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Bill's Radio Interviews Bill has done countless radio interviews over the years. In an attempt to try to gather them together, we would like to add them to this page... If you have any audio recordings of Bill's interviews that don't appear here, please get in touch and we can hopefully add them to the list. February 1978 - Radio Hallam Bill visits the Radio Hallam Studio, based in Sheffield, England before heading off to do a show in the town... Much discussion about the new Be Bop Deluxe album 'Drastic Plastic'... The tracks played on the programme have been edited out, so you will need to spin them yourself if you want to recreate the show! 1980 - BBC Radio One A short interview where Bill talks about his Red Noise project, producing The Skids and his album 'Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam'. 23 May 1981 - BBC Radio One Another short interview, Bill talks about 'Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam', Cocteau Records, his current tour and the making of a couple of singles from the album. 28 November 1981 - BBC Radio One Bill talks to John Walters about working with the Yorkshire Actors, The Invisibility Exhibition, Cocteau Records and his love of the work of Jean Cocteau. 1982 - ABC Radio (Australia) Triple J Bill is visited at his home for this chat with an Australian interviewer. He talks about the 'Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam' album, plus the Cocteau Records label and releasing local bands like 'Last Man In Europe'. There's also a super-cute moment when Bill's daughter Elle pops in to say goodnight to her dad... 30 April 1983 - BBC Radio One Bill is the guest on BBC Radio 1's Saturday Live show, he discusses his album Chimera, his Cocteau record label and working with Fiat Lux and Gary Numan. 14 December 1985 - BBC Radio One With the release of the individual albums from the 'Trail By Intimacy' box set, Bill talks about the writing and recording process, working on David Sylvian's 'Gone To Earth' album, and his approach and ideas for video production. 19 May 1995 - WFMU Upsala College Bill is in the radio studio with Chris Beyer. As well as a nice long interview, Bill plays live in the studio to backing tracks of 'Moon Rocket Highway', 'Gloria Mundae', 'Signum Natura', 'Trance And Transcending', 'B-Movie Bug Boy' and 'Themis Aurea'. December 2002 - Noise Candy interview Bill talks with Alan Rowett about the Noise Candy box set which had just been released, plus his solo career, playing live and working alone. 13 January 2025 - House of Prog - Telephone interview Bill speaks with Ian Gregson from the Canadian internet radio station House Of Prog. The quality of the phone connection is not great, but well worth a listen. The host also plays a few tunes from Bill's career.

Fables And Dreamsongs Bill Nelson album - 26 November 2010 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) A Window Open Onto Eden 02) Wireless World 03) Machines Of Loving Grace 04) Indoor Astronomy (Bella Luna) 05) The Shining Staircase 06) My Wonder Book Of Wings And Sails 07) Beautiful Diamonds Are Falling From The Clouds 08) Stranger Flowers Now Than Ever 09) Way Back When 10) The Drawing Room 11) Pondering The Mystery 12) Moon Gold Palladium ALBUM NOTES: Fables and Dreamsongs (A Golden Book of Experimental Ballads) features a mix of vocal and instrumental tracks. It was released on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album had begun life with a working title of Moon Gold Palladium , but Nelson revised his plans in the summer of 2010. The album was initially made available on pre-release on the same day as Nelsonica ‘10 before going on general sale 5 days later through SOS. Fables And Dreamsongs sold out in September 2019. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "An album for thinkers, dreamers and poets, though not one that surrenders much to the mainstream." _____ "Fables and Dreamsongs was inspired, in part, from the 'Golden Wonder Books' that my mother owned as a child, and from which she read to me when I was a little boy. These thick, beautifully illustrated compendiums contained classic fables and stories by Britains best authors and artists. Looking at them now, what strikes me is how high the standard of writing was. The vocabulary used, (though they were children's stories), was so much more sophisticated than our modern day approach to children's literature. I suspect that many of these tales would prove difficult for contemporary adults to grasp, let alone children. There certainly was no 'talking down' involved. Back when these books were published, in the 1920s and '30s, the elegance, descriptive and emotive properties of the English language magically connected with children, even at an early age. (Well, they certainly did with me, thanks to my mother reading to me from these books when I was still an infant.) "So, whilst Fables and Dreamsongs is a book of experimental ballads, it is also firmly rooted in the feelings I had when I sat by my mother's side as an infant, as she read to me from these wonderful collections of classic children's literature." _____ "Two of the pieces, "Machines of Loving Grace" and "Stranger Flowers Now Than Ever" were actually premiered live as part of the 'Orchestra Futura' set at Nelsonica '09 . The versions on Fables and Dreamsongs are solo studio versions. "The Drawing Room" was first performed as part of my solo live set at Nelsonica '09 . Again, this is a studio version of the piece. None of the other tracks have been heard outside of my studio before." FAN THOUGHTS: BenTucker: "Totally different, unexpected, psychedelic and utterly mind-blowing is my reaction to this album after just a few listens. But really it's too early to comment for me, as this seems like a very complex, sophisticated masterpiece. The first track alone (a quite stunningly wonderful experience) contains enough richness to fill a whole album, but that's only the beginning..." " Fables and Dreamsongs is Be Bop Deluxe on acid. Unmissable." Andre: " Fables and Dreamsongs is definitely a trip. "For madmen only", as was the club found by the Steppenwolf. Complete with weeping werewolves and machines of loving grace. This is some great stuff!" jetboy: "I love this album to bits, the musical equivalent of Halloween orange flickering on the back parlour wall...a f@xxing classic!" Palladium: "A very accessible, beautifully melodic and satisfying record. "Moon Gold Palladium", for instance, could easily be Be Bop Deluxe from an alternative universe where some of the parameters have been tinkered with a little (in a good, weird way)." mthom: "Had a first listen last night and was pretty much blown away, and dare I say "surprised"? This is uniquely different for Bill. Not so much jazzy or bluesy with some beautiful, yet edgy, ambient soundscapes and some down right rockin' drums. Nice mix of vocals here and there. Fantastic sound quality. I seem to recall Bill saying this is a cross between Sailor Bill and Golden Melodies , and that is an apt description (if he didn't say it, then I did!). This is one to play for the friends who need converting. Great stuff!!!" Wasp In Aspic: "This one could just be one of Bill's most special albums. I would place it near the nexus of Sailor Bill , Golden Melodies of Tomorrow , and Non-Stop Mystery Action . It has a winning balance between enchanted instrumental tracks and passages and beautiful romantic songs." BobK: "Must say I am rather taken by Fables . One of those albums which is initially very likable and then after a few more plays starts to really hit the spot. How to describe it? Whilst it has moments that remind me of Sailor Bill and Golden Melodies , it is more pastoral and dreamlike and, in places, rather strange and mysterious... For some reason I keep thinking it could be the perfect soundtrack to accompany you whilst walking round an old stately home. One that is occupied, but you never see the occupants and one that carries many memories...Does that make sense?" tommaso: " Fables and Dreamsongs immediately gripped me. It seems indeed to be a continuation of Sailor Bill and Golden Melodies , but it is perhaps even more introspective and heartfelt. I like the slow tempo of the album, and its musical complexity, with some quite long tracks which nevertheless seem very accessible. "Moon Gold Palladium" is stunning, but it's only the final highlight of what seems to me one of the best Nelson albums of the last few years." felixt1: " Fables and Dreamsongs is a gem of an album, and "Beautiful Diamonds..." is one of my absolute favourite songs, by anyone!" "Completely blew my socks off!" Tourist in Wonderland: "I think, for the want of better words, Bill has really gone to a different level with this one, and for me, it is rapidly shaping to become one of Mr.N's greatest works. I do not use these words lightly, a masterpiece...and I would urge any Bill Nelson fan who hasn't got this one yet, to get a copy...you won't regret it." Albums Menu Future Past

Monday 7th August 2006 -- 7:00 pm Made the mistake of presuming that I'd finally completed the track running order for this year's Nelsonica CD but I was wrong. (And after I'd announced it on the Dreamsville Inn Forum too.) The first two versions proved to be far too long to fit onto a CD so I had to drop three tracks and record two shorter, brand new ones to get the total running time to just under 80 minutes in length. The revised, (and hopefully final) track listing looks like this:- Bill Nelson. Album for Nelsonica '06. 'Arcadian Salon.' 1. 'Premium Standard No.1.' 2. 'The Girl In The Galaxy Dress.' 3. 'Take It Off And Thrill Me.' (Jazzy option.) 4. 'Memory Skyline.' 5. 'Distant Towns With Different Lights.' 6. 'The Song My Silver Planet Sings.' 7. 'Spaceport.' 8. 'Superadventure (Sound-On-Sound.') 9. 'Playful.' 10. 'Transparent Towers At Dusk.' 11. 'El Swingo Collapso.' 12. 'The Rest Of The World Rolls By.' 13. 'Wind Chimes Of Memory.' 14. 'Take It Off And Thrill Me.' (Rock Option.) 15. 'Sequinned Skeleton Blues.' 16. 'Snow Is Falling.' 17. 'A Buddha For My Brother.' The three tracks that I couldn't fit on to the album are: 'Railway Across The Roof Of The World;' 'Pilgrim' and 'This Sky, This Sea, This Summer.' These leftovers will either go towards next year's Nelsonica cd or appear as bonus tracks on any re-issue projects that I might undertake next year. It all depends on context and mood. 'Arcadian Salon' has been a tricky album to put together as the music on it covers a quite diverse set of styles. The first six tracks are all from the 'Return To Jazz Of Lights' sessions and have a very jazzy feel. I couldn't find space for them on that album so they are presented here instead. Track 7, ('Spaceport'), whilst not from those sessions ALSO has a jazzy influence and features my recently aquired Greco L10P archtop guitar. (See photo.) Track 8, 'Superadventure (Sound-On-Sound)', is the epic instrumental piece that originally appeared exclusively on Sound-On-Sound magazine's DVD, an item that was attached to the magazine's special anniversary issue. It appears here on one of my own albums for the very first time. This piece covers several of my musical acres in one single composition...it almost constitutes a potted history of my instrumental work. Tracks 9, 10 and 11 continue in an instrumental vein and act as a bridge between the cd's earlier jazzy feel and the 'rockier' tracks that appear on the latter part of the album. Having said that, tracks 13 ,15 and 17 are also little instrumental interludes and serve to break up some of the vocal tracks. The entire cd is now just a few scant seconds under 79 minutes long, making it a somewhat longer listening experience than the 'Return To Jazz Of Lights' album. I now have to try to get some mastering time booked at Fairview so that it can be manufactured in time for the convention. (Actually, after writing that sentence, John Spence literally just called me to say he can fit the mastering session in at the end of this month, so manufacturing should be on schedule if the master goes straight off to the factory, once we've completed the process.) Yesterday afternoon brought a meeting of the Nelsonica Planning Department, which I was invited to attend. Always a pleasure to meet the members of the convention team...they're so enthusiastic and creative and always make me feel rather special. And this particular meeting was made extra special by Ian Haydock who gave me a gift of a 1950's Selcol Toy Guitar (which may well make an appearance at Nelsonica this year). Actually, this is the second Selcol guitar I've been given...long-time fan Scott Tiggert sent one to me by post a week or so ago. Suddenly, I've been re-connected with the very roots of my guitar playing. In the late 1950's, this plastic, toy instrument introduced me to the delights of the guitar for the very first time. I'll relate the story of my guitar beginnings at Nelsonica as part of my presentation. The toy Selcol Elvis Presley guitar I was so generously given yesterday actually has an 'autochord' unit with it...a small box with buttons. This fixes on to the neck and produces a few simple chords when each button is pressed. These Selcol guitars are very rare and, being a collector of retro design items, I'm thrilled to now own two of them, thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of my kind benefactors. At the Nelsonica meeting, the team and I talked through various details regarding this year's convention content. It's going to be a non-stop delight if all goes to plan. Fitting everything in to a single day is the hardest part but, there's certainly no lack of content. Apparently, the event has already sold out and there is a waiting list for any tickets that might become available. Attendees certainly get value for money as the ticket entitles them to a copy of the limited edition 'Arcadian Salon' album; (These things tend to become valuable collector's items); A live performance of instrumental music by myself; A 'meet and greet' session; A live on-stage interview between Leeds University School Of Music lecturer Simon Warner and myself; A separate talk about 'guitar philosophy' including the importance of the instrument in my life and some technical hints and tips; A question and answer session; an exhibition of several special items from my guitar collection; An exhibition of some early artwork; Rare video footage presentations of Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise; A special tribute to my much loved and missed brother Ian featuring rare Fiat Lux videos; A 'Dreamsville Radio Show' with me acting as presenter and DJ; A video presentation of some of my own musical inspirations; A selection of my self-created videograms; A preview of the re-mastered 'Getting The Holy Ghost Across' album; Exclusive previews of unreleased recordings from the 1980's; An auction of artwork and memorabilia; A raffle with some impressive prizes; A preview of work -in-progress on the Ghosts Etched On Glass' film. (If I can find time to take it beyond the opening title sequence which is all I've completed so far!) A preview of the previously unreleased Be Bop Deluxe live tracks AND a merchandise stall that will have advance copies of 'Return To Jazz Of Lights' for sale, amongst other things. How we'll fit all that into the day is a mystery but there certainly won't be a dull moment. Now I have to start making a list of the pieces of music I want to include in my Nelsonica 'radio show.' I also would like to create a couple of new pieces to play as part of my live performance too...so, perhaps I should park the diary for a little while and get on with some work. On the domestic front, not much to report. With all the work on my plate at the moment, there's not a lot of time available for socialising, 'though Emi and I are attending our friend's 40th Birthday celebrations soon and also going to a little art gallery party North of York later this week. It would be nice to find a little more time for relaxing though. But work is a pleasure for me...how can music making not be? Saw a beautifully coloured bird outside our house a couple of days ago. Couldn't identify it but we certainly hadn't seen one like it in our garden before. Perhaps it was a finch of some kind. I wonder if it's the result of this particularly warm summer? There seems to have been a few more butterflies in our garden this year too, and bumble bees. The English Summer of childhood fantasy, right here and now. Wish I had more time to enjoy it. ***** Images attached to this diary entry are:- 1. Bill's Greco L10 P Archtop Guitar. 2. Two rare Selcol Elvis Presley toy guitars and a '56 Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster. 3. Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster re-issue in Fiesta Red. Top of page William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) August 2006 Jan Apr May Jun Jul Sep Oct Nov Dec 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013

Nelsonica 07 Live Archive For the Nelsonica 07 convention, held on the 27th October 2007, a new venue was required. The Park Inn , in the centre of York provided much better seating arrangement, as well as a break-away bar and plenty of rooms for attendees to stay over, should they wish! The theme and title of this year's convention was 'Secret Club For Members Only'. Attendees would receive a 'Top Secret' envelope containing their convention CD along with other goodies. Bill performed a solo set, split into two sections to allow for a break. Here's the set list for the show... Set One: 1: Gloria Mundae. 2: I Always Knew You Would Find Me. 3: The Raindrop Collector. 4: Golden Dream Of Circus Horses. 5: Night Song Of The Last Tram. 6: Beatniks From Outer Space. 7: Imperial Parade. 8: Somewhere In Far Tomorrow. 9: A Dream For Ian. 10: Contemplation. (Vocal.) 11: Ghost Show. (Vocal.) Set Two: 1: Mars Welcomes Careful Drivers. 2: Beyond These Clouds. 3: Artifex. 4: Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams. 5: Secret Club For Members Only. 6: Sleepwalk. 7: Hey, Bill Diddley!' (Part vocal.) 8: Neon Lights And Japanese Lanterns. 9: The Girl On The Fairground Waltzer. 10: Quinta Essentia. Here's a few pictures...if you have any you would like to add, please get in touch!

Duplex Bill Nelson retrospective 2CD collection - September 1989 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: Vocal Album 01) Flaming Desire (The Love That Whirls album, 1982) 02) Do You Dream In Colour? (single in 1980, then Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam album, 1981) 03) Acceleration (Remix) (single in 1984, after original on Chimera album, 1983) 04) Living In My Limousine (remix) (single in 1981, after original on Quit Dreaming album, 1981) 05) Hope For The Heartbeat (Remix ) (US promo single in 1982, after original on The Love That Whirls album, 1982) 06) October Man (The Love That Whirls album, 1982) 07) Here And Now (previously unreleased outtake from the Getting The Holy Ghost Across album, 1986) 08) Private View (The Love That Whirls album, 1982) 09) Life In Your Hands (non-album single, 1989) 10) Contemplation (Getting The Holy Ghost Across album, 1986) 11) Glow World (Chimera album, 1983) 12) Another Day, Another Ray Of Hope (Chimera album, 1983) TRACKS: Instrumental Album 01) The Blazing Memory Of Innuendo (Chamber Of Dreams album, part of the Trial By Intimacy album set, 1985) 02) Another Tricky Mission For The Celestial Pilot (Map Of Dreams , 1987) 03) The Angel At The Western Window (Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights set, 1987) 04) Portrait Of Jan With Flowers (The Love That Whirls album, 1982) 05) The Man In The Rexine Suit (Savage Gestures For Charms Sake mini-album, 1983) 06) Wiping A Tear From The All Seeing Eye (Scala - Secret Ceremony single, 1987) 07) Right, Then Left (Iconography, 1986) 08) Secret Ceremony (Theme From Brond) (Scala - Secret Ceremony single, 1987) 09) Half Asleep In A Hall Of Mirrors (previously unreleased, theme from the movie Dream Demon, 1988) 10) Broadcast News (previously unreleased, theme from the Channel 4 programme Right To Reply, 1988) 11) Opening (previously unreleased, from the TV production: Henry Moore And Landscape, 1988) 12) Loosening Up With Lady Luck (previously unreleased, from the BBC movie Lucky Sunil, 1988) 13) Metaphysical Jerks (Yukihiro Takahashi - Stranger Things Have Happened single, 1985) 14) The Garden (La Belle Et La Bete album, 1982) 15) Loving Tongues (Pavillions Of The Heart And Soul album, part of the Trial By Intimacy album set, 1985) 16) Burning The Grove Of Satyrs (Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights , 1987) 17) Radiant Spires (Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights , 1987) 18) Set Me As A Seal Upon Thine Heart (Chance Encounters In The Garden Of Lights , 1987) Vinyl and cassette omitted: Disc 1, track 07), "Here And Now" An extra track "Transition No.3" from La Belle et La Bette, 1982 appeared on the vinyl version. NOTES: Duplex is a double compilation album that was issued on vinyl, cassette and CD by Cocteau Records. At the time of its release, Duplex was the perfect introduction to Bill Nelson's solo work. The material was very neatly separated into a vocal album and an instrumental album. The CD edition included a bonus track in the form of the previously unreleased song, "Here And Now" (track 7 on Disc 1). Tracks 09 - 12 on the Instrumental album were appearing for the first (and only) time. Track 13 had originally appeared on a Yukihiro Takahashi 12" single, "Stranger Things Have Happened", and was an outtake from the Chimera sessions. Note: some confusion was caused due to an erroneous track listing on the Instrumental album: tracks 15 - 18 (D7 - D10 on LP and cassette). The track listing above reflects reality rather than duplicating the error. Duplex was deleted far too soon with the dissolution of the Cocteau Records label in 1990, and copies became virtually impossible to find once existing stocks ran out. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Currently out of print, there appears to be no plans to reissue this set. BILL'S THOUGHTS: Dream Demon : "My first film score and a horror film at that, plus, after the film was completed and I was in the middle of another project, the company decided to completely re-write and re-film Dream Demon' s ending to make the story's conclusion a little more upbeat and clear. Consequently, I had to compose new music for the new ending, which really put the pressure on. I remember working on one project, (the Henry Moore documentary film), throughout the day and then on the new Dream Demon music into the early hours, getting to bed around four or five am. This was necessary to get the task completed in time for the film's release." Collections Menu Future Past

Permanent Flame Bill Nelson retrospective box set - November 1982 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: Do You Dream In Colour? A) Do You Dream In Colour? B1) Ideal Homes B2) Instantly Yours B3) Atom Man Loves Radium Girl Bill Nelson's Be Bop Deluxe A) Panic In The World B1) Maid In Heaven B2) Electrical Language Bill Nelson's Red Noise A) Revolt Into Style B1) Stay Young B2) Furniture Music Touch And Glow A) Touch And Glow B1) Dancing In The Wind B2) Love Without Fear Rooms With Brittle Views A) Rooms With Brittle Views B) Dada Guitare NOTES: Permanent Flame is that rather unusual beast, a box set of 7" singles, which was compiled to provide fans with a novel compilation covering the period 1975 to 1982. It therefore contained Be Bop Deluxe, Red Noise and Bill Nelson material and contained a useful discography sheet and badge. Two of the Bill Nelson singles were presented in the same form as they had appeared when originally issued, whereas the Be Bop and Red Noise discs were essentially EP compilations that were newly compiled in exclusive picture sleeves. The fourth disc was the previously unreleased Touch and Glow single which provided the long term fan with 3 new tracks. PAST RELEASES: The box set is long out of print. Collections Menu Future Past

