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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dreamsville is the website for Wakefield born guitarist and musician Bill Nelson, formerly of Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise. Orchestra Futura - Live At Nelsonica & Clothworkers Hall CD and vinyl pre-order details here My Private Cosmos (Disc Five) digital download now available from Bandcamp

Warriors single - 1983 Gary Numan Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer, Guitar and Keyboard. Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Mick Ronson Memorial Concert live album - 1997 Various Artists Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Guitar on the seven songs attributed to the Spiders From Mars: "Width Of A Circle", Ziggy Stardust", "Angel No. 9", "Don't Look Down", "Moonage Daydream", "White Light/White Heat" and "Suffragette City". Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

Charade single - 1979 Skids Production/Contribution Menu Future Past BILL: Producer and Keyboards Production/Contribution Menu Future Past

My Secret Studio, Vol. 1 Bill Nelson album box set - December 1995 Albums Menu Future Past CD 1 - Buddha Head: 01) My Philosophy 02) Killing My Desires 03) Buddha Head 04) The Way 05) Big River 06) Karma Kisses 07) We Will Rise 08) Signs And Signals 09) Lotus In The Stream 10) Enlightenment 11) Eternally 12) Duality 13) Perfect World 14) The Heart Has Its Reasons 15) Sun Will Rise 16) The Big Illumination 17) Life As We Know It Purchase this download CD 2 - Electricity Made Us Angels: 01) Begin To Burn 02) Heaven's Happy Hemisphere 03) God In Her Eyes 04) Float Away 05) Big Blue Day 06) Sweet Is The Mystery 07) If Wishes Were Horses 08) Fair Winds And Flying Boats 09) Ocean Over Blue 10) River Of Love 11) This Is Destiny 12) Wonders Never Cease 13) Nothing Yet 14) God Thundered Boy 15) She Sends Me Purchase this download CD 3 - Deep Dream Decoder: 01) Things To Come 02) God Bless Me 03) Rise (Above These Things) 04) Snowing Outside 05) It's All True 06) A Head Full Of Lights And A Hat Full Of Haloes 07) The Girls I've Loved 08) Amazing Things 09) Deep Dream Decoder 10) Dissolve 11) Year 44 (The Birthday Song) 12) Wing And A Prayer 13) Dreamnoise And Angel 14) Tired Eyes 15) Golden Girl 16) The Spark Purchase this download CD 4 - Juke Box For Jet Boy: 01) She's So Extreme 02) On A Train I Never Boarded 03) Sail Away 04) Only Dreaming 05) Swing With The Rhythm Boys 06) The King And Queen Of Now Or Never 07) Hold On To Your Heart 08) Turn Me Over 09) Runaway 10) It' s Always Maybe 11) Dream Up, Billy 12) All You Need To Know 13) Warm And Wonderful 14) A Thing About That 15) No Fool For You 16) Living For Today 17) Birds In Blue Sky Again Purchase this download ALBUM NOTES: My Secret Studio is a 4CD boxed set issued on the Resurgence label, issued as a limited edition of 2000 copies. All 4 albums were compiled from Nelson's archive of previously unreleased recordings made between 1988 and 1992. The tracks were arranged non-chronologically, making it impossible to know for sure when any track was recorded. The album sleeve notes that the recordings were made at The Echo Observatory, Studio Rose Croix, and Tape Recorder Cottage. The 4 albums in the set were efficiently packaged in 2 two double slimline jewel cases housed inside a thick paper slip case, and were accompanied by a set of small cards in a polythene wallet. The package retailed at around £30 and was on catalogue for approximately 8 years before selling out. PAST RELEASES: Unlike previous Bill Nelson box sets, where the individual albums were soon released separately, My Secret Studio was handled slightly differently. The albums Buddha Head , Electricity Made Us Angels and Deep Dream Decoder were granted individual releases in 1997 on a Resurgence off shoot label, Populuxe, with each repackaged into its own jewel case. However, Juke Box For Jet Boy remained exclusive to the set. The 4CD box set was reissued on February 24, 2017, as part of the Esoteric/Cherry Red reissue series. With this version, Cherry Red has separated each disc into its own mini-lp sleeve. The result is a design which is both less cluttered and more appealing. They also took the opportunity to remaster the set, which now boasts better sound than the original Resurgence box and Populuxe issues (both of which used the same master). Although the difference is not considerable, on the whole, the remastering brings more definition and clarity to the sound. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All albums are available to purchase individually as digital downloads here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "For many years now, I've tried to apply what some people might think of as 'painterly techniques' to my music, at least to that aspect of it that lends itself to such techniques, (and sometimes to that which doesn't). "I suppose this involves a non-linear approach, treating sounds as blocks of colour, words as blips and signals, suggestions, rather than specific storytelling. Of course, (inevitably), my ingrained pop-sensibility comes into play, often unbidden, and creates certain recognisable shapes from the apparent formlessness, giving the listener an illusion of a song, even when my original intention is quite the opposite. "The music has a mutant form, perhaps, or, to employ painterly terms, it's a nebulous mix of expressionism and pop-art. But I strive not to become too po-faced or precious about it. (An arty-fartist is not an artist). I try to quash such self-indulgent pretensions as soon as they raise their ugly head. ('Though I sometimes allow them to peep above the parapet so that they can be shot down with the chuckling gatling gun of self-deprecation). "At the end of the day, it's all about a search for a unique and personal voice, one that expresses my life and inner experience as authentically and appropriately as possible. Whether it's considered by others to be rubbish or genius is besides the point. It's not about competing in the rock/pop music marketplace, or hitting certain technical/athletic 'muso' standards...it's simply about a very personal take on life itself, with all its trivia, magic and mystery." _____ "The 'ambient' things, the 'rock' things, the 'pop' things don't exist as separate, discreet entities in my creative heart, they're just facets of one, personal, unchanging musical expression. I personally regard all these categorisations as outward manifestations of a single interior vision, rather than some kind of split-personality or any desire to appear 'multi-talented'. And I've never really abandoned anything, it's all still there...the guitars, the pre-occupations, the same world-view...I've not 'gone ambient' or 'gone rock' as if changing my spots. I guess it's not the form that's important, it's the inner content, the motivation, the 'soul' that sets it reeling. The musical garment I've woven over all these years, from Northern Dream to now, constitutes a single, seamless piece of material. Study it closely from top to bottom, going beneath the immediate surface and you'll see what I mean. It's a single organic piece of work, rather than a linear, chronological series of dislocated cuttings. Just thought I'd point these things out as they are very much a part of the philosophy than provides the foundation of everything I do in creative terms. It's all one continuous song, sung over a lifetime. It's the only song I know." FAN THOUGHTS: swampboy: "After listening to all 4 discs multiple times, I fell in love with this set. The whole thing has a warm, intimate feel to it that also radiates joy, hope and compassion. There are a few dark moments here and there, but for the most part is positive and uplifting, lyrically and musically. I'm glad that Bill never got the chance to translate these song into a band setting. The sense of warmth and intimacy may have been lost with a band. What we get with this set is raw Bill, at his most vulnerable and hopeful. An intimate evening with Bill. Highly recommended! This set will be re-issued by Cherry Red sometime in the future. Miss it at your own loss!" wadcorp: Deep Dream Decoder : "What's really amazing is what an understated yet complex collection of tunes this is. Bill's vocals are laid-back, but wrestling with universal issues & emotions. Nothing is "downer" in any way. There is a continual focus on the positive here. And it goes without saying, that the guitar & instrumentation is spot-on throughout." Phil_Graham: Which of Bill's albums would you take on an island: "The box set of My Secret Studio Vol 1 . Mr N seemed to have found himself in fine form with ideas to spare on that collection, and it's the one I return to the most." tommaso: " MSS1 is among the most perfectly constructed of Bill's 'archive' releases. It's a shame that Juke Box for Jet Boy is so rare, as I think it's the best of the four! "Swing with the Rhythm Boys" is one of my favourite Nelson tracks ever; nothing better to wake up after a long night out. But Buddha Head also has very, very beautiful tracks, think of "Big River" or "Lotus in the Stream". And somehow these lyrics say much more to me than the later songs about rocketships and satellites... " Juke Box for Jet Boy was never released individually, but incidentally I find it the best of the four! Some real stand-out tracks on it like "A Train I Never Boarded", and the extremely catchy "Swing with the Rhythm Boys", but it has a wonderful flow to it that never ceases and in my view not a single weak track." Westdeep: "One of my favourite Nelson ditties is relatively rare as it's on Juke Box for Jet Boy . "Hold On to Your Heart" is worth the price of the box set alone. 2:16 of pure magic and some wonderful vocals. MSS 1 and 2 are both wonderful slices of BN and worthy of your attention though radically different. Buy them if you see them." BenTucker: "Is it really as long ago as 1995 that this was released? Scary how time goes by so quickly. Such great songs - lost none of their resonance over time. "Heaven's Happy Hemisphere" is still a favourite of mine. And also "Perfect World", "Wonders Never Cease"...and several others..." sneakypete: " My Secret Studio really opened my eyes. I personally think it is Bill's greatest work and still listen to it to this day." Marshall: " MSS Vol. 1 is one of my absolute favorite chunks of Nelsonica... MSS 1 yields rich rewards with prolonged exposure. The warm, dense mix beautifully complements the vulnerability of the lyrics and the singing...On MSS the songs are intricately constructed and fully fleshed, while the portrait I glean throughout is of a man coming out of a funk and reclaiming his confidence and his muse. That moment, on "Begin to Burn," where he shyly asks, "May I play my guitar for you?", and then rips out this searing lead - that's where Nelson returns after some (again, for me) lost years in the ambient haze. And he hasn't let up since.” Kalamazoo Kid: "I like the original 4-disc Secret Studio quite a bit. For me, it fills out a pretty distinct episode in the story - which also includes Luminous , Blue Moons , and (off to one side) Demonstrations of Affection . This is the period when Nelson took up "pop" song writing again in earnest, moving quickly from (IMHO) a rather creaky start around '87 to a whole lot of classic songs. "And this is where Nelson honed the low-key narrative-voice vocal style that would soon deliver the excellent beat-poet-derived lyrics of the techno-fied shiny spaceship period ( Practically Wired , After the Satellite , Secret Studio 2 , Atom Shop , Noise Candy )." Albums Menu Future Past

