 'FOLKSONGS.' by Bill Frisell. ' WRITTEN IN CHALK.' by Buddy and Julie Miller. 'FINGERPICKING GUITAR DELIGHTS.' by various artists. 'HANK WILLIAMS-The Absolutely Essential Collection.' by Hank Williams. 'SO MUCH GUITAR!' by Wes Montgomery. 'GREEN STREET.' by Grant Green. 'ELLA FITZGERALD SINGS COLE PORTER.' by Ella Fitzgerald. 'EAST!' by Pat Martino. 'GIL EVANS.' by Gil Evans. 'SWING IS THE THING.' by The Mills Brothers. 'THE BEST OF GEORGE FORMBY.' by George Formby. 'PORGY AND BESS.' by Miles Davis. There are various other happenings, doings, commentaries, observations, trials and tribulations that I might have added to this diary entry, if only I'd found more spare time to bring the reader completely up to date...but I've already spent far too much time typing when I really should be working on Nelsonica preparations and projects. Already, despite several omissions, this long overdue entry has taken a couple of days to assemble. So, I'll close here. Hopefully, another entry before too long...or at least a little sooner than it took for THIS one to appear. I'll attempt to include a few more of the events of the last six months in it. For now though, it's back to the mixing desk and the drawing board. But back with you soon, given a little luck and a following wind. ***** Attached images are:- 1: Django in my studio. 2: Some of the guitars I use for jazz tones. 3: A self-made 'Fancy Planets' advert. 4: Another variation of same. 5: Just one of several recent wedding floral arrangements by Emiko. 6: Nelsonica 09 T-shirt design. Top of page

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) October 2007 Jan Feb Apr May Jul Sep Nov Dec Tuesday 9th October 2007 -- 8:20 pm Since my previous diary entry, I've been working solidly towards the 2007 Nelsonica fan convention which is scheduled for the 27th of this month. By 'solidly' I really mean ' flat out.' It feels as if I've spent the entire year locked into a punishing schedule with hardly a moment to catch breath, one project after another. Time, as so often noted in this diary, has become an elastic, ill-defined thing. It seems to flow in two directions at once and I end up feeling somehow outside of it and yet a slave to it. Inevitable when much of the work I do is done alone, I suppose. Being cocooned in my studio for almost the entire year has an adverse effect on my health. Lack of fresh air, little or no exercise, comfort eating, etc, all take their toll in one way or another. Hours on end surrounded by the electro-magnetic fields of my recording, video and computer equipment doesn't help much either. Current scientific research seems to indicate that electro-magnetic radiation, caused by close and long exposure to any technology involving electrical energy can cause all manner of unpleasant side-effects. I read an article about it and could tick several of the boxes in this respect. Apparently, you can now buy special devices to plug in and counteract 'EMR.' I'm not sure whether such a gadget is much more than a scam though, a wide-open market opportunity. Nevertheless, the negative effects of working constantly in close proximity to a great deal of electrical gear is something I can personally testify to. I have walls of electronic equipment on three sides of me and all within arm's reach. Anyway, despite being exhausted, some sort of forward momentum has to be maintained. There is still a long list of things to pull out of the hat. All manner of magic rabbits. Today was spent over at Fairview Studios, assembling and mastering the backing tracks for the live concert aspect of Nelsonica. My friend and engineering maestro John Spence helping with this as usual. At least that side of things is finally ready, barring the much needed rehearsal. (A rehearsal room has been booked for me on the 25th.) I also need to schedule a rehearsal with keyboard player Steve Cook who will be joining me on stage for some of the pieces. This year's live performance will last around two hours, split into two sections with a 20 to 30 minute interval. I've given the concert the title: 'Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams.' I'd originally planned to play for no more than one hour but once I began to assemble draft set lists of possible material, I realised that the show would have to be much longer, mainly because I wanted to include a few of the brand new pieces that I'd originally hoped to play at the concert with Harold Budd. (Which was, unfortunately, the victim of unforseen circumstances.) I've spent just over a week trying out different combinations of music for the Nelsonica concert, changing my mind about its content on a daily basis. After much agonising and re-jigging I finally arrived at what I think is the definitive set list for this year's event. There's certainly no time left to tweak it further so I decided to commit it to the mastering process and booked the session at Fairview to copy everything across and master it, integrating the sound of the newer pieces into the overall audio spectrum. The set will contain 21 pieces of music in all: a few older ones, some very recent ones and some brand-new, previously unheard ones. The set also includes a new version of a 'vintage' composition of mine, stretched out to almost 14 minutes long, plus another surprise or two. I won't give too much away in this diary as it would spoil the audience's anticipation. I CAN reveal that some of the pieces I'll be performing on the 27th come from the soon-to-be-released 'And We Fell Into A Dream' album, some from the limited edition Nelsonica album, ('Secret Club For Members Only'). Other's go back a fair way. (Three are 17 years old. One is a LOT older.) But, all in all, I think it will prove to be an interesting and satisfying selection. There's still so much to prepare though and I'm trying to squeeze as many hours into my day as possible. I've now made a start on the artwork that I need to provide for the auction but I've discarded more than I've kept. I really have to be in the right mood to make drawings and that mood has been eluding me. Tiredness I suspect. Music, for whatever reason, presents less of a problem in that I generally feel inspired on a daily basis to write and record, regardless of exterior pressures. But it looks as if the artwork will be a last-minute addition. No doubt I'll get there in the end. Maybe I should be dealing with that instead of writing this diary. I've also been working on video material for the new pieces I'm to play at Nelsonica...I've completed backdrop video for 'The Raindrop Collector,' 'Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams,' (the video for which allows a glimpse into the clutter and chaos of my home studio,) and 'Night Song Of The Last Tram.' I now have such a massive accumulation of music that I can perform live (in the solo-artist/one man band context), that it's becoming increasingly complicated and time-consuming to selectappropriate material for the occasional concerts I give. So many possibilities and combinations. It's impossible to include ALL the pieces I enjoy playing so some titles have to be sacrificed in favour of other ones. I can't judge a running order until I've made a test-assembly and tried playing through it, which is why it takes so long to finalise. Invariably, I'll copy up several set-list variations to cdr, here at home, before settling on the final one. All this is done in real time and a lot of searching through my performance archives is required before I begin to copy individual tracks across to the draft set-list CD. I always try to choose the music according to each concert's individual concept and atmosphere and attempt to ignore the obvious crowd-pleasers, instead going for thematic development according to my perception of the event's mood. Sometimes, locating that mood can be almost as difficult as interpreting it. There's a sense of panic I experience, a panic that increases in intensity until the final set list is unveiled. Then a moment's grace before the panic returns with even greater ferocity when I realise that, (because of the rarity of my live performances these days,) I'm unfamiliar with much of the material. And, worse still, that I have little time available to remedy this problem. Time-constraints mean that certain things are always left to the last moment: a flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, wing-and-a-prayer, jump into the deep end, tightrope walk without a safety net situation. It's all down to luck and sleight of hand. I'm probably as unscientific a performer as anyone could wish for. It's a wonder that my fingers can form a single chord, so many of them are crossed. But, superstitious or not, it's magic I'm after. Not so much a musician, more like a conjuror who dreams of being a sorcerer. I was telling John Spence today how much I worry about standing up in front of an audience, how nervous and stressed-out I get. More and more these days, I find myself thinking that, if I could get away with it, I'd probably retire from live concerts altogether and just work in my studio. THAT'S where I'm most at home, painting with sound rather than performing the music in front of an audience. The stage has become an increasingly akward and uneasy environment for me. I have little confidence in my ability to entertain and have to fight hard to enter the performer's mind-set. It wasn't always so. In the past I had the shield of youthful ignorance and naive bravado, believing myself invincible and marvellous. Life eventually teaches us that it's otherwise. Perhaps this loss of certainty is why we should continue to create, to attempt to communicate and perform. To transcend our personal limitations. Incredibly, despite the years of wear and tear, (or because of them), many of us discover that, at this late stage of our lives, we actually have something of real depth to share with our audience, something hard-won and meaningful. The emphasis shifts from the reckless energy of youth to the compassionate warmth and wisdom of maturity. Worth sharing, I think. I sometimes wonder though, whether 'rock' music audiences in general are prepared to have us share our maturity with them, rock music being increasingly predisposed to the realm of the teenager. So many people seem to regard music as little more than a disposable distraction, rather than as a life-affirming, illuminating and spiritual, (for want of a better word,) exchange. Performing live is always a two-way process but the gulf between artist and audience can sometimes be vast. Expectations, presumptions, demands and so on can weigh heavily on both sides of the footlights. It's a very odd relationship, sometimes. Entertainers, on the other hand, seem better equipped to deal with such things. The best of them are born to it. 