Holey Moley, It's A Parallel World Bill Nelson download single - 15 December 2010 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 01) Holey Moley, It's A Parallel World NOTES: "Holey Moley, It's a Parallel World!" is a track Bill composed and recorded exclusively for the Sara's Hope Foundation . The charity's aim was "to provide holiday breaks for children living with cancer, giving them smiles, hope, and precious memories". Fans could download the song in return for a modest donation to the charity. "Holey Moley, It's a Parallel World" was announced first by Ged Hoburn of Sara's Hope Foundation on 30 November 2010 in a Dreamsville post that reflected on the events at Nelsonica 10, at which a charity auction was held on behalf of the foundation. Nelson confirmed his plans to release a new track for Sara's Hope Foundation in a diary entry dated 1st December 2010, two weeks ahead of its release. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Currently unavailable but may be made available again as a charity download at some point. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "This vocal track will not be available elsewhere...it has been exclusively created to raise funds for Sara's Hope Foundation. It's a whimsical, mid-tempo sexy little number with a catchy, 'sing-along' chorus...I think you'll like it!" To Sara's Father, Ged: "I'm proud to be a patron of Sara's Hope Foundation , Ged. You and your family are helping to provide a very special service for the children (and their parents), who are suffering the effects of this cruel disease. I hope that Dreamsville citizens and fans generally will download this year's special Bill Nelson track and donate something, no matter how small, to this worthwhile cause." Singles Menu Future Past

The Love That Whirls Bill Nelson album - 25 June 1982 Albums Menu Future Past TRACKS: 01) Empire Of The Senses 02) Hope For The Heartbeat 03) Waiting For Voices 04) A Private View 05) Eros Arriving 06) The Bride Of Christ In Autumn 07) When Your Dream Of Perfect Beauty Comes True 08) Flaming Desire 09) Portrait Of Jan With Flowers 10) The Crystal Escalator In The Palace Of God Department Store 11) Echo In Her Eyes (The Lamps Of Oblivion) 12) The October Man ALBUM NOTES: The Love That Whirls is album that mixes vocal and instrumental pieces issued on the Mercury label. It was recorded between April and November 1981 at Ric Rac Studios, Leeds, England and Rockfield Studios Monmouth, Wales. The album was Nelson's first full length album of songs since Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam , most of which was recorded in 1979. The album reached No. 28 in the UK charts and was promoted by the singles Eros Arriving and Flaming Desire , both of which briefly spent time in the UK Top 100 singles chart. The Love That Whirls represented a change in sound for Nelson's solo work when compared to his most recent previous output, as it featured a brightly polished production and a state of the art drum sound. All instruments were played by Nelson apart from "vibraslaps" on "Empire of the Senses" (played by Jan Nelson) and drums on "The October Man" (played by Bogdan Wiczling). When originally released on vinyl and cassette, the first 10,000 copies of The Love That Whirls came packaged with a limited edition free album, La Belle et la Bête , Nelson's second soundtrack work for the Yorkshire Actors Company. PAST RELEASES: The Love That Whirls was initially issued on CD on Cocteau (1986), and featured a remix of "Hope for the Heartbeat" in place of the vinyl version. For the Mercury reissue (2005), both mixes were included, with the remix as a bonus track. When issued on CD in the U.S. in 1989, fans were presented with an altered version of the album. Both the fan favorite "Empire of the Senses" and the single "Flaming Desire" were deleted from the original running order, while four songs from period singles were added. This was done in an effort to make sure the track listing on the independent (Enigma) CD reissue did not overlap with the CD of the major label (CBS) U.S. compilation album, Vistamix . 1989 U.S. CD of The Love That Whirls : 01 ) When The Birds Return (From the Sleepcycle club EP) 02) Hope For The Heartbeat (Remix from the U.S. promo single) 03) Waiting For Voices 04) A Private View 05) Eros Arriving 06) The Bride Of Christ In Autumn 07) Flesh (From the Eros Arriving double single) 08) He And Sleep Were Brothers (From the Eros Arriving double single) 09) When Your Dream Of Perfect Beauty Comes True 10) Dancing On A Knife's Edge (From a club EP of the same name) 11) Portrait Of Jan With Flowers 12) The Crystal Escalator In The Palace Of God Department Store 13) Echo In Her Eyes 14) The October Man CURRENT AVAILABILITY: In 2005 Mercury reissued The Love That Whirls as a remastered CD, producing the definitive edition of the album, which is still available. The package was well presented with sleeve notes and photographs, and contains the original version of the album as released in 1982, together with five bonus tracks taken from singles issued contemporaneously with the album. Note that all of the bonus tracks on the Mercury had previously appeared on the Cocteau compilation The Two Fold Aspect of Everything (a collection that sorely deserves a reissue). Extra songs on the 2005 CD: 07) Flesh (Eros Arriving b-side) 08) He And Sleep Were Brothers (Eros Arriving b-side) 15) Haunting In My Head (Eros Arriving b-side) 16) Hope For The Heartbeat (remix) (promotional single) 17) The Passion (Flaming Desire b-side) BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Let me explain the title. It's actually based on a fact, rather than a poetic fantasy. It has two direct connections...the first is to the 'whirling dervishes.' These are Sufi dancers who use the whirling dance as a form of prayer and worship. They are taught to love everything and their whirling dance is an expression of that love and a means of attaining divine ecstasy. Hence 'The Love That Whirls.' "The other connection is to avant-garde film maker and occultist Kenneth Anger who, in 1949, made a film titled 'The Love That Whirls.' The film was destroyed by the film processing laboratory who took it upon themselves to judge the film 'obscene.' "So, you see, these things are not just random words...they are connected to certain things that interest me and inform the mood of the album." _____ "Ironically, "October Man" is one of the tracks from that album which has, for me, stood the test of time. (In that I can still play it live today without feeling as disconnected from it as much as some of the Be Bop stuff makes me feel). It somehow escapes that '80s stylistic thing. "Crystal Escalator", whilst quite different from "October Man" and difficult to perform live, retains, for me, a space-age, dub vibe which I still can listen to without embarrassment. It conjures up a certain art-deco department store in Leeds that I was familiar with in the 1950s, and the escalators that seemed so magical to me as a child." FAN THOUGHTS : Radium Girl: "I'm a bit lost for words actually, when I think about describing my feelings for The Love That Whirls . I find it very strange that it's so hard to express...being that it is one of my favorite albums ever recorded. Maybe that's it - it's so personal and the entire album, beginning to end is embued the most gorgeous sonically induced imagery...it feels like a very special gift that I was given from Bill. I haven't stopped listening to it since. An essential record for me." novemberman: "Yeah this is the album that made me change from having a passing interest in Bill Nelson to a fan. I still have my original vinyl copy complete with Belle et Bete , guess what I'll be playing tonight. 30 years old & a classic of its time!!" play my theremin: "I'm an admirer of Bill's songs, lyrics, and vocals ahead of his playing, exceptional though it is. I don't enjoy the Be Bop Deluxe stuff much perhaps for this reason. It seemed something happened around the time of The Love That Whirls that, for me, took him away from the band-member dynamic and let him flourish and mature as a singer/songwriter/producer, and he's gone from strength to strength in that...in my opinion, and there are too many favourite vocals to list." Parsongs: "Wow!! The drum machine was percolating and the e-bow was soaring. There was a lot of processing on these tracks, all done with a lot of taste. The marimba was a very unique touch as well. I had never heard the e-bow used so much or played so well. Bill is a natural with this device which is not easy to master - I can tell you from my own experience!!" paul.smith: "Empire of the Senses": "always grabbed me when I first bought the album - that vocal passage of 'sound' rather than words that goes up and down in a sort of falsetto style...very evocative and haunting." Andre: "Empire of the Senses": "has the wildest marimba solo you will ever hear." peterc62: "Empire of the Senses": "is a great song - I love the Marimba and Vibroslap sounds. This was the first BN album my wife admitted to liking which allowed me to bombard her with loads of other stuff." Iron Man No. 28: "Japanese director Nagisa Oshima had recently made the films In The Realm of the Senses (1976) and Empire of Passion (1978); Bill's title "Empire of the Senses" conflates the two." ChristianX: "This album has stayed with me and is part of who I am today. PS - Does anyone else cry when the guitar solo from "The October Man" kicks in at the end of The Love That Whirls or am I the only one? Gets me every time..." chromiumlad: "Sometime in 1985, I was 14 at the time, my uncle made me a tape of The Love That Whirls with the instructions "Play This Loud". I did many many many times. I still have that tape. Then the same uncle introduced me to Sylvian's 'Gone to Earth.' And a few years later when I got my first CD player I immediately (well as soon as I found them) bought The Love That Whirls , Sound on Sound , and Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam . I have been enthralled with Bill's work ever since." Chimera Man: "The Love That Whirls led to a fascination and loyalty that has lasted 33 years." Jet Silver: "This is the first (of quite a few) Bill Nelson album I ever purchased. On the strength of hearing one song on the radio and the intriguing cover image, imagine my surprise upon getting it home to discover a second album of instrumental music as well as a sheet of 'Cocteau Records' related merchandise to procure, (if only I had...). The music inside the cover of course was worth thrice the price of admission and was a touchstone to a musical world that has become far more richer and wonderful than I could have ever imagined 30 years ago." Albums Menu Future Past

Mazda Kaleidoscope Bill Nelson album - 7 September 2008 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) All The World Flies Kites Tonight 02) Blue Skies Listen, The Unstruck Bell 03) The Nebulous Adventures Of Newton Kyme 04) Lamps Are Lit In The Land Of Tomorrow 05) Yes And Always And Forever 06) Evening Illuminator 07) Mazda Kaleidoscope 08) The Trace We Left When All Was Gone ALBUM NOTES: Mazda Kaleidoscope is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album was recorded as the third and final part of a trilogy of complementary releases, the associated albums being Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated at Dusk . Although its roots can be traced back to October 2007 in the form of an earlier unrealized project with both audio and visual content called The Evening Illuminator , Mazda Kaleidoscope began to take shape in February 2008 just as Nelson had completed work on the associated albums. At this stage the album was called Starlight Cascade and was tentatively planned as a DVD album, with the emphasis on minimalist, abstract pieces, rather than the guitar based instrumentals that dominates both Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated at Dusk . One track slated for inclusion was the long form video piece, "The Enlightenment Engine" (initially intended for inclusion on The Evening Illuminator album) but this would ultimately fall by the wayside and turn up eventually on the Picture House DVD. By March 2008 Nelson had abandoned the idea of Starlight Cascade being a DVD and had renamed the album Mazda Kaleidoscope featuring 8 tracks, including an instrumental version of the The Dreamsville Poetry Experiment called "Blue Skies Listen, the Unstruck Bell" which Nelson had slightly reworked with added keyboards and guitar work. The completed album was released in September 2008, a week later than planned due to a back log occurring at the pressing plant. Mazda Kaleidoscope sold out in August 2019. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "It's definitely one for those of you who like to drift and dream. The album is meant to create a kind of tonal colour-field, a forever morphing atmosphere that envelops the listener and changes the surrounding environment." _____ "Mazda enters a deeper, darker space and features MUCH longer tracks. It utilises a more abstract, painterly approach, concerning itself with texture and colour as much as thematic or melodic development. It's the least 'rock' flavoured album of the trilogy albums [Silvertone Fountains , Illuminated at Dusk , and Mazda Kaleidoscope ], certainly the least 'gung-ho' of the three. It's all atmosphere and mystery, a fog filled with gleaming stars. Which is why I'm so fond of it! The trilogy is meant to be heard as a whole, in sequence...each album is just one third of the total idea. Until you've heard all three in the correct sequence, you'll only get part of the epic picture it paints. However, this is only the way I intended it. YOU don't HAVE to hear it as I've suggested above at all. Nevertheless, I thought it might be of interest for you to have this insight into the way I hoped the music might work across the three albums. For me, it's one epic movie in sound." _____ "The album is a strange fusion of styles, not just from track to track in linear fashion, but within each individual piece. The music is constantly shifting focus, one minute here, another there, overlapping textures, multi-dimensional, nebulous, quite formless at times, strongly architectural at others. Enigmas in sound to some extent...a haunted house of an album? "This music is perhaps suited to listeners who enjoy connecting the dots, uncovering metaphors, links and ironies. It's most peculiar stuff, but still very attractive to the ear, I hope!" _____ "Yes, Ahura Mazda was indeed the inspiration for the title, but also the Mazda lightbulb company, (which took its name from the Zoroastrian deity). "The concept of light, both literal and spiritual, external and internal, runs like an incandescent thread throughout a great deal of my work. "As I'm sure many of you already know, 'Illumination', actual and symbolic, from the string of lights on a Christmas tree, the lamps and lanterns of a seaside pier, a coastal lighthouse, the Golden Mile of Illuminations on Blackpool's promenade, through to the social and cultural Enlightenment of European history, the spiritual/occult enlightenment of Rosicrucianism and other obscure esoteric schools, the hidden, quasi-masonic musings of the Illuminati, etc, etc, have all been reflected, at one time or another, in my music. (And sometimes in my private activities.)" FAN THOUGHTS: jetboy: "What an album of surprises! "All The World Flies Kites Tonight" is the opening track which starts from where Illuminated finished off...beautiful melodic guitars set in golden ambience...then it's all change from there on. There's loads of piano flourishes that drift in and out of the mix, whooshes, whizzes and warbles that start, stop then catherine wheel away into the void...There's spectral Orchestras playing on a twilit coastal hill, then they are transported to some old flickering cathode museum. There's phantom steam trains taking you through some midnight moonlit town, there's disintegrating particles quickly reassembling and dancing on some old time piano keys, there's sonic ghosts looking for a home to haunt, there's static cascading, there's e-bow making the sound of Haloes, there's lamplit jazz fluctuating and weaving back and forth...so on and so on. A word of warning: Don't play this album too much. You may not want to return from this aural bliss. 10/10." Holer: " Mazda Kaleidoscope sounds like...Like I'm tuning in an alien radio station from outerspace and having it set my brain on fire (in a GOOD way!). This is way more than the next guitar album I was expecting. This is downright EPIC! You just keep on surprising and delighting, Bill!" "It's hard to describe, but I would almost say this is a kind of deconstruction of Bill's sound. I don't know if that's the right word but the way all the sounds and instrumentation work, it's both familiar and wholly new sounding at the same time. I really think this is the next 'big push into new frontiers' album after Sailor Bill in the ever evolving sonic adventure of Mr. Nelson." Robbot: "So I'm sitting in this 50's retro-futuristic train, or in the passenger seat of a transparent aeroplane (not unlike Wonder Woman's). At one point early on, flying close enough to the grounds of some palatial pond/garden to see metallic swans (Birds of Tin?) luxuriating. Misty fog, glints of setting sun...pleasing static, whirrs, clicks. Could be a mad scientist working on the terrace of his stately manse. Catch a performance of the excellent on-board jazz combo...drift off into semi-dream state. Land at some exotic tropical island...dinner jacket, martini please. Everything is in slow motion...the sky looks rendered in pastels. "These are my initial impressions...and I'm only 2/3s thru. Great! Exciting...cinematic." soteloscope: " Mazda Kaleidoscope gives me weird feelings. The weirdness is excellent in my opinion! In addition, it's a beautiful, contemplative album that covers the whole spectrum of emotion for me." mitchellmichael: "This is great stuff! It just transports you away from it all and holds you in a "Dreamstate" of mind. A very calming affect with so much going on. It seems like Bill has it down to a science now...but with each release he is still pushing the limits. Each release is a further extension of the next, with glimpses of past music inter-twined along the way. I'm 3 songs in and somehow it hits the spot instantaneously, for me anyways. The instrumental trilogy of '08 is now complete, and a huge success, IMHO." Peter: "Calming, a deep pool of cool water, reflecting stars and passing silver clouds. Compositions (not songs) of subtlety and nuance, tender guitar and soothing melodies. Another good one, Bill. Thank you." ladesco: "I thoroughly enjoy becoming enveloped by these lyrical guitar blankets to sojourn the night...gentle and breezy, and so mindfully easy... Thank you Mr. Nelson!" Seany: "I have lived with this album now for a good few days and have played it on my home stereo, in the car, outside in the garden, at night when i was going to sleep, for friends and family and I have to say that every time I play it that it never fails to envelope me in a wonderful world of dream-like mystery...For me the dreamiest of dreams from Dreamsville this year. "Look - I'm not Rolling Stone Magazine, but if I were, I'd give it five big gold stars. As they say in the classics, 'Highly Recommended'. "But enough of my somnambulistic meanderings, it's dream time..." james warner: "Just finished playing the album for the first time. Stand outs for me at this early stage are "Lamps Are Lit in the World of Tomorrow"...and "Evening Illuminator", which sounds like it was made for a night cruise through the lights of the big city." BenTucker: "I love it. "The Nebulous Adventures of Newton Kyme" stood out for me on first listening - a beautiful track. I think the album's going to be one of my favourites, like Neptune’s Galaxy ." VGhost: "All the World Flies Kites Tonight": "is a great opener - the introduction is a wash of keyboards, reversed guitar and hauntingly beautiful melodic guitar lines, which gives way to an upbeat section as the sequenced drums come in before it ends as it begins. For some reason it reminded me of my childhood trips to London on a steam train in the late 1950's - the intro waiting on the platform and the expectation of the journey beginning whilst the section with the drums has a distinct train style rhythm to my cloth ears at least. "Other standout tracks include the ambient jazz of "Evening Illuminator", and the title track with its sampled vinyl record pops. This album requires you to make time to sit down and listen to it, not use it as a backdrop to your daily commute to work or workout at the gym. I'm really enjoying it." Paul Andrews: "This is, in my opinion, a superb composition right the way through. Although an unreconstructed Be Bop Deluxe fan, I find myself drawn inexorably towards Bill's more adventurous and esoteric recordings. I really like the instrumental albums and this one could well be the soundtrack to a movie never filmed. I'd love to try and synch it up to one of those old 50's films which tried to predict the future, jet cars, domestic robots etc... ...whatever, it's certainly bloody good!" Albums Menu Future Past

Vistamix Bill Nelson retrospective collection - October 1984 Collections Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) The Real Adventure (from Chimera) A2) Flaming Desire (from The Love That Whirls) A3) Acceleration (from Chimera) A4) Empire Of The Senses (from The Love That Whirls) A5) Everyday Feels Like Another New Drug (from Chimera) B1) Do You Dream In Colour? (from Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam) B2) A Kind Of Loving (from Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam ) B3) Tender Is The Night (from Chimera) B4) Glow World (from Chimera) B5) Another Day, Another Ray Of Hope (from Chimera) NOTES: Vistamix is an expanded edition of the Chimera mini-album, issued in the US on Portrait Records. The six tracks from Chimera were accompanied by 2 songs each from the previous two albums (Quit Dreaming and Get On the Beam and The Love That Whirls ). This would cause later US reissues of both albums to have their track listing amended to avoid having the same material on more than one release. See separate entries for details. PAST RELEASES: Vistamix was later released on CD twice in the US (1989 and 91). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Out of print in this form, all the material was included on the 2005 Mercury remasters (some of which are also out of print in physical form). Digital downloads are available through major online retailers. Collections Menu Future Past