Silvertone Fountains Bill Nelson album - 16 June 2008 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Beauty Rides The Last Bus Home 02) The Fabulous Whirlygig Of Now 03) Autumn Drowns Apples In Golden Tides 04) Silvertone Fountains 05) La Vie Moderne 06) Slow Clouds 07) Happy In My Helicopter Hat 08) December Waltz 09) The World Sleeps Late On New Year's Day 10) Young Dreams, Whirled Away 11) Spearmint And Moonbeams 12) We Vanish At Shadowfall 13) The Bells Of Villefranche 14) Fish Are Dancing In The Fountain Of Dreams 15) Shower Of Sparks ALBUM NOTES: Silvertone Fountains is an instrumental album issued on the Sonoluxe label in a single print run of 1000 copies. The album was recorded as the first part of a trilogy of complementary releases, the associated albums being Illuminated at Dusk (issued concurrently with Silvertone Fountains ) and Mazda Kaleidoscope . Work on the album effectively stretches back to mid-2007 when Nelson was developing an album project called Frankie Ukelele and the Fire in the Lake . Before that album had been fully realised much of the completed, material was transferred to what became the And We Fell into a Dream album, with the residual material initially retained for a revised Frankie Ukulele album. Around the time of Nelsonica '07 , Nelson re-thought his plans and abandoned the Frankie Ukulele concept altogether and shifted his attention towards a new album called Silvertone Fountains , which initially contained a mixture of both new material as well as tracks slated for inclusion on Frankie Ukelele and the Fire in the Lake . Nelson revealed in a diary entry dated 4 December 2007 that he had prepared a CDR of the new compositions ear-marked for this album which he distributed to members of the Nelsonica team. In the event though just 2 tracks included on that early draft version of Silvertone Fountains would make it to the finished album, with all but one track ("The Lost Art of Doing Nothing") distributed among four other future album releases, namely Illuminated at Dusk , Clocks and Dials , The Dream Transmission Pavilion and Here Comes Mr Mercury . In January 2008 Nelson produced another album's worth of guitar instrumentals that would signal completion of both Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated at Dusk , the track listings for which were simultaneously confirmed in February 2008. 2008 was clearly an important year for Nelson who would celebrate his 60th birthday in December, and each album issued that year would bear a special 60th birthday insignia in recognition of this fact. The year would see Nelson issue a total of 5 distinct albums in a period of around 7 months, making it as prolific a year as 2004. It would set a standard that, more often than not, would be matched in future years. Silvertone Fountains sold out in January 2019. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Each album is designed to bring its own distinctive colour to the trilogy. My original concept involved listening to the albums in a fixed order...Which is as follows: Silvertone , then Illuminated , followed by Mazda . "Silvertone sets out the stall, as it were, introducing a calm and contemplative note in the listener but also hinting at things to come on the companion albums. It is a quite intense album in some ways, exploring various corners of my work in an introspective fashion, though there are light-hearted moments too. The tracks should not be judged by only hearing the first minute or so of each track in 'channel-hopping' fashion though. The pieces sometimes go through quite dramatic changes within each composition, often ending up in a different musical space from the one in which they started. (For instance: "Young Love Whirled Away" begins as a melancholy, other-worldly waltz, then mutates into a brief 'ambient noise' interlude before plunging enthusiastically into a hot 'jump-jive' barnstorming guitar section.) "It's important to hear each piece in its entirety. This album requires complete, concentrated listening...rather than a skimming through the intros of each track to seek something instantly appealing. It will reward the listener who appreciates subtleties, detail and cross-references to other styles of music. It's also quite an emotional album for me, containing much tenderness, as well as careful thought." _____ "I was listening avidly to the great jazz guitarists long before I became a professional player with Be Bop Deluxe and I've always 'had a thing' about the sound and feel of a traditional archtop acoustic-electric guitar. My recent instrumental music fuses these long-time jazz leanings with rock, avant and ambient tendencies...it's not 'fusion' music but something beyond that, something personal. "The recently released instrumental albums, Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated At Dusk , provide particular examples of this approach. The guitar playing on them mixes more traditional, rich and luxurious jazz guitar sounds with bright n' shiny rock n' roll tones. (The former from my Peerless 'Monarch', the latter courtesy of my Campbell 'Nelsonic Transitone' signature solid-body guitar and my Eastwood/Airline retro-styled instruments.) I've always derived a perverse pleasure from playing games with musical expectations, whether those expectations are mine or my audience's." _____ Bill's Listening Suggestion of the Day: "A track with a sort of 'split' personality today: "Young Dreams Whirled Away", an instrumental from the Silvertone Fountains album. The track opens with a short blast of weird amusement arcade bleeps and buzzes before turning into a light, jazzy waltz with arpeggio guitar chords and a clean, reverb-tinted and echo-delayed Space Guitar solo, improvising over the previously mentioned chord changes...a contrapuntal feel to this section...then a short but ambiguous, floating, almost ambient bridge into section number two: A fast, tricky, almost '50s Be Bop jazz meets '70s funk guitar jam with harmony lead guitar overdubs and a sound that brings to my mind the idea of a non-existent album titled 'Les Paul on the Moon'. This is one of my favourite guitar recordings from my albums, though it was quite demanding to record. Play it nice and loud to get the full effect!" _____ "The album's title comes partly from the old 'Silvertone' guitar company of America. Think of it as a fountain of shining, silver strings." FAN THOUGHTS: BenTucker: "On Silvertone Fountains , the track, "Autumn Drowns Apples in Golden Tides", alone is worth the price of admission. That's followed by the sublime title track. That's enough beauty to last the whole day, but you're still only at track 4! An absolute must-buy." Holer: "This is a lush, exciting, thrilling sonic experience, and reaffirms why I am such a fan of Bill's work and have been for so many years." Peter: "The standouts for me so far are "Happy in My Helicopter Hat" and "Young Dreams, Whirled Away" which is heartbreakingly beautiful. Oh...and Bill, your guitar playing has never been more wonderful. Thank you." Andre: "The song "Silvertone Fountains", so sensual, followed by "La Vie Moderne' with its changes and moooods...This has got to be at the top of the list of the best Bill Nelson music, of all eras." chromiumlad: "It's like sipping from a tall glass of lemonade while lounging in a hammock on a warm breezy day. I love Bill's playing! "Young Dreams, Whirled Away" is incredible!" Swan: " "Young Dreams Whirled Away": Could go on forever as far as I'm concerned!" Mr. Mercury: "I can't recommend Silvertone Fountains enough. It's one of my favourites." noggin: "I have listened to both new albums [ Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated at Dusk ] several times now, and I have to say I'm very impressed. At this early stage, Silvertone is my pick of the two, but this could change. I struggled with And We Fell Into a Dream at first but play it often now. On a different note, I find it remarkable that 33 years! after purchasing my first Bill Nelson recording ( Futurama ) I still feel that same sense of anticipation and excitement whenever I hear a new album as I did way back then. I can't think of any other musician/artist that has had that affect on me. It must be quite an achievement to have maintained a career in such a fickle industry for so long, particularly as an independent artist, and it's a great tribute to Bill's abilities and creativity that he's still around." Space Buddha No1: "I guess what really keeps me listening is the sense of being called along on a journey I don't really understand. I listen to a vast amount of different musics all the time but always return to discover this one obsessive journey into creativity. It's sometimes tempting to try and imagine a linear narrative connecting all the ideas but it's also clear that it's a futile game. Side paths, loops and eddy currents are all part of the flow. I guess I launched my own boat into the stream of the Nelson oeuvre after hearing "Do You Dream in Colour?" and "Revolt Into Style" back to back and became fascinated with the juxtaposition and continuity. These latest two [ Silvertone Fountains and Illuminated at Dusk ] just push me further into discovery." Kalamazoo Kid: "He's doing everything right musically. I'd burn my entire Be Bop and Red Noise collection before I'd part with Silvertone Fountains ." Albums Menu Future Past