'Artists' (as opposed to 'artistes'), are often crippled by insecurity, too anxious about the next step, too wrapped up in their own dark and private worlds to step into the bright theatre of other people's expectations. Secretive, furtive, full of fear and trepidation. Just too hung up? At least, that's my experience. No need to speculate about alternative universes, some of us have been cast adrift in them for what feels like an eternity. And music acts as both our distress signal and our life-raft. The entertainer seeks and gets instant gratification but there's an inevitable time-lag, an eternal disappointment that accompanies almost every public flickering of the true artist's latest flame. Then, year's later, some long-rusted lever is freed and thrown and a light goes on in minds that were previously dark or indifferent. How often does recognition come long, long after the event? So often that it's become a cliche? Again, this is how I see it though it may not be the experience of others. But there's no doubt that it does take a while for some things to blossom. I could list several pertinent examples from my own career. (But, graciously, won't.) Why there should be such a time-lag, I have no idea. I always presume that my audience is perfectly in step with me, intuitively making the same connections, crossing the same bridges over the same rivers. And, of course, a great many of them ARE doing just that, willing me on, holding my hand, encouraging me to keep up the pace, dragging me along behind them even. But, some pennies seem to take years to drop. My hat, laid forlornly on the pavement, has a few coppers but precious little silver and virtually no gold in it. Maybe it will arrive too late, maybe never. It's not that important really, is it? Still, I wouldn't have it any other way. There's something here beyond the value of coins. Whatever it is, I'm searching for it still. I've finished the decoration of this year's 'work box.' I think it's o.k. I've yet to decide upon, and prepare its contents though. I made the first work box last year and it was a much sought after item at the 06 convention. I plan to do one per year. Hopefully, it will be one of the highlights of this year's auction. I've still to prepare the illustrated material for the talk I'm to give about the history of my Gibson 345 stereo guitar. This instrument has accompanied my life from teenager to soon-to-be senior citizen. Like myself, it has been 'through the wars' somewhat. I'm hoping that my presentation of its story at Nelsonica will prove interesting to players and non-musicians alike. For a thing of wood and metal, its story is a remarkably human one. The fan convention album, 'Secret Club For Members Only' has been made ready and will be given to every convention attendee as part of their welcome pack when they register at the door of Nelsonica on the 27th. This welcome pack is another new addition to the events and will, I suspect, prove to be a collectable little item in itself. My new 'proper' album, 'And We Fell Into A Dream' is also ready and will be offered for sale for the first time at Nelsonica. It will be officially available to the wider public via the Dreamsville/Sound-On-Sound site the following week after the convention. There are other albums in the pipeline too although my dream of releasing them all in time for Christmas may be unrealistic due to the manufacturing pressures around that time of year. However, at some point in the not-too-distant-future, there will be the 'Picture Post' album of the soundtrack music I created for the 'American Stamps' documentary film plus the re-structured 'Frankie Ukelele And The Fire In The Lake' album. There may also be a double album, currently titled 'The Evening Illuminator', (or maybe just 'Evening's Illuminator'), which will contain 'The Enlightenment Engine' and some other similarly minimalist, abstract pieces. (I'm hoping to include accompanying video material with this project, encoded onto the actual CDs.) Next year will be equally as busy as this one, probably more so: I'm planning to release a selection of previously unheard archive material and some re-issues of out-of-print albums...plus a new complilation album, (possibly a double), as part of my 60th Birthday celebrations. Lots of work involved in the preparation of these, choosing the material, sequencing it, coming up with appropriate packaging art and so on. And, if all goes well, a brand new vocal album too. I'd like the latter to take priority but it all depends on the schedule and time available to me. Nelsonica itself will be adapting to the 60th birthday thing and there may even be a couple of live concerts to tie-in to the celebration, should time and budget allow. One further album project I'm hoping to get underway next year is the composition and recording of a pure orchestral album. This would be several steps on from some of the ideas incorporated on my 'Sailor Bill' album, but it would have no vocals and no guitar. It would be a totally 'symphonic' sound, though not deliberately neo-classical or 'ambient'. Just a modern, 'through-composed' piece drawn from all the musical treasures I've been exposed to throughout my life and which are buried in my subconcious. I want it to be a timeless and emotive work, something of real maturity. It may well be that this won't see the light of day for another year or two. Or maybe, once it is begun, it will capture my imagination so powerfully that I'll decide to work on it to the exclusion of all else and release it to coincide with my 60th birthday. Now that would be nice. Social life has been meagre, to say the least. I managed to escape my studio for Emiko's birthday last week, ('though I almost forgot it, so distracted was I by Nelsonica preparations.) We went out for a meal together to a new restaurant called 'Indochine' which specialises in south-east asian cuisine. They feature Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Korean food, amongst other oriental specialities. I had a very nice seafood Udon and Emi enjoyed an Unagi Bento. No doubt it will become one of our local favourite places to eat. I'm looking forward to taking a break in Paris in November, 'though I've yet to find time to sort out a hotel for us...or transportation. We would like to go by train and the new Eurostar station should be open by then. I haven't visited Paris since the early 'eighties but it's a city I very much love. It will be the first time that Emi and I have been there together. a romantic and relaxing few days, I hope. Until then, I must keep my foot on the accelerator. Nelsonica almost here now. Top of page Friday 19th October 2007 -- 9:00 pm Nelsonica now only ONE week away. I've completed more artwork and Jon Wallinger has collected it from me today. Another four drawings. This is the cut-off point in artwork terms as I now need to concentrate on the music preparation for the two hour performance I'm to give. I've selected six possible pieces for Steve Cook to play with me. They've been burned to CDr and posted to Steve so that he can audition them and choose as many or as few as he feels comfortable with. There are some equipment issues to deal with. I called Music Ground in Leeds today to make arrangements with their guitar tech/repair man, (Gordon), to adjust two of my guitars. I need to bring the action down on my Nelsonic Transitone and my Eastwood Saturn 63. Guitar necks tend to shift a little over time, particularly when they're only taken out of their cases when needed for recording or live performance. As the latter is a rare occurence these days, and the former has taken a back seat for the last few weeks due to the preparation of video and other projected images for Nelsonica, a little tweaking of my truss rods is needed. (Sounds like a hernia!) Whether I can play them, once adjusted, is another matter. I've accidentally sliced open the index finger of my left hand whilst framing a piece of the above mentioned artwork. It's now bandaged and I'm unable to play guitar. Not a good thing when I'm about to start some kind of rehearsal schedule. Hope it's healed enough to play at the convention, if nothing else. There's a lot of material for me to familiarise myself with, some of it brand new, as noted in my previous diary entry. There are two distinct approches to this problem. One is to spend every waking moment between now and next Saturday running through it until it's second nature. The other approach is to just skim across it lightly, hoping that it will leave a faint tint of colour on the blank screen of memory and that there will be enough of a residue to invisibly guide me on the day, (regardless