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) January 2007 Feb Apr May Jul Sep Oct Nov Dec Thursday 11th January 2007 -- 9:00 pm First diary entry of 2007 and I'm feeling somewhat sluggish. Haven't been in the mood for the various musical tasks awaiting me. Just can't seem to drum up enough enthusiasm. Perhaps it's because these immediate projects involve, in the main, old material, the Be Bop Deluxe Decca audition sessions, the last two or three years worth of solo guitar concert backing tracks and so on. I would really prefer to sit down and get on with something completely new, but...until I've spent a few weeks dealing with past music, there's no chance of that. Then again, it's just as much a result of my physical lethargy as anything else. I've overdone the festive food and drink, as I always do at this time of year. I'm ashamed to admit that I've let go of everything and indulged myself to a decadent degree. It's a sort of 'to hell with it all' attitude. Not neccesarily a good one either. I'll get back in the saddle though, bit by bit. Took my mother to see the 'Glenn Miller Orchestra' last week. They were performing a concert in Harrogate. Not the original Glenn Miller Orchestra, but a kind of tribute band. I'm no fan of tribute bands but, as it's 60 years or so since Glenn Miller vanished from the face of the earth, perhaps they can be forgiven. There's certainly no danger of a tribute band treading on Glenn's toes. Actually, the band is made up of what was once the 'Ray McVay Showband.' They have a history going back to the 50's, '60's and '70's. Ray McVay was apparently a big Glenn Miller fan and at a certain point in his career decided to change his band into a Miller revival/tribute outfit. It seems that there are Glenn Miller franchises up for grabs: Ray McVay negotiated a deal with the person who owns the rights to the Glenn Miller name and music. (This person is the son of Glenn Miller's lawyer. I'm generally a little suspicious when ownership of such a prestigious and important music as this comes into a lawyer's personal possession, but that's the way of the world.) The outcome of the deal is that Ray McVay's band were granted the right to perform under the name of 'The Glenn Miller Orchestra' and were given legal access to Miller's original arrangements. I have to admit that there were moments when I thought it worked beautifully, particularly on the slower or mid-tempo ballads although the more up-tempo numbers didn't really swing hard enough for me. (But being both a musician and a lover of swing music, I'm possibly being unduly picky.) There were two genuine high spots during the concert...one of which was a smooth reading of 'Moonlight Serenade.' It sounded authentic and warm and its easy tempo allowed soul and expression to be breathed into the piece. A classic composition by Miller himself and wonderfully arranged. The other high spot was a romantic ballad whose title I can't recall. I don't think it was a Miller number, 'though it sounded as if it came from the same era. It featured the band's star player, Peter Hughes on soprano saxophone throughout. He's a veteran player, having worked with Benny Goodman, Nelson Riddle and Henry Mancini, amongst others. This distinguished pedigree certainly showed as his playing on the piece in question, (how I wish I could recall its title,) was pure class. I was spellbound. By its conclusion, my eyes were filled with tears, not because it was a particularly sad or melancholy piece, but simply because Peter Hughes' playing was so achingly, devastatingly beautiful. It was a reminder of how deeply music is able to penetrate the soul when placed in the hands of a master. It was worth the admission price and more, just to hear this one piece played with such tenderness and understanding. Absolutely inspirational for me. I was so pleased when it received a tremendous and well deserved response from the audience. The show also featured a vocal group who did a good job of harmonising on the more familiar Miller hits. ('Though the Rat Pack medleys that were thrown in at a couple of junctures were inapropriate to the era and rather hammy.) There was also a four-piece jump-jive dance group who added a strong kinetic and visual counterpoint to some of the pieces. Although at the start of the concert I was in a skeptical mood, by the end, I was won over. My mother loved it, of course as it brought back memories of my late father who had led his own dance bands in the 'forties and early 'fifties. She mentioned how my dad had worn a white tuxedo, as leader of the band, when she'd first met him, and how dashing he looked. Like my brother Ian, Dad had played alto sax and clarinet, 'though as a very young man he'd begun his musical career playing banjo and, I believe, a little bit of guitar. I have only one memory of seeing him play in public...I was a very small boy at the time. It was when his band played for the silver wedding celebrations of a couple who were very good friends of my mother and father. The couple were called Herman and Ada Ackroyd, (Herman was a pianist who was involved in some of my father's musical projects), and their celebratory ball was held at the 'Minor Hall' which was part of the 'Unity Hall' above the old Co-operative Society, located on Westgate in Wakefield. (Known as 'Unity House' these days.) I was taken along to the event by my mother and, for one brief number, was lifted onto the edge of the stage, dressed, (I'm told), in a little red blazer with white shorts, white socks and shoes, to stand in front of my dad. In my infant hands I held a little toy saxophone made of tin with a kazoo-like mouthpiece. I pretended to play along with my father, much to the delight of the assembled guests. If only someone had taken a camera along. What I'd give to have a photograph of that moment... The Glenn Miller Orchestra concert provided a brief respite for my mother who has been understandably melancholy over Christmas. As noted in previous diary entries, the loss of my brother still hangs heavy on her heart. I too, am regularly waking up in the middle of the night, turning over various memories and thoughts about Ian. Somedays I think I'm dealing with it o.k. At other times, it's painful. I know that this is natural and will go on for a long time. I look at the photograph of him I've framed and placed on a side-table in the dining room...I look at it every night as I turn the lights out before going to bed. I can still conjure up his voice in my imagination, his mannerisms, his laugh. I keep finding articles of clothes that I would have passed on to him if he were still here. I often did this in the past with things that I'd hardly worn. Ian graciously accepted them, whether or not he intended to wear them. But it was one of those 'brotherly' things that we had between us. I miss that. Had a surprise 'phone call from my old friend John Leckie. He called to say that he was going to be in the area and would like to spend a couple of days with me, chatting about old times. He was due to arrive this week but has since called to say that it will now be next week. I'm looking forward to seeing him. The last time we physically met up was at the Bloomsbury Theatre during my 2004 'Be Bop Deluxe And Beyond' celebratory tour. Emi and I have cleared out the guest room for John. It was piled high with various things that we had nowhere else to store. They are now piled high in our still non-functioning en-suite bathroom. (See the MFI saga in a much earlier diary entry!) When John has concluded his visit, we'll no doubt dump all this stuff back in the guest room. Also last week, Emi and I had a day trip to London so that Emi could attend a service at her Buddhist Temple in Surrey. As usual, I wandered here, there and everywhere, bookshops and galleries, a solitary lunch at Tate Modern, until Emi returned from her meeting, late in the afternoon. We then decided to have dinner at Trader Vic's in Park Lane, a wonderfully '70's kitsch polynesian restaurant and bar situated beneath the Hilton Hotel. We sat in the bar area, beneath fishing nets and various castaway desert island flummery, induging ourselves with Trader Vic's Tidbits, Crab Rangoon and Singapore Noodles. I first visited a Trader vics in the '70's whilst on tour with Be Bop Deluxe in Canada. The restaurant's visual style, (and menu), has hardly changed in all those intervening years. I still order a Tikki-Pukka-Pukka cocktail and oggle the waitresses in their long, split-sided exotic dresses. Have been reading a book of reminicences by the wonderful Humphrey Littleton, jazz man, radio presenter, caroonist, after-dinner speaker and all round thoroughly decent chap. One thought of Humph's that made me laugh out loud was this: "Progress is nature's way of reconciling the elderly to the prospect of death." For those readers of my diary who might be looking a little puzzled right now, I'll just point out that the key word is 'reconciling' The book, (titled ' It Just Occurred To Me...') is a warmly written collection of stories and anecdotes from Humph's long career. There are some highly amusing moments concerning the colourful characters the author met on the British Jazz scene in the 'fifties. It's proving to be a most enjoyable bedtime read. The final version of my Nelsonic Transitone guitar is apparently winging its way to me as I type these words. Dean Campbell emailed me to say it had been dispatched. I'm eager to see the 'proper' version, complete with the cosmetic details that were not incorporated on the prototypes. Should be with me in a few days, all being well. Weather has been wild these last few days and still is. Very high winds with a lot of rain. The river in town was dangerously high when I walked alongside it this afternoon. The far banks have burst and water extends into Museum Gardens. It's moving along very fast too, driven by more rain further north I suspect. I stood and watched it rattle along for a while. There's something hypnotic about it. Fitting new effects cards to my mixing desk tomorrow. Perhaps these will inspire me to start work on the mixing of the Be Bop Decca tapes. I've kept putting the job off but it has to be done. Maybe it won't be as dull a task as I'm anticipating. Such a long time ago though that I don't feel connected to it at all. A challenge then. Top of page

Luxury Lodge Bill Nelson album - 14 August 2003 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Flux Of Desire 02) Golden Balloon 03) Relaxin' With Bill At Luxury Lodge 04) I Swear That The Girl In The Painting Moved 05) The Birds In The Sky Say Hi! 06) Smoke And Vine 07) Pretty Little Bubble Of Dreams 08) Hank And Duane In Reverbland 09) Wonder Of The Moment 10) Moon Rocket Highway ALBUM NOTES: Luxury Lodge is an album issued exclusively for Nelsonica '03 , in the then customary limited pressing of 500 copies on the Almost Opaque label. As with The Romance of Sustain , it had appeared as a pre-release item at the Gateshead showing of Flashlight Dreams and Fleeting Shadows ahead of its official launch at Nelsonica '03 . Copies were also sold at Nelsonica , allowing attendees the opportunity to purchase a second copy and forward to fans unable to attend the event in person. Although this was repeated for the Nelsonica '04 release (Wah Wah Galaxy ), this practice would cease for Nelsonica '05 (Orpheus in Ultraland ), in order to give overseas fans a fairer chance of getting hold of the unsold stock. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Wonder of the Moment": "As far as I remember, (and I think John Spence can back me up on this), I created the song in a moment of inspiration whilst working on a recording session at Fairview Studios, (it may have been the Practically Wired sessions). Emiko was away in Japan and I was missing her terribly and that feeling became the emotional foundation for the song. I recorded it fairly spontaneously at Fairview with John engineering and later released it on a Nelsonica album...I later expanded the lyric to make the song suitable for a live performance." _____ "The album contains some favourite tracks of mine from that period, including "Flux of Desire" and "Golden Balloon". Also, one of the instrumentals from the 1990s live shows, "Moon Rocket Highway" features, along with the vocal "Wonder of the Moment" which later made an appearance in the 2004 'Be Bop Deluxe And Beyond' tour. This is a rare and richly varied album which will appeal to all fans of my work." FAN THOUGHTS: Parsongs: "It's great to see folks discovering this album! It combines some of the old songwriting styles with a new vision and energy somehow. It surprised me a bit when it came out, the ease Bill has of crafting a perfect pop song. "I've come back to this album a lot when I want to play a Bill CD, but can't decide which one. "This disc has some hidden gems and a connection to Atom Shop that I can't explain - something about the rhythms and the upbeat nature of the songs." Lonnie: "Never thought I'd ever hear this album, having not been able to attend the Nelsonica . Thank you soooooo much Bill, from one of your biggest fans. "The songs are great. A perfect representation of your sound at the time. A Guitar lover's feast." Chimera Man: "A cracking album. "Wonder of the Moment" is one of the most beautiful songs Bill has released - one of his best vocals too." Merv Mash: "Am presently away form my wife and family in China...The opening lines of "The Wonder of the Moment" are so right just now: When you're sleeping Can you hear me, far away now, over oceans, When the wonder of the moment strikes you down. In the silence Can you hear me, in the darkness, in the distance When the wonder of the moment turns you round. Thanks Bill." Johnny Jazz: "Wonder of the Moment": "Hauntingly beautiful." aquiresville: "Golden Balloon": "What a perfect golden nugget of Pop-Rock loftiness (mixing metaphors here). I love this track!" paul.smith: "The Wonder of the Moment": "is just sublime..."Relaxin' with Bill" - superb...and the closing "Moon Rocket Highway" has some of the best guitar running all the way through...what a great album - rich pickings throughout..." "Pretty Little Bubble of Dreams": "Can't stop putting it on repeat - fantastic pop song - just right for this warm weather..." MG: "Pretty Little Bubble of Dreams": "Some vibes from pop heaven..." wompy2 : "All I can say is how can you listen to "Moon Rocket Highway" and not smile?" Pathdude: "Flux of Desire": "is one of my most favorite tracks ever. Worth the price of admission alone." Albums Menu Future Past

Banal Bill Nelson single - 20 March 1981 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 7" Single: A) Banal B) Mr. Magnetism Himself 12" Single: A) Banal (Extended) B1) Turn To Fiction B2) Hers Is A Lush Situation B3) Mr. Magnetism Himself ORIGINALLY: The 7" A side is identical to the album version on Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam . The 12" A side is an extended version (4' 08"). The B-sides are all non-album tracks. NOTES: Banal was issued as the second single in the lead up to the release of Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam . The single came in 7" and 12" editions, and was Nelson's first release under the deal with Mercury. The 12" showed Nelson making good use of multiple formats, with not only an extended A-side, but also 3 exclusive b-sides, continuing the trend that was started with the Red Noise singles. It was already quite obvious to any Nelson fan that collecting his singles would be every bit as essential as getting the albums. On the original 7" and 12" single labels, "Banal" is printed as 3'30", but this is doubly misleading. The 7" runs for 3'54" (same as the album version in fact), whereas the 12" has an additional "I Know You/You Know Me" refrain around the 3'00" mark, making it unique. PAST RELEASES: All 3 b-sides were included on The Two Fold Aspect of Everything compilation (out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: "Banal" and "Mr. Magnetism Himself" are included on the remastered 2005 CD reissue of Quit Dreaming , as well as The Practice of Everyday Life box set (2011). BILL'S THOUGHTS: "I can't deny that "Banal" was loaded with irony! Yes, it was a response to the need for a catchy single but, at the same time, also satisfy my need to make some sort of statement about the industry requirement for such a thing. Reasonably well-crafted though, despite tongue being firmly stuck in cheek!" Singles Menu Future Past

Rain single - 1991 The Rain Poets Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer and Guitar. Production/Contribution 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

Forum Members To see this working, head to your live site. Categories All Posts My Posts Login / Sign up The Dreamsville Forum Create New Post William's World A forum for discussing the work of Bill Nelson! subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 1.2K Follow World Outside The Window A forum for the discussion of more general topics. subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 1K Follow The World And His Wife A forum for fans to discuss their own music, artwork, poetry...or whatever talent they may wish to share! subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 131 Follow New Posts Radium Girl Oct 12, 2025 Lot 135 John Peel collection William's World Hi all just a heads up about a fantastic Bill Nelson lot from the John Peel collection part two from Omega auctions. The first auction had some great stuff and doesn’t disappoint this time, if nothing else to see the pic of Johns 4 star rating for Kind Of Loving. https://bid.omegaauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-135---bill-nelson---lp-collection-including-test-pressings-and-a-four-star-rating-from-john-peel/?lot=81240&so=0&st=Bill%20nelson&sto=0&au=214&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=48&pn=1&g=1 Like 4 2 Worra Oct 15, 2025 Worra and Peter Brookes The World And His Wife Hello world! Long time! I have this little project called "Weather Vane", where I pretty much play whatever comes into my mind. Now there's a new release coming out on the digital platform you prefer! It's a collaboration between myself and Peter Brookes, and also people from Sweden, Finland and Japan! So, here's a little teaser of the song written by me and beautifully sang by Peter! Hope you like it and check the full release October 15! Weather Vane - SD 480p.mov Like 2 1 jostmo Oct 08, 2025 The modern world William's World Like 2 1 Forum - Frameless

Altar Pieces Bill Nelson album - 20 July 1990 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 1) Prima Materia (First Matter) 2) Arbor Philosophica (Tree Of Philosophy) 3) Opus Hermeticum (The Work Of Hermes) 4) Signum Natura (Symbolic Nature) 5) Mysterium Magnum (The Great Secret) 6) Clavis Angelicae (Key Of Angels) 7) Sanctus Illuminatus (The Sacred Illuminated) 8) Accessio Lucis (The Coming Light) ALBUM NOTES: A limited edition cassette issued as the first post-Cocteau Records release, and available at gigs and mail order. The Altar Pieces cassette artwork design was decidedly DIY. These eight tracks were originally created for a live performance in Wakefield Cathedral as part of the city's 1990 Arts Festival. The performance was titled Opus Illuminatus and featured live improvisations on guitar, (by Bill), and saxophone, (by his younger brother Ian), played over interactive 'backing tracks'. These tracks, (without the live overdubbed guitar and saxophone), were released as an extremely limited 500 edition cassette-only item in 1990. PAST RELEASES: The cassette was reissued in 1991 in another numbered edition of 500 copies. However, unnumbered copies also exist, suggesting that more than 1000 copies were manufactured. In the mid '90s, when Nelson's career was being supported by the publication of a new occasional fan-club magazine called The Nelsonian Navigator , the final few numbered copies of Altar Pieces were sold off to members of the new club. These copies are autographed by the artist, and dated Nov '94. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Having stated a number of times that an official CD reissue was under consideration, Nelson, clearly annoyed by the appearance of a bootleg edition on eBay, immediately took steps to reissue the album as a remastered digital download via Bandcamp with revised artwork. This edition is available for purchase as a digital download in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Altar Pieces was part of a unique two-part performance given as part of the Wakefield Arts Festival in 1990. Wakefield is the town of my birth, and where I grew up and was educated (as many of you will know). Part one of the performance, (which was given the title: 'Goofing Off in God's Garden') was presented on the open air bandstand of Wakefield's Clarence Park. (Also the site of a free concert I staged way back in the 1960's with my then band 'Global Village'.) The Altar Pieces music had absolutely nothing to do with the 'Goofing Off in God's Garden' performance in the open air. G.O.I.G.G. was an entirely different set of instrumentals altogether. "The Altar Pieces music was used for a SECOND performance on a different day. This second performance was titled 'Opus Illuminatus' and was held in Wakefield's gothic cathedral. The Altar Pieces tracks, (on the cassette mentioned above), were actually the foundation or 'backing tracks' for live improvisations that I performed on guitar that day, live in the cathedral. My brother Ian joined me on sax for several numbers, both in Clarence Park AND in the cathedral. The cassette contains only the 'backing tracks' though, which actually work fine without the improvised overdubs. However, some of those tracks have survived to this day as live performance pieces. "Artifex" being the main one. Another is "Gloria Mundae". These can be heard with overdubbed guitar parts on the Romance of Sustain album. "The Altar Pieces music, for those of you curious about it, was devised around alchemical and hermetic philosophies, the western mystery tradition. The irony was playing this music in orthodox Christian churches such as Wakefield Cathederal and the French Church in London. The philosophies that provided the music with its foundation were, (and still are), considered heretical by religious orthodoxy. Thankfully, they don't burn heretics at the stake anymore." _____ "For those of you who enjoy the more ambient and esoteric side of my work, this album is not only rare but essential. For those of you fortunate enough to own the original cassette release, this new remastered, re-designed version brings Altar Pieces to you with a sonic clarity denied to the original." _____ "Oh, my God..the HAIR! The RADIANCE!! The Goat-Headed cane!!!" FAN THOUGHTS: TheMikeN: "A set of eight deep, mysterious, but quite minimalist instrumental pieces that sound like they should be performed in a very dark and threatening cathedral. The titles are all Latin and explore magical, esoteric religious territory associated with Bill's involvement in study (and practice?) of Gnosticism. Nothing unpleasantly pagan about it, as far as I can tell, but this is a concept album to end all concept albums!" Chris N: "Fabulous! This is my favourite Bill album - played endlessly on a loop when when I was studying a management course a few years ago. I found it helped me to think and define my ideas. This [digital] release sounds stunning" Andre: "Altar Pieces is very special because the music is so mysterious and otherworldly to me." Kalamazoo Kid: "Not identical, but certainly aesthetic kin to Chance Encounters and Simplex." Mozo: "I'm just totally awed by its complexities. I especially love listening to it late at night when it's raining cats and dogs, complete with thunder and lightning." james warner: "I transferred my original copy to CD, but couldn't do much about the tape hiss. Now the atmospheric nature of this music can be fully appreciated." Albums Menu Future Past