Simplex Bill Nelson album - November 1990 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Awakening 02) Almost Unchanging 03) Bittersweet 04) Ringing True 05) Celestial East 06) Some Distant Time 07) The Profaned Sanctuary Of The Human Heart 08) Forms In Open Spaces 09) Raindrum 10) Female Form 11) Archetypes 12) Solid Spaces 13) Abstracted 14) Heptarchia 15) Climbing 16) Waiting For Rain 17) Aqua Magica 18) Summer Shower 19) Hammertheme 20) The Cloud Of Unknowing 21) Bending A Knee At The Altar Of Sacrifice 22) A Parting Of The Ways 23) Bronze 24) To Jan From The Shining Stars 25) Arrangement Of Roses 26) Likewise Is Said Elsewhere 27) Child Of The Dream 28) The Enclosed Garden 29) The Christmas Gift 30) Heros De Lumiere 31) Your Morning Blessing Digital download version bonus tracks: 32) Wondering Why? 33) The Celestial Steam Locomotive 34) That's The World 35) Bliss And Abyss 36) True North ALBUM NOTES: Simplex is an instrumental album initially issued on Cocteau Records by Nelson's then manager Mark Rye, without the artist's permission. This period of Nelson's career was mired in managerial misdemeanours, which was not helped by the unstable relationship that existed between the artist and Mark Rye at the time. Nelson also had the distraction of a failing marriage to contend with. Nelson had previously mentioned the Simplex album within the pages of Acquitted by Mirrors as a future project, and it had even been assigned a US catalogue number as part of the Enigma series of reissues (released just ahead of that record label's collapse). One track from the album even appeared on the US Enigma compilation The Strangest Things : A Collection of Recordings 1979-89, but the full album release never came to fruition. Simplex 's first appearance occurred in late 1990 when Mark Rye apparently took it upon himself to press up approximately 1000 copies of the CD, and offered a copy to each of the 295 members of The Cocteau Club in lieu of issue 16 of Acquitted By Mirrors . The magazine and Club EPs had appeared with decreasing regularity since 1986. Surplus copies of the CD were eventually released to UK high street record shops, most likely resulting from further business dealings centring around Mark Rye's activities. Nelson has stated on a number of occasions that none of this activity was done with his knowledge or approval. PAST RELEASES: Simplex was finally given an official release in 2000 (with redesigned artwork) when issued on the Toneswoon label. Sadly, even this release of 500 copies appears to have not directed the due royalties to the artist. The album was deleted in this form sometime around 2004. Simplex was then reissued in 2012 in a third sleeve design as part of the Esoteric/Cocteau Discs series of releases. Although this album is out of print as a physical CD, it is available as a digital download via major online retailers. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: In June 2025, Simplex was released as a digital download. This specially extended version contains five previously unreleased bonus tracks which were selected from material gathered from the original recording sessions. Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Simplex contains only a fraction of the music I made for the film ['Henry Moore and Landscape']. Simplex isn't meant to be a soundtrack album as such, the vast majority of the music on the album was created quite separately from the film's soundtrack and has no real connection with the documentary. However, the recordings were made in a similar frame of mind and could be said to be in the same short-form, minimalist style." _____ " 'Short form' or 'miniature pieces' can be very beautiful, simply because of their brevity and directness...kind of musical 'haikus'. (A Haiku is a very short Japanese zen poem). I made an entire album of these musical haikus once...it's called Simplex and contains lots of tracks but each one is relatively brief. For those of you who don't know this album, it's well worth checking out. One of my own favourite projects from the past." _____ "Part of their charm is that they were recorded using very basic, (and by today's standards, primitive), technology. The Trial By Intimacy box set and Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights are particular favourites of mine from that period and point towards my more recent keyboard based adventures. Simplex is another favourite of mine from that time. "Like all forms of artistic self-expression, music grows and develops along with the artist's personal development. Those albums paved the way for many of my more recent recordings, albums such as Theatre of Falling Leaves , Gleaming Without Lights , Mazda Kaleidoscope and Non Stop Mystery Action . (To give just a few examples). The Signals From Realms of Light album, (to be released later this year), also has its roots in that sort of thing. So, the core attitudes and concepts behind those early instrumental albums is still influencing my work but expressing itself in increasingly sophisticated ways and using a richer pallette of tonal colours." ALBUM REVIEWS: Review by Dmitry M. Epstein FAN THOUGHTS: alec: "What a top-flite collection!! Whether you're locked into specific era(s) of Bill or if you're like me and you hear Bill's oeuvre as one great era, Simplex is essential! It revives the weary and leaves room for deep dreaming and contemplation. It is like pure water for a parched throat. Two thumbs up." ianthomas37: "What a wonderful album, this has gatecrashed my top five." Debtworker: "Simplex is a really beautiful CD, full of ambient sounds that are in the same vein as Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights - a must have for any serious fan of Bill. You will not regret buying Simplex , it's one of my favourite CDs." paul.smith: "In my opinion Simplex is one of those albums which proves the point that sometimes 'less is more' - an album which conjures up great atmospheres and 'landscapes of the mind' as they say - love it." felixt1: "Absolutely brilliant! Bill, your more ambient works like this are for me, pretty much as good as it gets... Genius." Palladium: "Simplex is off-the-scale sublime in my opinion. An essential album." Alan Cawthorne: "How Bill got some of those sounds from his keyboards at the time is beyond me. Some sound manipulation. It just goes on and on and on. No fillers whatso...Masterpieces." BenTucker: " 'Awakening' (first track) would get my vote for most evocative piece of music under 2 minutes long ever recorded. Other remarkable pieces: 'Archetypes', 'Summer Shower' (and many others - the album is full of them)." swampboy: "This is an album that needs to be heard on a good stereo system or headphones. It contains many details and nuances that might go un-noticed if you were to try to listen to it in your car (I tried) or on a mediocre system. This album made me feel like I was wandering through a different place with each piece. I got distinct impressions of large spaces like caverns and cathedrals, rolling hills and outdoors imagery, and many other images, that are strangely, all in black and white. I wish I could see the images that Bill attached these pieces to, as to see his original intention. I'm glad that I took the chance and got this album. It evokes feelings and imagery that seem to change with each listen. I think that I am going to enjoy this album for a long time to come." Albums Menu Future Past