of the all too visible panic my audience will no doubt observe.) The latter method has the debatable advantage of imparting an 'edge' to the performance, a tightrope act without a safety net. Time being what it is, I'll probably have no choice in the matter. It will be the latter casual, (read 'hopelessly unprepared'), approach. It's worked before...sort of. I completed another video backdrop piece earlier this week and have now delivered all the video material to Paul who will fulfill the role of Nelsonica's projectionist next Saturday. My hope, with all these recent Nelsonicas, is to help shape them into a complete sensory experience. They reach beyond the limits of a fan gathering and aspire to something more satisfying and unique. That they've blossomed so much over the last few years is testament to the dedication and imagination of the Nelsonica team, a group of generous and hard working fans who, between them, have carefully expanded the event's potential. The team members have become highly adept at preparing the details of Nelsonica over the last few years. Their energy, enthusiasm and imagination seems boundless as my attempts to keep up with them sinks under the weight of the year's work. They are, of course, much younger than me, so perhaps I can be forgiven for appearing exhausted by comparison...But I couldn't wish for a nicer, more genuine and caring group of people to look after the foundations of the convention for me. They're family now. The core of the day still provides the opportunity for fans from both the UK and abroad to meet each other in harmonious and pleasant surroundings. This year there are more American attendees than ever and also several UK 'first timers.' But there's much more to Nelsonica than this. The new venue will, I think, be the best yet. It feels like the perfect space for what the team and myself have in store. All we need now is a little good luck and lots of good will and everyone attending should depart with happy memories of a day spent amongst excellent friends. Other topics now: Whilst sorting through photographs to scan for my Gibson guitar talk, I came across some photo's I took only a couple or three years back. They were of places in Wakefield from my past. I'd returned there to capture some of the sites that were important to me as a youngster. Since then, a more recent visit has showed that several of these places have already been demolished or changed out of all recognition. Apparently there are big plans for Wakefield, plans to 'regenerate' the city. From what has been published, apart from the proposed Barbara Hepworth Gallery, these regenerations seem consistent with the nation's current (and far too commonplace), shopping mall approach to 'modernisation.' Just more of the usual, uniform, corporate halls of consumersism that can be found in any British city. Nothing unique or distinctive. One of these malls is set to be built on the site of Wakefield's old bus station, an edifice that was demolished a few years ago. Perhaps some may not have fully appreciated its merits, but at least it had something recognisably architectural about it. It had character and a distinctiveness that is now so often anhililated by our contemporary urban planners. Unsurprisingly, it's not architecture or art that secures these bland palaces of plenty in our less than major cities, but hard cash under the table. Pointless to moan. Wakefield has long suffered from the indifference of councillors grown fat on quiet corruption. I used to work for the West Riding County Council and saw these attitudes first hand. If they'd shown as much anger about the erosion of the city's history as they did about the 'outrage' of me wearing a pink satin tie to the office, there may have been a few more buildings preserved for future generations to enjoy. I weep for what they've done to the place. Even the County Supplies Building where I worked, (and where my father and uncle once worked before me too,) was a pile of undistinguished rubble when I last visited. A kind of triumph, in some ways. A tradgedy of the heart for me, nevertheless. But then, I'm an unredeemable sentimentalist, as readers of this diary are perfectly aware. Despite the insane rush to prepare Nelsonica for its attendees, I've finally managed to organise a few days break in November for Emiko and myself. We're travelling to Paris by Eurostar, and from the newly refurbished St. Pancras Station too, during its first week of operation. I'll be thinking about John Betjeman when we board the train. He loved St. Pancras and presented a very good television documentary about its history and design, many years ago. I've just tonight secured a hotel for us in the St Germain area of Paris and I'm finally allowing myself an atom or two of anticipation. It's many long years since I was last there, 'though Emi and I managed an all too brief holiday on the Cote D'Azur several years ago. I really wish I could afford to park my work for twelve months and travel through Europe with Emi. We have a wonderful rapport with regard to architecture and art. I've never enjoyed such an intimate and relaxed understanding in previous relationships. We take in sights and sounds as one, swooning over the same beautiful things. I'm very lucky to have found her at such a relatively late juncture in my life. She's quietly given me the calm confidence to be absolutely myself without fear of being viewed by others as odd or strange. It's a wonderfully subtle and, (dare I say it), sophisticated understanding we share, perhaps invisible to the outside world but close, warm and tangible to the two of us. We're soul mates, in the proper sense of the phrase. And with that small fire blazing in my heart, I'll close this diary entry until the next one. Which will probably serve to report the roller-coaster ride that is Nelsonica. Back to preparing the music now. ***** The images posted with this diary are as follows:- 1: Dreamsville advert. Photography by Bill Nelson. 2: Dreamsville advert with one of Bill's Gretsch guitars. Photography by Bill Nelson. 3: Photo of Bill Nelson with Guild X 500 guitar. Taken approx 14 years ago. 4: Photo of Bill's father's garage, (second from right), which Bill helped him build in the 1950's. This photo taken by Bill approx four years ago. The garage has since been demolished. 5: A photo of Conistone Crescent, Eastmoor, Wakefield, taken by Bill approximately four years ago. Bill lived here in the house to the left of the photo, (behind telephone pole), from around 3 or four years old until his early teens. 6: Anderson Street, Plumpton, Wakefield. The end terrace house, (no. 27), was the first home that Bill himself owned. He lived here with his first wife Shirley and his daughter Julia and it was here that he wrote the music for 'Northern Dream,' 'Axe Victim' and 'Futurama.' Top of page

Rooms With Brittle Views Bill Nelson single - 13 February 1981 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A) Rooms With Brittle Views B) Dada Guitare ORIGINALLY: A & B) were both non-album tracks NOTES: Rooms with Brittle Views is a one-off single released by Les Disques du Crepescule. This single was initially released as a Belgian import, issued in 2 different picture sleeves. The single was a popular seller on import, and effectively became a UK 7" when the exact same record was included in the Permanent Flame box set of 7" singles in 1982. A slightly different edit of the A side was included in the limited edition double 7" single of Youth of Nation on Fire later in 1981. PAST RELEASES: A) and B) were included on The Two Fold Aspect of Everything comp (out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: A) Available on the remastered Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam CD (Mercury, 2005). B) Available on the various artist compilation: Auteur Labels: Les Disques Du Crépuscule (LTM, 2008). BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The Rooms With Brittle Views single and the track on the From Brussels With Love cassette were only ever intended as one-offs. There wasn't an ongoing deal with the label. The tracks were recorded at home, (not in Belgium), on the eight track machine I had back then." "The way it came about was that I was invited to contribute a track to a limited edition cassette titled From Brussels With Love , issued by 'Les Disques Du Crepescule', a Belgian post-punk art label. Other artists approached and included on the cassette were Michael Nyman, Brian Eno, Gavin Bryars and Harold Budd, (amongst others). I believe that Harold heard my music for the first time on this cassette...a piece titled "The Shadow Garden ", (very much in the same musical area as my Sounding the Ritual Echo album from the early 1980s.)" Singles Menu Future Past

Bill Nelson - photography and diary archive. The Dreamsville Archive Diary Of A Hyperdreamer Dreamsville Rocket Magazines & Interviews Radio Interviews Museum Of Memory Live Show Archive Album Listening Notes Guitar TAB