Getting The Holy Ghost Across album - 25 April 1986 Bill Nelson Albums Menu Future Past Currently unavailable TRACKS: 01) Suvasini 02) Contemplation 03) Theology 04) Wildest Dreams 05) Lost In Your Mystery 06) Rise Like A Fountain 07) Age Of Reason 08) The Hidden Flame 09) Because Of You 10) Pansophia 2013 VERSION DISC 2: 01) Wildest Dreams (Wild Mix) from the Wildest Dreams 12" single 02) Heart And Soul 03) Living For The Spangled Moment 04) Feast Of Lanterns 05) Illusions Of You 06) Word For Word 07) Finks And Stooges Of The Spirit 08) Nightbirds from the Living for the Spangled Moment EP 09) Self Impersonisation (7" and 12" b-side) 10) Wildest Dreams (7" a-side) 11) The Yo-Yo Dyne (12" b-side) from the Wildest Dreams singles ALBUM NOTES: Getting the Holy Ghost Across is a vocal album issued by Portrait Records, a CBS subsidiary. It would turn out to be Nelson's final album for a major label for over 6 years. In the UK the album was issued on LP and cassette, with the latter containing five extra tracks and an exclusive extended version of "Because of You". These five bonus tracks would form the bulk of the Living For the Spangled Moment mini-album issued later that year (see separate entry). Allegedly the album was due to be issued on CD, but CBS cancelled the release before copies hit the shops, and it would take 20 years before it officially appeared in that format. Getting the Holy Ghost Across was the subject of some controversy in the US, mainly due to Nelson's use of The Annunciation with St. Emidius (1486, by Carlo Crivelli) alongside occult script and symbolism on the album artwork. Therefore, for the North American release it was released with an alternative title (On a Blue Wing ) in re-designed artwork. If that wasn't confusing enough, the US album featured an alternative track listing, losing songs A3 and B2, but gaining 2 of the bonus tracks added to the UK tape ("Heart and Soul" and "Living for the Spangled Moment"). PAST RELEASES: Such was the interest in a reissue of Getting the Holy Ghost Across that Nelson licensed the master tapes from Sony (who bought CBS in the 1990s) for a limited edition release on his own Sonoluxe imprint (2006). For this release Nelson added all seven tracks from the Living for the Spangled Moment mini-album, and "Yo-Yo Dyne" from the Wildest Dreams 12" single. Although not part of the 22 album reissue programme licensed to Cherry Red in 2011, it was a pleasant surprise when Cherry Red announced the release of a 2CD edition of Getting the Holy Ghost Across in 2013. The remastered set improved on the Sonoluxe edition by restoring the original UK artwork, and included all 11 tracks issued across the Wildest Dreams 12" single and the Living for the Spangled Moment mini-album. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: This CD is currently unavailable with no know plans for a re-release. BILL'S THOUGHTS: The album's title Getting The Holy Ghost Across and its occult/esoteric symbolism caused a problem with regard to getting the album stocked by a certain chain of record stores across the States. This chain was owned by a fundamentalist Christian family whose beliefs forbade them from stocking any album that might promote occult or esoteric philosophies. The usual, ill-informed paranoia of the born-agains, I suppose. Anyway, because this particular chain of record stores represented an important source of sales it was decided to change the album title to On A Blue Wing and to redesign the cover art, removing any trace of magical, alchemical or occult symbolism. This was just for the American market of course, in the UK the album retained its original title and packaging." _____ "I haven't actually played the album for ages...but I do recall that much of the album was about my first falling in love with Emiko whilst I was still married to someone else." _____ From Acquitted by Mirrors 13: "The script on the right is called Malachim. It is a coded alphabet that was used in Grimoires and it goes back to the Middle Ages. On the left is Enochian, also a magical language. This one was developed by a Dr John Dee who was the Court Astrologer to Queen Elizabeth the First. He was one of the most learned men in Europe at that time and had his own huge private library down in Mortlake out to the west side of London. The house is sadly long since knocked down but the site is still there. Dee worked with a man called Edward Kelly who was a kind of medium; it is said the two of them were given this alphabet through the means of a crystal ball. It is an entire language - very complex - in fact it has been checked out by modern-day language experts and it has all the attributes, it has grammar, syntax and so on. It is used again in a kind of angelic magic; but on the sleeve what they both say is 'Getting The Holy Ghost Across'. "The script on the back is Hebrew and that of course says the same thing. The reason I used these is because they are all part of the things I have been studying. The Enochian system is used by a magical order that in fact still exists today under the surface. It is called 'The Order of the Golden Dawn' to which the infamous Aleister Crowley once belonged. Well a big chunk of their teachings are hinged around the Enochian Theory, so it is obviously something I am quite aware of." ALBUM REVIEWS: Review on Goldmine Magazine FAN THOUGHTS: Jon Wallinger: "Getting the Holy Ghost Across is probably the album that means the most to me in terms of my Bill Nelson "timeline". I had always been aware of Bill Nelson/Be Bop Deluxe from being a wee nipper and watching the rehearsals in the local village hall, but I never got into the music until the mid 80's and this album was the first that I had to wait for the release, I'd read some tantalising snippets of lyrics and info from the fan club magazines, the buzz of anticipation was unforgettable, bought the LP and Cassette version upon release and have loved it ever since." Parsongs: "Getting the Holy Ghost Across is one of my favorites from Bill Nelson. An album that can be spiritual or iconoclastic depending on the perspective of the listener. "To me it is a collection of songs about a man questioning everything: his world, his religion, his relationships. It has a certain intensity to it (in words & music) that I just love." james warner: "The themes of spirituality and religion dominate, however, it is not a sermon, but a celebration. An uplifting experience even for non-believers such as myself. This being an 80s release, there is a strong keyboard content in the music, but the guitar has all the more impact when it is used, particularly in 'The Hidden Flame' and 'Because of You'." Phil: "Contemplation": "is probably my all time favourite Bill Nelson track, and that includes all the BBD stuff. I just love the prelude that "Suvasini" provides for the track and adore all the swirling eastern influences that pervade the song. Couple these with the funky, bass driven emphasis (not unusual in the mid 80's) and the legacy of lyricism and tuneship that we had from the BBD and QD days, then you have the perfect track." Mr. Mercury: "The GTHGA version [of "Contemplation"] remains one of the most gorgeous songs written in the latter part of the 20th Century, and my favourite version..." Peter: "The album came out during a particularly rough romantic period in my life, and a couple of the songs really spoke to me. When I heard 'Because of You', for example, for the first time, I teared up...it just reached in and found an emotional chord in me and strummed it! The guitar in that song has such feeling..." aquiresville: "Absolutely played the Heck out of this vinyl, when it was originally released (along with the Living For The Spangled Moment EP). 'Wildest Dreams' was an incredible slice of heaven." MondoJohnny: "Some half mad whino shoved a copy of Getting the Holy Ghost Across into my hands and told me my life would never be the same. He was right! "I've never heard anything like it before or since. "One of my favorite albums of all time I think." alec: "I remember my parents assuming that Getting the Holy Ghost Across was a Classical LP. "Regarding the Hebrew: In the late '80s, a girl I used to know who is from Israel I remember kept looking at that record cover and so I finally handed it to her. She explained to me that the Hebrew on the cover is actually "Getting The Holy Ghost Across" in English, written phonetically (in Hebrew characters). She spoke it as she read it and I remember her giggling as she read the word "across" as something like "eh-kro-ez," or similar. "That's very clever!" she laughed." BlissIsFree: "It's the 2013 edition of Getting the Holy Ghost Across I just got my hands on. I must say, I have waited decades for this! Listening to it, especially the remastering is like reacquainting with a dear old friend. Not only is this one of my favourite albums of Bill's but favourite period. "I want to thank Bill for seeing fit to have this version released, because of the track programming, liner notes, and Bill's notes and reflections on this album. I am so grateful to have this. Definitely an aural treat." MG: "In the context of back in the day I always liked the material. With the expanded release and liner notes I would recommend this to anyone wanting to take a step back in time with regard to BN's body of work. Call me nostalgic...the liner notes alone are worth the price of admission." Quinault: "Best album of the era. Hands down! Even more tracks than Bill's Sonoluxe release. Buy it now." Albums Menu Future Past

Could This Be Heaven? single - 1979 Original Mirrors Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer Production/Contribution 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

Here Comes Mr Mercury Bill Nelson album - 20 July 2009 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Never A Dull Day (For Les Paul) 02) Coop's Place 03) Six String Skyway 04) The Standard Fireworks Stomp 05) Teatime In The Republic Of Dreams 06) Soda Fountain Swing 07) Attempt To Re-Assemble My Fragmented Self 08) Autumn Noodle No. 1 09) 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 NOTES: Here Comes Mr Mercury is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album was - alongside Fancy Planets - the first Bill Nelson CD to feature 'CD text' allowing you to see the title of each track as it played on certain in car and hi-fi systems. The album sold out in February 2019. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "What I've been moving towards, in an organic and natural way, over many years, is a genre of my own where all the different aspects of my work, the various combinations of instruments, the various approaches to composition, (ambient, rock, electronic, jazz, pop, avant, roots, twang, modern classical etc), simply become fused together to create something that is uniquely mine. "There's no singular jazz approach, or rock approach, or whatever, in the music...ALL these tints and shades are actively combined in my imagination, ALL the time. My music simply reflects everything I've ever absorbed in 61 years of listening, from infant nursery rhymes through my father's 1940's big band swing, rock n' roll, easy listening, psychedelia, folk, country, jazz, classical, experiments with pure sound and so on...everything that has ever touched me. It's a vast panorama of sound. "So...I personally don't lock my music in sealed stylistic boxes anymore, (although I'm sometimes asked to describe it in orthodox terms for the purpose of this website). In my head, (especially when I'm actually creating), I'm not thinking of my music as rock, pop, jazz, blues, ambient and so on, it's just MUSIC and sound, one seamless, natural flow of expression." _____ "Those of you with an interest in mythology AND science fiction, will spot the album title's underlying theme of 'Hermes/ Mercury'. "It also connects with a childhood comic book hero of mine, 'Jack Flash, The Flying Boy From Mercury' who featured in 1950's 'Beano' comics. Drawn originally by the legendary Dudley D. Watkins, Jack had tiny ankle wings that enabled him to fly like a bird. "When I was a very young boy, I'd cut out pairs of wings from cartridge paper, attach them to my shoes and race around the house pretending to be Jack Flash. Never got more than a few inches off the ground though!" _____ "Coop's Place" - "The title refers to a real place, a lovely little bar-cantina in New Orleans where Harold Budd and I used to spend our evenings, drinking Corona beer together, after working through the day on his album 'By the Dawn's Early Light'. I enjoyed the 'mud bugs', (crayfish), they boiled up and served in bowls...and the 'po-boy' sandwiches. I think Coop's Place vanished in the floods of a few year's back. But what a wonderful time I had there in New Orleans at Daniel Lanois' fabulous studio, with Harold, B. J. Cole and the rest of the gang." FAN THOUGHTS: Holer: "Bill, I don't know how you do it. With as many instrumental albums as you've dropped in recent years, you still keep coming up with creations that build upon past entries but stand on their own as unique musical experiences. Mr Mercury just grabs the ears and does not let go. Each song seems to shift effortlessly into the next and yet every one is so unique that they really stand out as their own little miniature sonic world. Standout tracks? "Teatime", "Fragmented Self", "Dream for Ian", "Careful Drivers"...on and on. If I had to pick one, I'd say "Pagan Energy Ghosts", but I can tell it's going to change and evolve as I continue to listen." "You never cease to suprise and amaze, Bill..." December Man: "A cracking good guitar in 5th gear album." Merikan1: "Bill, you rock dude. You may see yourself as sliding into old gitdom, but that lusty, degenerate rocker is still lurking about in there. Listening to "Coop's Place". "It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that twang!" Good ole boy music. I kept hearing Satchmo. Thanks again, Bill. Is Wunnerful." istvan: "I just can't stop listening to this groovy record...Mercury shines all around, very tasty, at times thick layered, than light and fleeting, I hear cowboys and geishas, above the clouds and below with Cerberus, melodic and dancable, it lightens my spirit. Thanks Bill, amigo de musica." Peter: "Here Comes Mr Mercury is sublime...it is yet another absolutely gorgeous sonic tour de force. Some of it just made me melt..." "Deeply dazzled by both "Autumn Noodle No.1" and "A Dream for Ian". I mean, the whole album is wonderful, but these two are SO good...my god, Bill, but you have the gift. It is interesting that I believe the songs you have done in tribute to Ian are all stunningly beautiful. Clearly, the emotion that inspired them takes the music to another level. Such powerful and moving beauty at your fingertips...thank you for sharing." Alan: "While some of this album is in the jazz vein, most of it doesn't fall in that category, in my opinion. Personally, I think this album is a must for any Nelsonian. And no, I don't work for Sound On Sound, or Bill. But, this album does have some great guitar throughout." Angie: "It really is a gem of an album. For me, the overall feel of it is extremely uplifting, and what a variety of musical styles there is! An absolute treat of an album." andygeorge: "Here Comes Mr Mercury is Bill at his beautiful best, a classic collection of just lovely, lovely music that just oozes class...and all this on the first few plays! Cheers Bill, you never fail to please..." alec: "Coops Place": "The guitar sounds like many different instruments, including a trumpet solo, in this little number, seamlessly gliding through many related genres of instrumental music. I like that unbridled laughter at the track's end. Much praise to this CD's cover art. Each panel its own world." felixt1: "Here Comes Mr Mercury is one of Bill's absolute best guitar instrumental albums - so many great compositions, not least "Never A Dull Day (For Les Paul)", "Six String Skyway" and "A Dream For Ian". Some of Bill's best guitar playing on this one - a must have." Albums Menu Future Past

The Romance Of Sustain Bill Nelson album - 14 August 2003 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) This Very Moment (Version 1) 02) Artifex 03) Appolinaire 04) It Just Doesn't Rain Like It Used To 05) Rocket Rabbit's Secret Dream (Osram Energy Device No. 1) 06) Transoceanic 07) For Stuart (Triumph And Lament) 08) Gloria Mundae 09) Steamboat In The Clouds 10) Real Men With Ray Guns 11) Locarno 12) Wondermonster 13) Full Sail 14) Black Fish/Silver Pond ALBUM NOTES: The Romance of Sustain (Painting with Guitars Volume One) album was the first to appear on the Universal Twang label, another short lived 'private' label created exclusively for Nelson's prolific output. Issued in a single pressing of 1000 copies, the album first went on sale as a pre-release on August 14 at A Private View event, staged to premiere the DVD Flashlight Dreams and Fleeting Shadows , held in Gateshead. The CD was then available at merchandise tables at gigs and Nelsonica '03 and Nelsonica '04 , and the Rooms With Brittle Views website. The album comprised guitar-based instrumental music which would go some way to define the artist's work for the 21st Century. The Romance of Sustain album includes Nelson's tribute piece to former Skids and Big Country guitarist Stuart Adamson, "For Stuart", written for a special benefit gig staged in Adamson's memory. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Plectrajet , Six String Super Apparatus , Tripping The Light Fantastic , Fantastic Guitars , The Awakening of Dr Dream , Practically Wired , Plaything , Custom Deluxe , Modern Moods For Mighty Atoms , Wah-Wah Galaxy BILL'S THOUGHTS: " Romance of Sustain (Painting with Guitars Volume One), was primarily a collection of instrumentals that I'd intended for use in live performance." "It doesn't exclusively contain material I've featured in my live performances. It does have a few solo performance tracks, ("For Stuart" being a major one), but it also contains things which have never featured in my concerts." _____ "I wonder how many people 'got' the title of The Romance of Sustain ? Just thinking now that, for many fans, it may seem a rather peculiar title...but it has a definite meaning. If you are a guitarist, you will probably understand that one of the 'Holy Grails' of guitar playing is tone and sustain. By that I mean the way that a guitar string resonates and transmits the tonality of the instrument to the ear, over time. Guitarists are forever in search of that perfect sound, the note that continues to hang in the air after a string has been struck by the plectrum. It sustains and creates a lyrical, legato effect, almost vocal, or viola-like. The search for sustain and tonality has become legendary and different guitars, amps and effects have taken on an almost magical quality if they have proved successful in the guitarists' search for individual note sustain. In that sense, there's a 'romance' or fantasy attached to the sound of the guitar...this evasive, elusive, perfected dream of a vibrating string. Hence my choice of The Romance of Sustain for an album dedicated to the sound of the electric guitar." _____ "The piece "For Stuart' was made as a tribute to the late Stuart Adamson and deliberately contained several phrases from Stuart's favourite Be Bop Deluxe songs, because Stuart was such a huge fan. Stuart also traced and bought the original Hoyer guitar I'd posed with on the 'Axe Victim' album cover. The Skids also asked me to produce some recordings for them, including their 'Days In Europa' album. I remember Stuart asking me to show him how to play certain Be Bop Deluxe licks whilst we were in Rockfield recording that album. However, I always encouraged him to develop a sound and style of his own, which he did and perfected so well with his work with Big Country." FAN THOUGHTS: Parsongs: "A Classic. Period." Panoramicon: "I almost feel envious of those who are just discovering the works (more like the universe) of Bill. Wherever you roam therein will reveal wonders; some magnificent, some sublime, but always unique. It's one Muthalode of a life's work, but rich and satisfying in its extent. I'm listening to the track "Artifex" off of The Romance of Sustain , and as usual I sit with a bemused MonaLisa smile on my boat-race. Yeah, warmth, beauty and wonder." Iron Man No. 28: "One of the great things about the way you record music, Bill, is the layers and the detail. Painting With Guitars (and other elements), if you will. Suddenly the listener can hear something new and unexpected on a familiar album or even a familiar track." peterc62: "For me the best bridge between 20th and 21st Century Bill Nelson music is The Romance of Sustain ." Sue: "I think every track on Romance of Sustain is as good as it gets. It's an inspired album of unadulterated brilliance." Westdeep: "Whenever I hear the opening notes of "For Stuart" I still get goose bumps - sublime." "In my opinion this is Bill at the top of his game. An absolute essential for any collection of his work. Get it now!" machman767: "For Stuart nearly had me in tears." John Izzard: "Forgive me if you've already heard it, but I'd recommend you buy Romance of Sustain , if only for one track! This, of course, being "For Stuart (Triumph and Lament)". It's no surprise that this track gets frequent mentions in both Bill Nelson and Big Country circles - the track being both written for, and dedicated to, the late and great Stuart Adamson. The track is crammed full of Be-Bop references, which any fan of Bill's earlier works would find irresistible. Someone else said that it brought tears to their eyes...Well, mine too and no doubt countless others. It's that good. I'd suggest this is one of those tracks that justifies the cost of an entire album in itself! Don't get me wrong, Romance of Sustain is one of my preferred albums of Bill's more recent offerings (and I like 'em all), but I'd still buy RoS if it only included "For Stuart" and 14 other tracks of morse code!" slipperyseal: "The 'Modern Music' guitar in "For Stuart" is probably my favourite Bill Nelson moment ever. Goosebumps every time I listen." steve lyles: "I put on Bill Nelson's "For Stuart" track and was struck by how it really sums up Stuart Adamson's musical vision with Big Country...and really captures the "essence" of what Stuart and his music was all about." Lonnie: "Full Sail": "About 2:38 into the song he rips a cadenza that shouts JOY TO THE WORLD!! (at least that's what I always hear)." glint: "The period that gave us Romance of Sustain , all the way up to the Rosewoods , represent the some of THE greatest stuff I've had the pleasure of overdosing on. If Bill had streched out the recording process over a few years, instead of months (or weeks?), would these albums still retain that magic and flow? It seems that he is very in touch with the muse, and how she likes to work him. We, as fans get to benefit by being able to hear such a large, glittery catalogue." paul.smith: "This is one of the top albums in my collection - my journey to acquire this album makes Jason's journey to aquire the Golden Fleece look like a trip to the shops." juninho: "Bill's best release this century...so far." Albums Menu Future Past

Clocks & Dials Bill Nelson double album - 1 November 2008 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download DISC ONE TRACKS: 01) Thunder Heralds The Fairylight Parade 02) Mystery Vortex (Oberon Touchstone) 03) Test Card 04) Clear Skies A' Coming 05) Rain Made Us Shine 06) Music For A Victorian Steam Cottage 07) A Town Called Blue Tomorrow 08) Searching For An Island Off The Coast Of Dreams 09) Signals From Earth 10) Frankie Surfs The Milky Way 11) I Travel At Night 12) Just A Kid And All That Sky 13) Rain Falls Fast On Faded Ruin 14) Artismo Loco 15) Dynatron Blues 16) No Time Says The Clock (Version 1) 17) How Many Miles To Babylon 18) The Rainiest Day In The World 19) Twang Rings True DISC TWO TRACKS: 01) The Phonograph Bird 02) The Experimental Time Traveller 03) Dig The Sparkles 04) The Golden Roundabout Rides Again 05) Mellophonia 06) Electric Trains, Clean Oceans, Clear Skies, Pure Air 07) Yonder Gleams Your Star 08) Cinnamon And Mint 09) The Marvellous Model Kit 10) Curate's Egg In Cup Of Grass 11) Rocket Billy Blues 12) Distant Years From Now 13) A Certain Thought Passed Through My Mind 14) Oh Moon In The Night I Have Seen Thee Sailing 15) Clocks Wind Slow 16) Strange And Wonderful (That's My Life) 17) A Million Moonlight Miles 18) The Silver Darkness Whispers Yes 19) No Time Says The Clock (Version 2) DISC TWO TRACKS: 01) The Phonograph Bird 02) The Experimental Time Traveller 03) Dig The Sparkles 04) The Golden Roundabout Rides Again 05) Mellophonia 06) Electric Trains, Clean Oceans, Clear Skies, Pure Air 07) Yonder Gleams Your Star 08) Cinnamon And Mint 09) The Marvellous Model Kit 10) Curate's Egg In Cup Of Grass 11) Rocket Billy Blues 12) Distant Years From Now 13) A Certain Thought Passed Through My Mind 14) Oh Moon In The Night I Have Seen Thee Sailing 15) Clocks Wind Slow 16) Strange And Wonderful (That's My Life) 17) A Million Moonlight Miles 18) The Silver Darkness Whispers Yes 19) No Time Says The Clock (Version 2) ALBUM NOTES: Clocks and Dials is a vocal album issued exclusively for Nelsonica '08 on the Discs of Ancient Odeon label. As with the previous year's convention exclusive, Clocks and Dials was pressed in a print run of 1000 copies to avoid the clamour for copies after Nelsonica , and the price of second hand copies escalating on eBay. Clocks and Dials stands alone within the body of Nelsonica releases as the only 2CD set among them, and was presented in a special fold out digipack sleeve. The album was recorded concurrently with Golden Melodies of Tomorrow and had a number of working titles (In The Realm of the Unreal; The Experimental Time Traveller ; Signals From Earth ; and Modern Moods For Mighty Atoms ) before Nelson settled on Clocks and Dials . As soon as Nelsonica was over, the remaining copies of Clocks and Dials were sold through S.O.S, and on January 3rd, 2013, an announcement was made on the Dreamsville Forum that the album had completely sold out. A small number of purchasers reported playback issues, which were attributed to the inability of older CD players to cope with the lengthy playing time, rather than there being any fault with the discs. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Several of the Clocks and Dials tracks were originally destined for Golden Melodies ...However, the fact that those particular tracks were left off Golden Melodies had nothing to do with incompatibility, technical quality or conceptual suitability. They were shunted to 'C+D' simply because there wasn't enough space to include them. Nevertheless, these related Clocks and Dials tracks come from the same time and place, they spring from the Golden Melodies sessions and sensibilities, from the same concept." _____ "There's certainly a psychedelic pop flavour to many of the tracks. It's quite a technicolour dream in some ways." FAN THOUGHTS: tommaso: "Have just listened to Clocks & Dials ...There's so much inspiration and invention here that most other artists would be happy to create such an album as a 'regular' release [rather than a free CD to Nelsonica attendees]. Favourites after first listening: the somewhat dark and melancholy "Rain Falls Fast on Faded Ruin", the utterly beautiful "Cinnamon and Mint", and one of the most immediately catchy songs Bill ever wrote, "No Time Says the Clock" (both versions). Ah, great stuff! Perhaps the best Nelsonica album ever. I guess when the muse kisses Bill, she does it wholeheartedly." Paul Andrews: "This really is a stonking album. When I play CD2 I keep getting stuck on "The Experimental Time Traveller" - it's so good I can't get past it! Knowing that "Curate's Egg in Cup of Grass" is just down the musical road does help though. Clocks and Dials is an enormous piece of work. I need to spend more time with it to get everything that lies within it to the fore. Can you slow down a bit Bill? I'm trying to catch up you know!" Mick Winsford: "Having listened again to this album this evening I simply want to say that this is definitely my favourite Bill Nelson album since Orpheus , and one of the best of his career. It's just full of all of the things that have kept me tuned into Bill's music since January 1976. I refuse to swear in case it offends anyone but it's a %*&£$#^ great album!" sauropod: "I love all three discs [the 2CD C&D + Golden Melodies ]. A very fine effort. I'm afraid of wearing them out, playing them so much!" Peter: "I'm halfway through my second listen (I was in the living room at 5 this morning, headphones on, cat asleep on my chest), and am enjoying these very much. Too much goodness, too many great songs, to name...just more wonders from the amazing Mr. N!" Gompers: "Bravo Bill. For my personal taste, it's the best in a while. Very versatile sounds throughout. I even detected a bit of a 'Be-Bop Deluxe' style in a few of the tracks. Outstanding offering." BryanH: "Wow...absolutely brilliant. My favourite BN release for some time." Tony M: "There is so much music here that I had previously listened to one CD at a time, with too long a break in between listenings. As with all of Bill's recordings, something new with each listen. Nothing better than a cruise down the highway with the volume up near 10! So many good songs and many new favorites. One that sticks with me is "Artismo Loco". The guitar playing is fantastic. This song could go on forever, way too short. Many other gems on this one. Looking forward to my next long drive." ladesco: "Fundertuneful bundliscious warm and fuzzy specialty assorted ice creamy dreams of sailships and boats with steams that are quite content with wallace and grommeting their way thru skyscape city tides, waving the pearlescent sandy beaches treasured with half-buried bottles containing watery journeys yet to be unraveled and traveled from whence they came...the other side of the world, or universe? A time travelers dream!!!! Wow, Mr. nelson...WOW. There are so many of yours that are crowding my top 10 list by now, I just as soon float gently on a breeze, and love them all with gracious equalities." steve lyles: "I listened to Clocks and Dials a couple of weeks back and didn't move a muscle through the whole of cd 1...better than any drug or drink I've ever had..." Alan Cawthorne: "I find this album a very confident release. Mr Bill seems full of good tunes, screaming guitars and frantic beats (Always welcome), and dare I say it full of sex the way he sings certain songs...Talk about an album crammed with tunes...!! A thoroughly nice and warm listen. And not a filler in sight!" alec: "The happiness approaches urgency at times on Clocks and Dials . Some great lyrics, singing and melodies, too. Frantic details swimming around every track." "No Time Says the Clock [Version 1]": "is a Psychedelic Pop Classic. A hit." Pathdude: "Every single song is tremendously enjoyable. The trilogy of "Blue Tomorrow", "Island Off the Coast of Dreams", and "Signals from Earth" are some of the most beautiful signals I've ever received. I think that "Signals from Earth" was written especially for me as it's now my favorite BN song. And I can't say directly why. It's just the feeling I get within when listening to it." Chimera Man: "Highlight in particular for me is "Frankie Surfs the Milky Way" - what an absolute gem of a song. Lovely guitar sound, fab "pop" song really, and it bounces along with an uplifting sense that can only put a smile on your face. I kind of have an image of Bill in a big cowboy hat, sat in a rocking chair out on the veranda of some isolated farmhouse in the American midwest with a broad grin on his face playing this, just as dusk is settling...whoever Frankie is passes by overhead, catches the sound, stops, winks at him and moves on swiftly as Emi emerges with a mug of some warm beverage for her beloved !!" Gavin Baker: "Playing it last night for the first time I had 2 favorites materialise immediately. "Clear Skies a Coming" & "The Silver Darkness Whispers Yes". Loads of stuff on here & a grand mixture to boot! After one hearing I would recommend this to any of you that haven't got it. THANK YOU BILL FOR PROVIDING THE SOUNDTRACK IN MY LIFE." GettingOnTheBeam: "Ah, but the best track is "Mystery Vortex". What a masterpiece. One of Bill's best ever in my opinion." play my theremin: "This is a terrific album, one of my favourites by any artist...Its absence would leave a large gap in any BN fan's collection as far as I'm concerned." major snagg: "Bill is an ARTIST who's main medium is sound." Albums Menu Future Past