Home Studio Recording Home Studio Recording was a UK monthly music magazine which reviewed equipment and interviewed musicians about how they recorded their music. Editor Ian Gilby travelled to Yorkshire to interview Bill in his home studio which was called The Echo Observatory. The interview was probably the most in-depth any musician had given the magazine, running to some nine full pages, and provides a wonderful insight into what equipment Bill was using at the time. In 1984 Bill's trusted Fostex B16 was at the leading edge of multi-track home recording technology and was used to record many albums over the years. When the time came to 'retire' the ageing analogue gear and acquire a Mackie digital system, Bill sold off many items from his studio and Ian was fortunate to purchase the B16 which he still owns today. Also seen pictured in the studio at the time is a Sony PCM F1 stereo digital recorder. In the interview Bill mentions how he had given up mastering onto his 2-track Revox and was now using this new 'digital technology'. By the early 1990s the PCM was broken and many album's worth of material lay in the studio on digital tape inaccessible for years to come. Then around 2005 a second-hand machine was located and purchased with the help of fans. The tapes were transferred to CDr and as of 2012, Bill is now in the process of re-mastering these archive recordings for selective release under the series title 'These Tapes Rewind'. The first album in the series is 'Return To Tomorrow'. The interview was published in two parts in the HSR Dec 1984 & Jan 1985 issues. Click to download the PDFs below (or right-click and save). Part 1 Part 2