Non-Stop Mystery Action Bill Nelson album - 25 November 2009 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) This Is Like A Galaxy 02) Welcome To The Dream Transmission Pavilion 03) Yes And No 04) When The Invisible Circus Comes To Town 05) Materialisation Phenomena 06) The Departure Of The 20th Century In A Hail Of Memory ALBUM NOTES: Non-Stop Mystery Action is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album is a collection of lengthy instrumental pieces, three of which are soundtracks to videograms that Nelson produced in 2008 and 2009. These are 'Welcome to the Dream Transmission Pavilion', 'Materialisation Phenomena' and 'The Departure of the 20th Century in a Hail of Memory', all of which were included on the Picture House DVD issued in 2010. Nelson's first announced the Non Stop Mystery Action album in his online diary, dated 21 July 2009, at which point the album had seven tracks, including three that failed to make the final cut: "Like a Woman Levitating", "Machines of Loving Grace" and "Stranger Flowers Now Than Ever". These were replaced with "Materialisation Phenomena" and "When the Invisible Circus Comes to Town". The final track listing was confirmed on 1 November 2009, with all artwork and mastering commitments completed ready for its pre-Christmas release. Non-Stop Mystery Action sold out in December 2020. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "I'm currently working on the assembly of what will be my next CD album release, the NON-STOP MYSTERY ACTION album. It looks like the album will only contain six tracks...but they are all 'long-form' pieces...some of them very long. It is also shaping up to be one of the strangest albums I've ever released. Nearly all the tracks have voice samples and one features my own spoken voice-over. "This is not an album for casual listening, playing in the car, (too many quiet and subtle details will be lost), or for tapping toes to. But it IS an album for those of you who appreciate being taken on strange and somewhat dark journeys. No orthodox arrangements here, just a magnetic, hypnotic continuum of sound and atmosphere, a stream-of-consciousness flow on which to sail your paper boats of dreams. "I'm trying not to underestimate my audience's capacity for enjoying a little weirdness with this one. I've deliberately kept it quite single-minded and 'pure' in that sense. There are no sops to orthodox tastes. In fact, there's little to hang on to if you're not used to being cast adrift in strange oceans without a life-belt. But, I'm going to take the gamble that some of you will be equal to the challenge. Are you up to it?" _____ "The album's style ranges from dark, industrial improvised blues loops to extended, long-form compositions incorporating found-sounds, digital noise, treated voice samples, neo-classical orchestrations, spoken word narratives, sliced n' diced samples of once popular songs, jazzy guitars, towers full of bells, bad-acid psychedelia, autobiographical commentary, subtle irony and melancholic, time-travelling whimsy." _____ "Non-Stop Mystery Action functions as a kind of 'sonic cinema'. Extended pieces that project flickering, dream-like images on the screen of the listener's imagination. In fact, three of the pieces on the album, (tracks 2, 5 and 6), were created as soundtracks to video artworks that I screened at the 2008 and 2009 annual Nelsonica conventions. These three 'long-form' pieces provided me with the starting point and concept for the album. The other three tracks were created to contrast and compliment them. So, dim the lights, sit back and let the dreams unreel..." _____ "Materialisation Phenomena": "Oh, I forgot to mention: the album also has a track that features ten minutes of digitally-delayed acoustic 'thumb-piano' improvisation. "A 'thumb piano', for those of you scratching your heads, is a small gourd with seven rusty bits of metal attached to it. These are 'sort of' tuned to a series of notes. (The 'sort of' indicates that they're not actually in-tune at all, at least in the normal sense). The notes are sounded by flicking the metal bars with one's thumbs. It sounds like a music box from hell (at least it does after ten minutes of the damned thing!) Still, in the mix, I occasionally fade it out to be replaced with a swathe of tinkling wind chimes. And a LOT of sampled windy weather and rustling leaves. "Those of you already complaining about my musical perversity and single-mindedness will be pleased to know that, at the end of the ten minute improvisation, my thumbs were actually cut and bleeding and took a few days to heal, although copious amounts of antiseptic cream were applied to counteract the toxic effects of the rusty metal. Then again, YOU, dear listeners, may require more than antiseptic cream to counteract the deliriously toxic effects of the track itself. One must suffer for one's art, don't cha know!" FAN THOUGHTS: John Spence: "Dark, scary, intense, moody, joyful, uplifting and humorous, but above all beautifully sequenced and laid out. Not an album to "dip in to" I suspect, more a listening experience from start to finish. After we'd finished mastering and Bill had gone I sat and listened to the production master all the way through again. 'Nuff said...enjoy (and I'm not on commission !)" jetboy: "I'm not very good at reviews as such, especially music reviews, but here goes...Listen to this album in one sitting, decent volume and a 'do not disturb' sign on the door, then be carried away, totally immersed in sound...imagine yourself in a dream and are walking across a landing, at the end of the landing lies a door, phosphorescent light seeping out of the keyhole and from under the door...open the door and see a figure from the back, hunched over a worktop or bench surrounded by vials, bell-jars glass tubes, brass machinery, dials, clocks, amp-meters dusty valve radio sets, all kinds of electrical paraphernalia ...there's random voices, radio broadcasts just picked up from some alternative yesterday (was it 1932 or is it tomorrow? It could be one and the same)...flashes of light, crystal guitars, shimmering keyboards touches of infra-bass...welcome to the Sound Laboratory of Professor Nelson...! Buy it and be spellbound." Martin Bostock: "You'll certainly be having some very strange, dark & wonderful dreams after listening to this! Especially with the beautifully dark "This is Like A Galaxy" and "Materialisation Phenomena"...superb stuff!!" G. Vazquez: "I must say this CD is one of the most fantastic musical trips I have ever had. It's overload with emotional power. It seems to me that every note carries a profound significance. Yes there's static, wind chimes, wind, etc. but when out of the blue comes a note, it hits like a lighting strike. Who am I to say this, but I believe those songs came from a very deep, personal chamber from Bill Nelson's heart..." Holer: " Non-Stop has been playing, well - non-stop, and it's still thrilling, chilling and fulfilling me, particularly the main piece, which has that magical ability to sound different almost every time I hear it. It is an absolute feast for the deep listener in all of us. I recently came across a copy of John Cage's book, Silence, a truly great book of essays, and in it, he talks about how, when confronted with new and different types of music, it is the listeners DUTY to strip away any pre-conceptions and experience it without our judgmental little mind chattering away in the background. Beginners Ears, I guess you could call it. I think that's exactly the kind of attention Non-Stop deserves..." "Materialisation Phenomena": "is really one of the most evocative and interesting tracks Bill has ever done - I don't think it has any precedent in his canon - I can't say - oh it reminds me of this or it sounds like an extension of that - it's just a completely different direction for Bill and one I find damned exciting. The whole album is a stunner, but that particular track has a real vapor lock on me right now - chimes, thumb piano and all." "Bill's always been able to move in multiple directions at once - I just hope that this is one direction he continues to explore. I truly think this is one of the most significant albums of his long, lustrous career." noggin: "I find myself enjoying NSMA immensely, and find the music thoroughly engrossing. I also generally prefer the more accessible (if that's the right description) music that Bill creates, but this album has got me well and truly hooked. It's also totally unique." stpetelou: "I LOVE it! It's obvious how much work and care went into "The Departure of the 20th Century in a Hail of Memory", not to mention the other tracks. I listened to the entire album early this morning while still lying in bed, and though I was wide awake, I felt as if I was floating through a dreamscape. A stunningly beautiful album." Peter: "This one is something different and genuinely special. Bill likes to paint with guitars...this one conjures a whole different mood and atmosphere. I really like it." Alan: "When I first heard about this album, it sounded like something that would interest me, but it's much more than I expected. Once again, Bill has taken us to another corner of the musical world, and has done it with style." A Kinder Light: "I'm really enjoying Non-Stop Mystery Action . It's difficult to add anything else other than to say that it's an expansive piece of work that ranks amongst the best of the Sonoluxe catalogue. And I'm not saying that just the for the sake of mentioning it. Wait 'til you all have a chance to get lost in this thing! Truly amazing, Bill...truly amazing. BenTucker: "It's an extraordinary-sounding album. Not to separate elements of it, but the guitar in "Yes and No" has to be heard to be believed (or perhaps you still won't believe it even after you've heard it), and the opening to "The Departure of the 20th Century"...is (to understate things) haunting. You'd have to be insane not to order a copy of this immediately." Albums Menu Future Past

Loom Free download track Click image for cover Artwork FREE download track - Released December 2015. LOOM From the album of the same name... The CD 'Loom' was released in December 2015 and featured 18 tracks. Unfortunately the title track 'Loom' was wrong and the error not spotted before the CD was pressed. So, I'm making the correct track available here free-of-charge. Written, performed, recorded and produced by Bill Nelson. All rights Bill Nelson 2015.