Airfields single - 1981 To Heaven A Jet Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer and Bass on the A-side. NOTES: The B-side was created by Bill under the fictitious name Revox Cadets. Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) April 2006 Monday 10th April 2006 -- 10:10 am Once again, an extremely long gap between diary entries. Perhaps they will appear more frequently in future however, as new software has been installed on the Dreamsville site that will allow me to upload my diary direct to the server, rather than having to ask tech-support people to do it for me, as has been the case until now. I've felt quite guilty of troubling others to post my diaries, 'though that hasn't been the only reason for their infrequency. Distracted by music making the main cause, as usual. So, what has been happening here in the weeks since I last wrote? More of what usually happens, I suppose. Intense work in my modest studio, as always, along with various mild domestic dramas. I'll record the musical progress first. My proposed production job for Slava's new band 'Jupiter,' (formerly 'Nautilus Pompilius'), has, unfortunately, been cancelled. Or at least postponed for the indefinite future. Disappointing, for both them and me. The band couldn't raise sufficient funding from their record company to travel to Britain from Russia for the recordings but are hoping to seek additional funding from other sources. They hope to come here later in the year to record the entire album with me. Having experienced the music business first hand for over thirty years, I'm not holding my breath. If it happens, I'll be very pleased, but that 'if ' is a big one. I've finally completed 'Neptune's Galaxy,' the instrumental album that I've created as a companion to my 'Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill' album of last year. It contains just five tracks but they are long ones and the album clocks in at a total of just over 75 minutes worth of music. Some might describe the album as 'ambient' 'though the music commands more attention than that categorisation would normally suggest. Three of the five tracks feature electric guitar and beats, one is an electric piano improvisation and the other features electronic keyboards and some subtle orchestra textures.The nautical themes are carried over from the Sailor Bill project but, of course, without lyrics. The track listing is as follows:- 1. 'My Ship Reclines On Clouds Of Sail.' 2. 'She Signals From Across The Bay.' 3. 'All Alone In A Boat Of His Own.' 4. 'Coastal Starlight.' 5. 'Ship In A Bottle Blues, (The Modern Mariner.)' The entire album is very relaxing, gentle and meditative, occupying a sonic landscape, (or should that be seascape?) somewhere between 'Dreamland To Starboard', 'Crimsworth' and my Harold Budd collaborations. Listening to the Sailor Bill album and then immediately afterwards to 'Neptune's Galaxy' is a satisfying experience, the final track of Sailor Bill providing a perfect bridge to the first track of 'Neptune's Galaxy.' Although David Graham and myself are currently creating packaging artwork for the album, I've yet to master the tracks in preparation for manufacturing, so a release date has yet to be fixed. I'm hoping to make this album available as soon as possible though. I've also attempted to make a start on the mixing of the Be Bop Deluxe Decca audition tapes. I've had these transferred to a Mackie external hard-drive so that I can work on the four songs here in my home studio. Unfortunately, technical problems have thwarted this for the time being. My HDR 24/96 hard disc recorder is an early model and the transfers were made using a newer version of the software. Basically, my machine can't read the files. My friend Paul Gilby has been helping me to get to the bottom of the problem which we eventually discovered hinges on the conflict of operating systems. Updating the OS has nor been as straightforward as hoped though. The HDR 24/96's floppy drive appears not to be working. (Required to load the latest operating system.) I also need a new e-prom fitting to cope with the larger external drive on which the Be Bop audition tapes have been transferred, so the saga is ongoing. It's been a frustrating and time-consuming piece of detective work. Hopefully, I should be able to access the files in a week or two when time will allow me to have the machine out of commission for a couple of days whilst the technical repairs are done. Meanwhile, I've been recording more new material, six songs for what started life as a limited edition 'mini'-album. It may yet turn out to be a full-length album.The direction is jazz inspired. I've often featured jazz stylings on some of my albums but, as Paul pointed out to me, I've never actually made an album given over to that particular style.This set me thinking. Anyway, I've now completed six songs for the project and there is still enough inspiration left over to write more. At one point, I wasn't sure how long I could sustain that particular mood but, at the moment, the ideas continue to flow. The six songs completed so far provide just over thirty minutes worth of music. If I can come up with another four songs I'll have a complete album. The songs are: 'Windswept;' 'Take It Off And Thrill Me;' 'October Sky;' 'The Girl In The Galaxy Dress;' 'Always You;' and 'The Song My Silver Planet Sings.' All six titles are vocal based compositions and I'm particularly fond of 'Windswept' which has a jazz blues mood somewhere between the worlds of Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. (But still 'me' somehow. How could it be anyone else?) 'Always You' has a touch of Bobby Darin on Mars about it. Or a Vegas showtune from a parralel universe. Could this be the closest thing I've done to an easy-listening lounge album? Well...not quite, but close. The overall performance of these tracks is a little looser than the performances on 'Sailor Bill' but that is appropriate to the style. These are 'feel' pieces with improvised solos. They are not strictly jazz, of course, but just 'jazzy' or 'jazz inspired.' (Emiko described them as 'techno-jazz' but I'm not sure about that either!) As usual, I'm too close to the music to know what the hell it is. It's probably a curious side-project rather than a major statement. Other's may feel differently when they hear it. I will confess that there's some slick guitar playing on it though, if you like that kind of thing. Working title for the mini-album is 'Return To Jazz Of Lights.' It may be a keeper. I'm working through some visual concepts for the packaging at the moment, before sending images to David Graham for him to lay out and add typography. The path I'm pursuing is based around some old 1960's snapshots of Emiko. I've been going through her family album. She was a stunningly beautiful teenager and I couldn't have imagined myself landing a catch like her back then if we'd ever had the good fortune to meet. (Which would have been impossible anyway, bearing in mind the distance between Tokyo and Wakefield and my reliance on the bus at that time in my life!) One photograph I've selected for use is very odd. It could almost be a still frame from a dramatic moment in a movie. The young Emi is standing centre frame, gazing off to the the right and slightly up into the sky. She is surrounded by people, nearly all of whom have their back to the camera, looking over the edge of a railing, beyond which a white statue stands, its back also to the camera. Emi is dressed in a fashion that wouldn't look out of place on a young teenage girl of 2006, low slung skinny jeans, a tight fitting Japanese boy-scout shirt with embroidered badges, a large white bag. She looks, to use the well worn vernacular, 'cool.' The photograph's colours have faded over the years since it was taken, so I've scanned it and subjected it to a long sequence of colour, contrast and filter manipulation, giving it a vintage cinematic quality. It's an enigmatic picture, achieved without artifice. Whoever took the photo did it quickly and unthinkingly...the camera angle isn't straight but this adds to the tension. Only one person in the crowd is looking at the camera, a plumpish Japanese lady sat at a table in the middleground. She has an inane grin on her face. Its an intriguing photograph. Using it, (and the other's I've picked), is not an obvious choice for the style of music on the album, but then again, it twists the album concept in a slightly surreal, ironic way. As the songs are all love songs, using Emi as an iconic image is perfectly apt anyway. Guitars have loomed large in recent months. I may have mentioned on the Dreamsville site a while ago that Campbell American Guitars have been working towards a signature guitar for me. Dean Campbell has sent various drawings and ideas over for me to add my own input. I've sent drawings and suggestions back to Dean and a limited edition Bill Nelson signature model is not only on the drawing board but currently being developed in prototype form. It's all under wraps for now but all will be revealed when ready. Like all Campbell American guitars, it will be a hand made in the U.S.A. instrument. Meanwhile, I've been playing my green Precix model, (see photo above in this diary entry), and will soon be getting delivery of a blue vibrato-arm equipped Precix. These instruments play beautifully and respond senistively to the touch of the player. I'll also be appearing on the Campbell American stand at the London Guitar Show held at the Wembley Exhibition Centre on the 6th of May. Not to perform but just to 'meet and greet' fans and fellow guitarists. A very early version of my signature guitar may be ready to display, although we're aiming for a more developed version by June. Naturally, I'm extremely excited about having a signature model after all these years of playing. If all goes to plan, it should be something really special. But the guitar magic hasn't stopped there. I've long been a fan of unusual 1950's and '60's guitars. When I first became besotted by the instrument, at the end of the '50's it was almost impossible to see, in my local music shops, any of the expensive Gibsons and Fenders that our early guitar heroes played. Import restrictions on American goods meant that they were rare and definitely out of reach of the average player's pocket. In my home town of Wakefield, the local music shop, 'Webster's,' (later to become 'The Wakefield Music Centre'), only stocked British and European guitars. These were inexpensive instruments, often with unusual design ethics, lots of chrome and push buttons, bright colours, accordion factory plastic, retro-sci-fi creations that really looked 'electric.' Burns and Fenton Weill guitars were amongst the main British makes but there were also a variety of quirky models from continental makers such as Hagstrom, Hopf, Gallanti and Wandre. Japan was also starting to licence designs to, or build for, some of the European manufacturers and some Japanese instruments were often 're-badged' for the western marketplace. Of course, these weird and wonderful guitars didn't have the finesse of the more expensive American instruments but they did have a flashy visual appeal. These originally inexpensive guitars have now become collector's items and exchange hands for high prices, particularly the Wandre models which are rare and sought after. Generally though, these budget instruments didn't play too well and their appeal was mainly in the visual department. And even then, perhaps, only if you had a taste for the kitsch. I still harbour a fond enthusiasm for them, despite being able to play much more upmarket brands these days. But I do prefer to play my guitars, rather than just look at them. Enter Mike Robinson, a musician and collector of oddball vintage guitars who came up with the idea of manufacturing reproductions of some of the most sought after instruments. His plan was to make them look exactly like the original '50's and '60's rarities, but have them play and sound better. With this in mind, he started Eastwood Guitars, (based in Canada), and set up a manufacturing operation to re-issue some vintage 'thrift-store' brands using modern manufacturing techniques. The results are guaranteed to attract players such as myself who grew up with those kind of guitars during our teens. (And some younger players who have taken notice of the 'Airline' models favoured by The White Stripes and Calexico.) But, whilst nostalgia is one part of the Eastwood appeal, the sound and playability of the re-issues is something else. They are much more solidly made and player friendly than their original inspirations. I recently got myself an Eastwood reproduction of a Hopf 'Saturn 63' in black and chrome.The original late '60's/early '70's European instrument was quirky, a semi-hollow body with two cat's eye style sound-holes, both mounted, unusually, on the bass side of the body. Chrome metal strips were used to 'pipe' the guitar's edges and sound-holes and the resultant effect was retro sci-fi in keeping with the model's 'Saturn' name. The modern Eastwood reproduction re-creates the vibe wonderfully and the guitar has a very unique sonic character as well as being an unusual looker. So, my guitar dreams continue to inspire my imagination ...Fans who have attended my live concerts in recent years will have noticed that all the guitars I favour are somewhat out of the ordinairy, not a Les Paul model amongst them, (as much as I adore Les' playing). Maybe it's my art school background but a guitar's appearance is as important to me as its playability and an instrument's visual style will always be a major consideration in my choices. Nearly all the guitars I play reflect some special design ethic, whether modern or retro. My Gretsch guitars also sit in perfectly with that sensibility, as does my Gus 'Orphee' which pushes that approach into a 21st Century, midi-equipped, industrial design arena. What's truly wonderful for me though is that, after all these years of playing the instrument, I still get a thrill out of looking at my guitars and using them to make my music. I'm as in love with the instrument as I was when I got my first guitar at the age of 11 or 12. And I still can't read a note of music or espouse any musical theory. Despite all the recordings I've made, I've yet to understand how the music gets from 'in here' to 'out there'... I'm just thankful that it does. I've spent some time with my friend Jon Wallinger recently, tracking down a new venue for this year's Nelsonica fan convention. After exploring various alternatives, we've settled on the York Hilton Hotel. I think this will prove to be an excellent location for the event, certainly for those fans who travel from abroad to attend. York is a beautiful, historic city with lots to offer its visitors. Hopefully, some fans will bring their families and make a weekend of it. There's even a York version of the London Eye big wheel being constructed. Should be open soon, certainly in time for Nelsonica 06. Along with the historic Viking and Roman sites, York has the National Railway Museum, the Yorkshire Air Museum, two more general museums, river trips, the gothic Minster, a good art gallery, plenty of interesting shops, old pubs, modern cafe-bars and restaurants, almost all within an area that can easily be accessed on foot. Convention attendees can stay in the venue itself at preferred rates which we will negotiate with The Hilton Hotel so the whole package is much more attractive than ever. And easier to get to than North Ferriby. The next step is to create the content for the convention. There are some new ideas that I'd like to introduce, including a presentation aimed at the guitarists amongst the fans. I think that, if all goes to plan, this year's Nelsonica will be even more special than previous ones. Jon and the team are really professional in their attitude to organising the convention and put a lot of thought and effort into making it a special day. It's impossible not to respond positively to such dedication and enthusiasm. Another project that I'm about to immerse myself in is the mixing of some old live Be Bop Deluxe tracks to be included in a box set that EMI Records are planning to issue later this year. The box will collect together everything the band recorded, every official album and some out-takes and alternative mixes, plus a few unreleased live tracks. I will be going into Fairview studios soon to take care of the mixing of the latter. On the domestic front, the usual stresses and strains. Far too many bills piling up on the kitchen table and repairs needed for the house. Cars have been up to their tricks too, both Emiko's and mine requiring new exhausts and tyres. Mine is rapidly going rusty, but a re-spray would probably cost more than the car is worth. Perhaps the weather will improve soon and I can get the pushbike out of the shed. My son Elliot has joined the car set, having passed his driving test recently. He's got himself an old VW Golf and came to pick me up to take me into town the other week. It seems like only yesterday I was helping him to learn how to ride a little two wheel bike. I can remember the day that I took his stabilisers off and ran behind him, holding on to his saddle. I let go and off he went, perfectly balanced. When he turned around and realised that I wasn't holding him upright, the look on his face was priceless. He was just a little kid then...That thing of time evaporating so quickly. Life is so short. Well...having said that, I'll get back to the music making. Top of page Wednesday 26th April 2006 -- 9:30 am Perhaps I shouldn't be writing a diary entry right now. I certainly don't feel in the proper state of mind to do so but I desperately feel the need to write something down, if only to help me to work through some of my grief. I couldn't imagine, last week, that today I would be in such a state and for such an unforseen and unwelcome reason. On Sunday, 23rd of April, I was taking my usual morning bath when I heard the 'phone ring. I hadn't brought the cordless 'phone into the bathroom with me as Emi was at home. I thought it might be one of her Japanese friends calling, as often happens at weekends. But then I heard her rushing up the stairs and her footsteps coming along the corridor towards the bathroom. I realised that the call must be for me. She came into the bathroom with the cordless 'phone in her hand, holding it out to me. She was in tears and could hardly speak. With difficulty, through the tears, she said "It's your mum on the 'phone...it's bad news...Ian's died..." I felt as if the whole world had ground to a sudden, violent halt and then I began to shake and weep uncontrollably. I felt as if my guts were being wrenched from me. My mother was crying on the 'phone as she told me what had happened only a short time earlier that morning. She had telephoned my brother Ian sometime around 11 am to wish him a happy birthday. (Sunday the 23rd was his 50th.) Ian's wife Diane had answered and told my mother that Ian was still in bed, having a lie-in, but that he really ought to be getting up as they were going out soon. She asked my mother to hold the line whilst she called up the stairs to Ian to tell him that his mother was on the 'phone. There was no answer and when Diane went upstairs to wake him she found that Ian had passed away in his sleep. The shock has been terrible. Feelings of disbelief, denial, sudden realisation, sickness and bottomless black pits of emotional despair. A violent assault on the depths of our hearts and souls. And it keeps on hitting and hurting. I'm battered and exhausted by its brutality. I feel as if a precious and essential part of my life has been suddenly ripped out of me. And, of course, it has. Ian was my 'little' brother. I'd known him all his life and, despite those silly sibling rivalries that all brothers experience from time to time, loved him deeply and respected him far more than he probably ever realised. Far, far more than he realised...Oh, Ian, if only I could tell you. Even though Ian had survived a stroke, nine years ago when he was 41, I always expected him to outlive me, to always be there with his warm smile and dry sense of humour. Ian had become a physically big man, partly as a result of the diabetes he suffered from in recent years, but this largeness suggested solidity, a rock that would stand strong, despite the surrounding waves. He seemed indestructible. Perhaps he felt that he was too. I saw him last a few weeks ago on Mother's Day, in March. Emiko and I had driven over to my mother's house in Wakefield with a gift and some flowers for her. Not long after we'd arrived, Ian arrived too, to give mum his gifts. I think it was actually the first time I'd seen him since the start of the year. I'm always so intensely, stupidly busy with one project after the other that family relationships and friendships regularly suffer as a result. Ian too had been busy with his freelance career as a funding consultant for arts projects. Both of us had been feeling a lot of stress, under pressure, the usual outcome of trying to keep things together on an unpredictable financial income. But Ian seemed cheerful, he'd recently got himself a new car and proudly led me outside to show it to me where it was parked in the drive of my mother's house. We chatted and joked freely for a while, just the two of us. I asked him if he fancied coming along to this year's Nelsonica convention in October, to play his saxophone with me as part of my solo performance there. I also asked him if he would like to perform with me at a special concert being planned for next year as part of a contemporary music festival at Leeds University's school of music. He was happily enthusiastic and positive about being involved in both projects so I promised I'd keep him up to date with progress for each event. (I've always enjoyed the instrumental duo's we've had in the past, feeling much more comfortable in those situations with Ian alongside me than being up there on my own.) Eventually, Ian had to leave for a prior appointment and we waved him off from my mother's doorstep. I had no idea then that that would be the last time I'd ever see him. Remembering that day now, Emi has pointed out to me that Ian had seemed really pleased to see me, his face being lit up with one of his warm smiles when he saw that I was there. I'm so pleased to have that pointed out to me because I needed his love more than he realised. More than I realised. Last week, Emi was sorting out some clothes of mine and came across some that were like new but that I hadn't worn. She'd put them to one side to see if Ian might want them. When she told me this I thought that I should give him a call and see how he was. As so often happens, I became so wrapped up in trying to finish some recording work in time for a mastering session next week that this intention slipped from my consciousness. (And now, I've cancelled that same session. I have no appetite for music. Its joy has left me.) Time always warps when my mind is concentrated on work, as my family and friends and regular readers of this diary know. I look down towards the faders of the mixing desk and it's winter. When I look up, it's Spring. Or so it seems. Months pass like minutes. Life evaporates. How I wish I'd made that call last week. I can't begin to express the anguish I feel at not being able to call Ian now, at this very moment. I can hear the sound of his voice clearly in my head, the way he sounded on the telephone. My mother called a few minutes ago to tell me the results of the coroner's report: Ian died because of heart disease. A blood clot touched his heart and he was gone. Apparently, there would have been nothing anyone could have done to save him. It was inevitable. Had he been awake when it happened, it would have felled him in an instant. That it happened whilst he was sleeping is a comfort of sorts. What if he had been driving his car with his family on board...? A mercy that he wasn't. The last two days have brought us a kind of hell. Ian's wife Diane and Ian's three children must have been truly in the depths of it. My mother, who is not in the best of health herself, is suffering terribly from the loss. We all are. We want him back. The next few weeks will be hard too, particularly the funeral which is to be held on the 2nd of May. I have no immunity or resistance to grief. It comes in sudden waves and drowns me every time. All composure gone. I want to say something about him at the service but know that I wouldn't have the strength, that tears and sobs would be all that would escape me, words buried beneath fathomless anguish. But we will have to get through these next days as best we can, together. I'm sure that Ian would have poured scorn on any solemnity. He wasn't a particularly religious man, in fact, almost the opposite. He often took a cynical stance regarding my own 'spiritual' foraging over the years. I remember, one late lost summer back in the early '80's, when I lived in West Haddlesey, the two of us sitting atop a haystack in a field outside the village, discussing various philosophies as the warm harvest sun sank towards the horizon. I was heavily involved in Rosicrucianism and esoteric occultism at that time and had been enthusiastically propounding its theories and principles in the hope of firing up Ian's imagination. I could, as they say, 'talk the hind leg off a donkey' in those days, such was my passion for the subject. But Ian remained scornful and humourously cynical about the whole thing, as he was about ever other 'ism' I experimented with. He couldn't see the point of all that and was far more down to earth and pragmatic than I ever was. It may be that, in this respect, as in so many other things, he had a better grasp of reality than myself. He might have been my 'little' brother in years but he was strong and stubborn and independent too. And sharp and bright and witty. There was so much in him that I admired. I was, and always will be, proud of him. He was his own man and lived his life the way he wanted to live it, and damn the torpedoes. I have so many fond memories of Ian. I couldn't possibly recount them all now but here are a couple: Back in the late 'seventies or early 'eighties, I was visiting my mother in Wakefield when she was still living on Eastmoor Estate, where I grew up. Ian, I think, was living there too at this point in time but had gone into town. Suddenly the 'phone rang and my mother answered it. It was a local corner-shopkeeper who knew my mother. He was telephoning to say that Ian was in his shop, injured. I jumped into my car and drove the half mile to the shop and found Ian in a bad way. He had been on his way home to my mother's house and had walked through a subway en route. In the subway, a gang of youths were trying to mug an elderly lady and were shoving her around. Ian had stepped into the situation and tried to stop these thugs from continuing their actions, trying to reason with them, asking them to leave the lady alone. The gang violently turned on Ian and beat him up before running away, leaving him to stagger to the nearby shop where the lady explained to the shopkeeper what had happened. He recognised Ian and rang my mother. I rushed Ian off to the hospital to have his wounds attended. I then set off in my car to search for the bastards that had done this to him. I drove up and down every street on Ian's route but couldn't find them, which is probably just as well as they would have more than likely done damage to me too, had I challenged them. But I was so angry that they'd done this to my little brother, I just wanted to beat the shit out of them. But this incident was a measure of Ian's public spiritedness and bravery. Many people would have left the old lady to her fate and kept out of danger but Ian's compassion wouldn't allow him to walk on by. He had to try to stop what was happening. He had principles and the guts to do something about it. I have memories of Ian and I first recording music together, in the mid 'seventies with Be Bop Deluxe on the song 'Ships In The Night'. It was the first public recording of mine that he was involved with and it was at Abbey Road studios in London. He was really young and must have been intimidated and overwhelmed by the experience. He'd only just begun playing saxophone at that time, 'though he'd played clarinet for a while previously. I knew he was talented and capable and pushed him hard, as big brother's do. I was often too demanding of him, all throughout his musical life, knowing just how good he could be, given that push. I wanted him to excel, to be great, to be the best he could possibly be. My only consolation now is, if I was too hard on him, too exacting, I at least treat myself equally as hard, was just as critical of my own attempts. I thought that, together, we could change the world with our music. But I was stupid and naive too. I demanded too much from both of us. Ian was a great player without need of any pressure from me. Later on, he became a member of Red Noise, playing Sax, Clarinet and second keyboards in the band. Red Noise was also his introduction to life on the road and to television and radio appearances. In the 'eighties he contributed his gifted playing to several of my solo albums and songs. One of the most memorable was 'Do You Dream In Colour?' which featured Ian's incredibly catchy harmony saxophone hook, an important, essential component for the song's commercial appeal. It was one of the most perfectly appropriate parts he ever came up with, an absolutely classic line that everyone who ever heard the song remembers. It was a great pleasure, on the 2004 'Be Bop And Beyond,' 30 year celebration tour, for me to be able to perform that song live and have Ian in the band to reproduce the saxophone part perfectly. The song would be incomplete without it. How can I ever perform that song again without Ian standing next to me? Ian later became part of Fiat Lux, a band that I initially had produced and released on my own independent 'Cocteau Records' label. The band showed great commercial potential and the single that Cocteau Records released earned them media attention and landed the band a deal with a major label, only for them to later fall foul of incompetent and corrupt management. An old, far too familiar story. Poor Ian suffered from the financial fallout of that situation for several years afterwards. I was going through similar tribulations myself so we both experienced the corruption and callousness of the industry at first hand. Ian's experience soured his hopes of being a full-time musician and he decided to reserve his music for situations that were less likely to produce further unhappiness. He began playing with friends in local bands and occasionally taught music, teaching both privately and in college situations. Of the two of us, Ian was the one who had a formal, academic musical education. He began playing clarinet under the tuition of our late father, Walter Nelson and then had more formal lessons that resulted in him passing various examinations and gaining certificates of accomplishment. He eventually earned himself a place at Huddersfield College Of Music where he studied the subject academically. Ian was the real deal...not a dumb 'busker' like me who, to this day, still can't read a note of music. My father was so proud of the fact that Ian had done it the proper way. The ironic thing was that, whilst my formal education was in fine art and Ian's was in music, Ian eventually worked in the field of art, and I found myself with a career in music. Not what either of us had originally intended. Years ago, Ian took a temporary job at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. He worked in the on-site shop, selling Sculpture Park merchandise. The park's director was, and still is, Peter Murray, who had been my painting tutor at Wakefield School Of Art when I was a student there in the 1960's. Ian was eventually employed at the Sculpture Park full time and worked his way up to become part of the park's management team. It was a job he enjoyed tremendously and I was impressed by the way he handled it whenever I visited him at the park's office. I was so proud of his achievement with this. It was a job that I would have had neither the intelligence nor the social skills to do well. He was appparently in line for a directorship until his stroke put him out of commission, nine years ago. Eventually, he recovered from the stroke, only to discover that he had to deal with diabetes as well. Of course, all of those who loved him got sanctimonius about it and we gave him our glib advice, admonishing him if we felt that he wasn't strictly adhering to whatever health regime was appropriate to his condition. Ian, characteristically, didn't respond well to being prodded about these things. His life was his life and back seat drivers were not easily tolerated. To use a nautical metaphor, he was the captain of his own ship and he intended to sail it wherever HE wanted. Both of us were born stubborn so-and-so's but perhaps Ian had the upper hand on me in this department too. So...stubborn, yes, but he was never unforgivable. One of the things that people seemed to remember most about Ian was his warmth and the way he had of putting people at ease. There was something relaxed, open and easy going about him that made this possible. Again, I lack that quality, being too self-absorbed, nervous or intense, (or something), and was often surprised and amazed by the positive response he elicited from total strangers. He could make people feel they'd known him for years. And he did it without any artifice. It was 100% genuine empathy. One thing we had in common was a first marriage that didn't work out. I also had a second one that didn't but when Ian met Diane it felt as if he'd found his soul mate. I remember Ian and Diane's wedding day and the good vibes they gave off. And when Emiko and I had our wedding day, Ian and Diane were our witnesses. Diane has stuck with Ian through good times and difficult ones and she has a deep understanding of Ian's character and life. What she has endured these last two days is powerfully moving and impossible to fathom but she has shown kindness and bravery to all those in her circle and I know that Ian would be proud of her, and of his three children. Ian's eldest son, Julian, (from his first marriage), has been a pillar of strength to Diane, to my mother and to his step-brother Louis and step-sister Lucy. I've been so impressed by Julian's thoughtfulness, saneness and compassion. Ian's younger son Louis and daughter Lucy, (both from Ian's marriage to Diane), have shown tremendous dignity and self control too.They are a tribute to Ian and Diane's parenting skills. I'm proud to be an uncle to all three children 'though I ought to have been a much more present and regular one. I hope they realise just how much their father meant to me. During these last two days, I've been overwhelmed. I've been overwhelmed not only by what has actually happened, what also by the changes it has thrust upon so many people, overwhelmed by emotions that were far deeper and far stronger than I'd ever expected. At night, a little cinema of memory has opened up in my mind. I close my eyes and, there on the flickering screen are images of Ian and I as young children, anticipating Christmas...Me reading to Ian the story of 'Peter And Pam's Christmas' from a now long lost childhood book, huddled under an eiderdown together on a snowy Christmas Eve at our home at number 28 Conistone Crescent, Eastmoor Estate on the edge of Wakefield. We were electrified with excitement and anticipation, unable to sleep, eager for the morning and our presents from Santa. A dissolve...School holidays now. I've built plastic model aeroplanes from Airfix kits and hung them from the bedroom ceiling. Ian takes pot shots at them with his pop gun and decimates half a squadron. We run around the back garden in super-hero capes, Batman and Robin, Superman and Superboy, Dan Dare and Digby. Other kids, more inclined to army games, think that we are weird. We don't care what they think. The scene shifts and Ian and I are at the coast, or outside a caravan, or on the beach with a toy boat named St. Christopher, or on a clifftop flying a home-made kite together. There are images of us standing by our father's car... me with my arm around Ian, protecting him, my little brother. (He had curly blonde hair when he was small, cute as a button.) These images keep coming, flickering, changing, on through the years, our innocence gradually being left behind and with it the wonder and simplicity of childhood. Exhanged for something wilder and more dangerous: real life itself. And real life has taken Ian from us, as real life does. It takes us all eventually. What can we do? What's the point? Well...to live until we can live no more. But above all, to love and be loved in return. And I love my brother so much. I'll miss him terribly. Ian carried with him a part of my life, a shared childhood, memories of distant times. I think it's not overdramatic to say that a part of me has died with him. But, conversely, a part of him lives on with me. I want to recall more of our times together, to share them with readers of this diary, to let them know what a lovely person he was, to help them understand just why I'm so sad and heartbroken about losing him. For today though, perhaps this is enough, a beginning. So many warm tributes have appeared on the Dreamsville website forum for him. He would have been amazed by how much love he'd generated, how respected he was. You left too soon, Ian, too soon. ****** The photographs accompanying this diary entry show Ian alone on Lantern Hill in Ilfracoombe in Devon, myself and Ian on Ilfracoombe harbourside and Ian and I outside our parent's caravan at Skipsea, (with Dad's Austin Cambridge car). The photographs were taken around 1959/'60, I think. Top of page Jan May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013

