Campbell American Guitars

Bill Nelson – A Brief Biography and Beyond…

Art rock legend, Bill Nelson has been playing in bands since his schooldays in the early 1960s. It’s now just over thirty years since the Yorkshireman came to the attention of the public at large as singer, guitarist and songwriter on Be Bop Deluxe’s debut album, Axe Victim. He’s been anything but idle in the meantime, though.

Bill is known primarily as a guitar stylist of remarkable virtuosity. While this aspect of his work remains of great importance, there are many other sides to his art. He’s a highly skilled songwriter with a gift for melody and an evocative lyric, a pioneer in the use of new technology and home recording, and amongst other things he’s been a record producer, a composer of scores for stage and TV and a music video director. His musical collaborations are too numerous to list, but include work with art rock luminaries such as YMO, David Sylvian and Harold Budd. It’s a travesty that he’s not a household name, but perhaps understandable given his artistic and personal integrity.

Endlessly prolific, Bill has been driven by his desire to innovate. His recorded output has taken in a dazzling array of genres. From their glam rock beginnings, Be Bop Deluxe went on to produce sophisticated art rock with a well developed pop sensibility. The band is best known for its two minor hits of the mid ‘70s, ‘Ships in the Night’ and ‘Maid in Heaven’. After five studio albums, Bill was ready to move on, splitting the band in 1978. His next outfit, Red Noise, recorded just one album, the new wave masterpiece, Sound on Sound, before Bill embarked on a solo career.

Bill’s next album, Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam, reached the UK Top 10 and marked the commercial high point of his career. Receiving a delayed release in 1981, it made innovative use of electronic elements. Bill played most of the instruments on the album himself. Further electronic-based albums followed throughout the ‘80s. At this time, Bill began to write commissions for stage, TV, short films and art installations.

The ‘90s began quietly for Bill in terms of releases, but he was as busy as ever in his home studio. The mid ‘90s saw the release of two fine works, the guitar instrumental album, Practically Wired and a vocal album, After the Satellite Sings, its fusion of guitar-based rock and drum n’ bass rhythms influencing David Bowie’s Earthling album. At the same time, Bill worked with the so-called ‘ambient super-group’, Channel Light Vessel, recording two highly rated albums.

So far in the new century, Bill has released a number of albums, toured a Solo show in 2003, toured with a band on the sell-out ‘Be Bop Deluxe and Beyond’ Tour in 2004 as well as another Solo show in 2005. He continues to record and release astonishing instrumental and song-based albums, and 2006 looks likely to be no exception.

“The reception for the guitar legend Nelson - was riotous. His guitar created a bizarre ecstasy on "The Trees Alone", an elemental spectacle turning the hall into a cathedral.” The Independent,

“Guitarist Bill Nelson, formerly of Be Bop Deluxe, performed an instrumental piece of such spine-tingling beauty, composed for the occasion, that it made you wish the man would appear more often.” – David Sinclair, The Times

(Photo of Bill Nelson by Johnny Moo)

For more info:

• http://www.billnelson.com