Electra (In Search Of The Golden Sound) Bill Nelson album - 1 July 2022 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this CD Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) A Bell Awakened 02) A Memory Lost 03) The Dust That Falls From Dreams 04) Autumn Vapours 05) The Ache At The Heart Of The World 06) Found In Foreverland 07) Darkness Sparkles 08) Endless Summer Ahead 09) No Thoughts, I Think 10) The Elegant Outsider 11) In Search Of The Golden Sound 12) This River Runs Deep ALBUM NOTES: Electra (In Search of the Golden Sound) is an album of instrumentals pieces issued on the Sonoluxe label as a limited edition. The album was first mentioned by Nelson as "progressing extremely well" in a Dreamsville forum post dated 26 April 2016 and was evidently completed by the time that Nelson revealed the final running order on 8 May 2016. This brought the tally of unreleased albums to twelve at that point. Electra would sit patiently for six years, awaiting its turn to be heard, until in February 2022 it was chosen from the collection of unreleased material. The album was mastered at Fairview Studios by John Spence with artwork compiled by Martin Bostock using images selected by Nelson as the album approached release. Burning Shed started taking pre-orders for Electra on 14th April 2022 with the album initially being due for release in May. However, due to delays with the mastering process, the release date was pushed back to 1st July 2022. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This CD is available to purchase here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Electra is an album of guitar soundscapes, ambient improvisations and the occasional jazzy excursion. It continues and develops the style of albums such as Quiet Bells and Silvertone Fountains but has its own distinct character." _____ "Electra (In Search Of The Golden Sound) is one of several albums recorded between 2015 and 2019 that have languished unreleased in my archives for several years. I am slowly getting around to releasing them and they will all eventually see the light of day." Albums Menu Future Past

Wah-Wah Galaxy Bill Nelson album - 6 November 2004 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Wah-Wah Galaxy No.1 02) Bridge Across The Void 03) After Midnite (Twang, Echo, And Hoedown) 04) The Six Coiled Serpent 05) Confessions Of A Psychedelic Dandy 06) Skylark's Rise 07) Blue Sparks Flying 08) Nothing Is The New Something 09) Old Weirdola 10) The Orson Welles Memorial Sleighride 11) My Sputnik Sweetheart 12) Rattlin' Trams 13) Trip Thang 14) Pure Joy 15) Duane's Dream 16) De Soto ALBUM NOTES: Wah-Wah Galaxy is an album of guitar instrumentals issued exclusively for Nelsonica '04 . It was pressed in a limited run of 500 copies on the Almost Opaque label, the final release to appear on this label. Nelsonica '04 attendees could purchase a second copy and forward to fans unable to attend the event in person. Copies that remained after Nelsonica were sold through SOS, and were sold out by the time Nelson launched his new website Dreamsville in April 2005. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Bridge Across the Void": "three minute twenty six second sound collage that painstakingly evokes the piece's title. A soundtrack for an imaginary film sequence as might be co-directed by David Lynch and Walt Disney after experiencing a neo-religious, mystical epiphany." _____ "De Soto": "Those of you into American car culture will know that a 'De Soto' is an early 1960's, big finned, chromium plated, gas-guzzling monster of an automobile. The kind of car I once dreamed of driving in my early teens. My track is inspired by that particular go-go-machine. It's an atomic guitar instrumental that sounds as if it is being played by a punk cowpoke as he zooms down an electric highway at hyper speed. Neon cacti flash past as our hero puts the pedal to the metal and vamooses into a vast desert sunset, cackling and crackling like a demented country geetar wrangler. Hi-ho silver strings awaaayyyy!!!" _____ "The album cover is pure 'computer painting', an abstract art piece I created from scratch on my Mac for both the album and the Nelsonica poster that matches it." FAN THOUGHTS: BobK: "One of my all time favourite BN albums. I think it is the sheer scope and variety. Rock, pop, ambient, weird, funny. You name it, it is there. In fact it is 'Pure Joy'." Peter: "This album opens with a kick-ass rocker of a title song...Bill showing his absolute mastery of the wah-wah pedal. A blistering, rollicking rocker. The rest of the album features a diverse collection of songs...loud ones, smoothly melodic ones, quirky ones...a microcosm of Bill's work in one album (except for the long-form instrumental). "Skylark's Rise" has that singing e-bow, "Blue Sparks Flying" has Bill letting loose and getting a bit nasty (with a great bass line), "Nothing is the New Something" is a simply mind-blowing thing, and on and on right through to the closing track, "De Soto" which put a BIG smile on my face -- just a fun one, believe me! Another Bill Nelson treasure." Parsongs: "Confessions of a Psychedelic Dandy": "wow, this one really hit home...with one of Bill's trademark extended endings! "The final trio of songs, "Pure Joy", "Duane's Dream", and "De Soto" are all awesome, and could have been bonus tracks on any of the CDs from this set, which includes Dreamland to Starboard and The Romance of Sustain ." KEVWILKINS: "Wah Wah opening track is just theeee most uplifting, pulse-quickening groove-tastic track for me. If I'm needing a boost, it's either that or "Take It Off and Thrill Me (rock version)". Life changing stuff." Holer: "Nice companion to Custom Deluxe actually. Has the same sense of adventure and anything-goes variety. Great headphone ear candy too. Bill does so much crazy stuff that gets buried in the mix. "Nothing is the New Something" is a personal favorite, as is "Confessions of a Psychedelic Dandy"." "Another indispensable guitar album. If you like Custom Deluxe or Plaything , this is right in line with those albums." Albums Menu Future Past

Dancing on a Knifes Edge Bill Nelson ep - May 1983 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Dancing On A Knife's Edge A2) Indiscretion B) Contemplation ORIGINALLY: Initially all three songs were non-album tracks. NOTES: Dancing on a Knife's Edge is an EP featuring three vocal tracks. This was the third in the series of Cocteau Club EPs issued to fan club members, included in Issue #5 of the club magazine, Acquitted By Mirrors . All three tracks had been recorded at the Echo Observatory, but for broadcast on BBC Radio 1 (for the David Jensen show), along with a fourth track "Time Tracking" (which was left off the EP). "Contemplation" would effectively kick-start work on the next song-based Bill Nelson album Getting the Holy Ghost Across (see separate entry), as it would be re-recorded for that purpose. PAST RELEASES: Track A2 was released on the 1989 Enigma US CD release of Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All 3 tracks, plus the previously unreleased "Time Tracking", were included on the 'bonus disc' of The Practice of Everyday Life (2011). All tracks are available on the retrospective compilation album Transcorder (The Acquitted By Mirrors Recordings) . BILL'S THOUGHTS: With this issue [of Acquitted by Mirrors fanzine, issue 5] comes another in the series of exclusive Cocteau Records E.P.s. This one containing three of the four tracks recorded for the B.B.C.'s Radio One David Jensen show. These songs were written specially for the show and were recorded at my home studio, The Echo Observatory. They are not available elsewhere and are therefore an exclusive privilege of club membership. I hope that you will enjoy them. Singles Menu Future Past

Leaving the Electric Circus album - 2010 Sea of Wires Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Co-Producer, Guitar and mixing on one song, "The Sunglass". Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Discography Menu Singles Clicking on a cover below will take you to a full page devoted to that single. All Dressed Up In Your Art School Clothes 2023 Saras Dream Foundation charity download single Brave Flag 2022 charity download single The Lockdown Song 2020 download single The Rumbler 2017 download single Starland 2013 Sara's Hope download track Think And You'll Miss It 2012 download single Holey Moley, It's A Parallel World 2010 Sara's Hope download track Soluna Oriana 2010 Mick Karn Appeal download track Rocket To The Moon 2009 Sara's Hope download track I Hear Electricity 2008 download single A Million Whistling Milkmen 2008 Sara's Hope download track Dreamsville Poetry Experiment 2007 download track Contemplation 2007 2007 download track Six Strings For Sara 2007 Sara's Hope download track The Dead We Wake With Upstairs Drums 1992 single Life In Your Hands 1989 single Secret Ceremony 1987 single Cote D'Azur 1986 fan club ep Wildest Dreams 1986 single Sex-Psyche-Etc 1985 ep Giants Of The Perpetual Wurlitzer 1984 fan club ep Acceleration 1984 single Hard Facts From The Fiction Department 1984 fan club ep The World And His Wife 1983 fan club ep Touch And Glow 1983 single Dancing On A Knife's Edge 1983 fan club ep King Of The Cowboys 1982 fan club ep Flaming Desire 1982 single Eros Arriving 1982 single Sleepcycle 1982 fan club ep Tony Goes To Tokyo (And Rides The Bullet Train) 1981 single (b-side) Living In My Limousine 1981 single Youth Of Nation On Fire 1981 single Banal 1981 single Rooms With Brittle Views 1981 single Do You Dream In Colour? 1980 single Revolt Into Style 1979 single Furniture Music 1979 single Electrical Language 1978 single Panic In The World 1978 single Japan 1977 single Hot Valves 1976 compilation ep Kiss Of Light 1976 single Ships In The Night 1976 single Maid In Heaven 1975 single Between The Worlds 1975 single (withdrawn) Jet Silver And The Dolls Of Venus 1974 single Teenage Archangel 1973 single Discography Menu