Wednesday 9th March 2005 -- 1:49 pm A quick diary entry today. Lots going on. Have now finished 16 pieces of music for my latest guitar instrumental album and I'm trying to settle on the correct running order. As I mentioned here before,12 tracks is my goal but it's good to have more to choose from. I'm hoping that, by my next diary entry, I'll have a final list to announce. (And an idea of when it will be available.) This task is occupying me almost full time but I think it will be well worth all the effort. Now, I have a special message to convey: Regular users of the Rooms With Brittle Views website will have noticed that it was no longer in existence today, due to webmaster Alan Myer's switching it off for good. Unfortunately, it seems that Alan no longer felt that he could spare the time and energy to operate the site and, sadly, has decided to close it down. Like many others, I want to express my thanks to Alan for his input over the last five years and for doing his best to maintain the site under sometimes difficult circumstances. I'd hoped that Alan might have felt like continuing his site alongside the forthcoming 'Dreamsville' one but it was not to be. Alan's day-to-day business has increasingly taken up more of his time of late and maintaining RWBV has become an obstacle. As I have said in earlier diary entries, I have no desire to add further pressures to Alan's situation and I wish him well and hope that he will find life somewhat easier without the time-consuming responsibility of running a BN fan site. Which brings me to the future... We are reasonably close to opening up the new Dreamsville website, which it now seems will have to function in a slightly different capacity to the one I originally planned. I'm looking at ways to develop the new site in a broader direction, providing some of the facilities to fans left by the closure of RWBV. By this, I mean more than just the production and distribution of my recordings, which was the original reason for starting Dreamsville. This will obviously be a little more time-consuming for me but, because of the help I've been generously offered by various people who have already contributed to RWBV's past existence, I think everyone will eventually be satisfied by our efforts. I'm now looking at setting up a discussion board to replace the loss of Northern Dreamer so that fans will continue to have a place to meet and talk. Eventually, this will be incorporated within the Dreamsville site. It will take the form of a 'pub' which, for the moment, is to be called 'The Dreamsville Arms'. This pub will be located within an area of the site known as 'The Pleasure Park' . The Pleasure Park will hold various buildings connected with general entertainment, including a 'box office' where live concert tickets and so on can be purchased on line. There will also be a facility to secure tickets to special fan events such as the annual fan convention which we're hoping to put in place as before, perhaps in an expanded form. More news of this as it develops. The Pleasure Park will also contain 'The Guitar Arcade', an essential building to visit for anyone with an interest in guitars and guitar playing. Dreamsville is a fictional town and it's various buildings will have different functions. There will be a 'Villa Nelsonia' where my diary entries will be found. Villa Nelsonia will also contain other odd musings. Then, there will be 'Dreamsville Town Hall' which will act as a central office for the site. Here is where the 'Mayor of Dreamsville' will reside. The Mayor will act as a public interface for fans and will work closely with myself on the development of Dreamsville itself. My good friend Jon Wallinger has kindly volunteered to fulfill this role and will become the official 'Mayor Of Dreamsville' the moment that the site goes on line. The Town Hall will also contain a guide to the site and regular messages from The Mayor and The Architect's Department about the ongoing development plans. In the Architect's Department, a team will work on the site's structure. Obviously, I will be overseeing this with the help of my long-time design collaborator David Graham and also with technical assistance from Paul Gilby and others. News will be handled by the newspaper office of 'The Dreamsville Rocket'. This will be a fairly regular news bulletin with the visual look of a newspaper. People will be able to subscribe to this for free and will be sent e-mails linking them to each new edition. It will contain visual treats as well as text. Copies of 'The Dreamsville Rocket' will be archived at the newspaper office in the town. Another building will be 'The Museum Of Memory' . This will hold my personal memorabilia and photographs from my private life. Much of the material contained here will not have been seen by the public before. 'The Academy Of Art' will contain examples of my visual work, 'The Music Salon' will document my musical career and 'The Dreamsville Department Store' will provide a facility for people to obtain my recordings, both old and new, plus other merchandise. 'The Post Office' will contain a guest book for visitors to Dreamsville to sign. 'The Transit Lounge' will be where links to other interesting sites can be found and 'Dreamsville University' will provide an unusual educational facility where all kinds of odd ideas will be gathered together. 'Sunny Bungalow' , a sweet looking 1930's style building, will contain photo's of my toy collection and other kitsch collectables. And so on and so forth... More things will be added to the town as time goes on, including a radio station and a cinema if the technical side of things works out. A LOT of work to get it up to full strength but all websites have to start somewhere and, with determination and patience (and some encouragement from the outside world), we should eventually end up with something quite special and unique. Until the first stage of the site goes on line, these diary pages will act as a news bulletin as well as a regular diary. As soon as facilities are in place for people to subscribe to the Dreamsville mailing list, I will let everyone know and we can start to populate Dreamsville with real citizens. Keep checking billnelson.com and this diary to stay in touch. More news as it happens. Now it's back to working on the new album. Its title, by the way is: 'ROSEWOOD... Ornaments And Graces For Acoustic Guitar'. It will be released on my own 'SONOLUXE' record label. A rough draft of the artwork already underway. Patience, dear reader and... Stay tuned! Top of page Friday 18th March 2005 -- 6:00 pm Rosewood now has a front cover. Dave Graham and I finally arrived at the best solution. It's appropriate, colourful and fun... It has fish on it! And electrical circuits! And a guitar! Now I have to make and choose images for the rest of the package. Went out and took more photographs of an old Hoyer archtop guitar of mine for this purpose but need to work with these in my computer before passing on to Dave for him to work his layout magic. I've now recorded 24 pieces of music to choose from for the album but haven't begun the final selection process. It's going to be difficult to boil them down to my intended 12 track running order. The one's that don't fit will be made available on this year's Nelsonica convention album, so nothing will be wasted. The basic form of my Dreamsville website is at the technical assembly stage and should be up and running in a week or two. It will be in a rudimentary form at first but I'll fill it with content over the next year or two. It will look great once it's properly 'stocked.' Whilst on the subject of websites, Jon Wallinger pointed me in the direction of a temporary Bill Nelson discussion board that someone has set up. He said I should check out a posting by Alan Myers on there, so I did. When I read them, Alan's comments came as a real disappointment to me as I've always been appreciative of Alan's website (and Mark and Chuck's too, for that matter), and have tried to offer what input and help I could over the years as well as be supportive of events Alan asked me to endorse. I know that Alan has had some difficult personal times of late and can only think that these have contributed to the underlying bitterness suggested by his posting. What a shame. I won't comment further other than to say that the only reason I've had to look at ways of putting a website of my own together was a direct result of Alan telling people, last year, that he was shutting down his site. And yes, as I once pointed out to some people who were getting far too unhealthily wrapped up in things, it is only a website and, in fairness to Permanent Flame, RWBV was neither the first or only Bill Nelson website on the planet, just the one that I was once pursuaded to contribute most towards. I had hoped that Alan might, once he'd come to terms with his personal life, seen fit to continue the site alongside Dreamsville, as a purely fan oriented site, which is what it was supposed to be when it began, but it seems that was simply naive of me. After all the previous co-operation between us, I'm extremely sorry that Alan has seen fit to make such negative comments in public. What's the point in that, other than to cause damage and distress to myself and my friends? But, needless to say, there's probably much more to this sad story than meets the eye. I'm personally upset but, from past experience, not at all surprised. So... perhaps it really was for the best, after all, despite my initial doubts. Life's way too short for these kind of intrigues, especially at my advanced age (and with the amount of work I've got to accomplish before I'm too old to accomplish it). In any case, people are intelligent enough to judge the real situation for themselves without me getting involved. But at least I know where I stand now. Move on, move away. Life's stressful enough. An e-mail from Harold this morning. He's sending me a brochure from an exhibition of English watercolours that he attended. Harold's Maytime Brighton concert coming up soon. I'm trying not to get too nervous about it at this stage. Hal is his usual laid back, 'when it happens, it happens' self. For all his protestations to the contrary, he's one of the most Buddha natured people I've ever met. Absolutely artistically ruthless but sweet as a nut with it. I envy him his balance. And his aesthetic gifts. Finished reading 'What Did I Do?' by Larry Rivers. I enjoyed it tremendously and ended up admiring the guy for his totally self-absorbed, passionate mission to squeeze as much out of life and art as possible and fuck himself senseless at every available opportunity. An irredeemable rogue who led a scandalous life driven by a fiery, burning intelligence. It really inspires one to cut the crap out of one's own life and make art with all the energy available. Ed Ruscha's book, (which I'm still reading), on the other hand, is cooler, more collected and, at times, as dull as dishwater. More greats gone to Valhalla: Phillip Lamantia, Arthur Miller, Hunter S. Thompson and Jimmy Smith (the latter the best organ grinder in the business). One of my planned but unnanounced live performances in May now cancelled due to venue unsuitability. So I won't announce it. Still one more up my sleeve though, besides the Harold spectacular. Now it's dinner time and then a mixing session. Next week... the Rosewood assembly begins in earnest. Top of page Wednesday 23rd March 2005 -- 9:00 am Signs of Spring on the increase and some sunshine, 'though yesterday was wet and grey. I ended up stuck in the house anyway as I suddenly found myself unable to send any e-mails. I usually deal with the first e-mails of the day immediately after breakfast and before taking my bath. Yesterday, however, I was still stuck in front of the computer at 4pm... and still in my dressing gown. The e-mail service provider I use had changed the way their system worked, now insisting on smtp authorisation. I followed the provider's website instructions to reset my e-mail settings but to no avail. My computer still wouldn't send any e-mails at all, various error messages flashing up on screen. It took me a long while and several phone calls to tech support teams to discover that the problem was with my e-mail browser software... .It basically didn't support smtp authorisation, being somewhat antiquated. Antiquated? Hell, it was only five years old! Software ages rapidly in computerland, it seems. I then had to find and download some new e-mail browser software and install it. This was accompanied by panics about whether I would lose my many thousands of stored e-mails from my older system. I eventually figured out how to make back up copies of these and installed the new software. It took only seconds to install, despite having taken almost one hour to download. Thank goodness everything worked once more and nothing was lost from my e-mail archives. I was surprised by how panicked I was by this escapade. A few years ago, before I had a computer, I poured scorn on those people who seemed unable to function out of arms reach of their PC's and Macs. I couldn't see the need for e-mails and the internet and even avoided the telephone unless it was absolutely neccesary. Now, I realise just how pathologically dependent I've become on the computer to communicate with the outside world. In some ways it's quite amazing, in other's it's sad. The truth is, I now have to give up a great deal of time to answering e-mails and dealing with computer-related activities, time that was once spent making music. My intention, yesterday, was to work on the final selection of tracks for the 'Rosewood' album. Unfortunately, this task was postponed whilst I dealt with the technical problems posed by my Mac. I'll try again today, after dealing with this diary entry. 'Rosewood' has now accumulated 27 possible tracks. As I've mentioned in these pages previously, I need to select around a dozen of these to go on the album proper, the rest being reserved for the Nelsonica Convention album. Choosing the 12 that will best work together will be difficult. The trick will be to only use tracks that work together towards a particular goal. There's some variety amongst the pieces but I think I need to make this album head off in one fixed direction, rather than become too diverse. It has elements of the 'Dreamland To Starboard' album in that it is quite 'interiorised' for want of a better word... 'Mellow' might suit it better, I don't really know. Until I start to get to grips with choosing and sequencing the running order, it's difficult to say exactly what the final effect will be. At this point in time, I'm feeling a bit clueless about it all. I recently remarked to Harold (Budd) that I approach music like a blind man with a stick. I should have qualified this further by saying, 'like a blind man with a stick approaching a dangerous highway'. I changed the titles of two or three pieces to better suit their mood. The list of possible track choices for 'Rosewood' is now made up of the following pieces: Filament Ventura Bramble Appolonian Tremolo Cascade (Improvisation For 3 Harp Guitars) Lumia See Through Nightie Lacuna William Is Wearing The Cardigan Of Light She Swings Skirt Aliumesque Tinderbox Cremona Mexico City Reflections (For Gil Evans) Little Cantina Giant Hawaiian Showboat Blues For Orpheus Autumn Tramcar (Yorkshire Raga No.2) The Girl In The Park In The Rain Blue Cloud Hi Lo La The Land Of Lost Time Swingo Collapso Rising Sap Pilgrim The Big Buick Rolling Home (Yorkshire Raga No.1) Somehow, I have to boil these down to twelve cohesive tracks for the album. I must make some progress with this today. In my last diary entry, I mentioned that one of my proposed May live performances had been cancelled due to venue unsuitability. I also mentioined that I had one more live concert up my sleeve. Well, as bad luck would have it, this also didn't work out. I had been asked to play at the Coventry Jazz Festival but the organisers seem to have changed their plan and I'm left clutching empty air. So... the only scheduled appearance for me at this point in time is at the tribute concert for Harold Budd being held as part of the Brighton Festival on the 21st of May. From three shows to one. Received a nice letter from Harold yesterday. Briefly discussing some concert performance plans but mainly talk of other things. Also got an e-mail from the Carlsbro Amplifier company. Seems that my custom, self-designed Carlsbro amp and speaker cabinet has generated a fair bit of interest and the company are proposing that they manufacture a limited edition run of the design, with my approval. Each amp would carry a metal plaque with my signature and a number to indicate its limited edition status. Apparently, quite a few people have asked if they could buy an identical amp to mine. I'm pleased it has captured some player's imaginations. Dave Graham has come up with Rosewood's CD 'on-body' label and it perfectly suits our front cover image. I still have to create the images for Dave to fit into the rest of the package and will try to make a start on this today. I could do it whilst listening to and assembling the draft running order. I'll need to book Fairview studios soon to master the album prior to manufacturing it. I'm praying that 'Rosewood' will be appreciated. Certainly, those who enjoyed my 'Dreamland To Starboard' album shouldn't find it too much of a challenge. After getting sore fingers and thumbs with the acoustic guitar at the heart of 'Rosewood', I'm itching to record some new electric guitar pieces, using a plectrum. I also ought to think about getting to grips with a new song-based vocal album. Right now, though, I'm not in a lyric-oriented mood. I'm sure that something will come to me sooner ot later... it usually does. I'm told that the launch of 'Dreamsville' is not too far away now. I'm in the hands of Adam, the technician who is building the mechanical side of the new site. I'm told he's on with the job and I'll have something to look at very soon. But, there's months and months of work ahead to get all the actual content I have in place on the site. Still, fans can watch it grow bit by bit. The idea is to get the essential stuff in place first, including the town's 'pub' (The Dreamsville Inn), where fans will be able to communicate and discuss to their heart's content over a 'virtual pint' of Dreamsville's best ale. I may even make a real bottle of 'Dreamsville Ale' available in the future, a limited brewing to be sold exclusively at Nelsonicas. I'll need to liase with a nice, small, local brewery to see how this could be manufactured and what the costs would be. Absolutely inessential, of course, but sort of fun in a surrealist way. There's no shortage of ideas for Dreamsville, just a limited amount of time available to put them into action. Ultimately, the music has to take pride of place. I've had a nice response from fans to my request for Red Noise era photos. I now have a few good ones to send off to Paul Sutton-Reeves for his 'Music In Dreamland' book. Music to be selected now, so... back to work. Top of page Tuesday 29th March 2005 -- 10:30 am Almost April. That time thing again. Life passing me by whilst I work myself into a state of stress. And for what? For what I hope will be a beautiful body of music. I complain, I endure, no matter what the turn of events. In an apparently meaningless world, music is the one illusion of meaningfulness that I cling to. My personal, proud folly. I've been struggling and struggling with the running order for my 'Rosewood' album. I'd hoped to keep the track count down to twelve tracks but couldn't slim it down beyond nineteen. (The total recorded now stands at 29 pieces of music.) Listening back to my choice of nineteen tracks in the correct sequence, I was struck by how rich the listening experience was. Perhaps too rich for some people. I worried that it might overwhelm the listener and be difficult to take in at one sitting, thereby diluting its impact. So... I eventually decided to split Rosewood into two separate albums. Not a double album set, but two individual volumes: 'Rosewood Volume One' and 'Rosewood Volume Two'. That way, I won't be frustrated by losing some of the music to lesser projects and the album's audience can access the music in two, much more easily digested, chunks. Having said that, the track count on Rosewood Volume one is still more than my original twelve track target. But at least it is fifteen tracks now and not nineteen. And, more importantly, it works a treat. I listened through to a draft CD-r assembly of it last night and I think it constitutes some of my finest work. It's intense, emotional, thoughtful and spontaneous and very musical, avoiding the fashionably glamourous lure of 'avant-guardism'. I guess you could say it's a mature work. Or as mature as my Peter Panic nature will allow. I think that the final track listing for Rosewood Volume One will be as follows: Blues For Orpheus Escondido Oleander Lumia Filament Lacuna Cascade (Improvisation For Three Harp Guitars) She Swings Skirt Mexico City Dream (For Gil Evans) Ventura The Girl In The Park In The Rain Apollonian Tremolo Giant Hawaiian Showboat Cremona The Land Of Lost Time Sleepless In The Ticking Dark I e-mailed Dave Graham the sleeve notes, credits and track listing last night so that he can lay them into our design package. The album artwork is virtually complete for volume one. It looks really strong and features a lot of my photography. A package as rich as the music it contains. The next task is to assemble a running order for volume two of the album. Dave is already making draft layouts and I need to sort out which remaining tracks fit where. I suspect though, that I'll record at least couple more pieces of music for this to balance out volume two's 'feel'. Rosewood, for all its acoustic implications, is a dense and complex piece of work. It has taken a real bite out of my being, one way or another. I've worked on Rosewood all through the Easter weekend (and for the last couple of months as well). Emi is off work for a week as the flower shop is closed whilst its owner goes on holiday to Egypt. Our lot is far less exotic. Emi gave the kitchen a spring clean yesterday whilst I stayed hunched over my mixing desk in my workroom. We've not been anywhere. Can't really afford to anyway. My output certainly overshadows what comes in. It's been a horrendously expensive few months... so many bills and unforseen domestic expenses. Poor Emi... I'm so lucky that she understands and tolerates my almost non-stop work ethic. I'll try to take her out somewhere today. Hundreds of Caravans lined up in the field opposite... At night, each one flickers with the cathode glow of its internal television set. These folks like to get away from it all but not too far from their soaps and game shows. Or from other people. I don't really understand the attraction of spending a weekend cheek by jowl with hundreds of other campers all boxed up together in a field. Maybe it's a social thing, rather than an escape. I'd prefer to be somewhere miles away from the herd. Of course, I'm an absolutely unrepentant social misfit anyway, so that's to be expected. More and more, these days, I look at the world outside my window with a mounting sense of semi-amused horror. I'm amazed by the shabby attitudes that seem to have become the norm in our society. What happened to the idealism, optimism and enlightened ideals of our 'swinging 'sixties?' Where did our liberated and liberal attitudes go? I suppose these once sweet dreams became nothing more than cheap, easily manipulated signifiers of an impossible utopia, fodder for advertising copywriters, unimaginative designers and middle aged, one-time mods, now sofa-landlocked on an endlessly nostalgic faraway domestic atoll. Poor sods. Maybe I'm one of 'em. Saw a rough draft of the Dreamsville site last week. Some things need a bit of a tweak. The trick is balancing graphic visual quality with practical download times. Something of a trade-off. The site is still in the hands of the technical chap and being knocked into digital shape, 'though the main visual components have been completed. I'm hoping we can launch the site fairly soon. But I've said that before. The consolation in all of this is that I don't want to just 'knock something up' for the sake of getting the site in place. It needs to be right. It will be, as I've also said before, an open-ended, ongoing project... something that will be developed slowly and carefully with attention to aesthetic detail. An extension of my musical and personal life, rather than a peripheral thing. I really need to escape from my room today... health suffering again, various aches and pains, twinges, numbnesses, a general feeling of being drained, exhausted even. I really ought to limit how much of myself I allow to be damaged by all this stuff. My own fault entirely of course. I can't even begin to address the problem. I'm hardly likely to change the habit of a lifetime at this stage of the game. If I really wanted to, if I genuinely felt more than just a romantic revulsion for this arty-farty lifestyle, I would. Throw it all away. It's obviously a tender trap I'm caught in and my wriggling is nothing more than a token defiance. Well... there you go. In the end, I submit to the painful deliciousness of it all. What a loser, what a lucky guy. Top of page William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) March 2005 Feb Dec Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013