Trial By Intimacy (The Book Of Splendours) album box set - 25 January 1985 Bill Nelson Albums Menu Future Past The Summer Of God's Piano: 01) Antennae Two 02) Transmission (N.B.C. 97293) 03) The Sleep Of Hollywood 04) The Celestial Bridegroom 05) Under The Red Arch 06) Orient Pearl 07) Sacrament 08) Falling Blossoms 09) The Difficulty Of Being 10) Zanoni 11) The Chinese Nightingale 12) Tantra 13) Soon September (Another Enchantment) 14) Rural Shires 15) Perfidio Incanto 16) The Lost Years 17) The Charm Of Transit 18) Night Thoughts (Twilight Radio) 19) Wysteria 20) Swing 21) Snowfall 22) Realm Of Dusk 23) Over Ocean Purchase this download Chamber Of Dreams: 01) The Blazing Memory Of Innuendo 02) Into The Luminous Future 03) A Dip In The Swimming Pool Reactor 04) Tomorrowland (The Threshold Of 1947) 05) Listening To Lizards 06) Endless Torsion 07) My Sublime Perversion 08) Eros In Autumn 09) Sleeplessness 10) The Latest Skyline 11) Train Of Thought 12) Parks And Fountains, Clouds And Trees 13) The Golden Bough 14) Forever Orpheus 15) In Arcadia 16) Sentimental 17) Autumn Fires 18) Wild Blue Yonder Pavilions Of The Heart And Soul: 01) Gift Of The August Tide 02) Loving Tongues 03) Blue Nude 04) In The Realm Of Bells 05) Your Nebulous Smile 06) The Glance Of A Glittering Stranger 07) Another Kiss For Your Slender Neck 08) The Warmth Of Women's Eyes 09) Seduction (Ritual With Roses) 10) Dreamed Embraces 11) Herself With Her Shadow 12) The Exquisite Corpse 13) Ardent Hands 14) Her Laughing Torso 15) Migrating Angels 16) Les Amoureux 17) Meshes Of The Afternoon 18) Mountains Of The Heart 19) Willow Silk 20) Tender Encounters (States Of Grace) 21) Melancholia 22) The Eternal Female Purchase this download Purchase this download A Catalogue Of Obsessions: 01) Sex Party Six 02) Wider Windows For The Walls Of The World 03) Time In Tokyo 04) Happily Addicted To You 05) Snakes With Wings 06) The Boy Pilots Of Bangkok 07) Erotikon 08) Birds In Two Hemispheres 09) Windmills In A World Without Wind 10) Love's First Kiss 11) Initiation Of The Heart's Desire 12) Edge Of Tears 13) Test Of Affection 14) Words Across Tables 15) A Promise Of Perfume 16) This Dangerous Age 17) The Glass Breakfast 18) Talk Technique 19) The Last Summer For Dancing 20) View From A Balcony Purchase this download ALBUM NOTES: Trial By Intimacy was initially issued as a 4 LP boxed set, limited to 5000 copies, containing four previously unreleased instrumental albums, a set of 8 postcards, and a book of Nelson's photography entitled, The Arcane Eye . The 4 LP set was originally to be called Sensoria , and was to have included Sounding the Ritual Echo rather than The Summer of God's Piano . But as the album was nearing completion, Nelson switched the 1981 album for a brand new collection, reissuing Sounding the Ritual Echo separately later in 1985, but in artwork that complemented the 4 albums housed in Trial By Intimacy . All copies of the vinyl box featured an unfortunate typo in the subtitle (The Book Splendours). PAST RELEASES: After the box had sold out, albums 1) and 2) were re-issued separately on vinyl (Cocteau 1986). Although some discographies list 3) and 4) as having separate vinyl releases (1989), (it was reportedly announced in the press), this seems to have not happened. CD versions of all 4 albums did appear around that time both in the UK (Cocteau) and in the US (Enigma). Any vinyl copies of albums 3) and 4) seen for sale as separate items have almost certainly been liberated from the 1985 box set! Trial By Intimacy was remastered and reissued on CD in 2012 as a miniature version of the original box set. For this release Esoteric did a particularly fine job in packaging the reissue in a compact version of the original box that housed the vinyl release. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All four albums from this box set are available individually for purchase as digital downloads here in the Dreamsville Store . SAMPLES: "Sleeplessness": "features the voice of Sir Compton MacKenzie, advertising Horlicks in the early days of British commercial television." - Bill BILL'S THOUGHTS: "I have often found a painter's sketchbook and his finished work to be of equal interest. Despite their apparent lack of sophistication, sketches invariably posses a simplicity and freshness encapsulating all the essential qualities of an idea. It is with this promise in mind that I release Trial By Intimacy , a musical sketchbook of instrumental moods captured during many private moments over the last few years. "Although recorded on 'low-tech' domestic equipment, these eighty-three pieces of music are not to be confused with 'demo-tapes' but as a continuation of the process begun in 1979-1980 with my Sounding the Ritual Echo album. The set is presented unpolished and complete with all its technical deformities for which I offer no apology. Despite or perhaps because of this, these previously unreleased pieces have become very dear to my heart. "Intuition, spontaneity and the high disregard for error correction were the only rules adhered to during the recording process (Laziness sometimes possessing its own virtue). Each piece of music was dealt with as an infant deals with building-blocks and instinct was always given precedence over reason. "A great deal of time has been spent editing the material into the four albums contained here although there are as yet another forty or so pieces not represented. I acknowledge the difficulties presented to the listener by such a large volume of music and can only suggest that listening should not be rushed in any way. Time and patience will, I hope unveil the innocent charm of what for me has been both a labour of love and a personal exorcism." - Bill Nelson, Oct '84. [from the liner notes] _____ "These were all recorded on very simple equipment, (which is all I had at the time), hence the 'home hobbyist' sound. They were created over a few months, rather than years, if my memory serves me. As always, the titles play an important role in how I intend the music to be heard. They set up a context, an anticipation and an imaginary or real environment for the music to unfold in. My favourites of the set are probably The Summer of God's Piano and Pavilions of the Heart and Soul . What listeners may not realise is that some of the pieces on those two albums were composed to reflect my initial (and deeply emotional), entanglement with Emiko, a long time, (nine years or more), before we were finally able to hook up together as man and wife. Our fleeting but deeply felt love affair in the early '80's inspired a great deal of music, much of which served to encode our relationship in metaphor and mystery. Because of the relationship's covert nature, instrumentals were often more appropriate than lyrics, (which may have been too revealing). But "Les Amoureux" is a particular example of that inspiration, though there are many others. In fact, I sent Emi copies of the recordings to Tokyo, on cassette, some time prior to them being released in the box set. So there's a great deal of longing, melancholy and romance embodied in those two particular 'favourite' albums." _____ "It was an interesting period of my life and I devoted a lot of time to collecting and reading books on occult philosophy, magical practices, mystical secret societies, Alchemy, Rosicrucianism, Martinism, Gnosticism, The Golden Dawn and obscure branches of esoteric Freemasonry. I have retained most of these books, some of them quite rare. "I also became involved in a Rosicrucian Chapter in Leeds in which I eventually served for one year as Master of the Chapter. I was initiated into a French Freemasonic Lodge in London and into a French Martinist Order, (which also had a UK branch in London). I brought almost as much energy and passion to these pursuits as I did to my music and the 'journey' I undertook helped shape some of the music I made at that time...particularly Sounding the Ritual Echo , Trial by Intimacy and Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights . "I was involved with such things in a practical sense throughout the 1980's although I'd begun researching these subjects back in the early 70's." _____ "I was originally planning to call the 4 album set 'Sensoria'...but, before I got to the artwork and manufacturing stage, Sheffield's 'Cabaret Voltaire' came out with something bearing the same title...so I switched it to Trial By Intimacy (The Book of Splendours)." FAN THOUGHTS: twilight_radio: "The Trial By Intimacy recordings were singularly responsible for my BN obsession..." "I got a hold of the Trial By Intimacy box set and was blown away by the Bill's massive wealth of creativity - not only in the music he individually conceived, played, and recorded, but also by the collages and drawings that accompanied the vinyls." Parsongs: "Trial By Intimacy was and is WAY ahead of the curve. These CDs are often on my player, and they are enjoyed and treasured like the jewels that they are." "I loved the charming simplicity of the Cocteau years, the way Bill would start with a blank slate and build up songs one sound and idea at a time. For a lot of synthesists, when keyboards became polyphonic, they lost some of the simple creativity of creating a piece one mono track (with a monophonic synth) at a time." Waspy: "I got hooked on Bill's early instrumental work. It had (and still has!) a very idiosyncratic charm. I'll always have a soft spot for it. In spite of being generated by electronic instruments, it has so much warmth. Very..."painterly" I suppose one could say. I think there is a lot of playfulness and humour too in the use of vocal samples, and even just in the track titles. Some pieces are so evocative in the mental images they conjure; I'd always dream up little video clips in my head while listening. Luddite that I am, I still prefer the old analogue sounds..." BobK: "Trial By Intimacy was a defining moment in my musical listening career. "At the time I was in awe that an individual could produce 4CD's worth of such interesting and gorgeous instrumentals in such a variety of styles. Whilst an admirer of others who ploughed a similar furrow, this was way ahead of them. I still think this collection is one of the most impressive achievements in BN's career." "This has always been one of my favourite collections. Certainly one of BN's 'Essential Purchases'. The music, the box, the cards, the song titles...everything is so damn perfect!" stormboy: "Bill's early electronic albums? I love 'em. I mean, really, really love 'em. Summer of God's Piano , Pavilions of the Heart and Soul , La Belle et La Bete , Chance Encounters , all that period. I think Bill was massively underrated as a synth player/pioneer. It's been said before that he was one of the musicians that paved the way for modern artists such as Aphex Twin, Fourtet, Boards of Canada, the Ghost Box Artists, etc." tommaso: "Actually, this box set was largely responsible for me becoming a fan of Bill's music way back in the 80's; it was the first of his solo instrumental work I heard after getting to know of him via David Sylvian's 'Gone to Earth'. I was absolutely struck by the variety, sheer inventiveness and poetry of the music, which sounded like nothing else (and actually, nothing else in Bill's later work sounded like Trial ). The visual part of it is also absolutely beautiful, the 'art direction' and the various references in the titles and on the covers subsequently led me to discover artists like Cocteau or Man Ray, for which I will be eternally grateful... "So I guess, a lot of personal memory in my admiration, but it's a fabulous set of recordings...Well, probably it's just nostalgia (or conservatism), but it's Bill's music from the 80's that appeals most to me, although I love Satellite Songs and Sailor Bill ..." Kalamazoo Kid: "This set of four albums was huge for me when it came out. Vast, varied, packaged beautifully (the box, the black, the bonus items), crammed with evocative song titles, and unlike anything I had heard before. I judge Trial to be the high water mark for the instrumental approach that began with Ritual Echo and ended with Map of Dreams ." felixt1: "An absolutely fantastic collection of predominantly electronic music, I am really impressed and somewhat blown away by how much Bill's music continues to delight and surprise me... "Overall, Pavilions of the Heart and Soul is so far, the stand-out set from the collection for me - "Gift of the August Tide" being my latest obsession. "But as a complete set Trial By Intimacy (The Book of Splendours) is an absolutely essential work, not only in terms of sheer musical enjoyment, but in terms of further understanding how Bill has progressed as a musician, composer and producer. You can hear even on this technologically limited recording, hints of the rich, layered music that we enjoy from Sonoluxe nowadays but even more importantly, I think this collection beautifully demonstrates the sheer depth of Bill's compositional skills and his sheer talent as a musician (bearing in mind that his guitar playing hardly registers throughout). And all with no formal training. Astounding!" Boat to Forever: "What I really like about the instrumental albums of that period - Ritual Echo , Trial By Intimacy , Chance Encounters - is the strange, ethereal and completely unique sound of those records. A kind of other worldly quality that is only enhanced by the low-fi and basic production of the albums." thunk: "I still have never heard (or seen) anything quite as unique as Trial By Intimacy ... "I spotted it in my local record emporium, this deep intriguing 'box', hiding in-between various other vinyl offerings, yet simply drawing my attention through its presence - the artwork very dark & grainy, against-the-grain of the other 'shouty' record covers. I had to delve further to peruse the contents of this strange & enchanting package...The sprawling list of tracks with the most evocative titles suggested a further mystique within. Just out of reach as out of pocket I had some saving to do!! Would it still be there when I returned? To my joy I cobbled my coins together within days and returned to the store to see it ready & waiting. "To me, this was an uncovering of a potential treasure-trove of Nelsonic magic! And to this day it remains so...locked in that 'wonder-moment' of its time, refreshing memories of when & where the music made its impact on life's twists & turns...It's obviously made a big impact on many other Nelsonians too!" "Its undeniable charm lies in the stark & beautifully simplistic keyboard touches, the unfussy synthetic rhythms, intriguing voice cut-ups, and a much-appreciated 'understated' approach to guitar-work...And all wrapped-up in sensuous artwork like no other." tom fritz: "I flipped when i found the original vinyl box. Still love it today & always seem to come back to it. Many of my friends have enjoyed it, as well. Another example of how Bill takes something on a small level & elevates it. Old vintage equipment, a little creativity & a man in a musical sand box. "Boys with toys", as it were. Now 30 years on we're celebrating this effort again...& again. Keep smiling your Buddha smile. Cheers" wonder toy: "Would listen to that music for hours and hours. I like the drum machine programing from that period, nice and primitive in technology and technique and the warm analogue synthie bits. Those sounds, combined with the tape loop parts and 'found object' approach to sound recording, really opened my eyes as a youngster. Instantly, a whole lot of music became obsolete to me." "It will change your life. You will stand back in awe. For real. One of the most amazing musical achievements ever released to the public." Scooter59: "As both a collection of music and a piece of art, Trial By Intimacy has always been an important part of my library. I am so happy to see what an outstanding job Esoteric have done with the reissue, even down to the postcards." chriz1976: "The little box set replicates the original vinyl version and includes the book and postcards. It is simply a lovely item to hold. "However, the music contained in the box outperforms the packaging. The instrumentals BN were producing at the time were lo-fi. Regardless of the technology you can hear BN's musical thoughts clearly and expressively. "I am eagerly awaiting the release of the previous instrumental albums to the box set: Ritual Echo ; La Belle and Das Kabinett ." JMH: "Allow me to mention that listening to Pavilions ...is the aural equivalent of taking a bite out of the proverbial "Fruit of the Tree..." Once you hear this album you will stand in wonder on how you got along in life without it. (Hmm, was that a bit too much praise??...No, I do not think so). Do not hesitate to acquire this set." mark smith: "This brilliant box set in vinyl was my first purchase of Mr Nelson and is still one of the few things I would put in my treasure chest (if I had one). Even owning the CD versions already will not stop me from purchasing them again all over again so hearing them being made available in remastered form has made my day. Do yourselves a favor and check these stunning sketches from the master!" BenTucker: "[The reissue] looks superb. I'm envious of those who'll be having the experience of hearing it the first time. The music is unique and accessible - it conveys mystery & wonder, often extremely haunting and moving. The recording set-up may have been minimalist, but the effect on the listener is anything but." Albums Menu Future Past