All The Fun Of The Fair Bill Nelson album - 3 November 2023 Albums Menu Future Past TRACKS: 01) Beams Of Light 02) Beep, Beep, Beep 03) Roundabouts And Swings 04) Man Of Dreams 05) Electric Atlanta 06) Push The Button, Spin The Dial 07) Wanderings 08) One AM 09) Chelsea Flash 10) All The Fun Of The Fair 11) Madam Midnight 12) Dance Of The Sonic Culture Gods 13) Running From My Own Shadow 14) The House Of Morpheus 15) The Silent Hour 16) Keep Your Telescope Focussed On The Stars Purchase this CD Purchase this download ALBUM NOTES: All the Fun of the Fair is an album comprising a mixture of song based and instrumental material issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The album grew from the surplus material assembled for Marvellous Realms , mainly recorded between November 2021 and May 2022, but with four tracks, namely 'Beams of Light', 'Roundabouts and Swings', 'Electric Atlanta' and 'Wanderings' being recorded later, between May and October 2022. All the Fun of the Fair was actually in the running to be used as the title of Marvellous Realms , when that album was known by its original title 'Man of Dreams'. Three songs, 'Man of Dreams', 'Running From My Own Shadow' and 'All the Fun of the Fair' were among the first group of thirteen tracks that Nelson published on the Dreamsville Forum as potential tracks for Marvellous Realms , but which ultimately would appear on All the Fun of the Fair . The idea for a second album to be made from these recordings, initially called 'Here on Earth', was announced by Nelson on the Dreamsville Forum on 11 March 2022. By this point a total of 33 tracks had been completed for the two albums, although no indication was given regarding which would appear where. In fact, nine of the songs featured on All the Fun of the Fair were on that list. Further progress on the album was reported on 1 June 2022, when Nelson posted in the Dreamsville Journal that he had by then completed a total of 53 tracks for the new album projects, again without revealing which tracks would appear where. Comparing that list with the final track selections, reveals that he had by then completed a total of twelve tracks that would eventually make up the All the Fun of the Fair album. All the Fun of the Fair was mastered at Fairview Studios by John Spence week commencing 21 November 2022, the artwork however, wasn't tackled by Nelson and passed over to Martin Bostock for preparation until September 2023. Pre-orders details for All the Fun of the Fair were announced by Burning Shed on 5 October 2023 with a release date of 3 November. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "All The Fun Of The Fair is a merry-go-round of an album, recorded in 2022. Its 16 tracks take the listener on a colourful journey, with the 'Fair' of the album's title representing a metaphoric symbol for life itself. Song-based vocal tracks make up the majority of the contents along with just a few instrumental interludes. I hope you'll enjoy its various rides and mysterious sideshows!" Albums Menu Future Past

What Now, What Next? retrospective 2CD collection - 12 September 1998 Bill Nelson Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: CD1 01) The Strangest Things, The Strangest Times ( Giants Of The Perpetual Wurlitzer ep, 1984) 02) Do You Dream In Colour? ( Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam album in 1981) 03) Radiant Spires (Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights album, 1987) 04) Lady, You're A Strange Girl (Chimes And Rings album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 05) Exactly The Way You Want It (Optimism album, 1988) 06) Playing Jesus To Her Judas (Chimes And Rings album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 07) Over Ocean (The Summer Of God’s Piano album, part of the Trial By Intimacy set, 1985) 08) Devil In Me (Nudity album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 09) Several Famous Orchestras (Sex-Psyche-Etc ep, 1985) 10) Working Man (Chimes And Rings album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 11) First Boy On The Moon (previously unreleased; later included on Sunflower Dairy Product, part of the Noise Candy set, 2002) 12) Let It All Pass You By (Details album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 13) The Profaned Sanctuary Of The Human Heart (Simplex, 1990) 14) Sell My Soul (Chimes And Rings album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 15) The Garden (La Belle et La Bete album, 1982) 16) Edge Of The World (previously unreleased and unique to this compilation) CD2 01) Heartbreak Thru' The Telephone (Heartbreakland album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 02) Fellini's Picnic (Map Of Dreams album, 1987) 03) The World Wakes Up (previously unreleased; later included on Sunflower Dairy Product, part of the Noise Candy set, 2002) 04) Skies Are Not Cloudy (previously unreleased and unique to this compilation) 05) Love's Immortal Shining Angel (Heartbreakland album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 06) A Promise Of Perfume (A Catalogue Of Obsessions album, part of the Trial By Intimacy set, 1985) 07) Bronze (Simplex, 1990) 08) Bride Of The Atom (previously unreleased and unique to this compilation) 09) News From Nowhere (Iconography album, 1986) 10) Les Amoureux ( Pavillions Of The Heart And Soul album, part of the Trial By Intimacy set, 1985) 11) Kiss It Off (Nudity album, part of the Demonstrations Of Affection set, 1989) 12) Opium (Sounding The Ritual Echo album, 1981) 13) Astroluxe (previously unreleased and unique to this compilation) 14) Windmills In A World Without Wind (A Catalogue Of Obsessions album, part of the Trial By Intimacy set, 1985) 15) Um, Ah, Good Evening (extra song on the UK CD version of the Optimism album, 1988) NOTES: This compilation taken from the Cocteau back catalogue was another product of the licensing deal with DGM, and was issued simultaneously with Atom Shop . While lacking the more commercial successful material to be found on Duplex , What Now, What Next? stands up well alongside its more prominent predecessor, and at least had the dignity of being available for a lot longer. Six of the songs were labelled as being from unreleased albums, named Noise Candy , Console , and Bungalow Funland . Noise Candy was eventually released almost four years later, and included a CD entitled Console . The album title Bungalow Funland was never used (see Bill's quote below), and in the end, four songs remained unique to this compilation (A16, B4, B8 and B13). PAST RELEASES: Several songs on this collection have been previously released on compilations like: The Strangest Things , Duplex , and The Practice of Everyday Life box set (all three out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This compilation is out of print, but may be made available through Bandcamp at some point. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "For anyone who has missed much of my '80's work, the double album What Now, What Next? provides a reasonable cross section of what I was up to back then. Most of the tracks were recorded on analogue equipment and use what I affectionately think of as 'steam driven' keyboards, (ie. mini-moog, vintage string machines, simple drum boxes, etc). The production values are very much of the time too, (particularly if you recall that the credits on my albums sometimes said 'recorded in a room above my kitchen'). "The set contains both instrumental and vocal tracks, some of them in the 'quirky' category and provides a listening experience that is, paradoxically, both consistent and full of variety." _____ "Bungalow Funland was an idea that never materialised. Or at least never materialised under that name. The tracks were absorbed into the Noise Candy box set. The tracks were not inspired by an American trip but by more English capers." Collections Menu Future Past

Variation On The Theme Of A White Christmas Free Christmas download single Click image for cover Artwork Special FREE Christmas download single - Released December 2017. VARIATION ON THE THEME OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS Currently unavailable on any album Bill's instrumental version of the classic Christmas song. Watch the accompanying video in the Essoldo Cinema Performed, recorded and produced by Bill Nelson. All rights Bill Nelson 2017.