Gleaming Without Lights Bill Nelson album - 28 April 2007 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Gleaming Without Lights 02) North-East 03) Rialto 04) Billy Builds The World Of Tomorrow 05) Glittering Rails 06) Dreamland Illuminated 07) Pilgrim (Fantasia On A Distantly Remembered Hymn) ALBUM NOTES: Gleaming Without Lights is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album shares its catalogue number with a reissued edition of the 1986 release Getting the Holy Ghost Across , due to a mix up made during production (meaning that there is no Sonoluxe CD-007). The album was first made available at the merchandise table at a concert Nelson staged at Leeds University before going on general sale through S.O.S two days later. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: On "Pilgrim": "My school days go right back to the post war '50s, but, yes, I sang the hymn about 'those in peril on the sea' too, and another one about fishermen. (And I liked the 'Peril on the sea' one very much, it had a lovely series of upward semitone shifts before the resolve of the title phrase.) "Also one that mentioned a lamplighter, which I loved because my great grandfather was a lamplighter. As an infant, frightened by his first day in school, that particular hymn gave me some comfort by connecting me, albeit distantly, with a member of my family. "The melodies were strong in those days, the lyrics hewn like furniture from English oaks and, though I wasn't particularly happy at school, those melodies and words have stayed with me all these long years. "Also, in music lessons, we sang 'Speed Bonny Boat' and 'Barbara Allen' and several other old English songs that held wonderful melodic and visual associations for me. 'Hearts of oak are our ships, hearts of oak are our men, steady, boys, steady...we'll fight and we'll conquer again and again...' Stirring stuff for a boy barely out of infancy. "But 'To Be A Pilgrim' still has something that I find meaningful, especially when the Christian connotations are removed. 'He who would valiant be, 'gainst all disaster...' seems almost like a personal motto to me." FAN THOUGHTS: Earthling: "I lost all track of time during "Dreamland Illuminated" and was almost late to work because of refusing to stop the music for any reason. Another great addition to the collection. Bill, Thanks for being so prolific and dedicated to bring us your music." Swan: "A few weeks ago I was listening to "Dreamland Illuminated" at work at about 4am on my i-pod. Whether it was the unearthly hour or the music or both I actually felt like I left this world for a brief time, it was weird! It's a long track but it felt like a microsecond...bloody marvellous!" EERO: "Man, I love this record. It keeps unfolding with new delights and has grabbed me in quite unexpected ways...Thanks for the great music." Radium Girl: "An absolute sonic caress! It puts me into a fantastic state of mind as it all unfolds....Bill!" AJ: "This is a remarkable release. Interestingly it touches on "rock" more than I anticipated along with its masterful elegance. The most complete and grown up guitar based instrumental album BN has ever done." amok: "It is certainly a great CD. You can hear echoes of Sailor Bill , Neptune and "For Stuart" to name just a few." BobK: "Must say I am very impressed by the new album. In particular the suite "Dreamland Illuminated". I love the way the melodies, motifs and electronic sounds drift in and out creating such beautiful soundscapes. (Especially the melody around at nine and a half minutes when the piano drifts in, just before the 'saxophone' - gorgeous). Rarely has 20 minutes or so gone so quick!" Dar: "There are many sections where everything we know to this point comes together into a perfectly completed whole. Of course I like some parts more than others, but the way "Dreamland Illuminated" morphs and evolves effortlessly is really something to behold. OK, enough gushing." wonder toy: "Rialto": "is an excellent track, really nice guitar work on that one. The whole album is just amazing. "North-East" is an outstanding song. Thanks for putting this music out." Johnny Jazz: "Pilgrim": "I'm rather pleased Bill chose to do an improv around this on Gleaming . It reminds me of the early morning assemblies when I was at primary school mid 60's. Without fail, at least once a week we'd be singing 'to be a Pilgrim' or whatever its proper title is. It's kind of engrained in my psyche, despite the fact I hated singing hymns, they seemed at the time so bloody depressing. As of now it's a real favourite of mine on Gleaming . It certainly stands out. I think I can appreciate Bill's sentiments regarding this track on the sleeve notes. C of E schools in the '60s have a lot to answer for." Flying: "Play "Glittering Rails" very loud...It's top of my current top 10 'play really loud in the car' tunes. Love the percussion and the swirling expansive space in the sound which creates the perfect backdrop for the guitar to do it's hypnotising thing. Music to get lost in." Albums Menu Future Past

All That I Remember Bill Nelson album - 25 July 2016 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) All That I Remember 02) The View From Lantern Hill 03) Memory Time No. 1: A Wakefield Adventure 04) The Wonderful Wurlitzer Of Blackpool Tower 05) Spacefleet (The Golden Days Of Dan Dare) 06) Memory Time No. 2: The Rock N' Roll Years 07) Christmastide 08) Strolling With My Father 09) Scale Model (Assembly Required) 10) Reighton Sands 11) Memory Time No. 3: Eagle, Beezer, Topper, Beano 12) When Boys Dream Of Guitars 13) The Ilfracombe Steamer 14) Memory Time No. 4: A Dansette Fantasy 15) Heading For Home In A Hillman Minx 16) As If It Was A Moment Ago ALBUM NOTES: All That I Remember is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 500 copies. The album was the third to appear in Nelson's Super Listener Series, and was presented in a digi-pack sleeve. The album was first announced on the Dreamsville forum on 17 July 2015, approximately 1 year ahead of release. At that stage Nelson had completed three tracks and had established the basic concept behind the work, formed from "nostalgic memories of younger days." One of the named tracks, "Old Boats" appears to have not made the final cut of the album, or perhaps it went through a change of title. In its early stages it was planned to include a couple of vocal pieces, but this idea never materialised, and Nelson stuck purely to instrumentals to convey his memories. Work on All That I Remember continued at pace, with the track listing confirmed on 11 August 2015, and tentative plans to issue the album around Christmas 2015. However, by October 2015 Nelson re-scheduled his plans for the album to be issued in February 2016 with the intention of staging a launch party for the album's release. Bill ended up choosing a different release for the launch party, so All That I Remember was released on 25 July 2016, becoming the first to be sold through a re-vamped SOS web shop. By 3 August 2016 it was announced that the album had completely sold out. Due to its autobiographical nature, Nelson decided to produce a 22 page set of listening notes, wonderfully illustrated and lovingly scripted, which help paint the historical back drop to the compositions. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "All That I Remember is a very personal and autobiographical album. "It's entirely instrumental...a musical painting (or sonic movie) of an early period of my life. "But that's not to say that the music is always literally illustrative of the past. It has a post-modernist quality that often allows things to develop on their own, for purely musical reasons, rather than slavishly holding onto an entirely conceptual, 'retro' agenda. It features deliberately artificial, neo-classical stylings alongside, (and intensely fused with), electric guitar, plus a few subtle electro-techno touches. "There are moments that might make you think of The Years or The Alchemical Adventures of Sailor Bill , but they're really only hints and tints and far from the big picture, (which stretches wider than this). "It's a complex album, a bit of a puzzle, yet quite easy and explicit in other ways. As always, I'm playing ironic games with the listener's expectations, throwing diverse genres together, making odd juxtapositions. Is it music that requires intelligent thought to appreciate fully? I have no idea but, it's not an album for those who might be looking for an instant rock music fix. And yet, I have to admit it has some elements of that in it too. "It's not just a very personal album, it's indicative of the complexity of my own multi-faceted musical inspirations." _____ "The album contains a certain amount of nostalgic irony with a deliberate musical 'kitschness' to it. It's meant as a loving tribute to some older musical forms and has no existence in anything but whimsy and dreamy reminiscences. I intended for it to sound slightly 'antique' and just a little bit kitsch. It's post-modernism coupled with a kind of cute take on surrealism. You have to see the 'wink' in it to fully grasp where it's coming from." _____ "The listening notes help to fill in the background to each track, emphasising the autobiographical nature of the album and illustrating it with additional images, different from the CD package ones. All this will hopefully add to your enjoyment of what I consider to be a major statement album." _____ Bill's Listening Notes for the album: 'All That I Remember' Listening Notes FAN THOUGHTS: Palladium : "I listened to All That I Remember this morning in a relaxed, receptive mood - the music really took hold, as it were. I suspect it'll be rated over time as one of Bill's richest and sweetest recordings. I get a lot of pleasure from it - there seems to be a superabundance of an effortless poetic something-or-other saturating every track. I don't know what it is, but, boy, it puts me in a harmonious & heartfelt place." "I recommend that you read the detailed listening notes, track by track, as you listen to this album for the first time. I'm glad I did - a remarkably rich, evocative, cinematic experience. (I don't usually read while listening to music, as I find one distracts from the other - but this is an exception, probably helped by the fact that it's instrumental and deeply atmospheric)... It's an absolutely amazing, beautiful album, I should add." "Currently hugely enjoying this album. It has a lot of different moods and textures, but it works so well as a coherent, organic whole (as it were) - incredibly evocative, with some staggeringly lovely guitar. Current favourite tracks: "The Wonderful Wurlitzer of Blackpool Tower", "Christmastide", and "Reighton Sands"." james warner: "Another personal trip into the past in musical form from Bill, conjuring a strong sense of nostalgia with no words. Guitar and keyboards take turns at lead over the course of this album with number of tracks featuring the synthetic orchestra sound of The Alchemical Adventures Of Sailor Bill album." BigManRestless: "I'm mainly a fan of vocal-based songs, but I think this album, on first listen, may be my 2nd favourite instrumental album from Bill, just behind Practically Wired . A few more plays and it might overtake it. Very, very impressed!" Peter: "All That I Remember arrived over the weekend, and tonight I am sitting down for my first listen...I am half a dozen songs in and am truly loving what I am hearing. (I couldn't even wait until I had heard the whole album to say something about it!) Fantastic stuff, Bill! From the first warm, embracing notes of the title track, I have been entranced. Thank you for this one!" "I love it to pieces. It is just full of those moments when I am stopped dead in my tracks and just think, "Oh, wow...that's BEAUTIFUL". Bill's ability to do just the right thing at just the right moment never ceases to amaze me. Nicely done, Mr. Nelson." TheMikeN: "Nostalgia is an odd ingredient in brand new music, particularly when it comes alongside Bill's oft-expressed intention to look to the future in all his work. The dichotomy is explained by the fact that the music moves forward here and only the visuals (the pictures in Bill's head) were nostalgic. This is not a musical tribute to music of the past – it's a soundtrack to the colourful imagery Bill associates with his childhood and adolescence. The pictures in his head are fresh, so the music is fresh. What's not clear is whether the memories are poignant or joyful. Mr N assures us that there is tongue in cheek for much of what is here, but some of the melodies are so delicate that even I can feel the loss of those innocent times. None of us can have simple feelings about happy times that are lost in so many ways because the majority of the important players are no longer with us. Bill's 'golden memories' are thoughtful and subtle but they still inspire a chuckle. Listen to this alongside everything from Model Village , Chance Encounters and even "Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape". For less detailed, more abstract musical imagery, And We Fell Into A Dream is a great place to go as well." Alan: "Today, I had time to sit down, read the listening notes, prior to listening to each track, and all I can say is, "Thank you, Bill Nelson." I appreciate you're letting us see a glimpse of your life through music. Many artists are reluctant to let their fans have a view of who they are, but it's one of the things that makes you a genuine person, as well as a true star. I've always liked the photograph of you and Ian, with the steamboat in the background. That photograph, as well as others, shows that you were a very good brother. As an aside, I'm glad that All That I Remember was a full album. I was afraid from the title that it may be an EP... Seriously though, keep doing exactly what you're doing. (Not that you need my permission). Oh, and on the final track, I heard some of the same type of guitar that originally drew me into your music all those years ago." wadcorp: "It's a sonic sea, deep & expansive. There are wide open vistas of English countryside, early morning walks by the seaside, and journeys down roads not traveled since one's youth. You're walking through a small town in "The Wonderful Wurlitzer of Blackpool Tower", past a grand old merry-go-round. You're not in the present any more, but flashing back to the experience as it was when you were young. "Spacefleet (The Golden Days of Dan Dare)" whisks you into a future, as imagined in the 1950s. Sweeping skyward with excitement & optimism. Undercurrents of jazz flood into the coolness of "Strolling With My Father." Imagine a smoky, dark nightclub, populated with the coolest of the cool. Seagulls call as you stroll by the edge of the water in "Reighton Sands." The music goes beyond setting the mood, and sets the place. You are there. All the tunes are very evocative of place, as well as of time. This is a journey of remembrance. Fans who enjoy The Alchemical Adventures of Sailor Bill will find this one right up their alley. A major entry into the Bill Nelson canon." major snagg: "I'm listening to this fabulous CD as I type this. What a stunning album." Returningman: "A highly personal album rather like an invitation to a private viewing of Bill's thoughts and distant memories. "Reighton Sands" for me is the absolute highlight of the album. Gentle strummed chords and ocean sounds provide the background texture to another guitar masterpiece. Ethereal and perfect, a sound that spirits you away to a place far far away. Bill mentions the possibility of "an epic box set, a life captured in sound" at the end of the notes, on the strength of Vol 1, I hope this project achieves fruition." Albums Menu Future Past