Tripping the Light Fantastic Bill Nelson live album - 5 September 2017 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Introduction 02) Hypnos 03) Luxeodeon 04) Golden Dream Of Circus Horses 05) Gloria Mundae 06) Mars Welcomes Careful Drivers 07) If I Were The Pilot Of Your Perfect Cloud 08) The Awakening Of Dr Dream 09) Beyond These Clouds, The Sweetest Dream 10) I Always Knew You Would Find Me 11) The Raindrop Collector 12) Beatniks From Outer Space ALBUM NOTES: Tripping the Light Fantastic is a live album of guitar instrumentals released on the Sonoluxe label in a limited print run of 500 copies, with a simultaneous download release via Nelson’s Bandcamp page. The album was first mentioned on the Dreamsville Forum on 14 June 2017, and released on 5 September 2017 . The album was recorded at the New Northern Dream album launch held at The Cloth Workers' Hall, Leeds, in October 2016. Nelson's full set performed that night is featured on the album. On 15 September 2017 it was announced on the Dreamsville Forum that the album had sold out. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Though out of print as a physical release , Tripping the Light Fantastic is available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Tripping The Light Fantastic is only the second live album I've ever officially released. The first was Be Bop Deluxe's Live In The Air Age album, way back in the distant 1970's. A great deal of 'time saturated' water has flowed under all our rickety bridges since then, but this new live album captures a brief moment in that same flow of time. "Sensibilities change, both on the part of the audience, and also every artist worthy of the term 'artist' over the years, but I'm very happy to say that my audience has grown with my own development and peculiar sensibilities throughout the years. This isn't music from then, but music from 'now,' (though the now is always in flux and shifting, as am I.) "So, it is to those loyal, enthusiastic, brilliant listeners that I dedicate this album." _____ "One of the things that might throw some extra light on the live album is that I was very unwell at the time of its recording. I was suffering from a nasty 'flu virus which had threatened to cancel the event. But, there was no way, short of being totally bed-ridden, that I could do such a thing, so I forged ahead and hoped for the best. And that is why my voice might sound a little nasal, and also why, at the conclusion to the performance, I said that I'd managed to get through it without falling over. Those of you who were not there, (and some of you who were), might not grasp the meaning of that pronouncement, or my impaired voice quality. It was a bit of a struggle but the adrenalin rush helped me through it..." FAN THOUGHTS: Peter: "Oh, boy....what a treat. I have had the pleasure of seeing Bill perform in this format (with backing recordings) on a handful of occasions, and found this very much an accurate capturing of the experience. This is a wonderful selection of songs, all superbly performed. I was struck while listening by how amazing Bill's playing is...in far too many instances, seeing a musician live reveals shortcomings that the studio can hide...but Bill sounds as amazing live as he does in recordings. Thank you SO much for releasing this one, Bill." Returningman: "Hypnos": "This was a spine-tingling start to a magical hour of music." "Just love live recordings and this one is a stunner. Many thanks Bill." market: "Eeeeeee lad it's flippin' great... Wish I'd been there... At least I can listen..." RMD: "Another great offering from Bill - a genuine "live" album. My favourite track is "The Awakening of Dr Dream" - sublime playing even by Bill's standards." Big Dunc: "A truly magnificent masterpiece... Mars, welcomes careful drivers = Superb." Merikan1: "Just arrived. I am halfway thru first listen. It sounds amazing. Thanks for this one Bill." Captain Custard: "This is bloody brilliant Bill, yet another fantastic gift to us." alec: "Listening often to this. The production is quite robust and satisfying at loud volume through earbuds or through big, proper headphones." Albums Menu Future Past