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) December 2013 Tuesday 24th December 2013 -- 9: 00 pm Apologies, and not just one but an entire alternative universe filled with them. Yes, ok, I know...I'm outrageously late with this diary entry...despite all good intentions. My previous diary was, (deep breath, flushed cheeks, lowered gaze), two years ago this month. Two dizzy, madly spinning, bee-hive buzzing years! Where did the time go? Why so fast? Why so long to write these words? The truth is that music, along with various other pre-occupations, has made an increasingly severe demand on my time and only now have I returned to these pages in the vain hope of catching up. Heck, the word 'vain' should maybe read 'impossible.' So much has happened since my December 2011 diary entry. I'm struggling to recall anything, (let alone everything), as there has been such a remorseless whirlwind of activity, particularly with regard to recording. A dust cloud of cosmic proportions stirred up and I'm forever stumbling away from the storm. My own damn fault, of course. So...forgive me. I'm not even going to attempt to fill in that two year gap with what would amount to an endless list of activity. Should you, dear reader, be even remotely curious, please take a stroll through the last two years of the Dreamsville online forum, or browse the list of releases in the Dreamsville Department Store and you may get a vague idea of where the majority of my energies have been spent. Of course, those of you who regularly cruise this twinkling realm will already know of what I speak. ;-) With the above in mind, I intend to start afresh and not cover the missing two years in any great detail. It would involve far too much typing and even more digging back into my archives to wrestle two year's worth of memories from the grip of oblivion. Nevertheless...There have been more than a few album releases: 'Songs Of The Blossom Tree Optimists'; 'Joy Through Amplification'; 'The Palace Of Strange Voltages'; 'Return To Tomorrow'; 'The Last Of The Neon Cynics'; 'The Dreamshire Chronicles'; 'Blip!'; 'The Tremulous Doo-Wah-Diddy,' 'Albion Dream Vortex' and a short while ago, 'The Sparkle Machine.' I threw a couple of exclusive album launch parties too, both of which were relaxed and enjoyable for both myself and my special guests. These events gave me the opportunity to give a pre-release playback of a new album or two and throw a little light on their creative evolution. I also threw in an intimate solo performance as part of the 'Blip!' launch. ;-) Also, back in 2012, a Nelsonica fan convention was staged featuring 3 live sets and other special entertainments, (including the traditional, though rather exhausting, 3-hour long meet 'n' greet). A lot of hard work and preparation goes into these Nelsonica events...so much so that I've begun to feel I should perhaps mount them only once every two years instead of annually. Coming up with concepts and content for them, plus musical preparation and the exclusive Nelsonica CD takes up an inordinate amount of my time for what amounts to a one day event....Nevertheless, the chance to interact with people who appreciate my work is valued. So, I do my best. More recently I was involved in a unique fund raising concert for the Wakefield Unity Hall restoration project, held at Wakefield's award winning Hepworth Gallery where I performed an intimate solo instrumental concert for just over 300 people. I have a personal family connection with the Unity Hall building. My father played there in the 1940's and 1950's, (he was a talented saxophonist). I played there in the 1960's with 'The Teenagers' and 'The Gibson 4' and even with Be Bop Deluxe in the early 1970's. As I child of the '50's, I visited the the building with my mother and grandmother when it was the largest branch of the Co-operative Society in Yorkshire...Mum, Gran and I went shopping there every Saturday afternoon in the 1950's. At that time it was a kind of 'dream department store.' At least to a small child like me. As part of the restoration appeal, I donated a limited edition print of an etching I made a long time ago, (in 1963), whilst I was still an art student at Wakefield Art School. The print has been put on sale in the Hepworth Gallery's shop to generate additional funds for the Unity Hall restoration project. I was a teenager when I etched the original image and had no idea, at that time, that 50 years later it would be available as a limited edition print in such a setting. The etching shows a view of Wakefield from nearby Heath Common, (as it looked back in 1963), complete with the City's now long ago demolished power station and cooling towers. I remember spending that 1960's afternoon on Heath Common, sketching the view of Wakefield and later trying to transform it, (back in the Art School's print making room), into a kind of 'neo-cubist' rendition of the scene. The resulting zinc-plate etching had something about it, despite my relative inexperience with the medium. Can I admit that I'm rather proud of it? I've also recently been involved with a more contemporary art exhibition. My 'Lacuna' video piece has been shown as part of 'Noise And Whispers,' an exhibition of sound art held at the GV gallery in London. I wasn't able to make the trip for the opening/private view (or the closing party), but I'm really pleased to have one of my video pieces exhibited as part of it. Hopefully, some of this diary's London readers will have found time to attend. Other activities: I opened a Facebook page some time ago and have attempted to contribute to it and other Facebook pages/groups devoted to my music. Despite its allure, I find Facebook to be a frustrating and time-consuming experience, particularly the latter. I'm amazed by just how much time people seem to have available to post superficial or banal comments. Don't they have work to do? ;-) Facebook, it appears, is the perfect digital platform for the celebration of trivia, though it isn't entirely without redeeming features...but...sometimes it's a struggle to find them. Anyway, I'm hoping that my less than enthusiastic embrace of Facebook might serve as a promotional device of some sort, a means of spreading my music to a wider audience, (though I'm wondering whether I really want to deal with such a possible outcome). I'm forced to wonder, do these self-declared fans from the past really care about the music itself? Or is it just a social opportunity to wallow in feelings of nostalgia, a flickering, virtual space in which to re-live long-lost youth? Maybe I'm being a little too critical here. Well, don't misunderstand...I'm not knocking nostalgia itself, of course not. I'm an old nostalgia fetishist myself, especially when the nights close in and life gets grim. At those moments I allow myself to drift back to more innocent times, opening my mental cinema to replay movies of childhood and days of romantic longing from an era before I was even born.. I'm ok with all that....up to a point. But it's the reluctance of some people to balance the past with the here and now that bugs me. How to encourage them to step away from the damp fogs of yesteryear into the bright sunlight of the present day? One thing the FB experience has revealed is the appreciation of certain fans who have taken the musical trip with me from the 1970's to now. I'm lucky in that respect...my current music resonates with many people and I'm thrilled and grateful that it does. Anyway... New projects? This year, I've enjoyed an absolutely lovely collaboration with the fabulously talented guitarist Reeves Gabrels. We've spent several days together in my little home studio, (across the year), creating an album which we are currently thinking of calling 'Fantastic Guitars.' It's now finished, apart from giving the eleven individual tracks their titles and choosing a running order before finally mastering the album over at Fairview with John Spence . (Oh, and the package design needs to be done too.) But, this album is, I think, genuinely special. I've long been a big fan of Reeves' playing, but the icing on the cake is that he has turned out to be one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to collaborate with. And music is Reeves' heartbeat. His CV is enviable...David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Cure, to name but three major artists whose music he has graced. (But I don't need to tell you that, you already know.) I'm honoured to know him as a valued friend and inspiring musician. 'Fantastic Guitars' will, all being well, emerge around Spring of 2014. It's a rich, complex, quirky album of guitar instrumentals. Many hours of listening pleasure for those with ears to hear! Even more work lined up for next year: I'm not allowed to reveal details yet, but there's something quite grand on the horizon. It looks as if it will make such an intense demand on my time that I won't be able to deal with much else for at least the first third of 2014. I was hoping to stage a 2014 Nelsonica but this new project may take precedence over it. I'll reveal all when the time is right. What else? As mentioned earlier, the release of my latest album, 'The Sparkle Machine.' This is a guitar-based exploratory instrumental album. Richly textured with processed and filtered guitar sounds. It combines psychedelia with improvisation, mashing up rock and jazz and blues to such a degree that genres and barriers dissolve in a sort of widescreen 'guitar-scope.' This album builds a crystal bridge between 'Albion Dream Vortex' and next year's 'Fantastic Guitars' collaboration with Reeves. I'm limiting 'The Sparkle Machine' to strictly 500 copies, most of which have already sold out. An item of sad news: On the 10th of December, jazz guitarist Jim Hall passed away at the age of 83. Jim was one of the true geniuses of Jazz guitar. I first heard him in my teens. His playing was refined and sophisticated and his influence and inspiration extended beyond the realms of jazz to so many other guitarists. I've been an admirer of his playing for years and was thrilled to receive a little note and autograph from him last year when a friend (and fan of my music) in America gave Jim a couple of my albums at an event where Jim was appearing. Jim immediately and kindly wrote a little note to me, which my friend forwarded to me. I treasure it, even now more than ever. Here's an excerpt from a tribute to Jim which appeared in Premier Guitar magazine. I hope that it will serve to introduce you to his work in case you don't know of it: “Every time Jim Hall opened his case there was a sticker inside the lid that reminded him of his mantra. “Make musical sense.” Hall died in his sleep on December 10, 2013, at the age of 83. His contributions to guitar—both as a player and composer—elevated the instrument and made a deep and lasting impression on the musical world. At times, Hall could be both elegant and angular with his approach but he never stopped searching for the next sound. Much in the mold of Hendrix, Michael Hedges, and Les Paul, Hall was an innovator who stretched, bent, and pushed the boundaries of modern jazz guitar and created a uniquely soulful language all his own. His approach to harmony, comping, and rhythm was groundbreaking and his landmark album with saxophonist Sonny Rollins, The Bridge, is a classic example of this. The integrity of a musical passage always trumped the desire for technical flash. Hall's unassuming personality and sharp wit mirrored his approach to music. "He had the most incredible sense of humor andcould cast his listening like a light on everyone