Nelsonica 03 Live Archive For the third annual 'Nelsonica' convention, Bill again put his band The Lost Satellites together to perform a one-off gig, held for the second year at 'The Duke of Cumberland' in North Ferriby near Hull. A slightly different line-up from the previous year, as it saw the return of Nick Dew on drums for the first time with Bill since the 'Axe Victim' days. The band rehearsed for just three days and performed 12 songs, including a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'I Need You Tonight'. The band consisted of... Bill Nelson - Guitars & Voice Nick Dew - Drums Ian Nelson - Saxophone Ian Leese - Bass & Backing Vocals Dave Standeven - Guitar Steve Cook - Keyboards Jon Wallinger - Keyboard & Acoustic Guitar Elle & Elliot Nelson also performed as support act, with their band Honeytone Cody. Here's a few pictures from Martin Bostock...if you have any you would like to add, please get in touch!

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 William's Study (Diary Of A Hyperdreamer) February 2011 Jan Mar Apr Dec Wednesday 23rd February 2011 -- 4:00 pm Begun:- Tuesday 15th February 2011. Lots going on. Finding a spare moment, (and a long enough one), to bring the diary up to date hasn't been easy. One of the main things occupying my mind has been an invitation to perform on television with my once-in-a-blue-moon 'Gentlemen Rocketeers' band. This was quite unexpected. It's for an ITV series titled 'Legends' which seems to feature bands such as Van Der Graff Generator and Camel and solo artists such as Roy Harper. The idea is that the band or artist performs in front of a select audience of no more than 125 people for a maximum of 90 minutes. Audience members are given a champagne and wine reception and get to attend a meet 'n' greet session with the artist after the show. Apparently, a DVD of the performance will eventually be released and each member of the audience will receive a free copy and have their name listed on the DVD and on the tv credit roll. The tickets, which are sold by the companies who produce the show, are rather expensive, but perhaps this reflects the exclusivity of the event to some degree. Truth be told, despite my ego momentarily waking up from its half-sleep, I almost turned down the opportunity to perform as the production costs to assemble a band and rehearse sufficient material for the show far exceeds the artist's fee. However, if we manage to sell out all the seats to our performance, the tv company have agreed to increase the basic fee to help reduce the shortfall. If we sell out, that is. Otherwise, I'll be substantially out of pocket. Despite the up-market nature of this event, I'm really hoping that fans will support the show and bring their enthusiasm with them. Aside from the financial considerations, the sight of a full house and appreciative faces will go a long way to restoring confidence in myself. I suppose it could be seen by some fans as a mildly 'historic' occasion, particularly as television appearances of your dear diarist are extremely rare these days... Anyway, the show will be filmed 'live' on the 26th of March and will be broadcast later, sometime in June. I would imagine that the DVD will become available even later in the year, or maybe early next year. As for now being officially deemed a 'legend' I suppose I should feel honoured. In my case, however, a wry and somewhat cynical smile crosses my face, accompanied by a quizzically raised eyebrow. I must admit that performing a live television concert focussing, (in the main), on 35 year old songs, at the age of 62, isn't exactly a dream I've secretly harboured, but, hey, what the hell...maybe it will be ok. Just don't expect me to watch myself afterwards, that's all. Horror of horrors. I avoid household mirrors on a regular basis so tv screen images of myself are even more unappealing, especially with the knowledge that what they reveal will travel much further than the four walls of home. Gut instincts aside, I've signed the somewhat old-school contract that the tv company have presented me with, (nine signatures required, no less), and am now trembling with both anticipation and trepidation. Ahead lies the task of re-learning certain songs for the show. We've scheduled five days of rehearsal to tackle this. The band will be a seven piece and we will mostly concentrate on what have, in recent years, become 'classic' concert songs for me, (at least since the Be Bop Deluxe And Beyond Tour of 2004. And, my goodness...even that's already SEVEN years ago!) I'll also try to include a couple of solo pieces as we don't have enough suitable band material to fill the entire show. At least the solo pieces will provide me with an opportunity to present a little taste of the music of more recent years. To say that I'm suffering a certain amount of, well, as I've already said, trepidation about all of this is something of an understatement. For the last few years, the only live performances I've given have been at the Nelsonica fan convention. So, basically, it's been just one show per year. (And even then, only in front of loyal fans who I've become to regard more as family than an actual 'audience.') However, this 'Legends' tag puts a different spin on things, and added pressure to live up to it. Television is a much more intimate and less forgiving medium than Nelsonica's fan convention stage and DVD's of live performances do tend to set everything in aspic. I'm not sure that I'm particularly comfortable, or even physically and psychologically prepared, for such intense scrutiny...but, there's no turning back now. Is it scary? As the late radio DJ, (and Be Bop Deluxe fan), Alan Freeman would have said: "Not half!" (Apologies for the quip...nerves are kicking in already.) Meanwhile, the Cherry Red/Esoteric Records back catalog re-issue program gathers pace. I've spent several days working with Mark Powell of Esoteric Records on the content and sequencing of the epic career retrospective compilation box-set that will officially kick-off the series of re-issues. What started out being a six cd set has now expanded to become a seven cd set. It could quite easily have mutated into an eight cd set too but a wee bit of restraint was perhaps advisable! Anyway, the final running order and track choices have all been decided upon and so it is now down to Cherry Red/Esoteric to secure agreements from the various major labels to license some of the selections that they still control. I've also added a few examples of recordings from the last ten years of my career so that some of my more recent music will be represented too. I was amazed to discover that the tracks the box set will contain covers a period of forty years, beginning with selections taken from the 'Northern Dream' album. Haven't really been counting, just getting on with it, but, that's a LOT of work across a relatively expansive musical territory. Maybe I should call it, 'Time Travel For Beginners,' (even though I've already used that title for a live solo performance piece). Yes, and there's another unsolved problem...I'm still struggling with finding an appropriate title for the box set. Naming an 'ordinary' album is a little easier. Usually, there is a thematic starting point or a specific atmosphere to be evoked, but with a compilation of this size and stylistic/generic variety, coming up with an appropriate title is proving tricky. Most of the titles I've short-listed so far have been abandoned after living with them for a few days. My antennas are still out and awaiting signals but reception is, at the moment, rather poor. Hopefully, they will pick up something soon. In my previous diary entry, I wrote about the Rosewell guitar amplifier that has been built for me by Dave Gascoigne. Dave is now working on what will become a Bill Nelson Signature Model. (Gosh, was that the sound of my ego stirring itself from its ancient sleep again?) The signature amp will be built to the same technical specification as the tweed combo that sits in my studio, (photographs of which appeared in my previous diary entry), but, in this instance, it will feature a cosmetic design more appropriate to what some observers would regard as my signature 'retro-futurist' visual style. The signature combo will sport a two tone burgundy and cream tolex finish and a 'tv' front. Very 'BN' for want of a better description! Dave is still working hard on the amp's design so I haven't as yet seen anything in a finished state, but, as you might imagine, I'm very excited about it. Once we're happy with the prototype, Dave will hand-build these amps individually, as a commercially available item, and each one will carry a metal plaque bearing my hand-written signature. (Not mechanically engraved, mind you, but personally and individually signed with an indelible ink specially formulated for writing on metal.) These will be custom items and quite different from the mass-produced, production-line amplifiers on offer from mainstream companies. On a totally different subject: My nephew Julian, (my late brother Ian's eldest son), and his charming wife Lyndsey, have just been blessed with the arrival of their first child, a daughter who has been named Bethany Anne Nelson. Bethany is my late brother Ian's first grandchild. Had Ian still been with us I know how proud he would have felt. Ian used to rib me about my own grandfather status when my own grandson, (Luke), was born. I regret that Ian isn't here now so that I could return his 'grandfather Bill' witticisms in equally affectionate and brotherly fashion. I deeply miss him and always will. I also know that Julian is profoundly sad that his father isn't here to share in this joyful family moment. But, perhaps he is here in spirit. I'm convinced that the warm-hearted soul of Ian hovers benignly over this happy event. Such things radiate beyond the limitations of flesh and blood. God and Buddha bless and welcome to the world, Bethany. Another shift of gears: Media interviews are being lined up to promote the 'Legends' tv show and the career retrospective box set. I have a 'phone interview on Monday morning for 'Classic Rock' magazine. It's based on the subject of songwriters. Apparently, the idea is that I should choose and talk about a songwriter whose work means something to me. It seems that my initial choices have already been covered by previous interviews in the series so I've had to dig a little deeper. (Probably all the better for that too.) So, my main choice is Hank Williams, and I might also discuss my appreciation of Smokey Robinson's songwriting. I had originally thought of Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waites or Neil Young, but it seems that they have already been taken by other interviewees in the series. (Hmm...maybe a mention of the great and now, sadly, late Captain Beefheart might also be worth sneaking into the picture. 'Blabber And Smoke' from 'The Spotlight Kid' album, is one of my favourite songs of all time, by any artist.) Last night, in a fit of wine-fuelled nostalgia, Emi and I decided to watch the DVD of the excellent 'Tribute To George' concert. This, along with 'The Last Waltz' is, in my opinion, one of the very best rock music concert videos ever made. It serves George Harrison's memory beautifully, a touching and heartfelt tribute to the man by his fellow musicians, many of whom were also George's personal friends. And what fabulous musicianship is on show here. Eric Clapton gave his all to this concert, both in the role of musical director and performer. His devotion to the project is something to treasure. Only a philistine could denigrate the genuine love in evidence throughout. The quality of playing from everyone involved is masterful and deeply heartfelt. It's far too easy for some people to knock the 'old guard' these days but the performances here really set the bar high. A sharp reminder that rock music can have emotional depth and transcendant beauty when written and played by musicians of this calibre and experience. It's a concert that makes me feel proud to have been a rock guitarist, rather than my usual feeling of being embarrassed about my past associations with the genre. Click, buzz, whirr: On the more mundane domestic front: My car's battery is as flat as the proverbial pancake, as is one of its tyres. Haven't driven the thing since before Christmas and my indifference to its condition shows. Emiko's little VW Polo hatchback has served as our chariot of choice for more than two months now, but I really need to get my own vehicle up and running soon as I'll need to travel to and from rehearsals for the tv show, when they begin next month. Also need to decide on which guitars to use on which numbers for the 'Legends' performance. I thought of cutting it back to three or four guitars for practicality's sake but, I suspect that won't be nearly enough. Television, being such a visual medium, may actually benefit from me using several colourful instruments on the programme, rather than adopting a more limited, sensible approach. I do have some beautiful examples and it would be nice to have them make an appearance for posterity's sake. And, as a bonus, they might take the viewer's attention away from the person playing them! As for the two unfinished albums sitting here in the studio...virtually no progress since Christmas. Too many other distractions. It's most unusual for me to not work on the recordings for such a length of time. However, I did fire up the studio last week to try and complete one of the tracks I'd been working on, only to discover that my Yamaha SPX 90 processor has given up the ghost. I suspect it's the internal battery that powers the program memory. It's lasted quite a long time...I bought the unit in the early 1980's and only now has it broken down, despite punishingly intense use over the years. Unfortunately, the battery isn't an easy item to replace. It requires the unit to be fully disconnected from my fx rack and the casing opened up. It's not a common battery either and is in fact soldered or hard-wired into the unit. It requires someone with more experience than myself to remove and replace it. It will have to wait until I have more time and energy to pull the studio gear apart to get at it. Having said that, I'm almost at the point where one of the tracks I've been working on is ready for a final mix. Although the Yamaha SPX 90 is crucial to the vocal sound I get on my recordings, it may well prove worthwhile to try and attempt a mix without using this unit on the vocals and guitar tracks. Over the years I've become reasonably adept at working around various equipment failures and technical shortcomings so...perhaps it might be ok. Time, as always with these things, is the major limiting factor. I do spend rather a lot of time dealing with forum postings on my website, (another daily task I feel duty bound to engage with, and regularly moan about). Also, writing these increasingly lengthy diary entries takes up more time than readers might realise, despite the casual air of my writings. It may well prove more productive to leave such things to themselves for awhile and instead try to advance the 'Model Village' and 'Lampdownlow' albums. (Let alone the long overdue 'Last Of The Neon Cynics' project.) Even though I've decided to abandon 'Nelsonica' this year, it seems that the space vacated by it is already filling up. But, more of that later as things develop. It's said that nature abhors a vacuum...well, yes, apparently so. Another cliché, perhaps...but also a truism. An inevitable gap here in the diary, between one day and another. I've now completed the 'songwriters' interview for 'Classic Rock' magazine. It is now Monday and the Hank Williams piece was conducted by Max Bell. Max, rather like myself, has been a devotee of music for many years. He recalls seeing Be Bop Deluxe on the Cockney Rebel tour in the early '70s. He probably recalls more about that tour than I do. Anyway, it was nice to speak with him. Got involved in a lengthy debate on my website. It's a recurring topic. Nebulous downloads versus CD albums or other physical sound carrier pigeons. As may be evident from these diary entries, I'm a tactile sort of chap. I like to get my hands on stuff, touch and feel it, stack it on my shelves, involve myself in the sensory experience. I need something 'solid' rather than a bit stream sent down my 'phone line. I also prefer the shopping in a store experience to browsing the luminous fishtank of my computer screen. But that's not to say that there aren't times when the musical equivalent of fast food consumption isn't handy. (Though for me, it's not so much handy as it might be for other people.) There is still something sad and unsatisfying about accessing music via downloads, or even streaming. It doesn't engage my heart and soul and feels cheap and commonplace. I'm a sucker for something special and, well, 'physical. 'I also object to being herded like a doe-eyed cow into a future that treats everyone the same, a future that presumes we're all palpitatingly desperate to have the next flavour of the month gizmo in our pocket, regardless of whether it is of any damn use to us or not. There's a great deal of subtle consumer manipulation at work here, sometimes of such psychological sophistication that we find it difficult to resist. Advertising as hypnotism, fashion as Fascism, desires twisted and turned until they squeak like hungry mice in innocent minds already over-stuffed with over-ripe cheese. Whilst I'm in the 'grumpy old man' mood here: 'Smart' 'phones and their associated apps raise yet another cynical eyebrow with me. Kiddie stuff. Sci-fi for beginners. Star-Trek communicators that 'really work'...but communicating what exactly? Facebook? Twitter? Low resolution photographs of drunken partygoers letting it all hang out? Hmmm... 'Smart' 'phones...More like 'dumb' 'phones. But, hypocrite that I am, I actually upgraded to one the other day as my previous basic mobile was well over five years old and about to give up the ghost. Didn't cost me anything to upgrade, of course, other than the price of my capitulation, (which can't be measured in any other terms than those of embarrassment and frustration). But...Hallelujah! I can now access this website from my mobile! The fact that it's a pain in the bum to read the forum without donning spectacles and carting a powerful electron microscope around with me is totally beside the point. At least I can now sit in any bar, train, or restaurant bleeping and pecking and peeking away at a tiny little screen with the rest of the herd. What should I twitter, I wonder? "Just got out of the bath, fed the cats, ate a croissant for breakfast?" Better not go down that route or this diary will be rendered redundant. Only joking, of course. The 'phone may well prove useful in some situations. (But not if I can avoid those situations first.) Bought Jeff Beck's 'Rock N' Roll Party' DVD today. A tribute to Les Paul filmed at The Iridium Club in New York where Les had a weekly residency for several years, right up until his passing. Not watched the DVD yet but will try to find time tonight. I'm looking forward to it. Also bought Neil Young's 'Le Noise' album. Just had a quick first listen and really like the guitar treatments that producer Daniel Lanois created for Neil. It's like an acoustic guitar based singer/songwriter album except that Neil is playing electric and singing without any band. Nice photo', (on the inner sleeve), of Neil playing his big Gretsch 'White Falcon' guitar during the recording of the album at Daniel's LA house. The entire recording sounds wonderfully distorted, delayed and filtered, quite unique in its approach. My favourite track on this first toe-in-the-water listen is titled 'Rumblin.' I continue to feel an affinity with Neil's work and have done so ever since his Buffalo Springfield days. We're driving in two different cars but down similar highways. (And both own and appreciate Gretsch White Falcon guitars.) Browsing guitar web pages the other day, I came across a picture of a beautiful Monteleone archtop guitar. It is loosely based on a famous D'Angelico archtop known as 'The Teardrop' but adds even more flair to that instrument's design. (See pic accompanying this diary entry and also check out www.tgpwebzine.com Not only does it have the D'Angelico Teardrop's lower 'fin' but incorporates a mandolin-like scroll to the upper bout...and a 'german carve' too. If I ever get to build the signature, 'Gentleman Rocketeer' archtop I've been dreaming of for the last few years, I think I'll base its design on this, but with my usual retro-futurist twist, plus a vibrato arm and Charlie Christian-style pickups. And a two-tone grey and buttermilk paint job. The Monteleone is way out of my price bracket though. But very classy. How long is this diary entry? I'm sure I've missed out several things that were meant to be meaningful and interesting. But I've completely forgotten what they were. Mustn't have been important, as my mum used to say when she forgot something or other that she meant to tell me. I've become a 21st Century sort of chap...skating the surface of everything. ***** The images accompanying this diary entry are as follows: 1: 3 black guitars. L to R: Eastwood Saturn 63, Les Paul Custom, D'Angelico NYS33 2: 3 white guitars. L to R: Airline 'Map' guitar, Gretsch White Falcon, Burns Marvin Anniversary. 3: 3 quirky guitars. L to R: Campbell American Nelsonic Transitone, Campbell American Del'Drago 'Rocketship' Nelsonic, Italia Mondial. 4: 3 jazzy guitars. L to R: Peerless Deep Blue Custom, Musima 'Record', Peerless Monarch. 5: Monteleone Teardrop. 6: A flyer for the 'Lampdownlowland' album. (Photography and treatments by Bill Nelson.) Top of page