Sleepcycle Bill Nelson ep - April 1982 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) Sleepcycle A2) Konny Buys A Kodak B1) When The Birds Return B2) The Beat That Can't Go Wrong Today ORIGINALLY: All four tracks were exclusive to this EP. NOTES: Sleepcycle is a 4 track EP featuring two vocal tracks and two instrumental pieces. This 7" EP was the first of seven EPs issued exclusively to members of Bill Nelson's Official Fan Club, Cocteau Club , which was active between 1982 and 1990. Sleepcycle was included in Acquitted By Mirrors Issue 1, the official fan club magazine. All tracks were recorded at The Echo Observatory. PAST RELEASES: A2 and B1 were later included on The Two Fold Aspect of Everything (Cocteau, 1985). B2 was included on the US 2CD edition of The Two Fold Aspect of Everything (Enigma, 1989), and the US CD version of The Love That Whirls (Enigma, 1989). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All tracks are available on the retrospective compilation album Transcorder (The Acquitted By Mirrors Recordings) . Singles Menu Future Past

The Cote D'Azur ep Bill Nelson ep - 8 October 1986 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: A1) A Dream Fulfilled A2) Familiar Spirit B1) Palais Des Marine B2) Letter To Jacques Maritain B3) Villefranche Interior ORIGINALLY: All five songs were non-album tracks, although B3 would appear on Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights (Cocteau, 1987). NOTES: The Cote D'Azur EP was included in Issue #13 of the fan club magazine, Acquitted By Mirrors , and would turn out to be the final Cocteau Club EP. Although the label would exist for another 3 years, the magazine would struggle to appear with anything like the regularity of 1982-84, and eventually would stop altogether with Issue 15. The single was housed in a green die cut Cocteau sleeve, and oddly while side 2 was pressed at 33 1/3 rpm, when you play it, B2 should be played at 45 rpm. PAST RELEASES: B3 was included on Chance Encounters in the Garden of Lights (Cocteau, 1987). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: All tracks are available on the retrospective compilation album Transcorder (The Acquitted By Mirrors Recordings) . BILL'S THOUGHTS: from the Acquitted by Mirrors fan magazine: "The music on the E.P. was recorded on my return from holiday in Villefrance-sur-Mer and it is an impressionistic soundscape of my 'adventures' there. On the track "Familiar Spirit" you may recognise the voice of one J. Cocteau (conjured into The Echo Observatory by various nefarious rites). The track "Letter to Jacques Maritain" features yours truly reading Cocteau's words from the aforesaid letter. I hope you find some things to enjoy within these hallowed grooves." _____ "I venture to suggest that a big percentage of my soul belongs to the South of France, particularly the Cote D'Azur... the one place I feel I could live in a sort of artistic exile, (provided I could return once in a while to the raw beauty of the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire coastline)." Singles Menu Future Past

Youth of Nation on Fire Bill Nelson single - 29 May 1981 Singles Menu Future Past TRACKS: 7" Single: A) Youth Of Nation On Fire B) Be My Dynamo Double 7" Single: A) Youth Of Nation On Fire B) Be My Dynamo C) Rooms With Brittle Views D) All My Wives Were Iron ORIGINALLY: A) is an edited version from the recently released Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam album. B, C and D) were non-album tracks, B) and D) having been previously unreleased. C) had a few drumbeats edited off the intro of the original single. NOTES: Youth of Nation on Fire was the third single taken from Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam . With a running time of 3' 00", "Youth of Nation on Fire" was slightly sped up for 7" release, and faded out a full minute from the end of the track compared to the album version. This edit remains exclusive to the 7" pressings. The double 7" single was the more desirable in 1981 - it coming with the extra disc. And for those not used to using mail order facilities, it presented a more practical solution to getting hold of the "Rooms with Brittle Views" track. When included on compilation albums or as a bonus track, the full length intro is favoured. PAST RELEASES: B, C and D) were all available on The Two Fold Aspect of Everything comp (unfortunately out of print). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: B) Added to the remastered 2005 CD reissue of Quit Dreaming , and The Practice of Everyday Life box (2011). C & D) were included on the remastered 2005 CD reissue of Quit Dreaming . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The thought of whether something was 'cool' or not never crossed my mind when I made those [first two] albums. I was just, to use a phrase from a Les Paul documentary, 'chasing sound.' The guiding principle has always been the music, rather than any desire for rock industry celebrity. That's my approach now as ever. "I'm just chasing something that interests me, something that feels true to my own life, both as a person and as a musician. What the media or the industry might consider 'cool' is neither here nor there. I'm in this for the long haul...not the brief trot down some vague fashion catwalk." Singles Menu Future Past

Acquitted By Mirrors - Issue Five - Published April 1983 Back to Top

Savage Gestures for Charms Sake Bill Nelson mini-album - 9 December 1983 Albums Menu Future Past TRACKS: 1) The Man In The Rexine Suit 2) Watching My Dream Boat Go Down In Flames 3) The Meat Room 4) Narcosis 5) Another Happy Thought (Carved Forever In Your Cortex) 6) Portrait Of Jan With Moon And Stars ALBUM NOTES: Savage Gestures for Charms Sake is a 6 track mini album of instrumentals issued on the Cocteau Records label. Initially issued on vinyl (with free art poster) and cassette, this mini-album was Nelson's first commercial release issued since the Mercury deal had lapsed. It was comprised of five outtakes from The Love That Whirls sessions, and one track of Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam vintage. PAST RELEASES: When Savage Gestures for Charms Sake appeared on CD (Cocteau, 1987), it was coupled with Chimera for the UK market, and later given its own stand-alone release in the US (Enigma, 1989). CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Currently this mini-album is out of print, but will be made available as a digital download at some point in the future . BILL'S THOUGHTS: "Watching My Dreamboat Go Down in Flames": "demonstrates how multiple e-bow overdubs can create an orchestral wall of sound. I almost always use the bridge pickup with my e-bow, but I apply the guitar's tone control to shave off the brighter edges, (though I open it up for contrast on some phrases). A foot volume/swell pedal can sometimes be useful for controlling the attack, giving a smooth initial fade-in to the note, but just sliding the e-bow on and off the pickup's 'hot spot' will increase and decrease the intensity and harmonic content of the sound too. The e-bow is a very expressive device when used with some sensitivity." FAN THOUGHTS: James Ellis: "Contains the BEST Bill Nelson instrumental ever, "The Man in the Rexine Suit"." stormboy: "I really like the harder edge of "The Man in the Rexine Suit" as a starter, whilst "Portrait of Jan with Moon and Stars" is a sublime ending - one of Bill's best outings with the trusty ebow in my opinion." John Izzard: Forum Topic Question: Bill's Greatest Love Song?: "Portrait of Jan with Moon and Stars...Who needs words when music can whisper so deliciously as this?" Mozo: "As the years have passed, I find that if I have Das Kabinet , Trial By Intimacy (The Book of Splendours) and Savage Gestures for Charms Sake playing in the background, I seem to become more creative at anything that I happen to be doing, at the same time I'm listening. So I've come to appreciate the different facets of Bill's creativity all the more. Am I getting older (Brrr), mellowing, maturing?" Albums Menu Future Past