in sight, so when in his company, you felt like you couldn't ever go wrong," shares guitarist Julian Lage, who had recently formed a quartet with Hall. After a recent tribute concert organized by guitarist Joel Harrison, Hall tracked down the names and addresses of all the musicians who performed and wrote each one a handwritten thank you note. It could be argued that the jazz guitar tree is rooted in four names: Django, Charlie, Wes, and Jim. Virtually every guitarist, from classical to shred, has been touched by the music that flowed from that quartet. Even after some recent health issues slowed down Hall's physical abilities, he never lost his touch for the instrument. The notes that would flow out of his Sadowsky archtop combined the best of bebop, folk, blues, and Americana. His individual spirit brought joy to many people and he will be sorely missed.” Jim had a reputation for being a really nice person as well as a maestro. His recorded legacy will continue to inspire me and so many others. My birthday a week ago already...I'm now 65 and am in the first week of my 66th year. Life, as they say, is short and feels shorter with every passing moment. Not nearly enough hours on the dial of the clock and, sadly, not enough power in its batteries. So much more I want to achieve, so much to learn, so much to refine and bring to fruition. When I was a 1950's kid, playing in the back garden of my parent's Eastmoor Estate council flat, in the West Yorkshire City of Wakefield, I caught summer's bright butterflies in old glass jam-jars. Now I try to catch fleeting moments in words and music. Time is a great mystery. A big THANK YOU for your much appreciated support this last year. I hope I will be able to provide you with more listening pleasure in 2014. Until then, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS to one and all! Much love from your old pal Bill. xxx Top of page

Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists Bill Nelson album - 9 January 2012 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) The Blossom Tree Optimists 02) Standing On Tiptoes, Reaching For The Sky 03) Memory Is A Data Cloud Forever Primed With Rain 04) Rambling Through The Meadows (Wonder Wise) 05) Garden Of Cascades 06) My Botticelli Angel 07) When Boys Were Lost For Words 08) Lovers In The Pleasure Gardens 09) The Buzz, Buzz, Buzz Of The Forever Bee 10) The Girl Who Was Electrically Carried Away 11) One Summer Night 12) Silent Glides My Armstrong Siddeley 13) These Are The Dreams 14) Gathered In At Gloaming 15) The Blossom Tree Optimists (Alternative Mix) ALBUM NOTES: Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists is a vocal album released on the Sonoluxe label issued in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album grew out of the early recordings for Model Village , once Nelson had decided to make that album entirely from instrumental tracks. Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists was the second release that Nelson designated as part of his 'Super Listener Series', which indicated it to be a more challenging prospect. The series has currently run to four albums, with the prospect of continuing in the future. Physical copies of the album sold out in December 2020. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Model Village , All That I Remember , The Alchemical Adventures of Sailor Bill , Stereo Star Maps , The Years , Fables and Dreamsongs , Rosewood One , Rosewood Two , Northern Dream , New Northern Dream BILL'S THOUGHTS: "A personal homage to a kind of long-lost, romantic, utopian 'Englishness'. Many of the songs on these albums attempt to capture an elusive, ancient spirit, a spirit of a place inhabited by quiet ghosts unique to old Albion, an English Arcadia, an imaginary Eden that only exists in the gentle souls of artists and poets. It's quite artificial, dreamlike, ethereal, a figment of Faerie, a Midsummer Night's Dream...Beautiful, fragile and utterly, seductively unreal." _____ "Something just struck me about the Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists album that I'm currently working on. Some of the tracks could almost constitute a new Northern Dream album...a Northern Dream for the 21st Century. It has a sort of rusty-rustic vibe, a similar innocence and charm. "I was aiming for an album that used acoustic guitar and orchestral sounds but there are moments when it hints at some of the approach I used 40 years ago on Northern Dream . This wasn't something I planned, but, magically, it seems to offer a weird echo of certain aspects of that early album." _____ "This album can be appreciated as a companion piece to last year's Model Village or as an independent project in its own right. It is a song-based album with the emphasis on vocals and acoustic guitar but with added orchestral colours and percussion to give a neo-baroque flavour to the music. The album could also be thought of as the missing link between Northern Dream , Rosewood and The Alchemical Adventures of Sailor Bill. " _____ "It's a warm, heartfelt fantasia with lots of detail and cross-references. An album for grown-ups who can appreciate music that paints pictures." _____ "The cover image comes from an antiquarian print I bought in Paris, several years ago now. In fact, it was this image that conjured up the album's title. The entire project grew from me wanting to use that image on an album cover...then, after some years of it hanging on my bedroom wall, the title finally rose to the surface and the fun of writing and recording the music began. So, the album was actually inspired by that particular image, rather than the image being chosen afterwards." FAN THOUGHTS: felixt1: "A breath of fresh air, the sounds of a hopeful spring and better times ahead. Fond memories, words of love - beautiful playing, singing and a song writer's muse showing no signs of diminishing - quite the opposite...all these factors combining to lift the spirits and help to believe that hope really does spring eternal... Utter brilliance, one of Bill's absolute best. I cannot give higher praise than that, the music alone changed how I felt for the better, it healed me. If Bill had released nothing else in his life, that one album served to produce a profound effect on me in what was a relatively dark time. If any of us can have that effect on another person at least once in our lives, our work is almost done. I know for a fact having read the pages here in Dreamsville , that Bill has achieved this time after time over the years..." "I have not been able to get this album off my player...it's simply just a stunning album... How do you keep coming up with all these amazing compositions Bill?" Analog: "This is a totally beautiful album, different from anything that went before and possibly my personal top favourite of Mr. Nelson's more recent output (Or his total output for that matter. Love the Be-Bop Deluxe albums of course, great rock of my youth...just had to say. Lots of great music came my way from Mr. Nelson in the years between then and now. Long may it continue.) Hard to pick a top one from as fabulous a catalogue as Mr. Nelson has produced, but this would have to be it. This, though, is quite a different beast from all the rest. A very soothing, cohesive album that paints a lovely sonic picture-scape, truly evocative of dreamy pastoral vistas. A 'Put the feet up and kick back', type of album." chymepeace: "Pure joy. Each release you never know what you're going to get and that's part of the thrill and anticipation. I've pretty much everything Bill. Model Village has gone into my top 6 or 7 and Blossom Tree may be hard on its heels. How this consistent level of quality is achieved I have no idea. Thanks Bill. Please keep doing what you're doing - no pandering! Eternally grateful." Lonnie: "Not since Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights have I been soooo moved by one of Bill's albums. It just takes me away." novemberman: "I got to the "Buzz Buzz Buzz Honey Bee" track, and I was sold, the rest of the album was wonderful. "As is with so many of Bill's albums they require more than a cursory listen. His styles are so diverse any album should be treated with an open mind, and see where it takes you." play my theremin: "Well, I'm always late to the party, but I love this album. I live right on the north east coast, and Blossom Tree made an absolutely magical and uplifting soundtrack to my frosty early morning walk by the pier and along the promenade. "As for favourite tracks, so far the title track (alt mix), "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz of the Forever Bee" and "When Boys were Lost for Words" particularly grab me. But as with most of Bill's albums, the tracks that end up as my absolute favourites tend to lie in wait for a while and hit me by stealth." "If anyone else has yet to buy this album, I recommend it!" MG: "I can't help myself: "Silent Glides" is like a head on collision with a rainbow after a sun-shower. This is a truly illuminated set, this CD." alec: "May I just state that the title track of Songs of The Blossom Tree Optimists must certainly be up there very near the top of Bill's Top 10 Best All-Time Vocal Performances. "The guitar trickles all throughout the listener like dancing diamonds upon rivers, streams, leaves of grass, blossom trees, clouds, etc., brings immediately an idyllic state of conscious, 'a glorious domain is shining' indeed." stpetelou: "Always especially appreciate Bill's vocal works. His voice has been a soothing and warm companion throughout a good part of my life, enhancing good times and helping to diminish bad times." DWGBG: 2012 Poll: "I have all these excellent albums, but one stands head and shoulders above all of them and that is Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists . It should get two votes from me as the bg half of dwgbg completely agrees with me." "Bill's most uplifting album ever. Without it I wouldn't be here. I have been in a very dark place for about seven months now and listening to this album has saved my life on more than one occasion. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Bill, for making it." Oracle: "Washes over you like a warm, peaceful blanket and soothes the spirit! Spoken like a true poet, ahem!" andygeorge: "What a lovely collection of songs! Bill's knack of combining imagery and melodic tunes are very strong on here and I was very taken first time with some of the songs... "The Buzz, Buzz, Buzz of the Forever Bee"...Arthur Askey comes to mind! Oh, what a wonderful thing to be, A healthy grown up busy busy bee." "The Girl Who Was Electrically Carried Away"...couldn't stop singing this all day yesterday! "My Botticelli Angel"...another track destined to be a Bill favourite. ...So, mission accomplished Bill...you've done it again with another album that will, I'm sure, be considered a classic in years to come... ...if you're still not sure about getting this CD, DON'T hesitate...get it now!" Ged: "This is one of my fav Bill albums already. Wonderful lyrics and great melodies - I would strongly recommend those of you who are thinking about buying the album - go for it - you won't be disappointed." Peter: "Waiting for the next Bill Nelson creation is SUCH sweet torture, ain't it? I mean, I have had Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists for what, 2-3 weeks? And loving it. And yet talk of another album in the works has me all excited again. Just can't get enough! Yeah...I have an addiction! But one that I enjoy greatly, that enhances my life and that I see no reason to quit." Albums Menu Future Past