Rosewood Volume One Bill Nelson album - 25 May 2005 Albums Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 01) Blues For Orpheus 02) Escondido Oleander 03) Lumia 04) Filament 05) Lacuna 06) Cascade (Improvisation For Three Harp Guitars) 07) She Swings Skirt 08) Mexico City Dream (For Gil Evans) 09) Ventura 10) The Girl In The Park In The Rain 11) Apollonian Tremolo 12) Giant Hawaiian Showboat 13) Cremona 14) The Land Of Lost Time 15) Sleepless In The Ticking Dark ALBUM NOTES: Rosewood Volume One is an album of acoustic guitar instrumentals issued in a single pressing of 1000 copies. The CD gave birth to the Sonoluxe label, which Nelson has continued with for his major releases, including reissues and digital download compilations. The album was the first to be issued after the launch of Nelson's official website Dreamsville, which went live in April 2005. Sales of Rosewood benefited from an increased profile provided by the website's forum, The Dreamsville Inn, to which Nelson is an avid contributor. The combination of having easy access to the artist, and the reliable and dedicated staff of the Sound of Sound website, created an enticing and reassuring combination for fans of Nelson's music. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available for purchase as a digital download here in the Dreamsville Store . IF YOU LIKED THIS ALBUM, YOU'LL PROBABLY ENJOY: Rosewood Two , And We Fell Into A Dream , Quiet Bells , Dreamland to Starboard , Illuminated At Dusk , Silvertone Fountains , Neptune's Galaxy , New Northern Dream BILL'S THOUGHTS: "The two Rosewood albums are amongst my proudest achievements, particularly Volume One which still manages to surprise me when I hear it. For me, this is one of those few albums of mine that I'd rescue from the metaphorical burning building. An album I can listen to with the warm glow of satisfaction." _____ "It was the slightly off-centre American acoustic guitar players such as John Fahey and Leo Kottke that ultimately inspired me the most. I also was immersed in blues music as a late teen, not just the modern, urban electric blues but rootsier country blues too... (Tampa Red became a favourite, amongst others). Rosewood's roots are firmly planted in such left of centre inspirations, rather than the style of more popularly regarded virtuoso acoustic guitarists." _____ "Cascade": "The entire track is made up of a harp guitar multi-tracked three times. The harp guitar belonged to Brendan Croker of the 'Nottinghillbillies' who let me borrow it for a few days. A beautiful instrument hand made by York master luthier Ralph Bown." _____ "One of the reasons I'm so proud of Rosewood is because it's one of the few albums I've made that has actually hit my personal creative bullseye and achieved what I intended it to do. As Harold Budd said to me when he first heard it...'Now THAT'S the album you've always wanted to make!' Harold loved it and that's praise enough for me." FAN THOUGHTS: John Izzard: "The acoustic guitar is such an open, honest instrument - almost naked - and it's used here with exquisite taste and in such a beautifully innovative way. "As much as I love the lush, decorative arrangements of the previous few albums, which suit the generally bigger sound, I'm struck by the lighter touches employed here. 'Craftsmanship' is an overworked - and often undeserved term, but here it is almost an understatement... "I had high expectations for Rosewood. They've just been exceeded." Ged: "In my opinion its one of the most beautiful selection of pieces of music I've ever had the pleasure of listening to, an absolute joy to the ear. Its warmth and simplicity are wonderful. Julie and Faye (16 weeks old today) are equally impressed (I've just been playing it in the car) - Julie commented that it was beautiful and calming and Faye 'cooed' with delight. A fabulous CD I'd recommend to everyone." Alan: "Beautiful piece of work...Another great chapter in the ever evolving life of Bill Nelson. Mr Nelson never ceases to amaze me. Definitely the most versatile artist I know of. Keep up the good work." steve lyles: "Listening to Rosewood vol 1 and it hit me (not for the first time) that Bill Nelson's music is so beautifully honest and direct. It doesn't try to be another's work - it's not money or fame motivated. It is "musical...well expressionism" in its highest form." "Absolutely beautiful emotive music." Alan Cawthorne: "I don't think I've heard a more original, relaxing and beautiful album in a long time...Nice to hear intelligently thought out and written pieces." Radium Girl: " Rosewood Vol.1 is one of the most gorgeous sonic masterpieces ever!" BobK: "Sounds fantastic. Very beautifully produced, guitars sound gorgeous, tunes are, well, beautiful and gorgeous!!! (Need to check out thesaurus methinks...). It sounds so full of emotion and melody." Mozo: "I know it sounds corny but...just like a good wine...the man's strumming and technique seems to just get better with age! Amazed and impressed with the "feeling and maturing" of his style on this one! Somewhere Bill Frissell, Fred Frith, and Django Reinhardt are smiling after listening to this monster!!! But the really cool part about it is that was just my first listen. It's only going to get better with every fleeting listen! I'm floored Bill." Peter Roche: "I haven't played number 2 yet, as I can't get off number 1 . It is my favourite BN CD to date. The electronic additions, for me, add a great deal of texture and greater depth than would be there if it were absent. I would like to wax lyrical about it, but don't know what to say, except it's brilliant. Thanks." paulnery: "Escondido Oleander": "impressed me...although the beauty of the entire album is evident...the atmosphere of the CD is spiritual almost all of the time, probably with the exception of "She Swings Skirt", maybe some distraction during a meditative state...The sound of the acoustic guitars, full of harmonics, is simply wonderful." old_goat: "Lush like a field of wheat in a gentle breeze..."Filament", what a perfect title for what I heard... "Escondido Oleander" is absolutely hypnotic; felt transported back 30 years. I remember this little creek that ran by my house in California. It was lined with oleanders; I used to go there with a cold soda and lay in the shade and listen to the sounds of the creek and the life it held. I don't know how much thought Bill puts in to some or all of his titles, but there are plenty that seem to fit like a glove; it seems like the more I listen to his work, the more appropriate the titles become." Earthling: "Not like anything else in the collection. Do we ever worry when we buy a Bill Nelson creation? I think not." johnofdeath: "Glad I took the day off work. The postman decided he couldn't fit the CD package through my letter box and was heading off down the road. I had to chase after him but it was worth it. Just listened to Rosewood for the first time and it sounds great. Very laid back - my wife might even like it!!" Albums Menu Future Past

A Million Whistling Milkmen Bill Nelson download single - 18 December 2008 Singles Menu Future Past Purchase this download TRACKS: 1) A Million Whistling Milkmen NOTES: "A Million Whistling Milkmen" is a song 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. The track was premiered at Nelsonica 08 on 1 November 2008, with a special playback of the finished recording in advance of its eventual release on Nelson's 60th birthday. The track was re-released on a special 'Bill Nelson (Charity Single)' Bandcamp page on 30 October 2023. CURRENT AVAILABILITY: Available to purchase from the Bill Nelson (Charity Singles) Bandcamp page. BILL'S THOUGHTS: "It's about the 'milk of human kindness', using the metaphor of other-worldly milkmen as 'angels' delivering kindness and compassion to the world, fresh each day. It seems ideally suited to Sara's Hope Foundation's goal." _____ To Ged (Sara's father): "I'm pleased that I've been able to contribute something in some small way. What you are doing, what you HAVE done, is generous and compassionate. Sara, I'm sure, is so proud of you and your family. You've honoured her in such a positive and beautiful manner. I hope that Sara's Foundation will help many families who are suffering from the difficulties that the Foundation was set up to relieve. You're a very special soul and an inspiration." Singles Menu Future Past

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